Hurricanes in New England with Alexa Tzanova

Hurricanes are more than just big storms. They impact infrastructure and our lives in often devastating ways. As we look into the future, hurricanes and tropical storms are part of the decisions we make today - from zoning and housing to maintaining our coastal and even inland towns. Another big question, given ongoing climate change, is the connection between hurricane intensity and frequency. Tropical Storm Isaias caused widespread power outages throughout CT in 2020. In 2021, Tropical Storm Henri made landfall just across the state border in Westerly, RI. A few years before that, in 2012, Hurricane Sandy paralyzed NYC and much of the New England coast.

Will those storms become the norm? Were they outliers? To answer these questions, we must turn to the past, but then we run into the problem of sporadic and short instrumental data. Delve into solutions with Alexa Tzanova. She will teach us how to approach hurricane history as scientists do: by tracking the destruction that hurricanes etch into the geological landscape of our coastline. This geological perspective helps us to both understand the past and model our future. 

Friday, Nov. 18 | 2 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. | $20 | The McAuley

Brought to you by the Presidents' College, where we connect the curious through lifelong learning.