Climate Impact Report – 9/18

Quick Facts

On Saturday, Atlantic Storm Lee pummeled a large swath of New England and Maritime Canada with destructive winds, rough surf, and torrential rains that toppled trees, flooded roadways, and cut power to tens of thousands.
- One person was killed in Maine when a tree limb fell on his vehicle.
Hurricane Nigel is expected to grow rapidly over the next few days and likely become a major hurricane on Tuesday.
- Hurricane Nigel is currently not a threat to land.
Ten countries and territories – including the U.S. – saw severe flooding in 12 days.

As of last Friday, 58 large active wildfires have burned 329,261 acres across 11 states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, LA, MT, NM, OR, TX, and WA. This year to date, 42,502 wildfires have burned 2,181,540 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 3 fires have burned 7,427 acres as of Friday.
In California, 2 fires have burned 29,899 acres as of Friday.
In Colorado, 3 fires have burned 7,810 as of Friday.
In Louisiana, 5 fires have burned 43,577 acres as of Friday.
In New Mexico, 3 fires have burned 18,986 acres as of Friday.
In Oregon, 11 fires have burned 103,053 acres as of Friday.
In Texas, 2 fires have burned 800 acres as of Friday.
In Washington, 7 fires have burned 14,555 acres as of Friday.

As of September 9, Arizona’s Maricopa County confirmed 202 heat-associated deaths, far more than the 175 confirmed by the same time last year.
Anemones, sponges, jellyfish, and other marine ecosystems are bleaching throughout the Everglades amid record temperatures in Florida.
A drought is causing a slowdown in shipping traffic at the Panama Canal and creating problems for the global supply chain.
Fall colors in 2023 may be less vibrant due to extreme heat.

A September 2023 study found that climate change reduces global river water quality.
A September 2023 study found that living in an area with high levels of particulate air pollution was associated with an increased incidence of breast cancer.
A September 2023 study found that pregnant women exposed to air pollution give birth to smaller babies, but living in a greener area may mitigate the risks.