Climate Impact Report – 10/4

October 4, 2023

Key Facts of the Day 10/4

Along with the risk of severe thunderstorms packing strong winds and hail, there is the potential for hourly rainfall to exceed 1 inch, which can easily overwhelm storm drains and catch basins, as well as cause dry streambeds to rapidly fill with rushing water across the southern Plains.
- The heaviest rain and worst travel conditions from flash flooding will most likely occur in the Dallas area from Wednesday evening to Wednesday night as storms build in from the west.
Vermont struggles to recover three months after record flooding in July.
- Some residents face winter without heat and the fear of what else climate change might bring.

As of Tuesday, 27 large active wildfires have burned 215,695 acres across 10 states: AZ, CA, CO, ID, LA, MS, OK, OR, UT, and WA. This year to date, 45,663 wildfires have burned 2,493,041 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 3 fires have burned 14,300 acres as of Tuesday.
In California, 1 fire has burned 49,436 acres as of Tuesday.
In Colorado, 2 fires have burned 8,651 as of Tuesday.
In Louisiana, 3 fires have burned 40,053 acres as of Tuesday.
In Oregon, 11 fires have burned 95,563 acres as of Tuesday.
In Washington, 2 fires have burned 4,509 acres as of Tuesday.

The Earth’s average temperature shattered the previous September record by 0.9 degrees Fahrenheit, marking the largest monthly margin ever observed.
- Temperatures around the world last month reached levels closer to normal for July.
An October 2023 survey found that 72% of Americans paid a higher electricity bill this summer due to extreme heat.
Scorching summer temperatures caused the number of deaths along one of the busiest migrant routes into the US to more than double in the 2023 fiscal year.
- More than 100 of the 148 recorded deaths in the patrol’s El Paso sector were recorded between May and September when temperatures were at or above 100 degrees.