Tens of millions at risk as US states brace for extreme winds, rain and heat

Tens of millions of Americans are expected to be at risk of severe weather this weekend as many states brace for high winds and tornadoes.

According to the National Weather Service, a “very active and complex mid-May weather pattern” is set to bring about heavy rain, high winds and anomalous temperatures throughout the US this weekend and until at least next Tuesday.

Although triple-digit weather is common for the state during summers, this year’s early season heat is unusual, making Texas hotter than California’s Death Valley, the hottest place on Earth.

Leopards Ate My Face moment ?

The severe weather events across the US come amid a growing global climate crisis, largely due to human activity, including the burning of fossil fuels. Last year was confirmed as the hottest year on record as carbon emissions hit an all-time high.

Yet, despite the increasing frequency of such severe weather events, Donald Trump’s administration has issued a wave of rollbacks on environmental regulations. In addition to widespread dismissals across federal agencies, federal websites have been purged of information pertaining to climate change and extreme weather events since Trump took office in January.