The United States gets hit by some of the most powerful storms on Earth! In 2024, Hurricane Milton became one of the strongest storms ever recorded, with winds spinning at 180 mph - that's faster than a race car!
Florida, Louisiana, and Texas get pounded by hurricanes almost every year. These monster storms bring flooding rain, winds that can flip cars, and waves taller than houses! In 2023, over 28 major weather disasters caused more than $92 billion in damage across America.
When Hurricane Ian hit Florida in 2022, it knocked out power for 2.6 million people and some areas looked like a giant had stepped on them!
The National Hurricane Center uses super-powered satellites and airplanes that fly RIGHT INTO hurricanes to track where they're going! They give people days of warning to evacuate safely.
Cities like Miami are building special "flood barriers" and raising roads higher. The government helps families rebuild stronger homes that can better survive future storms using special materials and designs.
Parts of America are getting dangerously hot! In summer 2023, Phoenix, Arizona had 31 days in a row over 110°F (43°C) - that's hot enough to cook cookies on your car dashboard!
Something called a "heat dome" traps hot air over cities like putting a lid on a boiling pot. Las Vegas reached 120°F (49°C), and even places that are usually cooler, like Portland, Oregon, hit 116°F (47°C)!
When it gets this blazing hot, roads can actually melt, airplanes can't take off safely, and people have to go to hospitals because their bodies can't cool down.
Cities are painting rooftops white to reflect heat away (like wearing a white shirt in summer!). They're creating "cooling centers" in libraries and community centers where people can go for free air conditioning.
Phoenix is even trying special pavement that doesn't get as hot. Weather services now send emergency alerts to phones when dangerous heat waves are coming so families can stay safe indoors.
American wildfires are becoming absolute monsters! In 2023, over 56,000 wildfires burned an area bigger than the entire state of West Virginia!
California's biggest fire ever was so large it created its own weather - including fire tornadoes that spun like deadly whirlwinds! The smoke from these fires travels thousands of miles, making the air unhealthy to breathe even in cities far away like New York.
Some fires burn so hot (over 2,000°F!) that they completely destroy everything in their path, including entire neighborhoods and forests that took 100 years to grow
Firefighters now use special drones and satellites to spot fires before they get big. They're doing "controlled burns" - carefully setting small fires on purpose to clear out dead plants so big fires can't spread as fast. Many states have apps that warn people on their phones when fires are nearby. Communities are creating "defensible space" around homes by clearing away flammable plants.
The mighty Colorado River, which provides water to 40 million Americans, is shrinking fast! Lake Mead, one of America's biggest lakes, is now at its lowest level since it was first filled in the 1930s.
In some places, the water level dropped so much that old boats and even cars from decades ago appeared on the lake bottom! Farmers in California, Arizona, and Nevada can't get enough water to grow food, and some cities have to limit how much water people can use.
The famous Hoover Dam produces less electricity now because there isn't enough water flowing through it!
Engineers are building massive desalination plants that turn ocean water into drinking water - like giant water purifiers! Cities like Las Vegas recycle almost all their water, cleaning it so well it can be used again and again.
Farmers are switching to crops that need less water and using drip irrigation that puts water right where plants need it without wasting a drop.
SUNx Malta is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to Climate Friendly Travel (Paris 1.5, SDGs, and Nature Positive tourism). Dodo4Kids is one of our educational initiatives, inspiring young travelers to explore the world responsibly through stories, activities, and gamified learning.
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