Conversation on Extreme Weather

Jennifer A. Horney is the founding director of the epidemiology program at the University of Delaware and a core faculty member of the university's Disaster Research Center.

• Series Editor ForewordPrefacePart I: The Science of Extreme Weather1. Is Climate Change to Blame for Extreme Weather Events? Attribution Science Says Yes, for Some—Here's How It Works, by Xubin Zeng2. What Is an Atmospheric River? With Flooding and Mudslides in California, a Hydrologist Explains the Good and Bad of these Storms and How They're Changing, by Qian Cao3. Climate Change Is Intensifying the Water Cycle, Bringing More Powerful Storms and Flooding—Here's What the Science Shows, by Mathew Barlow4. The Fastest Population Growth in the West's Wildland-Urban Interface Is in Areas Most Vulnerable to Wildfires, by Krishna Rao, Alexandra Konings, Marta Yebra, Noah Diffenbaugh, and Park Williams5. The Risk of "Cascading" Natural Disasters Is on the Rise, by Farshid Vahedifard and Amir Aghakouchak6. Why a Warming Climate Can Bring Bigger Snowstorms, by Michael A. Rawlin7. Ice Storms, Downpours, Heavy Snow, No Snow: Diagnosing "Warming Winter Syndrome", by Richard B. (Ricky) Rood8. Atmospheric Rivers Over California's Wildfire Burn Scars Raise Fears of Deadly Mudslides—This Is What Cascading Climate Disasters Look Like, by Amir AghakouchakPart II: Economy and Infrastructure9. After a Record 22 'Billion Dollar Disasters' in 2020, It's Time to Overhaul US Disaster Policy—Here's How, by A. R. Siders, Allison Reilly, and Deb Niemeier10. Intense Heat and Flooding Are Wreaking Havoc on Power and Water Systems as Climate Change Batters America's Aging Infrastructure, by Paul Chinowsky11. 4 Ways Extreme Heat Hurts the Economy, by Derek Lemoine12. Why Insurance Companies Are Pulling Out of California and Florida, and How to Fix Some of the Underlying Problems, by Melanie Gall13. Climate Change Is a Fiscal Disaster for Local Governments Our Study Shows How It's Testing Communities in Florida, by Linda Shi, Tisha Joseph Holmes, and William Butler14. Heat Waves Hit the Poor Hardest—Calculating the Rising Impact on Those Least Able to Adapt to the Warming Climate, by Mojtaba Sadegh, John Abatzoglou, and Mohammad Reza Alizadeh15. Climate Change Hits Indebted Businesses Hardest, New Research Suggests, by Huan Kuang and Ying (Cathy) ZhengPart III: Health and Environment16. 8 Billion People: Four Ways Climate Change and Population Growth Combine to Threaten Public Health, with Global Consequences, by Maureen Lichtveld17. North America's Summer of Wildfire Smoke: 2023 Was Only the Beginning, by Charles O. Stanier, Gregory Carmichael, and Peter S. Thorne18. Extreme Heat and Air Pollution Can Be Deadly, with the Health Risk Together Worse Than Either Alone, by Erika Garcia, Mostafijur Rahman, and Rob Scot Mcconnell19. Extreme Heat Is Particularly Hard on Older Adults—An Aging Population and Climate Change Put Ever More People at Risk, by Deborah Carr, Giacomo Falchetta, and Ian Sue Wing20. Neurotoxins in the Environment Are Damaging Human Brain Health—And More Frequent Fires and Floods May Make the Problem Worse, by Arnold R. Eiser21. Extreme Weather May Help Invasive Species Outcompete Native Animals—New Study, by Harry Shepherd22. The Chickadee in the Snowbank: A "Canary in the Coal Mine" for Climate Change in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, by Benjamin Sonnenberg23. Climate Change Is Already Forcing Lizards, Insects, and Other Species to Evolve—And Most Can't Keep Up, by Michael P. Moore and James T. Stroud24. How a Thumb-Sized Climate Migrant with a Giant Crab Claw Is Disrupting the Northeast's Great Marsh Ecosystem, by David Samuel Johnson25. The Heroic Effort to Save Florida's Coral Reef from Extreme Ocean Heat as Corals Bleach Across the Caribbean, by Michael ChildressPart IV: Housing and Education26. 4 Reasons Affordable Housing Is Slow to Recover After Disasters Like Hurricanes, and What Communities Can Do About It, by Shannon Van Zandt27. Human Exposure to Wildfires Has More Than Doubled in Two Decades—Who Is at Risk Might Surprise You, by Mojtaba Sadegh28. When Homes Flood, Who Gets FEMA Buyouts and Where Do They Go? We Mapped Thousands of Moves and Found Distance and Race Both Play a Role, by James R. Elliott and Zheye (Jay) Wang29. As Heat Waves Intensify, Tens of Thousands of US Classrooms Will Be Too Hot for Students to Learn In, by Paul Chinowsky30. Coastal Home Buyers Are Ignoring Rising Flood Risks, Despite Clear Warnings and Rising Insurance Premiums, by Risa Palm and Toby W. Bolsen31. Historic Flooding in Fort Lauderdale Was a Sign of Things to Come—A Look at Who Is Most at Risk and How to Prepare, by Smitha RaoPart V: Solutions and Civic Response32. Tornadoes, Wildfires, and Other Disasters Tell a Story of Vulnerability and Recovery in America, by Tricia Wachtendorf33. Hurricanes, Wildfires, Tornadoes, Floods—Whatever Your Local Risk, Here's How to Be More Weather-Ready, by Erik Salna34. Saving Lives from Extreme Heat: Lessons from the Deadly 2021 Pacific Northwest Heat Wave, by Jason Vogel and Brian G. Henning35. How Ghost Streams and Redlining's Legacy Lead to Unfairness in Flood Risk, in Detroit and Elsewhere, by Jacob Napieralski36. Wildfire Smoke Leaves Harmful Gases in Floors and Walls Air Purifiers Aren't Enough, New Study Shows, but You Can Clean It Up, by Delphine Farmer37. Looking for a US 'Climate Haven' Away from Disaster Risks? Good Luck Finding One, by Julie Arbit, Brad Bottoms, and Earl Lewis38. What Western States Can Learn from Native American Wildfire Management Strategies, by Kari Marie Norgaard and Sara Worl39. Louisiana's Coastal Cultures Are Threatened by the Very Plans Meant to Save Their Wetlands and Barrier Islands, by Craig E. Colten40. Keeping Your Cool in a Warming World: 8 Steps to Help Manage Eco-Anxiety, by Karen Magruder