HOUSTON – Climate change is more than a buzz word -- it can be seen and felt across our community. From historic storms like Hurricane Harvey to one of Houston’s hottest summers in 2023, here is a list of five ways changes in our climate are impacting southeast Texas.
Increasing frequency and intensity of heat waves
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- Climate Central reports 2023 as Earth’s hottest year on record. It was also the second hottest summer on record for Houston. This intense heat leads to stress on the city’s infrastructure -- including road buckling, pipes bursting on major city streets, and home foundations cracking due to high temperatures.
More intense rainstorms, longer dry periods
- Heavier rainfalls that lead to catastrophic flooding mean costly repairs and higher flood insurance rates across the Houston area.
- Although Houston did not see any major hurricanes this tropical season, we did experience extreme drought conditions across southeast Texas this year.
Warmer sea surface temperatures
- Warming sea surface temperatures are putting aquatic life at risk of disease, leading to algal blooms and changes in salinity, all factors that make it hard for species like oysters to thrive. We noticed an impact on the oyster population in oyster-harvesting areas of Galveston Bay this year, not only due to warmer seas surface temperatures but also powerful tropical storms and hurricanes.
Sea level rise
- Research by the group ‘Sea Level Rise’ shows the sea level off the Texas coast is up 18 inches from where it was 70 years ago. This change leads to more coastal flooding, beach erosion and the transition of wetlands to dry land. These shifts can impact the wildlife and properties that are near coastal areas.
Extreme cold
- Hard to forget about the Texas freeze in 2021. The bitter air led to power outages leaving many in our community stranded. A study by the journal ‘Science’ suggests climate models are showing more cases of displaced polar air that is leading to impactful winter weather events.