America’s Nearing A Record Number Of Weather Disasters

New data out Friday from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that there have been nine extreme weather events — each racking up more than $1 billion in losses — during the first half of 2017. An average year between 1980 and 2016 had just 5.5 major events, after adjusting for inflation. That means we’ve already racked up more than a year’s worth of weather disasters in 2017 — the second-fastest pace in history.

Weather-wise, pretty much the whole country is a hot mess right now. In 20 states, regions experienced their warmest first half of the year on record; as of now, only Washington and Oregon are on pace for relatively normal years. There’s a smoldering drought burning up North Dakota wheat fields, rainfall in parts of Michigan and the South is 300 percent of normal over the past 30 days, and a 131-year-old heat record could fall in Los Angeles this weekend. Oh yeah, there’s also a 25,000 acre wildfire burning just outside Tucson, Arizona.

And with hurricane season running about seven weeks ahead of schedule, it’s possible the worst weather of 2017 is yet to come.