10/3/25
Cruz Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands – September 8, 2017: In the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, residents walk through downtown Cruz Bay, where debris has recently been cleared. The Category 5 storm struck St. John with sustained winds of 185 mph and gusts exceeding 200 mph, leaving widespread devastation in its wake. Image credit: cdwheatley via iStock.
We see unprecedented weather causing widespread impacts across the world. In this perspective, we provide an overview of methods that help anticipate unprecedented weather hazards that can contribute to stop being surprised. We then discuss disaster management and climate adaptation practices, their gaps, and how the methods to anticipate unprecedented weather may help build resilience. We stimulate thinking about transformative adaptation as a foundation for long-term resilience to unprecedented weather, supported by incremental adaptation through upgrading existing infrastructure, and reactive adaptation through short-term early action and disaster response. Because in the end, we should take responsibility to build resilience rather than being surprised by unprecedented weather.
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