“Outback towns have experienced their worst flooding in history due to downpours from ex-Tropical Cyclone Ellie – as the government issues an emergency warning.
“The deluge has inundated Fitzroy Crossing and nearby areas in the Kimberley in Western Australia.
“Cyclone Ellie has brought continuous rainfall that’s lifted the Fitzroy River to its highest level ever, resulting in homes being flooded, roads being turned into rivers and residents forced to use boats to get around.”
“Farmers in central and northern Victoria are assessing broken windows, flattened crops and damaged driveways today after a storm passed through the area late yesterday…
“”Probably the most devastating thing for us is we’ve got a maize crop in and about 40 hectares of that now looks like it’s had a shredder through it.””
“Australia could swing from three years of La Niña to hot and dry El Niño in 2023.
“Bureau of Meteorology climate models indicate sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific may exceed El Niño thresholds by June… “The Pacific must be quite charged with heat ready to have an El Niño,” Cai Wenju, a senior CSIRO climate scientist, told Guardian Australia.”
“Scorcher: 2022 was NZ’s hottest year on record, climate expert says.
“New Zealand and Auckland may have had their hottest ever year since records began, according to one climate scientist’s calculations… Niwa meteorologist Seth Carrier confirmed that 2022 was one of the top three warmest years on record, since 1909, but that the final ranking was still being determined.”
“The shocking images of the extreme drought that plagues the countryside [of Argentina] with all its strength.
“The climate continues to affect agriculture, livestock and dairy in the main producing areas of the country. The images show the seriousness of the situation, while producers and political sectors demand measures to face it.”
“Mendoza [Argentina] on alert for a new heat wave.
“This week the intense heat returns to Mendoza. It is that, from this Wednesday until Tuesday, January 10, the province will be hit by an intense heat wave, with maximums that may reach 40ºC / 104F. In this regard, meteorologist Fernando Jara said that “it is an extraordinary phenomenon for the time that will persist for a few days.””
https://jornadaonline.com/mendoza/mendoza-en-alerta-por-una-nueva-ola-de-calor-20231218470
“Biden declares Arizona floods a federal disaster for Havasupai tribe…
“Last October, the village experienced drastic flooding which damaged extensive parts of the reservation. The floods “destroyed several bridges and trails that are needed not only for our tourists, but for the everyday movement of goods and services into the Supai Village”, the tribe said.”
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jan/02/biden-disaster-havasupai-tribe-arizona-flooding
“With the ongoing drought, it will come as no surprise to many that 2022 made new meteorological history.
“According to the National Weather Service in Omaha, 2022 was the driest year on record in Norfolk. The NWS said the northeast Nebraska town saw just 13.7 inches of liquid precipitation. That’s less than half the amount Norfolk gets in a normal year.”
“Water rescues are underway in parts of Kentucky to save people trapped in cars and flooded homes as a powerful storm continues to batter the central United States.
“The multi-hazard storm rolled across the country Tuesday with the risk of strong tornadoes and flooding to the South, and ice and snow to the Plains and Upper Midwest, after bringing deadly floods to California.”
“Atmospheric river expected to trigger ‘bomb cyclone’ and more flooding in California.
“Millions of California residents recovering from a deluge that killed at least one person over the weekend and contributed to flooding, mudslides and power outages are bracing for the arrival of another atmospheric river, a long, narrow band of moisture drawn from the tropics.”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/atmospheric-river-rcna64080
“Dungeness Crab Season Is Finally Here — But Good Luck Finding Them in the Bay Area…
“The humpback whale population in the San Francisco Bay this year made Dungeness crab an impossibility for Thanksgiving dinner… The Chronicle adds the increase in whale population seems to be related to a marine heat wave, the same that drove up the anchovy population like crazy this summer.”
“Warming waters are driving Bering Sea crashes, but Alaska’s fishing industry is quiet on climate.
“A marine heat wave, combined with what had been a booming crab population, likely drove the die-off, as the crabs’ metabolism rose with warmer water temperatures and they ran out of food. Warming ocean and river temperatures are also likely driving major declines in chum salmon…”
“Photos from space show 11,000 beavers are wreaking havoc on the Alaskan tundra as savagely as wildfire.
“Beavers are invading Alaska’s Arctic tundra as it warms, transforming the landscape like wildfire… The animals are taking advantage of climate change, but their dams could also accelerate warming.”
https://news.yahoo.com/photos-space-show-11-000-221546256.html
“Today 3rd January it’s a very warm day in Eastern USA with some historic records for January:
“Some remarkable values include: TN 81F [27C] at Crossville Station January record pulverized, 2F from State record; AL Huntsville 81F Station January record; GA 81; SC 80; NC 79; VA and WV 75; KY 73.”
https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1610373054776877056
“PM Update: D.C. soars to record high with warmest January low possible tonight…
“The warmest January low of 60 was established in 1932 and matched in 1950. The 1950 record came on Jan. 4, as well. Tonight’s lows range from the mid-50s to around 60. The city could stay above 60.”
“Scotland braces for more extreme weather as further flooding likely.
“Residents in the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway are being advised to be mindful of potential disruption in the next few days as a week of unsettled weather is expected… Impacts across the country were significant, with levels at the River Nith being the highest ever recorded, and higher than Storm Frank in 2015 and flooding in December 1982.”
Nice overview of Europe’s remarkable New Year heatwave:
““We can regard this as the most extreme event in European history,” Herrera said. “Take the case of July 2022 UK extreme heatwave and spread this sigma (magnitude) in a much huger area, encompassing about 15 countries.””
“Spain sees hottest year on record in 2022.
“Spain in 2022 experienced the hottest year since records began, the country’s national weather service said… Nations across the globe grappled with extreme weather including scorching temperatures and drought across Europe which last year fuelled wildfires, damaged crops and led to water use restrictions.”
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20230102-spain-sees-hottest-year-on-record-in-2022
“Drought continues to unveil underwater fairy chimneys in Lake Van [Turkey].
“The drought affecting Türkiye’s Lake Van continues to worsen, bringing with it many challenges, but it has also unveiled great historical treasures, like 800,000-year-old underwater fairy chimneys once hidden in the lake’s depths.”
“The number of children suffering terrible drought conditions across Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia has more than doubled in five months, according to a UNICEF press release published in December, 2022.
“Approximately 20.2 million children were threatened with severe hunger, thirst and disease in December… This surge is due to climate change, conflict, global inflation and grain shortage.”
“190mm [7.5 inches] rain fell in 4 hours time versus usual yearly average of 120mm. Djibouti is a high risk climate change vulnerable country.
Thanks to Turkish dam to prevent a catastrophic floods scenario. Unfortunately, some key Urban& Regional Roads severely damaged Today.”
https://twitter.com/Ilyasdawaleh/status/1609999930097307648
“Twenty-two people rescued as bus swept away by flash floods on Jordan desert road…
“Last week, heavy rainfall hit the ancient desert city of Petra in Jordan, causing severe flooding in the area. Water from nearby mountains in Jordan gushed into the iconic rose-red city, which has been standing for 2,000 years.”
“Man dies after being swept away by floods in Makkah.
“A man was swept away to his death by floods after torrential rain in Makkah, western Saudi Arabia, on Tuesday, videos posted online appeared to show… Thunderstorms were forecast for the Makkah area on Wednesday.”
““We Have Given Up Hope”: Why Residents of Ghatal [West Bengal] Are Tired of Frequent Floods…
“Overall annual rainfall is decreasing slightly… The number of dry weather days with no rain have increased in three weather stations–Mohanpur, Kalaikunda and DP Ghat–which means that rain is concentrated on fewer days.”
“Hundreds of families evacuate as floods hit Lanao del Norte towns [Philippines].
“Mayor Dionisio Cabahug Jr. of Tubod town, Lanao del Norte, ordered the suspension of work in private and public offices on Tuesday morning, January 3, due as heavy rain overnight caused severe flooding… The flash floods came after a devastating Christmas flooding that hit Oroquieta City and other towns in neighboring Misamis Occidental…”
https://www.rappler.com/nation/mindanao/evacuations-floods-towns-lanao-del-norte-january-2023/
“The amount of microplastics found at the bottom of oceans has tripled in 20 years, researchers have found.
“Tiny pieces of plastic debris – smaller than the human eye can see – have been building up on the sea floor at a depth of more than 100 metres, the study reveals.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
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