Crazy weather
So far this year the US has experienced 23 billion dollar in weather disasters and we still have over three months to go.
This broke the previous record of 22 disasters in 2020. Over the past 40 years the US has averaged eight of these weather events per year, however in the past five years NOAA reports that average has jumped to 18 of these disasters each year with five of the past six years producing over $100 billion of destruction.
This year fatalities total 253 so far and damages amount to over $50 billion.
July of this year was the warmest month ever in NOAA鈥檚 174-year history as heat waves stretched across the south and southwest. Phoenix has now recorded 54 days of temperatures above 110 degrees with a stretch of 31 days in a row, breaking the old record of just 18 consecutive days. Deepening droughts make landscapes more susceptible to wildfire.
The 缅北禁地 on Tuesday of this past week reported an interesting article on the fires in the normally wet state of Louisiana. The wet state is in the midst of an unprecedented wildfire season that has reported over 500 fires in August alone and the fires are still burning.
We have all seen the destruction and loss of life when the fires on the island of Maui roared down the hillsides and destroyed the town of Lahaina.
Researchers and weather scientists are confident that our warming atmosphere is supercharging storms and fueling torrential rains that simply overwhelm existing infrastructure. Existing building codes are not sufficient to ward off these disasters. Climate Central, a non-profit research organization analysis, found that from 2017 the US experienced a billion dollar disaster every 18 days. In the 1980s the frequency of these billion dollar events was every 82 days.
The fires, droughts and storms have pretty much bypassed our area. We did have a dry spell from mid-May until mid-June when only a half inch of rainfall was recorded. July and August both saw over four inches of rainfall and we ended up with a good harvest of local crops. The Uniontown area had three days of 90-plus temperatures in June, two days in July and August saw no 90 degree days and early September produced three more 90 degree days for a summer total eight.
Our long term average is 10 days of 90 or better. Our high for the summer was 94 on July 5th. Ninety degree weather after the 15th of September is extremely rare. Last week we had a nice preview of fall with temperatures in the low 70s and some mornings in the 40s.
A few leaves are starting to color and the late summer wildflowers are stunning.
Truly a great place to live!