There are flooding rains in Hawaii, rare snow in Alabama and a severe heatwave in the west coast
The US is experiencing a striking mix of weather extremes this March. Flooding rains in Hawaii, rare snow in Alabama, flip-flopping temperatures in the north-east and, perhaps most concerning, a severe heatwave affecting the west coast are raising questions about how strange these patterns really are, and what role the climate crisis is playing.
Experts suggested that people around the US need to pay closer attention to the climatecrisis and do what they can to “minimize the impacts”.
Of course, in some ways, the current patchwork of weather activity reflects a familiar seasonal transition: March has long been known for its unpredictability, particularly in regions like the north-east.
“The weather has behaved a lot like I expect it to,” said Jon Nese, associate head of the department of meteorology and atmospheric science at Penn State. “In March, we have some warm days, and then it turns sharply colder and snows. It’s the kind of rollercoaster that we’re used to.”
