“China experienced its hottest temperature on record as the mercury soared to 52.2C [125.96F] on Sunday.
“The remote Sanbao Township in Turpan Depression, a deep mountain basin in Xinjiang, smashed the previous record of 50.3C as a blistering heatwave swept the country.” [also an absolute world record for north of 40N latitude]
“Ancient Buddhist murals in northwestern China are under “direct threat” as a result of unprecedented levels of rainfall brought about by climate change, researchers said on Monday.
“Extreme rainfall in Dunhuang and Zhangye in China’s Gansu province has put UNESCO-listed world heritage sites at risk, with cave monasteries dating back to the 4th century already damaged, environmental group Greenpeace said.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/climate-change-menaces-chinas-ancient-heritage-sites-2023-07-17/
“Tens of thousands flee as Typhoon Talim lashes China, Vietnam…
“Chinese authorities ordered the closure of dozens of coastal tourist destinations, while 11 rescue vessels, five helicopters, 46 salvage ships and eight emergency rescue teams were on standby to respond to the storm, it added.”
“Record heat in SE Asia seems never ending and it stretching into July as well.
“Monthly records have fallen the past days. Today record with 40.4C [104.7F] at Lao Cai in Vietnam. 14 July record with 38.4C at Laem Chabang in Thailand. Nights are also stifling hot and humid.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1680939027489234946
“South Korea floods: Tunnel horror brings home climate fears…
“It’s been more than 48 hours since extreme rainfall caused a riverbank to break, and water suddenly and forcefully filled the major underpass, stopping vehicles dead. Thirteen bodies have so far been brought out of the tunnel… only halfway through its monsoon season, and S Korea has already received more than the total amount of rainfall typical for the period.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-66219597
“On Monday, Nikko [Japan] recorded its all-time record high, and Toyota, known for the car company, had a high of 39.1℃ (102F).
“The Gion Festival, with a history of over 1,100 years(!), was taking place in Kyoto, but nine people were taken to the hospital due to heatstroke.”
https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1681055418800553986
“Big contrasts in South America:
“Harsh freeze in Southern and Central Argentina up to -22.5C [-8.5F] at Perito Moreno Aero. Also -11.2C at San Antonio Oeste which ties its July lowest temperature on record. In Brazil up to 39.0C [102.2F] at Aragarcas, Goias State, another heat record for July.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681037922865127429
“Phoenix’s long simmering heat poised to break records for relentless high temperatures…
“The last time Phoenix didn’t reach 110 F (43.3 C) was June 29, when it hit 108 (42.2 C). The record of 18 days above 110 that was tied Monday was first set in 1974, and it appeared destined to be shattered with temperatures forecast above that through the end of the week.”
“Death Valley may have just had the hottest recorded midnight ever.
“Between 12am and 1am on 17 July, a weather station in Death Valley, California measured temperatures of 48.9°C (120°F). If confirmed it would be the hottest recorded temperature at that time.”
“Only 1 day away from tying the annual record in Miami for heat index days at or above 105. They were very rare in the 1950s-1970s, but they have increased esp. over the last 2 decades.
“This year will blow previous years out of the water! Coincidently hot water is a big cause.”
https://twitter.com/WeatherProf/status/1681127634065846274
“Pennsylvania flash flood: five people killed and two children missing.
“Five people have been killed and two children remained missing after floodwaters tore through parts of south-eastern Pennsylvania over the week during the latest round of violent storms to hit the region… South-eastern Pennsylvania is only the latest area in the US to be hit by intense rain and flooding as the worldwide climate emergency worsens.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/17/pennsylvania-flash-flood-buck-county-missing-people
“Millions again under smoke advisory due to Canada wildfires.
“Air quality in the north and eastern US is rapidly declining as hundreds of Canadian wildfires burn out of control. Twenty US states were under air alerts on Monday, according to AirNow, a government website that tracks harmful airborne pollutants.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-66229511
“Arctic atmosphere has become significantly more moist, regional storm activity increasing, shows study.
“…they found that the Arctic atmosphere has become significantly more moist and regional storm activity has increased. Winter warming in the regions around Svalbard and the North Pole has increased, resulting in a decrease in sea ice thickness in the Fram Strait and in snow depth on the ice.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-07-arctic-atmosphere-significantly-moist-regional.html
“Research links climate change to ‘lazier’ jet stream, leading to extreme weather…
“The new study presents evidence of a link to climate change, both in the increases in jet-stream waviness and ever-decreasing spring North American snow cover extent, which “is impacting the atmosphere in a way that is favoring these blocked high-pressure systems over Greenland,” Preece said.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-07-links-climate-lazier-jet-stream.html
“Code Yikes!!!
“Yesterday’s North Atlantic sea surface temperature just hit a new record high anomaly of 1.33°C above the 1991-2020 mean, with an average temperature of 24.39°C (75.90°F). By comparison, the next highest temperature on this date was 23.63°C (74.53°F), in 2020.”
https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1680963658430689280
“Scientists sound alarm over ‘unheard of’ conditions off the coast of England: ‘We could see mass mortality’…
“Scientists are worried that an El Niño–prolonged ocean heat-up off the coast of England and Ireland will result in massive death tolls for sea life, along with other terrible outcomes. That’s because temperatures in the North Sea are already 5 degrees above normal…”
https://news.yahoo.com/scientists-concerned-unheard-conditions-off-113000269.html
“Climate change threatens Britain’s national security, food and energy supplies, a UK Government report has warned.
“The third national adaptation programme warns that potential security implications such as the overspill of violent conflict or threats to global food supply chains were “greater than previously assessed”.”
“South East Water has reported a pre-tax loss of nearly £75m, which it blamed in part on the cost of dealing with last year’s “extreme weather events” including the record-breaking heatwave [UK].
“The water firm, which supplies 2.2 million customers in Kent, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire and Surrey, said the weather events cost it £17m.”
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2023/jul/17/south-east-water-loss-extreme-weather-heatwave
“Swiss police evacuate villages due to wildfire…
“”The fire is spreading towards Ried-Morel-Riederhorn,” police said in a brief statement on Twitter at 18:30 GMT, saying they would evacuate the Ried-Morel village, near the town of Brig, which is close to the Italian border. It later added that three other villages were to be evacuated and warned of rockfalls.”
https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/swiss-police-evacuate-villages-due-wildfire-2023-07-17/
“The tiny Principality of Andorra also had a historic day, or better say, night. For the first time in July the stations of Roc St Pere (Andorra La Vella), and Hidroelectrica (nearly 1 century of data) had a tropical night in July (Tmin >20C / 68F).
“Altitude is more than 1000m asl.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1680625132199460864
“The olive oil industry is “in crisis”, and the heatwave in southern Europe is threatening to inflict the second bad harvest in a row and gaps on shelves this autumn.
“After a spring heatwave affected flowering in Spain, which produces about half of the global olive crop, the harvest was forecast to be only 28% up on last year, which was the worst in almost a decade.”
“Spanish city that is Europe’s hottest could ‘turn into desert’ in next few years.
“Seville could turn into a desert-like furnace within years, a meteorological expert has warned. Temperatures continue to rise in Europe’s hottest city due to its location far from the cooling influence of the coast… Seville is the fourth largest city in Spain and the capital of Andalusia.”
https://www.edinburghlive.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/spanish-city-europes-hottest-could-27335263
“La Palma wildfires: Firefighters battle raging blaze on Spanish island
“Firefighters are battling wildfires that have taken hold on the island of La Palma, in the Canary Islands.
“Officials said more than 4,000 people had been evacuated.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-europe-66222132
“The UN announced Monday that the 48.8C recorded on the Italian island of Sicily in 2021 had been verified as the European high temperature record, against which the current heatwave will be measured.
“The United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization (WMO) keeps the World Weather and Climate Extremes Archive and painstakingly verifies any claimed records…”
https://www.sciencealert.com/europe-breaks-temperature-record-but-admits-its-only-temporary
“Southern Europe, Italy brace for record temperatures as heat wave peaks…
“Rome is among cities expected to shatter all-time heat records on Tuesday. Temperatures are forecast to easily surpass the standing high mark of 105 degrees, set in August 2007. The heat and attendant dry weather is also exacerbating drought and fire concerns in parts of the region.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/17/europe-heatwave-italy-spain-record-climate/
“The Mediterranean Sea is unusually warm right now with sea surface temperatures as much as 5 degrees Celsius above average.
“This means that there’s no respite from the heat overnight, as minimum temperatures stay in the mid-high 20s Celsius, especially in coastal areas.”
https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1680985413542920195
“Wildfires tear through towns in Greece as thousands flee seaside resorts…
“Fanned by strong winds, the wildfires have so far raged uncontrolled through two towns near Athens, damaging homes and forcing thousands of people to flee. Hundreds of children have been evacuated from a summer camp, located around 50 miles (80km) west of the Greek capital Athens.”
“Turkey: helicopters drop water on raging wildfires that are threatening residential areas…
“Emergency services used helicopters carrying tanks of water in the latest efforts to control wildfires in Turkey’s south-eastern province of Hatay. Three villages in the region were evacuated after the wildfires began to threaten nearby residential areas.”
“Iraq, Syria blame Turkey for water scarcity in first meeting since 2011.
“During Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani’s recent visit to Damascus, both Sudani and the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad pointed the finger at Turkey for the water scarcity issues plaguing their nations, citing the construction of dams on shared rivers as the cause.”
https://medyanews.net/iraq-syria-blame-turkey-for-water-scarcity-in-first-meeting-since-2011/
“In Iraq, heat and drought hit honey production hard.
“… bees thrive in temperatures of around 30-35 degrees Celsius, not in searing heat, when the thermometer climbs to 50, said Aliawi, the manager of a private honey producer. He has moved dozens of bee hives from central Iraq to seven sites scattered across the mountains…”
https://thearabweekly.com/iraq-heat-and-drought-hit-honey-production-hard
“Persian Gulf International Airport in Iran reported a heat index of 152°F (66.7°C) today at 12:30 pm. Those are intolerable conditions for human/animal life.”
https://twitter.com/US_Stormwatch/status/1680700765265072128
“Not in a state to share water with Tamil Nadu: Karnataka minister…
““As a practice, the Tamil Nadu government has demanded the release of water from Karnataka. But when there is no water even for drinking, how is it possible to release water to them? A meeting will be convened soon to discuss the issue,” stated minister Cheluvarayaswamy.”
“The tiny Agalega island is a champion of record heat: Yesterday it beat for the 5th time the Mauritian national record of July highest temperature with 31.7C [89.1F].
“It had already beaten the Mauritian records of April, May and June on multiple days.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps
“Global ocean heatwave alert!
“Global sea surface temperatures (SST) reached a new record anomaly today. The global SST of 20.98°C (69.76°F) is a record 0.638°C hotter than the 1991-2020 mean. This is a “code Yikes” heatwave, scientists must use the word “Yikes!” to describe it.”
https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1680623580135161856
“44% of the global ocean is now experiencing Marine Heatwaves!
“We can see the increased rate of warming take further shape in the following months… Half of the global oceans will be experiencing a Marine Heatwave by Sept-Oct 2023!”
https://twitter.com/LeonSimons8/status/1681014795787464708
“After the hottest day and week, we are now experiencing the hottest month “ever” (in about 120,000 years, based on paleoclimatology).
“As we keep warming the planet, we will soon experience global temperatures not seen in the past million years!”
https://twitter.com/LeonSimons8/status/1681201764333223936
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.
Just for info, Australia is the only country in the world, not (yet) stating that an El Nino has started.
Apparently in Oz, we have higher data standards, not just warming in the east Pacific, but has to have weakened tropical Trade winds as well, before we declare it.
‘El Nino wind speed thresholds have not yet been observed….. the ocean warming in the east-Pacific has reached El Nino thresholds, but in a context of extreme marine heatwaves, and smaller ‘hot spots’ in all oceans’.
So in Australia, the El Nino is still just an “alert” for croppers and graziers to prepare crops and herds for a warm, dry spring from late August.
Still, with a 70% probability of a full El Nino appearing by October.
Thought so, its still damp and drippy here, still breezy and plenty of cloud, not El Nino for us… yet.
An El Nino winter/spring for us is clear skies and “drier than a dead dingo’s dong” LOL
Typical, the lonely voice stand-out!
Perhaps other countries, particularly in the North, want to blame El Nino, at least in part, for their 2023 summer, when it shouldnt impact the north till 2024. About 6-9 months after we first feel it hitting.
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/
Just another FYI…
For the economic thread, but I’ll forget.., Melbourne just announced that the 2026 Commonwealth Games are cancelled… Costs have blown out, need to cut losses.
And nobody interested since Lillibet died, a third of the Commonwealth countries are either super-broke, in famine and/or undergoing social unrest.
Besides Australia, New Zealand we always win…
But watch this space, Brisbane might be able to save the games…
Wow – no Commonwealth Games. That is a sign of the times. I recall wondering if the 2016 Rio games with their shoddy infrastructure and Zika outbreak might be the last Olympics but we have limped on…
All the shocking heat statistics in one place:
https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2023/07/the-scorching-summer-of-2023-reaches-mind-blowing-high-temperatures/
“The closest thing to a globe-encircling heat wave continues to bake many Northern Hemisphere locations during mid-July, 2023. Heat near or above all-time highs is surging in locations from Reno, Nevada, to Rome, Italy, and from geographies ranging from desert outposts to the sea surface. Many more records are expected to melt this week, as a consolidating El Niño pattern continues to release greenhouse-gas-trapped heat into the atmosphere that was stored in the ocean during three years of La Niña conditions.”
https://news.artnet.com/market/hamptons-fine-art-fair-flooding-2338021
No one can escape it even art and the rich