Hello and welcome back to the wild weather blog! As I write this the date is May 19...crazy to believe we are less than two weeks from hurricane season and summer is nearly here! Here in Houston it is certainly starting to feel like summer. Last week we checked in on flooding in New Zealand and a wild Colorado spring. This week we’re talking about the devastating Cyclone Mocha and the wildfires across Canada.
Cyclone Mocha:
On May 14, powerful Cyclone Mocha made landfall in Myanmar with wind speeds over 130 mph. Mocha has absolutely devastated the region. It has destroyed villages, flooded homes, killed dozens, injured hundreds and cut off communication to western portions of Myanmar.
Myanmar is one of the least developed countries in Asia, which means the infrastructure was already poor before the storm hit. The United Nations has said several million folks will need assistance after this storm.
Writing about devastating tropical systems is always hard to do as a Houstonian. We are all too familiar with the dangers, and unfortunately we have been seeing stronger systems year after year. Before landfall, it underwent rapid intensification, a terrifying feature of several tropical systems in recent years, including Ian last year.
Canadian wildfires:
Our neighbors to the north have started out their wildfire season on a very active note. Over a million acres have been scorched, causing thousands to evacuate their homes. Sadly there have been several buildings destroyed. Below is what’s left of a cabin in northern Saskatchewan.
Dozens of wildfires are burning actively in Alberta and British Columbia and the smoke from these fires are billowing down into our northern states causing reduced air quality and hazy sunsets. Climate change has been heavily changing wildfire season. Warmer temperatures and prolonged drought periods have made the wildfire season last longer, and be more intense. Canada has seen record high temperatures, and that is not aiding firefighting efforts.
Something Good:
I saw this story this week and I had to share -- 72-year-old Sam Kaplan graduated this week from Georgia Gwinnett College! He is a father of five who had never considered college until he was 68 years old! He’s the first of his seven siblings to get an undergraduate degree, and his 99-year-old mother was in the audience. A great reminder it’s never too late to go after your dreams!
Stay safe always,
Caroline
