Flash Floods: What the Texas Storms Reveal About the Climate Crisis

Earlier this month, Texas was hit with devastating flash floods that left more than 100 people dead and many more injured or displaced. Families lost their homes. Children at summer camps were swept away with almost no warning. In a matter of hours, everyday life was turned upside down.

At first glance, it may seem like this was just an unfortunate natural disaster. But when I started reading more, I realized that what happened in Texas wasn’t just about bad luck or heavy rain. It was the result of a much deeper problem—one that connects climate change, outdated policies, and missed warnings. And while it’s easy to feel like these kinds of events are far away, they actually say a lot about how prepared (or unprepared) we are for the world we’re growing up in.

How climate affected the storm 

The kind of rain that fell in Texas—over 10 inches in just a few hours—isn’t completely unheard of. But scientists say these extreme downpours are becoming more likely as the planet gets warmer. That’s because hotter air holds more moisture, which means storms can dump a lot more rain all at once. This is exactly what happened in Central Texas.

We can’t say that climate change “caused” the storm, but we can say it made it much worse. And the worst part is, this is becoming the new normal. What used to be rare is now something people are expected to live with more often.

The Role of Policy 

The tough part of this disaster is knowing that people got very little warning. Some flood alerts went out only minutes before the water started rising but in other places, there were no warnings at all.

Part of the reason for this goes back to decisions made a few years ago. In 2020, the Trump administration pushed for budget cuts to the National Weather Service and froze hiring. This left many forecasting offices short-staffed and struggling to keep up with storms like this one. To think that people might have had more time to evacuate or get to safety if our weather systems had been stronger and better supported is devastating. 

Additionally, in 2017 a rule was eliminated that would’ve required federally funded buildings to account for future flood risks. That means roads, homes, and public buildings in flood zones didn’t have to be designed to withstand stronger storms. When the rain hit, they simply couldn’t hold up.

This flood didn’t have to be this deadly. Scientists have been warning us about the links between climate change and extreme weather for years. And experts inside government agencies were already concerned about what might happen if forecasting systems were underfunded. But their warnings weren’t taken seriously—and now families are paying the price.

As a high school student, I’m not a policymaker or a scientist. But I do know that ignoring climate change and gutting programs meant to protect people doesn’t just affect the environment but it affects lives. 

Where We Go From Here

The Texas floods were a tragedy, but they were also a wake-up call. Climate change isn’t something happening in the future, it’s happening now. We need stronger climate policies, better emergency systems, and leaders who understand that protecting people means planning for the world as it is, not as it used to be.

As young people, we have a role to play too. Whether it’s learning the facts, speaking up, or pushing for smarter policies, it is important that we help shape a future so that communities don’t have to suffer like this again.