“Is this extreme weather the ‘new normal?’ There’s no such thing, some scientists say.
““When I hear it, I get a bit crazy because it’s not really the new normal,” said Hannah Cloke, a climate scientist and professor at the University of Reading in the UK. “Until we stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere we have no idea what the future looks like.”
“She is one of many scientists who warn that, while this summer is very bad, it’s only just the beginning. As long as global temperature continues to rise, they said, the world should brace for escalating impacts.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/19/world/extreme-weather-heat-floods-abnormal-climate-scn/index.html
“Global (60°S-60°N) Sea Surface Temperature average hits 21°C for the second time in observational history.
“This happening in July is beyond extreme! We’ve never seen temperatures in summer surpass those of the March-April.”
https://twitter.com/LeonSimons8/status/1681324523797217290
“Wow! Wow! Wow! North Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies are going vertical again. And yes, I needed to extend the y-axis.
“Yesterday’s temperature of 24.49°C (76.08°F) was 4.2σ above the 1991-2020 mean. The previous high for July 17 was 23.71°C (74.68°F) in 2020.”
https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1681321023306874880
“Soaring sea surface temperatures in the north Atlantic and western Mediterranean are partly fuelling the current heatwave in Europe, scientists have warned.
“The temperature of the North Atlantic began rising above historical averages in March, reaching 1.3°C higher than the 1982-2011 mean on July 13, according to data from Copernicus.”
“Mediterranean Heat Wave.
“Another historic day today with strong fohn in the Côte d’Azur of France and new all time record set at Cannes with 39.2C [102.6F]. More records fell , including the monthly record of Montpellier with 37.6C.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681727245642022916
“Breaking News: Today it’s the hottest day in Catalan history:
“At 1:30pm the temperature was already 43.7C [110.7F] Pantà de Darnius. It’s an historic day in Spain and France with dozens of records pulverized.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681278099726409728
“Malaga equals the all-time maximum temperature record with a scorching 44.2C [111.6F].
“According to data compiled by Spain’s state weather agency Aemet the thermometer located at the airport reached 44.2C, which equalled a record that had not been reached for more than 40 years. The last time was on 18 July 1978.”
“Rome registered a new record high temperature of 41.8 Celsius on Tuesday, a local weather service reported, as a heatwave beat down on much of southern Europe.
“The previous record of 40.7 C [107.2F], set in June 2022, was broken in several parts of the Italian capital on Tuesday…”
“EU Rushes Firefighters to Greece as Grueling Mediterranean Heat Wave Takes Toll.
“Fire planes and ground crews from several European countries are heading to Greece where wildfires have intensified as relentless heat wave conditions are keeping much of southern Europe above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).”
https://www.voanews.com/a/7187139.html
“Ferocious storm sees 1,000 hikers stranded on Austrian mountain in 100mph gusts.
“A powerful thunderstorm has left 1,200 hikers stranded on a mountain in Austria. The severe storm forced the stranded walkers on the Rohrberg mountain to seek shelter in mountain huts and restaurants.”
https://www.express.co.uk/news/world/1792534/austria-storm-1000-hikers-stranded-mountain
“A powerful storm sweeps Balkans region after days of heat, killing at least 5 people.
“A powerful storm hit the Balkans with strong winds and heavy rain Wednesday, killing at least five people in Croatia, Bosnia and Slovenia and injuring dozens, police and local media outlets said. The storm was the second in two days to sweep over the region…”
“Climate change takes its toll in Serbia as crops suffer after extreme heat follows flooding…
“The country has experienced “absolute extremes in terms of both drought and the amount of water that we’ve had,” Serbian farmer Dejan Ivanišević tells Euronews. “Believe me, I absolutely do not understand what is happening.””
“Pics: Torrential Rain Turns Moscow Into Venice. The Russian capital, Moscow, was hit by flash flooding on Tuesday…
“According to the Russian News Agency TASS, the damage caused by Tuesday’s torrential downpour in Moscow may amount to dozens of millions of rubles, President of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Sergey Katyrin said.”
https://www.ndtv.com/feature/pics-torrential-rain-turns-moscow-into-venice-4223594
“Torrential rains, high temperatures lead to heavy floods in Al Haouz region [Morocco].
“Residents of Moulay Brahim, in the province of Marrakech, sustained big damage as a result of the severe rains the region experienced on Tuesday. The commune of Moulay Brahim in the Al Haouz region saw a severe rainstorm that resulted in significant material losses as the powerful flood waters washed away a huge number of cars.”
“From Algeria to Syria, heatwaves scorch Middle East, North Africa…
“Temperatures in some parts of the MENA region are currently the highest in the world, with several countries breaking records… In Algeria, five states were listed as places with the highest temperatures in the world in recent days… some of those breaking records.”
“Egypt cuts power to ease loads during heat wave…
“Residents have reported power cuts in several areas in Cairo this week, as temperatures have risen above 40 degrees during a heat wave that has affected southern Europe and North Africa and coincided with extreme temperatures elsewhere in the Northern Hemisphere.”
https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20230719-egypt-cuts-power-to-ease-loads-during-heat-wave/
“Syria struggles to contain wildfires as temperatures rise.
“Firefighters were battling on Tuesday to extinguish multiple wildfires raging across the central Syrian countryside, local civil defence officials said, as temperatures reached 40 degrees Celsius in parts of the country.”
“Türkiye’s summer wheat harvest hampered by severe drought.
“Halim Orta, a wheat farmer in the Thrace region, one of the granaries of Türkiye, had high hopes for the summer harvest when he sowed seeds in October last year. But the yield fell far short of expectations due to the severe drought that had badly affected agriculture throughout Türkiye.”
https://english.news.cn/20230719/34cafc9ca8a340278e9f02d2588406f6/c.html
“Iraqis call for boycott of Turkish goods over water cuts.
“Iraqi citizens staged a protest outside the Turkish Embassy in Baghdad on Tuesday against the water restrictions imposed by Turkey on Iraq. As a symbolic act against the water crisis, the demonstrators called for a boycott of Turkish products.”
https://medyanews.net/iraqis-call-for-boycott-of-turkish-goods-over-water-cuts/
“Sun-baked Iraqis protest water and electricity shortages.
““We have come to peacefully protest and demand water from the government and the source countries,” Najeh Jawda Khalil told AFP around midday as temperatures neared 50ºC. “The agricultural regions and marshes are gone,” said Khalil…”
https://jordantimes.com/news/region/sun-baked-iraqis-protest-water-and-electricity-shortages
“As water shortages intensify Iran’s heat wave, authorities shift blame…
“In public messaging, Iran’s leaders have sought to deflect blame to the Taliban, which rules in neighboring Afghanistan, for restricting water flow in the Helmand River. Officials have also blamed floods and fallen rocks, for disrupting the operation of dams around Tehran, and ordinary citizens, for their consumption of water and electricity.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2023/07/18/iran-drought-water-shortage-heat/
“Pakistan demands respect for Indus water treaty…
“On Jan 25, India sent a notice to Pakistan demanding the modification of the Indus Waters Treaty. Pakistan has so far refused to engage. The World Bank, which is affiliated with the UN system, arbitrates water disputes between the two countries.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1765738/pakistan-demands-respect-for-indus-waters-treaty
“11 people killed after wall collapses in Pakistan’s capital amid torrential rain.
“Eleven people lost their lives on Wednesday morning after a wall came crashing down near an under-construction bridge in Pakistan’s federal capital amid torrential rain, which also lashed the neighboring city of Rawalpindi.”
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2340366/pakistan
“Streets Flooded, Cars Submerged As Heavy Rain Batters Gujarat [India].
“Torrential rain caused severe waterlogging in Rajkot, Surat and Gir Somnath districts after the state received 300 mm [12 inches] of rainfall in the last few hours, forcing the evacuation of 70 people. Visuals on social media paint a grim picture in many areas with streets flooded, cars submerged and shops closed due to severe flooding.”
“Flash floods in India’s Assam state have killed at least eight people and displaced more than 115,000 after a regional river burst its banks earlier this month following heavy monsoon rains…
“Water from the swollen Brahmaputra River has engulfed nearly 450 villages in 17 districts in the hilly state in northeastern India, inundating large swathes of wildlife sanctuaries as well…”
https://www.reuters.com/world/india/flash-floods-indian-state-assam-kill-eight-2023-07-18/
“Another day of routine in China which means all time heat records broken.
“42.4C [108.3F] at Cele and 40.3C Chabuchaer broke their historic heat records. Waiting for a new record heat wave in the South, will China manage to have a day without any record broken?”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681653207544520704
“Affected by the continuous heat wave and drought, the water level of the Yangtze River this year is lower than last year, and the rate of decline is faster.
“Today, the water level of the Yangtze River in Wuhan has hit the lowest level since observations began in 1865.”
https://twitter.com/yangyubin1998/status/1681647921278906371
“Beijing topped its record for high temperature days in a year on Tuesday with 27 days as a blistering heatwave sweeps through the Chinese capital.
“At 12:20pm (0420 GMT), the temperature measured by Beijing’s benchmark weather station in its southern suburbs soared to 35.1 Celsius (95.18 Fahrenheit), breaking through the 35C high temperature line… The previous record for high temperature days in a year was 26 days logged in 2000…”
“New day, new records in Japan.
“Yokohama (data since 1897) broke its record of the hottest July day on records with 37.3C [99.1F]. New monthly record also at Gotemba with 34.8C. Another stifling hot night ahead and more records of highest Tmins are expected.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681243144711544833
“Eastern Australia hit with rising electricity prices despite record warm weather…
“Gas demand trailed off in June, in part because of milder temperatures, sending gas prices below $10/GJ. Eastern Australia had its warmest ever June by maximum temperatures, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.”
“Colombia landslide kills at least 12 – Civil Defense.
“A landslide caused by heavy rains in a mountainous region of central Colombia killed at least 12 people on Tuesday and destroyed several houses, the country’s Civil Defense agency said. The landslide took place in Quetame…”
https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/colombia-landslide-kills-least-12-civil-defense-2023-07-18/
“Record heat again in the Cayman Islands yesterday: 34.5C [94.1F] at Owen Int AP tied the territorial July record which was beaten few days ago. The record warm water keeps maritime climates under constant record warmth.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681481579883839488
“Miami’s worst heat wave breaks records on land and sea…
“As of Monday, the heat index in Miami had topped 100°F for 37 consecutive days, and 106°F for 13 straight days, McNoldy said. The previous longest stretches with heat indices at or above these thresholds were 32 and four days.”
https://www.axios.com/2023/07/18/miami-weather-heat-wave-climate
“Austin breaks heat record with temperatures of 105 or more for 10 days in a row.
“The National Weather Service Twitter account for the Austin and San Antonio areas announced the new record on Wednesday. Camp Mabry recorded 105 degrees at 2:33 p.m. on Wednesday, making it the 10th day of at least 105-degree temperatures.”
“Phoenix breaks heat record with 19th day of temperatures at 110F or higher.
“Tuesday marked the 19th day the city of Phoenix has been subjected to temperatures of at least 110F (43.3C) – the longest stretch of time spent in such brutal heat – as record-breaking summer weather continues to affect millions in the US and around the world.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jul/18/phoenix-arizona-temperature-record-heat-weather
“39-day heat wave could last into August after smashing 2,300-plus records.
“The long-term forecast looks bleak. The extreme heat could continue into August in some of the hardest-hit areas and even a brief glimmer of cooler hope for some parts of the country headed into the weekend will only mean new areas swelter as a heat dome slides west.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/18/weather/heat-wave-end-phoenix-texas-climate/index.html
“Kentucky governor declares emergency after heavy rainfall causes widespread flooding.
“The western town of Mayfield saw 11.28 inches of rain from early Wednesday to 1 p.m., the National Weather Service in Paducah said. If verified, that would establish a new 24-hour rainfall record for the state, the service said. The record heading into Wednesday was 10.48 inches of rain, set in Louisville in 1997…”
https://edition.cnn.com/2023/07/19/weather/kentucky-flash-floods-graves-county/index.html
“Floods prompt warnings about tainted U.S. Northeast water supplies.
“State officials across the U.S Northeast are warning residents about contaminated water following mass floods last week that swept raw sewage, pesticides, runoff fuel and other types of pollutants into private and public water systems.”
“Farmers warn crop diseases could follow this month’s floods.
“The governor of Massachusetts is pledging assistance to farmers who sustained losses in this month’s river flooding, but it remains unclear as to what form the relief will come in… “Things are just getting worse by the day,” said Jay Savage of Savage Farms in Deerfield.”
https://www.wamc.org/news/2023-07-18/farmers-warn-crop-diseases-could-follow-this-months-floods
“Flat Fire spreading quickly in Southern Oregon, growing to almost 13,000 acres…
“Dry vegetation and winds have contributed to its quick spread. As of Wednesday morning, the fire stands at 12,756 acres. The fire has spread toward Wild Horse Ridge up Lawson Creek on its west side.”
“Military deploy to help fight B.C. wildfires as thousands under evacuation alerts, orders…
““Since April 1, 2023, 1,183 wildfires have burned a total of 1.39 million hectares,” Ma said. “As winds shift today, smoke and cloud cover will clear. These clear skies will increase temperatures, lower humidity and increase wildfire activity on many of our current wildfires.””
https://globalnews.ca/news/9839780/bc-wildfire-latest-update-july-18-fires/
“‘Fighting a losing battle’: waves of wildfires leave Canada’s volunteer firefighters drained…
“For crews on the frontline, the struggle to contain aggressive boreal fires has left teams physically and emotionally exhausted. In recent days, morale has taken a further hit after two wildfire fighters were killed while combating blazes.”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/jul/19/canada-wildfires-firefighters-shortage
“Never ending record heat in Canada:
“On 17th July 2 all time highs broken: 32.8C [91F] Ennadai Lake, Nunavut; 24.8C Sachs Harbour (72N), NWT. Today Monthly record at Mary’s Harbour in NL with 33.3C.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1681412839620132871
“‘We are damned fools’: scientist who sounded climate alarm in 80s warns of worse to come.
“The world is shifting towards a superheated climate not seen in the past 1m years, prior to human existence, because “we are damned fools” for not acting upon warnings over the climate crisis, according to James Hansen, the US scientist who alerted the world to the greenhouse effect in the 1980s.”
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/19/climate-crisis-james-hansen-scientist-warning
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
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Eliot Jacobsen and Leon Simons crack me up with their melodrama 🙂 No wonder they get so much schtick for being paranoid “alarmists” and “fear-mongers”.
As for Australia, also an ‘alarmist’ report. Most of the warmth we’ve had is all in the northern tropical band,and is only marginally warmer than average – well within normal range of variability. Its meant be warm in the tropical winter or “dry season”.
The whole southern band, has been %$%#/×+.ing 《insert preferred adjectival expletive》
COLD.
And still is, -6C this morning, with yet another hard frost.
I was just listening to
A. right-wing kiwi journo (Ian Wishart) on his new soon-to-be-released book on the Elite Cabal behind stirring up climate alarmism, in order to keep the “wealth pump” pumping money into their pockets through ‘green tech subsidies’.
Which was reminiscent of our last Federal Election. One of the main reasons the previous Conservative govt was beaten so very badly, was due to rise of “Teal Independents”, mostly unknown women, in a sizeable number of blue-ribbon conservative seats in the cities. (Teal for blue/green, blue for conservative, mixed with Greens. They all ran on a “climate” platform)
They were all funded by a group of Aussie billionaires, calling themselves Climate200, or something like that.
B. A Danish researcher, once an anti-nuclear activist, now turned pro- nuclear, specifically SMR tech. In the last 5 years, Denmark’s wind energy sector, once world leading, has been reducing the start-up subsidies, and their wind companies are now dying. 30 years of govt support and incentives, and its proven non cost-effective in the “market”, they’ve become non-profits, LOL
The plot thickens, better stock up on more popcorn for more fixes of my “disaster junkie” addiction.
I can be happy sitting “on the fence” (sans opinion) munching popcorn, watching the footage (and games) play out.
The only thing that really concerns me, is the marine heat, that has not been explained to my satisfaction.
“Eliot Jacobsen and Leon Simons crack me up with their melodrama 🙂 No wonder they get so much schtick for being paranoid “alarmists” and “fear-mongers”.”
I like Prof Eliot. He and I share a mentor in the late and much missed Gail Zawacki. I wouldn’t call him melodramatic… perhaps just very emotionally engaged with his research. Leon Simons is quite different, a rather dry scientist, who has only very recently turned to profanity out of desperation.
“The only thing that really concerns me, is the marine heat, that has not been explained to my satisfaction.”
The air temps are also of concern to me, given that we are experiencing what will surely be earth’s hottest ever month, way before we feel the full brunt of El Nino. The on-going, record low levels of sea ice in the Antarctic likewise give me pause for thought. The Earth Energy Imbalance is way out of whack [this article from June]:
“The 36-month running average for the Earth Energy Imbalance is now at a record 1.36 Watts per square meter. This looks like a small value, but it corresponds to an average of 11 Hiroshimas of excess energy per second accumulating in Earth’s climate system over the past three years.”
https://phys.org/news/2023-06-global-average-sea-air-temperatures.html
So far climate scientists have consistently been caught out by the severity of the effects of global warming, if not (as Mann is currently trying to argue) by the rate of warming itself. It certainly feels to me like we have entered a new phase of spiralling destabilisation. We just have to hope it doesn’t spiral too quickly!
It’s nonsensical to say they get “schtick.”
Maybe you meant “stick,” but that is also nonsensical.
Who knows what you are going on about in your rightist fantasies?
I am a loss for words. Things are going downhill fast! And el nino has not fully kicked in yet. Well a tornado took a bite out of a pfizer plant in nc and in Las Vegas a plane was sitting on the tarmac too long and people got heat illness but move along people nothing to see here. More bs coming from the media and more schools and churches are closing. It was 90 here yesterday in the Seattle area but here in kitsap it felt warmer than usual I looked at the dew point in the 50s. I wonder if we have a rise in dew points too because it sure does feel draining to me anymore going outside.
Heather, thank you – those are stories worth linking to. This is Mother Nature’s pop at big pharma:
“One of the world’s largest sterile injectables plants has landed in the path of a devastating act of nature.”
https://www.fiercepharma.com/pharma/pfizers-massive-nc-manufacturing-plant-damaged-tornado
And this is the story about the plane cancelled after passengers fell ill in the heat whilst it waited on the tarmac:
“Multiple customers on Flight 555, which had been bound for Atlanta from Harry Reid International Airport, were seen by first responders, including a passenger and a flight attendant who had to be transported to a local hospital, Delta said.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/delta-passengers-fall-ill-stuck-tarmac-hours-blistering-las-vegas-heat-rcna95050
hello Pan, my comment is n’t published… is there a reason?
Zip, I’m not obstructing it. I just can’t see it. Are you sure it uploaded?
let us try it again 🙂
Hi Rain, as a former alps/norway glacier guide ( late 60’s and early 70’s) I can assure you that the ‘disaster scenario’ scientists you quote have it right on their side.
Whether I sit there eating a bag of popcorn and watch the mountain regions lose their ice and water storage in Europe at breakneck speed with disastrous consequences for really anything and everything is another matter. Perhaps you are in favor of nuclear power and perhaps hydro as well.
In France, nuclear is “the” energy source and hydro still accounts for about 11%. Meanwhile, almost every one has to shut down several nuclear power plants to prevent surface water from rising too much. At the same time, the energy production of hydro plants is declining due to too little precipitation. Doesn’t seem like a win win situation 🙂 Certainly in Europe, nuclear power plants have a curious problem, namely where do they get their fuel from?
Also, the “key question” with nuclear power, and perhaps you know the answer, is until how long will the “oil age” last? Right now, it is assumed that the extractable period might last a few more decades. Isn’t that precisely a reason to switch to nuclear power? I don’t think so:)
Nuclear power from the construction of the plants to the (still not conceived waste storage) is inextricably linked from the first to the last gasp to the availability of let’s call it diesel. Nuclear power plants where France is now going to build another 6 (and upgrade the rest) should last for 80 years. Their demolition then takes another 25 years and the storage cooling of “waste” another…..???? say it.
Add in the 15-year construction phase and surely anyone planning a nuclear power plant, such as the French government, should be able to guarantee that there will be enough ‘diesel’ for at least 110 years! enough “diesel” is available and long after that to keep the “waste” in good working order……. Any child understands that the fossil era will be long gone by then and ‘we’ will be stuck with ‘something’ that you, whether or not eating popcorn, cannot oversee either.
Apparently you see something in the weird SMR thingies….. That’s totally tying the cat to the bacon…. But before that, all new “gadgets” are conveniently marketed until proven otherwise. That goes for wind turbine toys but just as much for nuclear fusion and SMR toys 🙂
The only advantage of windmills is that they only last 25 years and can be used as a landfill. You can’t say that about nuclear waste.
.
I wouldn’t get too focused on your wonderful continent there somewhere in the middle of that enromous ocean with its 21 million inhabitants in an extremely narrow livable fringe along the coast and a totally unlivable outback.
Your continent, especially in the Mena countries, is often cited as a scenic nightmare of what Southern Europe is facing, desolate and unlivable for yet just a bit more people than Australia counts 🙂
Yes….. and it is refused in any form….. 🙂 Never mind
Zip, I do apologise. WordPress sometimes has a mind of its own; no idea why it’s being so mischievous.
As a former alps/Norway glacier guide ( late 60’s and early 70’s) I can assure you that the ‘disaster scenario’ scientists you quote have it right on their side.
Whether I sit there eating a bag of popcorn and watch the mountain regions lose their ice and water storage in Europe at breakneck speed with disastrous consequences for really anything and everything is another matter. Perhaps you are in favor of nuclear power and perhaps hydro as well.
In France, nuclear is “the” energy source and hydro still accounts for about 11%. Meanwhile, almost every one has to shut down several nuclear power plants to prevent surface water from rising too much. At the same time, the energy production of hydro plants is declining due to too little precipitation. Doesn’t seem like a win win situation 🙂 Certainly in Europe, nuclear power plants have a curious problem, namely where do they get their fuel from?
Also, the “key question” with nuclear power, and perhaps you know the answer, is until how long will the “oil age” last? Right now, it is assumed that the extractable period might last a few more decades. Isn’t that precisely a reason to switch to nuclear power? I don’t think so:)
Nuclear power from the construction of the plants to the (still not conceived waste storage) is inextricably linked from the first to the last gasp to the availability of let’s call it diesel. Nuclear power plants where France is now going to build another 6 (and upgrade the rest) should last for 80 years. Their demolition then takes another 25 years and the storage cooling of “waste” another…..???? say it.
Add in the 15-year construction phase and surely anyone planning a nuclear power plant, such as the French government, should be able to guarantee that there will be enough ‘diesel’ for at least 110 years! enough “diesel” is available and long after that to keep the “waste” in good working order……. Any child understands that the fossil era will be long gone by then and ‘we’ will be stuck with ‘something’ that you, whether or not eating popcorn, cannot oversee either.
Apparently you see something in the weird SMR thingies….. That’s totally tying the cat to the bacon…. But before that, all new “gadgets” are conveniently marketed until proven otherwise. That goes for wind turbine toys but just as much for nuclear fusion and SMR toys 🙂
The only advantage of windmills is that they only last 25 years and can be used as a landfill. You can’t say that about nuclear waste.
Glad I missed the economic report yesterday, I couldn’t handle it followed
by the climate fubared clusterfuck. 😉
Friday at the stadium I’ll be taking on spellcheck in a fight to the death.
I’m tired of being corrected!