Climate Impact Report – 3/27

Quick Facts

27 Tornadoes

Over the weekend, at least 27 tornadoes were reported across the five states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.

Water Boost

Last Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the removal of some drought restrictions while keeping other measures to bolster the water supply for vulnerable communities and develop water resilience.

Drought

Last Friday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Deschutes and Grant counties.

Key Facts Of The Day 3/27

Storms and Flooding

  • A new storm is set to arrive on the West Coast on Monday night, bringing heavy rain and wind along the shore and heavy snow to the mountains.
    • The National Weather Service issued a winter storm warning for parts of the Sierra Nevada mountain range in Northern California, where local snowfall amounts of 2 to 4 feet are possible over the coming days.
    • The new storm system is forecast to sweep across the country, bringing more severe weather to Texas and Oklahoma on Thursday.
  • The latest forecast showed the same storm system from the weekend will linger in the Southeast on Monday with damaging winds, large hail, and an isolated tornado threat.
    • Parts of southern Georgia and South Carolina will be in the bullseye, including the cities of Columbus, Savannah, and Charleston.
    • Flood watches and flash flood warnings were also issued for parts of Alabama and Georgia, where up to 7 inches of rain already fell.
  • Over the weekend, at least 27 tornadoes were reported across the five states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and Tennessee.
    • Mississippi remained littered with debris after tornadoes caused homes to be ripped from their foundations and vehicles tossed through the air.
    • Officials said at least 26 people died, the majority in Mississippi.
    • The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency said that dozens of people were injured.
    • On Saturday, Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency.
    • On Sunday, President Joe Biden approved disaster relief for Mississippi.
    • One of the hardest hit areas was Rolling Fork, a predominantly Black town of about 2,000 residents.
      • The roof of Rolling Fork’s city hall was ripped off, the business district was badly damaged, and the tornado even toppled the town’s water tower.

Wildfire

  • As of March 17, 8  large active wildfires have burned 5,090 acres across the country.
  • As of March 17, 5,972 wildfires have burned 77,759 acres across the country.
  • In Florida, 4 fires have burned 4,032 acres as of March 17.
  • In North Carolina, 1 fire has burned 150 acres as of March 17.

Extreme Heat

  • Last Friday, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a drought emergency in Deschutes and Grant counties.
    • The John Day River basin in Grant County has a streamflow that’s just 39% of the average.
    • Snowpacks in both counties are above historical levels, but officials say the snow will only provide temporary relief this spring as it melts.
  • Last Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the removal of some drought restrictions while keeping other measures to bolster the water supply for vulnerable communities and develop water resilience.
    • The Department of Water Resources also announced it will increase the amount of water deliveries to 75% of requested water supplies this year.
    • With a hotter and drier future projected for California, Newsom continued the ban on wasteful water uses, including watering ornamental grass on commercial grounds.
  • Last Thursday, Washington’s Yoshino cherry trees hit peak bloom and are now tied for the ninth earliest peak since scientists first started keeping records in 1921.
    • Cherry blossoms are highly sensitive to the weather, and the creeping peak date has coincided with rising temperatures in the Washington area.

New Reports and Data

  • A March 2023 study found that sea ice may soon disappear from the Arctic during summer.
  • A March 2023 study found that drought and heat waves worsen air pollution for communities with a high pollution burden in California and deepen pollution inequalities along racial and ethnic lines.

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