After a record 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020, it's time to overhaul US disaster policy – here's how
NOAA released its list of climate and weather disasters that cost the nation more than $1 billion each. Like many climate and weather events this past year, it shattered the record.
Jan. 8, 2021 • ~11 min
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After a record 22 billion-dollar disasters in 2020, it's time to make US disaster policy more effective and equitable – here's how
NOAA released its list of climate and weather disasters that cost the nation more than $1 billion each. Like many climate and weather events this past year, it shattered the record.
Jan. 8, 2021 • ~11 min
policy construction floods hurricanes storms natural-disasters wildfires government disaster-risk fema building disaster-management land-use building-codes 2020
Overshadowed by COVID: the deadly extreme weather of 2020
Many storms, heatwaves, fires and droughts slipped under the radar this year.
Dec. 30, 2020 • ~7 min
climate-change flooding hurricanes storms drought extreme-weather wildfires heatwave cyclones
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is so intense, it just ran out of storm names – and then two more storms formed
It's only happened twice since naming started in 1950, and there's an unusual twist to where many of the storms are forming this year.
Sept. 18, 2020 • ~6 min
climate-change hurricanes storms el-nino meteorology natural-disasters oceans atlantic-ocean la-nina tropical-cyclones enso
The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is so intense, it just ran out of storm names
In an unusual twist, many of those storms have been forming closer to the US coast.
Sept. 18, 2020 • ~6 min
climate-change hurricanes storms el-nino meteorology natural-disasters oceans atlantic-ocean la-nina tropical-cyclones enso
What is a hurricane storm surge, and why is it so dangerous?
It's not just about the hurricane. How high a storm surge gets and how far it reaches also has a lot to do with the land.
Sept. 14, 2020 • ~4 min
climate-change sea-level-rise flooding hurricanes storms natural-disasters storm-surge weather
What is hurricane storm surge, and why is it so dangerous?
It's not just about the hurricane. How high a storm surge gets and how far it reaches also has a lot to do with the land.
Sept. 14, 2020 • ~4 min
climate-change sea-level-rise flooding hurricanes storms natural-disasters storm-surge weather
Hurricanes and wildfires are colliding with the COVID-19 pandemic – and compounding the risks
Disaster preparation and evacuation procedures weren't made for social distancing. The pandemic means response decisions are now fraught with contradictions.
Aug. 26, 2020 • ~6 min
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Extreme wildfires can create their own dangerous weather, including fire tornadoes – here's how
Persistent heat waves and dry lightning are part of the problem. For firefighters, the erratic behavior gets dangerous quickly.
Aug. 25, 2020 • ~6 min
storms wildfire heat-wave drought natural-disasters weather tornado lightning fire-risk
Western wildfires are spinning off tornadoes – here’s how fires create their own freakish weather
Persistent heat waves and dry lightning are part of the problem. For firefighters, the erratic behavior gets dangerous quickly.
Aug. 25, 2020 • ~6 min
storms wildfire heat-wave drought natural-disasters weather tornado lightning fire-risk
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