By: Bowen Wang
Many natural disasters, like waterspouts and tornados, are happening in the south and have been followed by high temperatures. Cities in the U.S. spanning from Houston to Orlando are experiencing extreme high temperatures. Tornadoes sweeping across the Midwest have been causing deaths, injuries, and many power outages. Additionally, a waterspout approached the shore in Florida, causing many people to flee the beach.
The tornado that swept across Perryton, a city in West Texas, is only one of the few effects of this giant heat wave that is passing through the Midwest. Power outages were common in Perryton — more than 1,000 people experienced a power outage. Additionally, at least 3 people died in the tornado and around 160 were injured. The Perryton Ochiltree Chamber of Commerce said it would open a new cooling center in the center of town which can contain about 8,000 people. They did that to try to help aid in the aftereffects of the tornado.
In Florida, city officials in Clearwater said that an enormous waterspout came ashore Friday afternoon, sending many different objects into the air and injuring two people. Many authorities said they were treated for minor injuries at a local hospital.
Waterspouts are like tornadoes on water and are shaped like a funnel. They develop during extreme weather like thunderstorms or tornadoes and dissipate rapidly when they reach land according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. When they reach land, some can cause severe damage and injuries.
Waterspouts can also cause extreme heat, so the National Weather Service in Miami issued a heat advisory through 7 p.m. Saturday for most of the South Florida region, where the immense combination of heat and humidity felt like105 F (40.5 C). “Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur,” the service reported. In some regions the temperature was expected to reach about 92 degrees (33 Celsius) on Saturday.
These two natural disasters have caused extreme heat and have affected the south in many ways.