Extreme Weather (for Families & Communities)

Hurricanes, tropical storms, flooding, heat waves and wildfires are all extreme weather-related events and disasters that require special considerations when caring for infants, children, adolescents and pregnant women. Extreme weather events are a health risk for children and pregnant women’s safety, physical and emotional health.

The Good News: Families and communities can help prevent or decrease exposure to contaminants caused by and/or the health effects of extreme heat waves and other weather-related events and disasters.

27

The number of weather-related disasters in 2024 across the United States, resulting in 568 deaths and impacting approximately 3 million US residents.

11

The number of hurricanes that occurred in 2024 in the U.S.

70

The number of days the temperature was 110 degrees or higher in Phoenix, Arizona in 2024.

References

  • NOAA: 2024 in Summary. Available here.
  • NOAA: Atlantic hurricane season races to finish within range of predicted number of named storms. Available here.
  • AXIOS: 2024 Hottest Year. Available here.

In Your Environment

What to Look For

Actions To Take

PEHSU Extreme Weather Videos

PEHSU Extreme Weather Fact Sheets

Editorial Review Acknowledgements: Marissa Hauptman, MD, MPH, FAAP; James Earl Schier Nolan, MPH; Perry Sheffield, MD, MPH, FAAP; Shalini Shah, DO, FAAP

Contact Your Region – find your regional PEHSU experts to contact them for more information about the health effects of extreme weather.