Unnatural Disasters

Warmer temperatures due to climate change are intensifying nearly every type of natural disaster, posing new threats across the country.

From sweltering heat waves and torrential downpours to smoky skies and toxic water, this storymap will walk you through various types of disasters, their relation to climate change, and how they are impacting people and wildlife. 

2023 set a new record for the number of weather disasters that cost a billion dollars or more. By the end of August, 23 separate climate disasters had cost nearly $60 billion and killed 253 people. The summer also registered as the hottest on record, putting the planet on track for the warmest year as well.

Climate change is making hurricanes more dangerous for people and wildlife in a number of ways.

Hurricanes are becoming more powerful, with higher wind speeds fueled by warmer ocean temperatures. Stronger winds create higher storm surges and also cause more damage to homes and buildings. Hurricanes are generating more rain because warm air holds more water. Storms are moving more slowly and these slower, wetter hurricanes are causing more flooding. Hurricanes are affecting more places as larger areas of ocean waters are becoming warm enough for storms to form. Finally, hurricanes are intensifying more rapidly, often leaving coastal communities with little time to prepare. These changes are part of the reason hurricanes have become more deadly over the past three decades.

One of the most dramatic examples of climate-fueled natural disasters,  wildfires have grown  in frequency and intensity in recent years. Earlier spring snowmelt, extended droughts, and higher temperatures have lengthened the wildfire season and increased the risks. Wildfires have also increased due to changes on the landscape such as overgrown forests, diseased trees, and invasive grasses.

Fires often ignite and spread quickly, leaving people and wildlife little or no time to escape from harm’s way, as we witnessed in historic Lahaina, Hawai’i, in August 2023. Wildfire smoke can worsen air quality and public health thousands of miles away. Historic fires in Canada in 2023 sent massive amounts of smoke into the northern United States, briefly subjecting New York City to the worst air quality on the planet. Smoke contains toxins and soot that elevate the risk of respiratory distress in humans as well as  wildlife . Many species are even more sensitive to air pollution than humans.

The map to the right is showing an up-to-date account of United States wildfire incidents (in acres). The larger the fire symbol, the larger the fire. Clicking on any of the fire icons pulls up information on the fire name, acreage burned, percent contained, and when the fire was discovered.

This map is part of  Esri's Disaster Response Program  and it provides public information regarding current weather and wildfire incidents in the United States. Data is updated automatically.

Red blazes indicate past wildfires, yellow blazes indicate new wildfires within the past 24 hours, and brown blazes indicated prescribed fires.

Heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths. Across the United States, heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense, a trend that is expected to continue as climate change worsens. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the most common causes of death, but heat also contributes to heart attacks, strokes, and asthma attacks. Wildlife are also at risk from extreme heat and drought, and the ecosystems affected can take years, or even decades, to recover.

More than 40 million Americans already live in a high-risk flood zone – and climate change will increase the risks.

Warmer temperatures increase evaporation, which can lead to more intense rainstorms. As a result, flooding rivers and streams are projected to become “flashier” and more dangerous. Intense rain will also increasingly damage properties in urban areas due to backed up stormwater systems. Coastal flooding is projected to dramatically increase due to sea level rise.

In addition to climate change, a 2023 Supreme Court decision that removed federal protections for most wetlands will also increase flooding risk for communities, as wetlands that once absorbed floods will end up plowed under or paved over.

Phytoplankton, or algae, provide food for a wide range of species. However, scientists are recording a worldwide increase in the frequency and intensity of harmful algal blooms, which is when an overgrowth of algae has toxic or harmful effects on people or wildlife.

Each summer, hundreds of harmful algae outbreaks occur across the United States – and these outbreaks are becoming more common. Warmer temperatures and higher levels of carbon dioxide help fuel the algae’s growth as does runoff pollution, largely from industrial agriculture. Not all algae emit toxins, but even non-toxic blooms can harm wildlife, for example by clogging the gills of fish and shellfish.

Algal toxins can kill fish, shellfish and other wildlife and can create significant economic hardship for communities. People exposed to the toxins can experience a wide range of health problems. Here are a few of the places around the country that are affected by recurring harmful algal blooms:

Headlines that read “record-breaking heat” or “unprecedented flooding” have become the norm. Across the United States – and the world – unnatural disasters like these have become more frequent, intense, and longer-lasting because of climate change. These climate disasters are starting to shape our everyday lives – from communities losing power for days to insurance companies canceling homeowner’s coverage in flood and fire-prone regions. The toll these events have on people and wildlife is staggering, and the cost of our inaction means we’ll continue to experience more destruction and death.

To make significant changes that address our climate, energy, and biodiversity crises in the timeframe required, we need to use all the tools in our toolbox. Now, more than ever, we must rally behind “both/and” solutions – like the responsible expansion of  renewable energy  and  transmission ,  natural climate solutions ,  climate-smart agriculture , and carbon removal technologies like  direct air capture  and  carbon recycling  – to counter the effects of climate change and prevent further damage from severe weather events. When paired together, these efforts can maximize ecosystem and energy resiliency, and help facilitate effective climate adaptation for communities and wildlife.

Will this be the year that leaders in Washington start seeing climate change as the existential threat that it is? One step you can take today is to use your voice to  send a comment  urging Congress to invest in climate solutions and in clean energy technologies.