Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell on Sunday said extreme weather events like the storms and tornadoes that swept through a number of states this weekend “is going to be our new normal,” pointing to the effects of climate change. Asked how unusual it is to see such a powerful storm this late in the year, Criswell told Tapper “I think it’s incredibly unusual,” pointing to the magnitude and timing of the cyclone. “We do see tornadoes in December, that part is not unusual, but at this magnitude I don't think we've ever seen one this late in the year. Even this, the severity and the amount of time this tornado, or these tornadoes, spent on the ground is unprecedented,” Criswell said. The FEMA administrator said her agency is working with communities in making efforts to “help reduce the impacts that we're seeing from these severe weather events and help to develop system-wide projects that can help protect communities."

Source: Los Angeles Times December 12, 2021 18:07 UTC