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<ul class="summary-list"><li>California has spent decades battling droughts and water insecurity.</li><li>Startups like Epic Cleantec are innovating with on-site water reuse.</li></ul>Despite enduring droughts for <a target="_blank" href="https://ca.water.usgs.gov/california-drought/california-drought-runoff.html">much of the past 15 years</a>, California continues to lead the nation in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/water-qa-which-states-use-most-water">water consumption</a>.During these <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-drought-could-impact-agriculture-tourism-wildlife-2021-6">dry periods</a>, some of the state's local governments began to look for ways to <a target="_blank" href="https://andthewest.stanford.edu/2023/in-times-of-scarcity-californias-best-new-source-of-water-reuse/">diversify their water supplies</a> away from lengthy pipelines and expensive, out-of-state sources.In 2012, San Francisco's Public Utilities Commission began developing the Onsite Water Reuse Program to investigate whether water reuse, also known as water recycling, in buildings could be a solution to California's water problem."There weren't any state or national regulations," Paula Kehoe, the director of water resources at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, told Business Insider. Kehoe and her team created a permitting program to streamline the adoption of on-site water-reuse systems developed by private businesses.As the US faces a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/09/25/more-federal-funding-needed-to-improve-drinking-water-epa-study-finds#:~:text=Water%20utilities%20throughout%20the%20United,Environmental%20Protection%20Agency%20(EPA).">$625 billion cost to address the nation's need to repair drinking- and clean-water infrastructure</a>, on-site water reuse is quickly becoming a strong alternative to the historically slow and expensive process of building large water-recycling plants.With droughts predicted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/california-droughts-gavin-newsom-recycling-c22de8f25b9d6a2bf69277a7185abc0f">reduce California's water supply by 10%</a> over the next 20 years, the success of these systems could lay the foundation for how the state sources its water over several decades.<h2 id="8b14ae19-3316-4bcf-9798-263a2b1e1e25">Silicon Valley is investing in on-site water recycling</h2>In 2015, during the height of California's drought and after three years of development, San Francisco unveiled the Onsite Water Reuse Program requiring all new buildings of 250,000 square feet or more to install an on-site water-treatment system for nonpotable uses, a cap that was lowered to 100,000 square feet in 2021.The city's tech background and proximity to Silicon Valley gave some <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/gradiant-water-startup-helps-businesses-recycle-water-2023-7">startups an opportunity</a> to enter the market. In 2019, Epic Cleantec, a maker of on-site water-reuse systems, emerged to meet the necessary demand for new large buildings.Aaron Tartakovsky, Epic Cleantec's cofounder and CEO, developed the company to address the water-reuse needs of large city buildings.He told BI he took inspiration from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/solar-careers-in-demand-workforce-shortage-2024-7">solar industry</a>, which he said had turned to local installation projects after prioritizing large-scale solar-panel farms. "Can we do the same thing for water and wastewater?" Tartakovsky said. "Can this be water's solar moment?"<div type="image" title="Aaron Tartovsky, founder of epic cleantec" height="2268" width="3024" msid="111870886" hostid="261" sizebytes="137524"></div>Epic Cleantec's on-site systems can recycle building gray water for nonpotable uses, including toilet flushing and irrigation, through their filtration and disinfection process. The company's systems also incorporate an energy-saving mechanism to limit the amount of wasted heat."We have big tanks in these buildings that are collecting all this heated wastewater," Tartakovsky said. "Rather than just sending all that heat away, we are using heat exchangers to take all of that energy from the water and then to reuse that energy within the building."Epic Cleantec has six active projects in California, including a recent system in San Francisco's Salesforce Tower that the company says is the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://epiccleantec.com/projects/salesforce">largest on-site water-reuse system in a US commercial high-rise</a>.The company has also entered the hotel sector with a recycling system in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills. Recycled water is being used for on-site irrigation.In a drought-conscious state, Tartakovsky said the on-site recycling systems had become more appealing to tenants looking for ways to contribute to the state's water-conservation mindset.The adoption of on-site water reuse can also be a sensible decision for developers. "They're not working with us just because it's a nice thing to do and it's good for the planet," he said. "They're doing it because it makes business sense — it saves them a lot of money to incorporate technologies like ours into these projects."<h2 id="075e558b-3852-4981-bc08-a5e2095ce6fb">Water reuse to overcome hurdles</h2>While large plants and on-site water systems in major buildings have been California's <a target="_blank" href="https://andthewest.stanford.edu/2023/in-times-of-scarcity-californias-best-new-source-of-water-reuse/">more established methods</a> of water reuse, the state's biggest hurdle is retrofitting systems for existing buildings.As part of San Francisco's water-recycling initiative, the city published a list of 30 vendors that provide on-site systems that can be installed in existing buildings and new constructions to collect different types of water, including rainwater, gray water, and black water.While most of the vendors offer reuse systems and water management for new constructions, some companies, such as <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bioclere.co.uk/bioclere.php">Bioclere</a>, Phoenix's <a target="_blank" href="https://dewater.com/markets/aquacell-water-recycling/">Aquacell</a>, and <a target="_blank" href="https://innovatreat.com/">Innovatreat</a>, make systems designed to be retrofitted into existing buildings and community infrastructure.<div type="image" title="Epic Cleantec One Water system installed" height="2626" width="1751" msid="111870887" hostid="261" sizebytes="125772"></div>Erik Porse, the director and associate cooperative extension specialist at the California Institute for Water Resources, told BI these retrofits are more difficult to install because of the limitations of size and existing water pipes. "If you have a larger facility, like more area, then you can think about on-site treatment of some sort," he said. "But if you're kind of working in an existing building, like a small building, it can be kind of tough to integrate in lots of treatments."California's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-central-valley-farms-groundwater-dought-2023-7">agriculture sector</a> also relies on water-reuse systems for nonpotable water — a key part of crop irrigation. Since the state has the highest agricultural output in the country, recycled water is important for maintaining crops, especially in times of drought. California is the leader in <a target="_blank" href="https://watereuse.org/educate/water-reuse-101/agricultural-reuse/">using reused water for agriculture</a> across the US.However, the extent to which recycled water is used in agriculture depends on a state's guidelines, many of which are underdeveloped. For example, Iowa is one of the highest producers of crops but does not have any regulations for the use of reused water in agriculture. Instead, the state is experimenting with <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cals.iastate.edu/inrc/news/2024/new-report-shares-latest-research-potential-ag-drainage-water-recycling">drainage-water recycling</a>, or collecting water from farming, and local infrastructure that captures used drainage and rainfall for reuse in on-site irrigation.Nonpotable water can also help in one of the country's newest sources of water loss: data centers. States like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/why-ai-so-thirsty-data-centers-use-massive-amounts-water-1882374">Iowa</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://grist.org/technology/surging-demand-data-guzzling-water-ai/">Virginia</a> have seen massive strains on their <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-data-energy-centers-water-energy-land-2023-10">water supplies</a> due to the increased construction of these facilities. "Those data centers use huge amounts of water to cool themselves," Tartakovsky said.Tartakovsky hopes Epic Cleantec's recent expansions to states such as Texas, Florida, and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hawaii-water-crisis-climate-change/">Hawaii</a> can help in ways beyond water scarcity. "A lot of people think you only need it in the Western states, but in places like the East Coast, a lot of times what they have is wastewater-infrastructure issues," he said. "We have pipes and sewers that were put in place anywhere from 30 to 100 years ago."<h2 id="8d5654cd-d3b7-4f2e-89c8-d5d9a678cdde">Rethinking our relationship with water</h2>To help promote the safety of its recycled water, Epic Cleantec partnered with a brewery near San Francisco, Devil's Canyon Brewing Co., to make a <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-moon-bay-brewery-california-recycled-wastewater-nasa-astronauts-2023-7">safe-to-drink beer</a> out of its nonpotable water. The beer could not be sold commercially since the state has not cleared nonpotable water for drinking, but Tartakovsky credits the campaign with highlighting the company's purification process.Other states could learn from the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/2022/04/14/state-expands-save-our-water-public-awareness-campaign-as-drought-intensifies/">public-awareness campaigns</a> California has promoted for several decades to help residents embrace water reuse. During times of drought, the state has encouraged water conservation and water recycling, such as the use of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/lifestyle/story/2022-06-21/gardening-with-recycled-water">recycled water for plants</a>. "We've seen a pretty big evolution in California cities, especially in Southern California, that folks understand that water reuse is a treatment technology that we use in the state, and it's important, and it provides supply resilience," Porse said.In Texas, a fellow drought-prone state, the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://takecareoftexas.org/water">Take Care of Texas </a>campaign similarly encourages community support for water conservation so the state can survive in times of water scarcity.Porse told BI that in California as public support grows, so will government regulations. In 2023, California made progress toward establishing recycled water for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr20231219-dpr-regulations-adoption.pdf">direct potable reuse</a> and allowing recycled water to be used in the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-drinking-toilet-water-sewage-waste-drought-climate-crisis-solution-2023-12">state's drinking-water supply</a>.For Kehoe, the key to creating stronger water infrastructure is a partnership between communities that endures beyond times of scarcity."We always talk about water conservation as a way of life," Kehoe said. "It's not just during the drought."

Droughts are threatening California's water supply. The state is racing to save what's left. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Some Southern California areas that received the most rain are also home to the rich and famous.</li><li>Beverly Hills was under a flash flood warning, while Bel Air and Woodland Hills got over 10 inches of rain.</li></ul>As an atmospheric river pounds Southern California with a historic deluge of rain, some of the hardest-hit areas also happen to be among the most desirable zip codes.Beverly Hills and the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles were both under flash flood warnings on Monday. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2024/02/05/california-flooding-storm-damage/">Photos from Beverly Hills</a> showed workers trying to clear roads of debris and mud that had washed in.The <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/NWSLosAngeles/status/1754437130594766898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1754437130594766898%7Ctwgr%5Ee4a1cafba05030e0b8c567bcb3c26429dc659186%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.latimes.com%2Fcalifornia%2Fstory%2F2024-02-04%2F19-rescued-from-boat-trees-topple-roads-flood-early-l-a-damage-reports-from-storm">National Weather Service in Los Angeles</a> said an "extremely dangerous situation" was unfolding in the "Hollywood Hills area and around the Santa Monica Mountains," which run into Malibu."Life threatening landslides and additional flash flooding expected overnight tonight," the NWS said in the early morning hours on Monday. "Avoid travel if at all possible."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/malibucitycalifornia/PST045223">Malibu's</a> median household income is around $187,000 a year while in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/beverlyhillscitycalifornia/PST045223">Beverly Hills</a> it is about $117,000, according to the US Census Bureau — both well over the the median household income for the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/losangelescitycalifornia,santamonicacitycalifornia,losangelescountycalifornia/BZA010221">city of Los Angeles</a>, which is $76,000."We are seeing a lot of rescues of cars on roads, due to mud and debris flow, in the Hollywood Hills and up into the Santa Monica Mountains," Todd Hall, NWS meteorologist told the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-04/19-rescued-from-boat-trees-topple-roads-flood-early-l-a-damage-reports-from-storm">Los Angeles Times</a> on Monday morning. "Communities, such as Pacific Palisades, Bel Air, Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, and Topanga are being affected by reports of debris flow going into homes."By Monday evening, Topanga Canyon, Woodland Hills, and Bel Air had all gotten some of the highest levels of rainfall at over 10 inches, <a target="_blank" href="https://ktla.com/news/california/how-much-rain-has-fallen-in-california-so-far-heres-a-map/">KTLA</a> reported — all areas will median household incomes well over the city or county at large, especially <a target="_blank" href="https://www.point2homes.com/US/Neighborhood/CA/Los-Angeles-County/Los-Angeles/Bel-Air-Demographics.html#:~:text=The%20average%20annual%20household%20income,a%20median%20wage%20of%20%24213%2C524.">Bel Air</a> at about $171,000.In Studio City, surging waters washed objects away from mansions in the hills, <a target="_blank" href="https://abc7news.com/los-angeles-storm-atmospheric-river-southern-california-mudslides/14388477/">The Associated Press</a> reported. "Mud, rocks, and water came rushing down through their house and another neighbor's house and into our street," resident Keki Mingus told the outlet of the water that filled the street on Monday. "I can't believe it. It looks like a river that's been here for years. I've never seen anything like it."Further from Los Angeles, other areas that draw the wealthy also tend to be at an increased risk of flooding and landslides when huge quantities of rain hit the state.Parts of Montecito — a coastal community near Santa Barbara known for attracting famous residents — were <a target="_blank" href="https://www.independent.com/2024/02/03/evacuations-ordered-for-parts-of-santa-barbara-county-ahead-of-major-storm/">under evacuation orders</a> over the weekend.In January 2023, the entire town — where Oprah, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/video-ellen-degeneres-creek-gushing-montecito-evacuations-flooding-california-2023-1">Ellen DeGeneres</a>, and Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have homes — was under a <a target="_blank" href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/prince-harry-meghan-markle-ellen-degeneres-and-oprah-evacuate-over-heavy-rainfall/">mandatory evacuation order</a> due to flash flooding."We need to be nicer to mother nature 'cause mother nature is not happy with us," DeGeneres said at the time. "Let's all do our part. Stay safe everybody."Montecito's fire chief told the Los Angeles Times that this storm could be more intense than the one that hit in January 2023."Our slopes are saturated once again," Montecito Fire Chief David Neels <a target="_blank" href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-04/potentially-historic-storm-brings-highest-risk-to-southern-california">told the LA Times</a>, adding, "The likelihood of sediment mobilization is real."

Southern California neighborhoods that attract the rich and famous are also some of the hardest-hit areas during major storms

<ul class="summary-list"><li>California approved a measure allowing it to convert wastewater into drinking water.</li><li>The measure comes as the region has battled<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/satellite-images-show-california-mega-drought-drying-up-lakes-forest-2021-7"> severe drought </a>over the past few years.</li></ul>Californians could soon have sewage waste coming out of their taps — purified, of course.California's State Water Resources Control Board recently approved regulations allowing water systems to convert wastewater, like sewage and toilet water, into purified water that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/orange-county-purest-drinking-water-filtered-sewage-2019-10">Californians can drink</a>.According to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.waterboards.ca.gov/press_room/press_releases/2023/pr20231219-dpr-regulations-adoption.pdf">board's</a> December 19 press release, the measure would give California the "most advanced standards in the nation" to repurpose wastewater in a way that meets drinking standards. The process, known as direct potable reuse, would allow water systems to add millions of gallons of drinking water to their supplies while reducing the amount of waste that flows into oceans."This is an exciting development in the state's ongoing efforts to find innovative solutions to the challenges of extreme weather driven by climate change," E. Joaquin Esquivel, chair of the Water Resources Control Board, said in a statement."On top of helping us build drought-resilient water supplies, direct potable reuse offers energy savings and environmental benefits," he continued. "And most importantly, these regulations ensure that the water produced is not only safe, but purer than many drinking water sources we now rely on."<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/california-drought-aerial-photos-dried-lakes-reservoirs-2021-7">California has experienced the driest period in its history</a> over the past few years. While heavy rainfall this year led the US Drought Monitor to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/21/us/california-drought-hilary.html">declare</a> most of the state drought-free in August, the ongoing climate crisis continues to exacerbate water scarcity concerns.And while California's latest regulations are new, drinking converted wastewater isn't. Texas, for example, started employing the method in 2013, a brewery in California's Half Moon Bay <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/half-moon-bay-brewery-california-recycled-wastewater-nasa-astronauts-2023-7">switched to recycled wastewater</a> to combat drought over the summer, and Colorado's water board approved the process last year.California's water board wrote in its press release that once the new regulations are finalized by the Office of Administrative Law next year, water systems in the state can start submitting plans to begin purifying wastewater."We want to just use it as much as we can," Rebecca Kimitch, press office manager for the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, <a target="_blank" href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4362918-california-toilet-to-tap-water-direct-potable-reuse-proposal-what-to-know/">told</a> The Hill. "Using it once and then sending it to the ocean — that's not being as efficient and as sustainable as we can be."

Purified toilet water could soon be flowing through Californians' taps as the state battles drought

<ul><li>Polar vortex likely behind the increase in <keyword id="517049" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="western-disturbances">western disturbances</keyword>, which is behind the cold weather in North India. </li><li>Many parts in the Himalayas have seen one of the heaviest snowfall episodes in the past few days. </li><li>More western disturbances expected until Mid-February.</li></ul>A combination of prolonged western disturbances and polar vortex, a phenomenon that is pushing Arctic winds downwards, may be behind the unusually cold winter season in North India, say weather experts. Many parts in the Himalayas have seen one of the heaviest snowfall episodes in the past few years. Its effect is being felt across North India and even in the southern states of Maharashtra and Telangana, which have seen colder temperatures. Temperatures dipped below zero in some parts of Rajasthan, which is only the fourth time in the last decade that has been seen, said Mahesh Palawat, vice president of Meteorology and Climate Change at Skymet. “Until February, we expect more active western disturbances,” said Palawat, adding that will likely result in an extended winter in North India. India has already seen six instances of western disturbances so far, increasing both in frequency and intensity, noted Palawat. Western disturbances are caused due to winds travelling from West to East and usually travel in the “upper latitudes” over Kazakhstan and Russia. This year, these disturbances -- usually seen during winter months -- have been pushed south because of the polar vortex currently sweeping North America and Europe. A polar vortex is a narrow band of freezing air which rotates in an anti-clockwise direction during the winters on the North Pole. It can expand or break when it encounters a temperature difference, which pushes down icy winds towards North America and parts of Europe. This year, the pushing down of the polar vortex is in effect “transmitting the cold from Southern Europe to North India,” D Sivananda Pai, a senior official with India’s Meteorological Department (IMD) told <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/arctic-cold-blast-impacting-north-indias-winter-met/articleshow/67748314.cms">Times of India.</a> 
 
	
 
 
 <div type="image" title="NOAA" msid="67755610" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;BI Graphics/NOAA&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;&amp;lt;sup&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/sup&amp;gt;&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div>










BI Graphics/NOAA It is the first time since 2014 the world is seeing a polar vortex phenomenon, which many climate <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/A-bomb-cyclone-and-polar-vortex-are-headed-for-the-East-Coast-heres-what-those-weather-terms-actually-mean/articleshow/62358915.cms">scientists say</a> could be linked to global warming. “Snowfall is expected across the western Himalayan region— J&amp;K, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the Northern plains are likely to get rains with hail in some areas,” BP Yadav, an official of India’s Meteorological Department told Times of India. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/delhi-records-heavy-rains-temperature-dips-with-chilly-winds/articleshow/67635943.cms">Delhi records heavy rains, temperature dips with chilly winds</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/travelling-to-new-delhi-the-weather-is-biting-cold/articleshow/67552357.cms">Travelling to New Delhi? The weather is biting cold</a>

North India is as cold as Southern Europe now because of Arctic winds

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Climate preparedness was in its early stages in southwest Florida, where Ian caused the most damage. </li><li>Millions in government funding have been earmarked for coastal-restoration projects. </li></ul>In the days after Hurricane Ian destroyed homes and cut off power in Jennifer Hecker's community near Punta Gorda, Florida, she was rushing to arrange a boat for her staff so they could start testing water for pollution. Diesel slicks, building debris, raw sewage, industrial chemicals — the remnants of the Category 4 hurricane were choking floodwaters and putting public health at risk.Hecker is the executive director of the <a href="https://www.chnep.org/about-the-chnep">Coastal &amp; Heartland National Estuary Partnership</a>, one of 28 groups around the country that the Environmental Protection Agency set up to protect areas where freshwater meets the ocean and the surrounding wetlands. Hecker's group conducts research to improve water quality and restore estuaries, which are natural buffers against coastal erosion and flooding."This hurricane is going to be a turning point for many communities," she told Insider from an office near Sarasota. "We have to become more resilient, because these storms are becoming more severe and more frequent due to changes in our climate." The state and the Biden administration combined are spending billions to help communities prepare, but those efforts were just getting underway when Ian made landfall last week. Now those working to build up Florida's natural defenses are calling for more urgent action. Emerging from one of the costliest disasters in US history, with <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Business/hurricane-ians-damage-reach-65-billion/story?id=90693223">estimates of up to $75 billion</a> in damage and 100 deaths and counting, how and where to rebuild southwest Florida's coastal towns in this era of climate crisis will be a major question for residents and local and state officials.<h2>The cost to prepare Florida for future storms will be staggering</h2>Lee and Collier counties, where Fort Myers and Naples are located, suffered some of the most catastrophic damage. As the planet warms and sea levels rise, storms like Hurricane Ian — with its massive storm surges and rainfall — are more likely. Gov. Ron DeSantis and the state's Republican-controlled legislature created a resiliency fund last year that awards grants to communities for projects to mitigate flooding and sea-level rise — marking the first statewide strategy to protect coastal and inland infrastructure with dedicated spending. The DeSantis administration awarded <a href="https://protectingfloridatogether.gov/sites/default/files/documents/FY2021-22_Resilience_RFGP_Awards.pdf">$404 million</a> through June, and <a href="https://www.flgov.com/2022/06/08/governor-ron-desantis-announces-more-than-500-million-building-upon-his-historic-commitment-to-enhancing-community-resiliency/">another $500 million was included</a> in the latest state budget.But the costs for beefing up Florida's defenses are sure to be massive. One estimate put the price of building seawalls in Lee and Collier counties alone <a href="https://www.climatecosts2040.org/files/state/FL.pdf">at more than $3.5 billion per county</a>. The report didn't factor in other adaptation measures, such as upgrading stormwater and sewer systems or raising roads. Hecker said preparedness efforts in her region of southwest Florida have been limited so far."This is something my organization has prioritized," Hecker said. "We are assisting the 10 counties we serve with conducting comprehensive vulnerability assessments that look at the impacts of climate change, which clearly are already underway."Hecker said the effort received more than $4.5 million over five years from the EPA under the bipartisan infrastructure law, which President Joe Biden signed last year. The estuary partnership is using the money to hire contractors to help cities and counties conduct the assessments and inform coastal-restoration projects like oyster and mangrove reefs. The state resiliency fund is also providing <a href="https://protectingfloridatogether.gov/sites/default/files/documents/RF%20statewide%20plan%20PFT%5B2%5D.pdf">nearly $600,000</a> over several years for a specific shoreline project in Punta Gorda.Nationwide, the infrastructure law authorized more than $50 billion over five years for state, local, and tribal governments to upgrade infrastructure to better withstand droughts, wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and other natural disasters. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/infrastructure-law#:~:text=It%20provides%20nearly%20%243%20billion,resilience%2C%20and%20weather%20forecasting%20infrastructure.">also received $3 billion</a> for coastal restoration and improving weather-forecasting capabilities."These kinds of grant programs want to see that local governments and agencies are coordinating amongst themselves, rather than having a bunch of sharp elbows," said Brad Cornell, a policy director for Audubon Florida, which works to conserve wildlife habitat. "If they're not working together, we can't solve this problem effectively." Cornell lives a mile from the beach in Naples and said his house was spared by Hurricane Ian, though he lost power for several days. He is part of the <a href="https://www.fgcu.edu/swflresiliencycoalition/#ParticipatingJurisdictions">Southwest Florida Regional Resiliency Coalition</a>, aimed at uniting the municipal governments in Lee, Collier, and Charlotte counties with natural-resource managers to study the region's climate vulnerabilities and identify the best ways to mitigate them. The coalition, hosted by Florida Gulf Coast University, is in its formative stages and only had a few meetings before Ian struck. As of July, Collier and Lee counties "elected to take a hiatus" and "will reconsider their formal relationship sometime in the future," <a href="https://www.fgcu.edu/swflresiliencycoalition/files/NEWS-071322-Email-to-all.pdf">according to meeting minutes</a>, although cities in those counties are participating. The county managers' offices didn't return Insider's request for comment. "The coalition is way overdue," Cornell said, adding that Hurricane Ian might motivate officials to come to the table. "We can't keep playing roulette," he said. "I've lived in Florida for 30 years and evacuated three times. This time, the storm surge was devastating."Storm surges — when wind forces push water onshore — are one of the biggest threats to lives and property during hurricanes and storms. <h2>It's not just the coasts, everywhere in Florida is vulnerable</h2>Millions of people <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/09/28/florida-population-growth-hurricane-ian-path/">have moved to coastal areas in southwest Florida</a> in recent decades and fueled new property development, leaving the region more vulnerable to storm surges and flooding. Hecker said moving inland isn't a simple or realistic solution. Farther inland in Orlando, homes flooded up to the rooftops due to unprecedented rainfall during Hurricane Ian. Southern Florida is built on top of porous rocks, so rising seas also bubble up from underground, she noted. Many people also don't have the resources to pack up and leave. "There really isn't a place in Florida that isn't vulnerable," she said. "It's really just the degree of vulnerability. We're the third-most-populous state in the country, so you can't just say everyone needs to move out."Stronger buildings, road systems, and other infrastructure that can withstand hurricanes will be key, Hecker said. Some of the poorest residents were living in the lowest-lying neighborhoods, so environmental justice needs to be considered when rebuilding as well. Restoring coastal mangrove forests, wetlands, and reefs that act as natural buffers would also make communities like Naples more protected during storms, Cornell said. "That's where floodwaters can go rather than pushing it through drainage canals and pumps and all the infrastructure we built to pretend like we're building resilience," he said.

Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida just as the state put historic amounts of money into climate resilience. Now officials have to move faster.

<ul><li>The latest forecast from <keyword id="6376779" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="skymet">Skymet</keyword> is expected to take a toll on <keyword id="31671" type="CITY" weightage="20" keywordseo="markets">markets</keyword> today and cause some volatility in the trading of agro-commodities. </li><li>The weather forecasting organisation has predicted that India’s <keyword id="6358301" type="DEFINITION" weightage="20" keywordseo="monsoon">monsoon</keyword> winds will arrive in Southern India later than expected, by the first week of June, and provide lesser-than-expected <keyword id="47162" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="rainfall">rainfall</keyword> this year. </li><li>A strong monsoon always provides a filip to India’s economy. Not only does it increase farm production, prevent food inflation and raise rural demand, but it also stimulates business and consumer confidence. </li></ul>A strong monsoon always provides a filip to India’s economy. Not only does it increase farm production, prevent food inflation and raise rural demand, but it also stimulates business and consumer confidence. In a rainfall deficient period, it’s harder for a bull run to take place in financial markets as investors get jittery. If harvests are low, this also increases the pressure on the government to give sops to <keyword id="45092" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="farmers">farmers</keyword>. This is why the latest forecast from Skymet is expected to take a toll on markets today and cause some volatility in the trading of agro-commodities. The weather forecasting organisation has predicted that India’s monsoon winds will arrive in Southern India later than expected, by the first week of June, and provide <a href="https://in.reuters.com/article/india-monsoon/indias-monsoon-to-arrive-late-deliver-less-rain-skymet-idINKCN1SK14H">lesser-than-expected rainfall</a> this year. The monsoon period is expected to end by September, when the last of the winds leaves the western state of Rajasthan. Jatin Singh, managing director of Skymet, told Reuters that India would receive, “93% rainfall of the long period average in 2019.” Singh added that central India would get 91% of the average rainfall while eastern India would get 92%. South India, meanwhile, should get 95% of the average. Skymet’s prediction clashes with forecasts from the government-run India Meteorological Department (IMD), which said last month that there would be average rainfall this season - which provided <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/sensex-rises-139-points-nifty-at-11690-tata-motors-tcs-rally/articleshow/68889490.cms">a strong boost to stock markets</a> the day it was announced. The monsoon reportedly accounts for <a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/markets/stocks/news/imd-projects-near-normal-monsoon-but-how-big-a-factor-is-it-for-market/articleshow/68888435.cms">70-80%</a> of India’s water requirement for agriculture which is why people will keep a close eye on forecasts in the immediate future. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/the-mystery-of-indias-erratic-monsoon-can-be-found-in-the-indian-ocean/articleshow/69215027.cms">The mystery of India’s erratic monsoon can be found in the Indian ocean</a>

Latest monsoon projection may take the wind out of India's markets

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>The National Weather Service warned of the "risk of severe thunderstorms" in southern and eastern US states on Thursday and Friday.&#xa0;</li><li>Earlier in the week the region was hit by storms and tornadoes that left eight people dead.&#xa0;</li><li>Some areas are expected to see heavy rainfall causing flash floods, and "severe" thunderstorms are to hit areas near the Gulf of Mexico.&#xa0;</li><li>An area of low pressure moving eastward is behind the weather warnings.&#xa0;</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit BusinessInsider.com for more stories</a>.</li></ul>Parts in the southeastern US hit by deadly storms last week are bracing on Thursday for even more tornadoes headed their way.The <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">National Weather Service early Thursday</a> warned of the "risk of severe thunderstorms and flash flooding from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio River Valley today."The bad weather is due to shift to the east coast on Friday.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>The cause of the storms is a low pressure weather system, moving east from the Mississippi Valley. It is expected to bring more than an inch of rainfall some many areas and "severe" thunderstorms to states on the Gulf Coast including Texas and Louisiana on Thursday. Florida and Virginia are due to be hit on Friday."The main threats with the severe storms will be damaging wind gusts and several tornadoes; some of the tornadoes in the South today and tonight could be strong," warned the NWS.&#xa0;<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>"The thunderstorms and areas of heavy rain will also pose a risk for flash flooding over much of the eastern half of the US," officials said.The warned of flash floods Thursday in the Mississippi River Valley region, with the risk spreading to much of the US east coast on Friday.The NWS Storm Prediction Center warned of "severe storms" accompanied by the "risk for damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes, some of which could become strong" across the Mississippi Valley and states of Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida.<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div>It comes after deadly storms swept across southern states on Sunday claiming eight lives in Texas, the Mississippi area and Louisiana.The death toll includes two children killed in Texas when a tree fell on their car.&#xa0;Several tornadoes had torn through the states, and storms also hit Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia on Monday.&#xa0;<div></div>

The southern and eastern US has been smacked by days of deadly tornadoes and storms - and more are on the way

Brace yourself for an extended summer season and scanty rainfall along with rise in prices of food items this year as the Australian Meteorological Department predicted on Tuesday that the tropical Pacific was in early stages of the El Nino weather phenomenon. 
 The bureau’s current observations state that India's south-west monsoon will be deficient and it has already been predicted by the <keyword id="6355166" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="India-Meteorological-Department">India Meteorological Department</keyword> in April, as per an Economic Times report. 
 
El Nino refers to the warming of Pacific waters and is seen as having a wide-ranging impact on global weather. 
 This comes as bad news for India as the <keyword id="390879" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="monsoon-season">monsoon season</keyword>, which runs from June to September in the country, is the main source of water for the agriculture sector. This will affect the <keyword id="2848024" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Agriculture-based-industries">agriculture-based industries</keyword> and the food industry. 
 
In the wake of poor rainfall last year and unseasonal rains and snowfall in recent months, India's revival plans and economic growth will also be hampered. 
 
According to the Australian weather office, the El Nino Southern Oscillation ( ENSO) indicators have shown a steady trend toward El Nino levels since the start of the year. The temperatures of sea surface in the tropical Pacific Ocean have also exceeded El Nino thresholds recently. 
 
Moreover, such changes are also supported by warmer-than-average waters below the surface which will worsen the weather condition. 
 
Trade winds have remained consistently weaker than average since the start of the year. "These indicators suggest the tropical Pacific Ocean and atmosphere have started to couple and reinforce each other, indicating El Nino is likely to persist in the coming months," the Australian weather office said. 
 
International climate models surveyed by the bureau indicate that tropical Pacific Ocean temperatures are likely to remain above El Nino thresholds through the coming winter and at least into spring. 
 
(Image:Reuters)

You Searched For "rainfall in southern states" and got 8 results

Droughts are threatening California's water supply. The state is racing to save what's left.

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North India is as cold as Southern Europe now because of Arctic winds

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Latest monsoon projection may take the wind out of India's markets

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