Climate Impact Report – 9/28

Quick Facts

Tropical Storm Philippe is forecast to move toward the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico this weekend as it drifts east of the Leeward Islands.
- The storm is expected to slowly weaken over the weekend, but parts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands could see heavy rain and potential flooding.
Tropical Storm Rina formed on Thursday and was centered 1,190 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands, with maximum sustained winds of 40 MPH.
- No coastal watches or warnings were in effect for Rina, and there were no hazards affecting land.
The most intense tropical cyclones worldwide are forming earlier in the year, shifting back by several days on average due to climate change.

As of Thursday, 38 large active wildfires have burned 395,936 acres across 9 states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, LA, MT, OR, UT, and WA. This year to date, 43,884 wildfires have burned 2,386,791 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 1 fire has burned 8,982 acres as of Thursday.
In California, 6 fires have burned 169,173 acres as of Thursday.
In Colorado, 2 fires have burned 3,943 as of Thursday.
In Louisiana, 2 fires have burned 38,414 acres as of Thursday.
In Oregon, 12 fires have burned 126,823 acres as of Thursday.
In Washington, 9 fires have burned 22,462 acres as of Thursday.

With three degrees Celsius of warming, U.S. deaths during extreme temperatures could reach 63,000 a year.
One reason the grid largely avoided blackouts during this year’s extreme heat was the new cheap renewable energy added to the grid.
- Solar and wind power helped cushion the blow of intense heat waves during the hottest times of day in many parts of the country.
Even the wettest parts of Mississippi are seeing their crops dry up due to unrelenting drought this summer.
- A variety of plants, from cotton to soybeans to peanuts, are taking a hit in Mississippi.
- Faced with dried-up pastures, livestock farmers either have to sell their cattle or feed them hay that’s supposed to be saved for the winter.
- Over the last month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has declared emergencies for 24 counties in Mississippi to help farmers in those areas access federal assistance.

A September 2023 study found that major hurricanes are forming earlier because of climate change.
A September 2023 study found that people experiencing high social vulnerability are also more exposed to wildfires in Oregon and Washington as wildfire risk increases.