We hear a lot about hardening our infrastructure for climate change, and well we should.
It hasn’t been too long ago that respected scientists told us we have about 12 years to turn things around or face the worst climate change scenarios.
And despite our top politicians telling us they don’t believe global warming is real, our generals and our top industry officials do. That’s why more and more of them are quietly – at least quietly if they are Republicans – approving plans to deal with it.
The Tennessee Valley will not be excluded. In fact, our forecast – hotter and wetter – is already underway.
Fifty years of weather data shows Chattanooga has the 6th fastest rising temperature in the country, and last year, we slogged through the Tennessee River Valley’s wettest year on record – just over 67 inches of rain in a region whose 20-year average has been just over 49 inches, according to data provided by TVA.