What Causes the Most Weather-Related Deaths in New York State?
It's a bit of morbid thought, but have you ever wondered what is the top cause of weather-related fatalities here in New York state? It actually varies from some parts of the state to the next, but the information compiled in a recent study may surprise you. New York isn't just known for just blizzards. But what sort of weather could actually kill you living in New York state?
How is the Weather Killing People?
According to NOAA, the leading cause of weather-related deaths in the entire United States each year is extreme heat, followed by flash floods, and then tornadoes. So, how does this look for New York state? According to the map, in parts of the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island, the leading cause of death is also extreme heat. This makes sense if you think about it, for a lot of structures in the region are very old, and not all buildings or homes have any sort of air-conditioning. For most of New York state, the leading cause of death-by-weather is actually flash floods.
For the most northern and western parts of New York, it is the wind. Considering the extreme cold these parts of the state endure during the winter, the wind chill could easily lead to death for those who are exposed. Some other parts of the country may not necessarily see a lot of weather-related deaths, so other phenomena like rip current, rough surf, or lightning are the top causes.
The data was collected over a 20-year period (1999-2018) from NOAA's Storm Events Database. Ian Livingston, a meteorologist and co-founder of UStornadoes.com, compiled this map of the country's worst weather.