Climate Impact Report – 1/21

Key Facts Of The Day 1/21

Storms And Flooding

• On Tuesday, Winter Storm Enzo was expected to bring historic levels of snow, sleet, and freezing rain along the Gulf and Southeast coast. 
  • As of Tuesday morning, nearly 40 million people from Texas to Florida were under a weather hazard, including more than 21 million people under a winter storm warning.
  • Snowfall rates of one inch per hour were forecasted in areas from eastern Texas through the western Florida panhandle, with a total expected snowfall of up to six inches in some areas. Wind gusts were expected to exceed 30 mph along the Gulf Coast. 
    • As of Tuesday morning, nearly two inches of snow had fallen in the Houston metro area and wind gusts reached up to 44 mph. 
  • The storm was expected to bring hazardous travel conditions and potential power outages across affected areas.  
  • On Tuesday, all Houston airports were closed in anticipation of the winter storm.
  • As of Tuesday morning, more than 1,700 flights had been canceled and 6,500 flights had been delayed due to Winter Storm Enzo. 
  • On Saturday, Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry and Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a state of emergency in their respective states in anticipation of extreme winter weather and freezing temperatures. On Monday, Georgia Governor Brian Kemp and Alabama Governor Kay Ivey also declared a state of emergency in their states. 
• On Tuesday, nearly 265 million Americans were under cold weather alerts as freezing temperatures extended across 43 states. 
  • Forecasted temperatures across the country were expected to be 20 to 30 degrees below January averages on Tuesday. 

Wildfires

• In California, 227 fires have burned 40,687 acres as of Tuesday. 
  • As of Tuesday, the Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres and is 63% contained. 
  • As of Tuesday, the Eaton Fire has burned 14,021 acres and is 89% contained.
    • The Eaton Fire has caused 17 confirmed deaths, all in areas of western Altadena, which were reported to have received emergency evacuation orders hours after the fire had started. 
  • As of Tuesday, the Lilac Fire has burned 80 acres and is 10% contained.
  • As of Tuesday, the Pala Fire has burned 17 acres and is 0% contained.
• Early Tuesday morning, Santa Ana winds fueled the rapid spread of at least three wildfires in the San Diego area. 
  • The Lilac Wildfire was the largest of the three and grew to over 80 acres. It prompted a mandatory evacuation order and warnings for residents to leave their homes. 
• Despite some calmer winds across Southern California, red flag warnings were still in effect across Los Angeles and Ventura counties. 
  • The National Weather Service warned that persistent low humidity and wind gusts of up to 100 mph would increase the risk of fire. 
  • On Monday, wind gusts across Southern California reached up to 77 mph. 
• On Tuesday, the Storm Prediction Center declared two “extremely critical” fire zones in California, affecting more than three million people. 
• Millions of California residents were warned to avoid outdoor activities due to bad air quality caused by the severe wildfires. 
  • On Monday, the National Weather Service issued several air quality alerts due to harmful particle pollution levels from ash and dust. The pollutants have been linked to causing serious health problems, including asthma attacks and an increased risk of respiratory infections.

Extreme Heat

• A new study found that extreme heat waves could become twice as intense as previously projected due to variations in soil moisture.