Climate Impact Report – 4/17

Quick Facts

Extreme Rain

Last week, extreme rainfall rarely ever seen in the U.S. flooded homes, highways, and the airport in and around Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

>24K Acres

As of April 14, 20 large active wildfires have burned 24,230 acres across the country.

>150 Killed

New research from the University of Washington confirmed the extreme heat wave that hit the state in Summer 2021 was responsible for more than 150 deaths.

Key Facts Of The Day 4/17

Storms and Flooding

  • For the first time since 2019, some of California’s hillside has a super bloom of wildflowers, which is the product of an extremely wet winter.
  • On Saturday, powerful storms hit the Mississippi Valley, unleashing damaging wind gusts and destructive hail.
    • According to storm reports from the Storm Prediction Center (SPC), a gust of 97 MPH occurred in Vichy, Missouri.
    • In Hecker, Illinois, storm damage has knocked out power to residents through at least Monday afternoon.
    • By Sunday evening, the National Weather Service confirmed four tornadoes across the St. Louis area, the highest being an EF 1.
  • Last week, extreme rainfall rarely seen in the U.S. flooded homes, highways, and the airport in and around Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
    • Trantalis declared a state of emergency for the city on Thursday due to the flash flooding.
    • A state of emergency was also issued for Broward County, where Fort Lauderdale is located.
    • Motorists were forced to abandon their vehicles due to the severe flooding that unfolded. By Thursday morning, many vehicles remained submerged and abandoned on major roads.
    • If the 25.91-inch rainfall total recorded in Fort Lauderdale is confirmed, it will be the greatest 24-hour precipitation total recorded in the state.
      • The record currently stands at 23.28 inches, reported in Key West on Nov. 11-12, 1980, during Hurricane Jeanne.
    • In addition to the severe flooding, the National Weather Service in Miami reported two EF0 tornadoes in South Florida during the torrential downpours.
  • The next risk for damaging storms will arrive on Tuesday as a new storm organizes in the central U.S.
    • Tuesday’s threat will likely include a long swath of the Plains, stretching from South Dakota to the Big Bend region of Texas.

Wildfire

  • As of April 14, 20  large active wildfires have burned 24,230 acres across the country.
  • As of April 14, 11,246 wildfires have burned 302,755 acres across the country.
  • In Arizona, 2 fires have burned 1,648 acres as of April 14.
  • In Michigan, 1 fire has burned 303 acres as of April 14.
  • In Oklahoma, 8 fires have burned 5,491 acres as of April 14.
  • In Pennsylvania, 1 fire has burned 387 acres as of April 14.

Extreme Heat

  • New research from the University of Washington confirmed the extreme heat wave that hit the state in Summer 2021 was responsible for more than 150 deaths.
  • Heatwaves in April and May are becoming more common and can be particularly dangerous.
    • There’s greater mortality earlier in the season because people are not acclimatized to the higher temperatures.
    • Humidity also makes it feel hotter, so areas that are used to coping with dryer heat may be ill-adapted to different conditions. Places typically used to dry heat, like Southern California, are expected to face more humidity.
    • Nights are also a lot hotter than they used to be. The ability to cool down at night is one of the most important factors in preventing heat illness.

New Reports and Data

  • An April 2023 study found that by the end of the century, the biggest rain and snow days will be 20 to 30% wetter than they are today.
  • An April 2023 study found that flash droughts have become more frequent due to human-caused climate change, which is predicted to accelerate in a warmer future.

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