Overview for the En-ROADS graphs “Population Exposed to Hurricanes and Typhoons” and “Population Exposed to River Flooding.”


Big messages:

  • As global temperatures rise, more people will be exposed to hurricanes, tropical cyclones, typhoons, and river floods.
  • Strong climate policies that lower emissions can reduce the number of people at risk from these extreme events.
  • Hurricanes and river floods cause immediate loss of life, inflict injuries, and disrupt access to healthcare. Over time, these events increase chronic illness rates and job loss, which impact elderly and low-income people the most.


Key Dynamics:

  • Warming increases precipitation. Climate change strengthens hurricanes and leads to more river flooding because warmer oceans fuel stronger storms and a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, increasing rainfall (NASA; The Conversation).
  • Delayed response to action. Due to delays in the climate system, climate policies implemented today will only begin to show noticeable reductions in people exposed to hurricanes and river flooding starting in the 2040s. This is because these impacts are driven by temperature change, which takes years to respond to changes in emissions.


Facilitator Tips:

  • Naming conventions. Hurricanes, tropical cyclones, and typhoons are all the same type of storm, but the name depends on where the storm occurs: hurricanes in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific, typhoons in the western Pacific, and tropical cyclones in the Indian Ocean and South Pacific. However, the term “tropical cyclone” can also refer to tropical storms, tropical depressions, and other storms with less powerful winds. These less powerful storms are not shown on the graph.
  • Impact. The real impact of these extreme weather events is likely much bigger than what the graphs show, as they only reflect how many people are directly exposed to hurricanes and river flooding. Many more people would be affected in other ways, such as if they live nearby, have their supply chains disrupted, or lose access to essential services like water. For example, the 2024 Hurricane Helene led to the delay or cancellation of many surgeries and medical procedures in the U.S., because the factory producing the majority of the U.S. supply of IV fluids was flooded by the hurricane (NPR, 2024).
  • Population growth. These graphs account for population growth, but they do not consider future changes in where people live.


Equity Considerations:

  • Tropical cyclones disproportionately affect poorer communities, and climate change could worsen this inequality. Research shows that people who live in areas affected by tropical cyclones are generally more economically disadvantaged than those who don't live in those areas, even within the same country. This difference is even bigger for people who experience stronger storms (Jing et al., 2024).


Resources: