Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Matthew and Climate Change

The document argues that while climate change does not cause hurricanes, it fuels stronger North Atlantic storms and increases their damage through sea level rise and heavier rainfall. It highlights specific risks to US military installations, power grids, and historic sites, while noting that low-income and minority communities face disproportionate hazards and recovery challenges.

• Warmer ocean temperatures are fueling more intense hurricanes in the North Atlantic, with the number of Category 4 and 5 storms roughly doubling since the 1970s. The North Atlantic has warmed by 0.7°C since the 1980s.
• Sea level rise increases the inland reach of storm surges. Since the early 1900s, sea levels have risen approximately 10 inches at Mayport, Florida, and 12 inches at Fort Pulaski, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina.
• Climate change poses significant risks to critical US infrastructure. In Charleston, a Category 3 hurricane could put 14 of 16 substations and the city's only power plant in the path of storm surge. Furthermore, if sea levels rise by six feet by 2100, a Category 4 storm would flood about 80 percent of Naval Station Mayport and nearly 95 percent of Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay.
• Flooding from extreme precipitation creates public health hazards, including drowning and exposure to contaminated water containing over 100 types of bacteria, viruses, and parasites, as well as sewage and petroleum products.
• Low-income and minority communities are disproportionately affected by disasters due to limited resources for preparation, lack of transportation, residence in flood-prone areas, and vulnerability in service-industry employment.

APA

Union of Concerned Scientists (2016). Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Matthew and Climate Change. https://www.ucs.org/about/news/frequently-asked-questions-about-hurricane-matthew-and-climate-change

Chicago

Union of Concerned Scientists. Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Matthew and Climate Change. 2016. https://www.ucs.org/about/news/frequently-asked-questions-about-hurricane-matthew-and-climate-change.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Union of Concerned Scientists |title=Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Matthew and Climate Change |date=11 October 2016 |url=https://www.ucs.org/about/news/frequently-asked-questions-about-hurricane-matthew-and-climate-change |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{unionofconcernedscientists2016frequently, author = {{Union of Concerned Scientists}}, title = {{Frequently Asked Questions about Hurricane Matthew and Climate Change}}, institution = {Union of Concerned Scientists}, year = {2016}, month = oct, url = {https://www.ucs.org/about/news/frequently-asked-questions-about-hurricane-matthew-and-climate-change}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }