Thunderstorms Are Changing Climate Risk
Bigger, wetter thunderstorms are one of the manifestations of climate change, and are altering risk calculations for millions of American homes and businesses.
The good news: Satellite imagery and AI can improve alerts of impending floods, as well as insurance options for at-risk properties.
In 2023 we‘ve seen rainstorms cause major flooding in New York City, Vermont, Florida, Texas and California. The impact of flooding rains has been even broader than the headlines suggest, and is out of whack with historic patterns.
Thunderstorms were the single costliest type of natural catastrophe for insurers in the first half of 2023, according to reinsurer Swiss Re. They now account for 68 percent of catastrophe losses, about twice the usual level. That includes a record $34 billion in insured losses in the U.S. in 1H 2023, with 10 different flooding events causing losses in excess of $1 billion. Resources (Nov. 21, 2023)
Continue Reading Thunderstorms Are Changing Climate Risk on the ClimatePivot.com web site.
Thanksgiving and Climate Conversations
What do you say when climate comes up over holiday dinner? One of our favorite newsletters, Talking Climate with Katharine Hayhoe, offers tips for better conversations while explaining and “depolarizing” climate change. Hayhoe has a section in this week’s newsletter about having constructive climate conversations at the holiday table.
Links
I’m a Climate Scientist. I’m not Screaming Into the Void Anymore: This essay by Dr. Kate Marvel was widely shared across social media this week. Marvel, a climate scientist at Project Drawdown, shares the sense of optimism she gained from last week’s National Climate Assessment (she was a lead author). A worthwhile and hopeful read.
Polar Ice Researchers Issue New Warning on Sea Level Rise: The report warns that global average temperatures settle at 2 degrees Celsius above the preindustrial baseline could translate into more than 40 feet of sea-level rise — “a melt that would take centuries and reshape societies across the globe.”
World Briefly Smashes 2-Degree Warning Limit for First Time: We keep seeing new warming records, and this is not a happy one (particularly given our previous link).
Research and Data
Climate Central looks at the science of thunderstorm potential, and charts long-term change using a severity indicator known as Convective Available Potential Energy (CAVE). The biggest historic changes have been in the Eastern half of the U.S. in spring and summer.