Climate Impact Report – 6/11
June 11, 2025
tags
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continued flash
floodingWidespread thunderstorms, heavy rainfall, hail, and flash flooding were forecast to continue across the southern Plains through the end of the week.
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canadian
wildfire smokeCanadian wildfires continue to cause record-breaking smoke concentrations across the Midwest and Northeast this week.
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2nd warmest
mayMay 2025 marked the second-warmest May on record globally.
Key Facts Of The Day 6/11
Hurricanes and Storms
- Widespread showers, high winds, hail, flash flooding, and thunderstorms were forecast across the southern Plains through the end of the week.
- Multiple rounds of storms are expected to bring heavy rainfall with a high of two to four inches of rain from eastern Texas to southeastern Oklahoma and western Arkansas.
- On Wednesday, a moderate risk of excessive rainfall was in effect in east-central Texas.
- Heavy rainfall was expected across the Upper Midwest. One to two inches of rain was forecast, increasing the risk of flooding.
Wildfires
- Wildfire smoke from Canadian fires is expected to continue spreading through the end of the week, creating hazy skies and decreased air quality levels across the central and eastern United States.
- On Wednesday, unhealthy to very unhealthy air quality levels were reported across eastern Montana and North Dakota.
- Moderate to locally unhealthy air quality levels were reported across the Midwest and Plains.
- Starting Wednesday afternoon, low-level smoke was forecast to spread eastward to Wisconsin and Michigan’s Upper Peninsula before reaching the Appalachians, Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast by Wednesday evening.
- So far this month, ten states have experienced top-three levels of smoke concentration due to the Canadian wildfires.
- The Northeast is expected to record the third-highest average smoke concentrations since data collection began in 2003.
- In the Midwest, atmospheric smoke concentrations so far in June 2025 have been 60% higher than normal.
Extreme Heat
- Drier and warmer temperatures are expected across the Northeast through Thursday, with some areas experiencing temperatures in the mid-to-upper 80s.
- May 2025 was the second-warmest May on record globally, with May 2024 being the warmest.
- Researchers also found that the 2025 spring season ranked the second-warmest on record in the Northern Hemisphere, only behind spring 2024.
- A recent report found that in May 2025, the monthly average of atmospheric carbon dioxide surpassed 430 parts per million for the first time in recorded history.