Climate Change

The second half of 2016 was a drought period for most of CT - Shown here are low flows in Satan's Kingdom.

The climate has been changing around the world. Here in northwestern Connecticut, that statement holds true as well. The trend seems to be that weather and climate events, whatever they may be, are more of an extreme nature. Only a few years ago in New England, we experienced big storms and heavy flooding. Then in 2016, CT's first ever drought watch was issued. Reduced flows on the Farmington River were witnessed which had not been seen for many years.

First, some people use 'climate' and 'weather' interchangeably. Even though they are closely related, the two words mean slightly different things. 'Climate' is the weather conditions in an area over a long period of time. 'Weather' is the state of the atmosphere (hot, cold, dry, wet, clear, cloudy, etc). Climate change affects our weather.

There are climate change skeptics out there. One could possibly argue how much of the changes we are seeing are human caused, versus how much can be attributed to cyclical changes. However, no matter which side of the fence you are on regarding this issue, there is no denying that weather patterns being altered.

Here are some good links to flood and disaster safety articles:

Flash Flood Safety and Damage Prevention Guide
FEMA Flood Map Service Center: Search By Address. This tool tells you if your home is in a flood zone!
Do You Have a Pet Emergency Preparedness Plan?
How to Evacuate Before a Storm or Flood
Disaster Safety for People with Disabilities
Flood Health and Safety
Safe Cleaning After a Home Flood: What You Need to Know
Cleaning After a Flood