I haven’t been comprehensively news-watching on my travels but it seems that the biggest story in my absence has been winter storm Elliott in the US and Canada. I hope my readers in the affected parts managed to stay warm. What an extraordinary polar incursion that was.
Equally remarkable was the warmth in the attendant jet stream “ridges” – so, December heat temperature records fell in Spain and France (with Verdun seeing a staggering 26.3C / 79.3F); London was warmer than Miami on Christmas day. The latter had its coldest Christmas day on record; whilst Los Angeles on the other side of the trough had its second hottest Christmas day on record.
“2022 was a year in which multiple records for extreme weather events were broken as the impact of climate change becomes more devastating and more dramatic.
“Across every continent, the changing climate led to more frequent and severe storms, heatwaves, droughts, and other extreme weather events, which wreaked life-changing devastation on people, infrastructure, and ecosystems.”
“British experts on Wednesday said 2022 was set to be the UK’s warmest on record after a year of heatwaves and minimal rainfall.
“The findings come as communities across the globe reel from a catalogue of extreme weather this year including soaring temperatures and drought across Europe that saw crops wither and forest fires ravage swathes of land.”
https://phys.org/news/2022-12-uk-hottest-year.html
“The UK’s wildlife has been devastated by extreme weather this year, according to an annual audit by the National Trust.
“Violent storms, heatwaves and cold snaps have caused severe damage to Britain’s flora and fauna, the conservation charity has said. Its yearly survey found that wildlife from toads to trees has struggled to survive the unpredictable weather conditions.”
“During this record warm 2022 in Europe, the most staggering anomaly is probably that of Mont Aigoual in France.
“According to infoclimat, its 2022 anomaly is an incredible +2.8C vs 1981-2010 (+2.4C vs MF 1991-2020), with all 12 months of the year much warmer than average (see table).”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1608516823825227782
“Temperatures in Europe will close out 2022 much like they started — and where they spent a lot of the year — with record warmth overtaking much of the continent.
“Widespread areas of record-challenging temperatures are set to expand into Central and Eastern Europe through the holiday weekend and into next week…”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2022/12/29/europe-record-warmth-uk-hottest-year/
“Italy is experiencing a year that broke all heat records since records began in 1800, the National Research Center of Italy said Tuesday, according to Anadolu Agency.
“High temperatures recorded in December 2022 are in line with the remaining 11 months, according to the Center’s climatologist Bernardo Gozzini.”
https://azertag.az/en/xeber/Italy_experiencing_hottest_year_since_1800-2428049
“Violent floods have ripped through the ancient city of Petra in southern Jordan, triggering the evacuation of 1,700 tourists from the Unesco world heritage site.
“Videos posted on Monday showed brown water careering down the steep cliffs surrounding Petra’s ancient rock-cut Nabatean temple dubbed “the Treasury”, the best-known part of the sprawling, 260-sq-km site.”
https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/jordan-petra-flash-floods-evacuated
“Rare hailstorm hits Kuwait, one of the hottest countries on Earth.
“Kuwait, one of the hottest countries on Earth, has been hit by a rare hailstorm that delighted children and their parents, with images of the winter white shared widely on social media Wednesday.”
“Months after devastating floods in Pakistan, millions remain homeless and need shelter, an aid volunteer says.
“Up to 33 million people were affected earlier this year amid widespread devastation in monsoon season… Imran Hameed, founder of Bearded Broz, in Smethwick, said more help was needed from around the world otherwise “it’s only going to get worse”.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-64068860
“A massive hailstorm swept through several areas of upper Assam [India], damaging nearly 4,500 houses in four districts, officials said on Tuesday.
“According to an Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) report, a total of 4,483 houses were damaged across 132 villages in Dibrugarh, Charaideo, Sivasagar and Tinsukia districts.”
https://www.thedispatch.in/over-4400-houses-damaged-as-hailstorm-lashes-parts-of-assam/
“On December 26th, the station of Brahmavar (Udupi district), in the state of Karnataka (SW India) recorded 37.8°C [100F] and broke the December national record [*reliable*].
“The previous fully reliable December record was 37.6°C and was recorded in Karwar in 2018 & 2019.”
https://twitter.com/ThierryGooseBC/status/1608548035738611714
“Bangladesh farmers swap rice for vegetables as water dries up.
“For decades, Shafiqul Islam Babu grew rice on his land in northwest Bangladesh — until climate change made rainfall more erratic and overused groundwater began drying up in the mid-2000s. As his rice harvest declined, so did his earnings. In response, the 45-year-old farmer decided to grow cabbage on his land…”
https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/12/30/asia-pacific/bangladesh-farmers-rice-vegetables/
“Record Snowfall in Japan Kills 17 and Injures More Than 90…
“With record snowfall enveloping various parts of the country, three municipalities in Japan’s northeastern region measured over a meter of snow within a 24-hour period on Monday morning—the highest these areas have ever recorded.”
https://www.vice.com/en/article/5d38kb/record-snowfall-in-japan-kills-17-christmas
“The death toll from flooding and landslides caused by Christmas Day rains in the southern Philippines rose to 44, with 28 others still unaccounted for, the national disaster agency said on Friday…
“Heavy rains submerged villages, towns and highways in the Visayas and Mindanao regions on Christmas Day, forcing more than 50,000 people to flee their homes.”
“Floods cut off ‘entire road networks’ near Queensland-NT border as travellers urged to stay put.
“Emergency services have warned motorists against travelling throughout north-west Queensland, the Gulf of Carpentaria and across the Northern Territory-Queensland border as the region grapples with floods and heavy rain from ex-tropical cyclone Ellie.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-29/queensland-nt-border-flooded-travellers-warned/101814162
“Tierra del Fuego fires still smoldering.
“One month after the forest fires started in the Argentine province of Tierra del Fuego, the authorities are still unable to put down the flames as new “hot spots” keep being found with over 100 firefighters deployed. Over 9,000 hectares of native forests burned down, it was reported.”
https://en.mercopress.com/2022/12/30/tierra-del-fuego-fires-still-smoldering
“This year, I only needed to open my window in Brazil to witness the climate crisis…
“Watching the forest burn from my window is, for me, like some kind of anti-metaphor. When Greta Thunberg said: “Our house is on fire!”, in the Amazon the image is literal. It already feels like a cliche to say we don’t need to read scientific reports to understand the climate crisis, we just have to open our windows.”
“Tornado in Bolivia; Twister tears through city… Tornado tears through Bolivian city El Alto.
Wed 28 Dec 5am •
Locals filmed a twister moving through the Bolivian city of El Alto, bringing with it high winds and thunderstorms.”
https://www.itv.com/watch/news/tornado-tears-through-bolivian-city-el-alto/7km9p1d
“Cozumel [Mexico] records historic 213 mms [8.4 inches] of rain in 24 hours due to recent cold front…
“Paul André Quintero Marí, who heads Cozumel Civil Protection, confirmed the historic rainfall. He said the previous record was 113 mms of rain in a 24 hour period. He also said that municipal personnel toured areas known to flood and were forced to temporarily shut several streets until they were able to drain.”
“Winter Storm Gael, In Photos [Colorado].
“A winter storm dumped more than 7 inches of heavy, wet snow on the Intermountain West Wednesday night into Thursday morning, shutting down a major interstate in Colorado and knocking out power to thousands in the state.”
https://weather.com/photos/news/2022-12-29-winter-storm-gael-photos
“Human toll of deadly US storm [Elliott] grows in ‘blizzard of the century’.
” Since the “blizzard of the century” swept through multiple parts of the nation last week, at least 60 people have died countrywide, and details about the heartbreak their families are enduring have been trickling out. In Buffalo, New York, alone, the death toll has climbed to 37…”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/dec/29/blizzard-century-deadly-us-storm-buffalo
“Oregon’s extreme weather in 2022 included April snow and a record hot October.
“Snowfall in spring, a seemingly endless summer and an unusually hazardous ice storm in 2022 marked another year of tumultuous weather in Oregon… Portland also tied the record for most days in a year with temperatures equal to or greater than 100 at five days.”
“Warmest Dec. 29 in Ottawa history as mild stretch begins…
“Environment Canada is calling for above-seasonal temperatures to wrap up 2022 and kick off 2023. Ottawa will see a high of 8 C on Friday and Saturday, while temperatures could hit 10 C by next Wednesday… The normal temperatures for this time of year are a high of minus 6 C…”
https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/warmest-dec-29-in-ottawa-history-as-mild-stretch-begins-1.6211431
“Warmer Labrador temperatures spell trouble for coastal sea ice season; Researcher warns warmer temperatures are here to stay.
“People throughout central and coastal Labrador have been grappling with warmer than expected temperatures this year, and Environment Canada warns this is looking like the new trend.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/warm-labrador-sea-ice-1.6694834
“The coldest temperature since 1918 was recorded in Viðidalur in Reykjavík this morning, when thermometers dropped to -23°C (-9°F).
“This represents the coldest recorded temperature since the particularly harsh winter of 1918.”
https://www.icelandreview.com/news/coldest-since-1918-record-low-recorded-in-reykjavik/
“In case you’ve been wondering, yes, the Antarctic is at a record low sea-ice extent. As of Dec. 26, it is about 9200 km² below the previous record low in the super El Niño year, 2016.”
https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1607782036185714688
“The end is nigh? Climate, nuclear crises spark fears of worst.
“For thousands of years, predictions of apocalypse have come and gone. But with dangers rising from nuclear war and climate change, does the planet need to at least begin contemplating the worst?”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with a “Climate” thread.
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He’s back!!! The climate crisis didn’t take a break but I’m glad you did! Thanks for a stellar job of reporting in 2022.
You are most welcome, Cassandra! ❤
You have an amazing ability to give us a global view.
You were sorely missed! I hope you are well rested and the holiday was wonderful.
Thanks so much, Lou! Actually, the holiday season was marred by bugs but there were still some good moments. Hope you had a good one.
And to you, Lou! 🎈
Oh JP, good to see you, but aren’t you just a bundle of joy? J/K
I have just finished watching the Aussie (Sydney) NYE celebrations end, but my greatest wish for 2023, is for Mother Nature to take Her well-earned rest.
Always a bundle of joy, lol. A very Happy New Year to you, Rain.