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Forbes
3 days ago
- Climate
- Forbes
Texas Floods: Preparation Is Key To Protecting Who And What We Love
CENTER POINT, TEXAS: Salvaged photographs are displayed on a table after homes flooded in Center ... More Point, Texas. Heavy rainfall caused severe flooding along the Guadalupe River causing loss of life and devastation to homes and property. (Photo by) Over the July 4th weekend, flood water surged through central Texas with devastating force. In parts of the Hill Country, more than 20 inches of rain fell in just a few hours. The Guadalupe River rose nearly 30 feet in under 60 minutes. Campgrounds and homes were torn apart. At Camp Mystic, an all-girls summer retreat, cabins were swept away in the dark. More than 100 people are dead, including at least 28 children, with dozens still missing. As search-and-rescue efforts continue, for many families the pain is only just beginning. Homes have been lost. Lives have been altered beyond recognition. This is a terrible, heartbreaking tragedy. But it is not a surprise. Texas has suffered flash floods before - most notably the 2015 Memorial Day floods and Hurricane Harvey in 2017. But the pace and scale of extreme rainfall events are changing. What was considered 'once in a century' is now happening far more often. The conditions that led to this disaster - intense moisture in the atmosphere from the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry and slow-moving storm systems, meeting specific geography of steep terrain and lack of vegetation - are textbook examples of how a warming world amplifies risk. Scientists have warned of this for decades. A hotter atmosphere holds more water. That means heavier rainfall. Add in population growth in flood-prone areas, ageing infrastructure, and limited preparation, and the result is catastrophe. Nor is this pattern confined to Texas. In October 2024, the Spanish region of Valencia was struck by an extreme weather event known locally as a gota fría. In a matter of hours, up to 500mm of rain fell in some areas - more than a typical year's total. The floods killed more than 200 people, with widespread destruction to homes, roads and farmland. In May last year, the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil endured one of its worst natural disasters on record. Torrential rains killed 184 people, displaced hundreds of thousands and left entire cities submerged. Last year central Europe also faced record flooding, straining emergency response services and exposing how quickly systems can become overwhelmed. These are not coincidences. They are the outcomes of a global climate system under stress. And yet, too often, our public infrastructure, planning processes and emergency services are still operating on assumptions made for a cooler, more stable past. Reducing emissions is the most effective way to prevent the escalating risks, loss of life and economic devastation caused by climate change. Addressing the root cause is crucial. In addition, we must also take on the challenge of preparing better for climate impacts. We must shift from reacting to rebuilding. From hoping disasters don't strike to assuming they will - and preparing accordingly. This does not mean giving up. It means facing reality squarely. The world is already 1.2°C warmer than pre-industrial levels. That warming is locked in for the near term. More intense floods, fires, storms and heatwaves are now part of the landscape of risk. Adaptation must become a priority and that means: Spain offers a useful case study. Following the Valencia floods, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced a major push for climate resilience. Investments have increased in natural flood defences and regional emergency coordination has been improved. The government is treating adaptation as a national imperative, not a side issue. In contrast, the United States - while rich in expertise - has seen cuts and instability in some of the very agencies designed to keep people safe. NOAA, the National Weather Service, and FEMA all play critical roles, yet face ongoing political turmoil and budgetary cuts. Meanwhile, misinformation about cloud seeding and 'weather control' continues to spread online, muddying the waters of public understanding. Science and planning cannot prevent every tragedy. But they can limit the damage. When systems work, people are warned earlier. They evacuate sooner. Fewer lives are lost. Recovery is faster and less costly. Adaptation is not a sign of weakness - it is a mark of responsibility. This must become the core of how we think about climate risk. It is about towns, rivers, homes and lives. Ultimately, it is about protecting the things we love. From a business perspective, it is not only about physical assets but about ensuring supply chains and communities in which business operates are resilient. Business continuity depends on the ability of people and small businesses that are part of supply chains to recover quickly from extreme events. Business continuity and resilient communities are fundamental pillars on which economic prosperity depends. It is estimated the world will face $145 billion in insured losses in 2025, up 6% on last year, and that companies themselves estimate a total of $162 billion in potential financial costs tied to supply chain climate-related risks. Communities, governments and businesses must work hand-in-hand to drive the preparation and planning needed to manage our changing climate. The floods in Texas are devastating. But they were predictable. The science and risks are clear and the tools to help exist. The next storm will come - whether in Texas, Valencia, Porto Alegre, or somewhere else entirely. The real question is whether we will be ready.
CTV News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CTV News
Intense downpours like those in Texas are more frequent, but there's no telling where they'll happen
Debris covers over tree limbs after flooding near the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis) It's not just Texas and North Carolina. Intense rain is falling more frequently in many areas of the U.S. — though where it occurs and whether it causes catastrophic flooding is largely a matter of chance, according to experts. More than 100 people died in Texas Hill Country over the weekend after 12 inches (30 centimetres) of rain fell in just hours. The deluge was driven by warm, moist air left over from Tropical Storm Barry and Hurricane Flossie that created conditions for repeated thunderstorms in the same location, said Texas Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. Last year, Hurricane Helene dumped more than 30 inches (76 centimetres) of rain on western North Carolina, triggering catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes, killing more than 100 people in that state alone. This week, flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal prompted dozens of water rescues in other parts of North Carolina. And this spring, record rainfall in Kentucky caused severe and deadly flooding. Although it can be difficult to attribute a single weather event to climate change — and hilly or mountainous terrain worsen flooding — experts say a warming atmosphere and oceans due to the burning of fossil fuels make catastrophic storms more likely. That's because the atmosphere can hold 7% more water for every degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), creating a giant sponge of sorts that sucks up moisture from bodies of water and vegetation. The moisture later falls back to earth in increasingly intense, unpredictable and destructive downpours. 'It's just loading the dice toward heavy rainfall when the situation is right,' said Kenneth Kunkel, a climate scientist at North Carolina State University. Intensifying rain storms Going back through U.S. weather station records dating to 1955, Kunkel found that rain over the past 20 years has become more intense in the eastern two-thirds of the country, including the southern Great Plains, where Texas is located. Intensities have remained the same or declined in the West and southwest. At the 700 stations that began collecting data in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highest proportion of two-day rainfall records have been set in just the past 10 years, Kunkel said, though that doesn't fully reflect most Western stations, which were established later. Nielsen-Gammon said the overall intensity of extreme rainfall in Texas has increased by 15% over the past 40-50 years. Still, it's almost impossible to predict where the most catastrophic rain will fall in any given year, Kunkel said. 'This month was the Texas Hill Country's turn to get hit. Last fall ... in western North Carolina, it was our turn,' Kunkel said, adding that just because an area was spared over the past 20 or 30 years, it 'doesn't mean that they aren't vulnerable. ... They got lucky.' A 'perfect storm' in Texas The worst flooding and greatest loss of life in Texas occurred in Kerr County, in an area known as 'flash flood alley' because of its steep terrain that funnels water to the Guadalupe River, a popular recreational area. Though the county did not get the most rain from the storms, the 'distribution of rainfall was one of the worst possible patterns' because the most intense downpours were over the headwaters of the south fork of the Guadalupe River, causing water to rush into areas where hundreds of people, including children, were camping, said Nielsen-Gammon. If the epicenter had been 10 miles (16 kilometres) north or south, the rain would have been divided among different river basins, he said. If it had been farther downstream, larger floodplains would have absorbed and slowed much of the water. Years of drought also likely exacerbated the flooding. Kerr County, for example, had been in extreme or exceptional drought for more than three years, aside from one four-week period last fall. That likely left the soil compacted, which caused water to run off instead of soaking into the ground, said Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist. Then, air from the warmer-than-normal Gulf of Mexico — a reflection of global warming — blew into the state with a higher water content than it would have had decades ago. It all added up to 'just a perfect storm of events' that caused a catastrophe, said Rippey. 'There are things that had to come together to make this happen.' ____ Tammy Webber, The Associated Press The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
The Independent
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
How Texas flash floods burst into a deadly tide in mere hours
With at least 105 dead and two dozen still missing, Friday's catastrophic flash flooding in Central Texas ranks among the worst natural disasters in the state's history. The brunt of the disaster centered in Kerr County, where the torrential rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to burst its banks, taking 84 victims, including 28 children. Among those killed were 27 young girls and staff members at Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer camp situated on the riverbank. Eleven were still missing on Tuesday morning. What began as a routine flood watch quickly devolved into a deadly disaster. The National Weather Service predicted between one and three inches of rain, with some isolated spots possibly getting five to seven inches. Instead, parts of Kerr County were slammed with 10 to 15 inches, and in some places, over 20 inches, within a few hours. The storm is believed to be fueled by warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico and leftovers from Tropical Storm Barry, according to San Antonio Express-News meteorologist Anthony Franze. These combined to create a slow-moving weather system that slowed over the area and dumped heavy rain over hills and valleys. The geography of Hill Country made things worse. The steep hills and rocky land don't absorb water well, so rain quickly flows into creeks and rivers. This caused the Guadalupe River to rise rapidly to its second-highest level ever recorded, even higher than a historic 1987 flood, Franze said. The area is often called ' Flash Flood Alley' because it's prone to these kinds of fast, dangerous floods, Hatim Sharif, a hydrologist and civil engineer at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said in an article for The Conversation. Experts say predicting exactly where and how much rain will fall is difficult, and this storm caught many off guard. Dr. Jess Neumann of the University of Reading said this was a 'tragic reminder of the dangers of sudden extreme rainfall and flash flooding.' 'This terrible event, in which children are missing and many have died, raises critical questions about effective early warning systems, flood planning and preparedness in the region,' Neumann said in a news release. 'It cannot be right that a flood of this magnitude, in an area known to be at high risk of flash floods, caused such devastation and has taken so many people by surprise.' The flood struck in the middle of the night when most people were asleep. There weren't strong warning systems in place to alert residents or campers in time to escape. 'We didn't know this flood was coming,' Kerr County Judge Rob Kelly said Friday. 'No one knew this kind of flood was coming.' Chuck Schumer, the Senate's top Democrat, demanded that the government's watchdog investigate whether the Trump administration's cuts to the National Weather Service 's workforce increased the death toll. The strength of the flood was depicted by a 22-year-old woman who was swept 20 miles downstream and survived by clinging to a tree until help arrived. More than 850 people had been rescued by Tuesday morning, with Texas Governor Greg Abbott stating that over 1,750 personnel from 20 state agencies had been deployed so far to respond to flood threats. As the hopes of finding survivors faded, hundreds of emergency responders continued to search through the debris. 'Texas is working tirelessly to assist local officials with recovery and rescue operations,' Abbott wrote on X Monday. 'Texas will not stop until every missing person is found.'
Washington Post
5 days ago
- Climate
- Washington Post
Intense downpours like those in Texas are more frequent, but there's no telling where they'll happen
It's not just Texas and North Carolina. Intense rain is falling more frequently in many areas of the U.S. — though where it occurs and whether it causes catastrophic flooding is largely a matter of chance, according to experts. More than 100 people died in Texas Hill Country over the weekend after 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in just hours. The deluge was driven by warm, moist air left over from Tropical Storm Barry and Hurricane Flossie that created conditions for repeated thunderstorms in the same location, said Texas Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Climate
- The Independent
Intense downpours like those in Texas are more frequent, but there's no telling where they'll happen
It's not just Texas and North Carolina. Intense rain is falling more frequently in many areas of the U.S. — though where it occurs and whether it causes catastrophic flooding is largely a matter of chance, according to experts. More than 100 people died in Texas Hill Country over the weekend after 12 inches (30 centimeters) of rain fell in just hours. The deluge was driven by warm, moist air left over from Tropical Storm Barry and Hurricane Flossie that created conditions for repeated thunderstorms in the same location, said Texas Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. Last year, Hurricane Helene dumped more than 30 inches (76 centimeters) of rain on western North Carolina, triggering catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes, killing more than 100 people in that state alone. This week, flooding from the remnants of Tropical Storm Chantal prompted dozens of water rescues in other parts of North Carolina. And this spring, record rainfall in Kentucky caused severe and deadly flooding. Although it can be difficult to attribute a single weather event to climate change — and hilly or mountainous terrain worsen flooding — experts say a warming atmosphere and oceans due to the burning of fossil fuels make catastrophic storms more likely. That's because the atmosphere can hold 7% more water for every degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), creating a giant sponge of sorts that sucks up moisture from bodies of water and vegetation. The moisture later falls back to earth in increasingly intense, unpredictable and destructive downpours. 'It's just loading the dice toward heavy rainfall when the situation is right,' said Kenneth Kunkel, a climate scientist at North Carolina State University. Intensifying rain storms Going back through U.S. weather station records dating to 1955, Kunkel found that rain over the past 20 years has become more intense in the eastern two-thirds of the country, including the southern Great Plains, where Texas is located. Intensities have remained the same or declined in the West and southwest. At the 700 stations that began collecting data in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highest proportion of two-day rainfall records have been set in just the past 10 years, Kunkel said, though that doesn't fully reflect most Western stations, which were established later. Nielsen-Gammon said the overall intensity of extreme rainfall in Texas has increased by 15% over the past 40-50 years. Still, it's almost impossible to predict where the most catastrophic rain will fall in any given year, Kunkel said. 'This month was the Texas Hill Country's turn to get hit. Last fall ... in western North Carolina, it was our turn,' Kunkel said, adding that just because an area was spared over the past 20 or 30 years, it 'doesn't mean that they aren't vulnerable. ... They got lucky.' A 'perfect storm' in Texas The worst flooding and greatest loss of life in Texas occurred in Kerr County, in an area known as 'flash flood alley' because of its steep terrain that funnels water to the Guadalupe River, a popular recreational area. Though the county did not get the most rain from the storms, the 'distribution of rainfall was one of the worst possible patterns' because the most intense downpours were over the headwaters of the south fork of the Guadalupe River, causing water to rush into areas where hundreds of people, including children, were camping, said Nielsen-Gammon. If the epicenter had been 10 miles (16 kilometers) north or south, the rain would have been divided among different river basins, he said. If it had been farther downstream, larger floodplains would have absorbed and slowed much of the water. Years of drought also likely exacerbated the flooding. Kerr County, for example, had been in extreme or exceptional drought for more than three years, aside from one four-week period last fall. That likely left the soil compacted, which caused water to run off instead of soaking into the ground, said Brad Rippey, a U.S. Department of Agriculture meteorologist. Then, air from the warmer-than-normal Gulf of Mexico — a reflection of global warming — blew into the state with a higher water content than it would have had decades ago. It all added up to 'just a perfect storm of events' that caused a catastrophe, said Rippey. 'There are things that had to come together to make this happen.' ____ The Associated Press' climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at
