Climate Impact Report – 7/20
July 7, 2023
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Tornado
On Wednesday, a powerful tornado ripped through central North Carolina for more than a dozen miles, destroying homes and injuring residents.
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90.5
MillionAbout 90.5 million people — 27% of the population of the contiguous U.S. — live in the areas expected to have dangerous levels of heat on Thursday.
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Heat +
DeathA man died in Death Valley National Park in a possible heat-related incident after temperatures reached 121 degrees.
Key Facts Of The Day 7/20
Hurricanes
- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency after slow-moving thunderstorms unleashed devastating flooding early Wednesday morning.
- Several people were forced from their homes, and many roads were washed out after more than 10 inches fell in some towns.
- On Wednesday, a powerful tornado ripped through central North Carolina for more than a dozen miles, destroying homes and injuring residents.
- By Wednesday afternoon, Tropical Storm Calvin departed Hawaii without causing any significant damage.
- Calvin was the first tropical cyclone to impact Hawaii this year, and experts are cautioning there may be more on the way this season.
- Hawaii Governor Josh Green has said the state recommends all residents should be at least “two weeks ready” for an emergency, keeping stockpiles of water, food, medicine, and other supplies.
- AAA won’t renew some Flordia homeowner and auto insurance policies after the 2022 hurricane season.
Wildfires
- As of July 18, 24 large active wildfires have burned 138,919 acres across AZ, CA, CO, ID, NM, OR, and TX.
- As of July 18, 27,303 wildfires have burned 777,732 acres across the country.
- In Arizona, 6 fires have burned 49,761 acres as of July 18.
- In California, 5 fires have burned 11,039 acres as of July 18.
- In Colorado, 2 fires have burned 3,797 acres as of July 18.
- In New Mexico, 5 fires have burned 64,178 acres as of July 18.
- In Texas, 1 fire has burned 383 acres as of July 18.
- Canadian wildfire smoke continues to plague the South, West, and Northeast.
- Atlanta, Georgia, had an air quality index of 134 on Wednesday.
Extreme Heat
- About 90.5 million people — 27% of the population of the contiguous U.S. — live in the areas expected to have dangerous levels of heat on Thursday.
- Wednesday marked 20 straight days of temperatures at or above 110 degrees in Phoenix, Arizona.
- Wednesday also marked 10 consecutive days of the lowest temperature reaching 90 degrees in Phoenix.
- For 34 days, El Paso, Texas, has reached temperatures at or above 100 degrees.
- Las Vegas, Nevada, is under an excessive heat warning through Saturday, with temperatures expected to reach 113 degrees this week.
- Hoonah, Alaska, hit a record high of 78 degrees on Tuesday, breaking the record for that date by one degree.
- A man died in Death Valley National Park in a possible heat-related incident after temperatures reached 121 degrees.