The news the past week has been saturated with weather: namely, with predictions about the path of and descriptions of the damage caused by Hurricane Dorian. The volatility of our climate is undeniably front and center in our day-to-day lives. For this Web Wednesday, we’re rounding up articles covering the factors that shape climate trends and inform the policy debate.
The map above shows that significant portions of the USA are experiencing, as compared to the last 120+ years, their highest average temperatures. The Washington Post recently provided an interactive with a great deal more maps and analyses of temperature changes.
With the generally higher temperatures comes more volatile weather, including wind and water. Also, the damage related to water is not limited to flooding … there is stress on the water supply that can compromise economic, fiscal and physical health for generations.
Impacts are far from equal — urban areas tend to experience more intense temperatures, and people of color experience more severe effects.
So where do we go from here, to address or handle these weather events more effectively? Opinions vary, but some unexpected voices are weighing in, and shared experience may be a great motivator for cooperation.