Key Facts Of The Day 12/6

Hurricanes

• According to the National Weather Service, the Big Island mountain summits in Hawaiʻi can expect at least 12 inches of snow and wind gusts of 100 MPH amid rare blizzard warning.

  • The Hawaiian Islands could experience catastrophic flooding from a storm system lasting until Tuesday.

  • Rainfall total amounts of 10 to 15 inches are anticipated, with isolated areas of 20 to 25 inches possible.

  • As of Sunday, flash flood warnings were issued for the entire islands of Maui and Molokai.

  • Numerous landslides are expected in areas with steep terrain.

  • Public schools in Hawaii’s Maui County are closed Monday because of the potential for flooding.

• The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is inspecting more than 300 Power Plants to ensure the Texas Power Grid is ready for winter.

  • One of the stipulations of the new laws require facilities to winterize their plants, companies that do not comply face a $1 million dollar fine.

• Johnson Park Zoo in Piscataway, New Jersey, will hire a consultant to assess whether or not to close the zoo due to the increasing threat from severe weather.

• In Marlton, New Jersey, a family was shocked when ice crashed through their ceiling onto the kitchen floor.

Wildfires

• As of Friday, there are currently 13 large active wildfires that have burned 105,279 acres across AK, CA, KY, MT, NC, OK, and WV. As of Friday, 54,350 wildfires have burned 6,802,729 acres across the country.

  • As of Friday, the KNP Complex fire burned 88,307 acres and was 80% contained.

• Henry County and Amherst County, Virginia join the list of places with burn bans as dry conditions continue.

  • Officials said this burn ban will remain in effect until conditions improve enough to end the extreme fire danger.

• As wildfires get hotter and more common, start-ups are helping people protect their homes.

  • After a fire destroyed their home, a California family came across the start-up, Frontline Wildfire Defense, that created sprinklers on the roof, each capable of shooting water and foam up to 30 feet in every direction.

    • The system can be activated by a switch in the home, a mobile app, or satellite.

  • The start-up Firemaps uses technology such as drones, computer vision, satellite imagery and artificial intelligence to analyze a home and determine what parts are most at risk to wildfires and what steps can be taken to improve their resilience.

  • Nearly $26.7 billion has been invested in climate tech in 2021 through November.

Extreme Heat

• Next year there will be extra cuts made in deliveries of Colorado River water in order to save a half-million acre-feet a year of water.

  • Arizona users of the river water will shoulder more than 40% of that total, or 223,000 acre-feet in 2022.

  • Arizona tribes are expected to save well over 100,000 acre feet.

  • 50,000 to 60,000 acre feet of savings, enough to serve Tucson for at least half a year, could come from tribal, agricultural or urban users.

  • 215,000 acre-feet would come from California water users.

  • Amid historic low levels in Lake Mead, a new bill would allow central Arizona’s Colorado River Indian tribes to lease portions of their Colorado River shares to other parts of the state.

• Snowpack also continues to lag across Colorado, while Denver and much of the metro area are now in extreme drought.

  • Currently 38% of Colorado is in severe drought and 14.34% of the state is in extreme drought.

  • This drought means increased wildfire risk and worsening conditions for pasture, cropland and livestock.

• A new group of New Hampshire health care workers is hoping to start conversations about climate change in the doctor’s office and with state leaders.

  • A retired cardiologist on the board of New Hampshire Healthcare Workers for Climate Action said heat extremes, which are rising due to climate change, have a big impact on cardiac patients.

  • A school nurse and representative for the New Hampshire School Nurses Association said rising heat is also a concern for some school-aged children, especially for schools without air conditioning.

New Reports And Data

• A December 2021 study found that the Southern Ocean is a significant carbon sink, which absorbs a large amount of the excess carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere by human activities.

• A December 2021 study found that forests can suppress small storm flows, but are likely to make minimal difference in reducing the impacts of major flood events.

• A December 2021 study found that chemical pollutants disrupt reproduction in anemonefish.

• A November 2021 study found that in about 35 to 60 years snow may vanish for years at a time in Mountain West leading to water supply problems.