(NEW YORK) — The climate crisis is not a distant threat; it’s happening right now and it’s affecting what matters most to us. Hurricanes intensified by a warming planet and wildfires fueled by drought are destroying our communities. Rising seas and flooding are swallowing our homes. And record heat waves are shaping our way of life.

The good news is that we know how to turn the tide and avoid the worst possible outcomes. However, understanding what needs to be done can be confusing due to a constant stream of climate updates, scientific discoveries and critical decisions shaping our future.

That’s why the ABC News Climate and Weather Unit cuts through the noise by curating what you need to know to keep the people and places you care about safe. We’re dedicated to bringing clarity amid the chaos, giving you the facts and insights you need to navigate today’s — and tomorrow’s — climate realities.

October’s record heat was more likely due to climate change

It may be fall, but it feels a lot like summer in much of the country. This has some people wondering: Is climate change responsible for these record-high temperatures? With the science of climate attribution, we can now answer this question and determine when human-enhanced climate change is responsible for extreme weather events and the significance of that impact.

Using advanced computer models, the science of climate attribution takes a real-world weather event, such as a record high temperature day or a hurricane, and compares it to the world where human-caused post-industrial greenhouse gas emissions do not exist. By comparing what is actually happening with what would have happened without human intervention, science can estimate how likely or severe a weather event has become due to climate change.

Climate Central, a nonprofit climate research and communication organization, uses the science of climate attribution to provide real-time data that shows “how much climate change is influencing the temperature on a given day.” The information is displayed on an interactive global map called Climate change index.

For example, the Index showed that human-enhanced climate change made a record high of 98 degrees in Tucson, Arizona, at least three times more likely on Sunday. The same was true for Waco, Texas, which broke a heat record of 92 degrees, and Mobile, Alabama, which reached a record high of 90 degrees.

Extreme heat is the deadliest weather-related hazard in the US, with children and adults over 65 among the most vulnerable to heat-related illness and death. And the average number of heat waves that major U.S. cities experience each year has doubled since the 1980s, according to the federal government. Fifth National Climate Assessment.

– Matthew Glasser of the ABC News Climate Unit

How will crops fare with 45% of US experiencing drought

The U.S. is facing its driest drought on record, which could affect the quality of future fall crops, experts told ABC News.

About 77 percent of the continental U.S. is abnormally dry, and nearly half the country is experiencing drought, according to US Drought Monitor. The spatial pattern of dry conditions varies widely across the continent, Josue Medellin-Azuara, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of California Merced, told ABC News.

Drought is not expected to improve for much of the South, Plains and parts of the Upper Midwest due to expected La Nina conditions this winter, which would further strengthen the drought, according to forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

However, many of the crops in these fall-harvesting regions had good growing conditions throughout the summer and are in the process of being harvested, meaning overall production should not be greatly affected, Joseph Glauber, senior researcher at International Food. Policy Research Institute and former chief economist of the US Department of Agriculture, told ABC News.

Read more here.

EPA cancels toxic pesticides used in growing produce

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said it is recalling any product containing the pesticide dimethyl tetrachloroterephthalate (DCPA), also known as Dacthal.

According to the EPA, their decision is based on comprehensive scientific studies indicating potential thyroid toxicity related to DCPA. The agency says research suggests that exposure to this pesticide during pregnancy can lead to changes in thyroid hormone levels in unborn babies. Studies cited by the EPA indicate that these hormonal changes could be associated with various health problems, including low birth weight, impaired brain development, and low IQ. This research suggests that these developmental challenges can also have long-term effects on motor skills.

DCPA is used in the industrial farming of broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and onions. While pregnant women working in agriculture are most at risk, pesticides can travel into neighboring communities through air and runoff, putting non-agricultural workers at risk as well.

In a press release, EPA Assistant Administrator for the Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Michal Freedhoff wrote, “With the final repeal of DCPA, we are taking a definitive step to protect pregnant women and their unborn children. Science showing the potential for irreversible damage to the developing brains of unborn babies, in addition to other lifelong consequences of exposure, calls for decisive action to remove this dangerous chemical from the market,” added Freedhoff.

– Matthew Glasser of the ABC News Climate Unit

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