Inland flooding has long been one of the most significant weather-related threats facing communities in the United States. According to the American Meteorological Society, between 1963 and 2012, approximately 2,544 fatalities in the U.S. were directly attributed to Atlantic tropical cyclones, with nearly 90% of these deaths caused by excessive stormwater. While storm surges accounted for about half of these fatalities, rain-induced inland flooding was responsible for nearly a quarter, underscoring the severe and often underestimated dangers of flooding away from coastal areas.
In recent years inland flood dangers have worsened due to the long-term effects of climate change. Though we cannot connect any one weather event to climate change, experts believe it is having an overall impact on severe weather in the U.S. Here’s what we’ve learned.
Rising water temperatures have led to faster storm formation, often leaving little time for communities to prepare for winds and heavy rains. Warmer temperatures also increase evaporation and produce an atmosphere that can better hold moisture. This has led to a growing number of extreme rainfall events, and has proven to have a significant impact on inland flooding.
The Midwest floods of 2019 directly impacted around 14 million people and placed 200 million at risk. It is believed that the flood damage was heightened by climate change as rising temperatures caused significantly greater and more intense precipitation in the Midwest. Because of the increased precipitation, the ground struggled to absorb water during the winter and snowmelt rapidly accumulated with nowhere to runoff to. By the time spring came around, the heavy rainfall and snowmelt had created disastrous conditions for inland flooding.
Hurricane Helene serves as an example of the long-term effects of climate change on inland flooding. The storm brought record-breaking rainfall to portions of the southeastern United States, with some areas experiencing up to 30 inches of rain, leading to catastrophic flooding. Scientists found that human-caused climate change increased Helene's rainfall by about 10% and intensified its winds by approximately 11%, making the storm even more destructive. These findings highlight the growing risk of extreme weather events fueled by climate change. According to PBS, the storm’s enhanced rainfall and wind speeds underscore the severe and often underestimated dangers of inland flooding.
Climate change may very well be increasing the threat of inland flooding. To prepare for this risk, it's important that homeowners work with a flood specialist to review possible flood exposure as well as flood insurance options. With heavy rainfall more frequent than ever before, the risk of inland flooding is high and steadily rising. Now is the time to prepare.
If you're wondering how much it would cost to protect your home, get an instant flood insurance quote online today.
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