USA Today checks in on Plaquemines Parish (Louisiana) to see how recovery is going after Hurricane Isaac. [Spoiler: not so good.]
Author Archive | Wesley Shaw
National Hurricane Center Working on New Tools for Better Showing Risk
Posted on September 18, 2012
“NHC believes that the clearest way to communicate each of the hurricane hazards is to do so directly and distinctly, and not to conflate them as the proposed integrated scales do.” –National Hurricane Center press release Climate Central has posted a good summary of some new ways the National Hurricane Center is looking at better […]
Florida County Incorporates Climate Change in their Comprehensive Plan
Posted on September 17, 2012
Last week, Broward County’s commissioners voted to incorporate climate change into their comp plan despite substantial pushback. Read the article for how the battle was won.
Life on the Edge of a Rising Sea [VIDEO]
Posted on September 13, 2012
Ever wonder what life’s like out on the (rapidly disappearing) Louisiana bayou? The small community of Isle de Jean Charles has put together a great website with videos and more to help folks understand what’s at risk out there. This is a insightful look at the front lines of climate change. Have a look.
Climate Change and Infrastructure [VIDEO]
Posted on September 13, 2012
NBC takes a look at the toll of climate change on public infrastructure. Not just a coastal problem.
USACE to Investigate if New Orleans Levees Deflected Isaac’s Floodwaters into Neighboring Areas
Posted on September 5, 2012
“At the urging of residents who have long felt forgotten in the shadow of more densely populated New Orleans, the Army Corps of Engineers says it will look into whether the city’s fortified defenses pushed floodwaters provoked by Hurricane Isaac into outlying areas.” This could get interesting. “U.S. Corps of Engineers to study levee improvements’ […]
National Hurricane Center Answers: Are We Getting Better at Predicting Hurricanes?
Posted on August 28, 2012
The short version? Definitely better at predicting where they’re going. Slower progress on figuring out their strength. See the graphs on the National Hurricane Center’s site.
“What does it feel like to have your home flooded?”
Posted on August 22, 2012
Somebody on Quora.com asked “What does it feel like to have your home flooded?” The most popular response came in from a survivor from two floods in Queensland, Australia. The whole thing is worth reading, but following are a couple of sections that jumped out. The first is about how expectations affect behavior: Prior to […]
New Jersey Community Gets Serious About NFIP Compliance
Posted on August 14, 2012
Sea Isle City, NJ isn’t messing around with National Flood Insurance Program compliance issues. The city recently sent out 193 court summons to owners of non-compliant structures (mostly concerning inadequate flood vents and illegal conversions of below-home storage into living space) telling them to get their structures in order. The city’s motivation? The possible benefits […]
NOAA’s Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth Site Updated with More Examples
Posted on August 7, 2012
Been a while since you checked out NOAA’s Coastal and Waterfront Smart Growth site? They’ve updated it with new case studies: see what’s updated via their Getting Started page.