Experts sound alarm as typically dry US state faces destructive flash floods: 'This is something that we're going to have to get used to'

Yahoo

7 hours ago

Though New Mexico has been one of the driest states in the country, it recently experienced some devastating flash flooding. Videos shared by Fox Weather appeared to show people stuck in their vehicles as rushing waters raced by.
In late June, "a surge of monsoon moisture" soaked parts of New Mexico, the result, according to Fox Weather, of the "heat dome" in the east pushing moisture toward the south. The state saw flash flood warnings and watches for a period of days, with Roswell and its surrounding areas among the hardest hit.
"We are flooding, and this is something that we're going to have to get used to this year, unfortunately," said Eugene Heathman, general manager of Ruidoso News, in a video.
Several parts of the United States have been rocked by extreme weather in 2025, from flooding in West Virginia to tornadoes ripping across numerous states. Extreme weather isn't new, but it is becoming more severe.
Climate experts told the Associated Press in 2023 that heat, precipitation, and fires are becoming more intense, driven, at least partially, by rising global temperatures. "The data show that precipitation variability is increasing, something scientists have been predicting for decades — meaning that it'll be dry for longer and then, when it rains, it'll flood," said Andrew Dessler, director of the Texas Center for Climate Studies and a professor at Texas A&M University.
How does this happen? Think of the atmosphere like a sponge. When temperatures heat up, the sponge expands and can hold more water. Increasing global temperatures help the atmosphere hold more water than usual, giving it plenty to dump when storms hit. All that excess water can cause massive floods that damage homes, businesses, and roads, bringing injuries and fatalities too.
Coastal areas can also be devastated by floods and storm surges when sea levels rise, a result of ice sheets melting in our warming world. Researchers have found that coastal flooding is happening more frequently, and they only expect the trend to continue.
Human activity that burns dirty energy sources can intensify weather events. Driving gas-powered vehicles, urbanization, and deforestation can all lead to more heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere, making storms stronger and more unpredictable. Taming destructive floods and more can start with fighting this pollution.
Fortunately, many governments and other stakeholders are committing to curbing the problem, which may encourage others to take action. Late last year, for example, New Zealand pledged to reduce pollution by as much as 55% by 2035. And Google is using artificial intelligence to learn how technology impacts the climate and how companies can do better.
That doesn't mean that small-scale changes can't make a big difference. Even something as simple as using energy efficiently — like turning off lights in rooms that aren't in use and unplugging unused devices — is an excellent first step.
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Installing solar panels with battery storage can also help you use cleaner energy and make your home more resilient to the extreme weather events that can knock out power grids. EnergySage even offers a free service to compare quotes from vetted installers, with the potential to save consumers up to $10,000 on installation.
This underscores an important point about making the switch to cleaner, more sustainable energy sources: They can also benefit the bottom line for municipalities and for families. Continuing to explore critical climate issues certainly is about learning how everyday choices can affect the bigger picture — but it's also about uncovering opportunities and win-wins for everyone on planet Earth.
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