Heavy storms are only getting more common
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
It's a stormy week in Columbus — unfortunately, we probably need to get used to it.
Why it matters: Heavy, concentrated storms can cause flooding, disrupt travel and stress infrastructure in a city that's already sinking.
Driving the news: The city is recovering from damaging storms this week that left tens of thousands without power into Wednesday.
- That recovery process comes amid more storms Wednesday with rain forecasted for the entire rest of the week.
The latest: At a Wednesday press conference, Mayor Andrew Ginther said he had declared a mayor's emergency, and that city departments are still working to handle storms' impact.
- Every Columbus fire unit was in use at one point Tuesday, he said, for the first time in city history.
- He emphasized water treatment plants are operational and that drinking water is safe.
The big picture: Increasing global temperatures are having a noticeable effect on the Columbus climate.
- In 2018, climate research from Ohio State found that "very heavy" precipitation events increased by 32% in Columbus between 1951-1980 and 1981-2010. Annual days with more than 1.25 inches of precipitation increased by 78%.
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration research found a "significant increase" in Ohio's extreme precipitation events since the 1990s.
What's next: Columbus grapples with this reality in its Climate Action Plan, updated last year, which seeks to find local solutions for "more severe storm events," including bolstered stormwater infrastructure.
Zoom out: We're not alone.
- Nearly the entire country is experiencing heavier storms and extreme weather events that are becoming a new normal.