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Tropical storms like Alberto can lead to years of declining incomes

The long-term economic effects of tropical cyclones far outweigh the direct damages from high winds and flooding, with local incomes declining for years after the storm hits

By James Dinneen

21 June 2024

Houses in Texas surrounded by floodwater from Tropical Storm Alberto in June 2024
Brandon Bell/Getty

Parts of Texas and Mexico were hit by flooding this week driven by Tropical Storm Alberto, the first named storm of what is forecast to be an extremely active Atlantic hurricane season. While overall damages weren’t especially severe, the long-term economic consequences from the storm and others like it could prove to be much more significant.

“We’re learning more and more every year about the ways in which the scars of natural disasters and extreme climate events can be really persistent,” says

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