This makes me wonder about the impacts of a sea change in money flowing in. It's not just that retail (investors) are more active, it's that that group is also higher impact in total volume - as a trend.

This would imply that continued rise/fall in the market over longer term (the investing climate) as well as the shorter term impacts (the weather) is headed for more severe events.

Precipitated by:

MOMO
FOMO
Investing/gambling much closer to immediate funds needs
investing share of wallet rising beyond traditional savings levels (i.e. 10% beyond a rainy day fund)

Examples in my circle:

People are starting Roth IRAs for their minor children who "work in the family". 1099 included, but, perhaps not any actual time behind the weather news desk.
Children and younger acquaintances are not only poly market, but also robin hood, coin base and real actual brokerage accounts in schwab, etc.
Like many of you fellow weather forecasters, I'm getting more and more requests for hot takes on the adjacent storm on the horizon - as I have seen a tornado before in person and not just on an instagram story.

Speaking of weather, the global derivatives market is seeing a continued surge in trading on the CME.cmegroup.com - Weather Derivatives Grow as Risks Intensify

Beyond that, wall street bets and r/investing have traffic and activity that confounds mature logic. The point is not good advice, good results, but that the trend and share of attention at younger levels is as high as any time - ever.

Options are the primary currency as these are the path to best performance (alpha and risk? :D)

10-50% of portfolio is in short 0-DTE and other short term options.

As the heat island increases in intensity due to inheritance, share of wallet, broadening participation, the impacts and affected areas will increase.

This may bring much needed rain (or, perhaps extending drought) to your area.