Climate Impact Report – 2/6

Key Facts Of The Day 2/6

Storms and Flooding

• The storms that dropped a historic amount of rain on California this week killed at least three people and have caused as much as $11 billion in damage and economic losses.
  • More than 10 inches of rain fell in the mountains west of Los Angeles, making it one of the wettest two-day periods in 147 years.
  • More than a dozen locations in California also reported more than 10 inches of rain in the 48-hour period ending Tuesday morning.
  • Two different landslides affected multiple homes in Los Angeles.
  • On Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a local state of emergency.
  • On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in eight counties. 
• City engineers are redesigning piers to withstand bigger surf with rising sea levels.
  • At least a half-dozen public piers have been closed after being repeatedly damaged by storms with multiple atmospheric rivers hitting the state over the past year.

Wildfires

• Nearly six months after a wildfire destroyed the historic town of Lahaina, the Maui Police Department released a 98-page report and is working on improving its response to future tragedies.
  •  Future response improvements include obtaining better equipment and stationing a high-ranking officer in the island’s communications center during emergencies.
• While the storms in California can help ease drought conditions, they also nourish the growth of vegetation that will eventually fuel future wildfires.

Extreme Heat

• Global warming will make California’s wet and dry seasons more extreme, resulting in more intense deluges and droughts.
• North Carolina is drought-free for the first time in almost six months, but five western counties are still considered abnormally dry.