5 Natural Disasters Common in Summer Months – Emergency Management Degree Program Guide

May 31, 2019

5 Natural Disasters That Typically Occur in the Summer

Drought
Mudslides
Wildfires
Extreme Heat
Flooding

While some natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions have no specific season, there are many threats to human communities that do. As the reality of climatic shift becomes increasingly apparent, its impact on the severity of some of these events is also growing clearer. The unstable polar vortex isn’t just a problem in January. It can impact oceanic and air current patterns during the summer months. Excessive levels of atmospheric and oceanic carbon combine with warmer seasonal temperatures to create some unpleasant side effects, to put it mildly.

1. Drought

While these natural disasters occur around the world in regions with markedly seasonal precipitation patterns, the Great Plains and also the Prairies of Canada constitute a region that is particularly sensitive. These areas provide the bulk of grains used in manufactured products—from bread to animal feed to ethanol. But while agricultural water needs are a huge consideration during drought conditions, there are other problems associated with this type of summer disaster. Less rainfall means dryer soils. Especially on the plains, winds can be particularly strong, picking up desiccated soils and carrying them for miles. Drought can mean higher death tolls for livestock who don’t have enough to drink, and associated fire risk is also often a problem.

2. Mudslides

In other parts of the United States, mudslides are a danger, especially during the summer months. The west coast of North American is the eastern verge of the Ring of Fire. While volcanic activity is relatively rare these days, seismic activity and past volcanic events have shaped the geologic strata in ways both subtle and overt, and the nature of the region is apparent in the hydrothermal activity. Mudslides tend to occur on steep slopes, the rock substrates of which are often saturated by percolated surface water and the pressures of superheated water in the earth’s crust. Essentially, the soil becomes too waterlogged to remain stable and succumbs to gravity in a liquid torrent. While they can and do occur in managed areas with healthy forests, they are even more prevalent in regions that have been overbuilt or clear-cut.

3. Wildfires

Anyone living west of the Mississippi River is familiar with the term Fire Weather, but other, traditionally moisture-rich regions of the U.S. are now coming to terms with this type of summer disaster. Due to changing weather patterns, driven by other, connected shifts in global climate, the west is especially prone to severe wildfires during the summer and autumn months. There simply isn’t sufficient precipitation to control the spread of these burns. Wildfires pose threats to both property and human health. Inhalation of smoke can cause serious complications for the populations of entire regions impacted and should be taken seriously.

4. Extreme Heat

Motown classic tunes aside, extreme heat is an increasingly common feature of the summer months. And while humans have developed many strategies to cope with a wide array of climates, there’s a particular economic factor appended to many solutions, which cannot be ignored. Prolonged periods of intense heat pose a threat to human, animal, and plant health. While the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) advises community planning organizations to take steps to reduce heat islands and protect vulnerable portions of their populations, many of the tips they provide for individuals make the assumption of energy privilege—the ability for an individual or family to afford the energy costs associated with air conditioning or swamp cooler units and fans. The reality is that many can no longer manage those costs, live in poorly constructed housing, and may require public assistance for damages associated with excessive heat.

5. Flooding

Part of the shift in global climate conditions includes an increased risk of flooding. While this is typically in places that may already be experienced with the phenomenon, it can be more intense and prolonged than planning agencies expect. The reasons for this are several. First, snowpack often melts earlier and more swiftly than before, which can combine with seasonal rainfall at lower elevations, swelling watersheds more rapidly than usual. If soil substrates are saturated at those lower elevations, there is little recourse for the excess water. As with many disasters, flooding represents a confluence of factors. If not adequately prepared, communities in the path of a flood event can experience a higher level of damage than they otherwise would.

While several disasters listed above may occur at any time of year, seasonal factors, such as high temperatures, greater exposure to solar energy, shifts in precipitation and air currents may exacerbate them. Because nothing in nature is truly isolated, these five natural disasters common in the summer months may co-occur or serve as the cause for another event, and individuals who craft contingency procedures for communities or individuals should plan accordingly.