Most extreme weather events in 2021
Climate change and extreme weather, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), have contributed to an increase in natural catastrophes since 1970 and more than 91% of the fatalities caused by these catastrophes occurred in underdeveloped nations
In the last 50 years, severe weather events have killed millions of people due to an increase in the intensity and frequency caused by climate change.
Climate change and extreme weather, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), have contributed to an increase in natural catastrophes since 1970 and more than 91% of the fatalities caused by these catastrophes occurred in underdeveloped nations.
Here are a few of the year's most extreme weather occurrences.
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- Record-breaking snowfall, Madrid
In the first weeks of 2021, Storm Filomena brought record-breaking levels of snow for Madrid and elderly Spanish citizens were warned to stay at home as temperatures plummeted. The heaviest snow in 50 years brought transport in and out of the city to a "standstill". The snowstorm caused around €1.4bn (£1.2bn) of damage.
On 10 January, 2021 (Saturday), the Spanish national weather agency reported that as of 7 a.m, the snowfall in Madrid reached more than 50 centimeters (20 inches) in the Spanish capital, which was due to 36 hours of nonstop snowfall.
Officially the coldest month of the year in Madrid is January, with an average temperature of around 6°C, with a high of 10°C on a good day, and a low of 1°C. The surrounding mountains are likely to see significant snowfall during this time of year, however the city itself is unlikely to see any snow.
Snowfalls are rare in Madrid, happen occasionally and only a few days in a year.
- Record temperatures, Moscow
As temperatures reached 34.8℃ in Moscow, "the absolute record for any day in June was hit," The Moscow Times reported. The "abnormal temperatures" of the "record-breaking heatwave" weren't just recorded in the capital; Penza, Vologda and Petrozavodsk also broke heat records during the month.
In Moscow, the average high-temperature slightly increases, from an enjoyable 18.6°C in May, to an agreeable 22°C. In June, the average low-temperature is 12.1°C.
The weather service, which has kept records since 1881, is forecasting temperatures above 35C on Thursday and Friday. Monday was the hottest June since 1901.
- Wildfires, Greece
Huge wildfires "ravaged" large regions of southern Europe in August, claiming lives in Greece, Turkey and Italy, The Guardian reported. The blaze came as a heatwave swept the region, and Greece's second largest island - Evia - was evacuated. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologised for the blazes, and said that more than 580 fires have broken out in the past seven days. More than 20 countries offered to send firefighting resources, and the "camaraderie" that's developed between Greek and British firefighters "is testament to the scale of the job before them".
2021 Greek wildfires were the worst fires since 2007 with over 125,000 hectares burnt mostly in northern Evia, the Elis region of Peloponnese and around Tatoi near Athens.
Earlier, the 2007 Greek forest fires were by far the worst fires in recent Greek history. Over 270,000 hectares were burnt mostly in the Peloponnese region (especially in Elis region) and southern Evia as well as Mount Parnitha near Athens.
- Winter storms, Texas
The Week US reported that 3.5 million businesses and homes were left without power in February as temperatures dropped to -13℃ in some areas of Texas. Power went out across the state, leaving many vulnerable people in extremely cold conditions. The total death toll rose from 151 to 210 in July, after a decision was made to include deaths caused by the collapse of the state electric power grid in the final count.
Last time Texas saw such a winter storm of such magnitude was in 1957, when temperature dropped to 11 below zero. This devastating winter dropped around 20 inches of snow.
- Flooding, China
More than 300 people died when China's Henan province experienced severe rainfall and flooding in July.
Moreover, 50 more were missing, 815,000 people were evacuated, 1.1 million were relocated, and 9.3 million people were affected. The floods were made more likely by increases in extreme weather caused by climate change in China.
Record-breaking maximum rainfall of 201.9 millimetres (7.95 inches) in an hour was observed in Zhengzhou, the provincial capital. It is estimated that the flood caused total damage of US$12.7 billion.
While the country typically experiences flooding in the summer months, this year's occurrence was "exacerbated by rapid urbanisation, conversion of farmland and the worsening climate crisis, as well as overwhelmed flood mitigation systems".
