USA Today, by Janet Loehrke: Two dozen weather-related catastrophes caused $1 billion or more in damage each this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Centers for Environmental Information. The natural disasters were nationwide:
– Freezing temperatures and ice caused power outages in the Northwest.
– Tornado outbreaks and severe storms pummeled the central U.S.
– Five major hurricanes – Beryl, Debby, Francine, Helene and Milton – caused major damage and catastrophic flooding from Florida to North Carolina.
This year didn’t surpass 2023’s record of 28-billion-dollar disasters — the most the U.S. has experienced in a calendar year. In the past five years, 399 people on average have died as a result of these $1 billion disasters. According to the NOAA, major weather events led to 418 deaths this year.
Second-highest year for tornadoes since 2011
The nation has seen 1,765 tornadoes this year, 434 more than in 2023, according to the National Weather Service. The total is still well below the 2,240 tornadoes recorded in 2011.
Peak tornado season is typically from May to early June, the NOAA says. This May led all months with 576 tornado reports. Research by the NOAA found a 12% to 15% possibility that a tornado will strike in December.
The majority of tornadoes reported this year occurred in Texas, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Florida. More than 100 were reported in each state.
Hurricane Helene caused the most damage
As of late November, there were 18 named storms this year, including 11 hurricanes, according to the NOAA. Five major hurricanes made landfall in the U.S. A typical season has 14 storms. The year with the highest number of tropical/subtropical named storms is 2020 with 30.
Hurricane Helene was the deadliest to hit the U.S. mainland since Katrina in 2005. Helene killed at least 230 people in seven states, including at least 103 in North Carolina.
Extreme weather caused extensive flooding
Floods are the most frequent and expensive natural disaster in the U.S. and can damage coastal and inland communities alike. Major flood damage and deaths arose from:
– Heavy rains in San Diego in January.
– Catastrophic flooding from Hurricane Helene in September.
– A “bomb cyclone” in the Northwest in November.
Wildfires burn 8.4 million acres this year
Since the start of the year, 52,477 wildfires burned 8.4 million acres in the U.S. While the number of fires fell below the 10-year average, the number of acres burned was almost 1.5 million acres higher than average, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Some Eastern states were still fighting wildfires into late November, especially in the mid-Atlantic and southern New England regions. Western states were under stress because of windy and dry conditions, which prolonged the wildfire season.
What will the rest of winter be like?
Forecasters at AccuWeather predict that the season will be moderate for the majority of the U.S. – much like last winter, which was the warmest on record. They also forecast greater chances for snow when waves of cold air regularly spread chilly air over the nation.
Prophetic Link:
“The messengers of the cross must arm themselves with watchfulness and prayer, and move forward in faith and courage, working always in the name of Jesus. They must have confidence in their Leader; for troublous times are before us. The judgments of God are abroad in the land. Calamities follow one another in rapid succession. Soon God is to rise out of His place to shake terribly the earth, and to punish the wicked for their iniquity. Then He will stand up in behalf of His people, and will give them His protecting care. He will throw His everlasting arms about them, to shield them from all harm.” Gospel Workers, page 264.4.
Comments