Climate Impact Report – 10/12

Key Facts Of The Day 10/12

Hurricanes

• As of Thursday morning, strong storms are moving across central Florida, producing at least two tornados in the area and keeping residents on high alert.
  • Police in Clearwater said that no injuries were reported when two possible tornadoes touched down.
  • The storms moved north into Citrus County, where officials canceled public school classes for the day.
  • In Citrus County, deputies were directing traffic Thursday morning due to multiple road closures caused by the storm.
  • The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office said a tornado was reported Thursday morning in a section of Palm Coast.
  • Some tornado watches remained in effect Thursday morning across parts of central and north Florida.

Wildfires

• As of Wednesday, 12 large active wildfires have burned 165,990 acres across 7 states: AZ, CA, LA, MI, NM, OR, and TX.
• In Arizona, 2 fires have burned 18,825 acres as of Wednesday.
• In California, 1 fire has burned 50,198 acres as of Wednesday.
• In Louisiana, 2 fires have burned 32,926 acres as of Wednesday.
• In Michigan, 1 fire has burned 144 acres as of Wednesday.
• In New Mexico, 1 fire has burned 2,358 acres as of Wednesday.
• In Oregon, 1 fire has burned 409 acres as of Wednesday.

Extreme Heat

• High school and college marching bands have been struggling with extreme heat.
  • Students wear white cotton gloves to prevent heat-related injuries from touching the brass instruments.
  • Band directors have continuous water breaks for their students. 
• Iowa crop yields have been surprisingly robust despite drought conditions that persisted throughout the growing season in Iowa, but they came at the expense of stalk stability.
• Arizona’s extreme heat threatens migrations of butterflies.
  • Arizona’s extreme heat has resulted in less food for butterflies and caterpillars. 
  • As winters in Arizona get warmer, massive butterfly migrations of the past likely will become rarer, and fewer migration spectacles will be visible across the globe.