Extreme Weather Mitigation

Extreme weather mitigation is important because hurricanes, flooding, severe storms, storm surge, and other hazards can damage homes, infrastructure, transportation systems, and community resources. Mitigation efforts can reduce those impacts before disasters occur and are especially important for communities that have fewer resources to prepare for and recover from extreme-weather events.

NOAA Digital Coast

What’s Included:

  • Coastal flooding and storm-surge exposure

  • Hurricane and severe-storm resources

  • Sea-level rise and future coastal conditions

  • Infrastructure and community vulnerability

  • Wetlands, living shorelines, and nature-based solutions

  • Flood and erosion mitigation

  • Resilience and community planning resources

Overview: NOAA Digital Coast provides mapping tools, data, and planning resources that help coastal communities understand and reduce risks from hurricanes, flooding, storm surge, erosion, and other coastal hazards. The platform combines hazard information with community, infrastructure, and environmental data to support local mitigation and resilience planning.

  • Overview: Collection of NOAA data, tools, and planning resources for understanding and preparing for coastal storms. It can help communities assess hurricane, storm-surge, and flooding impacts and incorporate those risks into mitigation planning.

    What’s Included:

    • Hurricane and historical storm information

    • Storm-surge and coastal-flooding resources

    • Tools for assessing potential community impacts

    • Planning and preparedness resources for coastal communities

    Instructions: Open Tool > review available resources > choose the storm hazard or planning issue of interest > select the appropriate tool or dataset > locate the community of interest within that resource > examine hazards and potential impacts > use findings to identify mitigation and preparedness priorities.

  • Overview: Interactive mapping tool for identifying communities, infrastructure, and natural resources exposed to coastal flooding. It helps users understand where flood mitigation and resilience measures may be most needed.

    What’s Included:

    • Maps multiple coastal flood hazards, including storm surge and FEMA flood zones

    • Shows populations and community assets exposed to flooding

    • Identifies infrastructure potentially affected by coastal hazards

    • Examines exposure of ecosystems and natural resources

    Instructions: Open Tool > search for the community of interest > select desired flood hazard > add societal, infrastructure, or ecosystem exposure layers > zoom into specific areas > click locations for additional information > compare layers to identify areas of greatest exposure.

  • Overview: Collection of resources for using natural systems and green infrastructure to reduce coastal hazards. It helps communities consider alternatives or complements to traditional infrastructure for managing flooding, erosion, and stormwater.

    What’s Included:

    • Wetlands and natural flood protection

    • Living shorelines and shoreline restoration

    • Green infrastructure and stormwater management

    • Conservation strategies for improving community resilience

    Instructions: Open Tool > review available nature-based solution resources > select the flooding, erosion, or resilience issue of interest > choose the relevant tool or guidance > locate the community where applicable > examine existing hazards and natural features > identify potential areas for conservation, restoration, or green infrastructure.

NOAA – Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper

What’s Included:

  • Storm surge exposure

  • FEMA flood zones

  • High-tide flooding

  • Sea-level rise scenarios

  • Population and community exposure

  • Infrastructure exposure

  • Natural resource exposure

Interactive mapping tool that helps communities identify people, infrastructure, and resources exposed to coastal flooding. It can be used to determine where mitigation and resilience investments may be most needed.

Instructions: Open Tool > search for community or location of interest > select desired flood hazard layer > add societal, infrastructure, or ecosystem exposure layers > zoom into areas of interest > click locations for additional information > compare layers to identify areas where mitigation efforts may be needed.

U.S. EPA – Mitigate Flooding with Green Infrastructure

What’s Included:

  • Rain gardens

  • Bioswales

  • Permeable pavement

  • Stormwater storage

  • Infiltration practices

  • Floodplain management

  • Land conservation

Overview: Provides community-level strategies for reducing flooding by improving how stormwater is captured, stored, absorbed, and managed. It helps identify infrastructure improvements that can reduce flood exposure while providing additional environmental benefits.

Instructions: Open Tool > determine whether localized or riverine flooding is the primary concern > review recommended green infrastructure approaches > open relevant supporting resources > identify strategies appropriate for the community > use examples and guidance to develop potential local mitigation measures.

Climate Mapping for Resilience and Adaptation (CMRA)

What’s Included:

  • Coastal inundation

  • Flooding

  • Extreme heat

  • Drought

  • Wildfire

  • Future climate projections

  • Community-level climate assessments

Overview: Federal climate-resilience resource that helps communities understand current and future exposure to climate hazards and plan resilient infrastructure investments. It is useful for determining where mitigation measures may be most important under changing climate conditions.

Instructions: Open Tool > search for community or location > select relevant climate hazard > examine current and projected conditions > zoom into neighborhoods or census tracts > compare hazard exposure across the community > use results to identify areas and infrastructure that may warrant mitigation or resilience investments.