Key Facts Of The Day 6/30

Hurricanes

• Since the June 29, 2012 derecho, scientists now say rising temperatures could well increase the fuel for these violent storms — making them stronger, more extensive, and longer-lived — while shifting when and where they occur.
  • In the past six and a half months, two of the most destructive derechos on record have occurred in the Midwest and on days with record-setting heat.
  • Extreme derechos often form on the edges of heat domes, which are becoming more frequent and intense due to climate change.
• Scientists say that unusually warm Atlantic surface temperatures have helped to increase storm activity.
• One storm system in the northern Gulf of Mexico has a 40% chance of developing over the next two days and is expected to impact Texas. 
• The North American monsoon has been active in the Southwest over the past week, and this is expected to continue through the holiday weekend.
  • Flash flooding washed away vehicles and left hikers stranded in Capitol Reef National Park last week after rain quickly filled dry river beds and pilled over cliffside and onto roads.
    • Capitol Reef, located in central Utah, could once again get flash flooding due to thunderstorms in the coming days.
  • Monsoon thunderstorms are likely over much of Colorado, New Mexico, and eastern Arizona on Independence Day.

Wildfires

• As of Thursday, there are currently 52 large active wildfires that have burned 2,029,145 acres across AK, AZ, CA, GA, ID, NV, NM, NC, OR, TX, UT, and WA. As of Thursday, 33,592 wildfires have burned 3,797,585 acres across the country.
• In Alaska, 35 fires have burned 1,226,024 acres as of Thursday.
• In Arizona, 5 fires have burned 62,865 acres as of Thursday.
• In California, 2 fires have burned 1,254 acres as of Thursday.
  • The Rices Fire has burned 904 acres and is 10% contained as of Thursday.
    • On Tuesday, the fire that erupted in Northern California threatened about 500 homes and other buildings and forced evacuations.
    • The flames also threatened power lines, water delivery systems, and a state park.
• In Georgia, 1 fire has burned 2,213 acres as of Thursday.
• In Idaho, 1 fire has burned 5,000 acres as of Thursday.
• In Nevada, 1 fire has burned 2,000 acres as of Thursday.
• In New Mexico, 2 fires have burned 666,871 acres as of Thursday.
  • The Black Fire has burned 325,136 acres and is 70% contained as of Thursday.
  • The Hermits Peak/Calf Canyon Fire has burned 341,735 acres and is 93% contained as of Thursday.
• In North Carolina, 1 fire has burned 1,938 acres as of Thursday.
• In Oregon, 1 fire has burned 42,128 acres as of Thursday.
• In Texas, 1 fire has burned 11,598 acres as of Thursday.
• In Utah, 1 fire has burned 4,254 acres as of Thursday.
• In Washington, 1 fire has burned 3,000 acres as of Thursday.
  • The Touchet North Fire has burned 3,000 acres and is 90% contained as of Thursday.
    • On Tuesday, the fire prompted evacuations for people in 50 homes.
    • Two separate power outages were also reported because of the fire, affecting about 100 customers in Soap Lake and 300 customers in Winchester.

Extreme Heat

• Marta Segura, Los Angeles’s first Chief Heat Officer, announced the city will launch an ‘extreme heat campaign’ on Friday.
  • The social media campaign will be released in English and Spanish.
  • As Los Angeles continues to experience more frequent heat waves, Segura will work across city departments to help create an early-warning system for heat waves and develop long-term strategies to reduce heat exposure, such as planting trees and updating building codes.
  • Neighborhoods in South Los Angeles send an additional 20 to 30 people to the emergency room on heat days compared to 2 additional people from wealthier neighborhoods.
  • Approximately 30% of the budget will go to heat-risk prevention work.
• At least 53 people died from extreme heat after being trapped in a tractor-trailer in San Antonio, Texas earlier this week.
• Migrants entering the country through the southwestern border are particularly vulnerable to heat deaths. 
  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection counted 557 deaths along the border last year, the highest since the agency began keeping track.
• A study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine found that on days when extreme heat and air pollution converge, the risk of death increases by 21%.
  • There was a 36.2% increase in mortality risk for people over 75 when exposed to both extreme heat and pollution.

New Reports And Data

• A June 2022 study found that on days where extreme heat and air pollution converge, the risk of death increases by 21%.
• A June 2022 study found that there is a specific protein in plants that makes them more vulnerable to disease during extreme weather.
• A June 2022 study found that the risk of miscarriage may increase during the summer due to extreme heat.