WASHINGTON — The United States is overhauling its infrastructure and public health systems to adapt to more frequent extreme weather. Temperatures reaching 125 degrees Fahrenheit and widespread high-tide flooding are pushing federal and local agencies to change how they plan and spend.
Utilities are shifting their operational planning to ensure reliability during prolonged heat. Aidan Tuohy of the Electric Power Research Institute said companies are moving beyond planning for a single peak hour of demand and focusing instead on sustaining resources through extended heat waves to prevent widespread power failures.
Extreme heat imposes a significant burden on the U.S. economy, affecting the national food supply and the reliability of essential infrastructure, according to the Center for American Progress. Proactive adaptation strategies are critical to reducing mounting costs for American families.
The United States also faces extreme cold. Climate scientists largely agree that the polar vortex penetrates further south due to a weakening jet stream linked to global warming.
High-tide flooding has become significantly more common over the past seven decades, and adaptation measures are being rolled out in coastal communities. Those measures often yield ecological benefits as well — creating new habitats, improving water quality and sequestering carbon.
The broad push reflects a national effort to move from reactive responses to preparation built to withstand worsening climate conditions.
