The news cycle is quietening down for the Easter break. If there’s enough news to put together either an economic or climate thread, depending on which is looking most interesting, I’ll be back on Monday. Failing that, I’ll certainly be back on Tuesday. Have a great Easter weekend in the meantime.
“Record-breaking’ temperatures to engulf US Southwest, with ‘critical’ fire weather conditions possible…
“Phoenix could hit 100 degrees this weekend as a record-breaking air mass brings dangerous heat and fire weather concerns to the region. The heat is in sharp contrast to the unusually cold weather dominating the eastern United States yesterday and today…
“The desert Southwest is still running dry from a virtually non-existent monsoon last summer…
“Since World War II, the average date of Phoenix’s first 100-degree reading has shifted earlier by about three weeks… Last year, Phoenix hit 100 degrees on a record-breaking 145 days.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/04/02/record-southwest-temperatures-fire-weather/
“San Francisco has experienced over the past two rainfall seasons nearly the driest weather in 170 years, according to Golden Gate Weather Services…
“Just 20.46 inches of rain fell over the two rainfall seasons from 2019-21, second only to the 1975-77 period when just 18.53 inches fell.”
“Florida Manatees Face A New Threat: Weed Killer…
“Scientists say a chemical commonly used to kill weeds is increasingly being found in the blood of Florida’s threatened manatees. The concentration of glyphosate detected in their systems has increased from 2009 to 2019.”
https://www.wmfe.org/florida-manatees-face-a-new-threat-weed-killer/177533
“For the first time, scientists have observed the release of blue-green algae toxins into the air.
“Traces of the algal toxin anatoxin-a, or ATX, sometimes called the Very Fast Death Factor, were measured at a Massachusetts pond that frequently hosts large algal blooms.”
“Serious pollution incident kills fish in UK lake: The Environment Agency has been dealing with a major incident at Willow Lake in Newton-le-Willows…
“Residents in the area were warned to keep children and pets away from the water.”
https://www.wigantoday.net/news/people/serious-pollution-incident-kills-fish-in-lake-3187536
“‘What happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic!’
“Beast from the East storm that plunged Britain to 12°F in 2018 was fuelled by sea-ice loss from the Barents Sea, study finds.
“…an ice-free Barents Sea will be a major source of winter moisture for Europe, meaning further extreme weather events are likely to occur.
“After Week of Record Warmth, Europe Temperatures to Nosedive:
“After a week or more of temperatures from Britain to eastern Europe running as much as 20 degrees above average, forecasters are saying the region will be plunged into record cold next week with a likelihood of snow in some areas.”
https://www.voanews.com/europe/after-week-record-warmth-europe-temperatures-nosedive
Here’s a nice, one-article recap of Europe’s record-breaking March heatwave, covered in the previous thread: “Monthly temperature records smashed in Europe beneath sprawling heat dome…
“Climate historian Maximiliano Herrera has been tracking the records and their historical context, and he describes the episode as “historic.”“
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2021/04/01/europe-record-warm-heat/
“The city of Karachi, Pakistan has broken a 74-year old record with temperatures up to 44 degrees Celsius [111.6F] being recorded across the city, making April 3 the city’s hottest [April] day since the inception of the country…
“Medical experts say that citizens should not go out in the sun without reason…”
“As Bhubaneswar [Odisha, India] records its hottest March day on record, IMD says most of India to experience heatwaves early this year…
“Bhubaneswar in Odisha registered its highest temperature recorded in the month of March, with the mercury touching 44.2 degrees Celsius [111.6F].”
“A national park in the Indian state of Gujarat is trying to help lions and other animals survive the country’s heatwave.
“The wildlife reserve has set up more than 450 artificial ponds by accessing groundwater or by filling them up using hand pumps. It comes as many parts of India are reeling from soaring temperatures…”
https://www.scmp.com/video/asia/3128029/lions-get-artificial-pond-heatwave-sweeps-across-india
“How deadly floods in western China could threaten new Silk Road:
“Global warming is greening the deserts of Xinjiang as rising temperatures lead to doubling of rainfall over half a century, researchers say. Scientists warn infrastructure planning and quality standards need to be updated to prepare for ‘lots of water’.”
“China sandstorms highlight threat of climate crisis:
“Recent sandstorms that shrouded Beijing in a post-apocalyptic orange haze and intensive droughts in other parts of the country are bringing into stark relief the challenges China faces from rising temperatures induced by the climate crisis.”
“April in Hong Kong started just like February and March: with record heat.
“30th March saw a 25.3C [77.5F] minimum temperature, the highest on record. 2nd April saw a maximum temperature of 33.1C [91.6F] at Tai Mei Tuk, the earliest 33+ ever recorded in the territory.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1378088088916885518
“Much of Japan recorded the warmest March on record this year.
“44 out of 47 major observation spots including Tokyo had the highest average March temperatures on record.
“Tokyo was 3.9℃ (7F) higher than normal, making it the warmest since [records begain in] 1876.”
https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1377525521374846979
“Flooding in Indonesia (April 2, 2021):
“Disaster Flash Flood hits Parakan, Central Java.”
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWH-ckKHbQY
“New flood alerts have been issued for NSW and Queensland less than two weeks after parts of NSW was ravaged by once in a generation flooding.
“The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) issued an updated food watch for the NSW Northern Rivers… Queensland has also been issued with a flood watch warning for a large portion of the state.”
“Hobart, Tasmania sets a new temperature record for April after the mercury peaked at 32.3C [90.1F].”
“Forest fires spread across Mexico, April 2 2021…
“Series of forest fires rage across Mexico, including in Ocaxa, Jalisco and Puebla.”
Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_TZkfrF5OA
“Melting glacier threatens to shove a mighty river off course.
“Climate change could send Alaska’s Alsek River into a new channel, with potentially far-reaching impacts for humans..
“…the Alsek River will probably abandon its current course in favour of a steeper outlet channel 28 kilometres to the southeast.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-00771-z
“How polar bears maintained highly specialized diets during periods of Arctic warming—until now…
“”Polar bears are so specialized on hunting seals that they may have a harder time adapting to the warming Arctic,” said Larisa DeSantis, paleontologist and associate professor of biological sciences…”
https://phys.org/news/2021-04-polar-highly-specialized-diets-periods.html
“Polar bear filmed running along road in Yakutia, Siberia 460km south of its natural Arctic habitat.
“The racing predator was seen 60km south of Batagai, north-east from republic’s capital Yakutsk…
“‘What is it doing here?’ people are heard saying to each other.”
“Evidence of Antarctic glacier’s tipping point confirmed for first time:
“Researchers have confirmed for the first time that Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica could cross tipping points, leading to a rapid and irreversible retreat which would have significant consequences for global sea level.”
https://phys.org/news/2021-04-evidence-antarctic-glacier.html
“Rapid global heating is hurting farm productivity, study finds:
“Research shows rising temperatures since 1960s have acted as handbrake to agricultural yield of crops and livestock.”
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