Following a long period of drought in the Appalachians of northern Georgia, North Carolina and eastern Tennessee, the remnants of Hurricane Helene dropped 12-24 inches of rain on the region, leading to historic and catastrophic flooding. Of course, the major impact has been along the primary streams and rivers of that mountainous terrain.
This alternating pattern of drought and flood is occurring across the globe as our climate warms. While coastal damage from wind and storm surge is the immediate concern when hurricanes and typhoons come ashore, inland flooding, often far from that landfall, has become a significant complication.
As the remnants of Helene spin above the Ohio River Valley, another storm appears to be developing in the Caribbean. Its future path is not yet known but its wrath will likely be felt well beyond the pristine beaches of the Gulf Coast.
