The Year's Most Extreme Weather: A Glimpse into the Power of a Warming Planet
In a year marked by record-breaking temperatures, the undeniable influence of climate change was evident in countless extreme weather occurrences, highlighting the alarming trajectory our warming planet is on
The impact of a changing climate in a warming world was evident in numerous extreme weather events during the hottest year on record.
Weather is essentially an expression of energy, with heat driving the system. However, excessive heat in the environment expands the boundaries of extreme weather, pushing it to its limits.
It's not surprising that this year's record heat was a major factor in many of the most severe weather events of 2023, according to Kristina Dahl, a climate scientist with the Union of Concerned Scientists. "Climate change affects our daily weather," Dahl said. "In my opinion, the burden of proof is now to demonstrate that climate change hasn't impacted an event, because it's clearly impacting everything around us."
The extreme weather events of this year are not unique - theyre a sign of whats to come.
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"These types of events will continue to become more frequent and more severe if we continue to warm the planet," Dahl said.
These are just a few of 2023s most notable examples of what a warming planets extreme weather can look like.
Off-the-charts rapid intensification
The extreme heat wasn't confined to the atmosphere; it also affected the oceans, which absorb the majority of the Earth's surplus heat.
"Dahl noted that the sea surface temperatures were significantly higher than in any previous year on record."
The exceptionally warm ocean water in 2023 not only led to an increase in storms in the Atlantic by counteracting the storm-dampening effects of a strengthening El Niño, but also fueled the rapid intensification of storms worldwide. As the atmosphere continues to warm, this rapid intensification is becoming increasingly common.
A combined 12 tropical cyclones in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins rapidly intensified in 2023.
In this NOAA image taken by the GOES satellite, Hurricane Lee crosses the Atlantic Ocean as it moves west on September 8, 2023.
NOAA/Getty Images
This season, Lee was the most powerful Atlantic hurricane, reaching the rare Category 5 status in September with its winds strengthening by 85 mph in just 24 hours. This made Lee the third-fastest rapidly intensifying storm in Atlantic history. Idalia, the only hurricane to make landfall in the US this year, was another example of the increasing frequency of rapid storm intensification prior to reaching the shoreline.
The storm briefly reached Category 4 status before slamming Floridas Big Bend region as a Category 3 hurricane - the strongest storm to hit there in more than 125 years.
An overturned semi lays on the shoulder of a highway in the aftermath of Hurricane Otis, on the outskirts of Acapulco, Mexico on Friday, October 27, 2023.
Felix Marquez/AP
Hurricane Otis in the East Pacific was the most extreme example of rapid strengthening in either basin this year. The winds of Otis increased by an astounding 115 mph in the 24 hours before its devastating Category 5 landfall in Acapulco, Mexico, in October. Otis was the strongest Pacific storm to ever strike Mexico. This occurred just two weeks after Category 4 Hurricane Lidia, which also rapidly intensified and made landfall just south of Puerto Vallarta as another one of Pacific Mexico's strongest storms.
A historic tragedy in a year of unusual wildfire behavior
Hurricane Hilary's rapid intensification enabled it to maintain sufficient strength to track across California as a tropical storm, marking the state's first tropical storm since 1997. The deluge unleashed by Hilary shattered tropical rainfall records in several states, leading to severe flooding that persisted for months in one of the driest regions on Earth.
The year was characterized by unusual wildfire behavior, with fires starting in unexpected places and not spreading to others.
According to National Interagency Fire Center statistics, wildfires in the US normally burn 7 to 8 million acres of land annually, but in 2023 only 2.6 million acres were charred.
The wet start to the year in the typically fiery West helped keep wildfires to a minimum after years of destruction. However, the latest National Climate Assessment highlights that as the world warms, wildfires are becoming more frequent and severe. Despite the wet start, intense heat and a lack of rain made typically wet parts of the US and much of Canada vulnerable to fire, leading to a deadly and destructive season.
The Ganer family look through the ashes of their family's home on Malolo Place in the aftermath of a wildfire in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on August 11, 2023.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP/Getty Images
Tragedy struck Hawaiis island of Maui in August in the form of the blazing Lahaina inferno.
The wind-fueled flames spread rapidly through the dry, invasive grasslands, consuming everything in their path. Some individuals, desperate to escape, were forced to seek refuge in the Pacific Ocean. Tragically, many were unable to flee, resulting in the Lahaina Fire becoming the deadliest in the United States in over a century.
Despite being one of the wettest states in the US, Louisiana experienced an unprecedented dry spell after a summer of scorching temperatures and minimal rainfall. In November, 75% of the state was under exceptional drought conditions, marking the most extensive area of drought in state history.
According to data provided to CNN by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry, the state experienced one of its most severe fire seasons in recent decades. Fires in the southern half of the state persisted well into the fall, with their smoke contributing to a "super fog" that led to a fiery and deadly pileup near New Orleans.
A smoke-shrouded Manhattan is seen on June 7, 2023, as wildfires in Canada blanketed New York City in toxic smoke.
David Dee Delgado/Getty Images
The US was significantly impacted by fires, even in areas where they were not actively burning. Canadas most severe wildfire season to date scorched an area comparable to the size of North Dakota, emitting harmful smoke from its numerous large fires that reached the US and even Europe.
The hottest month for any US city in a summer of heat hell
In June, the Northeast was blanketed by smoke, causing a drastic decline in air quality levels. New York City was engulfed by apocalyptic orange skies, experiencing the worst air pollution levels in the world for a brief period of time.
This summer, the Northern Hemisphere experienced unprecedented heat waves, with the US particularly affected. Heat domes caused soaring temperatures in the southern and central regions, reaching a staggering 130 degrees in Kansas and a record-breaking 105 degrees in New Orleans. Texas and Florida also endured prolonged and intense heat waves.
The extreme summer heat in Phoenix was cited as a clear example of the impact of human-caused climate change. In July, the city experienced its hottest month on record, with an average temperature of 102.7 degrees Fahrenheit, making it the hottest US city. The intense heat was a result of scorching days and record-warm nights.
Phoenix endured an unprecedented 31 consecutive days with high temperatures at or exceeding 110 degrees.
A billboard displays the temperature as Phoenix broke the heat record for consecutive days above 110 degrees Fahrenheit on July 18, 2023.
Liliana Salgado/Reuters
The punishing heat claimed the lives of at least 579 people in Maricopa County, where Phoenix is located, making 2023 the deadliest year for heat-related deaths since tracking began in 2003.
Supercharged flooding kills thousands
The frequency of days with high temperatures surpassing 100 degrees is on the rise in numerous major US cities due to global temperature increases. Among these cities, Phoenix has experienced the most significant uptick, averaging 18 more days above 100 degrees per year compared to historical averages, resulting in approximately 111 such days annually.
Storm Daniel wreaked havoc in Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria in September, causing deadly flooding before heading towards Libya. Fueled by the warm Mediterranean waters, Daniel transformed into a "medicane" - a storm with hurricane-like traits. The storm unleashed devastating rainfall on Libya, with one city receiving 16 inches of rain in just 24 hours. The resulting flooding tragically claimed the lives of an estimated 4,000 people.
An aerial view shows Derna, Libya, on September 18, 2023, following deadly flash floods.
Mahmud Turkia/AFP/Getty Images
The city of Derna was hardest hit. The flooding there burst two dams and unleashed a massive wave of water which swept away much of the citys core.
The World Weather Attribution initiative, a group of scientists who examine the impact of climate change on extreme weather events, discovered that global pollution significantly increased the likelihood and severity of the deadly rainfall in Libya by up to 50 times.
In a warming world, catastrophic flooding can occur without the presence of a medicane or tropical system. As the atmosphere warms, it has the capacity to absorb more moisture, leading to more intense and widespread flooding events.
Multiple times in the US, there were instances of severe weather wreaking havoc. For example, California endured deadly atmospheric rivers in January and March, while Vermont's capital city of Montpelier was flooded in July, leading to tragic outcomes in upstate New York. In September, New York City experienced a deluge of rain, causing flooding of several feet in certain areas. This report includes contributions from CNN's Laura Paddison and Nadeen Ebrahim.
