Weather of 2022

The following is a list of weather events that occurred on Earth in the year 2022. The year began with a La Niña. There were several natural disasters around the world from various types of weather, including blizzards, cold waves, droughts, heat waves, wildfires, floods, tornadoes, and tropical cyclones. The deadliest weather event of the year were the European heat waves, which killed over 26,000 people, 11,000 of which were in France. The costliest weather event of the year was Hurricane Ian, which caused at least $112 billion in damages in Florida and Cuba. Another significant weather event was the Pakistan floods, which killed 1,739 people and a total of $14.9 billion in damages.

Deadliest events

Types

Cold snaps and winter storms

On January 8, a snowstorm in Pakistan caused 23 deaths. Three significant winter storms affected North America two at the beginning of the year, one in the middle of January that killed five and one in early February that killed eight, and the other at the end of year in December of 2022 that killed at least 50. Southern Ontario saw the second snowiest day during the January storm, with schools and airports shutting down. The storm also spawned a brief EF2 tornado, causing several injuries and significant damage in Iona, Florida. 2 feet (0.61 m) of snow fell near Colorado Springs, Colorado during the February winter storm, which also produced several tornadoes, one of which caused a death. As the storm passed, the temperature dropped dramatically in places such as New York City. Less significant events also occurred throughout the winter. On January 3–4, a winter storm caused five deaths, and a 24 hour-long-traffic jam on Interstate 95 in Virginia. On January 22, Canaan, West Virginia set a new all-time record low. The cold wave behind it results in five deaths. On January 21, a winter storm killed one person in North Carolina when an ambulance slid off the road. A late January blizzard dumps massive snowfall, especially over Boston, and results in four deaths on Long Island. In late February, a winter storm kills two people: one each in Tennessee and Kentucky. On March 28, during a record breaking cold snap, a snow squall on Interstate 81 in Pennsylvania causes six deaths. Another blizzard occurred in mid April, causing one death in North Dakota.

Heat waves and droughts

Temperatures reached record-breaking highs when they were reported at 50.7 °C (123.3 °F) in Onslow, Western Australia, 114 °F (46 °C) in Phoenix, Arizona, 116 °F (47 °C) in Sacramento. China experienced the worst heat wave in world history during the summer of 2022. Heat waves in India and Pakistan in the spring caused 90 deaths. North America also had significant heat waves, which caused 19 deaths in July alone. Both July and August saw the warmest daily minimums on record in the United States. The heat wave in California in September nearly broke the power grid. In Japan, June saw record-breaking temperatures, with the 40 °C (104 °F) threshold beating the previous record set in 2011. Heat waves in Europe cause 11,000 deaths in France alone. In Antarctica, rain fell on part of the continent, and one province set a monthly record high of 5.6 °C (42.1 °F). Summer in the United States featured a long-lasting heat wave, which led to 117 deaths and $9.3 billion in damage. October 2022 was the hottest on record for Washington State.

Tornadoes

During 2022, 28 tornadoes were rated F3/EF3 or higher, with four of those receiving a rating of EF4; twenty EF3 tornadoes and four EF4 tornadoes occurred in the United States, two EF3 tornadoes occurred in China, one F3 occurred in Ukraine and one F3/EF3/T6 occurred in France and Belgium. The strongest tornado of 2022 impacted Pembroke and Black Creek in Georgia at EF4 intensity, with winds estimated at 185 miles per hour (298 km/h). Worldwide, 33 tornado-related deaths have been confirmed: 24 in the United States, three in China, two each in Poland and Russia, and one each in the Netherlands and Ukraine.

The first tornadic fatality of the year occurred on February 3, when an EF2 tornado struck Sawyerville, Alabama, killing one person. A tornado outbreak occurred in Poland with at least 11 tornadoes on February 17, resulting in 2 fatalities and 5 injuries. 6 of the 11 tornadoes have been rated F2. March saw a record number of tornadoes and 3 major outbreaks: 5-7, 21-23, and 29-31. The first tornado outbreak, despite being the smallest, is the deadliest tornado outbreak of 2022, causing 7 deaths of which six were in a low-end EF4 tornado that also caused 5 injuries and $220 million. The next tornado outbreak caused 3 deaths, plus 3 due to flash flooding in Alabama and one indirect death due to the 2022 New Orleans tornado. This EF3 tornado causes direct and indirect death, at least two injuries, and $32.5 million in damage, as well as 16,000 power outages. The final tornado outbreak is the largest, causing 90 tornadoes. It also causes 3 fatalities. An EF3 tornado in Florida early on March 31 caused two fatalities. Total damage from the storm reached $1.3 billion. In April, tornadic activity died down a bit, but still featured a tornado outbreak of 87 tornadoes early in the month. That outbreak caused a tornadic death due to an EF4 tornado in Georgia. A storm complex in mid-April also results in a large tornado outbreak, but without fatalities. An EF3 tornado in Texas caused 23 injuries and $100,000 in damage. On April 29, an EF3 tornado near Andover, Kansas caused $41.5 million. Tornadic activity slowed significantly after April. However, a significant tornado outbreak did occur across the US and Canada in mid to late May. This included an EF3 tornado in Gaylord, Michigan that caused 2 deaths, 44 injuries and $50.175 million in damage. The storm also helps fuel the May 2022 Canadian derecho that causes 11 deaths. A day before, a European tornado outbreak spawns 9 tornadoes that result in 46 injuries. After that, the next significant outbreak isn't for two months, until July 20. A tornado outbreak in China caused 3 deaths and 26 injuries.

Tropical and subtropical cyclones

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