Just ahead of the Independence Day celebrations on the 4th of July, severe weather conditions like hailstorms, tornadoes, flash floods, and excessive heat have affected millions of lives in different parts of the U.S.
Diffrent danger in diffrent places
There is a Level Three risk for northern Tennessee and Kentucky as tornadoes and hail will impact nearly five million lives in cities like Nashville, Lexington and Louisville.
Similarly, storms also started appearing in Iowa, Ohio, Illinois and Kentucky. There were also several reports of hailstorms and strong winds in St. Louis, where large trees were uprooted.
Due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, a flash flood warning was also issued for nearly five million people in Illinois and Chicago. There were also reports of hail in Missouri.
These weather conditions are in addition to people being warned about excessive heat that may lead to a wildfire. According to MTBS data, wildfires from 2003–2021 have more than doubled in area burned, compared with the 1984–2002 wildfires.
It is predicted that about 225 million, around 70% of the country’s population, will experience temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit and nearly 26 million people, around 8% of the population, will see temperatures rise as high as 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
5000 flights affected
Thousands of Americans planning to meet their relatives and friends or have a vacation for this holiday have been jeopardised as uncertain weather conditions have delayed nearly 5000 flights, and at least 500 flights were cancelled in the United States.
The unprecedented rain has also caused delays and cancellations for some sporting events. The Major League of Baseball (MLB) game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Guardians had to be delayed by several hours. Meanwhile, NASCAR had to cancel the last half of an Xfinity Series race.
An alarming increase in temperature
However, despite record rainfall, Chicago is still facing severe drought. Both intense drought and heavier rainfall are climate extremes, which are becoming more common as the climate gets warmer due to more greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
Climate change has led to the United States warming by 2.6° Fahrenheit in the last 50 years, with the last decade being the hottest ever recorded.
Besides climate change, the constant race to make new buildings at the expense of the environment is one of the major reasons being floods.
Effects of extreme weather and climate change
Severe storms can damage property, cause loss of life, and disrupt essential services such as clean drinkable water, energy, and telecommunications. Meanwhile, more frequent and intense extreme-heat events can lead to increased illnesses, deaths, and damage to some crops.
Climate change poses extreme threats to the well-being and health of a living being. The direct climate change effects, such as extreme weather events, increased temperatures and rising sea levels, will affect the quality of air, water, and food, which may result in the population being displaced and can also give birth to new diseases.
All these factors will adversely affect every human’s physical, mental, and emotional health.
