Hurricane Ida rolled like a tank through Lafitte, Louisiana, in August 2021. Its 150-mph winds were the first strike, followed by several feet of catastrophic saltwater flooding. The hurricane settled over Lafitte for 12 hours, destroying most homes in the area and taking out the community’s tree canopy.
Kathy Powajbo, a Lafitte resident, said the damage made her town unrecognizable. “Our community was devastated. It sort of looks like a war zone.”
Not to be outdone by Ida, Hurricane Ian slammed into Florida in 2022 with nearly Category 5 strength. In the following year, the summer and fall saw 20 named storms, three of which became major hurricanes. And on July 1, 2024, Beryl became the earliest recorded Category 5 hurricane in any Atlantic hurricane season.
Why does it feel like more and more tropical storms are reaching extreme levels? It all comes back to climate change.
Hurricanes love heat
Much of climate change’s impact is happening in the ocean, where warming waters feed hurricanes extra heat that acts like jet fuel for storms.
Heat is energy that strengthens wind speeds, sets off larger storm surges, and allows hurricanes to intensify quickly before hitting land. Ida graduated from a Category 1 to Category 4 storm in only 24 hours. By the time it hit land, Ida had already reached its peak strength — at a speed that left many people unable to prepare.
Excess heat in the ocean worsens flooding, too. The process starts when warmer water gives off more water vapor. As a hurricane travels along the water, it picks up the extra moisture and drops it as rainfall on land. In Lafitte, some residents reported several feet of water on their property. The intensity of flooding lifted some homes from their foundations entirely. The day Ida hit, the ocean was 85 degrees Fahrenheit, a few degrees hotter than average.
Over the past 150 years, the number of Atlantic hurricanes has remained about the same. But as climate change worsens, scientists say to expect stronger, longer-lasting storms.
Trees can help us weather the storm
Trees act like umbrellas during storms, intercepting rainwater to potentially prevent flooding. Meanwhile, tree root systems bind the soil to prevent erosion. Roots also absorb quantities of water that would otherwise become damaging runoff. And as climate change turns up the heat on extreme weather, trees are fighting back — pulling excess carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
Cities are being more thoughtful than ever about how to plant trees, where to plant, and even what species to plant to best sustain and protect against these types of disasters while creating more resilient, healthy, and vibrant communities.
Replanting as recovery
After a hurricane, essential needs like food, water, and shelter come first. But when the flood waters recede and communities are ready to rebuild, the Foundation supports local planting organizations to rebuild the community’s canopy.
Fifteen months after Hurricane Ida made landfall, Kathy Powajbo was one of 350 residents who lined up for free trees to help restore the area and aid in future stormwater management. So what once felt like a “war zone” can start to feel more like home.
“These trees will definitely beautify our community,” she says, “But more importantly, the trees give us a sign of life, hope, and recovery.”