Climate Impact Report – 1/17

Key Facts Of The Day 1/17

Storms And Flooding

• Next week, the lowest temperatures of the season will likely unfold from beyond the Plains to the Midwest and much of the East.
• Two storms are forming through this weekend, and they can bring just enough snow and icy conditions to make travel dangerous from parts of the interior Southeast and the Northeast.

Wildfires

• In California, 3 fires have burned 37,891 acres as of Friday. 
  • As of Friday, the Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and is 31% contained.
    • The Palisades fire is the second most destructive wildfire to hit Southern California.
    • The Palisades fire is expected to be the costliest wildfire in U.S. history.
    • More than 5,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed in the Pacific Palisades and Eastern Malibu areas.
  • As of Friday, the Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres and is 65% contained.  
    • The Eaton fire is the most destructive wildfire in Southern California history.
    • At least 7,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed by the Eaton Fire.
  • As of Friday, the Auto Fire has burned 61 acres and is 85% contained.
  • At least 27 people have died due to the California wildfires.
  • 18 people remain missing after the Southern California wildfires.
  • More than 170,000 people are still under evacuation notices.
  • The Los Angeles County fires have impacted 29,824 students from public schools and public charter schools.
  • Isolated landslides are possible on properties affected by wildfires.
  • The National Weather Service in Los Angeles warned of a 60% chance of red flag warnings being issued on Monday and an 80% chance of red flag warnings being issued on Tuesday.
  • The University of California, Los Angeles will end its wildfire emergency status Friday evening, and students will be back in classrooms next week.

Extreme Heat

• A new study found that more than 13,000 droughts spanning years have overwhelmed our planet across nearly four decades.
  • These severe droughts are becoming hotter, longer, and more devastating as the planet’s global temperature increases.