“Earth has second-warmest March even before arrival of planet-heating El Niño.
“March 2023 will go down in the books as tying for the second warmest March on record. That’s according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service of the European Union. Temperatures globally were several degrees above average in most places outside the western U.S., where a stagnant weather pattern allowed cooler than typical readings to hang around most of the month…
“March represents the 529th month in a row with temperatures exceeding the 20th-century average. That’s more than 44 years straight without a single comparatively cool month.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/04/07/earth-warm-march-climate-nino/
“‘Headed off the charts’: world’s ocean surface temperature hits record high.
“Climate scientists said preliminary data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) showed the average temperature at the ocean’s surface has been at 21.1C since the start of April – beating the previous high of 21C set in 2016. “The current trajectory looks like it’s headed off the charts, smashing previous records,” said Prof Matthew England…”
“Greenhouse gas emissions rose at ‘alarming’ rate last year, US data shows.
“Record temperatures, devastating floods and superstorms are causing death and destruction across the planet but humans are failing to cut greenhouse gas emissions fueling the climate emergency, new US data shows.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/06/greenhouse-gas-emissions-noaa-report-us-data
“Exceptional autumn mildness in the Antarctic Peninsula. Monthly records keep falling, the most important ones:
“8.7C / 47.7F Vernadsky (Ukraine Base); 6.5C Frei (Chile); 6.2C O’Higgings (Chile); Vernadsky has lost more than 3 meters of snow in 4 months.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1644001868350193666
“Calendar says autumn but weather is full summer in Chile: today temperatures reached 38C [100.4F] in Valparaiso Region and 36.1C in Metropolitan Region at Huechun, north of the capital Santiago, which rose above 32C.
“More heat tomorrow with 30C returning to Buenos Aires, Argentina in few days.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1644443171303178243
“Historic drought adds to Argentina’s economic woes.
“Argentina’s already fragile economy is now taking a beating from nature… Soy and wheat crops were halved this year, while corn yield was cut by more than a third, according to official projections, slashing Argentina’s exports in a sector crucial for the public purse.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-04-historic-drought-argentina-economic-woes.html
“Buenos Aires airport turns into unofficial homeless shelter.
“…Aeroparque, has practically become a homeless shelter at night. Once passengers start arriving, some of the overnighters head off to spend the day at soup kitchens, though others hang around the airport grounds begging for change at traffic lights and some stay seated in chairs blending in with the travellers.”
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/4/7/buenos-aires-airport-turns-into-unofficial-homeless-shelter
“Brazil’s Cerrado, the second largest biome after the Amazon, could lose almost 34% of its water by 2050.
“The Cerrado, a vast tropical savanna in Brazil and the country’s second largest biome after the Amazon rainforest, could lose 33.9% of its river flows by 2050, if the pace of agricultural exploitation remains at current levels. This volume of water corresponds to the flow of eight Nile rivers in Egypt.”
“Strong evolving El Nino likely ….Pacific watch starts.
“El Nino conditions are building up steadily… The sub surface ocean temperatures anomalies of more than 1degree, up to the depth of 200mtr or more is desirable for formation and sustenance of El Nino. All the Nino indices are no longer negative and have warmed up appreciably off the coast of South America.”
“Coldest ocean water temperature in decades recorded off San Diego County.
“The ocean temperature off Del Mar fell to 52.25 degrees this week, the lowest reading in San Diego County waters since UC San Diego began using a buoy system in the 1970s… Scripps oceanographer Art Miller said in an online posting that the extremely low temperatures appear to be tied to the strong, anomalous surface winds that have been blowing over the ocean for the past week or so.”
“Dramatic photos show how series of storms filled California reservoirs…
“12 of California’s 17 major reservoirs are filled above their historical averages for the start of spring… It’s a stunning turnaround of water availability in the nation’s most populous state. Late last year nearly all of California was in drought, including at extreme and exceptional levels.”
https://abc7ny.com/california-drought-storms-reservoirs-before-and-after/13095810/
“[Bucking that trend] Lake Mead Water Levels Due to Hit Record Low Within Weeks.
“…based on the projections for April, the lake’s water levels are forecast to fall to around 1,036 feet above sea level by the end of April. This would break the lake’s previous record lowest water level of 1,040.71 feet above sea level, which occurred in late July 2022.”
https://www.newsweek.com/lake-mead-water-levels-record-lows-april-1792921
“478 tornado reports across 25 states: How a mild winter led to destruction…
“There have been at least 478 tornado reports this year across 25 states as of Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Only 2017, with 503 tornado reports, and 2008, with 523, had more at this point in the year… This year’s active start can be blamed, at least in part, on the mild winter conditions experienced across much of the country…”
“Climate crisis causing more home runs in baseball, study suggests… Data from 100,000 US Major League games reveals higher temperatures lead to more balls hit out of park…
““When you have warmer temperatures you have lower air density, and when you have lower air density you have less drag on a flying object, whether that’s a baseball or an aeroplane,” said Justin Mankin…”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/apr/07/climate-crisis-more-home-runs-baseball-study
“April fools? Record heat is real deal as temperatures feel more like July [Florida]…
“The Naples airport has recorded one new high temperature so far this week on April 5, hitting 93 degrees yesterday. That topped the previous record (91) set in 1969.” [This was the highest temperature ever recorded in Naples in the first half of April.]
“Exceptional 90F in New Jersey yesterday [7th April]. For Estell Manor (POR 1965-) it was its earliest 90F on records (previous earliest 8 April 2010), for New Jersey as a whole one of the earliest on records.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1644425823066243073
“Hundreds of thousands still without power for 3rd night in Quebec following ice storm…
“Over 1.1 million lost power at the height of the outage following Wednesday’s ice storm, which coated swaths of Quebec in a layer of ice, toppling trees that crushed parked cars and damaged power lines. Three people, including two in Quebec, have died in relation to the storm, according to police.”
“The Arctic’s Permafrost-Obsessed Methane Detectives.
The Far North is thawing, unleashing clouds of planet-heating gas. Scientists rely on an arsenal of tech to sniff out just how nasty the problem is… At the Midnight Sun Golf Course in Fairbanks, Alaska, they say you never get the same shot twice. That’s because the Arctic is warming much faster than the rest of the planet, and as the underground permafrost thaws, it deforms the course’s fairways.”
https://www.wired.com/story/arctic-permafrost-obsessed-methane-detectives/
“Cost of living fears outweigh mental health and climate change as biggest concern for parents [UK].
“Wealthify co-founder Michelle Pearce-Burke said: “With the cost-of-living crisis dominating everyone’s minds at the moment, it’s no surprise that mums and dads are now concerned about the knock-on effect this will have on their kids.”
“Winter in April: exceptional snowfalls in Romania with accumulations locally >50cm [20 inches] at low elevations. Remember they started January with over 20C/22C and people in the spas.
“In the meanwhile heavy frost in central Italy with up to -5.9C at low elevation. (10/12C below average).”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1644339251213991939
“Italy to appoint drought special commissioner.
“Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said in a statement that the Cabinet had approved a decree stipulating that the drought commissioner would take charge of all measures needed to tackle the drought problem.”
“Firefighters battle Spanish wildfires fuelled by drought and winds.
“Firefighters have been deployed to tackle a wind-fuelled wildfire that broke out in a mountainous area in Tarifa, a municipality in the Spanish province of Cadiz, on Wednesday… A severe winter drought is currently affecting large parts of Southern Europe with several areas in Spain particularly hard hit.”
“Breaking News: With a temperature of 38.6C [101.5F] at Tubu, Botswana broke again its national record of highest temperature in April. Australia, South America and South Africa are breaking records heat constantly in this summer which doesn’t want to leave despite its mid autumn….”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1644356929190346754
“Refugee camp in Kenya at ‘breaking point’ following severe droughts…
“All three of the settlements making up the vast tent city — Dagahaley, Ifo and Hagadera — are well beyond capacity. Abdulahi and his family, like all new arrivals, end up on the very outskirts of the camp in “extremely precarious” conditions, said Charlotte Rostorf Ridung, chief of operations for the UNHCR in Dadaab.”
“Amid long dry spell, 74 sporadic forest fires in Goa [India] in early March, Rajya Sabha told…
“The government informed Rajya Sabha that these recent forest fires were largely triggered by a “prolonged dry spell, unprecedented high temperatures, and low humidity”.”
“Keralites brace for another heatwave as mercury soars rapidly; warning issued.
“After a brief lull following summer rains, another heat wave threatens to sweep the state as the mercury continues to soar, especially in northern regions, where the temperatures are predicted to hit a record high.”
https://www.onmanorama.com/news/kerala/2023/04/08/heat-wave-summer-thrissur-palakkad-kozhikode.html
“Frozen “Mummies” Of The Mongol Empire Are Rising From Melted Permafrost.
“The permafrost of east Eurasian mountains is slowly melting away, helping to reveal the buried bodies of the much-feared Mongol Empire – as well as their unquenchable thirst for yak milk.”
“Bangkok heatwave: Thai capital faces heat index of over 50 deg C [122F].
“Whilst temperatures in Phnom Penh may be sweltering, spare a thought for our neighbours in Bangkok, who are currently melting under a heat index temperature of 50.2 deg C… People who spend time outside in temperatures between 41 deg C and 54 deg C are at risk of developing muscle cramp and heatstroke.”
“Thunderstorm wreaks havoc like a typhoon in Sibu [Sarawak, Malaysia].
“A ferocious thunderstorm on Wednesday evening caused major damage in town. Scenes of uprooted trees and dangling roofs on power and telecommunication wires have terrified locals, who had never experienced anything like this before.”
https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2023/04/07/thunderstorm-wreaks-havoc-like-a-typhoon-in-sibu
“Victoria headed for coldest Easter weekend in 80 years… One state [WA] is being urged to brace for a possible category 3 tropical cyclone over the long weekend, while another is set to break an 80 year record.
“As the western state prepares to bunker down, Queensland has been struck by wild hailstorms. The Bureau of Meteorology reported giant hail between 9cm and 11cm [4.3 inches]…”
“Morioka [Japan] breaks the record for the earliest full bloom ever recorded, by a week!!
“By 6th April, the cherry trees were in full bloom in Morioka. This is 18 days earlier than the average year! This is one week (7 days) earlier than the previous record of 13/04/2021!”
https://twitter.com/StabilizClimate/status/1644146788029571072
“‘We will have to get used to new varieties’: How climate change will make wine sweeter and more alcoholic.
“Knowing your Bordeaux from your Beaujolais is certain to impress your guests at a dinner party. But the art of tasting wine could be about to get a lot more complicated because of climate change.” [ffs]
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread, although it may be a rather thin one due to the Easter break.
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.
Let’s cling to the good news and ‘just’ ignore the rest. More home runs, sweeter and alchoholic wine and trees already in full bloom… what could possibly go wrong? 🙂
I wish you a beautiful sunny Easter day and take it easy on Monday…..
It is beautiful Easter weather here and like every year, the mostly French residents from the south come to make their second homes ‘ summer ready’ to escape the summer heat of Marseille and Toulon in the mountains.
As every year, the ‘ townspeople’ rush to buy ‘ from the farmer’ eggs and milk…. Ah yes the good life in the countryside and the healthy mountain air….. what could possibly go wrong?
What indeed… Thank you for the kind Easter wishes. I am trying to concoct an elaborate Easter egg hunt for the kids with each clue more fiendish than the last …but my brain is not co-operating. 😅
Enjoy your lovely weather and mountain air!
Apropos of today’s catalog of catastrophes, here is one of Ugo Bardi’s better ones:
Why we Can’t Change Anything Before it is Too Late
https://senecaeffect.substack.com/p/why-we-cant-change-anything-before
Cassandra, thank you. His central point reminds me of the Alan Watts’ quote:
“The only way to change human behaviour is to woo, instead of preach. To make love, instead of threatening disaster. To point out how glorious something could be, and in some way to live it. This is the real meaning of “Make Love, Not War”.”
I love that quote, Panopticon. However, if someone is looking for a fight and wants to “score points” they sure as hell are not trying to “make love, not war” like that interview Ugo was invited to. And I’m not sure how to woo someone to the reality and consequences of limits to growth, much less climate collapse. I guess the best thing to do is exactly what you are doing, which is reporting on the evidence “from the field” around the world. To me that speaks for itself. Theoretical models have their place, but to me, they’re not necessary: just look at what’s happening in real life.
Good points, Cassandra. What is the point of wooing anyone anyway when you live in an era of non-solutions? Best just to keep tabs on events as they unfold.
The dam to watch before the colorado river system collapses is the lake powell dam in the upper colorado. I forgot the name this morning but once that cant pump water over to Arizona or send water downstream its game over. I have been reading everything from April on wards but who knows it could be anytime if you ask me.
Heather, thank you for the heads up here. I hadn’t followed this story. The article says that Lake Powell is silting up to the point where Glen Canyon dam needs to have holes drilled in it, so that it can be emptied:
“With Lake Powell just 23 percent full and Lake Mead, outside Las Vegas, at 28 percent capacity, it’s time to stop trying to save Lake Powell. It should be abandoned and its water stored in Lake Mead.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/opinion/colorado-river-lake-powell-glen-canyon-dam.html
Omg is thats what they are saying now. Yeah the concrete is probably so fragile at this point from the dry weather they could break the dam. Not only is the concrete thick it might be a very hard task costing millions but hey lets waste more money for nothing at this point our government good with that one.
On the alcohol front from what i have tasted here in the us it appears to be more watered down. There is lawsuit out there claiming that the fireball shots have no alcohol in them. A couple of months ago I brought some cranberry juice but it only tasted of sugar water and food coloring. So my guess they are doing this elsewhere to cover up the lack of supply available.