# The 2020 Hurricane Season: A Wake-Up Call for Coastal Communities
Written on
Chapter 1: A Journey Through Hurricane Alley
Recently, a friend of mine embarked on a cross-country trip through the southern United States. As he navigated winding roads into vast, uninhabited areas for a glimpse of the scenery, he maintained a more direct route from mid-Texas onward, speeding down Interstate 10. This journey led him through major cities like Houston, Beaumont, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Biloxi, and Mobile. He succinctly remarked, “The 2020 hurricanes wreaked havoc on these areas. They have nowhere left to escape.”
While we anticipated a busy hurricane season in 2020, the reality far exceeded expectations. NOAA’s update on August 6 suggested that the number of named storms in Hurricane Alley would be double the average by the end of the season on November 30. Hurricane Alley refers to the warm waters stretching from North Africa to Central America, typically experiencing 12 named storms per season, with six escalating to hurricane status. Historically, half of those reach Category 3 or higher. The August forecast anticipated up to 25 named storms, including 11 hurricanes, with six potentially achieving Category 3 status or more.
Until this year, the record for the most active hurricane season was held by 2005, which saw 28 named storms and 15 hurricanes. In August 2005, Hurricane Katrina surged across the Gulf of Mexico, delivering a devastating storm surge of 25 feet. Upon making landfall on August 29, it overwhelmed New Orleans’ flood defenses, submerging the city. Katrina remains the costliest hurricane in history, resulting in over 1,800 fatalities and damages exceeding $168 billion (adjusted for inflation).
Conditions Primed for Disaster
Hurricanes thrive on heat, making warm ocean waters essential for their formation. As winds traverse the ocean surface, they absorb heat and moisture, creating buoyant, warm, water-laden air that ascends. This process generates a low-pressure zone, ultimately resulting in the birth of tropical storms.
In 2020, ocean temperatures across the Atlantic and Caribbean were notably higher than average. The entire expanse of Hurricane Alley radiated increased heat, which catalyzed the hurricane formation process, heightening the risk of coastal storm damage.
An additional factor contributing to the forecast of increased storm activity was the emergence of a La Niña event in the Pacific Ocean. The cooler waters associated with La Niña have the effect of diminishing wind shear above Hurricane Alley. High wind shear inhibits tropical storm development by disrupting the upper atmospheric conditions required for strengthening. Conversely, the low wind shear experienced in 2020 fostered the proliferation of tropical storms.
This natural boost was all that was needed. NOAA’s forecast of 25 named storms was surpassed by the end of November, culminating in a record 30 named storms, which included 13 hurricanes—six of which reached Category 3 or higher. Hurricane Laura, which struck in late August, inflicted over $14 billion in damages.
The Severity of Climate Change Impacts
While belief in climate change is a personal choice, the consequences are becoming increasingly unavoidable. Lake Charles, Louisiana, embodies this reality—whether understood intellectually or felt emotionally. Hurricane Laura directly impacted a city still grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Rita in 2005. After enduring severe wind and rainfall, Lake Charles desperately needed assistance. However, the city’s plight was overshadowed by numerous simultaneous disasters elsewhere. California was engulfed in wildfires, Oregon faced similar crises, and Siberia experienced a record heatwave, leading to unprecedented wildfires. The overwhelming number of calamities rendered Lake Charles's struggles nearly invisible.
The funding allocated for Hurricane Laura's devastation was but a fraction of what had been directed to the city post-Rita. Denise Durel, president and CEO of the United Way of Southwest Louisiana, articulated the pain: “Our story has quickly faded from view, and the magnitude of our destruction is so great that we cannot recover as a community independently. We urgently need support from the American public, if we can obtain it.”
Unfortunately, help was scarce. Just as the damage from Laura began to recede, Hurricane Delta struck, further inundating the city and tearing off the newly placed blue tarps from roofs—akin to suffering a rib injury followed by a severe cough.
These events illustrate the fundamental realities of climate change. Those caught in the turmoil need not acknowledge its existence to feel its effects. Yet, ignoring this threat may equate to a lack of survival. The challenges, however, are not beyond our capacity to address, given our scientific understanding of these phenomena. The true threat lies in society's potential failure to unite and respond effectively—an inability that represents a collapse of rational planning rather than a lack of bravery.
Sources: - “Extremely active hurricane season possible for Atlantic Basin” (Source: NOAA) - “After 2 Hurricanes, Lake Charles Fears Its Cries for Help Have Gone Unheard” (By Rick Rojas; The New York Times) - “Hurricanes more dangerous than in the past” (Source: ArcheanWeb)