Key Facts Of The Day 4/19

Storms and Flooding

• Winter weather hit the Sierra Nevada, adding to record snow levels.
  • The storm was enough to require chain controls on some trans-Sierra highways and add to staggering snowfall totals left by an exceptional series of winter storms.
  • Like most Sierra resorts, the Mammoth Mountain ski resort doesn’t need any more snow after recording 705 inches at its main lodge and 885 inches at its summit.
  • In the Lake Tahoe region, the Palisades Tahoe resort reported that early morning winds hit 100 mph before calming down.
• On Tuesday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued a state of emergency after record snow levels started to melt, causing flooding.
  • This past winter, snowpack levels in Utah were at or above 200% in some areas.
  • The melting could continue for months and cause events such as avalanches, landslides, mudslides, and rockslides.
• Some parts of South Florida were dealing with major gas supply issues after a storm last week brought torrential rain and flooding to the region, causing fuel delivery delays.
  • A staggering 59% of all gas stations in the Miami and Fort Lauderdale area were out of fuel at one point Tuesday, along with another 21% of gas stations in West Palm Beach.
  • Last week’s storm brought more than two feet of rain to part of Fort Lauderdale, with the ensuing flooding leaving many residents stranded in their homes.
  • The storm forced the closure of Broward County Public Schools and shuttered Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport for about two days.

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

• The 277-mile stretch of the Colorado River that flows through the Grand Canyon is the “most endangered” waterway in the nation for 2023.
  • The Grand Canyon segment sits between the Glen Canyon Dam and Lake Powell, and the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Water levels in both reservoirs have dropped dramatically in recent years due to more than two decades of drought.
  • If flows from the dam are slowed, either to maintain water levels at Lake Powell or because of dropping water levels that reduce available water, that could affect both wildlife and recreation in the Grand Canyon portion of the river.
  • More than a dozen Native American Tribes and Pueblos revere the Canyon, and millions of people a year find awe, healing, and excitement by just being in and around this place.
• South-Central Kansas farmer Craig Meeker said he’s already lost hope for his winter wheat crop.
  • Many producers in his area have turned their wheat fields into feed sources for cattle.
• The 2023 State of the Air report found that worsening heat, drought, and wildfires fuel pollution in western states.

New Reports and Data

• An April 2023 report found that a quarter of Americans live with polluted air, with people of color and those in Western states disproportionately affected.
• An April 2023 study found climate change should be considered in the management of bison populations.