Our View: Climate Change, Anyone?

Between six and 12 inches of rain in three days? As Vizzini says in “The Princess Bride,” inconceivable!

 And yet, here we are. Although most of the rainfall totals were reported by private individuals, the National Weather Service station at Chatham Airport reported just over six inches of rain, while an official automated observation station maintained in Harwich reported 6.37 inches of precipitation. Totals of more than eight inches were reported by trained volunteer observers in West Chatham, and a home weather station, also in West Chatham, claimed the highest total at 11.69 inches.

Climate change, anyone?

These kinds of rainfall amounts are usually associated with organized storms like hurricanes and rarely hit our region. We’ve had a few high volume rain events in recent years; fortunately flooding has been minimal and relegated to areas where it’s expected. A number of the spots are the subject of low-lying road studies by the Cape Cod Commission, which looked at both sea level rise and recurrent flooding, and solutions have been identified but not yet implemented. 

Last week’s storm also brought erosion, again not unexpected but worse than it might have been a decade or two ago. Stairs were swept away at Marconi Beach in Wellfleet and sand was ripped from dunes along Nantucket Sound. Chatham’s Morris Island took a pounding, exacerbating ongoing erosion that has swept dozens, maybe hundreds, of dead trees and shrubs into the navigation channel.

We’re early in storm season. Last week’s experience should hammer home the need for local towns to ramp up coastal resilience and flood-proofing efforts. The low-lying road recommendations need to be taken seriously and put on a fast track. Climate change is real and it’s here, and failing to respond will not only erode shorelines, destroy roads and infrastructure, but reduce precious property values and make our area less attractive for visitors. There’s no time to waste.