A reminder that tomorrow will be my last thread until the 14th Feb, as I am heading for England. I do apologise for deserting my station for so long but family calls. If it’s any consolation, this will likely be my last significant trip until Christmas.
“Let’s have our cake and eat it, too!” say humans: “The fight against global warming should not be at the expense of economic growth, the United Arab Emirates’ oil chief who will lead this year’s UN climate talks said on Monday.
“Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’ special envoy for climate change and CEO of oil giant ADNOC, said the energy transition needed to make the planet “wealthier and healthier”.”
“Germany made ‘painful choices’ in clearing village to make way for coal mine, climate envoy says.
“In an interview with Sky News, Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan admitted Germany was “vulnerable” to the energy crisis, saying it had “learned the hard way” to reduce dependence on fossil fuels or on any one country.”
“Dutch flood memories unleash new climate fears.
“…as the Dutch this week commemorate the great flood of 1953, thoughts are inevitably turning to current-day climate change and how the low-lying country remains vulnerable to rising ocean levels. Horrific images of men, women, children and cattle trying to stay afloat in icy waters that swamped villages and thousands of acres of farmland remain etched in the collective memory…”
https://phys.org/news/2023-01-dutch-memories-unleash-climate.html
“Spain’s prized jamón ibérico bellota is under threat from the climate crisis as rising temperatures and low rainfall imperil a key ingredient of the pigs’ diet – acorns.
“In a country where pigs are as populous as people, there are many varieties of ham but none is so revered as jamón ibérico bellota, which retails at upwards of €100 (£88) a kilo.”
“Sub-Saharan Africa Heat Wave: Temperatures again around 38C/40C even at 300m-400m above sea level between Northern Nigeria, Niger and Chad.
“Kano in Nigeria with 38.2C 100.8F (hourly max) set a record for January, while many other stations just across the Nigerien border were few decimals short.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1619406628520091648
“Over 450 families face starvation as hailstorm wreaks havoc in Mitooma, Uganda…
“The hailstorm claimed the lives of several animals including cows, goats, and pigs, and destroyed several acres of banana, coffee and cassava plantations as well as beans, maize, and Irish potato gardens.”
“Cyclone in Madagascar kills dozens [30, latest toll], displaces tens of thousands.
“More than two dozen Madagascans have died and tens of thousands have been left homeless since a severe tropical cyclone made landfall last week and swirled for days off the island’s western coast, official records show.”
“Unusual cold weather in the Strait of Hormuz area in the Middle East:
“Yesterday cold and rainy with just 14.4C of Tmax. in the Kish Island of Iran. After very mild weeks, the cold reached Oman where snow has been falling on the Jabal al Shams Mountain (>2700m) in the past 5 days.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1619428589010821122
“UAE received rainfall for three days straight. At the end of it, one station — Al Faqa’a — received 118mm [4.6 inches] of precipitation. This is significant, considering the UAE records an annual average of 100mm rainfall.
“Storm Centre posted a stunning video that shows a valley bloom green after the rains.”
“UAE president’s trip to Islamabad postponed due to ‘extreme weather conditions’…
“The leader of the oil-rich Gulf nation was scheduled to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here to discuss bilateral ties and broaden his country’s investment footprint… Islamabad’s sky was overcast with intermittent rains accompanied by gusty winds lashing it since Sunday night, which apparently made it impossible for the royal aircraft to land.”
“Unseasonal rain, hailstorm hit crops on 14.9L hectares [Rajasthan, India]…
“Jaipur: Agriculture minister Lalchand Kataria on Monday informed the state assembly that according to preliminary estimates crops over 14.92 lakh hectares (out of 109 lakh hectares of rabi crop) were affected by the untimely rain, frost and hailstorm in the state in the last two days. The loss to crops ranges from 2 to 65 per cent.”
“Study links record-breaking rainfall events in separate regions.
“In September 2021, record-breaking rainfall occurred in both Northwest India and North China. This was unexpected… A study published in Advances of Atmospheric Sciences found that the rainfall and large-scale circulations in September 2021 resembled those of the peak rainy season (July and August), possibly due to warmer conditions over continental Eurasia.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-01-links-record-breaking-rainfall-events-regions.html
“In Hongyuan, Sichuan, the lowest temperature is – 24.2C [-11.6F] this morning, the highest temperature is 14.4C [57.9F] in the afternoon, and the temperature difference throughout the day is as high as 38.6C!
“This is the second largest temperature difference between day and night since China has meteorological records.”
https://twitter.com/yangyubin1998/status/1620052981638123520
“With the exception of western Tibet, which is snowing, the whole [of China] is warming violently. Yunnan and western Sichuan may hit the highest record in January today.”
https://twitter.com/yangyubin1998/status/1620274398149361666
“In the North China Plain, the temperature has risen to the highest this year. Beijing 14.0C [57.2F] and Tianjin 13.6 C are not only the highest this year, but also the highest in late January, the second highest in January.”
https://twitter.com/yangyubin1998/status/1620371163385073664
Update: “Today, 12 provinces and 89 stations across the country broke the record of January; three stations equalled the record, including 48 stations in Yunnan. Kunming was 24.7C [76.5F], breaking the January record again after five days.”
https://twitter.com/yangyubin1998/status/1620388524880171012
“Forest fire rages in Guangxi.
“A forest fire broke out on Saturday in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and firefighters continued to battle the blaze as of 9 p.m. Monday, local authorities have said… More than 500 firefighters and other emergency response personnel have been dispatched to tackle the blaze.”
https://www.macaubusiness.com/forest-fire-rages-in-south-chinas-guangxi/
“Asia faces weather whiplash as earth warms.
“Floods followed by droughts, or droughts followed by floods, will rise in frequency in a warming world. Global warming will amplify a new type of natural hazard in East Asia: drastic and rapid swings in weather, from heat or drought to flood, and vice versa.”
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-00231-w
“Heat wave in Myanmar. Two records of highest temperatures for January were beaten on 28 January: 30.5C [86.9F] at Monyin and 29.5C at Kyaukmae.
“Earlier this month Hakha tied its all time low with -6.0C and on 20 January Maungdaw beat its January lowest with 6.5C.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1619998988303843328
“The death toll from flooding and landslides prompted by persistent rains since December [Philippines] has climbed to 43 while eight others have been reported missing, according to Jan. 30 update of the national disaster management council.
“Rains are expected to continue this week in affected areas, including southern parts of Luzon, eastern Visayas, and parts of Mindanao…”
“A number of rainfall records have been broken in Albury and parts of north-east Victoria [Australia] following heavy downpours…
“The Bureau of Meteorology said Albury Airport received its highest 24-hour rainfall total on record with a reading of 132 millimetres [5.2 inches] at 9am on Monday.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-01-30/albury-wodonga-record-rainfall-january-2023/101905726
“Sydney cops two weeks’ rain in half-hour deluge…
“A torrential downpour overnight capped off Sydney’s wettest start to the year in more than three decades. Locals watched a steamy, still day turn into a summer storm on Monday evening… Sydney’s main rain gauge at Observatory Hill recorded 52mm between 5:20pm and 6:20pm.”
“A precautionary state of emergency has been declared in New Zealand’s most northern region as parts of the country prepare for more extreme weather.
“Emergency service personnel in Northland are warning the area could see unprecedented levels of rain over Tuesday into Wednesday.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-64461616
“-48.7C [-55.7F] at Vostok in Antarctica yesterday 29 January is the lowest reliable temperature on records in January (a couple of lower temperatures in 1994 and 1998 didn’t pass the quality control) and few decimals from the Antarctic lowest on records for this month.“
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1620022809367052288
“South America under an endless sequences of heat waves:
“Yesterday very hot in Patagonia up to 41.0C [105.8F] at San Antonio Oeste; Monthly record at Chapelco (779m) with 37.0C and missed by just 0.1C at Bariloche (845m) with 34.3C. More severe heat waves are looming and more records can fall.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1620157527508848641
“Record heat in Florida and Georgia today. Jacksonville Int. AP with 87F [30.6C] broke its record of hottest January day on records. Even hotter the Cecil AP with 88F.
“In Georgia 86F at Stafford and Oke West, just 1F from the State record of highest temperature in January.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1620176672480964610
“Tornadoes ravage the South in month of extremes.
“January 2023 will be remembered more for its tornadoes and severe weather than for more traditional winter weather like snow and ice for everyone east of the Rockies. January is not typically a severe weather month, but this year was a big one.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/01/30/weather/january-tornadoes-south-wxn/index.html
“NYC just broke the record for the longest winter without snowfall…
“Not only is there no snow in sight for the near future, but NYC is also seeing some above-normal temperatures. Today, Monday, January 30, the high was predicted to be 52 degrees…in the supposed dead of winter. Many New Yorkers have been describing the lack of snow and warmer temps as “weird” and “unnerving.””
“Honey bee colony loss in the U.S. linked to mites, extreme weather, pesticides…
“The research team found that several stressors impacted honey bee colony loss at the national level, including the presence of nearby pesticides, frequent extreme weather events, and weather instability.”
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2023/01/230130112416.htm
“Hinman Glacier, largest between Mount Rainier and Glacier Peak [Washington State], melts away…
“Hinman Glacier, which sits on the Cascade Mountains spine between Snoqualmie and Stevens passes, shrunk to just 0.04 square kilometers in 2022, according to glaciologist Mauri Pelto. This is just 4% of its 1958 size.”
“Warmer climate may drive fungi to be more dangerous to our health…
“A new study out of Duke University School of Medicine finds that raised temperatures cause a pathogenic fungus known as Cryptococcus deneoformans to turn its adaptative responses into overdrive.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-01-warmer-climate-fungi-dangerous-health.html
“Earth is on track to exceed 1.5C warming in the next decade, study using AI finds.
“The world is on the brink of breaching a critical climate threshold, according to a new study published on Monday, signifying time is running exceedingly short to spare the world the most catastrophic effects of global heating.”
Missed this one a couple of weeks ago: “New report shows alarming changes in the entire global water cycle…
“The key conclusion? Earth’s water cycle is clearly changing. Globally, the air is getting hotter and drier, which means droughts and risky fire conditions are developing faster and more frequently.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-01-alarming-entire-global.html
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. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
Hi, Justin, I reside in South Florida and yes very unseasonal hot winter season this year.
We have had one cold snap this year that harmed the invasive iguanas and posed a threat to the agricultural industry, but no harm done from the news reports.
My main concern is the very elevated ocean waters that will undoubtedly bring in more intense storms (hurricanes), like the one that decimated Fort Meyers Beach this past year.
Just a matter of time before this event occurs.
Suppose that will “cool off” the hot real estate market here.
Vince, I remember the cold snap well, not least because London had the unusual distinction of enjoying a warmer Christmas day than Miami!
Ocean heat has been a big story of late – record-breaking marine heatwaves off NZ, in the NW Atlantic, in the Mediterranean and I’m sure elsewhere. Re Florida, I guess one silver lining of a potential El Nino is that it might dampen hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin, although I don’t think that is a given anymore.
@Zip, I can remember learning in school (in geography class) about the 1953 flood in the Netherlands, watching an old reel film of the disaster 🙁
I also remember the US cold snap actually reaching as far south as Florida seeing the poor iguanas, coinciding with a warm London. In southern Australia, we only started our summer on Xmas Eve, unseasonable cool-cold spring and very late summer start. I have never in my life before thought of needing to turn heating on in spring or summer. While our La Nina kicks on, but our Met predicted the La Nina would weaken through to March, with April-May being ‘neutral”, and in May-June the Pacific Ocean ENSO temps, should indicate a potential El Nino but unknown yet whether it will be mild, moderate or severe.
As for tropical hurricanes, the southern hemisphere’s tropical season this year, has not resulted in more intense cyclones, but the cyclones/monsoonal systems have been stalling as they decline in wind strength (but not rain content) and “stall” in place over landfall. eg Madagascar, Australia.
Unfortunately, not blowing the system onwards to tropical regions that need their annual monsoons. This is a “new” development for the tropical band, and unexpected. Heat is supposed to make winds stronger, not slow them down. I worry if such similar tropical rain systems are going to strike the northern hemisphere this coming summer. which is more heavily populated. Imagine such a system just stalling over Miami for 3-4 days?
As for Auckland, NZ, I’m thankful for so little loss of life!! The live coverage shown on our TV, (and on Youtube) are distressing. I guess the worst for me, was seeing the long timber freight train washed off along with the whole length of tracks it was on. Thank whatever – that it wasn’t a passenger train.
Trains also came a cropper in the NE Indian floods last year and the BC floods of 2021:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/india-flooding-deaths-heatwave-climate-change-disasters-licypriya-kangujam/
https://bc.ctvnews.ca/track-washout-to-blame-for-partial-derailment-of-train-in-b-c-cn-rail-1.5667613
Good evening Panopticon
Nice that you paid attention to the Dutch flood disaster of February 1953 with almost 2,000 dead. I was three years old and ‘a child of the North Sea’, and remember it well, probably because all adults including my parents were completely upset.
That apparently sticks in your consciousness then. During the war, it had also happened regularly that the dykes were bombed and whole stretches of land were submerged under freezing water. In February, the sea water is so cold that survival was limited to a minute or two/three.
In the period that followed and thus for me as a growing up, it was a recurring theme, at school and at home. It dovetailed well with the fear of the ‘ water wolf’ that the whole of the Netherlands grew up with for centuries. Natural disasters, especially storms, were part of the annually recurring stories and accompanying heroic stories and fears!
Luctor et emergo, ‘I struggle and come out on top’. A huge amount of money was spent on building new dykes and containing waterways, keeping coastlines safe, etc.
Disaster management and knowledge building and so a lot was also earned eventually from all that accumulated ‘disaster know-how’.
It even became a ‘ commodity’ of that land below sea level. Matter of clever ‘ disaster’ mercantilism.
Disaster economics ! might be something to think about as it is deployed in the ‘ Paris Accords’.
Keeping the earth at 1.5°….by phasing out fossil fuels and still ! generate economic growth. Rarely heard anything so nonsensical.
It’s like the hope you had as a child of the North Sea weather every time you built a sandcastle…. This time you knew for sure… now I’ll hold back the tide… you knew better but still.
As long as you can’t build a windmill with a windmill, there’s little magic in Sultan Al Jaber’s fossil proposals….I don’t know if they actually have ‘ ebb and flow’ in UAE, I guess it’s down to that.
I looked it up…doesn’t amount to anything ! He didn’t build sand castles as a child in the ‘certainty’ that he was in charge of nature. Little does he know…but he does have a mercantile spirit.