Landlocked States aren’t Safe from Hurricanes

When thinking about hurricanes, Vermont likely isn’t the first state that comes to mind. However, recent storms have made it clear that this landlocked state is far from immune to the destructive power of hurricanes. The remnants of Hurricane Debby and Beryl brought unexpected chaos to Vermont, with power outages and deadly floods affecting thousands of residents. These storms are part of an unusually active hurricane season fueled by extreme heat in the Atlantic Ocean and a La Niña shift in the Pacific, creating ideal conditions for powerful cyclones.

Despite being far from the coast, Vermont has a history of being impacted by hurricanes, with storms like Tropical Storm Lee in 2011 and Nate in 2017 serving as reminders. As Climate change causes temperatures to rise, the potential for devastating storms extends even further inland. With warmer air holding more moisture, the flooding and storm surges associated with hurricanes are becoming more severe, threatening areas that were previously considered safe.

Understanding how hurricanes form and travel is essential for preparing for these events. Hurricanes begin as low-pressure systems over warm tropical waters, gaining strength as they move westward. Once over land, these storms can still maintain their potency through various mechanisms, including drawing energy from nearby warm water bodies or interacting with the jet stream. Even when downgraded to tropical storms, these systems can still cause significant damage, as seen with Debby and Beryl. The increasing frequency and intensity of these storms mean that communities far from the coast must enhance their infrastructure, forecasting, and warning systems to mitigate the impacts.

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