Houston
United States
Houston is projected to face serious climate hazards, including extreme heat, heavy rainfall events, and increased risks for arboviruses and malaria. To combat these challenges, the city implements a diverse portfolio of climate resilience solutions. These include technology-enabled enhancements like water level monitoring and leak detection to manage flooding and water efficiency. Additionally, smart city systems and digital twins bolster infrastructure resilience. The city employs remote sensing and geospatial data for proactive planning, while early warning systems keep residents informed about heat waves, wildfires, and air quality issues. Current and proposed initiatives collectively provide Houston with a multifaceted approach to enhance its climate resilience, addressing the urgent risks posed by a changing climate.
Hazard Outlook
How will Houston's projected climate hazards compare to other cities under a 3.0°C future warming scenario?
Elevation
At 18 m elevation, Houston faces high risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise.
Maximum Temperature
Houston's projected maximum temperature of 10.1°C is higher than most cities globally under a 3.0°C warming scenario.
Longest Heatwave
Houston may experience heatwaves lasting up to 5 days, higher than most other cities.
Maximum Rainfall
Houston's projected maximum rainfall of 14 mm is higher than most cities globally.
Heavy Rainfall Days
With 9 days of heavy rainfall expected, Houston ranks lower than most cities for extreme precipitation events.
Exposure Summary
Adaptation Priorities
Houston faces high exposure to elevation and elevated exposure to max temp, heatwave, max rain. These areas may warrant priority attention in adaptation planning.
Data source: Climate projections from the IPCC AR6 scenario analysis. See our methodology for details on how we process and interpret this data.
Deployed Solutions
Deployed climate adaptation technologies identified in Houston.
Advanced Metering Infrastructure for Water Conservation and Leak Detection
Houston Public Works is implementing an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) system to replace more than 95% of existing aged systems and improve...
Radar-Based Flood Detection and Real-Time Alert System
Houston researchers developed flood detection sensors designed for installation on light poles and elevated surfaces to transmit real-time data and...
Recommended Solutions
Proven solutions from similar cities that could help diversify Houston's resilience portfolio
Interactive Story Maps for Sea Level Rise Visualization
86%Miami-Dade County has developed story maps to help visualize data and communicate various resilience challenges with the community.
Healthcare Resilience Through Electronic Records & Facility Preparedness
82%New York has implemented a comprehensive healthcare resilience strategy centered on electronic health records systems, telecommunication infrastructure redundancy, and facility preparedness protocols to protect medical services during climate-related disasters.
Storm Drainage Master Plan with Climate-Integrated Modeling
85%The City of Oakland initiated development of an updated Storm Drainage Master Plan that incorporates a comprehensive asset management system and state-of-the-art modeling to evaluate system performance under different storm scenarios while integrating precipitation changes and sea level rise projections.
Oakland EcoBlock Integrated Water Recycling & Stormwater System
85%The Oakland EcoBlock project integrates advanced water treatment and recycling technologies across a residential neighborhood block in East Oakland to address water scarcity and stormwater management challenges.
Sanitary Sewer Infrastructure Monitoring and I/I Reduction Program
83%Dallas Water Utilities has implemented a comprehensive infrastructure monitoring and maintenance program focused on sanitary sewer evaluation studies, point repairs and pipe replacement, and closed-circuit television (CCTV) inspection of large diameter pipes along major waterways.
Building-Scale Hydrodynamic Flood Modeling with Sea Level Rise Scenarios
82%New York City employs advanced building-scale hydrodynamic modeling to simulate coastal flooding induced by historical hurricanes under various 21st-century sea level rise scenarios.