Science Source
Tropical cyclone losses in the USA and the impact of climate change
- States that economic losses caused by tropical cyclones have increased dramatically
- Aims to isolate the socio-economic effects and ascertain the potential impact of climate change on this trend
- Adjusts storm losses for the period 1950–2005 to the value of capital stock in 2005 so that any remaining trend cannot be ascribed to socio-economic developments
- Introduces a new approach to adjusting losses based on the change in capital stock at risk
- Determines storm losses by the intensity of the storm and the material assets, such as property and infrastructure, located in the region affected
- Adjusts the losses to exclude increases in the capital stock of the affected region
- Finds a trend towards increased intense cyclone activity since the beginning of the period 1971-2005, with losses excluding socio-economic effects showing an annual increase of 4% per annum
- Results indicate this increase must therefore be at least due to the impact of natural climate variability but, more likely than not, also due to anthropogenic forcings
Related Content
Science Source
| American Meteorological Society
Environmental Factors Affecting Tropical Cyclone Power Dissipation
Kerry Emanuel
Science Source
| Earth's Future AGU Publication
A geological perspective on sea-level rise and its impacts along the U.S. mid-Atlantic coast
Kenneth G. Miller, Robert E. Kopp, Benjamin P. Horton et al
Science Source
| Earth's Future AGU Publication
Accelerated flooding along the U.S. East Coast
Tal Ezer and Larry P. Atkinson
Science Source
| Geophysical Research Letters
Recent increases in U.S. heavy precipitation associated with tropical cyclones
Kenneth E. Kunkel, David R. Easterling, David A.R. Kristovich et al
