New Orleans had the 3rd driest year on record in 2023
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New Orleans was parched in 2023, with the National Weather Service saying the city had the third driest year in nearly eight decades.
Why it matters: The extreme drought created a multitude of problems like saltwater intrusion, wildfires, excessive cockroaches and dying trees.
Driving the news: New Orleans had 39.85 inches of rain in 2023, nearly 2 feet below normal rainfall, according to the National Weather Service in Slidell.
- 2023 was in the running to be the driest year on record, but NWS meteorologist Danielle Manning said rain during the last two weeks changed things.
- 2000 retains the title of the driest year on record in New Orleans with 38.88 inches of rain, and 1962 comes in second with 39 inches. Records go back to 1946 at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.
Yes, but: 99% of Louisiana remains in a drought, according to the weekly U.S. Drought Monitor. A year ago, it was less than 30%.
Meanwhile, Louisiana had its hottest summer on record, and several cities, including New Orleans, broke their daily heat records.
- 69 people died over the summer in Louisiana from heat-related causes, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
The backdrop: Climate change is causing heat waves to be more intense, longer-lasting and more frequent. Studies in recent years have shown that some extreme heat events were virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.
What's next: There's rain in the forecast this week, with the National Weather Service saying 2 to 4 inches are possible through the weekend.
- January also has an above average chance of being wetter than usual, according to NOAA.
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