Climate Cast: How hurricanes impact supply chains

The Atlantic hurricane season officially starts June 1, but 2020 marks the sixth consecutive season a tropical cyclone has formed before the official June 1 start date. This year, Tropical Storm Arthur formed on May 16.

The science shows climate change and warmer oceans is changing hurricane seasons and intensity, but when hurricanes hit, how do they impact supply chains to cities?

Paul Huttner talked with Chris Shughrue, a researcher with the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. Shughrue said the impacts of hurricanes like Katrina were felt across the South.

“Following that storm, there was major devastation throughout New Orleans, but we also saw that this led to regional impacts throughout the American South on various economic sectors due to shortages of materials and subsequent changes in employment as people left New Orleans and moved to other parts of the South,” he said.

Click the audio player above to hear Huttner’s interview with Shughrue.