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More rain, more deaths in the Northeast, more deadly heat elsewhere [1]

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Date: 2023-07-16

Sudden, torrential rains struck areas in Bucks County, Pa., trapping people in their cars. Much of the Northeast was experiencing periods of heavy rainfall.

The above headline from the New York Times today is getting to be a daily feature. I’ve been getting flash flood warnings all week from where I live outside of Albany, NY; there’s currently a nearby storm, and I’ve gotten an inch and a half of rain in the last 18 hours.

At least five people were dead and two others remained missing on Sunday after severe floods swept through areas of Pennsylvania and storms continued to threaten much of the Northeast. In a news conference, Tim Brewer, the fire chief of Upper Makefield in the suburbs north of Philadelphia, said that 11 vehicles were trapped late Saturday afternoon by rising waters on the flooded Washington Crossing Road. “The flash flood occurred some time after that,” Mr. Brewer said. “We believe approximately 11 cars were on the road. Three were confirmed swept away.”

Do NOT drive into water flooding across a road. You can’t know if the road has been washed out, and it takes very little depth before moving water can sweep a car away. Don’t attempt it on foot either.

Each year, more deaths occur due to flooding than from any other thunderstorm related hazard. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that over half of all flood-related drownings occur when a vehicle is driven into hazardous flood water. The next highest percentage of flood-related deaths is due to walking into or near flood waters. People underestimate the force and power of water. Many of the deaths occur in cars swept downstream. Many of these drownings are preventable. Never drive around the barriers blocking a flooded road. The road may have collapsed under that water. A mere 6 inches of fast-moving flood water can knock over an adult. It takes just 12 inches of rushing water to carry away most cars and just 2 feet of rushing water can carry away SUVs and trucks. It is NEVER safe to drive or walk into flood waters.

emphasis added

This is the new normal. Warmer air can hold more water, and when it lets go, look out. More from the Times:

Heavy rain was falling across the Northeast on Sunday, with flash flood warnings in effect in parts of Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, Maine and neighboring states. An estimated five inches of rain fell in less than two hours on the east end of Long Island, with up to two inches of rain forecast for Sunday afternoon throughout the New York metropolitan area. “We are in a very, very unstable weather condition,” said Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York, warning of the danger of flash flooding. Within moments, she said, “your car can go from a place of safety to a place of death.” Thunderstorms caused flight disruptions on Sunday at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Kennedy International Airport in New York. In Maryland, officials said that “life-threatening flash flooding” was expected. The deluge in Pennsylvania on Saturday began at around 5 p.m. and quickly overwhelmed storm sewers, brooks and streams. An estimated six to seven inches of rain fell in less than 45 minutes, Mr. Brewer said.

emphasis added

This is weather like most people have never seen, and it’s happening more often.

This new bout of flooding comes just days after a powerful two-day, record-breaking storm devastated parts of Vermont and upstate New York last week, damaging thousands of homes and businesses and causing at least one death in each state. Storms, fires and floods are becoming more frequent and more severe as a result of a warming climate, experts say. Warmer temperatures allow air to hold more moisture, leading to more intense rainfall and flooding.

From NBC NEWS:

A total of 6 to 7 inches of rain hit the area, which sits alongside the Delaware River, in less than an hour.

In his 44 years of service, [Upper Makefield Fire Chief Tim] Brewer said he's never seen anything like this before. He estimated that 5 feet of water rushed the road in a violent manner very suddenly. "I thought Hurricane Ida was the benchmark. ... I thought that was the benchmark," Brewer said. "This is the new benchmark." Washington Crossing sits on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River bordering New Jersey, about 9 miles northwest of Trenton and 35 miles north of Philadelphia.

Inclement weather prompted ground stops at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York and Newark Airport in New Jersey, according to the FAA.

Over 1,300 flights in and out of the Northeast have been canceled as storms continued to batter the region over the weekend. More than 1,320 flights into and out of the U.S. were canceled as of Sunday afternoon, with over 350 of those arriving and departing Newark Liberty International Airport, according to the online tracker FlightAware. Severe weather prompted ground stops at John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports in New York and Newark Airport in New Jersey, according to the Federal Aviation Administration . Both airlines announced on Twitter that they were experiencing flight disruptions due to weather conditions and encouraged travelers to check with their airlines before heading to the airport.

Heat wave live updates: Warnings issued for more than 100 million across the U.S. Temperatures will be “potentially deadly,” the National Weather Service warned in a bulletin. Temperature records are forecast to be broken Sunday as a dangerous heat wave threatens large swaths of the country with potentially deadly triple-digit highs. “Take the heat seriously and avoid time outdoors,” the National Weather Service warned in a bulletin early Sunday. “Temperatures will reach levels that pose a health risk and are potentially deadly to anyone without effective cooling and/or adequate hydration. Heat is the leading weather-related killer in the U.S.” Excessive heat warnings and advisories are in effect “from the Pacific Northwest, California, and the Great Basin to parts of the Southern Plains, Central Gulf Coast, and southern tip of Florida,” the bulletin said. My Congressman Paul Tonko spoke a few months back at a meeting I was attending. Among other atrocities, House Republicans on taking the majority in the chamber eliminated all mention of climate and climate change from House committee titles and responsibilities. They won’t even say the two words except to call it a hoax; and not even that now that they can attack any and everything as “woke” without having to explain WTF they’re actually talking about. I’m pretty much in favor of Biden and the Congressional Democrats denying disaster aid to states that deny the cause of the disasters on the grounds that why should we help them with a problem they say doesn’t exist?

This change in the weather is having both immediate and long term effects. We are going to have to adapt because we sure lost the chance to reverse it when it would have been much easier. (Thanks Exxon-Mobil and all the rest of you fossil fuel climate deniers.)

If you’re in the market for a home, you may want to check out the growing demand for disaster resistant housing. Meanwhile, let’s keep the pressure on to declare a climate emergency.

Be safe out there.

And never vote for a Republican.

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/7/16/2181613/-More-rain-more-deaths-in-the-Northeast-more-deadly-heat-elsewhere

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