According to USA Today, “Hurricane Grace is one of three active Atlantic storms in a busy August for hurricane season.” USA Today also noted that another storm, Fred, brought heavy rain across the eastern U.S., causing the governor of North Carolina to declare a state of emergency.
In a similar vein, Henri made landfall in Rhode Island – the first time in decades that a hurricane was predicted to make a direct landfall in New England – but had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it arrived. Hurricane Ida has wreaked havoc on Louisiana and is headed toward the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern states.
Unfortunately, this type of meteorological activity is nothing new and is typical for a standard hurricane season. This time last year, there were two named hurricanes (Marco and Laura) in the Gulf of Mexico, producing winds exceeding 100 miles an hour, coastal erosion, and extensive flooding. Residents of the New Orleans metropolitan area were particularly affected, since this area lies mostly below sea level.
2021 Hurricanes Are Making Some Natural Disasters Worse
Oddly, the hurricanes of 2021 are also contributing to the excessive heat, drought, and wildfires in the West. The upper air circulation system is pushing the hurricanes toward the eastern third of the country, which leaves the western third and the Midwest with little to no rainfall.
As a result, the U.S. Forest Service will close nine national forests starting August 22 and through September 6 for two main reasons: extreme fire conditions and firefighting resources. According to the U.S. Forest Service, firefighting resources “have been stretched thin by the alarming number of blazes burning around the country.”
While most wildfires are caused by downed power lines, human error, malfunctioning equipment and Santa Ana winds, it’s amazing to think that hurricanes are actually contributing to the increase and severity of wildfires. The Los Angeles Times noted that “two colliding weather systems – tropical moisture from the south and a high-pressure ridge from the east – are producing thunderstorms that spit out lightning but little rain.”
IPCC’s Recent Report about Climate Change Is Sobering
The sober assessment of our planet’s future has been delivered by the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), a group of scientists whose findings are endorsed by the world’s governments. Their report is the first major review of the science of climate change since 2013.
The report’s release comes less than three months before a key climate summit in Glasgow known as COP26. The IPCC’s document makes several strong statements:
- “It is unequivocal that human influence has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land.”
- “It is a statement of fact, we cannot be any more certain; it is unequivocal and indisputable that humans are warming the planet.”
- “By using sports terms, one could say the atmosphere has been exposed to doping, which means we have begun observing extremes more often than before.”
- This warming is “already affecting many weather and climate extremes in every region across the globe.”
- Extreme weather’s “attribution to human influence has strengthened” over the past decade.
The IPCC report highlights that extreme weather events will continue, so preparedness is key. We’ve seen firsthand how devastating a combination of weather events can be to a country, and the recent environmental events in Haiti are a perfect example of how all countries need to prepare for extreme weather events.
September Is National Preparedness Month
So how do you ensure that you are ready for any weather-related challenge such as fires, drought, mudslides and hurricanes? It’s important to be ready for both human-driven and nature-driven disasters.
National Preparedness Month is an annual September event sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). This event is a good reminder that disasters – either natural or human-caused – can strike at any time.
The National Safety Council notes that “it’s important to have a planned response when you’re at work, on vacation or on the road. In 2020, 60,714 weather-related events resulted in 585 deaths and 1,708 injuries. Winter weather, tornadoes and floods resulted in the most deaths that year, according to Injury Facts.”
The 2021 theme for National Preparedness Month is “Prepare to Protect. Preparing for disasters is protecting everyone you love.” Ready.gov has a weekly outline of activities to help you be equipped to battle the elements, separated into weekly events.
Week 1: Make A Plan
Talk to your friends and family about how you will communicate before, during and after a disaster. Make sure to update your plan based on the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations due to the coronavirus.
Week 2: Build A Kit
Gather supplies that will last for several days after a disaster for everyone living in your home. Don’t forget to consider the unique needs each person or pet may have in case you have to evacuate quickly. Update your kits and the supplies in them based on the recommendations by the CDC.
Week 3: Prepare for Disasters
Limit the impacts that disasters have on you and your family. Know the risk of disasters in your area, and check your insurance coverage. Learn how to make your home stronger in the face of storms and other common hazards, and act fast if you receive a local warning or alert.
Week 4: Teach Youth About Preparedness
Talk to your kids about preparing for emergencies and what to do in case you are separated. Reassure them by providing information about how they can get involved.
The goal of National Preparedness Month is to provide resources to inform the public. This event also helps to ensure that people are properly prepared for emergencies that occur in homes, schools, businesses, and communities, while considering health and environmental factors at the same time.
Hurricanes, derechos and wildfires are just a few examples of the weather-related events that affect up to one-fourth of the United States. These types of hazardous events, coupled with more common summer weather occurrences such as tornadoes, heat waves, and poor air quality, make living in any of the 50 states a challenge.
So take the opportunity during National Preparedness Month to get informed, get ready and stay ready. The lives of you and your family could depend on preparing for future extreme weather events today.
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