Key Facts Of The Day 2/16

Storms and Flooding

• As of Thursday morning, more than 40 million people from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes will be at risk for severe weather.
  • As of  Thursday morning, a tornado watch was issued for more than 1.7 million people in parts of Louisiana and Mississippi.
    • In addition to the tornado threat, severe storms could also spawn frequent lightning strikes and flash flooding.
    • Damaging wind gusts, hail up to ping-pong-size, and a few tornadoes are possible in the warned region.
  • As of Thursday morning, bands of moderate to heavy snow moved across the northern Plains, creating treacherous travel conditions.
  • On Thursday morning, thunderstorms producing heavy rain and flash flooding across northwestern and south-central Kentucky prompted multiple flash flood warnings.
  • Thursday’s threats of intense snowfall in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, area have led to over a dozen school closings thus far.
• A significant ice storm is set to unfold across northern New York state and northern New England Thursday night into Friday.
• On Tuesday, a sudden dust storm dropped visibility to near zero and led to a deadly 10-vehicle pileup in Oklahoma.
• On Tuesday, bitter cold, rain, and snow blew across much of the southwestern U.S., closing stretches of interstate and state highways in northern Arizona.
  • Early Tuesday, winds gusting up to 88 MPH were recorded in the central Sierra at Mammoth Mountain south of Yosemite National Park.
  • A winter storm warning remained in effect into Wednesday evening for much of northern Arizona and New Mexico.
• A recent winter storm has brought more snow to parts of New Mexico than some cities in the Northeast have seen all season.
  • Albuquerque, New Mexico, has received 1.5 inches of snow since February 1, which is more than three times the amount of snow that has fallen in New York City.

Wildfire

• As of February 3, there are currently 0  large active wildfires that have burned 0 acres across the country.
• As of February 3, 1,688 wildfires have burned 12,882 acres across the country.

Extreme Heat

• The area of sea ice around Antarctica has hit a record low and is expected to shrink even further before this year’s summer melting season ends.
• In 2022, the waters off New England, home to rare whales and most of the American lobster fishing industry, hit the second-warmest year on record.
  • The warming is driving species more associated with southern waters – such as black sea bass, which prey on lobsters – into the Gulf of Maine and altering its food chain.

New Reports and Data

• A February 2023 study found that an upsurge in rocket launches could impact the ozone layer.
• A February 2023 study found that coral reefs in the Eastern Pacific could survive into the 2060s.