Texas Tops 10 States Ravaged by Extreme Weather in 2011

Published: December 20th, 2011

No. 10 New Jersey

Tropical Storm Irene slammed into the Garden State flooding rivers, destroying roads and knocking out power for half a million people. Credit: Brendan McDermid/Reuters.

Hurricane Irene roared into New Jersey to become one of the state’s deadliest and costliest storms, as well as the state’s wettest storm in more than a century. Tropical downpours sent rivers and streams overflowing, with nine rivers rising to their highest level ever. The flooding closed 300 roads and highways and interrupted train service for days.

The bill for hurricane damage in New Jersey stands at $1.4 billion already, and at least seven people died during the storm. Then, two weeks later, a second round of drenching rain — the remains of Tropical Storm Lee — swept across the state, triggering even more flooding. All told, it was the wettest August and September New Jersey has seen in 117 years.

Just as the Garden State began to dry out, a freak autumn snowstorm hit over the Halloween weekend. The wet, heavy snow stuck to leaves that hadn’t fallen from the trees. The result: falling branches that blocked roads and downed power lines, leaving half a million people without electricity — some of them for days.

Correction: An earlier version of this story contained references to April flooding in Nashville, TN. This flooding occurred in 2010, not 2011. Also, the National Weather Service rated the Apison, TN tornado as an EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita Scale, not an EF-5 as previously indicated.

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Posted in Causes, Impacts, Projections, Climate, Extremes, Drought, Flooding, Heat, Hurricanes, Wildfires, Health, Weather, Extreme Weather, Society, States of Change, United States

Comments

By Peter Mizla
on December 20th, 2011

I live in Connecticut- and we have been hit by 3 weather events of such, that in most of the years I have lived here- where extraordinary. The scary thought is is; this is the ‘new norm’- and what will be the new extreme?

By John Russell (Devon, UK)
on December 21st, 2011

Scientists need to prioritise research on, and demonstrating links between, extreme weather events and global warming. This ‘missing link’, if it can be proved, is our best chance of convincing people that we have to start doing something about curbing GHG emissions.

Denial will not survive in the face of extreme weather that is affecting people’s lives more than they seem to believe green policies will.

By Michael Givel (Norman, Oklahoma, 73072)
on December 24th, 2011

On the other hand, according to a number of the Oklahoma political class, social elite, and the 1% (particularly as a rabidly pro-oil reality), there is no such thing as scientific claims of global climate change. This view is now just not an argument or a self-interested talking point designed to keep big oil safe from more regulations and taxes. It is a governmental policy that is detrimental to the greater good of Oklahoma. Who can forget, for example, the famous line earlier this year by Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin who told the state to “pray” in the middle of the severe heat and drought? Praying as we know and as was quickly forgotten by many did not do anything.

By Derek (Skiatook,OK,USA)
on February 4th, 2012

I am 29 years old and Oklahoma to me had the most extreme weather changes of 2011. There is only one year I can remember that could come close, but not worse than was 1990. I was in 7th grade and it was a hot 93degree day at school, but gusty sustained winds of 50 MPH. Later on that night severe storms hit our area in north central oklahoma and a tonado blew our whole town away and then to top it off we had 10 inches of snow with it being 17 degrees the next afternoon. Anyways 2011 was even more extreme to me because our town in january had one storm drop 25 inches of snow and reach -14 degrees than a week and half later we had 27 inches of snow and was -30 degrees which the state record for the day was -31. Then 3 weeks later it was 89 degrees and sunny. Tornado season wasnt the most extreme, but the summer had yet shown itself to us. With our highest temputure reaching 117 with some humidity. It was horrible than to have a 5.9 earthquake to top it all off just shows how extreme Oklahoma weather can be. So in saying we had the coldest recordings ever, most snow, largest hail 6”, fastest wind speed, lowest temp, largest earthquake and the worst drought since 1921 right before the worst drought ever known. It makes you wonder what can be happening and I have thought through everything and maybe we are recycling back to the dirty 30’s. We are very tough people here and would not trade it for the world. We will make it through anything. On the last note I can remember one summer night there were millions of locusts all over the roads and were flying and landing all over you. People were hitting running over them like candy in a parade. Something is changing and we will make it through.

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