“5000-year-old penguin graveyard [in the Antarctic] revealed by retreating ice:
“Global warming has increased the annual temperature in the Ross Sea by 1.5 to 2C since the 1980s, and satellite imagery over the past decade has shown the cape gradually emerging from under the snow.”
“”Zombie fires” and burning of fire-resistant vegetation are new features driving Arctic fires — with strong consequences for the global climate — warn international fire scientists in a commentary published in Nature Geoscience.
“The 2020 Arctic wildfire season began two months early and was unprecedented in scope.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/09/200928155746.htm
“Wild Weather: From record rainfall to potentially record-breaking heat [Vancouver Island].
““What we’re talking about here are some extremes, not just daily, not just weekly, but also on a monthly scale as well as things that are going to keep happening as we see climate change affecting our precipitation patterns,” explains meteorologist Armel Castellan…”
https://www.cheknews.ca/wild-weather-from-record-rain-to-potentially-record-breaking-heat-705174/
“A supremely wavy, loopy jet stream pattern is responsible for the hot, dry weather that’s returned to the western half of North America, and for the shock of cold headed for the middle and eastern parts of the U.S…
“In his more than 30 years of weather forecasting, meteorologist Guy Walton has never seen such an extreme pattern set up at this time of year.“
“Tens of thousands of Californians fled their homes in the Napa and Sonoma wine regions in the face of wildfires, emergency officials said, as a new blaze in the north of the state killed three people.
“Under an orange sky and a sweltering heatwave, some of Napa Valley’s best-known vineyards were consumed by an out-of-control blaze that raced through more than 35,000 acres (14,000 hectares), according to state fire agency Cal Fire.”
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/wildfires-rip-california-wine-country-225230979.html
“Several crops in the US are suffering from the effects of severe weather over the last month or so. One of the affected sectors is the Maine blueberry industry, currently reeling from drought and frost.
“Also dealing with the heatwave are avocado farmers. An early September heatwave appears likely to reduce the size of next year’s California avocado crop.”
https://www.freshplaza.com/article/9254036/key-us-crops-affected-by-extreme-weather/
“Another year without monsoons [in SW USA]?
“The Southwest monsoon season has been pretty much a bust. Record heat settled over northern Arizona this summer and lack of moisture contributed to an expanding drought in the region.”
https://www.williamsnews.com/news/2020/sep/29/another-year-without-monsoons/
“Rising sea levels have begun to decimate coastal forests, leaving white, dead stumps in their wake as salt water damages ecosystems that previously relied on freshwater ecosystems. Scientists call them “ghost forests.” And they’re growing at an alarming pace, say researchers at North Carolina State University.
“A study released this week of the state’s Albemarle-Pamlico Peninsula found these ghost forests had spread across 15% of the land between 2001 and 2014, the years the study tracked.”
https://fortune.com/2020/09/29/what-are-ghost-forests-sea-water-coastal-forests/
“Brazil vets work to heal jaguars burned in Pantanal wildfire:
“this year the world’s largest tropical wetlands are fully parched, and have experienced the greatest number of fires since records began being kept in 1998. Pantanal vegetation regenerates quickly once rains fall, but many animals have perished. Others were forced from their habitat or injured, leaving veterinarians scrambling to provide care.”
“Prices of coffee… may get a boost from La Nina as the weather phenomenon threatens Brazil’s next crop.
“After a bumper 2020 harvest, La Nina is escalating the risk of a decline in output next year as most coffee crops, already dry from months of below-average rain, endure scorching temperatures.”
https://fortune.com/2020/09/29/la-nina-2020-effects-heat-wave-coffee-crops-prices/
“Butterfly numbers lowest on record as experts warn of ‘perilous’ state of UK wildlife:
“Earlier this month, a report by conservation group WWF said global wildlife populations had collapsed by 68% since 1970 – while the UN called for action to stop the destruction of the natural world.”
“As the world’s climate changes, plants and animals have adapted by expanding into new territory and even shifting their breeding seasons.
“Now, research suggests that over the past 75 years, flowers have also adapted to rising temperatures and declining ozone by altering ultraviolet (UV) pigments in their petals.”
“Despite September coming to an end, Cyprus has yet to see cooler weather, as the month has seen an extraordinary number of days with temperatures higher than the season’s average.
“This month has brought a couple of heatwaves as temperatures soared to their highest point ever, reaching 46.2°C on 4 September.”
https://www.financialmirror.com/2020/09/28/cyprus-summer-goes-out-with-a-bang/
“Turkey’s General Directorate of Meteorology has warned Istanbul residents about potential flash floods after heavy downpours and a sudden yet brief hail storm brought life temporarily to a halt in Turkey’s most populous city Tuesday.
“Much of the city was drenched after the heavy rains that started around 11 a.m. (8 a.m. GMT) local time, with some roads partially submerged.”
https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/istanbul/heavy-downpour-hail-cripples-life-in-istanbul
“Ghana’s 2019-20 cocoa harvest dropped to the lowest in five years after spells of drought and a severe outbreak of swollen-shoot disease damaged trees, according to people familiar with the matter.
“Preliminary data shows that the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer harvested 770,000 metric tons of the beans in the year through September, said the people, who asked not to be identified because they’re not authorized to speak publicly.”
“About 55,235 persons have been affected in the heavy downpour and resultant floods in addition to the spillage of the Bagre Dam in the North East Region [Ghana].
“An assessment team report sighted by DGN Online indicated that a total of 10,707 men, 12,257 women, and 32,271 children were affected.”
https://www.modernghana.com/news/1032291/flood-affects-55235-people-in-north-east-report.html
“No fewer than 17,000 communities have been affected by flood in the Niger State the Secretary to the State Government Ahmed Matane has said.
“In a statement in Minna, on Monday said the SSG made this known during an on-the-spot assessment of the flood situation in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state.”
https://thenationonlineng.net/17000-niger-communities-flooded-says-ssg/
“Some 700,000 people are in crisis after flood waters swept across the Sudan, submerging villages, land and livestock, according to a World Food Programme (WFP) alert.
““There is a very significant flood, which is covering vast areas of the country”, said Matthew Hollingworth, WFP Country Director in South Sudan. “More than 36 counties of the country are under water, submerging entire villages, homes, farmsteads, killing livestock and putting an end to livelihoods.””
https://news.un.org/en/story/2020/09/1074152
“Four cars swept away in floods in Wadi Shais, Khor Fakkan [UAE].
“The drivers of the SUVs managed to escape, reportedly through their windows…
“In January, the country had experienced severe flash floods.”
Video:
“Pakistan has been reeling under flood water for three months. Satellite images show the extent of damage… While damage to infrastructure is maximum in Sindh province, the highest deaths have been reported from Sindh and Punjab…
“The next few days are crucial as yet another spate of rains is expected by NDMA.”
““As many as 5,775,643 persons have been affected in 30 districts of Assam [India] due to floods in the state,” the ASDMA said adding that 119 people have lost their lives due to the floods so far.
“A total of 627 relief camps have been set up for the flood victims in the State, in which 156,991 victims are taking shelter.”
“More than 300 million people in low-lying river deltas, mostly in poorer nations, are exposed to flooding from tropical storms made more deadly and destructive by global warming, researchers said Tuesday…
“Warmer oceans and more moisture in the atmosphere mean these powerful storms may become more frequent, including in regions rarely touched by their terrible power in the past.”
https://www.france24.com/en/20200929-300-million-delta-dwellers-vulnerable-to-cyclones-flooding
“Humans have made the oceans more stable, and the result will be more extreme weather and the acceleration of climate change…
“A more stable ocean sounds idyllic, but it creates a dangerous feedback loop for our warming planet.”
“Climate warming will alter marine community compositions as species are expected to shift poleward, significantly impacting the Arctic marine ecosystem.
“The biodiversity of marine communities in the Pacific Arctic under future climate change scenarios highlights profound changes relative to their present patterns. “
https://phys.org/news/2020-09-marine-biodiversity-reshuffles-warmer-sea.html
“New research has found that more glacial lakes in the Himalayas are forming, of which 47 are critically dangerous and could burst, flooding downstream areas in Nepal, China and India.
“Several studies have shown that glacier-covered areas in the Himalayas have decreased significantly in the past three decades as temperatures have risen by more than double the global average.”
https://www.thethirdpole.net/2020/09/29/glacial-lakes-become-more-deadly-as-himalayan-ice-melts/
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here and visit my Patreon page here. I’ll be back with an ‘Economic’ round-up tomorrow.
