“The world just experienced its hottest November on record while Europe had its warmest fall, according to an alarming report from the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service.
“Temperatures were most elevated in a large region across northern Europe, Siberia and the Arctic Ocean, where sea ice was at the second lowest level ever seen in November.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/12/07/weather/november-2020-hottest-month-climate-intl/index.html
“Climate change could result in the loss of up to 92% of glaciers in the Alps by the end of this century according to new research findings…
“The findings suggest [the Alps’] popular ski resorts’ glaciers would be all but gone by the turn of the next century. There will also be knock-on effects for water storage, run-off and Alpine eco-systems.”
“Several communities in the Austrian Alps put mass coronavirus testing on hold Sunday and others were urged to do the same after a storm dumped huge amounts of snow, sending some avalanche warnings to their highest level.
Some parts of the province of Tyrol saw 70 centimeters (27.5 inches) of snow fall overnight Friday into Saturday, and another 110 centimeters (43 inches) were expected on Sunday… More than a meter (three feet) of snow fell within a few hours in the Italian Dolomites…”
https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/austria-postpones-virus-testing-huge-snowstorm-74568315
“Around 60 families were forced to evacuate their homes after heavy rain triggered floods in central parts of Italy.
“In the area of Modena, firefighters helped families to safety after the Panaro River burst its banks following heavy rain, forcing the closure of roads and railways.”
“Some flamingos not migrating from Turkey due to global warming: Academic.
“Lake Van in Turkey’s east is one of the resting centers in the country for birds migrating between North Africa and Iran, but some flamingos there have not left the region in the last 10 years due to global warming, an academic has said.”
“Rainfall on Saturday caused flash floods in the Dead Sea and Arava areas of southern Israel, requiring emergency services to rescue hikers stranded by the flooding.
“Due to the floods, police closed a portion of Route 90 along the Dead Sea to traffic in both directions.”
“Flooding sinks streets in Bushehr and Fars Province, Iran: Heavy flooding moves cars through the streets…”
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fKNGYjNHLY
“Seven people have died in Tamil Nadu due to heavy rain triggered by Cyclone Burevi, The Times of India reported on Saturday.
“The storm, which had weakened into a depression, also damaged huts and uprooted several trees and polls.”
“A series of reports this year show that protected forest areas across Cambodia are under increasing threat from land grabs and deforestation.
“As Cambodians struggle with the economic impacts of COVID-19, journalists and advocates report that illegal logging and land development continues…”
https://www.aseantoday.com/2020/12/angkor-sells-out-cambodia-turns-a-blind-eye-to-vanishing-forests/
“The world is awash with plastic garbage:
“An unscrupulous British exporter dumped whole container loads of household rubbish in Malaysia but fortunately it was seized and re-exported back to its source.
“Malaysia has subsequently closed down 155 illegal processing plants but plastic waste from abroad is still imported into the country, albeit illegally.”
https://www.theborneopost.com/2020/12/06/the-worlds-awash-with-plastic-garbage/
“At least 20 people have been killed in severe flash floods in the South [of Thailand] with more than 553,000 households affected from the disaster, according to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation yesterday.
“The victims are in Nakhon Si Thammarat, the worst-hit area, it said. Few details of the fatalities or the age of those who died were available.”
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2031035/20-killed-in-severe-flash-floods-in-south
“Floods caused by unremitting torrential rains over the last 72 hours have displaced 9,988 people in East Aceh District, Aceh Province [Indonesia], according to the local disaster mitigation office (BPBD).
“”Owing to heavy rains over the last three days and the overflowing of rivers in the area, water levels at several locations had reached up to 200 centimeters high,” Head of BPBD East Aceh Ashadi stated in Idi, Monday… The flooding swamped a total of 17,648 homes in 226 villages in East Aceh District.”
“Last week a record-breaking heatwave scorched swathes of eastern Australia – and it wasn’t even summer. Australia has just had its hottest November on record.
“The heat and accompanying fire risk were an ominous reminder of the devastating bushfires that burned a fifth of Australia’s forest last summer.”
“Forecasters predict that Tuesday will be Perth’s first proper summer scorcher, with the temperature tipped to hit a maximum of 39C [102F]… Perth residents could be forgiven for being a little bit confused about what season it actually is.
“Last Tuesday the city experienced its coldest summer morning in 124 years when the temperature dropped to a chilly 6.6C… To top off the confusing stats, Perth recorded its wettest November since records began…”
“A freak tornado in Horsham [Western Victoria] has left several homes tonight without roofs as the SES deals with dozens of calls for help.”
Video:
“…in the past 35 years, there has been a 670% increase in the extent of pits and ponds created by miners digging for small deposits of alluvial gold in the Peruvian Amazon.
“According to the scientists, the proliferation of these ponds has dramatically altered the landscape and increased the risk of mercury exposure for indigenous communities and wildlife.”
https://www.mining.com/mine-ponds-cause-toxic-mercury-pollution-in-the-peruvian-amazon/
“From Alaska to California, the climate is off-kilter in the West.” Nice round-up of recent meteorological anomalies in this geography:
https://grist.org/climate/from-alaska-to-california-the-climate-is-off-kilter-in-the-west/
“The news went from bad to worse this weekend for an Alaska city still reeling from a record-setting rainstorm that triggered mudslides and widespread flooding.
“”The Haines area received another eight inches of snow [Saturday] night,” National Weather Service Meteorologist Rick Fritsch told USA TODAY on Sunday.”
“N.W.T. [Canada] temperatures soar above zero:
“Norman Wells hit a tropical 11.1 C — smashing its previous record-high for December of 5.7 C, set in 1985. Wrigley also hit 11 degrees Thursday…
“”It’s not normal,” said Chuck Gruben, commenting on the heavy rain he was seeing in Tuktoyaktuk.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/nwt-temperatures-soar-above-zero-1.5827852
“The warmer water [in the Arctic] is pulling some species further north, into higher latitudes.
“The thinner ice is carrying more people through the Arctic on cruise ships, cargo ships and research vessels. Ice and snow can almost entirely black out the water beneath it, but climate change is allowing more light to flood in.”
“An Escape Route for Seafloor Methane: Puzzling Leakage From Frozen Layers Explained.
“By some estimates, seafloor methane contained in frozen formations along the continental margins may equal or exceed the total amount of coal, oil, and gas in all other reservoirs worldwide. Yet, the way methane escapes from these deep formations is poorly understood.”
“A warning on climate and the risk of societal collapse:
“Scientists and academics including Prof Gesa Weyhenmeyer and Prof Will Steffen argue that we must discuss the threat of societal disruption in order to prepare for it… Surveys show many people now anticipate societal collapse.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via patreon.com.
“From Alaska to California, the climate is off-kilter in the West.”
“On July 10, Alamosa, Colorado, set a temperature record for a daily low (37 degrees Fahrenheit). Later that day, it set another record for the daily high (92 degrees).”
Yup. Good insulation and use of fans got us through. I need to make some modifications to the shed to make it easier to dissipate the heat during the afternoon.