Hurricane Wind Speeds and Rainfall Amounts are Worsening

New research indicates that average hurricane wind speeds and rainfall amounts are increasing thanks to climate change.  Recent hurricanes have had approximately 10% more rainfall compared to historical averages of similar-sized storms, and winds have been up to 25 knots greater than average.

Impact of Rising Hurricane Wind Speeds on Utilities

Emergency preparedness is getting more challenging, so we all must strive to be more prepared than ever before.  I believe that utilities in all sectors should increase focus on emergency planning and storm hardening activities.  There are far more threats today than there were as little as 20 years ago, and the magnitude of these threats is on the rise.  The research report referenced above, from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, highlights this new reality for just one of these emerging threats – more severe weather.

Here’s the science behind it.  Hurricane wind speeds are influenced by ocean temperatures – the warmer the temperature, the greater the hurricane strength – and rainfall is influenced by moisture in the atmosphere.  Rising global temperatures influence both of these factors.

The Lawrence Berkeley study simulations indicate that temperatures 3° C warmer than current average temperatures would increase the severity of storms by a whopping 25-40%!

This begs the question, what can we do about it?  Well, the answer is not much, other than to be aware that hurricane wind speeds and rainfall amounts are rising, incorporate this awareness into plans and drills, and increase your focus on the identification and utilization of lessons learned following major emergency events going forward (with a special focus on avoiding the lessons learned trap, of course).