NPR

Climate Change Drives Bigger, Wetter Storms — Storms Like Florence

Hurricane Florence — large, slow and full of moisture — is threatening to inundate the Southeast. It's a type of storm that's getting more likely to form.
A satellite image from Monday, Sept. 10, shows Hurricane Florence as it travels west and gains strength in the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricanes Isaac and Helene have also formed off the coast of West Africa.

Hurricane Florence is moving relentlessly toward the Southeastern U.S. It's a large, powerful cyclone that will likely bring storm surge and high winds to coastal communities.

But climate scientists say one of the biggest threats posed by Florence is rain.

"Freshwater flooding poses the greatest risk to life," explains James

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR4 min read
Pro-Palestinian Campus Protesters Face Looming Deadlines And Risk Of Arrest
Hundreds of students have been arrested for participating in pro-Palestinian protests in recent days. And some schools, like Columbia and GW, have given them deadlines to dismantle their encampments.
NPR2 min readWorld
A Baby Girl Born Orphaned And Premature After An Israeli Airstrike In Gaza Has Died
The newborn died after five days in an incubator. Her family was killed in an air strike. UNICEF says 13,000 children have been killed in Gaza since Oct. 7, with thousands more orphaned and wounded.
NPR3 min read
American Airlines Passenger Alleges Discrimination Over Use Of First-class Restroom
In a complaint to the airline, Pamela Hill-Veal, a retired judge, says that while on a Chicago-to-Phoenix flight, a flight attendant berated her and accused her of slamming the lavatory door.

Related Books & Audiobooks