Bayfront Park in Daphne is flooded by Hurricane Ida in 2021. Photo Provided Posted Thursday, September 26, 2024 12:30 pm Helene is seen as a tropical storm on Tuesday morning approaching the Gulf of Mexico with a targeted path toward Florida’s Big Bend. Photo Provided By WHISPER EDWARDS Editorial Assistant whisper@gulfcoastmedia.com As climate change escalates, its impacts on hurricanes and coastal communities are becoming increasingly severe, a reality highlighted by the uncertainty surrounding Tropical Storm Helene this week. September, recognized as National Preparedness Month, serves as a timely reminder of the need for individuals and communities, especially coastal communities like ours, to plan ahead. STORM SURGE Andra (Reed) Garner, an associate professor of environmental science at Rowan University, emphasized the intricate relationship between climate change, storm surges and rising sea levels, highlighting the importance of adaptation and mitigation strategies. “The largest component of that storm surge comes from the winds within the storm,” she said during a recent media briefing. “Storm surge is one of the most damaging aspects of many landfalling hurricanes,” she said. As global temperatures rise, scientists are increasingly confident storm surges will worsen due to rising sea levels. “When we heat up our oceans, the water expands, causing sea levels to rise,” Garner explained, which effectively gives storm surges a “head start” on flooding. Her research, published in 2017, highlighted the frequency of storm surge flooding in New York City. A 7.4-foot flood, which historically occurred every 500 years, could now happen every 25 years, with projections indicating that by mid-century, such floods could occur every five to 10 years. A 2023 study by Garner revealed modern hurricanes are more than twice as likely to rapidly intensify from weaker storms to major hurricanes. “Storms that intensify really quickly can be especially dangerous and especially difficult […]