Recent Extreme Weather Sets Stage for Brutal Summer

Every day in TV and cable network newsrooms, decisions are made about the day’s top story.

Usually it’s a story about a war in Ukraine or Gaza. Often it’s a political story about the upcoming election. Occasionally it’s a story about a celebrity’s downfall. But during June and early July?

The lead story – over and over – has been extreme weather. A record-breaking heat dome in the Southwest, Midwest, South and East Coast. Torrential rain and flooding in Florida. Hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic Ocean. Wildfires in New Mexico. You name it, we’ve gotten it recently.

As hurricane season ramps up and temperatures rise, could July be even worse? The Climate Prediction Center released their monthly outlook map. If your state is in orange or red, you need to prepare. 

But first, let’s take a look back at June...

Heat Dome Slowly Drifts East

Once an event such as severe weather passes, it’s easy to forget how it affected us and others. But we all know that history repeats itself. We would be wise to pay attention and stay prepared. Here’s a quick reminder of what our country dealt with in June.

Science News called June “the new July.” West Coast and Southwest residents broiled under record-high temperatures early in the month.

Meteorologists called it a slow-moving heat dome. Temperatures in the 90s and some triple-digit temps baked people unused to that kind of heat in the spring. Many suffered from dehydration and other heat-related illnesses.

Spreading east, the dome covered much of the South and Midwest up to the Canada border. Then it moved East to bring record-high temperatures to the East and Northeast. All of which taxed our already stressed-out electrical grids.

Torrential Rainfall Causes Florida Flooding

During mid-June, clouds covered the Sunshine State. And brought record amounts of rainfall and flooding.

Day after day of heavy rain drenched Florida. Roads were turned into canals. Residents standing on roofs of cars were rescued by boats. Two people died in an automobile accident caused by the weather.

Flooding was waist-deep in some areas. Residents waded through the water to reach higher ground. Schools were closed and hundreds of flights canceled. Some cities distributed sandbags to help residents.

In Miami, stranded cars were almost entirely submerged by floodwaters. A state of emergency was declared. Officials urged people to stay inside homes that were not flooded.   

First Named Storm Lashes Texas

Meanwhile, in the Gulf of Mexico, Tropical Storm Alberto became the season’s first named storm. The storm killed at least four people in Mexico. Then it battered southeastern Texas with rain and high winds.

Some streets in the Lone Star State were turned into waterways. Governor Greg Abbott issued a disaster declaration for 51 Texas counties.

The Texas A&M Forest Service mobilized 100 personnel and 24 vehicles to aid those affected. The Texas National Guard contributed more than 40 personnel and 20 vehicles. Including helicopters.

Residents slammed by the rain and wind were already dealing with a heat wave. In fact, 82 million were under some form of heat advisory. The National Weather Service gave this advice to citizens. Have at least 5 to 7 days’ worth of food, water, and supplies available.

New Mexico Wildfires Scorch Thousands of Acres

How bad have the New Mexico wildfires been? Suffice it to say they are visible from space. Albuquerque’s National Weather Service released satellite imagery of the fires.

The South Fork Fire and Salt Fire have burned more than 7,000 acres as of this writing. The state’s National Guard is on the scene. As is a Critical Incident Management Team.  

So far, at least 5,000 residents were ordered to evacuate and two died. At least 1,400 structures including homes burned. Rain was helpful in limiting the fires. But it has also resulted in flooding in scorched areas.  

President Joe Biden declared the wildfires a major disaster. Which frees up resources for federal aid. Wildfires are also raging in California, Arizona, Colorado, and Washington. And they are still mostly uncontained.

Freak Snowstorm in Montana

It may seem odd to be discussing snowfall in June. Especially during an exceptionally hot spring. But that’s what Montana experienced in mid-June.

A cold front in the Great Falls area resulted in close to a foot of snow in central and north-central Montana. The normal high temperature for the area this time of year is 73 degrees Fahrenheit. That day the high was 45.

Wind gusts of 65 miles per hour contributed to the chaos, including difficult travel. Nearly 1 million residents in the West were under a winter weather advisory or a frost advisory. Ski resort officials were loving it. Automobile drivers… not so much.

Still to Come in July

June finally ended, but July is off to an equally rough start. Temperatures are soaring to unheard of highs in northern California. Weather experts are saying July heatwaves have the potential to be more intense than in June – across the country.

And as of this writing, Hurricane Beryl has strengthened to a Category 5 storm, the strongest ever to have formed in June. It is devastating islands on its way toward Mexico and possibly southern Texas.  

The heat wave, flooding, wildfires, hurricanes, and freak snowstorm all point to the same thing. We need to be prepared for an uncertain future. A future that could be days or weeks ahead rather than months or years.