Climate change is fueling brutal rainstorms. Here's how to stay safe
Jul 15, 2025•11 min
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Summary
As climate change intensifies, the U.S. is experiencing more frequent and severe rainstorms, leading to devastating flash floods nationwide. This episode delves into why a warmer atmosphere causes more intense rainfall and highlights the urgent need for communities to invest billions in overhauling aging infrastructure and improving stormwater management systems. It also examines the inadequacies of FEMA flood maps in accurately representing risk, discusses the challenges of flood insurance, and underscores the political and cultural hurdles to effective flood preparation and regulation.Episode description
It's not just Texas. In the past couple of weeks, communities all around the country have been hit with torrential rains and deadly flash flooding. Extreme weather events like this are expected to become more common as the planet heats up.
As climate change increases flash flooding risks, our infrastructure is struggling to keep up. But improvements to that infrastructure will cost billions.
NPR's Michael Copley explains how a changing climate drives flooding and how communities and individuals can prepare.
And NPR's Laura Sullivan reports on how flood maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't capture the true risks at Camp Mystic, which was devastated by the Texas flooding.
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As climate change increases flash flooding risks, our infrastructure is struggling to keep up. But improvements to that infrastructure will cost billions.
NPR's Michael Copley explains how a changing climate drives flooding and how communities and individuals can prepare.
And NPR's Laura Sullivan reports on how flood maps from the Federal Emergency Management Agency didn't capture the true risks at Camp Mystic, which was devastated by the Texas flooding.
For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.
Email us at considerthis@npr.org.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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