Question Your World: How Is the 2020 Hurricane Season Going?
For many coastal states containing the spread of the coronavirus is a pretty big challenge, now add a very active hurricane season into the mix and ... yikes! Beaches along the East Coast have already been the subject of a lot of news due to public health reasons, but now we’re seeing some of our coastal areas in the news because of tropical storms and hurricanes. By mid-May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) had already published a report urging the US to brace for a very active hurricane season. So, how is hurricane season going? Well, simply put, it’s been pretty stormy.
Recently we’ve been seeing lots of news about Hurricane Isaias, which caused much coastal damage in the Carolinas and Virginia, dumping more than 4 inches of rain in several locations around Richmond. Isaias was the fifth named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season to make landfall on the continental US. Bertha, Cristobal, Fay and Hanna were the others that made continental US landfall this season.
While weather patterns do fluctuate all the time, the long-term climate trends here are becoming noticeable. From 2009-2015, no season had more than one landfalling hurricane on the continental US. In the last five years though we’ve seen at least two or more. And, recent studies suggest hurricanes have gotten stronger on average due to climate change. This season has already broken the record for the earliest that this many storms have made landfall on the continental US.
Image credit: Getty Images
While all this may sound alarming, keep in mind this knowledge can also be used to prepare! Scientists and public health experts encourage citizens to stay tuned to local weather reports and have a preparedness kit ready for health needs and life comforts.
Isaias is already the 9th named storm and hurricane season isn’t even half way over yet. By but using this knowledge and planning properly we can build a more resilient community and literally weather these storms. Be safe out there, everyone!
The Museum is hard at work helping you to discover your world despite dramatically reduced financial resources. If you'd like to help us continue this work, click here to learn how.
