Climate Impact Report – 9/19

September 19, 2024

Key Facts Of The Day 9/19

The National Hurricane Center was monitoring a potential storm in the zone from the western Caribbean to the Gulf of Mexico. At the earliest, any potential U.S. impact would start late next week.
Hurricane Francine was estimated to cost Louisiana insurers $1.5 billion in home and auto claims.
On Monday, a 1,000-year rain event brought more than 20 inches of rain to North Carolina.
- On Wednesday, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper amended a State of Emergency to include a total of eight affected counties and issued transportation waivers to assist recovery efforts.
- One storm-related fatality was reported on Wednesday.
- The National Weather Service confirmed two tornadoes in association with the storm.
On Thursday, severe thunderstorms were expected to hit the central and northern Plains to part of the Midwest.
- In addition to heavy downpours, hail, isolated thunderstorms, and damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph were expected.

As of Thursday, 52 large active wildfires have burned 2,219,354 acres across AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, OR, SD, WA, and WY. This year, to date, 37,342 wildfires have burned 7,330,640 acres across the country.
In Arizona, 4 fires have burned 32,503 acres as of Thursday.
In California, 8 fires have burned 578,106 acres as of Thursday.
In Colorado, 2 fires have burned 635 acres as of Thursday.
In Idaho, 21 fires have burned 400,418 acres as of Thursday.
In Montana, 13 fires have burned 36,766 acres as of Thursday.
In Nevada, 2 fires have burned 14,056 acres as of Thursday.
In Oregon, 17 fires have burned 344,758 acres as of Thursday.
In South Dakota, 2 fires have burned 17,395 acres as of Thursday.
In Washington, 5 fires have burned 55,621 acres as of Thursday.
In Wyoming, 5 fires have burned 65,799 acres as of Thursday.

According to the National Weather Service, North Texas was expected to see a late summer heatwave with high temperatures reaching the mid to upper 90s.
- On Friday and Saturday, heat index values were expected to be above 100 degrees.
- Some thunderstorms were expected in the area on Sunday evening.
- The Dallas-Fort Worth area was expected to reach a heat index value of 105 degrees.
Climate change-induced extreme weather events have caused schools across the country to renovate older playgrounds with more tree coverage and less asphalt.