Climate Impact Report – 10/24

October 24, 2024

Key Facts Of The Day 10/24

According to North Carolina Gov. Cooper, Hurricane Helene likely caused at least a record $53 billion in damages and recovery needs.
North Carolina state officials have reported 96 deaths from Hurricane Helene.
In North Carolina, Hurricane Helene and its aftermath caused 1,400 landslides and damaged over 160 water and sewer systems, at least 6,000 miles of roads, more than 1,000 bridges and culverts, and an estimated 126,000 homes.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton damaged or destroyed 200,000 commercial beehives—a vital resource for pollinating U.S. crops—in Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton also caused a 40-mile-long toxic red tide off Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening fish and humans.

As of Thursday, 23 large active wildfires have burned 1,159,898 acres across AL, CA, ID, MI, MN, MT, OK, OR, SD, UT, and WY. This year to date, 44,955 wildfires have burned 7,945,886 acres across the country.
In Alabama, 1 fire has burned 500 acres as of Thursday.
In California, 5 fires have burned 111,892 acres as of Thursday.
In Idaho, 8 fires have burned 466,258 acres as of Thursday.
In Michigan, 2 fires have burned 304 acres as of Thursday.
In Minnesota, 1 fire has burned 167 acres as of Thursday.
In Montana, 5 fires have burned 16,316 acres as of Thursday.
In Oklahoma, 1 fire has burned 178 acres as of Thursday.
In Oregon, 4 fires have burned 209,022 acres as of Thursday.
In South Dakota, 1 fire has burned 732 acres as of Thursday.
In Utah, 2 fires have burned 33,198 acres as of Thursday.
In Wyoming, 2 fires have burned 186,015 acres as of Thursday.

Almost 80% of the country is under at least abnormal dryness, with more than 45% in drought.
Extreme heat impacted canvassers trying to mobilize voters in Nevada.
According to the UN Emissions Gap Report 2024, the goal of keeping temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius will be gone within a few years unless nations collectively commit to cutting 42% of annual greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and 57% by 2035.
- Without dramatic cuts to greenhouse gas emissions, the world could face an inevitable and catastrophic 3.1 degrees Celsius temperature rise.