Special sponsor for August 2024 is Cassandra Mountain. Many thanks!
“On Sonnblick (mountain in Austria), at 3,169 m above sea level, there was not a single freezing temp during the whole month of August!
“Aug. 2024 is 1st month without frost since measurements began in 1886! No need to tell you about ice in these conditions…”
https://x.com/subfossilguy/status/1828735377928032574
“Last chance tourism – visiting a vanishing glacier in Chamonix…
“Living in Chamonix, it’s not easy to escape the fact that, over the last 10 years, the famous Mer de Glace has looked more like a sea of rubble than a sea of ice. France’s largest glacier and the second-longest in the Alps is losing six metres of thickness every year.”
“Yesterday evening Tuesday August 27, 2024 in the provinces of Caserta, Benevento And Avellino, in Campania [Italy], numerous cloudbursts have caused floods, inundations, landslides and fallen trees…
“One of the most affected municipalities is that of San Felice a Cancello (CE), where in addition to floods and inundations, in the hamlet of Talanac a landslide.”
“Italian olive oil production suffers from extreme heat and drought…
“Italy’s Puglia region is facing high levels of heat and drought, causing water scarcity that is having negative consequences for the region’s production of olive oil.”
“Heatwave expected to grip Italy for another week…
“At least until the beginning of September, temperatures will rise in several areas of the country beyond 35-37°C with peaks of 39°C, especially in Sardinia and Puglia”, said meteorologist Lorenzo Tedici.”
“Greece tourist port flooded with hundreds of thousands of dead fish…
“Greek authorities have started collecting hundreds of thousands of dead fish that poured into a tourist port in the central city of Volos this week after being displaced from their usual freshwater habitats during flooding last year.”
“‘No rain for two years’: Northern Greece faces significant water crisis as drought persists…
“Prolonged drought conditions exacerbated by successive heatwaves this summer have seen northern Greece facing a major water crisis. Northern Greece is facing a significant water crisis due to prolonged drought conditions exacerbated by successive heatwaves this summer.”
“Romanian government plans drought insurance scheme for farmers.
“The Romanian government plans to approve an insurance system for agricultural land as part of a series of measures to help farmers whose crops have been ravaged by drought, Agriculture Minister Florin Barbu said on Wednesday.”
“Severe storm in Perm Krai, Russia today.”
Kamenka, Kungursky District; video.
https://x.com/WeatherSarov1/status/1828825002998985093
“Heavy rainfall, flash floods grip Istanbul…
“Heavy rain and flooding wreaked havoc in Istanbul, Türkiye’s largest city, hitting the north of the province particularly hard on Aug. 27… The heavy downpour was seen in some areas in the morning hours and expanded to a large number of districts as the day progressed.”
https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/heavy-rainfall-flash-floods-grip-istanbul-199987
“Non-Native Mediterranean Species Spotted Amidst Record High Sea Temperatures…
“One major consequence of the Mediterranean’s rising surface temperature is the invasion of non-native species from the Red Sea, which disrupts the ecosystem.”
“Marine heatwaves ‘spreading like wildfires,’ warn experts…
“The research team from the Cyprus Marine and Maritime Institute has invited us to witness the devastating impact of these heatwaves on fragile underwater ecosystems. In Cyprus, record-shattering temperatures are scorching both the land and the surrounding sea.”
https://www.euronews.com/green/2024/08/27/marine-heatwaves-spreading-like-wildfires-warn-experts
“Sharia, a town located in Algeria, experienced a significant and rare weather event on August 28, 2024, when a tornado touched down, causing widespread impact across the area.
“Tornadoes are not common in this region, making the occurrence particularly alarming for residents and authorities alike.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqxRuxzsuN4
“If you told me a month ago that early September would involve nascent tropical waves moving towards Morocco and bringing tropical weather to the Sahara, I would have been very confused.
“Somethings very wrong out there…not too sure what.”
https://x.com/WxTca/status/1828829025009295584
“Drought in Northern Ghana prompts govt ban on rice, corn, and soybean exports.
“The drought, which has persisted for several months, has led to significant reductions in water levels in rivers and dams, severely affecting irrigation-dependent agriculture… Many have expressed concerns over the potential for widespread hunger if immediate actions are not taken.”
“Environmental Shift and Terrorism: How climate change fuels terrorism in Africa…
“Africa’s shifting environmental landscape, characterized by severe droughts, resource scarcity, and widespread displacement, has become a critical factor influencing the strategies and operations of terrorist organizations across the continent.”
“UNBELIEVABLE HEAT IN SOUTHERN AFRICA >40C [104F].
“Records brutalized all over with insane margins: 40.5 Big Bend SWAZILAND’S AUGUST HOTTEST DAY EVER; 40.2 Beitbridge ZIMBABWE’S HOTTEST AUGUST DAY; SOUTH AFRICA >40 at Skukuza; 35.3 Majunga MADAGASCAR… Dozens of records smashed with huge margins”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828869260036435971
“Digging riverbeds in Zimbabwe in desperate search for water…
“One of the worst droughts in living memory is sweeping across southern Africa, leaving close to 70 million people without enough food and water… “I have never seen anything like this,” says Gracious Phiri, a mother of five, who travels three hours every day to get water from the Vombozi riverbed.”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cq6rvz4p37do
“Sudan cholera cases surge, new skin infection emerges amid floods…
“Heavy rains and floods have affected 440 areas across ten states, impacting 36,142 families or 156,995 people… In Northern state, a rapidly spreading bacterial skin infection known as “bacterial dermatitis” has infected 260 people in Dongola, Al-Bargeeg, and Delgo.”
https://sudantribune.com/article290111/
“Ongoing heavy rains in Ethiopia’s northern Amhara region have put 400,000 people at risk of flooding and landslides, according to the regional disaster prevention commission.
“Commissioner Tesfaw Batable told Amhara TV, the regional state media, that 32 districts are facing an increased risk of natural disasters due to relentless downpours.”
“Landslides, heavy rain in Yemen’s central highland kill 33.
“Mudslides and flash flooding caused by hours of torrential rain slammed across a highland Yemeni district, killing at least 33 people, according to media and locals on Wednesday. It came as Yemen’s National Center of Meteorology warned on Wednesday of [more] severe weather…”
https://www.arabnews.jp/en/middle-east/article_129343/
“This summer IRAN has broken almost every WORLD RECORD at altitudes 1000m/3000m.
“Among them, incredible tropical nights were recorded nearly 3500m asl; Barfkhaneh Mountain Shelter 3247m asl MINIMUM 22.5 max 29. A regular AC unit in Iran costs about 2000usd, aprox. 20 minimum salaries.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828852611669168479
“A heat index of 180°F (82.2°C) and a dew point of 97°F (36.1°C) were recorded in southern Iran today.
“If these readings are confirmed [they haven’t been yet] this would be the highest heat index and dew point ever recorded on Earth.”
https://x.com/US_Stormwatch/status/1828905915225125132
“Torrential downpour breaks 48-year-old record in Multan [Pakistan] as Wasa imposes rain emergency…
“Rainfall figures from Wasa as of 8:45pm showed that Chungi No 9 disposal station received 172 millimetres [6.8 inches] of rain, Kirri Jamandan disposal station received 137mm and Old Shujaabad Road disposal station received 90mm of rain.”
https://www.dawn.com/news/1855092
“Gujarat floods [India]: Death toll rises to 28, PM Modi dials CM; more rain likely today as IMD issues ‘red’ alert.
“Gujarat continues to grapple with a massive flood situation amid continuous heavy rainfall… In the latest spell of rain, Gujarat has received 105 percent of its average annual rainfall within a few days. IMD expects extremely heavy rain in 12 districts.”
“‘I have lost everything’: Bangladesh floods strand 1.24 million families…
““I don’t recall ever seeing floodwaters rise beyond ankle-deep in my area before in monsoon. My parents mentioned that during the major flood of 1988, the water reached knee-deep. This situation was beyond anything I’ve ever experienced,” he added…”
“China denies releasing water upstream as floods hit north and northeast Thailand.
“China has denied releasing water from the Jinghong Dam in Yunnan into the Mekong River, following comments that such discharges might have contributed to flooding in Thailand’s northern and northeastern regions.”
“China’s driest desert hit by floods.
“Flooding has affected the Taklamakan Desert in the Tarim Basin, north-west China, with videos on social media showing submerged roads. The inundations were triggered by high temperatures, snowmelt, and heavy rainfall since July.”
https://dialogue.earth/en/digest/chinas-driest-desert-hit-by-floods/
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT WAVE IN CHINA:
“43.3 [109.4F] Heijiang Sichuan Province; 43.0 Rongchang Chongqing – 0.1 from all time high; 42.7 Jiangjin; 42.6 Chishui Guizhou Province… Minimums up to 33C, and it will get worse and worse. The deadly humid heat 24/7 will go on for 2 more weeks.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828737891284967928
“As sweltering summers ravage crops, Japan bets on heat-resistant rice…
“Grappling with a rice shortage after extreme weather ravaged last year’s crop, Japan is hoping new heat-resistant varieties of its staple food can help stave off future supply shocks.”
“Millions of people were told to evacuate from their homes as Typhoon Shanshan lashed southwest Japan with strong winds and heavy rain on Thursday, knocking out power, snarling air traffic and forcing major factories to close.
“At least three people have been killed so far and scores injured in what authorities have warned could be one of the strongest ever storms to hit the region.”
“‘Hyper-violent’ Typhoon Gaemi was made fiercer by climate crisis, say scientists…
“The typhoon hit the Philippines, Taiwan and Hunan province in China in late July, with floods and landslides destroying homes, killing at least 100 people and affecting millions.”
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT WAVE IN INDONESIA:
“37.4 99.3F] Sumbawa – HOTTEST AUGUST DAY EVER RECORDED IN INDONESIA. Indonesia is living the most extreme event in its climatic history. Hundreds of records are destroyed all over the country every day.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828783209636892798
“Another incredible day in this AUSTRALIAN winter with over 40C – 40.7 [105.3F] Mandora and 40.5 Broome smashed their winter hottest day in history plus few more records (see below).
“Next 3 days will be 100% historic with dozens of records smashed in pieces.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828757978046148716
“The unprecedented heat in Northwest Australia is mind boggling. Until this week, only three Australian weather stations on four occasions have hit or exceeded 40°C in Winter.
“This week alone, it has happened 16 times, over 10 weather stations. Insane.”
https://x.com/Alison_Osborne_/status/1828686077961625892
“Tasmania on track for warmest August since records began, despite snow and wind in the final days of winter…
“Higher altitudes in Tasmania received snowfall amid wild and damaging weather across much of the state. Despite the snowy conditions, the Bureau of Meteorology says this August is expected to be the warmest since records began in 1910.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-08-29/tasmania-warmest-august-ends-with-snow/104285174
“Marshall islands again! Minimum temperature of 28.3C [82.9F] at Majuro, hottest August night ever recorded in the Marshall Islands.
“Pacific Islands are destroying every heat record despite the official end of El Niño.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1828924750128709871
“Talk isn’t enough: Pacific nations say Australia must end new fossil fuel projects…
“Even as Australia’s climate and migration pact with Tuvalu came into effect, Tuvalu’s climate change minister, Maina Talia, called for an end to the “immoral and unacceptable” acts of opening new mines, continuing fossil fuel subsidies and exporting fossil fuels.”
“Scientists in Chile question if Antarctica has hit a point of no return…
“Mike Weber, a paleooceanographer from Germany’s University of Bonn, who specializes in Antarctic ice sheet stability, says sediment records dating back 21,000 years show similar periods of accelerated ice melt.”
“As Amazonian rivers recede under drought, manatees are left exposed to poaching…
“Conservationists warn that more frequent droughts will intensify manatee poaching, banned in 1967 (although manatee meat is still widely consumed across the Amazon) and still a major threat to the already vulnerable population.”
“The World’s Largest Wetland Is Burning, and Rare Animals Are Dying…
“Wildfires are laying waste to Brazil’s Pantanal, the world’s largest tropical wetland … and taking a deadly toll on wild animals, including at-risk species that scientists have been working for decades to protect.”
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/27/world/americas/pantanal-wildfires-wildlife.html
“Wildlife Bears the Brunt of Fires in Bolivia…
“Six wild animals, including four collared anteaters, one giant anteater, and one lizard, were rescued from areas affected by forest fires in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. The eastern part of Bolivia is facing raging forest fires.”
https://www.firstpost.com/vantage/wildlife-bears-the-brunt-of-fires-in-bolivia-vd471247/
“Through the lens: Drought imperils farmers and bees in Mexico’s north…
“In the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua, residents and farmers have anxiously watched and waited for clouds to bring rain to refill dried-out dams, water wells and lagoons. They’ve waited so far in vain.”
“Bees may be losing their sense of smell due to heatwaves…
“Heatwaves are impairing the ability of bumble bees to detect floral scents, posing a serious threat to their role as pollinators, according to a new study. The research shows that exposure to extreme temperatures can significantly reduce bees’ capacity to smell flowers…”
https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/bumble-bees-heatwave-sense-smell-b2602919.html
“IV drips, cooling centres and gallons of free water are just some of the tactics used to help the homeless survive deadly heat [Los Angeles].
“People who end up falling asleep on the on the sidewalk can get second and third-degree burn from just how hot the pavements become.”
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240828-how-the-homeless-stay-cool-in-extreme-heat
“D.C. soars to record high of 101, hottest this late in season since 1980…
“Capping a historically hot summer, the D.C. area witnessed a record-setting blast of late-August heat Wednesday… The District officially reached 101 degrees late in the afternoon, breaking the previous Aug. 28 record high of 99 degrees from 1948.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/08/28/dc-record-heat-late-summer/
“A person was taken to the hospital after a United flight was diverted because of severe turbulence Wednesday, the airline said.
“United Flight 1196, a Boeing 737-900, departed from Cancun, Mexico, and was headed for Chicago, the Federal Aviation Administration said… The flight was diverted to Memphis, Tennessee…”
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/one-taken-hospital-severe-turbulence-united-flight-rcna168719
“At least 18 months needed to repair Calgary airport hail damage…
“The news comes more than three weeks after golf-ball-sized hail punctured the airport’s roof and sent heavy rainwater pouring into the terminal. The closures mean gates 31 to 40 will be closed until early 2026.”
https://calgaryherald.com/news/local-news/yyc-calgary-airport-hail-damage-repair-18-months
“Only 3 countries produced more emissions than Canada’s wildfires last year, study finds…
“The study, published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, calculated that, at 647 megatonnes, the carbon released in last year’s wildfires exceeded those of seven of the ten largest national emitters in 2022. Only India, China and the United States released more carbon.”
https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/wildfire-emissions-country-totals-1.7307324
“I went to Iceland for a road trip. I left with climate anxiety…
“I feel like I am watching the end of humanity… Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest ice cap, is melting at record speed. That causes the calving of its offshoot glaciers, such as Breiðamerkurjökull, the one feeding the Jökulsárlón lagoon, to accelerate.”
https://www.politico.eu/article/iceland-climate-change-jokulsarlon-atlantic-ocean/
“Soggy end to Scottish summer as some areas record wettest August on record…
“The amount of rainfall in Skye has been truly remarkable – the island didn’t experience a single dry day all month… Currently, the SEPA rain gauge at Allt Dearg House is showing a total of 660mm [26 inches] of rainfall for this month alone.”
“Explainer: Why is climate change causing ‘record-shattering’ extreme heat?
“…The last few years have seen a wide variety of record-shattering heat extremes. Record-shattering new national temperatures have been recorded during heatwaves across western Europe, including in France and the UK, as well as in China and Canada.”
https://www.carbonbrief.org/explainer-why-is-climate-change-causing-record-shattering-extreme-heat/
“Surging Methane Emissions Could Be a Sign of a Major Climate Shift…
“A new trouble spot is in the Arctic, where scientists recently found unexpectedly large methane emissions in winter. And globally, the increase in water vapor caused by global warming is slowing the rate at which methane breaks down in the atmosphere.”
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/28082024/surging-methane-emissions-major-climate-shift/
“The Corals That Survive Climate Change Will Be Unrecognizable…
“The Earth that humans evolved on is a coral planet. Today, the animals provide ecosystems that support the livelihoods of about 1 billion people. They are so fundamental to life as we know it that scientists wonder if one way humanity could discover alien life is by detecting the signature of fluorescent corals in the shallow waters of another planet.”
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2024/08/earth-corals-climate-change/679636/
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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
There is always an exception of the general rule…
Don’t expect anyone to come on TV and explain you all this. Mainstream economist are just as clueless about our deteriorating energy situation as our leadership class. Some of them at least understand that (for good or bad) fossil fuels underpin everything we do: from growing food to making cement and steel, or — for that matter — solar panels and wind turbines. Needless to say, none of our betters and elders are interested the slightest how hot it will be for our kids, or if New York will become the next Venice by the end of this century… Or, that it would cost more energy (and as a result more money) to extract the remaining oil, gas and coal than what the economy could ever handle without collapsing. As long as drilling newer and newer holes, or building more and more “renewables” remains profitable thanks to government subsidies, the grift will go on. Until it no longer can. (Never mind the $280 billion problem caused by the millions of abandoned wells, or the the fact that neither wind turbines nor solar panels can be built or recycled in the absence of fossil fuels.)
https://thehonestsorcerer.medium.com/downslope-ead9cedd7f1b
Needless to say, none of our betters and elders are interested the slightest how hot it will be for our kids, or if New York will become the next Venice by the end of this century…
No need to point out the obvious….we get plenty here from Climate and Economy Blog,
Thank you for your efforts…I would not have realized the extent without it.
Thanks, Vince – an excellent read. Of course, parts of the world, like the poor, old UK, are already deep into their net energy crises. We turned from net energy exporter to importer in 2003, a few years after the North Sea oil bonanza peaked.
“The ensuing financial crisis, the fall of many currencies, exploding bond markets, spiking then abruptly falling raw material prices, freezing world trade, bankruptcies etc. will be one bloody spectacle. Money, stocks, bonds, letters of credit etc., however important we think they are, are all nothing but mental constructs, though.
“While much of the paper wealth owned by the top 0.1% will be wiped out in an instant, and while there will be severe disruptions in supply chains all over the world (resulting in (hyper)inflation, massive shortages, riots and all the rest), such mental constructs could be replaced with another set of digital wizardry, restoring at least some semblance of normalcy.”
I’d only part company with The Honest Sorcerer on the point above. I don’t believe there is an effective plan B with the necessary global consensus, literally waiting to be rolled out in case of emergency, and, in the scenario he outlines, I think the system rapidly passes a tipping point beyond which the situation becomes self-reinforcing, overwhelming and irreversible. David Korowicz believes that this could occur in as little as three weeks:
“Supply-chain contagion would feedback into deepening and spreading financial system contagion, which would in turn feedback into further supply-chain contagion. It would impact on the various key-stone hubs we shall consider later including critical infrastructure. It may mean that if the keystone-hubs were not re-stabilised, within weeks an irreversible global economic collapse could be underway.”
https://www.resilience.org/stories/2012-06-18/trade-financial-system-supply-chain-cross-contagion-study-global-systemic-collaps/
I wouldn’t want to be in power when the shit hits the fan. It is not going to be pretty.
Neither would I, Heather. I imagine people will be angry, frightened and looking for someone to blame.
And the winner is:
“I feel like I am watching the end of humanity…”
Followed by close runner-up:
“Somethings very wrong out there…not too sure what.”
As my own resources slowly dribble away I often dread the prospect of living in a tent. It can still get very cold here in Juneau during the winter, and this summer has been largely cool and rainy. A godesend if you’re spending most of your time in a cozy flat sitting in front of a nice-warm computer. Not so much otherwise…
Thanks to Pan for reminding me on a daily basis that “not as fun as it used to be” would actually not be that bad of a life for many folks in the world right now. Not to mention the billions of critters dying as their world is destroyed.
What has given me great relief, Jerry, is understanding and accepting that when my money runs out, I’m dead. It does require having equanimity about death.
You are welcome, Jerry. I really hope circumstances do not find you relegated to sleeping in a tent.
Our “summer” has also been relentlessly wet, cool and unsettled. I posted an article above about parts of Scotland having their wettest August on record. I suspect we fall into that category, if not quite as wet as Skye. Even elderly people who have lived here all their lives can’t remember anything like it. It’s disorientating.
I have red algae staining the render, mould trying to get a foothold everywhere, and I keep having to do emergency repairs on my crumbling drive. My kingdom for a protracted dry-spell!
I’m enjoying watching the consequences that the baboon brain egos are facing for failure to give up anything/being willing to do without one major desire – sexual gratification, regardless of the fossil fuel burners they create that are destroying the habitat. Fucking themselves to extinction. I masturbated & now my hands is pregnant. Just realized my sex partner’s hand is also pregnant. 😉
“It’s interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry.” How much money will the media make when they show the dead bodies of children lying in the dirt/streets due to AGW, just like the dried up bodies of animals around the globe? The real media money might be showing dried up penises & vaginas. 😉 “Very interesting.”, in a German accent.
Did any of the links today mention the forbidden O-word in their reports? I’ve not read all of them yet.
Looks like this species has started something they can’t stop. I realized the possible future clusterfucks that we would face beginning in 1964. No one I know ever mentions Clever Ape caused global warming. I don’t know which is worse, denial or intentional stupidity. Old story – The world will end in fire. This species has been splashing accelerant & striking matches & each year there are more of them.