Public Health
The Hidden Toll of Wildfires
A huge aerial campaign seeks to understand the effects of biomass smoke on human health
Natural Disasters742 articles archived since 1845
Climate Change
Why Are Pakistan’s Floods So Extreme This Year?
One third of the country is underwater following an intense heat wave and a long monsoon that has dumped a record amount of rain
Climate Change
‘Weather Whiplash’ Withers, then Drowns Areas Worldwide
Climate change may be fueling back-to-back droughts and floods
Natural Disasters
See Iceland Aglow in Volcanic Eruptions
A vivid look at Iceland’s recent resurgence of volcanic eruptions—and why the country could be in for 300 years of renewed volcanic activity
Climate Change
New Tool Helps Predict Where Wildfire Smoke Will Blow
Scientists are working on ways to better anticipate the pathways—and health dangers—of drifting wildfire smoke
Climate Change
What Megafires Can Teach Us about California Megafloods
Catastrophic megafloods formerly happened about once every 100 to 200 years in California, but climate change has increased those odds
Natural Disasters
Almost No One in Kentucky Has Flood Insurance, Hindering Recovery
Only 2.3 percent of households in the 10 Kentucky counties that suffered devastating floods last month have flood policies, records show
Natural Disasters
Poem: ‘My Father Flies into a Hurricane’
Science in meter and verse
Climate Change
Unprecedented, Climate-Driven Disasters Are Stymieing Preparation Efforts
Disasters so extreme that communities have not experienced anything like them before show the shortcomings of current preparedness plans
Climate Change
Three Reasons Appalachia’s Risk of Deadly Floods Keeps Rising
A warming climate, a unique topography and the legacy of coal mining have increased the odds of extreme flooding in Appalachia
Natural Disasters
What Is a Flash Flood?
Flash flooding occurs in a short time frame after a precipitation event and is exacerbated by paved surfaces and already saturated soil
Engineering
How to Make Sure Wildfire Shelters Save Firefighters’ Lives
Fiery tests can assess new prototypes of portable shelters, the last line of defense for wildland firefighters
Climate Change
Alaska Is on Pace for Another Historic Fire Season
Thousands of lightning strikes and a warming climate have contributed to the fires burning around the state
Climate Change
Bigger Floods Endanger Millions Living in Extreme Poverty
The vast majority people exposed to both threats live in India and sub-Saharan Africa
Climate Change
Global Warming Causes Fewer Tropical Cyclones
But those that do form have a greater chance of becoming intense storms
Natural Disasters
Why Was Afghanistan’s Magnitude 5.9 Earthquake So Devastating?
Famed seismologist Lucy Jones explains how building methods and quake dynamics interact—and what to do about the problem
Natural Disasters
Prescribed Burns Are More Dangerous because of Climate Change
But the technique must remain in the firefighting toolbox, a new U.S. Forest Service report says
Inequality
Nearly 100,000 People Received Disaster Aid under a New Equity Policy
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell says the agency has reduced barriers to cash assistance and other aid
Climate Change
Attribution Science Linking Warming to Disasters Is Rapidly Advancing
Event attribution is one of the fastest developing areas of climate science since it began 20 years ago
Weather
The ‘Wall of Wind’ Can Blow Away Buildings at Category 5 Hurricane Strength
The test facility is helping engineers design safer homes—but it’s not powerful enough to mimic the stronger hurricanes fueled by climate change
