Climate Impact Report – 10/14

Quick Facts

As of Thursday morning, remnants of Pamela head for Texas and Oklahoma and pose flooding threats.
- As of Wednesday evening, a flash flood watch has been posted for San Antonio and the Hill Country.
- Flood warning issued for Onion Creek which is expected to get up to 19 feet by Thursday afternoon.
Due to heavy rain and subsequent flooding, several school districts in Texas will start late Thursday.
After flooding in New Braunfels, Texas, multiple RVs were toppled and 1 was carried downstream on the Guadalupe river.
The Fayette County Sheriff’s Office made five water rescues after heavy rain pummeled the area Thursday and caused flooding.
Friday storms could bring damaging winds and flooding to Tennessee.
6 weeks after Hurricane Ida, 380 customers in Lafourche and 765 customers in Terrebonne still remain without power.
- One resident is spending over $200 a week just to keep their generator running.

As of Wednesday, there are currently 46 large active wildfires that have burned 2,835,643 acres across CA, CO, ID, MT, OK, OR, WA, and WY. This year to date, 47,201 wildfires have burned 6,480,861 acres across the country.
Forecasters say that late October rains could dampen wildfires and help with drought.
California wildfires caused damage to 2 mobile home parks and 1 man suffered burns.
In California, 10 fires have burned 2,043,220 acres as of Wednesday.
- The Alisal Fire burned 15,422 acres and was 5% contained as of Thursday.
  - 1 person has been injured, 4 buildings have been destroyed, and 120 buildings remain threatened by the Alisal Fire.
  - As of Thursday morning, the major Highway 101 near Santa Barbara remains closed.
- The Caldor Fire burned 221,775 acres and was 98% contained as of Wednesday.
- The Dixie Fire burned 963,309 acres and was 94% contained as of Wednesday.
- The KNP Complex Fire burned 87,786 acres and was 40% contained as of Tuesday.
In Idaho, 13 fires have burned a total of 213,120 acres as of Wednesday.
In Montana, 8 fires have burned a total of 184,606 acres as of Wednesday.
In Oklahoma, 2 fires have burned a total of 792 acres as of Wednesday.
In Oregon, 5 fires have burned a total of 261,388 acres as of Wednesday.
In Washington, 3 fires have burned a total of 109,623 acres as of Wednesday.
In Wyoming, 2 fires have burned a total of 15,268 acres as of Wednesday.

In California, drought conditions this summer were the most extreme in the entire 126-year record.
- July 2021 was the driest month on record in California since records began in 1895.
- This multi-year drought has drained reservoirs, fueled one of the most extreme fire seasons, and threatens water supply, food production and electricity generation.
After the Times investigation was published, L.A. City Council members pushed for measures to monitor and prevent heat-related deaths.
Lake Tahoe has sunk to a four-year low as California struggles with drought and wildfires.
Ongoing drought conditions in California dramatically lowered the water levels of Chico’s Horseshoe Lake to the point where many consider it a puddle.
Pinellas county reported cleaning up a total of nearly 1,800 tons from its shore after red tide blooms.
As toxic algae blooms multiply, the Environmental Protection Agency does not have a cohesive strategy for dealing with them.
As of Wednesday, scientists urge Iowa to strengthen its electric grid so it’s more resilient to the extreme weather events that climate change is bringing.

An October 2021 study found that nearly 5.7 million Los Angeles County residents are vulnerable to extreme heat, drought, and flooding by 2050.
An October 2021 study found that increases in extreme humid-heat disproportionately affect populated regions.
An October 2021 study found that insufficient infrastructure was key in American car manufacturers choosing gasoline cars over electric cars in the early 20th century.
An October 2021 study found that urban areas may be at greater risk for precipitation-triggered landslides than rural areas.