On this edition of Your Call, we're discussing Hurricane Ian, which made landfall yesterday in Florida, pounding the southwestern coast.
The extremely dangerous conditions with winds of over 150 mph turned streets into rivers, knocking out power to more than two million people, and threatening to cause further damage as the storm moves inland, according to the Associated Press.
We'll find out how the climate crisis increases the frequency and magnitude of these extreme weather events. Sea level along the southwest Florida coast is about a foot higher than is was 100 years ago, because of sea-level rise from human-caused climate change. This extra foot of sea level will substantially increase the storm surge damage from Ian, according to hurricane scientist Dr. Jeff Masters.
Guest:
Dr. Jeff Masters, author with Yale Climate Connections, co-founder of Weather Underground, and hurricane scientist for the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990
Web Resources:
Associated Press: Ian swamps southwest Florida, trapping people in homes
Vox: Hurricane Ian’s rapid intensification is a sign of the world to come
Politico: ‘This could break the bank’: Category 4 hurricane churns toward a vulnerable coast
PBS: How warm water turbocharged Hurricane Ian in less than a day
