Floods are Becoming More Common. Here’s What I Tell my Daughters

Dear Girls,  At your Aunt Cassie’s wedding, the emergency alert blared on my phone: FLASH FLOOD WARNING. I scanned our surroundings. We were half-way up a hill, but in a flimsy tent, with you all scattered, playing with your cousins. My mind raced through scenarios about how to collect you and get to safety, if necessary. At the same time, I didn’t actually know what to do. Just days later, on our drive to school, you couldn’t believe how high the Potomac River looked. That very same day, in Westernport, Maryland, floodwaters quickly filled the first floor of an elementary school trapping 150 students and their teachers inside. Emergency workers had to shuttle them to safety in rescue boats. Now, as we check-off the summer camp packing list, parents in Texas are mourning their daughters, just your age, who will not be coming home from their summer camp. The harsh reality of parenting today is this: our children are living in a changing climate. Above-average rainfall, once-in-a-hundred-year storms, severe drought, and record-breaking heat are part of your present and future. What my generation perceived as extremes, you will know as average. What we perceived as volatility, you will experience as your norm. I remember Hurricanes, like Andrew when I was 11 and Hugo when I was 8. Since 2017, you’ve experienced Harvey, Ian, Maria, and Ida—each of these, individually, causing more damage in adjusted dollars than Andrew and Hugo combined. Last year, Hurricane Helene wiped out entire North Carolina towns previously considered safe from that type of destruction. As our planet warms, in places that are more wet, the air holds more water vapor. With more water vapor in the air, rainstorms bring more rain in shorter periods of time. This makes flooding, like the tragic floods in Texas, more likely to occur and more dangerous. Flooding can occur across the entire U.S., inland and on the coasts. In fact, a 2023 rainstorm in New York City flooded over 150 school buildings in a single day. And 2024 surpassed 2023 as the hottest year ever recorded. Plus, the top ten hottest years on record have all occurred in the last decade. Kids in places like Philadelphia, Detroit, and Milwaukee have had schools close for “heat days.” In Phoenix, kids couldn’t go to the park in the middle of the day when temperatures exceeded 110 degrees for a record-breaking 70 days last year. Just a few weeks ago, your lacrosse camp canceled sessions when extreme heat blanketed the east coast. What this means is that you will face more devastating floods and other extreme weather events than I could have ever imagined.  From the first moment I held each of you in my arms, I dreamed of your futures, wishing for your well-being, safety, and happiness. Now, when I see your futures, I worry about limitations as climate change accelerates. I am sorry. We, those in my generation and older, have not done enough to protect you or prepare you for success in our changing world. We continue to release heat-trapping pollution in our atmosphere, federal action on climate change is taking a massive backslide, and significant barriers to action persist.  While many are concerned about what they are witnessing all around them, still far too many don’t fully grasp what’s happening, don’t know how to talk about it, or feel unsure about what to do. I used to be one of those people as well. That changed when I had my climate moment. The UN released a report on 1.5 degrees warming, and all the major media outlets indicated we had a decade left to address climate change to avoid the most devastating effects. I felt paralyzed looking at the three of you playing in the basement. My misconceptions shattered: this wasn’t a distant problem, this wasn’t something technology would just fix. I knew your lives would be fundamentally shaped by our changing climate, and I needed to learn and do more.  What I’ve learned is that we all have a role to play in securing our shared future, even if we don’t have all the answers. We need to help people, especially your generation, understand this to drive lasting solutions. That begins by talking about it, challenging our own misconceptions, and committing to action. And as a parent, it means committing to advocating for policies that keep you safe, protect your future, and empower you to make a difference.  Childhood has changed, and that means parenthood must as well. We must all step up to secure a livable world for you and your entire generation to inherit. Love,  Mom