Climate Impact Report – 9/19

Quick Facts

As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Nigel was located about 690 miles east-southeast of Bermuda, moving northwest at 13 MPH, with maximum sustained winds of 85 MPH.
- The Hurricane Center said Nigel was expected to generate dangerous swells that could cause dangerous surf conditions near Bermuda by Tuesday.
AccuWeather forecasters warn that a tropical threat could emerge close to the U.S. and threaten stormy conditions with heavy rain and severe weather along the Eastern Seaboard.

As of Tuesday, 63 large active wildfires have burned 481,722 acres across 12 states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, ID, LA, MT, NM, OR, TX, UT, and WA. This year to date, 43,085 wildfires have burned 2,192,903 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 2 fires have burned 4,938 acres as of Tuesday.
In California, 6 fires have burned 160,851 acres as of Tuesday.
In Colorado, 4 fires have burned 9,809 as of Tuesday.
In Louisiana, 4 fires have burned 42,840 acres as of Tuesday.
In New Mexico, 2 fires have burned 18,461 acres as of Tuesday.
In Oregon, 12 fires have burned 117,649 acres as of Tuesday.
In Texas, 1 fire has burned 400 acres as of Tuesday.
In Washington, 7 fires have burned 14,559 acres as of Tuesday.

Hot and dry weather has left the Mississippi River so low that barge companies are reducing their loads.
- The transport restrictions are problematic for thousands of farmers who now face higher prices to transport what remained of their crops after a drought scorched their fields for the summer.
- This is the second year in a row a drought has caused the Mississippi to drop to near-record lows.
As the Mississippi River dropped to one of its lowest levels in recent history, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said saltwater from the Gulf of Mexico could threaten drinking water as far north as New Orleans’ French Quarter if no action is taken.
Nationwide, only 50% of corn and soybean crops were rated good to excellent – the worst rating in over a decade – after the Midwest faced drought conditions.

A September 2023 study found that of nearly 800 rivers, warming occurred in 87%, and oxygen loss occurred in 70%.
A September 2023 study found that if the Chicago region replaced 30% of all on-road combustion-engine vehicles with electric versions, it would annually save more than 1,000 lives and over $10 billion.
A September 2023 study found that most coastal communities will encounter 100-year floods annually by the end of the century.