A year already full of weather-related carnage is seeing more disasters added to the tally, this time in America's South and Midwest. According to USA Today, tornadoes, dust storms, and wildfires have killed at least 42 people. The BBC noted the storms have triggered emergency declarations in parts of Arkansas, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
What's happening?
The severe weather last weekend knocked out power for hundreds of thousands of residents as high wind flipped cars while twister and flood warnings continued to accumulate.
"It's the worst I've ever seen," Texas Public Safety Department Sgt. Cindy Barkley, per the BBC. A deadly 38-car pileup resulted after a dust storm there.
In Oklahoma, 130 wildfires were reported last Friday, according to the BBC.
What can be learned from the storms?
While every calamity isn't a direct result of our overheating planet, NASA experts have linked the warming to increased risks for severe weather. For reference, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association reported that Earth's average temperature has increased by about 2 degrees since 1850.
The association with greater tornado chances is still being studied by experts, according to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions. It cited research indicating that storm conditions from which twisters are produced are more likely with rising mercury. Global warming "may also cause a shift" of severe thunderstorm seasons and where they happen.
Weather experts have been sounding the alarm that the so-called Tornado Alley is moving out of the plains toward more populated eastern parts of the country, per the Guardian.
Nearly 20 tornadoes hit Missouri as part of the recent bout of churning weather, per the BBC. Regardless of the cause, the shifting weather patterns will be a greater factor for different parts of the country — and at great cost.
Last year, there were 27 natural disasters that caused at least $1 billion worth of damage each. The cost estimates include consumer price index adjustments. A map provided by the NOAA showed them mostly grouped slightly to the country's center-right region, extending from the Canadian border to the southern coast. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe weather are the top disasters. The number of billion-dollar events has been trending upward since the 1980s, when the average was 3.3 a year. Nearly 17,000 people have been killed as a result of the storms during the last 45 years, per the NOAA.
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Move somewhere else 🌎 There has been an increase in properties damaged, and insurance coverage availability and premiums are being impacted.
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How can I avoid disaster?
Staying educated on where they are most likely to happen can help you make informed decisions on where to live and work.
Ingenious inventions that make homes more fireproof and durable are being introduced. FloodJack literally lifts houses above rising waters, for example. South Korean experts are using advanced computers to study weather data to better predict when floods will occur, providing earlier warnings.
Contributing to a cooler world is also worthwhile. Simply switching to LEDs can save you hundreds of dollars a year in energy costs. They produce five times less air pollution than traditional bulbs as well.
What's more, collecting rainwater in a barrel can provide you with free H2O for your garden and yard while also helping to prevent community flooding.
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