Photos via Canva. (Photo illustration by Natasha Vicens/PublicSource)
With wet weather expected to continue setting records in and around Pittsburgh, it’s important to prepare, according to officials and experts.
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One of the wettest Aprils to date flooded much of Point State Park, rendered roads and bridges undrivable and left residents dealing with transportation problems, insurance questions and damage to their homes.
When roads close and homes flood, it’s hard to find the information needed to move forward. In preparation for the next downpour, here are answers to questions that emerged from PublicSource’s outreach to readers affected by the rain.
‘My relationship with Mother Nature may never recover’: Southwestern Pa. residents share how record rainfall affected them
What caused the record rainfall and flooding?
A combination of factors lead to significant flooding issues in Pittsburgh. “The terrain doesn’t help,” said Tony Igwe, senior group manager of stormwater at the Pittsburgh Water & Sewer Authority [PWSA]. “If you live down close to the rivers … once it starts raining, the water gets down pretty fast to those areas.”
Igwe said the biggest factor that contributes to flooding is the rate of development in comparison to the size of the sewers, many of which were built around a century ago, and some of which haven’t been improved to handle increased rainfall.
“The last piece is the whole idea of climate effects,” said Igwe. “[We’re] now looking at more severe, intense storms.”
Is rainfall and flooding expected to worsen?
The decadeslong trend of increasing rainfall is not expected to stop, according to Igwe. “We anticipate it getting worse,” he said. “It’s something that is here to stay.”
Tim Cermak, an executive officer at the National Weather Service Pittsburgh, said that heavy rainfall is more likely with a warming climate because warm air holds more moisture than cold air. He added that urban development, especially in hilly areas, leads to more runoff and flash flooding of roads and yards. To mitigate flash floods, sewers should be cleared of debris and areas should have more greenspace, Cermak said.
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