Coastal Storm and Severe Weather Emergency Mitigation in Delaware

• Andrew Callahan, Environmental Science, University of Delaware

• Daniel Leathers, Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, University of Delaware

Climate change is likely to impact the frequency and severity of storms and extreme weather events, posing significant challenges for emergency management. Hazard mitigation plans, developed by emergency management agencies, aim to guide responses to potential disasters while accounting for changing climate conditions. However, predicting the precise effects of climate change on severe weather episodes remains a complex task. This research focuses on evaluating Delaware’s hazard mitigation plan and its incorporation of observed trends in severe weather and coastal storms. While previous research by the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and the Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis has provided insights into mitigation strategies and trends in severe weather events, a comprehensive analysis of their integration within the hazard mitigation plan is still needed. This project leverages updated data on coastal storms and severe weather associated with thunderstorms to offer a more nuanced understanding of how changes in these events can be captured in statewide hazard mitigation planning. Data analysis is conducted using tools such as Excel, JMP Pro, and ArcGIS Online, which facilitate the examination of trends in event frequency and severity. Although the Delaware hazard mitigation plan includes extensive information on potential weather events, it lacks detailed analysis of time scales and projections on how changes in the frequency and severity of these events impact the state. This gap may be attributed to the plan’s five-year review cycle and the fluid nature of climate change science. The findings suggest that incorporating more detailed temporal analysis of severe weather and climate model projections could improve the plan’s effectiveness in addressing the evolving impacts of climate change. By enhancing the integration of these factors, Delaware’s hazard mitigation plan could better support emergency management efforts in the face of increasing weather-related challenges.