Climate Impact Report – 8/8

August 8, 2023

Key Facts Of The Day 8/8

More than 300,000 homes and businesses were still in the dark Tuesday morning after ferocious storms battered much of the Eastern U.S.
- The storm killed two people, left homes without roofs, and left drivers stranded for hours.
- In Westminster, Maryland, dozens of people were trapped in cars for up to five and a half hours Monday after severe weather toppled power lines onto the vehicles on Route 140. Eventually, 33 adults and 14 children were rescued.
40 million people in the Plains, the Southeast, and New England are now at risk for severe weather Tuesday.
- Very large hail, strong winds, and a tornado are possible in the confined area of greatest risk in the central High Plains.
- About 10 million people in New England are again under flood watches Tuesday.
On Sunday, city officials in Juneau, Alaska, issued an emergency declaration after a glacier lake outburst flood from the Suicide Basin on the Mendenhall Glacier wreaked havoc.
- The lake crested at a record 14.97 feet – far higher than the previous record of 11.99 feet set in 2016.
- The record-breaking river flooding has destroyed at least two structures in Juneau, Alaska, and prompted local evacuations.

As of Tuesday, 83 large active wildfires have burned 519,654 acres across AK, AZ, CA, CO, ID, LA, MT, NM, OR, TX, UT, and WA. This year to date, 32,188 wildfires have burned 1,364,123 acres across the country.
In Alaska, 21 fires have burned 86,356 acres as of Tuesday.
In Arizona, 8 fires have burned 25,769 acres as of Tuesday.
In California, 6 fires have burned 101,011 acres as of Tuesday.
- The York Fire burned 93,078 acres and was 93% contained as of Tuesday.
In New Mexico, 14 fires have burned 128,249 acres as of Tuesday.
In Texas, 3 fires have burned 3,019 acres as of Tuesday.

July was officially the hottest month on record after reaching a global average temperature of about 62.51 degrees Fahrenheit and breaking the previous monthly record of about 61.93 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Overall, July was about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than pre-industrial times.
An intense marine heat wave has developed off the U.S. West Coast, pushing sea surface temperatures above 5 degrees Fahrenheit higher than normal.
- Warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures can fuel extreme weather, accelerate the loss of polar ice, and exacerbate rising sea levels.

An August 2023 study found that wildfires emit potent climate-warming organic particles.
An August 2023 study found that the closure of a Pittsburgh coal-processing plant was tied to local health gains.