VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – As the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season gets underway, experts warn that the U.S. should be ready for above-normal storm activity. The season’s first three storms—Andrea, Barry, and Chantal—have already made history by forming earlier and farther north than usual, signaling an active season ahead.
In response, researchers across the country are working to better understand how to prepare for and respond to extreme weather, particularly the flooding and disruption hurricanes often bring.
Learning from Past Storms
Sociologist Dr. Liesel Ritchie of Virginia Tech is leading a team focused on improving hurricane preparedness. Her work builds on lessons learned from Hurricane Beryl, a deadly Category 5 storm that slammed into Texas in 2024.
“People in hurricane-prone areas like the Gulf Coast and the Carolinas are typically more prepared,” Ritchie said. “But for communities not used to these storms, the risks are higher.”
Her team encourages an “all-hazards” approach to preparedness, recognizing that hurricanes aren’t the only disaster Americans face. Snowstorms, wildfires, tornadoes, and floods also require readiness.
Ritchie’s disaster readiness tips include:
- Follow evacuation and shelter-in-place orders.
- Prepare a “go bag” with essentials like medication, water, ID, and chargers.
- Know your evacuation route and shelter locations.
- Account for pets, the elderly, and people with disabilities in your plan.
“Being prepared can ease psychological stress and provide a sense of control when disaster hits,” she added.
Technology Isn’t Always Enough
While early warning systems have improved, relying on them alone may leave communities vulnerable, warns geophysicist Dr. Manoochehr Shirzaei, also at Virginia Tech.
He points to the 2024 floods in Valencia, Spain, where digital alerts failed and led to delayed evacuations and loss of life.
“High-income countries often think technology will protect them,” Shirzaei said. “But satellite and communication networks can fail during earthquakes, cyberattacks, or even severe storms.”
His team is studying how to build redundant warning systems that combine high-tech alerts with low-tech backups—like sirens, radio broadcasts, and community networks—to reduce dependence on fragile infrastructure.
Predicting Floods with AI
Meanwhile, civil engineer Dr. David Muñoz is using artificial intelligence to better predict hurricane-related flooding. His CoRAL Lab is working on tools that use deep learning to analyze decades of storm data, identifying patterns in wind, rainfall, wave height, and pressure.
“When a hurricane hits, multiple factors contribute to flooding—storm surge, sea-level rise, rain, and even land subsidence,” Muñoz said. “Together, these cause compound flooding, which is more damaging than any one factor alone.”
Muñoz’s models aim to make flood prediction faster and more accurate, especially for areas lacking detailed flood data. His team has made their tools and source code freely available to help local governments and planners better prepare for rising water threats.
