Facts Of The Day 8/06

Extreme Heat

• The Grand Canyon has been under its own excessive heat warning for Thursday and Friday, with temperatures that could approach 115 degrees.

• Air conditioning usage was up 30% in 2020 vs. 2019 and the air conditioning and heating industry have been on the upswing due to needed replacements for homes purchased in the 2000-2007 housing boom.

• Researchers in Texas are examining how excessive heat changes people’s behaviors and decision-making.

• California’s droughts have taken a toll on the state’s clothing manufacturers due to water cutbacks.

• Hydropower generation at Lake Oroville in California stopped for the first time as water levels dropped to 642 feet on Thursday due to the ongoing drought.

• Electricity bills have spiked in Palm Springs, California, going from $900 to $1,200 for one resident due to the excessive heat and people remaining indoors because of the coronavirus pandemic.

• Red tide continues to be detected on all 16 Sarasota County, Florida beaches as of Thursday.

• Sarasota County health officials have issued a no-swim order for multiple beaches in the area because of high levels of fecal matter from red tide and runoffs from recent storms.

• The Florida Department of Environmental Protection sued HRK Holdings over the release of 215 million contaminated water into Tampa Bay earlier this year, which could be contributing to the current red tide bloom.

• Texas grid operators shut off power to millions of people to avoid a catastrophic scenario that would have also cut power to hospitals, police, and fire stations.

• Climate change may have greater effects on supply chains concentrated in smaller geographic areas.

• Power grid issues to watch for as summer continues to progress are challenges for western states, the rise in demand, power plant and wiring issues, and the use of renewables.

• Breweries are seeing the effects of climate change as heat waves in western states will affect cold-weather barley crops, heat, and fires and the Pacific Northwest will affect hops crops and floods in Europe risk mildew.

• As of August 5th, 2021, 6% of Colorado is in exceptional drought, 14% is in extreme drought, 9% is in severe drought and 5% is in moderate drought.

Wildfires

• There are currently 107 large wildfires that have burned 2,083,667 acres across AZ, CA, CO, HI, ID, MN, MT, NV, SD, UT, WA, and WY.

• 11 new large fires were reported across Alaska, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming and 2 large fires were reported contained on Thursday.

• The National Interagency Fire Center has received more than 50 requests for assistance in recent weeks that have gone unanswered because there is not enough help available for wildfires.

• In California, The Dixie Fire burned 361,812 acres and was 35% contained as of Friday. The Dixie Fire is now the 3rd largest fire in California’s history.

• Steamboat Springs, Colorado, has been trying to address drinking water contamination from wildfires by preventing wildfires in the first place and investing in a second water treatment plant.

• Two new fires sparked in Idaho on Thursday – the Greenside Butte Fire burned 725 acres and was 80% contained and the Porphyry Fire burned 150 acres and was 0% contained. One fire was contained – the Clover Creek Fire burned 1,360 acres.

• Montana expects to have 200 National Guard members activated to assist with wildfire suppression efforts by the end of the week.

• One new fire sparked in Montana on Thursday – the Sharp Trail Fire burned 640 acres and was 1% contained.

• Three new fires sparked in Oregon on Thursday – the Bull Complex Fire was 361 acres and 0% contained, and the MM 206 Fire burned 694 acres and was 40% contained, and the Mud Springs Fire burned 517 acres and was 0% contained.

• Two new fires sparked in Washington on Thursday – the Nine Mine burned 300 acres and was 0% contained and the  Walker Creek Fire burned 100 acres and was 5% contained.

• One new fire sparked in Wyoming on Thursday – the Shale Creek burned 189 acres and was 79% contained as of Friday.

Hurricanes

• Heavy storms are anticipated for southern Wisconsin and northern Illinois to part of northwestern Indiana on Friday.

  • Multiple cities including Chicago, Peoria, and Rockford, Illinois; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin; and Gary, Indiana are at risk for wind gusts, hail, and flash flooding.

  • Parts of portions of Ohio, southwestern Ontario, eastern Kentucky, West Virginia, and western Pennsylvania could see showers and thunderstorms on Saturday.

  • More severe thunderstorms are possible for parts of central and northeastern Kansas to central Minnesota and part of western Wisconsin from Saturday afternoon into Saturday night.

    • Cities at risk for severe thunderstorms this weekend include Topeka, Kansas; Kansas City, Missouri; Omaha, Nebraska; Des Moines, Iowa; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Minneapolis and Rochester, Minnesota; and Eau Claire, Wisconsin.

  • On Sunday, parts of Missouri to Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan could see damaging wind gusts, downpours, and hail.

Climate Studies