2023 has already seen a staggering 25 weather disasters in the United States, each with at least a billion dollars in damage. A new NASA analysis warns that extreme weather events may continue before the year is out.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released its monthly climate report, which listed the billion-dollar extreme weather events that have ravaged the country so far in 2023. With two months left in the year, the toll of 25 disasters has already eclipsed any previous year since 1980, when NOAA started keeping track.
These natural calamities include severe flooding in the Northeast and California, a deadly wildfire in Hawaii, Hurricane Idalia in August, a widespread drought and heatwave across the South and Midwest, and a surge of severe storms across multiple states.
NASA’s separate study warns of a potential increase in flooding this winter if a strong El Niño develops. This naturally occurring climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean could significantly impact global temperatures, rainfall, hurricanes, and severe storms. Scientists believe this could lead to a surge in high-tide flooding, especially on the western coast of the U.S.
Already, these disasters have racked up a hefty bill of over $73.8 billion, according to NOAA. The 25 events in just 10 months exceed the previous record of 22 billion-dollar extreme weather events, set in 2020.
These unprecedented weather occurrences come in the wake of a climate analysis by Climate Central, which revealed that the past 12 months have been the hottest ever recorded, with global average temperatures rising 1.32 degrees Celsius (2.4 degrees Fahrenheit) above preindustrial levels from November 2022 to October.
Another report by Europe’s Copernicus Climate Change Service confirmed that last month was the hottest October on record globally. This disturbing trend has set the stage for 2023 to be the warmest year in recorded history.
In the wake of warm October temperatures and the expanding drought in the lower Mississippi Valley, parts of the Mississippi River saw water levels plummet to historic lows. The repercussions have been widespread, affecting agricultural harvests, shipping operations, and even threatening clean drinking water in southern Louisiana.
Originally published on NBCNews.com
