Climate Impact Report – 12/12

Key Facts Of The Day 12/12

Storms And Flooding

• On Wednesday, an intense storm hit Boston, Massachusetts, and caused flooding that shut down a highway tunnel in the city and knocked out power for tens of thousands.
• Storms with drenching rain and mountain snow will return to a large part of the Pacific Coast every two to three days and may continue to roll in until Dec. 22. 
• Cold air and major lake-effect snow will hit millions across the Midwest and Northeast by the end of this week, potentially causing feet of snow and creating dangerous travel.

Wildfires

• As of Friday, December 6, there were zero large active wildfires in the United States. This year to date, 52,447 wildfires have burned 8,406,135 acres across the country.
• As of Thursday morning, the Franklin Fire in Malibu, California, has burned more than ‎4,037 acres and is 7% contained.
  • The blaze forced evacuation warnings for 20,000 residents and more than 8,000 homes and businesses.
  • Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus lost power.
  • Nearly 60,000 customers across California experienced power outages.
  • Initial assessments indicated that at least nine structures were destroyed and six damaged due to the fire. 
  • All four Malibu schools – Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle, Malibu High, and Webster Elementary – will be closed through Thursday.

Extreme Heat

• A new study found that the burden of temperature-related deaths is likely to shift toward younger people.
• Climate change is spiking the price of arabica beans to record levels.
  • High temperatures, droughts, frost, floods, and other unpredictable weather diminished crop yields in Brazil and Vietnam, which are major coffee exporters.