Fires in Siberia kill at least 10 as ‘violent winds’ fan flames… “”Extinguishing [the fires] is being complicated by meteorological conditions – violent winds are fanning the flames and preventing them from being put out,” the regional ministry for emergencies said on Telegram…. “
““Aircraft cannot be used in fighting the fires due to the high wind load,” Krasnoyarsk’s emergencies service said on its Telegram channel.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/5/7/fires-in-siberia-kill-at-least-8-as-violent-winds-fan-flames
‘Nature doesn’t fix itself fast’: Greenland weighs up economy v climate crisis… “
“To be a farmer in Greenland is to have a front row seat to the climate crisis. Egede tracks the changes – “summer is sometimes really dry, other times there is too much rain. This winter was really late”. Where once they could drive on the frozen fjord during winter, now that never happens, he says.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/may/07/greenland-weighs-up-economy-v-climate-crisis
Landslide buries primary road connecting Alaska resort community to city of Seward… “
“Marissa Beck, who owns a rental property in Seward, told CNN there are many cabins and rental houses in the area, and guests are now stuck in town or cannot get to their rentals. Many people are taking water taxis or their own boats to get to the other side of the slide.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/08/us/alaska-landslide-seward/index.html
Flood forecasters watching closely as Manitoba expected to get more rain over coming days… “
“Flooding continues in the Interlake, Red River Valley and many other parts of central and southern Manitoba, the bulletin said… However, that flooding is now becoming more concentrated around rivers, streams and drains that are above capacity as water moves through the system.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/manitoba-flood-forecast-may-7-1.6445599
Extreme weather events have strained farmers’ mental health [BC, Canada]. But asking for help still a hurdle for many… “
“”I just really started to burn out pretty hard,” she said. “You feel guilty because you didn’t lose as much as some people, but you just want to crawl back into bed and pull the covers over your head. But you can’t, because there’s so many terrible things going on.””
The two largest reservoirs in California are already at ‘critically low levels’ and the dry season is just starting. “
“Against the backdrop of the water crisis in the Colorado River Basin, where the country’s largest reservoirs are plunging at an alarming rate, California’s two largest reservoirs — Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville — are facing a similar struggle.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/07/us/california-water-shasta-oroville-climate/index.html
Las Vegas: ‘More human remains’ found in drought-hit Lake Mead. “
“The “human skeletal remains” are reported to have been found on Saturday at the reservoir, which is facing record-low water levels. It comes a week after a barrel containing the body of a man who was shot was discovered, with police considering whether the death may be linked to the Mafia.”
Potentially historic winds forecast as firefighters battle New Mexico wildfire. “
“Extreme wind conditions described as potentially historic were forecast for New Mexico on Saturday and for the next several days as hundreds of firefighters and a fleet of airplanes and helicopters worked feverishly to bolster lines around the largest fire burning in the US.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/may/07/new-mexico-wildfire-winds-forecast
Record-breaking temperatures recorded in Llano on Central Texas’ hottest day of 2022… “
“The National Weather Service says the Llano Airport reached 106 degrees Saturday afternoon, the highest temperature recorded there in the month of May.”
“Most of Mexico is with a severe heat wave even at mid/high elevations. Temperatures reached 44.6C [112.3F] at Monclova (615m),37.8C at Zamora (1562m),36.4C at Morelia (1913m).Many areas in the West,East and highlands have been close to all time records. 7 May Tmaxes.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1523398124521553920
Stunning images of floods and fallen trees in Medellin [Colombia] from heavy rains… “
“The rains that occurred on the afternoon of this Saturday, May 7 in Medellín generated emergencies in four communes of the city. According to the report from the Administrative Department of Disaster Risk Management, relief agencies attended to flooding, mass movements and falling trees.”
‘Record after record’: Brazil’s Amazon deforestation hits April high, nearly double previous peak. “
“Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon surged to record levels for the month of April, nearly doubling the area of forest removed in that month last year – the previous April record – preliminary government data has shown, alarming environmental campaigners.”
Between searing drought and Ukraine war, Iraq watchful over wheat. “
“After decades of war and insurgency, Iraq faces another huge challenge: severe water scarcity driven by climate change. It is highly sensitive issue for Iraq and its 41 million people, who feel the impacts on a daily basis, from depleted rivers to rapid desertification and more intense sandstorms.”
Drought causes $107m damage to [Iran’s] environment… Unfortunately, over 70 percent of the country is suffering from severe drought. “
“The severity of the drought is devastating in areas such as the Zagros, which is both a source of water and natural habitats, he lamented. Perhaps the first and most important damage of drought is the weakening of vegetation, which seriously disrupts the wildlife food chain.”
https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/472359/Drought-causes-107m-damage-to-environment
Shishper Glacier outburst sweeps away bridge in Hassanabad area of Hunza [Pakistan]… “
“Hunza Superintendent of Police (SP) Zahoor Ahmed said the glacier had started melting on Saturday due to heat and caused a flood that damaged the bridge and rendered it unusable for traffic.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1688466
Pollution paradox: India and Pakistan may suffer worse heatwaves if they try to clean up their air… “
“Reducing pollution will have an unintended consequence of likely accelerating warming at a local scale, as pollution has helped mask some of the greenhouse gas-induced warming in the region.”
India Warns of Heatwaves Across Six States Next Week. “
“India warned of heatwaves in six states next week, as extreme weather conditions threaten lives and livelihoods across the subcontinent… Scorching temperatures may worsen energy shortages, hurt crops.”
Heatwave pattern is shifting to a ‘significant hazard’ for health, crops in Bangladesh. “
“An analysis of data from the past few decades indicates that climate change is causing summer heatwaves at unexpected times and is affecting a wider range of areas, according to meteorologists. Hotspots are also growing larger. Heatwaves have become a ‘significant hazard’ at the start of summer…”
Bangladeshi children leaving school to work due to climate crisis. “
“For many of their children – who are battling the impacts of climate change alongside their parents – the move means the end of education and the start of a lifetime of hard labour… Globally, about a billion children in 33 countries face that level of threat…”
Torrential rain inundates South, causes flash flooding in North [Thailand]… “
“Officials were sent to help people in five badly hit areas, namely Lang Suan district in Chumphon, Nakhon Si Thammarat’s Nopphitam district and Surat Thani’s Vibhavadi, Chaiya and Tha Chang districts.”
https://www.nationthailand.com/in-focus/40015332
China’s sea levels touched new high in 2021, govt study shows. “
“China’s sea levels reached their highest on record last year, swelled by rising water temperatures and the melting of glaciers and polar icecaps, the government said in a report. Coastal sea levels were 84 mm (3.3 inches) higher in 2021 than the average over the period from 1993 to 2011…”
https://www.todayonline.com/world/chinas-sea-levels-touched-new-high-2021-govt-study-shows-1893371
Out-of-season cyclone ‘spawns’ off Western Australia coast as record rain set to hammer Queensland… “
“As Queensland braces for a record rain event to hit “multiple areas and multiple regions” tonight, Western Australia is also preparing for a deluge. Weatherzone says a late season tropical cyclone has formed over the Indian Ocean, which will see rain fall over WA later this week.”
Fears farmers will be ravaged by a second mouse plague that destroyed millions of dollars’ worth of crops last year… “
“Australia’s government science agency says farmers have reported increased mice activity in northern NSW, central Queensland, north western Victoria, the Yorke Peninsula in South Australia and the wheat belt in Western Australia.”
New Zealand keeps beating warm records every month and May is not an exception. “
“On 6th May the southern town of Invercargill rose to 21.5C [70.7F] in the AP station, a new record high temperature for May.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1522652417690456064
Without a better plan, New Zealand risks sleepwalking into a biodiversity extinction crisis… “
“Despite all that we are doing to try to protect and restore habitats and assist species, Papaptūānuku and Aotearoa New Zealand’s indigenous biodiversity is in crisis. Around 4,000 species are threatened or at risk of extinction. Many plants and wildlife continue to decline or are just hanging on.”
Antarctica’s majestic underwater world is trying to adapt to a warmer planet. “
“The Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, roughly the size of Florida, is melting at a rapid rate. In fact, most of the ice in western Antarctica is melting. But the Thwaites Glacier — also known as Doomsday Glacier — is one of the most unstable in Antarctica. This is very worrisome because of the sea level rise it could cause. But it’s more than that.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2022/05/07/weather/antarctica-ice-sheet-climate-ecosystem/index.html
Emperor penguin at serious risk of extinction due to climate change… “
“”If the water reaches the newborn penguins, which are not ready to swim and do not have waterproof plumage, they die of the cold and drown,” said biologist Marcela Libertelli, who has studied 15,000 penguins across two colonies in Antarctica at the IAA.”
Monthly average carbon dioxide (CO2) levels have reached above 420 parts per million (ppm) for the first time on record…. “
“Last year’s highest month, May, recorded 419.13 ppm. Twenty years ago, the highest month of the year had 375.93 ppm – and in 1958, the first year scientists started collecting CO2 data at Mauna Loa, the highest month of the year had just 317.51 ppm.”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/carbon-dioxide-record-co2-b2072614.html
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“ Potentially historic winds forecast …”
I’m looking at the inciweb maps for the area, and it looks like the towns of Mora and Cleveland will be spared. Holman, just northwest of those towns may not be so lucky. Also, the fire seems to have jumped the highway (NM518) just northeast of Holman.
From that point north of NM518 to the ski area and golf course at Angel Fire, NM there is nothing but more-or-less virgin forest. It will be interesting to see what (if anything) stops the fire before it reaches US64 at Angel Fire. Maybe there is some snow up there?
Gawd, I hope so, Lou.
https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/photos/NMSNF/2022-04-22-2116-Cerro-Pelado/picts/2022_05_06-09.56.37.144-CDT.png
The smoke that is stinging my eyes and plugging my sinuses (as I write this in my house 130 miles north) is probably coming from the Cerritos Pelado fire west southwest of Los Alamos. This fire cant really go anywhere because the Los Alamos National Labs can devote a lot of resources to its protection, and the fire is up against NM4 and more grassy fuel rather than trees. Of course with this crazy wind who knows …
This is May 9th. It is probably important to note that before climate change the ground up on top of that extinct volcano would be covered with snow this early in the year.
It’s raining cats and dogs right now but we’ve had lots of early spring fires up here in Scotland, too. Nothing nearly as huge as your fires in SW US but still noteworthy. This one particularly stuck out:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-60892350
Hope the situation eases and your poor eyes/sinuses get some relief!
Yes, I saw that … perhaps from your service, maybe from someone else. The very idea of wildfires in Scotland boggles the mind.
On a personal note, I have been trying to figure out what made me write that Las Vegas is in southern NM. I think it is because as a child, I always confused the towns of Las Cruces and Las Vegas, NM. Or maybe when we take day trips from here, Las Vegas is as far south as we can go before wanting to get home. Anyway …