USA (Washington Insider Magazine)— This week, cold conditions have swept across western parts of the United States, while the eastern regions have been inundated by tornadoes and flooding. An area of low pressure known as Storm Finn moved northeast from Texas toward the East Coast, resulting in tornadoes that struck several southeastern states, including Florida, where at least 12 tornadoes caused significant damage to homes.
In the northeastern states, flooding left hundreds of thousands without power and led to the cancellation of over 1,000 flights. As the rain moved northward, it transitioned to snow in the mountainous regions, bringing blizzard conditions and strong winds.
Unsettled weather is expected to persist in eastern states, as another area of low pressure over central southern states is forecasted to track in a similar direction, bringing additional rain and snow.
Record-Breaking Temperatures in 2023
On Tuesday, the EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Service released its annual highlights, revealing that 2023 was the warmest year on record since 1850. The global average temperature reached 14.98°C, surpassing the previous record set in 2016 by 0.17°C and exceeding the 1991-2020 climate average by 0.6°C.
Last year was 1.48°C warmer than the pre-industrial level recorded between 1850 and 1900, with almost half of the year’s days showing temperatures at least 1.5°C above that period. For comparison, this occurrence was noted during only 20% of days in 2016.
While last year’s warmth was anticipated due to El Niño and ongoing climate change, the extent of the heat was unexpected due to several unforeseen factors. Notably, El Niño typically raises global temperatures during its decline, as seen in 2016. However, last year’s El Niño was still in its buildup phase and was comparatively weaker than during the 2015-16 event. Investigations are ongoing to understand these dynamics further.
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