NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO • September 29, 2022
Hurricane Ian was just shy of a Category 5 hurricane when it barreled into Florida. The wind was strong enough to destroy homes, and relentless storm surge and rain flooded entire neighborhoods in a matter of hours. Storms like Ian are more likely because of human-caused climate change. Research suggests that hurricanes that form in the Atlantic are more likely to get powerful very quickly. A warmer planet also drives more flooding from hurricanes and tropical storms. Together, sea level rise and powerful, rainy storms conspire to cause catastrophic flooding across huge areas of the U.S. when a hurricane hits land.