This year has seen some of the most destructive extreme weather events on record. Wildfires in Los Angeles were a big part of the equation, but several other events also left devastation in their wake. From winter storms in Louisiana to flash floods in Texas, here’s a look at the wreckage from some of nature’s most damaging events this year.
Wildfires sweep through Los Angeles
Wildfires swept through the Palisades and Altadena in Los Angeles in January, causing around $58 billion in damage.
Fires extinguished in the Palisades
The Palisades fires left 12 people dead after torching a vibrant coastal community.
Snow storms in New Orleans
Winter storms hit the South, including New Orleans, in January.
Tornadoes carve through Mississippi
In March, tornadoes ripped through Mississippi, leaving brutal scars that were spotted by the Landsat 8 satellite.
Destructive Kentucky floods
Violent rainfall in April hit several states, including Kentucky, leaving large areas underwater.
Tornado strike
Tornadoes also left a trail of devastation across Kentucky in May.
Everglades cracked and dry
In May, parts of Florida’s Everglades were left cracked and desolate as the state suffered its worst drought since 2012.
Before and after the river burst
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In July, devastating flash floods in Texas left at least 135 people dead. Maxar Technologies satellites captured the area before and after the Guadalupe River burst its banks.
Search and rescue operations
Monroe Canyon fire from space
This false-color image from NASA shows swathes of Monroe Canyon, Utah, burning in July.
Fires burn historic site
In September, lightning caused wildfires to burn through the historic Chinese Camp in California, a Gold Rush town established around 1850.
