The 2024 Doomsday Hintercast

In 2024, the United States faced significant challenges tied to destructive weather events, public health crises, and safety concerns.

Wildfires ravaged the Texas Panhandle and parts of Wisconsin. In the Texas wildfires, especially around Smokehouse Creek, approximately 1.1 million acres were scorched, 7,000 cattle were lost, and at least 54 lives were claimed. Hundreds of structures were destroyed, including homes, barns, and businesses.  - Severe storms, flooding, hail, and tornadoes impacted the Midwest and South. Ohio and surrounding states were hit particularly hard, with 1,286 tornadoes recorded across the U.S., a decrease of 12% from last year’s 1,462. Notably, an EF5 tornado in Tennessee caused $1.4 billion in damages, claiming 15 lives. The shifting of Tornado Alley 200 miles eastwards left regions like the Great Lakes and the Midwest with more intense activity, contributing to even more damage.  - Drought conditions worsened, affecting large portions of the country, including the Northwest, the Mississippi Valley, the northern Great Lakes, and parts of the Plains. By June, 21% of the contiguous U.S. was in drought, up from 18% in April. This intensified throughout the summer, severely impacting crops, particularly in Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. The drought, coupled with extreme heat, led to 670 heat-related fatalities. Phoenix endured 18 consecutive days above 115°F, while Boston reached a record high of 108°F, surpassing previous decades of data. Agricultural losses from heat and drought alone were estimated at $8.5 billion, mainly affecting corn, soybeans, and wheat.  - Respiratory illnesses rose sharply, with wildfires contributing to a 12% increase in emergency hospital admissions. Mosquito-borne diseases surged, with 14,500 cases of West Nile virus and 2,900 cases of dengue fever reported. The warmer conditions, particularly favorable for mosquitoes like the Asian tiger mosquito, contributed to the spread of these diseases. Lyme disease cases spiked, with over 500,000 reported nationwide in 2024, driven by increased tick activity from warmer conditions. The Northeast and Upper Midwest saw the highest rates, contributing to a 15% increase in Lyme disease infections from the previous year.  - Measles outbreaks surged in 2024, with 127 separate cases affecting over 8,000 individuals, particularly in states with declining vaccination rates. Nationally, the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination rate for kindergarteners decreased to 92.7% in the 2023–2024 school year, down from 95% in the previous year.  - Homelessness reached unprecedented levels in 2024, with a nationwide increase of 18% compared to the previous year, totaling approximately 771,000 individuals experiencing homelessness. Contributing factors included escalating housing costs, economic instability, inflation, and the impacts of natural disasters that displaced thousands. Median rents rose by 9%, and emergency shelters were overwhelmed, particularly in states hit hardest by storms, wildfires, and drought. African Americans continued to be disproportionately affected, comprising 32% of the homeless population while representing just 12% of the general population. - Mass shootings remained a serious concern, with 491 incidents recorded, resulting in 661 fatalities and 1,832 injuries—showing a slight increase over the previous year.  - Suicides remained a growing concern, with a nearly 5% increase, totaling approximately 47,000 deaths. Calls to suicide prevention hotlines jumped by 32%, highlighting the ongoing mental health crisis. - Economic losses from the year’s disasters reached $142 billion, up approximately 15.4% from last year, but down $23 billion from 2022. This included agricultural losses, infrastructure damage from flooding, wildfires, and tornadoes.

The Doomsday Hintercast is a section that originally appeared in our original newsletter - The Liminal.