Search results
In photos: 13 extreme weather events that shocked the world in 2021 - BBC Science Focus Magazine.
- February. February began with an ice storm across Texas and the Midwest, as well as freezing temperatures across the Northeast. The Midwest also saw several tornados throughout the month, which is unusual for February, per the Post.
- March. Cyclone Freddy made renewed headlines in March, after first "walloping" Madagascar and Mozambique at the end of February, the Post wrote. The storm then made landfall in Mozambique for a second time on March 11.
- April. A deadly storm system tore through the Midwest, South and mid-Atlantic from March 31 through April 1, bringing with it tornados that left at least 32 dead and many without power.
- May. As summer inched closer, so did summer weather phenomena. Wildfires raged in Alberta, Canada, reducing air quality all over the world. While wildfires are common in the spring, this was an "unusually active" start to the season, the NOAA tweeted.
Jan 11, 2022 · Eye on the Storm. The top 10 global weather and climate change events of 2021. The most extreme heat wave in modern history, a record four $20 billion-plus weather disasters, and the hottest month on record globally highlighted a remarkable year in weather and climate. by Jeff Masters January 11, 2022.
- Storms, southern Africa. In January, Storm Ana “wrought devastation across southern Africa”, said Climate Home News. More than 80 people were killed and thousands of people were “cut off” as roads and bridges were “washed away in Madagascar, Mozambique and Malawi”, said the BBC.
- Cyclone, Africa. Within weeks of Storm Ana, Cyclone Batsirai then “barrelled towards” Madagascar, said Reuters. The tropical storm also hit Mauritius, bringing life “to a standstill, with public transport cancelled, shops and banks shut, and air and sea travel halted”, said Africa News.
- Floods, Pakistan. It was estimated that more than 33 million people were impacted by the deadly floods that swept across Pakistan from June to September this year.
- Lightning strikes, India. India experienced “a big jump in extreme weather events” this year, said the World Economic Forum (WEF). Almost 50 people in Uttar Pradesh were killed by lightning strikes during the monsoon season.
Weather-related extreme weather events are shorter incidents like tornadoes, deep freezes or heat waves. Climate related extreme weather events last longer or are caused by a buildup of weather-related events over time. Examples include droughts caused by long dry spells or wildfires caused by an extended drought.
[1] [2] Extreme events are based on a location's recorded weather history. They are defined as lying in the most unusual ten percent (10th or 90th percentile of a probability density function). [2] . The main types of extreme weather include heat waves, cold waves and heavy precipitation or storm events, such as tropical cyclones.
Record-breaking heat waves on land and in the ocean, drenching rains, severe floods, years-long droughts, extreme wildfires, and widespread flooding during hurricanes are all becoming more frequent and more intense.
