Hurricanes

What Will It Take to Green Puerto Rico Again?

Not only did Hurricane Maria destroy most of Puerto Rico's man-made infrastructure, it also defoliated the island's vast tropical forests, upsetting the forest ecology—in the short term.

October 6, 2017 - NPR

Caribbean Hurricane Season

Puerto Rico Braces for Direct Hit from Hurricane Maria on Wednesday

A second catastrophic hurricane is on track to devastate much of the Caribbean, barely two weeks after category five Hurricane Irma departed. In addition to Maria, a much weaker Hurricane Jose will affect the Mid-Atlantic and New England.

September 19, 2017 - CNN

Texas Flood

Harvey Flooding Unlikely to Depress Houston's Housing Market

Vigorous continued demand for Houston homes left some realtors surprised after the city endured catastrophic flooding. For a lot of new construction, elevated homes may become the norm.

September 15, 2017 - The New York Times

New Orleans, Hurricane Katrina

Homeland Security Advisor Recognizes Effects of Climate Change, Ignores Causes

In response to a question linking Hurricanes Irma and Harvey to climate change, White House Homeland Security Advisor Tom Bossert appeared to recognize the need to adapt. He qualified his statement regarding the "cause" of said climate change.

September 14, 2017 - The Washington Post

Miami Beach

Miami Beach: A Four-Foot High Barrier Island Awaited Irma

A city of almost 92,000 people sits on a one-mile wide island designed by nature to protect the mainland from ocean swells, storms, and hurricanes. The seven-mile long island, which floods even when sunny, was spared from catastrophic storm surge.

September 14, 2017 - Planetizen

Carribean

Climate Negligence in Florida?

In advance of Hurricane Irma's landfall in Florida, Governor Rick Scott worked non-stop urging residents to leave mandatory evacuation zones. But what has he done to prepare since he took office in 2011?

September 12, 2017 - The Washington Post - Health & Science

Florida - Hurricane Frances Approaching (2004)

Study: Hurricanes Should Be Named Exxon and Chevron

A new study, published in the journal Climate Change, is naming the names of the very few companies that have caused most of the global change in climate.

September 11, 2017 - New Republic

Houston Flood

Houston Flooding: Climate Change or Development Patterns to Blame?

The Guardian's former environmental editor asks if urban sprawl is as much to blame as climate change for the flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Houston.

September 9, 2017 - Guardian

Carribean

Florida Prepares for Irma: Building Codes, Cranes, Evacuation, Storm Surge

As Irma leaves the Caribbean and heads for Florida, with landfall expected this weekend, there is a lot to worry about: New building codes will be put to test, fuel to evacuate is in short supply, and cranes have not been dismantled.

September 8, 2017 - The New York Times

Satellite PIcture of Hurricane Sandy

Mapping the Paths of Hurricanes Recorded Since 1851

All yesterday's hurricanes.

September 8, 2017 - CityLab

Carribean

Caribbean Islands Brace for Irma as Florida Prepares

As Houston and East Texas recover from Hurricane Harvey, an even stronger hurricane has formed in the Atlantic Ocean, headed to the Caribbean Sea, and likely Florida by this weekend, though there is uncertainty where it goes next.

September 6, 2017 - Guardian

Hurricane Matthew Brings Record Flooding in North Carolina

Hurricane Matthew seemed to have hit a glancing blow on the southeastern seaboard over the weekend, until the floodwaters, and the death tolls, started to rise.

October 13, 2016 - Vox

Closed Beach

The Dangers of Dumb Luck for Hurricane-Zone Transplants

The relative calm of the last decade may be luring hundreds of thousands of new coastal residents into a false sense of comfort.

September 29, 2015 - Five Thirty Eight

NOAA Launching Storm Surge Mapping System

Americans tend to pay more attention to wind strength than storm surge when evaluating whether or not to evacuate before a hurricane. A new NOAA mapping project is designed to change perceptions about the multiple risks of storm events.

April 25, 2014 - Reuters

An image of a path through sand dunes to ocean in New Jersey

At What Cost an Ocean View?

New Jersey has to decide how to protect homes, roads and development from future storms. The Army Corps of Engineers has proposed to build protective sand dunes, but a small number of beachfront property owners refuse to allow the plan to proceed.

September 5, 2013 - The New York Times

Phoenix Dust Storm

The Ten American Cities Most At Risk from Climate Change

Grist has compiled a list of the ten U.S. cities most likely to be affected by climate change.

May 27, 2013 - Grist

With a Little Help From Their Dutch Friends, Could New York Become New Amsterdam?

“In recent days, the Netherlands’ peerless expertise and centuries of experience in battling water have been widely hailed in the United States as offering lessons" for New York and for other cities alike, writes Andrew Higgins.

November 20, 2012 - The New York Times

Gulf Coast Ponders Future Amid Erosion and Destruction

As land continues to disappear along the Gulf Coast and hurricane damages increase, many are beginning to reconsider whether to rebuild or retreat.

October 12, 2008 - USA Today

Louisianans Flee Coast As Hurricane Hits Land

With Hurricane Gustav reaching land Monday, nearly 2 million people have been evacuated from coastal Louisiana. The evacuation is being hailed as a vast improvement from the effort three years ago during Hurricane Katrina, but some residents remain.

September 1, 2008 - New Orleans Times Picayune

The New Global Warming Pariahs - Pushing Adaptation and Land Use Changes

Is CO2 buildup responsible for the enormous hurricane damage, or is it overdevelopment? Should we be spending so much attempting to reduce carbon emissions, or could it be better spent reducing problems that will be exacerbated by global warming?

March 29, 2008 - The Los Angeles Times

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

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A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.