2012 Extreme Weather

Record
Heat Days

FEMA News Photo

Days of Record Rainfall

FEMA/Aaron Skolnik

Days of Record Snowfall

Latest Extreme Weather News:

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HELP US LIMIT CARBON POLLUTION

We know where the carbon is. Let's go get it.

Brace yourself for more weird and wild weather, because 2012 may well outdo 2011 when it comes to shattering extreme weather records. This spring's prolonged heat wave gave us the hottest March since record-keeping began back in 1895 -- an astounding 671 records were broken, according to the National Weather Service. And April 2012 marked the end of the warmest 12-month stretch ever in the US. Scientists tell us that our warming climate is causing more of these extreme weather events, and warn that if we don't seek solutions to climate change, it could get much, much worse.

This endless cycle of wildfires, droughts, rainstorms and floods leaves a trail of death, injury and destruction that hurts communities, damages our health and undermines our economy. Extreme weather events cost us billions in property damages each year. And when you factor in health-related costs, the total tally increases by billions more. As temperatures continue to climb, these figures could rise, too.

2011's severe weather events struck communities all over the US, breaking 3,251 monthly weather records. If carbon pollution continues at current levels, we could be facing hot days that occur ten times more often than they do now in most regions of the world; heavier rainfall leading to dangerous flooding; and wind storms of increased intensity. And when the weather goes wild, people can get hurt.

We can take two steps right now to protect our families and future generations:

• 1. Cut the carbon pollution that fuels climate change.
  Click here to support the EPA's groundbreaking efforts to limit carbon pollution from power plants.
• 2. Expand federal, state, and local emergency plans to include risks from climate change.
  We can help protect people from increasingly severe and frequent extreme weather incidents across the country by developing comprehensive extreme heat warning systems and revising flood risk maps to reflect the most up-to-date projections from climate scientists. Find out how prepared your state is for water-related climate change impacts now.