public health extreme weather

what are some types of weather events that are influenced by climate change to achieve new extremes that entail direct risks to human health? which have the highest fatality rates in the U.S? which affect the most people globally?

1.) heat waves, hurricanes and tropical storms, floods, wildfires, droughts. 2.) Globally, heat waves and flooding affect the greatest number of people, while in the U.S., extreme heat causes the highest number of weather-related deaths annually

1.) define tropical storm, tropical depression, hurricane, typhoon, tropical cyclone and qualitatively understand how these are described by the saffir-simpson scale. 2.) how are these storms influenced by a warmer climate and how does it affect the storm season?

1.)

• Tropical Depression: Organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with winds ≤ 38 mph.

• Tropical Storm: Winds between 39–73 mph; given a name.

• Hurricane/Typhoon: Same phenomenon, different regional names — sustained winds ≥ 74 mph.

• Tropical Cyclone: General term for rotating storm systems over warm tropical oceans.

saffir –Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale classifies hurricanes by wind speed:

2.) Climate Influence:

Warmer oceans provide more energy → stronger and wetter storms.

Sea-level rise worsens storm surge flooding.

Longer storm seasons and more intense high-category storms are likely.

Slower-moving storms may cause heavier rainfall and inland flooding.

what are some health, healthcare, and social impacts of tropical storms and what are some examples you can cite from Katrina, Maria, Sandy or Harvey?

Definition:

Tropical storms can have major health, healthcare, and social impacts:

• Health impacts: Injuries, drowning, infectious disease outbreaks, mental health issues (stress, PTSD), exposure to mold and contaminants.

• Healthcare impacts: Hospitals can flood or lose power, medical supply chains are disrupted, and access to emergency care is limited.

• Social impacts: Mass displacement, long-term housing instability, economic loss, and increased inequities for vulnerable communities.

Examples:

• Hurricane Katrina (2005): Hospital evacuations, mental health crisis, thousands displaced.

• Hurricane Maria (2017): Major health system collapse in Puerto Rico, long-term power outages, increased mortality.

• Hurricane Sandy (2012): Power loss in hospitals, interrupted treatments, widespread housing damage.

• Hurricane Harvey (2017): Flooding caused contamination, disrupted medical services, and increased mental health needs.

1.) how are incidents of inland flooding influenced by climate change? 2.) what are some direct impacts of these events? 3.) what about impacts to society?

• Climate influence:
  

  • Warmer air holds more moisture → heavier rainfall events.

  • Increased frequency of stalled or slow-moving storms → prolonged rain.

  • Urbanization and land use changes increase runoff and flood risk.

• Direct impacts:
  

  • Property damage, injury, and drowning.

  • Contaminated water sources, mold exposure, and disease outbreaks.

  • Infrastructure failures (roads, bridges, power).

• Societal impacts:
  

  • Displacement of communities and loss of housing.

  • Economic losses for households and businesses.

  • Increased burden on emergency services and healthcare systems.

  • Long-term recovery challenges for vulnerable populations.

1.) how is drought impacted by climate change? 2.) what are some direct and or indirect health impacts of these events? 3.) what about impacts to society?

Term: Drought & Climate Change

Definition:

• Hotter temps ↑ evaporation → longer, harsher droughts.

• Health: dehydration, heat stress, food & water insecurity.

• Society: crop loss, economic strain, migration, conflict, wildfire risk.

1.) how has drought changed in north america over the recent decades of climate change? 2.) where? 3.) what factors (other than climate change) contribute to patterns of drought?

Definition:

• Change: More frequent, intense, and longer droughts in recent decades.

• Where: Western U.S. and Southwest most affected.

• Drivers (other than climate): Natural variability (e.g., El Niño–Southern Oscillation), land use, groundwater depletion, and water management practices.

1,) what factors lead to changes in wildlife patterns? 2.) how does climate change exacerbate these factors? 3.) how and where have wildfire patterns sifted in the U.S in recent years?

• Factors: Land use, drought, temperature rise, precipitation changes, human activity.

• Climate change: Increases heat/dryness → fuels larger, longer fire seasons.

• U.S. trends: More frequent/intense wildfires in the West, shifting into longer seasons and new regions.

1.) what are human leah and social impacts of wildfires? 2.) what are the key pollutants contained in wildfire smoke? 3.) how are they different from urban wildfires?

• Health impacts: Breathing problems, heart issues, eye irritation, worsened asthma, and long-term lung damage due to fine particles (especially PM2.5) in smoke.

• Social impacts: Evacuations, loss of homes, economic hardship, mental health stress, and displacement of communities.

• Key pollutants: Particulate matter (PM2.5), carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides.

• Difference from urban wildfires: Forest wildfires mostly burn vegetation, producing organic smoke; urban wildfires also burn buildings and chemicals, releasing more toxic pollutants.

1.) what are human health and social impacts of sea level rise? 2.) how do these lead to population displacement or migration? 3.) how might planned relocation work?

• Health impacts: Increased flooding, water contamination, mold exposure, injury risk, and disease spread.

• Social impacts: Loss of homes, infrastructure damage, economic stress, and community disruption.

• Displacement: Flooding forces people to relocate or migrate from coastal areas.

• Planned relocation: Moving communities proactively to safer, higher ground with government or community planning.

1.) what is the intended outcome of the sendai teamwork and how does it relate to extreme weather risks? 2.) what hay are the seven targets and how can they reduce disaster risk?

• Intended outcome: Substantially reduce disaster risks, losses of lives, livelihoods, and health caused by extreme weather and hazards.

• Seven Targets:
  

  1. Reduce global disaster deaths.

  2. Reduce number of affected people.

  3. Reduce economic losses.

  4. Reduce damage to infrastructure and services.

  5. Increase national and local strategies.

  6. Enhance international cooperation.

  7. Improve early warning and disaster preparedness.

• Relation to extreme weather: Helps communities prepare for, adapt to, and recover faster from extreme weather events.

1.) what is the climate vulnerability index and how does it relate to the social vulnerability index and the heat vulnerability index? 2.) how does this index incorporate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity to climate change? 3.) what do they communicate to users and how can they be used to mitigate climate risk?

• Purpose: Measures how exposed and sensitive a population is to climate change, and how well it can adapt.

• Relation: Works with the Social Vulnerability Index and Heat Vulnerability Index to show community risk levels.

• Components:
  

  • Exposure (how much climate hazard affects an area)

  • Sensitivity (how strongly people are impacted)

  • Adaptive capacity (how well they can respond).

• Use: Helps decision-makers target vulnerable areas and plan risk-reduction strategies (e.g., heat action plans, flood defenses).