Large amounts of bizarre weather occurrences have escalated in recent years. Extreme heat in Europe, China, and North America has devastated communities over the last summer, with places in the U.S. reaching 125 Fahrenheit. Over the last few years, international headlines have been flooded with mentions of climate change. In addition to heat waves reaching new limits, mass flooding and storms also make unfamiliar appearances.
According to The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s 174-year record, 2023 was Earth’s hottest August on record, followed by 19 named storms across the globe. 8 of those reached tropical cyclone strength, 6 of them occurring in the Atlantic Ocean, and 2 of those being hurricanes; extremely unusual for the region.
In March, severe weather grew more intense with winter storms. By the time May rolled around, it was estimated that the storms swamped 150,000 acres in the Central Valley, destroying crops and devastating the production of a quarter of the nation’s food.
In 2023, the United States experienced 23 climate disasters so far, the most ever in one year. These include the Category 3 Hurricane Idalia in Florida, and the Category 4 Hurricane Hilary in the Pacific Coast of Mexico and Baja California, both resulting in widespread flooding and numerous mudslides.
According to NBC climate-change reporter Denise Chow, Hurricane Dora’s extreme wind worsened the flames in the Maui wildfires.
In another state, Hurricane Hilary hit Southern California with flash flooding and significant amounts of rain. Palm Springs, and other Southern California areas, received more rain in 48 hours than they typically see in a full year. The last time a tropical storm made landfall in California was before hurricanes even had a naming system: 84 years ago.
These rare and unprecedented tropical storms, sweeping through the globe and making bizarre appearances on the West Coast, point to the increasingly declining climate.