Still the biggest story:
“Extreme heat bowled over Europe last week, smashing records in its wake. Now, the heatwave that started in the Sahara has rolled into Greenland — where more records are expected to crumble in the coming days…
“Greenland is home to the world’s second-largest ice sheet. And when it melts significantly — as it is expected to do this year — there are knock-on effects for sea levels and weather across the globe.
“2019 could come close to the record-setting year of 2012, said Jason Box, professor and ice climatologist at the Geological Survey of Denmark and Greenland. During that “melty year,” he said, Greenland’s ice sheet lost 450 million metric tons — the equivalent of more than 14,000 tons of ice lost per second.
“What happens in Greenland will be felt across the world.
“Box said that this year’s melt is flooding the North Atlantic with freshwater, which could affect the weather in northwestern Europe. The result could be stronger storms, he added, citing flooding in the UK in 2015 and 2016.
“”Whatever happens in Greenland radiates its impact down,” he said. One of the most remarkable things about the 2019 heatwave is not just the number of records it broke across Europe — but the margin by which it did so…”
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/31/europe/greenland-heatwave-climate-crisis-intl/index.html
“Norway’s glaciers are dispearing amid record heatwave, setting off climate alarm…
“Record high temperature that happened in Norway over the past few days led to big melting of glaciers…
“…some of them might disappear in several years, public broadcaster NRK reported Tuesday.”
http://www.ecns.cn/news/sci-tech/2019-07-31/detail-ifzmnmiq8702315.shtml
“As Scotland sweltered in record atmospheric temperatures last week marine scientists were investigating the rise of a lesser-known but equally life-threatening heatwave.
“Ocean heatwaves are a phenomenon which have, in recent years, led to the death of a mass of marine life in warmer climes. Now colder countries like Scotland are facing up to the impending threat of this.”
https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/17805642.rise-deadly-ocean-heatwaves-poses-new-threat-scotland/
“The worst floods in living memory have devastated parts of the UK after more than a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours. Bridges collapsed as roads turned to raging rivers while dozens of homes were flooded.
“Farm animals were stranded in water-deluged fields and a number of people had to be treated for minor injuries from flying debris.”
https://metro.co.uk/2019/07/31/biblical-floods-wash-away-bridge-ruin-homes-north-yorkshire-10492402/
“The UK’s 10 hottest years on record have all occurred since 2002, the Met Office has said. Its statistics stretching back to 1884 reveal a worrying trend, as the planet as a whole deals with the climate crisis.
“In a further indication of how the climate is heating up, the records show that none of the UK’s 10 coldest years have occurred since 1963.”
“With temperatures in the vicinity of 40°C, people [in Belgium] are not the only ones suffering from the heat:
“…some fruits and vegetables have also been scorched by the sun, and harvests could be affected. Apples have been hit particularly hard.”
“A heatwave in Europe is causing low water levels on the River Rhine — one of the continent’s most important shipping routes — which could weigh further on Germany’s vulnerable economy, experts have told CNBC.
“Last year, low water levels on the Rhine made parts of it unnavigable.
“This caused production to come to a halt in places, increased manufacturing costs and disrupted supply chains in the industrial heartland of Europe. There are signs a repeat performance could happen this summer…”
“Many cities and towns in New England have had more 90-degree days than Boston.
“For instance: Windsor Locks, in Connecticut, has had 18 such days this month, the most there in any month on record.
“Most climate sites are experiencing one of — if not the — warmest Julys on record.”
https://www.wbur.org/news/2019/07/30/boston-heat-july-forecast-recap
“The record temperatures [in the Potomac River] have not resulted in any advisories to stay away from the water.”
“Temperatures have been above average across Alaska every day since April 25. None of the nearly 300 weather stations scattered about Alaska have recorded a temperature below freezing since June 28, the longest such streak in at least 100 years.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/07/30/alaskas-summer-heat-has-been-basically-off-charts/
““Every year, the ocean is getting closer and higher. I think we’ve got a year – maybe two – before the water takes us too,” said Pineda, 24. “It won’t be long.”
“Golden beaches once helped transform this fishing community on the Gulf of Fonseca [Honduras] into a thriving tourist destination. Nowadays, however, there are barely a few metres of sand left, and rising water levels and tidal surges have wiped out roads, homes and businesses.”
“Temperatures soared to a scorching 97 degrees in Kahului on Monday, setting a record for the hottest temperature ever in the month of July and tying the all-time high for the Kahului Airport station.
“Monday’s temperature broke the previous record of 93 set on the same date in 2015.”
https://www.mauinews.com/news/local-news/2019/07/kahului-ties-all-time-high-temperature-97/
“Two hurricanes, one of them a Category 3, are moving toward the Hawaiian islands — one heading straight for the island chain and another tracking slightly south. Hurricane Erick, the larger of the storms, is not expected to make landfall but parts of Hawaii could see increased wind gusts and rain as Erick slides south of the Big Island on Thursday.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/30/us/hurricane-erick-tuesday/index.html
“Rising ocean temperatures have killed one-third of coral reefs near Guam, University of Guam researchers said Monday. Their study found that between 2013 and 2017, Guam experienced warm water that killed off 34 percent of coral.
“”Never in our history of looking at reefs, have we seen something this severe,” Laurie Raymundo, UOG marine lab director and marine biology professor, said…”
“Japan is experiencing its highest temperatures since records began, with the mercury hitting 41.1C earlier this month in Kumagaya, a city in Saitama prefecture about 40 miles north-west of Tokyo.
“This broke the previous record of 41C in Ekawasaki on the island of Shikoku on August 12 2013. Thousands of people in Japan have been rushed to hospitals…”
“While dengue is most common in tropical and sub-tropical climates such as Bangladesh, India and Brazil, fears are growing it could spread to parts of the world not typically affected by the fast-growing disease including the southern United States, inland Australia and coastal areas of China and Japan.
“A recent study found that rising global temperatures caused by the climate crisis could see the female aedes aegypti mosquito which carries dengue — along with other diseases such as chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika — migrate to those parts of the world.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2019/07/30/asia/bangladesh-dengue-outbreak-hnk-intl/
“Strong winds and heavy downpours hit Hong Kong as Tropical Cyclone Wipha approaches. Footage shows commuters walking in the streets of Kowloon City under torrential rain earlier today (July 31). Authorities have warned that that the heavy rain may bring dangerous flash floods. Schools and care centres have been closed as a precaution measure.”
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/hong-kong-braces-tropical-cyclone-060000730.html
“More than 570,000 people in central China’s Hunan Province have been affected by drought, resulting from heatwaves and a lack of rainfall while other areas have difficulty getting drinking water, local authorities said on Tuesday…
“42,600 people are in need of living assistance, among which 36,600 have difficulty accessing drinking water…”
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2019/07/drought-hits-570000-residents-in-central-china/
“With fires raging for days, immense clouds of smoke reached large population centers, including Russia’s third biggest city, Novosibirsk. Authorities declared emergencies in several regions.
“”The smoke is horrible,” pensioner Raisa Brovkina told state television after being hospitalized in Novosibirsk.
“”I am choking and dizzy,” she added.”
https://www.dw.com/en/russia-declares-emergency-over-huge-wildfires-in-siberia/a-49817454
“Evidence linking extreme heat and aggression confirms the general understanding expressed in our colloquial language of “hot headed,” “so hot my blood boils.”
“One standard deviation of temperature increase leads to a 4% increase in interpersonal violence and 14% increase in group violence. This has significant implications for domestic violence and impacts on women and children.”
https://www.psychiatrictimes.com/climate-change/impacts-extreme-heat-mental-health
Read the previous ‘Climate’ update here and visit my Patreon page here.
