2024 was a record-breaking year in weather. The big changes all start with global temperature: 2024 was the hottest year on record.
2024 was about 2.7 degrees above average. This may not sound a lot, but every degree of warming correlates to more natural disasters. They also get stronger. The United States saw 24 natural disasters that caused at least a billion dollars of damage in 2024.
Those disasters took a massive toll — 418 deaths around the country and an estimated $61 billion in economic damage. But that total does not include hurricanes Helene and Milton, so that number may easily be $100 billion larger.
Here in San Diego, the year became record-breaking with the January floods. On the morning of Jan. 22, 2.78″ of rain drenched San Diego and damaged more than a thousand homes and businesses. Many of which are still recovering.
According to statistics from the National Weather Service, this makes Jan. 22, 2024 …