Christmas heat wave and storms threaten U.S.
A late-December heat wave is forecast to push temperatures 20â30°F above normal across much of the South and Southeast on Thursday, with highs in the 70s and even 80s in parts of Texas, while a separate atmospheric river is bringing major downpours, flooding and heavy Sierra snow to California. The National Weather Service has placed more than 40 million people under flood watches in California, warning of widespread urban flooding, major rock and mudslides and rapid rises in rivers after at least one person in Redding died over the weekend when flooding stranded their car; researchers at Climate Central say this kind of extreme warm spell is now two to three times more likely because of human-caused carbon pollution.
đ Key Facts
- Forecasts show Thursday highs in the 70s across parts of the South and Southeast and potentially into the 80s in parts of Texas, as much as 30°F above seasonal norms.
- Climate Central estimates this heat event is at least two to three times more likely to occur due to human-caused carbon pollution.
- An atmospheric river is triggering major downpours in California, with NWS Los Angeles warning of significant and widespread urban roadway flooding, high risk of major rock/mudslides, rapid rises in creeks and rivers, and a prolonged heavy snow event in the Sierras.
- Over 40 million people are under flood watches in California as of Tuesday morning.
- One person in Redding, California died over the previous weekend after becoming stranded in a vehicle during flooding tied to earlier storms.
đ Relevant Data
Heat waves in major U.S. cities have increased from an average of about two per year in the 1960s to more than six per year in the 2010s.
Heat | NASA Earthdata â NASA Earthdata
In 2020, greenhouse gas emissions in the United States were distributed as follows: transportation (27%), electricity (25%), industry (24%), commercial and residential (13%).
Greenhouse gas emissions by the United States - Wikipedia â Wikipedia
Climate change is likely to intensify atmospheric rivers across most of the globe by the end of the century, leading to more extreme precipitation events.
Climate change may lead to bigger atmospheric rivers - NASA Science â NASA Science
Heat-related deaths in the United States increased from 1,156 in 2020 to 2,415 in 2023.
As much of the US braces for extreme heat, statistics show over 2,000 die from it annually â ABC News
In 2024, there were 145 flood-related fatalities in the United States, up from 79 in 2023 and above the 25-year average of 85 per year.
Flood deaths are rising in the U.S., fueled by heavier rainfall â The Washington Post