Weathered

The 2020 fire season is devastating communities, forcing thousands to evacuate, and choking the air with smoke. In this episode of Weathered, scientists and Native leaders tell us what we can do to reduce the harm fires can cause through design, building materials, and listening to the land. We'll even watch researchers burn a home in their lab to identify weak points and make them stronger.

Hurricanes are the most powerful and destructive storms on the planet. And 2020 surpassed all expectations, becoming the most active hurricane season on record. Have you ever wondered how they form? Or how climate change is affecting them? And, what can we learn from a lab that creates hurricane-force wind and rain to test the strength of houses?

The Colorado Basin provides water to over 40 million people in 7 US states and it is currently experiencing its worst drought in 1200 years! But unlike other droughts, our actions may have real impacts on the outcome and it's very likely that we can make things better.

Landslides occur in every US state, killing dozens and costing around $4 billion each year. One of the most devastating in US history struck on January 9, 2018 in the town of Montecito, CA. We traveled to Montecito to speak with experts and survivors about what they've learned following the tragedy as well as the lessons we can all apply to be more prepared for these common hazards.

Over the last decade, the American Northeast has seen more than a 200% increase in the frequency of large, disruptive snowstorms. This trend surprised nearly everybody, including many of the top experts, as they had been expecting a warming planet to translate into milder winters. But in many locations, we have seen just the opposite. So what's going on here?

What are the most important essentials you'll need to comfortably survive a disaster? In this episode of Weathered, Maiya explains the basics of disaster prep and shows you what she keeps in her own go-bag and pantry. She also explains her thought process behind why she's included each item to help you get started on your own path to preparation!

The Cascadia Subduction Zone is a sleeping monster lurking just off the Northwest coast of the United States. It extends 600 miles between Northern California and Vancouver B.C. and experiences a massive megathrust earthquake every 250 years on average. The last one happened 321 years ago and scientists say there is a 30% chance we'll see another in the next 50 years.

The awesome and devastating power of tornadoes is unlike any other that Mother Nature dishes out. The largest among them, known as EF5s, produce winds in excess of 200 mph and can span two miles across. We discuss the surprising fact that many of the homes in the US aren't constructed with surviving tornadic winds in mind and talk to experts about what you should do to prepare your home.

Each year, flooding kills around 100 Americans and displaces some 75,000 from their homes. And as sea levels rise, storms dump more and more rain, and dams and levees continue aging and increasingly failing, the cost of flooding is increasing. So what do we do? Well, it's not an easy question to answer. But there are many innovative solutions that communities are taking.

In this episode, we delve into the latest science of the "urban heat island" effect, learn about the looming threat of a potential "Katrina-like event" that threatens their electrical grid, and explore the gamut of options being pursued by scientists and activists to make life safer and more livable in America's hottest city.