Climate change has spoken, and the hurricane season has been extended. Was Hurricane Ian just a taste of what's to come?
With winds exceeding 150 mph when it made landfall, Hurricane Ian is one of the strongest storms in Florida's history. Intense flooding, severe power outages, and devastating storm surges are just a few impacts from a hurricane of this magnitude. The death toll in Florida is in the twenties, but this may rise in the coming days as communities recover from this catastrophic storm. Meanwhile, Hurricane Ian made U.S. landfall for a second time today, September 30, 2022, this time in South Carolina.
How did we get here? It really is quite simple.
Hurricanes form when warm air rises over warm water.
Humans have emitted enormous amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, leading to climate change.
Climate change is creating warmer air and warmer oceans.
Read #1 again.
Hurricane Ian may be just the beginning of what is to come as climate change continues to foster more frequent, unique, and severe weather events.
What does it look like?
Communities across the globe endure these common impacts of climate change:
Extreme heat
Longer, hotter, and wetter seasons, meaning more mosquito-borne diseases
More frequent and severe tropical storms and hurricanes, outside of regular hurricane seasons
Sea level rise, leading to compromised drain and water infrastructure
King tides
Numerous economic effects across all sectors
What can we do?
There are many ways to contribute to climate change mitigation efforts. At Waterway Advocates, we offer community service and learning volunteer experiences that make climate action accessible to everyday people. Subscribe at the bottom of our website to join us on the journey to accessible #ClimateAction for everyone! We share tips, articles, and upcoming volunteer opportunities, along with exclusive access to our monthly newsletter.