Hurricane Helene has devastated residents across North Carolina, already claiming over 200 lives and devastating communities from mass flooding, road closures and power expected to be out for weeks. Now, residents of Florida are preparing for Hurricane Milton, which has been upgraded to a Category 5 (winds of greater than 157 mph), prompting evacuation zones throughout the state.

Hurricane season extends through November, and with two big hurricanes already striking the United States, Michigan State University experts can comment on what can precede a hurricane and what damage and repercussions come after hurricanes make landfall.

Economic impact

Mark Skidmore is the Morris Chair in State and Local Government Finance and Policy as well as the resident fellow at MSU Extension’s Center for Local Government Finance and Policy. Additionally, Skidmore is an economics professor in both the colleges of Social Science and Agriculture and Natural Resources. He is an expert in the relationship between government activities and economic development, including incentives, as well as the economics of natural disasters.
Contact: mskidmor@msu.edu

“According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, the United States experienced 363 weather-related disasters over the 1980-2023 period. Estimates indicate that these disasters resulted in $2.59 trillion in damages of which roughly half are attributable to hurricanes and tropical storms. Though there is significant variability in damages from storm to storm; on average, each storm results in about $1 billion in damages. Hurricane’s result in damages as a result of wind, storm surges, and flooding.  This year hurricane Helene reached far inland to Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, affecting higher elevations than is typical for such storms. There was heavy rainfall in a region where the terrain was not able to absorb the inundation; damages and loss of life are extensive.

“There are several tiers of support that help communities rebuild. As an immediate response, the priority is to provide access to basic needs such as food, water, shelter, fuel and the restoration of electricity and communications. As core needs are met, authorities may focus on rebuilding damaged public infrastructure. Finally, resources flowing in from insurance, private savings and governments help households and business regain a foothold and reestablish operations. Longer-term, it is often helpful to review weaknesses in infrastructure and make preparations to reduce vulnerability in the future.”

Jason Miller is the interim chairperson of the Department of Supply Chain Management and the Eli Broad Professor in Supply Chain Management in the Broad College of Business. He is an expert on supply chain issues relating to safety, productivity, pricing dynamics, driver turnover and employment, among other areas.
Contact: mill2831@broad.msu.edu

“Hurricanes can negatively impact the supply of goods in the United States by affecting manufacturing and distribution activities in the regions where they make landfall. As manufacturing is often geographically concentrated, these effects can be substantial, such as Hurricane Helene affecting national supply of IV fluids given North Carolina’s disproportionate importance in producing pharmaceutical products, similar to Texas and Louisiana producing a large share of the nation’s chemical products.”

David Ortega is a professor in the Department of Agricultural, Food and Resource Economics in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, where he is also a faculty laureate. He is an expert on consumer, producer and agribusiness decisions that affect the agricultural and food sectors.
Contact: dlortega@msu.edu

“Hurricanes can wreak havoc on local food systems. In storm-hit areas, agricultural production may be impacted and supply chains disrupted. Port closures and damaged infrastructure can increase transportation costs. These factors can lead to temporary and localized food shortages and price spikes. Infrastructure damage can also make it difficult to get food and supplies to those affected.”

Scientific causes and health effects

Joan Rose is the Homer Nowlin Endowed Chair in Water Research and she is the director of the MSU Water Alliance. She is an expert in water microbiology, water quality and public health safety.
Contact: rosejo@msu.edu

“We know that at least 400,000 gallons of untreated wastewater was spilled due to Helene. Also pipes and treatment plants were washed out. The Flood waters are going to be contaminated so care should be taken when wading in these. Water infrastructure repairs are going to take weeks so safe drinking water is not going to be accessible. Also wells will be contaminated. This is so devastating and with another storm on the way hitting Florida safe water is going to be hard to come by.”

Seven Mattes is an assistant professor at the Center for Integrative Studies in Social Science in the College of Social Science. Mattes is an expert in disaster preparedness and multispecies resiliency, as well as animal studies.
Contact: bryant22@msu.edu

“While hurricanes are a part of life for coastal residents, both the storms and the local populations have increased in number and intensity. As anthropogenic climate change increases the number of storms and human population grows in coastal regions, how we approach preparedness is an ongoing adaptive effort to the new conditions. Thus, while improvements in preparedness have been implemented in coastal states across the U.S., numerous vulnerabilities remain. There are innumerable recommendations for improving hurricane preparedness in the U.S.

•        Strengthening those natural structures that have historically shielded the habitats of humans and nonhumans alike — wetlands, salt marshes, reefs, dunes, mangrove forests, etc. — is an effective means to improve resilience to hurricane impacts. Preserving and valuing natural structures protect against storm surges, flooding and other damaging forces while also supporting the wildlife that reside within. 
  
•        Improving existing infrastructure to withstand intensified impacts — especially in low-income communities — is urgently needed. 
  
•        Funding programs and incentives to educate and organize on the local level are essential — learning from, building on and sharing local knowledge ensures community preparedness. 
  
•        Addressing the preventable vulnerability that results from developing hurricane-prone zones, like building homes and structures in low-lying coastal areas, is critical to avoid draining resources at all stages of disaster preparedness.
  
•        Including companion species in planning and policy insofar as they impact human safety and decision-making like the PETS Act following Hurricane Katrina. Agricultural animals are especially vulnerable to hurricane impacts, as we saw with Hurricane Florence — millions of chickens and thousands of hogs were killed in the resulting floods. Approaching disaster preparedness with an awareness of the broader multispecies communities in which they live can aid in building resiliency for all within.”

Crystal Cederna is an associate professor in the Charles Stewart Mott Department of Public Health in the College of Human Medicine. She a licensed psychologist with clinical expertise in developmental-behavioral pediatrics, medical education, clinical psychology, and pediatric psychology.
Contact: cedernac@msu.edu

“Weather-related disasters are a challenging source of stress for kids (and families) because they are unpredictable, often happen quickly, and can leave a variety of lasting impacts for families to respond to. When natural disasters such as hurricanes happen, kids will look to their parents and main caregivers for how to cope, for support, and to learn what happens next. Parents - take care of yourself as best as you can so that you are best positioned to problem solve and to support your kids. Pace yourselves and welcome supportive hands, ears, and helpers. When able and ready, provide safe spaces to listen to kids' concerns and answer their questions. Honesty in responses (to their age level and ability to understand) are best. Reassurance that kids are safe with you and that you will navigate the road ahead together as a family is helpful; false reassurance, like "everything will be fine" or "the hurricane is over and won't be back" is not helpful. As possible, keep pre-hurricane routines (e.g., mealtimes, sleep times, rest times, activity times) or create new routines for your family - in times of stress, predictability in what happens next is very helpful to kids and adults alike.”

Political and science communication

Dante Chinni is a research specialist in MSU’s School of Journalism as well as the director of the American Communities Project in the College of Communication Arts and Sciences. He is an expert in data and demographics, community identities and American politics.
Contact: chinni@msu.edu

“If these storms keep growing in their ferocity, this is something states are going to need to take into account every election season — particularly in states that feel the brunt of hurricanes. One of the real concerns is that, while these storms can cover wide swaths of land, they have a disproportionate impact on people who live closer to the margins. Those people are more likely to be displaced because their homes are often less sturdy. In addition, they are more likely to lack the financial wherewithal to recover quickly. All of that matters come Election Day. Sometimes people have moved. Sometimes they don’t know what happened to their polling place. And in close races, where everything matters, these kinds of issues can potentially make a big difference.”

Robert Drost is a specialist in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the Center for Integrative Studies in General Science in the College of Natural Science. He is an expert in the role of science communication and forecasting of hazard information as it relates to public understanding and accountability.
Contact: drostrob@msu.edu

“Science communication plays a crucial role in helping people prepare and make prudent decisions in hazard situations. Natural hazard mitigation is contingent on being informed, taking precautionary measures and heading warning communication and recommendations by local and national organizations (NOAA, NHC and emergency managers). Following these steps will enable the public to take advantage of longer lead times and plan for potential contingencies faced in extreme hazards.”