Key Facts Of The Day 11/1

Hurricanes

• Subtropical Storm Wanda was located about 900 miles west of the Azores, with maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour. The storm was moving west and was expected to make a slow, nearly 180-degree turn to the south, the east and then northeast through Tuesday before weakening.

  • For the second time in two years, and only the third time in history, meteorologists have exhausted the list of names used to identify storms during the Atlantic hurricane season.

• As of Tuesday, lake effect snow could fall with rain across northern Michigan.

• Storms and heavy winds caused the D.C. region to experience the worst tidal flooding in years.

  • Millions of people across D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia were under flood warnings through Saturday.

  • Dozens of downed trees have been reported throughout the region.

  • Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan declared a state of emergency on Friday for areas of the state along the Chesapeake Bay, the Potomac River and the Atlantic Coast that were under a coastal flood warning, including Baltimore City.

• Last Friday morning’s heavy rain and strong winds brought tidal flooding and power outages to Virginia’s Northern Neck.

• Last Friday, the National Weather Service issued a coastal flood warning to New Jersey towns.

• After a major rainstorm one week ago caused flooding and shut down a local farm in Wheatland, California, Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm welcomed visitors on Halloween.

• An emerging storm system this week is expected to unload heavy rain and bring flood risk to South Central states.

• According to county and utility company officials, the damage caused by the mega tornado that ripped through New Jersey during Hurricane Ida is estimated to cost $64 million.

  • Damage was reported to 563 structures in the county, including 12 businesses.

• Federal housing officials have awarded $54.5 million to the Midland and Gladwin areas in Michigan to help with disaster relief and rebuilding related to the dam failures in May 2020.

Wildfires

• As of Friday, there are currently 6 large active wildfires that have burned 336,400 acres across CA,  MT, OR, and WA.

• State and federal officials are learning from indigenous tribes about how the continent’s forests were managed to prevent wildfires before the Europeans arrived.

• As wildfire seasons worsen, a growing number of rural residents are buying and outfitting fire rigs and other equipment to protect their property and themselves.

• The smoke from the wildfires and the high heat this year has caused many crops to either be unusually small or not be there at all including pomegranates.

• Pacific Gas & Electric Corporation is facing criminal and monetary claims over a string of major wildfires in recent years.

• In California, 3 fires have burned 202,805 acres as of Friday.

  • The Alisal Fire burned 17,281 acres and was 99% contained as of Friday.

  • The KNP Complex Fire burned 88,307 acres and was 73% contained as of Friday.

• In Montana, 1 fire has burned a total of 1,379 acres as of Friday.

• In Oregon, 1 fire has burned a total of 24,894 acres as of Friday.

• In Washington, 1 fire has burned a total of 107,322 acres as of Friday.

Extreme Heat

• As San Francisco and other Californian cities have failed to make the necessary water use reductions, the state may place tighter regulations.

• As fatal heat waves and wildfires are increasing, cities around the world are hiring “chief heat officers” to devise cooling strategies and take immediate action.

• Oregon lawmakers declared that the three year drought has cut the Chinook salmon haul in half.

• A local family farm in El Dorado County, California lost over 80% of their Christmas tree seedlings to the drought and lost thousands of other Christmas trees to the Caldor Fire.

New Reports And Data

• An October 2021 study found that  high near-surface humidity consistently was most important for convective precipitation or rain in the U.S. Corn Belt.

• An October 2021 study found that a warming climate will increase the number of harmful algae blooms.

• An October 2021 study found that river beds that can shift naturally are more efficient carbon sinks than straightened rivers.