Coast Guard rescues man from nor’easter storm
The Coast Guard saved a man from rough waters off Nobska Point in Massachusetts after local rescue efforts were hindered by nor’easter conditions.
Climate Talk is a series in which experts in the field of climate science shed light on the numerous impacts of climate change. The story is edited for space and content.
Dr. Mathew Barlow is a professor of climate science at the University of Massachusetts Lowell. In an interview with The Augusta Chronicle, Barlow highlights evidence that climate change is happening now and affecting the storm phenomena called Nor’easters.Â
What does the term Nor’easter mean?Â
Dr. Mathew Barlow: Nor’easters are large and powerful low-pressure storm systems affecting the mid-Atlantic and northeast coast of the U.S. They’re called Nor’easters because the impacts are the strongest overland. The wind comes from the northeast, as part of a large, rotating circulation around a central low-pressure system that’s typically a few miles offshore.
Is climate change affecting Nor’easters and how?
Barlow: Climate change is affecting most aspects of the weather. But for Nor’easters specifically, there are two pieces to that. One is as the atmosphere warms and the surface warms, the ocean warms (making) it easier to get more water into the atmosphere. A warm atmosphere can hold more water. So you get more intense precipitation, higher rainfall rates, (and) higher snowfall rates if it’s cold enough.Â
The less straightforward part is how the strength of these storms might change in a warming climate. Climate change has conflicting and multiple influences on these storms. And what we’re seeing is that the average change to these storms is not that large. But the most intense storms are becoming more intense in a warmer climate. We’re already seeing that, and it’s likely to continue. Not only do these storms have more intense rainfall, a higher chance of flooding, but also increasing wind damage, coastal flooding, erosion, and things like that at the shoreline.
How can communities prepare for winter storms?
Barlow: There are short-term things that communities can do, which is to make sure that everyone is aware of the latest guidance from the (National Weather Service) and is prepared on an individual level for power outages and things like that.Â
There are also longer-term things that communities can do so it’s more resilient to flooding in terms of understanding where the flooding is most likely to occur. There are various strategies to mitigate that flooding, like reducing the amount of impervious surfaces and adding rain gardens. There are lots of solutions that can be implemented on that level. Â
… It’s also worth emphasizing that while we’re committed to a certain amount of warming, communities can also work towards reducing the amount of fossil fuel emissions they’re associated with.
Should inland communities like Augusta be concerned?
Barlow: That question comes up a lot away from the coast. In most areas of the U.S., there’s a tendency to think it’s really more of a coastal problem. But as North Carolina found out recently, we can get intense inland flooding from these heavy precipitation events. So there really isn’t any place, flat or hilly, where you can’t get stormwater flooding. If there’s any kind of terrain at all, then the stormwater flooding can be rerouted into deeper and deeper flooding. If there’s any kind of elevation, you know, hills or valleys.Â
Even in a relatively flat area where we’re encountering rainfall rates that we’ve just never seen before, at least in the U.S., it can happen inland just as easily as on the coast. So I think being prepared for really intense rainfall is an important piece of that.Â
What do you say to those who don’t believe in climate change?
Barlow: That’s a tough question, but an important one. When you survey people in the U.S., in pretty much every state, the majority of people do think that climate change is occurring and that it’s something to be concerned about. So I think it’s important to meet people where they are and understand how their personal values relate to the issue. But … if somebody doesn’t believe in climate change, I think the first thing I would say is it’s not really a question of belief. It’s not an issue of faith like religion. It’s an issue of evidence. The evidence has been assessed many, many times, and it’s very clear what’s going on. … The other thing I would stress is that most of the responses to human-caused climate change can be used to fix other problems, like how public transportation uses a lot less energy than individual cars.
… There are a lot of solutions, like more green space in urban areas. … (I)t also improves air quality and quality of life, making people healthier and happier. So one thing I would emphasize to people who are wrestling with some of these aspects of addressing climate change is that it can be a win-win rather than a lose-lose.
This reporting content is supported by a partnership with several funders and Journalism Funding Partners.
Erica Van Buren is the climate change reporter for The Augusta Chronicle, part of the USA TODAY Network. Connect with her at EVanBuren@gannett.com or on X: @EricaVanBuren32.