Huge thanks to this month’s sponsor, Kimberley Hare, Facilitator of ‘The Edge’ Retreat, and Author of “At the Edge: What is Mine to Do, and Who Can I do it With?” She was kind enough to interview me for this book.
“Global warming is worse than IPCC’s worst case from 2014.
“And it’s even worse regionally. The North Atlantic region was 0.55°C warmer the past year:”
https://x.com/LeonSimons8/status/1868730145949073682
“Customers in Ireland are being advised to shop locally as the closure of a ferry port in North Wales continues to affect Christmas deliveries.
“Holyhead port on Anglesey remains shut after it suffered structural damage during Storm Darragh nearly a fortnight ago.”
“Flooding risk will affect 1 in 4 English properties by mid-century, says report…
“Flooding from rivers, the sea or surface water already puts 6.3mn properties in danger and higher global temperatures are set to push that total to 8mn by 2050, based on the Environment Agency’s latest assessment released on Tuesday.”
https://www.ft.com/content/64e788c6-5dd7-472d-ae14-26653de2b847
“With an average of 1,016 millimeters of rainfall recorded nationwide, 2024 has officially become one of the wettest years in Dutch history, according to weather service Weeronline.
“This marks the second consecutive year of extreme rainfall, following the record-breaking 1,151 millimeters in 2023. So far, 2024 ranks as the third-wettest…
https://nltimes.nl/2024/12/16/2024-ranks-among-top-three-wettest-years-record-netherlands
“Disaster Insurance Set to Test Italy’s Business Backbone in 2025.
“Italian companies are preparing to comply with a requirement to take out natural disaster insurance from next April, although some fear it will be hard to enforce and too costly… Italy’s northern region of Emilia-Romagna has recently been particularly hard hit by floods, with four since May 2023.”
https://www.insurancejournal.com/news/international/2024/12/16/804900.htm
“After a scorching drought emptied one of Bosnia’s largest lakes, the Balkan country is set to mark its hottest year on record in 2024…
“”This year will definitely be the hottest since this data was officially collected,” meteorologist Dzenan Zulum told AFP, saying the country has broken its annual heat record for the past three years in a row.”
https://phys.org/news/2024-12-bosnia-hottest-year-meteorologists.html
“Athens is reviving a 2,000-year-old aqueduct to combat water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.
“The ancient structure, known as the Hadrian Aqueduct and commissioned by Roman Emperor Hadrian in 140 CE, is being reactivated by the Athens Water Supply and Sewerage Company in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and the Region of Attica.”
https://www.jpost.com/archaeology/archaeology-around-the-world/article-833643
“Water highway from Alqueva to Algarve ‘under consideration’ [Portugal]…
““The Algarve has very serious problems, it needs a lot of water for agriculture, tourism and human consumption. We can’t let it become arid because that would be very bad for the economy and for quality of life.”
https://www.portugalresident.com/water-highway-from-alqueva-to-algarve-under-consideration/
“One of the most insane weather events in the whole climatic history just took place:
“>31 [87.8F] AT NIGHT IN THE CANARY ISLANDS and… OVERNIGHT MINUMUM 29.6 Puerto de La Cruz is HOTTEST DECEMBER NIGHT EVER RECORDED IN THE WHOLE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE (it beat Bangkok).”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868616223866683683
“The Canary Islands remain under maximum alert today (Monday) as extreme winds continue to batter El Hierro, La Gomera, and Tenerife…
“The powerful gusts, forecast to reach speeds of up to 130 km/h [80mph] in some areas, have prompted the regional government to maintain heightened precautions.”
“Just in: RECORD! 28.5 [83.3F] right now at Porto Moniz and rising… HOTTEST DECEMBER DAY EVER RECORDED IN MADEIRA.
“Summer like temperatures continue in the Atlantic… after destroying the records of almost all previous months.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868691807334498727
“Exceptional heat all over Central Africa from Senegal to Gabon. 39.4C [102.9F] at Dakar, Senegal: It’s one of its hottest day ever (for any month!), thanks to rare hot dry wind from inland.
“Monthly records in Ghana, Gabon (34.3 Franceville), Cameroon (36.0 Douala), Nigeria, etc..”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868002227346198703
“ZIMBABWE AGAIN! Brutal heat yesterday with 46.4 [115.5F] at Beitbridge (border with Musina/South Africa) – HOTTEST DECEMBER DAY IN ZIMBABWE HISTORY.
“Dec Records also 39.6 Masvingo and 37.5 Gokwe. Historic heat also in BOTSWANA: 43.0 Selebi Phikwe all time high.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1867915357807427705
“Hailstorm hits Bulawayo [Zimbabwe] as Cyclone Chido looms.
“Bulawayo was battered by a fierce hailstorm yesterday evening, with strong winds, lightning, and balls of ice carpeting the streets and open spaces… The intensity of the storm caused significant damage in some areas, with reports indicating that strong winds blew off roofs…”
https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-news-sc-national-byo-249095.html
“Thousands are feared dead after a devastating 100-year cyclone ripped across the French archipelago of Mayotte on Saturday, inflicting destruction that one resident likened to an atomic bomb.
““The situation is catastrophic, apocalyptic,” Bruno Garcia, owner of Hotel Caribou in Mamoudzou, Mayotte’s capital, told CNN-affiliate BFMTV.”
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/16/africa/mayotte-cyclone-chido-intl-hnk/index.html
“Kenya’s devastating drought is the worst in 40 years…
“Drought in Kenya has reached dramatic levels, with millions of people affected by the lack of water and food. This phenomenon, which until a few years ago followed predictable seasonal cycles, has become increasingly frequent and intense.”
“MALDIVES AGAIN! 33.6 [92.5F] yesterday at Hanimaadhoo, hottest December day in Maldives history.
“Maldives broke heat records of all 12 months and they were all from 2023. 2 years of continuous record heat.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1867853718554812715
“A sand and dust storm hit southwestern Iran on Sunday, resulting in the closure of schools and public buildings and the cancellation of flights due to poor visibility, state media reported.
“A thick yellow fog shrouded the oil-rich provinces of Khuzestan and Bushehr, which border Iraq…”
“Kazakhstan: Grappling with desertification…
“Up to 90 million hectares (222 million acres) of Kazakh territory is classified as eroded or erosion-prone land, according to the latest national development plan. More than 75 percent of agricultural land is subject to degradation…”
https://eurasianet.org/kazakhstan-grappling-with-desertification
“Heatwaves in Ziro: Climate change hitting Arunachal [NE India] hard, and locals are worried…
“Speaking to Dr A. Sandeep, Scientist-D and Head of the Meteorological Centre in Itanagar, he explained that Arunachal Pradesh is experiencing more frequent and intense rainfall during the monsoon season, followed by prolonged dry spells.”
“Flooding continued in five southern provinces on Monday, affecting at least 128,000 families, the Thai Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation reported…
“So far this southern wet season, flooding has struck 11 southern provinces, killed 35 people in total and affected 737,091 households…”
https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/2920672/flooding-continues-in-5-southern-provinces
“Floods in southern Thailand cause Buddhist temple to collapse.
“This is the dramatic moment part of a Buddhist temple collapsed during heavy rain and severe floods in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Thailand on December 16. The structure was used as accommodation for monks.”
https://uk.news.yahoo.com/floods-southern-thailand-cause-buddhist-080518111.html
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA – records destroyed all over every single day. Insane MINIMUM 27.8C [82F] at Kudat is MALAYSIA’S HOTTEST DECEMBER NIGHT IN HISTORY
“In Indonesia hottest December day at Putussibau (Borneo): 36.2C. All tropics keep warming despite months of failed Nina calls.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868536536339271958
“HISTORIC HEAT IN INDONESIA – minimum 28.4 [83.1F] Saumlaki is HOTTEST NIGHT EVER RECORDED IN THE MOLUKKAS.
“Bau Bau Tmin 27.7 Hottest night in history.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868847487697797213
“Queensland braces for more flash flooding as Sydney swelters and Victoria battles bushfires.
“Flood releases at south-east Queensland’s biggest dam, Wivenhoe, have begun as the state braces for more severe thunderstorms after a 127mm overnight deluge. Brisbane, Mackay and Townsville are preparing …downpours of up to 250mm…”
“Farming has always been gambling with dirt – but the odds are getting longer [Australia]…
“The thing about the climate crisis that messes with your head is its incremental nature. The summer storms are still there but it is as though someone has turned up the contrast dial. We get harder, faster falls coming out of nowhere.”
“Some New South Wales Riverina regions sweltered in the highest December temperatures on record on Monday.
“Large parts of western NSW experienced temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s as a heatwave moved across the state.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-16/record-heatwave-nsw-temperatures/104721542
“Strong marine heatwave conditions which have formed around northern coasts [NZ] are set to crank up air temperatures this summer, while making for muggy days and nights…
“That unusual ocean warmth, ranging from 1-3C above normal, was expected to intensify over the next few days…”
https://www.sunlive.co.nz/news/357031—-strong—-marine-heatwave-fueling-humidity.html
“ENDLESS RECORD HEAT IN THE CARIBBEAN: 33.4C [92.1F] CURACAO broke its December record heat for the 4th time this month.
“100% of The Caribbean and all tropics are smashing in pieces every record set during the 2023 Nino.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1868463026334232750
“Dozens of luxury condos, hotels in Miami sinking at ‘unexpected’ rates, new study reveals…
““Almost all the buildings at the coast itself, they’re subsiding,” Falk Amelung, a geophysicist at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric and Earth Science and the study’s senior author, told the Miami Herald. “It’s a lot.””
https://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/environment/climate-change/article296831519.html
“Florida workers died in the heat. Their deaths were kept from authorities…
“As the shift wore on, coworkers noticed Ramirez seemed unwell. He skipped lunch but kept working — until he couldn’t any longer. His co-workers discovered him on his knees in a wooded area behind the complex around 4:40 p.m. He appeared to be seizing.”
“California Lets Insurers Price Climate Risk, Sparking Cost Fears…
“The rule, which takes effect Jan. 2, allows insurance providers to compute policy rates by using catastrophe models that incorporate the growing risk of climate change as well as mitigation efforts, instead of relying solely on historical disaster data…”
“San Francisco was hit with its first-ever tornado warning after a devastating storm tore through northern California, flipping cars and leaving multiple people injured.
“Around one million people woke up to an alert urging them to ‘take shelter’ early Saturday, after the warning was extended into parts of neighboring San Mateo County.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14193885/San-Francisco-slammed-tornado-warning-storm.html
“Why it has essentially stopped snowing in D.C. during December…
“The prospect for a snowless December this year follows the District’s warmest November on record and comes during what is expected to be the warmest year on record for the planet and probably for the District as well.”
https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2024/12/16/dc-declining-december-snow-climate/
“The number of days at or below 0C (32F) is dwindling in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the non-profit Climate Central.
“More than one third of countries analyzed lost one week’s worth of freezing days — on average — over the past decade, including the vast majority of European nations and more than half of the states in the US.”
“Globe Climate: On thinning ice [Arctic Canada]…
“…with sea ice weakening at an alarming pace in Canada’s Far North because of climate change, Angnatok is part of a larger effort to combine traditional Inuit practices with modern tools and technologies, such as relying on sea ice sensors and satellite imagery.”
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-globe-climate-on-thinning-ice/
“Day #5 of setting a record daily low for Arctic sea-ice extent.
“Dec. 14, 2024: 400,000 km² below the previous daily record.”
https://bsky.app/profile/climatecasino.net/post/3lddwn5f4hk2g
“Some of the world’s biggest cities are so polluted they’re warming slower…
“The researchers found that the large quantity of aerosol particles in the air of highly polluted cities reflect sunlight back out into space and, at least in the short term, can have a net cooling effect on populations. “It’s a brain-twister,” said Edith de Guzman…”
https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/worlds-biggest-cities-polluted-warming-slower
“What Went Wrong With La Niña Forecasts?
““The La Niña prediction has been completely off this year globally. The climate models couldn’t capture it well. It is worrisome because the ENSO forecasts have generally been accurate over the years,” said senior marine scientist SC Shenoi…”
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You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
Remember the denialist propaganda film released earlier this year?
“Climate: The Movie (The Cold Truth)”
potholer54 did a limited debunking of this here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HhAX42dT09w
I say limited because in the video he said there wasn’t time to address all the things wrong with the film but he covers quite a bit in the 37 minute video.
Most people here ignore the denialists and do also to an extend; but, when there is a rebuttal I enjoy reading or watching. Perhaps you will also.
Thanks, Edward. I’m sure that’ll pleasantly scratch an itch for many.
“The number of days at or below 0C (32F) is dwindling in the Northern Hemisphere, according to the non-profit Climate Central.”
Very noticeable to me here in North Carolina. We will be lucky if half of our nights are below freezing this month. Pretty shocking.
It’s been mild here, too, and very wet. My garden is like the Somme. Scotland will have temps 10C above average over the Christmas period, so no winter wonderland for us.
These are new posts from climatecodered that might be of interest.
http://www.climatecodered.org/2024/12/climates-collsion-course-science-meets.html
https://www.breakthroughonline.org.au/collisioncourse
Of course this site is a big purveyor of the belief that modernity can be maintained if we all just take a big breath and instantly switch to renewables, so treat accordingly.
I can confirm It is hot in eastern Oz.
Early in the summer to be so hot. Cant complain too much after 4 years of mild, wet summers, it had to end some time. Still soggy but in whiplashes… 5-6 days of blistering heatwave, (i got sunburned after 15 mins just putting washing on the line, forgot still need long sleeves) followed by 2-3 days of steamy, short, sharp rolling thunderstorms with uncomfortable sticky nights. (Humidity in the southeastern mtns where I live used to be rare).
Thanks for the “on the ground” intel, Rain. Hope that sunburn has eased.
When is the Ice Age going to start?