Hurricane Harvey was among the most destructive natural disasters in the history of the United States. The category four hurricane created landfall on August 25, 2017, in Texas, bringing with it winds of up to 130 miles per hour and causing widespread damage along the coast. In the days that followed, the storm dumped more than 50 inches of rain in Houston, causing significant flooding. Many people were forced to evacuate their homes, and those who remained faced difficult conditions. The hurricane caused widespread damage, leaving many residents without power or running water. Food and water became scarce, and people had to ration what they had. With no power, people had to cook on camp stoves or over open flames, which posed a fire hazard. Lack of shelter was also a major problem, as many people were left homeless or living in damaged homes. Some people could find shelter with family or friends, but many others had to stay in shelters set up by the government or non-profit organizations. Thus, the article discusses the theory of extreme weather events following Hurricane Harvey in Texas.
I think the theory of extreme weather events based on climate change best describes what happened during Hurricane Harvey. The theory states that as the Earth’s atmosphere warms, the chances of extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes will increase. There is evidence that Hurricane was greatly influenced by climate change. First, the storm was increased by unusually increased water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico (Mann, 2017). These waters were about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than normal, which is likely due to the long-term warming of the Earth’s atmosphere. The extra heat provided extra energy for the storm, helping it to grow stronger and more destructive. The accumulated energy in the cyclone was 225% of normal (Trenberth et al., 2018). In addition, the atmospheric conditions that led to Hurricane Harvey were more favorable for extreme weather than in the past. The storm developed in areas of low pressure and high humidity, which are more common in a warming world. The effects of climate change on Hurricane Harvey were likely responsible for the storm’s unprecedented rains and flooding. As the storm moved over southeastern Texas, it stalled and dumped an incredible amount of rain on the region. Some areas saw over 50 inches of rain, which is more rain than any hurricane in US history. The link between climate change and Hurricane Harvey is clear. The storm was fueled by warm waters and favorable atmospheric conditions, which are more common in a world that is getting warmer. As the Earth’s atmosphere continues to warm, we can expect more extreme weather events like Hurricane Harvey.
The theory of extreme weather events is a good explanation for behaviors following Hurricane Harvey, Texas, as described in the articles. It can help to explain why people behaved the way they did in the face of the hurricane. For example, people evacuated their homes because they were afraid of the expected high winds and flooding (Rojas & Robertson, 2017). In addition, it led to water damage, as the run of flood waters carried pollutants to the clean water sources (Qin et al., 2020). The theory of extreme weather events can also help to explain why people behaved differently after the hurricane. For example, some people may have been more likely to help their neighbors because they had been through a similar experience. In addition, other people may have been more likely to hoard supplies because they were afraid of running out. This knowledge can be used to better prepare for future storms and to help people cope with the aftermath of a disaster.
In conclusion, the theory of extreme weather events can be used to describe the event that occurred in Texas in 2017. The rise in temperatures provided extra energy for the storm, causing extreme flooding. Thus, the consequences included food shortage, destruction of property, including homes, and water shortage.
References
Mann, M. (2017, August 28). It’s a fact: climate change made Hurricane Harvey more deadly | Michael E Mann. Retrieved from the Guardian website: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/aug/28/climate-change-hurricane-harvey-more-deadly
Qin, R., Khakzad, N., & Zhu, J. (2020). An overview of the impact of Hurricane Harvey on chemical and process facilities in Texas. International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction, 45, 101453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijdrr.2019.101453
Rojas, R., & Robertson, C. (2017, September 2). In Beaumont, Tex., Hopscotching for Food, Water, and Shelter. The New York Times. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/us/beaumont-texas-water.html
Trenberth, K. E., Cheng, L., Jacobs, P., Zhang, Y., & Fasullo, J. (2018). Hurricane Harvey Links to Ocean Heat Content and Climate Change Adaptation. Earth’s Future, 6(5), 730–744. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018ef000825
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