fema flood maps not keeping up with climate change

First, I must say that much has been written about the Federal Emergency Management’s (FEMA) flood mapping capabilities. It feels like going back a decade or more there was a push to modernize the flood maps that are being used throughout the United States. Yet, every time there is a big flood, the maps are found lacking.

 Most recently, there is this Washington Post article, FEMA maps missed parts of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene, Post analysis shows

 These two paragraphs below from that article summarize what is going on:

 “In those mountainous areas, according to a Post analysis of First Street’s data, the number of properties at risk could be seven times higher than what FEMA flood maps indicate.

 The discrepancy shows how the agency’s maps — which rely only on floods observed in the past and don’t take into account flooding from heavy rain, small streams and tributaries, or climate change’s future impact — can fall short when assessing current risks in a wetter, hotter world.”

 Once again, the past when it comes to disasters is not a good predictor of the future.