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“This year is now virtually certain to beat 2023 as the hottest year on record, Carbon Brief analysis shows.
“It will also be the first full year to surpass 1.5C above pre-industrial levels across the majority of observational records… Global sea ice extent is currently at record lows and Antarctic sea ice has spent much of the year at near-record lows – second only to those seen in 2023.”
“Code Yikes! On December 29th, the global surface temperature anomaly hit 1.95°C above the 1850-1900 baseline… [Prof Eliot Jacobson]
“The latest data showed that the global 2-meter surface temperature just set a new modern-day daily record. Here are the anomalies for the last two years:
December 30, 2023: 1.91°C over pre-industrial
December 30, 2024: 1.93°C over pre-industrial
https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/1874478850740306380
“Here is the final anomaly graphic for Arctic sea-ice extent for 2024. It shows 2024 ending with a five-day streak of record lows for the day [Prof Eliot Jacobson]
“2025…”
https://bsky.app/profile/climatecasino.net/post/3leoqfeca7s2g
“Warmest December on record [1930-2024] in Oymyakon, Russia [known as Siberia’s Pole of Cold]!
“With a mean temperature of -34.7°C / -30.46F (+10.3°C above the 1930-2024 average!), December 2024 broke the previous record set in 1980 [-35.3°C]. Oymyakon also recorded its latest first -45°C and latest first -50°C.”
https://x.com/ThierryGooseBC/status/1874505715416789137
“It’s a wrap. North Atlantic sea surface temperatures ranked #2 for the last day of 2024, just behind 2023 [Prof Eliot again].
“Here are the complete daily color stripes for North Atlantic SSTs, 1982-2024.”
https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/1874498804600439143
“The dramatic and record-breaking weather that defined 2024 in the UK.
“Although the world is on track to experience its warmest year on record in 2024, surpassing the symbolic 1.5°C threshold set in the Paris Agreement, it didn’t feel that way in the UK which mostly escaped the extreme heat seen in recent years. However, signs of a changing climate were evident in other records…”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/c1mrz200474o
“Hundreds of people have been forced to leave their homes after heavy rain and floods battered large parts of north-west England, leaving cars abandoned and cancelling trains.
“Greater Manchester Police declared a major incident after torrential downpours across Stockport, Bolton, Didsbury, Harpurhey, Stalybridge and Wigan…”
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c93845l3q1zo
“The end of Italy’s largest glacier.
“The rapid speed at which the Adamello is melting shouldn’t come as a shock; the past two years have been unbearably hot in Italy.”
https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/the-end-of-italys-largest-glacier/
“Record-breaking rainfall paralyzes Israel’s coastal region.
“At the height of the weather event, Ashdod recorded 5.04 inches of rain, with an astounding 1.97 inches falling in just 30 minutes – a volume typically seen spread across one to two full days of rainfall.”
https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/12/31/record-breaking-rainfall-paralyzes-israels-coastal-region/
“The Canary Islands record the hottest January February, April, and November in history…
“For the first time, the archipelago is on the verge of exceeding an average annual temperature of 20°C, a threshold that demonstrates the mounting evidence of global warming.”
“Who Will Save Nigeria’s Coastal City on the Brink of Extinction?
“Ayetoro, a Nigerian town once known for its vibrant economy and cultural significance, now stands as a stark reminder of the destruction wrought by climate change. Key landmarks …and the community’s first church have been submerged or destroyed by the sea.”
https://www.globalissues.org/news/2025/01/02/38743
“The year ends with more records in Africa. LIBERIA recorded 35C [95F] twice in its Int. Airport, hottest on record in December.
“CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC Berberati broke its December record twice in a row, on the 31st 36.7C is nearly 2C above the previous record.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1874166778647241120
“Drought Fueling Zambia’s Inflation.
“Zambia’s Central Bank has started a Stability and Resilience Facility to safeguard the financial sector in the wake of the country’s worst drought in more than a century. Meanwhile the country’s inflation has accelerated to a 3 year high.”
“Mozambique’s forgotten crisis. How a disaster deepened the scars of conflict…
“Over half a million people in Mozambique have been directly affected by Cyclone Chido. This comes on top of the 1.3 million who already need critical assistance due to years of armed conflict.”
“MALDIVES AGAIN! 33.7C [92.7F] yesterday at Hanimadhoo – MALDIVES HOTTEST DECEMBER DAY IN HISTORY again!
“All months of 2023 Maldives broke records and all months of 2024 those records were re-broken multiple times. 2 years of non-stop record heat. Nearly 0 below average days.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1874042003882992042
“‘Treat us like humans’: Fishing wars trap Indians in Sri Lankan waters…
“A record number of Indian fisherfolk were arrested by Sri Lanka in 2024 amid depleting catch in Indian waters… The catch on the Indian side has been declining amid climate change, increasing plastic pollution in the sea and the rampant use of mechanised trawlers…”
“India’s 2024 was hottest year since [records began in] 1901.
“India’s meteorological department said Wednesday that 2024 was the hottest year since 1901, with sizzling temperatures in the world’s most populous nation following a global pattern of extreme weather sparked by climate change.”
https://tribune.com.pk/story/2519577/indias-2024-was-hottest-year-since-1901
“Kerala state witnesses record December temperature…
“On Tuesday, the state recorded its highest ever maximum temperature for December as Kannur registered 37.2 degrees Celsius [99F], according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD).”
“Weather agency says China experienced hottest year on record in 2024…
“China had already logged its hottest month in the history of observations in July last year, as well as the hottest August and the warmest autumn recorded.”
“Korea’s apple farmers head north as climate crisis heats up…
“Soaring temperatures have driven optimal farming sites northward, but the fruit farmers are stuck south of the inter-Korean border. Over the past century, Korea has experienced a 1.6 degrees Celsius (2.88 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature rise.”
“Blooming hard: Taiwan’s persimmon growers struggle…
“Lo’s harvest was down by more than a third in 2024, Taiwan’s hottest year on record, after some of his trees failed to bloom and two typhoons in October stripped many of their leaves and fruit.”
https://www.fox41yakima.com/blooming-hard-taiwans-persimmon-growers-struggle/
“Disaster-wary Philippines leads push for climate justice…
“Toward the end of 2024, the Philippines was pounded by six major storms in less than a month… In 2024, the Philippines was selected to host the Loss & Damage Fund Board to strategize fund disbursement and address urgent climate needs.”
https://www.dw.com/en/disaster-wary-philippines-leads-push-for-climate-justice/a-71196090
“2025 begins with a heatwave after BOM confirms 2024 was [Australia’s] second-hottest year on record.
“The mean temperature was 1.46 degrees Celsius above the 1961-1990 baseline average, according to the BOM… only a small fraction below the 1.51C record anomaly in 2019, and comfortably clear of the third place 1.34C in 2013.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-02/2024-second-hottest-year-on-record-bom/104777280
“Parts of South Australia record driest year ever.
“It’s been extremely dry across South Australia, with some regions recording their driest year ever.”
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-01-01/some-regions-in-south-australia-end-driest-year-on/104776066
“New Zealand: More landslide insurance claims than ever.
“NHC Toka Tu Ake chief resilience and research officer Dr Jo Horrocks said, “The significant storms in recent years caused devastation to communities across the country. Landslide damage can be complex and costly to fix, and the insurance available for damaged land is limited.””
“Very mild day in the ANTARCTICA Peninsula: Max temperature +14.7C [58.5F] at Esperanza Base, Argentina Base, just 0.2C from its January record.
“That followed a very mild night with a minimum of +4.1C,half a degree from the monthly record.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1874528342042710442
“Octopus DNA tells scientists that total collapse of the Antarctic ice sheet is “close”…
“This study provides empirical evidence indicating that the West Antarctic Ice-Sheet collapsed when the global mean temperature was similar to that of today, suggesting that the tipping point of future WAIS collapse is “close.””
“Sea Cucumbers: Silent Victims of Climate Change.
“These bottom-dwelling creatures, essential for maintaining ocean health, are particularly vulnerable to the warming waters, ocean acidification, and habitat destruction resulting from climate shifts. Belize recently reopened its sea cucumber industry… Hipolito Novelo looks at the impacts of climate change on an already vulnerable industry.”
https://edition.channel5belize.com/sea-cucumbers-silent-victims-of-climate-change/
“CARIBBEAN – record heat has been relentless for 2 years. 2024 beat all 2023 records and 2025 started insanely hot.
“Dawn temperatures in Martinique (kudos Meteo France) today were typical of August and there is no end in sight. An avalanche of records is coming all over the tropics.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1874514794604376539
“National Weather Service: Storm system brought 24 tornadoes and counting [Mississippi]…
“The confirmed tornado count in the National Weather Service – Jackson’s warning area now stands at 24… Additionally, there are still several areas that have not yet been reached, according to the NWS, so officials feel the count is certain to increase.”
“Tornadoes were probably not observed well in early years and we cannot trust the numbers, but NOAA’s data in last 25 years show an increasing trend.
“Data sources: https://disastercenter.com/tornado/tornad2.htm and https://spc.noaa.gov/climo/summary/#2000 “
https://x.com/MakikoSato6/status/1874414923054457343
“The last exceptionally warm week in USA pushed the December temperature anomaly above that of December 2012 therefore (since Jan-Nov were nearly tied), 2024 as a whole was the HOTTEST YEAR IN US CLIMATIC HISTORY (Lower 48 States).
“NOAA will confirm it soon.”
https://x.com/extremetemps/status/1874453812431446255
“It’s about to get dangerously cold, even for winter.
“Mother Nature is getting a jumpstart on a resolution to revive winter in the United States after a recent warm spell and last year’s warmest winter on record. Multiple bursts of increasingly brutal, cold Arctic air will overspread the eastern two-thirds of the country over the next few days…”
https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/01/weather/arctic-cold-outbreak-forecast-climate/index.html
“A Year of Climate Extremes, In Photos.
“From floods in Brazil to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, extreme weather exacted a devastating toll in 2024… These photos from Greenpeace show the profound impact of severe weather, which scientists are increasingly connecting to climate change.”
https://e360.yale.edu/digest/extreme-weather-photos
“WASF [We Are So Fucked]
The 5-year running mean:
[Courtesy, again, of Prof Eliot Jacobson]
https://x.com/EliotJacobson/status/1873890446025626011
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“It’s about to get dangerously cold, even for winter.”
One problem I have with some of these headlines and “opinions” is they sensationalize the forecast to get more clicks. The 10 day forecast from the NOAA shows a low of 19F here in the northeast where I live. On December 23, 2024 it was -8F here and I still went for my morning walk (2 hours). I didn’t suffer from frostbite or hypothermia 19F even with a wind chill is not “dangerously cold” unless your from South Florida.
What is “dangerously cold”? Generally people around here know how to dress for “dangerously cold” weather. WTF. The news media lost its credibility a long, long time ago with me. They are in business to make money – not report news without bias.
Okay, end of rant.
This comment is not a criticism of Panopticon’s content choices. Panopticon does a fantastic job of rounding up the articles and posts from around the web.
That is probably understood but I wanted to say this to make sure.
No problem, Edward. I wasn’t taking it personally. Thank you for the kind words.
Edward, I agree the headline is a bit hyperbolic but I liked the article because it went to the trouble of contrasting this impending cold snap with the record warmth last winter.
One of CNN’s other tricks is to toss the gross total of people potentially affected by a severe weather event into their headline, eg, “100 million Americans under extreme heat alerts.” Kind of ratchets up the sense of drama. 😂
Generally, I do my best to steer clear of anything too click-baity.
As the one article said, it’s about to get very cold here in eastern US. So, see? Nature is doing its usual balancing act. Global warming is a hoax! Nothing to see here my friends. Everybody go home.
😂
We’re beyond hopeless.
Industrial society constitutes a chemical weapon of mass destruction. the fact that that is not its intent has bearing only on its being criminal, not on its ultimate repercussions.
The fracturing mentioned in the linked article below fails to mention the Bakken in No. Dakota, where, in 2005, so much methane was being exhausted, the USSA overtook Russia as the #1 flarer (just from one site!) The fact that the end result would be what we have now in terms of the damage from climate derangement was of no concern to them then, nor is it now. That’s how market forces forces climate caos on a planetary scale, configured in such a way as to leave government helpless to stop it. Which is why after 3 decades of COPouts, the inexorable heating of the planet, far from slowing down, is accelerating right in front of our eyes.
So is it mankind that is hopeless, or is it life itself? Is life so configured that, like a virus, it can only live by destroying its host? The Age of reason is more aptly the age of treason, stabbing the entity that makes your existence possible in the back being just an unsavory reality of life?
The intractable nature of our conundrum certainly seems to suggest as much.
with https://www.yahoo.com/news/opinion-methane-leaks-supercharging-climate-170000346.html
Rob, here is an article to assuage your methane-related anxieties:
“Meet Hilda – the calf who is genetically modified to BURP and FART less.”
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14242651/calf-genetically-modified-BURP-FART-less.html
Whew! Science to the rescue! Thanks Pan, now I can go back to digging my own grave in a black hole’s event horizon.
Conundrums within conundrums – that is about the only meaning to be made from all the disparate and discrete pieces assembled and propped up here. Our minds will never again be clear and certain about progress or even the future, so it must be natural now to feel exasperation, doubt, disinterest.
For example, the fine essay on methane at Yahoo is not from any random scholar or secular micro-activist, but from Russel Honore, a retired Lieutenant General in the US Army, the front person in command during Katrina, a frequent commentator on MSNBC during tragic climate or violent events.
He now heads “The Green Army,” according to the Yahoo bio, a group dedicated to fighting pollution, which is a neat trick, considering the US military is the world’s leading fossil fuel user.
So who is supposed to be what anymore? Were bombs just made to go into permanent storage, never to be used to kill civilians?
If no entity is capable of enforcing responsibility upon any corporate force, from the gargantuan US polluter military to the corner corporation pursuing green growth, is there any value to coherent analysis of “responsibility'”?
The default answer has to be “no” to just about any question, and “it just is” to any demand for meaning.
Martin, you make some good points. We are descending into a morass of confusion in this era of impossible binds and double-edged swords.
Pan,
Slow down! I can’t keep up. 😉
“On December 29th, the global surface temperature anomaly hit 1.95°C above the 1850-1900 baseline… ”
“Civilization is a heat engine.” – Tim Garret
I don’t think he mentioned that the larger the numbers in civilization, o-word, the greater the heat output.
“Disaster-wary Philippines leads push for climate justice…”
The only climate justice this species will receive is NTHE. This is the prime FAFO.
If we are “going to hell in a bucket”, the bucket will have to be large enough to hold +8 billion. Wait, maybe there will only be a few 100 million at a time, smaller buckets required.