“Historic wind storm slam central U.S., with tornadic storms in Iowa… Winds have gusted to 70 to 100-plus mph. Minnesota and northern Iowa could see their first December tornadoes on record as derecho barrels eastward…
““The Central U.S. has never seen a December storm like this,” tweeted Bill Karins, a meteorologist for MSNBC. “Multi-hazard, life-threatening weather today.”
“…All of this is occurring amid record-setting warmth in the central states, for the third time this month, helping to fuel the intensity of the extreme weather. Both Iowa [78F] and Wisconsin [72F] saw their warmest December weather on record Wednesday afternoon.”
“107 MPH Gust Recorded On Colorado Eastern Plains [Lamar], Almost Category 3 Hurricane Force Wind.
“High winds are slamming Colorado on Wednesday. The National Weather Service office in Pueblo recorded a 107 mph wind gust in Lamar shortly before 9 a.m.”
“Very strong winds spread fires in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Very strong winds in Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma caused wildfires to spread very rapidly Wednesday.”
“Oklahoma City sees warmest, driest December on record. On Wednesday, those conditions intensified the fire dangers. Some Oklahomans wonder if this trend will continue through the winter.”
“The monster tornado that destroyed the town of Mayfield, Kentucky., during last weekend’s deadly outbreak in the Midwest and Southeast may have traversed four states without ever lifting off the ground.”
“Desperate victims of Mayfield tornado burn the wreckage of their own home to stay warm as temperatures drop below freezing…
“The victims of last week’s Mayfield tornadoes, which killed at least 74 across Kentucky, have been left without heat, water or electricity as they burn what’s left of their homes to stay warm in frigid temperatures.”
“Prairie drought drives Canada’s canola, wheat production down more than 35%…
“On the Prairies, 99 per cent of agricultural land is still either “abnormally dry” or in a drought situation, according to the November report from the Canadian Drought Monitor. It’s a sign that climate change is having an immediate impact on Canada’s agriculture system…”
“Unprecedented transportation disruptions caused by floods in British Columbia have sent lumber prices soaring…
“Softwood lumber prices have doubled since mid-November after road and rail links across B.C., which accounts for 16% of North American supply, were washed out by record-breaking rainfall.”
“Rivers of mud flow from wildfire burn scar through California homes after powerful storm…
“Properties in the Silverado Canyon area of Orange County, south of Los Angeles, were inundated with dirt and debris. Mandatory evacuations were ordered along with nearby Williams and Modjeska canyons.”
“Storm wreaks havoc on Tijuana, kills 3, floods migrant camp.
“The Civil Defense Department within the city of Tijuana is reporting three people were killed in a powerful storm that hit the region on Tuesday… The intense rain also flooded a migrant campsite just south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry…”
“Colombia’s Indigenous nomads displaced by violence… Deforestation to make way for illegal drug crops and agriculture have threatened their way of life…
“Violence and illnesses inflicted first by settlers and later by armed groups forced the Nukak from their homes and into voluntary isolation decades ago…
“…turning them into displaced people living in poverty…”
“Barrage of droughts weakens Amazon’s capacity to bounce back, study finds.
“Severe droughts over the past two decades have affected the resilience of the Amazon Rainforest, a new study shows, with stretches of affected forest taking between one and three years to recover their usual growth rate.”
“Argentina is the world’s leading exporter of processed soybeans and the second-largest exporter of corn. Farmers are currently sowing soy and corn for the 2021/22 season. “We are facing a climatic scenario … that poses strong challenges to production,” the Buenos Aires exchange said…””
“Spanish regions are declared a catastrophic zone due to the floods.
“The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced this Tuesday that for next Friday the towns affected by the floods generated by the rising of the Ebro river, considered the largest in the European country, will be declared a catastrophic area.”
“300% more rain than usual [in the Spanish Balearics]…
“AEMET, the meteorology agency in Spain has reported that more than 300% the usual rainfall, fell over the Balearics in November. The weather station recoding the most was at the airport in Mahon at 259 litres per square metre, the highest since records began.”
Another wild hailstorm in South Africa: “Citizens of Amatole District residents have very little to cheer about this Christmas, as a devastating wind and hailstorm swept through most of the Amatole region this past Monday.
“The storm left a trail of destruction and devastation from Fort Beaufort right up to Dimbaza and Qonce.”
“Torrential rains accompanied by hailstorms pounded the Midlands capital, Gweru [Zimbabwe] on Tuesday and left a trail of destruction, including destruction of houses.
“Roofs were also blown off at Mtapa Police Station, while several other infrastructure in the city was destroyed.”
“Drought in Lake Chad Region Heightens Conflicts Between Herders And Farmers.
“A drop in the levels of rainfall around Lake Chad in Cameroon has caused waterways to dry up and worsened the conflict between farmers and herders over scarce resources. Anne Nzouankeu reports from Kousseri, on the border with Chad…” [Video]
Satellite images from NASA of disappearing Lake Tuz in Turkey.
“Lake Tuz was once the second-largest lake in Turkey. Flamingos flocked there to feed and nest. People visited to witness the lake’s seasonal color changes and to steep in the mineral rich water, mud, and salt. Now, the lake rarely spans an area much larger than a puddle…”
“A looming humanitarian catastrophe: Millions at risk as drought hits northeast Syria and Iraq.
“The Euphrates has seen historically low levels since the beginning of this year, culminating in a drought hitting Syria’s main agricultural region. The crisis has put more than 12 million people across Syria and Iraq at risk of losing access to water, food, and electricity…”
“The report by the national center for drought and crisis management considers this year to be one of the driest in the past 50 years. Reduction of precipitation, especially snowfall in the country has caused the level of snow cover not to be in a favorable condition compared to last year.”
“National monthly record of highest temperature tied today 14th December in the Republic of Comoros with 35.6C [96.1F], same value recorded in 1960 and 2016 and just 0.4C from the all time record set in November 2017 and 2019.”
“Mass evacuations as super Typhoon Rai slams into Philippines.
“Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the Philippines as “one of the world’s strongest storms” of the year made landfall in mid-eastern parts of the island nation.”
“Climate change is intensifying extremes, even in the oceans.
“…there has been little research into [this phenomenon, however]… a wake-up call came in 2011 in the form of a persistent marine heatwave off the west coast of Australia that destroyed the species-rich kelp forests there.”
“Marine heatwave closes Abrolhos Island scallop fishery [Western Australia].
“One of Australia’s most celebrated scallop fisheries, the Abrolhos Islands, will not open next season due to the impact of a marine heatwave that hit the WA coast earlier this year.”
“Australia forecast to have summer of extreme heatwaves and floods…
“The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an extreme heatwave across northern Western Australia and the Top End in the next week, with severe conditions in Queensland and parts of New South Wales and South Australia.”
“Australia’s mouse plague legacy leaves levies damaged following heavy floods.
“Holes left by mice for tunnels and nests are causing levy banks to leak and sometimes fail following severe weather. In some instances, foxes have been following mice into the tunnels, creating larger holes and amplifying the problem.”
“Alarming population declination of the rare Antarctic South Georgia shag…
“The Signy population has declined by more than a third of its previous size and the Bird Island population has more than halved. South Georgia shags are colonially-nesting seabirds and construct large, pedestal-shaped nests on cliffs.”
“Global Warming Could Sink Mongolia’s “Permafrost Highway”…
“Many of these [infrastructure] problems are the consequence of changing weather conditions caused by climate change… In Khuvsgul province and other parts of the country, the rising global temperature is increasing the size and intensity of floods and melting the permafrost atop which the roads are built.”
“Melting permafrost in Russia’s Arctic regions could release ancient and potentially deadly viruses and bacteria, the government has warned.
“Nikolay Korchunov, a senior Russian diplomat who chairs the Arctic Council… has now established a ‘biosafety’ project to study the risks and possible effects posed by the reemergence of diseases which may have been frozen since at least the last ice age.”
“Ships traveling the thawing Arctic are leaving garbage in their wake, scientists warn.
“Following another year of stark climate impacts in the Arctic, scientists warned Tuesday of a new scourge hitting the region: marine trash… Scientists began noticing the trash bobbing in the icy water or piling up on Alaska Bering Strait-area beaches last year.”
“US study: Record highs, rain and beaver damage in the Arctic…
“The 16th straight health check for the northern polar region spotlighted the first ever rainfall at Greenland summit station, record warm temperatures between October and December 2020, and the new problem of expansion of beavers in the Arctic.”
“November 2021: Earth’s 4th-warmest November on record.
“November 2021 was Earth’s fourth-warmest November since global record-keeping began in 1880, 0.91 degree Celsius (1.64°F) above the 20th-century average…” [Not bad for a La Nina year].
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier ice shelf could collapse within five years… a large portion of the glacier is about to lose its tenuous grip on the seafloor, and that will dramatically speed up its seaward slide…
“…were the whole thing to fall into the ocean, it would raise sea levels by 65 centimeters, or more than two feet.”
“Antarctic sea ice extent instead isn’t going well: As of 12 December is well below average and below the interdeciles and interquartiles ranges. See maps and charts credit of NSIDC.”
“38C logged in Siberia last year confirmed as record temperature for Arctic…
“The WMO said the temperature, more befitting the Mediterranean than the poles, came during conditions which averaged as much as 10C above normal for much of the summer over Arctic Siberia.”
“Seawall planned for Utqiagvik will help protect the Arctic Alaska city from increasingly extreme storms…
““It’s a losing battle,”said Scott Evans, deputy director of Capital Improvement Program Management at the North Slope Borough. “Every day, we are one step closer to experiencing an event none of us want to. We’re basically rolling the dice.””
“Thanks to heat waves the lower 48 could see warmest December yet.
““It’s time to stop celebrating above normal winter temperatures. Every cold day we can squeeze out of our warming world keeps the planet liveable a little while longer,” said Brian, Brettschneider, a climatologist from Alaska.”
“FEMA chief says powerful storms ‘new normal’ in era of climate change in wake of Kentucky tornado…
“Speaking ahead of a visit to the worst-hit state of Kentucky, Deanne Criswell, the country’s top emergency official, said on Sunday that climate change is “the crisis of our generation”, adding that this year’s storms have been “unprecedented” in scale.”
“The deadly tornados that tore through Kentucky were so powerful that they blew residents’ personal belongings up to 130 miles away, and now people are reuniting devastated families who lost everything – family photos, a VFW card, checks and even pets – with pieces of their lives that turned up in unusual places.
“Midwesterners have taken to social media to locate the owners…”
“118 mph gust recorded in Wyoming; widespread highway closures persist…
“The high winds caused a structure at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds to collapse on Sunday, leaving metal debris in the road, the Casper Police Department reported.”
“Southern Brazil continues to endure toughest soybean growing conditions.
“The weather forecast for South America is starting to sound like a broken record. Much of the same is expected across Brazil and Argentina as seen the past several weeks: drier across southern Brazil and growing regions of Argentina, but wetter across Central and Southeast Brazil.”
“Ten people have been killed in the floods that have hit Brazil.
“Authorities have said 10 people were killed and some others have gone missing in the floods that have been occurring for the last six days. Similarly, over 20,000 citizens have been displaced by the disasters.”
“Spain’s Zaragoza braces for floods as Ebro river set to break its banks.
“Aragón’s capital and Spain’s fifth most populous city is preparing for the Ebro river that runs through it to overflow on Tuesday, following floods in other parts of Spain in the past days that have claimed two lives.”
“December in Greece has already seen the breaking of two annual records for rainfall and snowfall, the National Observatory of Athens announced on Monday.
“By December 12, the annual rainfall reading at Theodoriana meteorological station, in the northwestern regional unit of Arta, reached 3,425 mm [134.8 inches], exceeding a 15-year record.”
“The driver of a car that was swept away by floods in northern Greece was found dead on Sunday after heavy storms pounded parts of the country on Saturday, causing flooding, police said.”
“Bulgaria: Disaster Situation in 3 Municipalities in Smolyan Region due to Torrential Rains.
“Three municipalities in Smolyan district are in a state of emergency due to cut roads due to rivers overflowing their banks. These are Rudozem, Nedelino and Borino.”
“Another area with an incredibly warm December has been the Black Sea/Caucasus area with frequent Tmaxes above 25C [77F] and even many tropical nights.
“On 12th December the Turkish Black Sea coastal town of Inebolu (Kastamonu province) rose to a summer like 27C [80.6F].”
I reported this hailstorm in the previous thread but it wasn’t clear at the time how lethal it had been: “Deadly hailstorm kills six in Eastern Cape village [South Africa]…
“The nation continues to endure extreme weather conditions and the past weekend saw the residents of Xhongorha and Sigubudwini, villages outside of Mthatha, devastated.”
“Small-holder farmers across [Zimbabwe] have been urged to concentrate on drought-resistant crops due to uncertainties emanating from climate change…
“Makombe said farmers should not rely on statistics and predictions about rains, but should deal with the situation on the ground to ensure food security.”
“Young female dairy farmer in Botswana strives to recover from drought… now worsened by climate change….
“”During the 2019 drought, I lost 85 percent of my dairy cows,” reveals Wright, the 32-year-old owner of a commercial farming business called Lopey Inc.”
“Killed by drought: The deadly toll on Kenyan giraffes captured in devastating photo.
“The photo shows six giraffes lying lifeless in the Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy in Wajir.
“The animals reportedly died after getting stuck in mud as they tried to drink from a nearby reservoir, which had almost dried up. The giraffes were weak from starvation and lack of water…”
“Glacier loss pushing India’s mountain region towards water insecurity.
“The area under snow cover in Himachal Pradesh in 2019-20 was 23,542 sq km, which dropped to 19,183 sq km in 2020-21, a decline of 18.52%… The shrinking of Indian glaciers will impact food and water availability for nearly 13% of the global population.”
“How Bangladesh’s poor are paying the costs of climate damage.
“As climate change disasters and losses surge around the world, the world’s poorest, who can least afford it, are paying the bulk of the costs, making them effectively the world’s “silent financiers” of climate losses and adaptation efforts, researchers say.”
“Shark Bay’s seagrass meadows could die in another major marine heatwave, scientists say…
“With the equivalent of around 400,000 hectares of seafloor colonised by seagrass, the seagrass banks of Shark Bay [Western Australia] are the largest in the world.”
“Tropical Cyclone Ruby has made landfall in New Caledonia – bringing heavy rain and destructive storm force winds that are also affecting New Zealand…
“..the next 36 hours could see some places receive up to 200mm [8 inches] of rainfall – particularly in the Bay of Plenty – and cause localised slips and flooding in both the North and South islands.”
“Killer heatwaves and floods: Climate change worsened 2021 weather extremes.
“Extreme weather events in 2021 shattered records around the globe. Hundreds died in storms and heatwaves. Farmers struggled with drought, and in some cases with locust plagues. Wildfires set new records for carbon emissions, while swallowing forests, towns and homes.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“‘This should all be ice’: the Arctic melt leaving Inuit without food… “This should all be ice,” sighs Ted Irniq, an Inuit outfitter and hunter, gesturing out over Frobisher Bay, Iquluit’s main route to the outside world. Instead, water laps at the shore…
“Beyond the bay lie seal, caribou and polar bear hunting grounds. They have sustained Inuit life in this harsh climate for millennia but have been inaccessible all year. “It’s absolutely scary,” Irniq says.”
“Ocean ‘heatwaves’ are becoming increasingly common even in the frigid Arctic, where these events are more extreme, and possibly more damaging, than those in warmer seas farther south.”
“Fire hastens permafrost collapse in Arctic Alaska.
“While climate change is the primary driver of permafrost degradation in Arctic Alaska, a new analysis of 70 years of data reveals that tundra fires are accelerating that decline, contributing disproportionately to a phenomenon known as “thermokarst,” the abrupt collapse of ice-rich permafrost as a result of thawing.”
“Unusually strong polar vortex brings brutal sub-zero cold to Siberia, Scandinavia and Alaska… Deep freeze in high latitudes has occurred amid record-breaking warmth in parts farther south…
“Historically frigid weather, tens of degrees below zero, has invaded northeast Russia, Scandinavia, Alaska and northern Canada in recent weeks.”
“Record warmth surging through Lower 48 states in two waves.
“As we close in on the official start of winter Dec. 21, there’s little cold to be found across the Lower 48. The first of two surges of warmth has set records across Texas and parts of the South already. Dozens more records are possible Friday and Saturday…”
““Driest November in 90 years”; Over half of North Carolina in ‘severe drought’ as of latest report.
“The latest drought monitor data was released for the state of North Carolina on Thursday and it shows nearly 99% of the state under drought conditions, with half the state in a ‘Severe Drought.’”
“Massive tornadoes across have smashed through parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee…
“In Illinois, an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville has partially collapsed, trapping people inside. In Kentucky, the town of Mayfield has been devastated…”
“Denver finally got its first snowfall of the season on Friday, shattering an 87-year-old record for the city’s latest first snow.
“It wasn’t much: The official measurement at the Denver International Airport was three-tenths of an inch (0.8 centimeters), according to Jim Kalina, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder.”
“4 years ago [Monclova, Mexico] it snowed… and now a heat wave…
“In the middle of December, the municipalities of the Central Region of the State register maximum temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius[95F], despite the fact that on the same date, 4 years ago, a spectacular snowfall was registered in Monclova.”
“More than a hundred homes were burned by a forest fire that spread to the town of Castro on the tourist island of Chiloe, off southern Chile, local officials said on Friday…
“The Chiloe archipelago is located about 1,000 km (600 miles) south of the capital city, Santiago.”
“Floods in southern Bahia [Brazil] leave victims and submerged houses; government decrees emergency. Twenty-four cities in Bahia are in an emergency situation…
“According to the decree, all state agencies must mobilize to support actions to help cities. The decree is valid for 90 days and was published this Friday in the State Official Gazette.”
“Deadly flooding drenches northern Spain… Severe flooding in Spain’s Navarre region submerged cars and houses and killed at least one person on Friday, as heavy rains from storm Barra caused rivers to burst their banks.
“Police said one person in the small village of Sunbilla died on Friday afternoon after a landslide caved in their roof…”
“Rainstorms and hailstorms swept central and southern Italy Thursday as the ‘Immaculate Storm’… continued to pelt the country with wintry weather.
“Heavy hail left streets covered in a white layer in Naples, Rome, and other cities. Torrential rain turned streets into rivers in and around Caserta north of Naples.”
“Heavy storms in Mthatha [Eastern Cape, South Africa] leaves hundreds homeless.
“Heavy ruthless hailstorm terrorizing the community of Sigubudwini and Xhongorha. Scores of homes collapsed to the ground, while the rooftops are ripped off. Hundreds of people were left homeless, one reported dead and scores taken to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.”
“This December hasn’t seen anything resembling a winter in the Black Sea and the mild weather will continue at least until mid month. On 10th December the temperature rose again above 25C [77F] at Bartin in Turkey with fohn.
“Expect more warmth moving towards Georgia and Caucasus again.”
“Tornadoes increasingly common in Turkey amid climate crisis.
“Once an unusual weather phenomenon for the country, tornadoes are becoming increasingly common in Turkey. For experts, it is related to worsening fallout from the global climate crisis, which is also behind a string of weather-related disasters across the country.”
“Thousands of families across Iraq continue to be displaced from their homes due to drought, tracking updates on climate-induced displacement released on Thursday show, painting a stark picture of the increasingly dire consequences of climate breakdown.”
“The trend of deforestation in Iran is worrisome, Ali Banagar, head of the forestry scientific association affiliated to the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, has said.
“…he said that drought, floods, extreme heat, and cold, sand, and dust storms, as well as climate change, are natural causes of deforestation and reduce the quality of forests.”
“The number of cyclones and stations reporting very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall events have increased ..over North Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) during the period from 1891 to 2020 indicates that the frequency of “very severe cyclonic storms” has increased in the last few years over the Arabian Sea.”
“Shenzhen [China] faces historical drought with daily water shortage of 1 million cubic meters.
“Shenzhen, China’s first special economic zone in South China’s Guangdong Province, is facing the severest drought since the city was established, local authorities said on Thursday.”
“Heavy winds and flooding hit Indonesia between December 7th and 9th, 2021. Waves up to 5 meters high hit the coastal city of Manado, in North Sulawesi…
“Elsewhere, continued heavy rain caused flooding in areas across Indonesia, including Sabang. Houses were flooded and walls destroyed, forcing residents to leave their homes.”
“Severe storms hit south-east Queensland after floods claim lives of two women…
“Over 350,000 lightning strikes were recorded overnight, during a severe storm that hit Brisbane and surrounding regions. The nearby town of Samford received 61mm [2.4 inches] in just one hour.”
“Frosts, heatwaves and wildfires: the climate crisis is hitting the wine industry hard…
“Grapes are among the most sensitive crops to climate changes…. Premium grapes for high end wine, in particular, flourish in a very narrow range of weather conditions.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“New source of potent greenhouse gas emissions identified in permafrost.
“It may not be the headline star of the climate change discussion, but nitrous oxide (N2O) is still a potent greenhouse gas – and now it looks like we may have underestimated how much is being released.
“A new study has identified the thawing Siberian permafrost as a huge, previously unknown source of N2O.”
“Underground ‘zombie fires’ burn as Siberian temperatures fall to 75F degrees below zero…
“Zombie fires occur when a fire from a previous year smolders underground in carbon-rich peat (organic fuel) during the winter, then re-ignites on the surface as the weather warms and the ground thaws the next season.”
“Greenland is crying — can it be saved from mining and climate change?
““The weather, which we had learned and predicted for centuries, had become uggianaqtuq—a Nunavut term for behaving unexpectedly, or in an unfamiliar way. Our sea ice, which had allowed for safe travel for our hunters and provided a strong habitat for our marine mammals, was, and still is, deteriorating.”
“36 Years Later, the Climate Changes at This National Park [Arctic National Park in NW Alaska] Stunned Me…
“I explained to Alistair that global warming has taken the permafrost out of the proverbial freezer… More carbon is contained within this frozen ground than humankind has released since the Industrial Revolution began.”
“Abnormally warm weather to dominate Lower 48 through winter solstice.
“Winter technically starts on Dec. 21 but, for the two weeks leading up to it, it will feel more like spring across much of the United States. The central and eastern Lower 48 are in line for an extended period of unseasonable warmth.”
“California Will Curtail Water to Farms and Cities Next Year as Drought Worsens…
“That means farmers won’t get any water from the system they had applied for unless conditions improve… California is the nation’s largest agricultural producer.”
“Hawaii saw record temperatures over the weekend. Not for heat. For cold.
“Nighttime lows on the island of Oahu plunged to 56 degrees Fahrenheit — breaking a nearly 60-year record for what passes in Hawaii as extreme cold. Saturday’s daytime high was 70 degrees, the lowest on record, beating 76 degrees in 1965.”
“Oahu rainfall total on Monday [7.92 inches] sets December record [also the second wettest day on Oahu ever.]
“Preliminary 48-hour rainfall averages on Oahu up to the end of today include up to 11.68 inches in upper Nuuanu, 11.34 inches at Lyon Arboretum in Manoa, 7.31 inches in Waianae, and 8.46 inches at Aloha Tower.”
“The drought in Mexico has affected about 40% of the country.
“For the fifth consecutive fortnight, the drought persists in Mexico, 38.98 percent of the country’s surface was affected by the lack of rain and runoff, in contrast to 38.07 percent on November 15.”
“Patagonia Heat Wave: As forecast, 6th December was a very hot day in Patagonia.
“El Bolson broke its monthly record and was just 0.9C from its all time record set early this year. Bariloche recorded its earliest 32C on record (32.4C / 90.32F);previous was 16 Dec 2013.”
“Climate change behind flooding in Canterbury [NZ] in May.
“Researchers studying the effects of climate change on severe weather events in New Zealand have found that the extreme rainfall that brought flooding to Canterbury in May was 10 to 15 per cent more intense as a result of human influence on the climate system.”
“Australian forests will store less carbon as climate change worsens and severe fires become more common…
“… our new research finds more frequent, severe bushfires and a hotter, drier climate may limit eucalypt forests’ ability to resprout and reliably lock up carbon. This could seriously undermine our efforts to mitigate climate change.”
“Margaret River fire emergency threatens lives and homes in Western Australia’s South West…
“Several campgrounds, wineries and tourist attractions have been evacuated as a bushfire threatens lives and homes around the Boranup Forest near Margaret River in Western Australia’s south-west.”
“South Korea on course to log warmest year in 2021: weather agency.
“South Korea’s average temperature in the January-November period reached an all-time high of 14.4 degrees Celsius [57.9F], making this year likely to be the warmest year ever, the state weather agency said Wednesday.”
“China’s southern megacities warn of water shortages during East River drought.
“China’s major southern cities Guangzhou and Shenzhen have warned of severe water shortages lasting into next spring as the East River, a tributary of Guangdong’s Pearl River, continues to be hit by its most severe drought in decades.”
“Climate change upsets India’s apple cart… Early snowfall, high summer temperatures and inconsistent rainfall are affecting apple yields.
“Apple growers may need to plant more resilient varieties. A hardier variety of ‘high density’ apple, developed in Italy, is being marketed. The jury is still out on whether it is a viable alternative.”
“An Afghan Village Shrivels in Worst Drought in Decades.
“Afghanistan’s drought, its worst in decades, is now entering its second year, exacerbated by climate change. The dry spell has hit 25 of the country’s 34 provinces, and this year’s wheat harvest is estimated to be down 20% from the year before.”
“Water Shortages Reach Crisis Levels in Iran As Groundwater Resources Are Also Running Low.
“With Iran facing major water shortages through its rivers, the availability of its groundwater resources is vastly becoming a problem. Found underground in between rock and soil layers, groundwater is mostly accessible through wells or natural springs.”
“Coral reefs in western Indian Ocean ‘at high risk of collapse in next 50 years’…
“From Seychelles to the Delagoa region off the coast of Mozambique and South Africa, the reef systems are at risk of becoming functionally extinct by the 2070s, with a huge loss of biodiversity…”
“More than 300,000 people in Somalia’s Galgaduud region have been affected by a severe drought that has gripped most of the country and forced the federal government last month to declare a state of emergency.”
“Antarctic fur seals are struggling in a warmer climate.
“Climate change is making life more challenging for the Antarctic fur seal, including a limited supply of krill during the summer months. As a result, female Antarctic fur seals have less reproductive success.”
“Report: Plastic pollution is also pervasive in our agricultural soils.
“…a new report by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) suggests that the land we use to grow our food is contaminated with far larger quantities of plastic pollution, posing an even greater threat to food security, people’s health, and the environment.”
“A giant ‘black box’ will gather all climate data for future civilizations to learn from [Bold to assume there will be any at this point].
“Every time new climate research is published, news headlines are posted or tweets are shared, a giant steel box perched on a granite plain in the Australian state of Tasmania will be recording it all.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“Tiny Swedish settlement [Naimakka] sets new record as temperature plummets to -43.8C / -46.8F. [its lowest December temp on record]…
“This is also the lowest temperature ever recorded in Sweden so early in the season since 1945 and it’s the lowest temperature in December since 1986.” [additional info from @extremetemps on Twitter.]
“Sweden Burns Diesel For Power to Keep Lights on as Prices Surge. Swedish utility Vattenfall AB turned on some of its reserve diesel generators to supply power on an island in the Baltic Sea as a cold spell caused demand and prices to surge.”
“Storm Barra: multiple warnings issued for Ireland and UK…
“A rare red alert was issued for Cork and Kerry in the Republic of Ireland ahead of Storm Barra, which is due to make landfall on Tuesday and Wednesday, with gusts of more than 80mph forecast.”
“How Athens chief heat officer Eleni Myrivili is dealing with extreme heat, the “silent killer”…
“A 2019 analysis by Newcastle University Polytechnic School in the UK ranked Athens as the European city facing the greatest impact from heat waves. In the summer of 2021, Greece experienced the worst heatwave in decades, causing temperatures to soar to 46.3 degrees Celsius and sparking over 140 wildfires.”
“People trapped in cars, Larnaca airport [Cyprus] floods as road network hit by rain (updated, video)…
“In a Tweet, fire services spokesman Andreas Kettis said the calls for help referred to flooded basements and people trapped in cars on flooded roads as well as opening blocked drains… Larnaca airport has also flooded.”
“[South Sudan] The world’s newest nation is both drying up and drowning…
“Many of the main roads running through Unity State are now completely submerged, yet the traffic remains. There are no cars, just people, some of whom swim, others wade, pushing their way through the heavy silt-laden water.”
“Bus carrying members of choir is swept away by raging flood in Kenya killing more than 20 people…
“The yellow school bus had been hired to take a church choir to a wedding ceremony on Saturday, when it came across a flooded road with rapidly-flowing water.”
“Families in Oudtshoorn informal settlements [South Africa, Karoo] left homeless following flash floods…
“The victims are currently in a place of safety or with family members. The flash floods was caused by a cloud burst – where around 80 mm [3.14 inches] of rain fell in two hours. Resident, Karen Nathang, says she lost everything in the flood.”
“How south India recorded its wettest November this year [records go back to 1901].
“The number of very heavy rain events jumped from 26 to 168 in the last five years, whereas extremely heavy rains recorded in November 2021 were 11 as opposed to just one in 2017, indicating over a ten-fold increase.”
“Nepal again! The unusually warmth has been persistent in the Eastern parts of the Indian Subcontinent (also in Tibet and Bhutan).
“On 5 December Bhairawa rose to 32.4C [90.3F], a full 1C above the previous Nepalese monthly max temperature record set at Janakpur in 2016 and tied yesterday.”
“China ‘Modified’ Weather for Communist Party Celebration…
“In the days leading up to the event, officials shut down factories and halted cargo trucks in and around Beijing to minimize pollution, but stagnant winds did little to clear skies… To improve air quality, the government undertook a two-hour cloud seeding operation the night before the centenary…”
“Houses washed away as flash floods hit Soppeng Regency, Indonesia December 6 2021 Banjir Bandang.
“Heavy rain hit the region over two days, causing flash flooding as rivers burst their banks. The force of water was enough to wash away buildings… Crops and produce were destroyed…”
“Floods continue in Queensland as Western Australia swelters through heatwave.
“Australia is in for another day of wild weather, with floods and rain set to continue in the northeast while the west swelters through extreme heat. The country experienced its wettest November since records began, with the eastern states copping a deluge…”
“Experts warn run-ins with venomous snakes and spiders will continue to rise after recent wild weather and Australia’s ongoing mouse plague.
“Millions of mice have created havoc for Aussie farmers across New South Wales, South Queensland, Northern Victoria and South Australia over the last year.”
“‘Just sitting there dead’: study finds mass tree losses in NSW after severe drought.
“The drought and heatwaves that seared eastern Australia in the lead-up to the 2019-20 black summer bushfires killed as much as 60% of the trees in some areas that escaped the fires, according to new research.”
“Ocean flooding hits Marshall Islands, Micronesia over consecutive days.
“Ocean flooding for the third straight day hit low-lying islands throughout the Marshall Islands and the Federated States of Micronesia, causing sparse damage but requiring large-scale cleanups in their wake… Sea level rise is a major contributing factor.”
“70F/21.1C might look mild as record cold, but that is! On 3 December the Babelthuap/Koror Int. Airport of Palau had its lowest December temperature on record and just 1F from its all time low.
“Note that Palau uses Fahrenheit scale for all purposes.”
“State of emergency declared in Hawaii, forecasters warn of ‘catastrophic’ flooding…
“”Expect widespread heavy rainfall with this system, especially under the large heavy rain band, capable of producing catastrophic flooding, and strong gusty southerly winds through Wednesday,” the National Weather Service in Honolulu said.”
“The Brazilian federal government issued a decree on December 6 putting six municipalities under a state of “climate emergency” due to drought, water scarcity, or excessive rainfall.
“The move brought the number of cities in a state of climate emergency up to 26.”
“Apocalypse Denver! Moment cold front causes huge dust cloud to blow through Mile High City completely obscuring skyscrapers.
“A rapid shift from 60-degree weather to temperatures in the 40s created strong downward gusts that blew up a wall of dust that engulfed Denver on Sunday.”
“Meet the New Climate Refugee in Town [California]: Coyotes…
“It’s a sign of a growing climate-driven conflict. Drought and heat waves are not only fueling catastrophic wildfires in California’s wildland-urban interface, they’re also driving coyotes and other wildlife into the streets in search of food and water…”
“Invasive grasses are taking over the American West’s sea of sagebrush.
“No one likes a cheater, especially one that prospers as easily as the grass Bromus tectorum does in the American West. This invasive species is called cheatgrass because it dries out earlier than native plants, shortchanging wildlife and livestock in search of nutritious food.”
“Across the Mid-Atlantic, giant oak trees are dying…
“Oak trees are dying across the Mid-Atlantic region, crippled by extreme weather, old age, construction and development, then finally succumbing to disease and pests…
“Experts say the oak decline was triggered by the year of record rainfall that waterlogged the Washington region from 2018 to 2019.”
“Stuck jet stream brings blowtorch December in Lower 48, frigid Alaska…
“There is a cold side to the jet stream, and it’s been bottling up the frigid air in Alaska and parts of northern Canada. Some locations in Alaska were at least 20°F colder than average during November.”
“Bethel [Alaska] just recorded its coldest November in 80 years…
““So for Bethel, November is the coldest month of the year so far,” said Rick Thoman, a climate specialist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. “The only time that Bethel had a colder November than this, you have to go all the way back to 1939.””
“British Columbia’s Ministry of Health is warning residents in Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley of possible water contamination connected to the recent flooding in the province.
“Record-setting precipitation… may have caused overflow or failure of liquid manure storage systems in the region.”
“Inuit face an existential threat… That threat, of course, is climate change. Declining sea ice is the single biggest impact of climate change on our lives and livelihoods. Climate change is also wreaking havoc on our land.”
“Extreme lack of sea ice in Hudson Bay puts polar bears under pressure…
“Ice normally starts building up across Hudson Bay in November, but the area has remained almost entirely ice-free in the face of temperatures 6°C above average. In the north-western part of the bay…”
“Wildfires produced record-breaking emissions this year from U.S. to Turkey.
“Wildfires made worse by climate change produced a record amount of carbon emissions in parts of Siberia, the U.S. and Turkey this year… Blazes also devastated Albania, Algeria, Greece, Italy, North Macedonia, Spain and Tunisia.”
“2021’s weather disasters brought home the reality of climate change.
““Dangerous climate change is already here. That’s a harsh reality we need to recognize,” says Michael Wehner, an extreme weather researcher at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.”
“Scientists declared these animals extinct in 2021.
“Today’s rate of extinctions— driven by a quintuple-whammy of destroyed wilderness, exploited critters, invasive species, rapid climate change, and widespread pollution — are happening “at least tens to hundreds of times higher” than extinctions occurred over the past 10 million years…”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“USA TODAY investigation reveals a stunning shift in the way rain falls in America…
“We found more than half of the nation’s 344 climate divisions had their wettest periods on record since 2018. We calculated the same rolling averages for states.
“East of the Rockies, more rain is falling, and it’s coming in more intense bursts,” our report finds. “In the West, people are waiting longer to see any rain at all. Taken together, the reporting reveals a stunning shift in the way precipitation falls in America.”
“After the driest November in 90 years, fire officials state wide [North Carolina] are asking people to be on alert.
“Fire officials are encouraging everyone to avoid fires if possible, and to make absolutely sure you have a charged fire extinguisher, or plenty of water or sand, to put any fire you do start out.”
“Winter heatwave breaks records in four US states…
“Much of the western half of the US has seen temperatures 35F (19C) above average for this time of year in the past days, with Wednesday bringing the hottest December weather on record for Montana, Wyoming, Washington state and North Dakota.”
“It’s December and it hasn’t snowed in Denver yet. That’s never been recorded.
“Snowless in Colorado? No, this is not a follow-up to the Tom Hanks movie “Sleepless in Seattle,” but rather a real-life drama unfolding across the state with very real-life consequences. It’s been 224 consecutive days (and counting)…”
“Farm Animals Died by the Hundreds of Thousands in Canada Floods.
“Hundreds of thousands of livestock have perished in floodwaters in Canada’s westernmost province, the British Columbia government said Thursday. Back-to-back deluges from atmospheric rivers have damaged major transport routes, forced evacuations and briefly isolated Canada’s biggest port.”
“51 long dry days: Iqaluit’s water crisis has no end in sight.
“You can tell that the ongoing water crisis in Iqaluit is beginning to wear on people. Fifty-one days without being able to drink the water will do that to a community.”
“The unusually warm weather hanging over the Kivalliq region of Nunavut is poised to end this weekend, but the lingering effects of the warmest fall on record for many communities have yet to be seen.
“October brought record-setting heat to many parts of the Arctic, prompting some people in Arviat to swap their winter boots for rubber ones and don shorts to go skating… little ice has formed on Hudson Bay.”
“Kids have been sent home from school over fears they could freeze to death after temperatures plunged to a bone-chilling minus 60°C in the world’s coldest town.
“Temperatures have dipped so low in the far-flung village of Oymyakon in the Russian region of Yakutia that hot water instantly turns to ice when flung in the air – making for a dramatic display.”
“Hawaii under blizzard warning as 12 inches of snow and winds up to 100 mph expected.
“The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard warning until Sunday morning on the Big Island of Hawaii. The warning remains in effect from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 a.m. Sunday as up to 12 inches or more of snow is expected on the island.”
“A Slow-Motion Climate Disaster: The Spread of Barren Land.
“Brazil’s northeast, long a victim of droughts, is now effectively turning into a desert. The cause? Climate change and the landowners who are most affected.”
“The Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Service said November 2021 has been the driest November on record for Tobago… in the agency’s 76 years of recorded rainfall history.
“Chief Climatologist Kenneth Kerr said Trinidad has described November’s rainfall conditions as ‘abnormally dry’…”
“Three Irish weather stations report driest November on record.
“Met Éireann said nearly all rainfall totals were below their long-term average (LTA) for the month… All average air temperatures were above their long-term average for the month.”
“…more than 10,000 homes across the UK are still without electricity due to the “catastrophic damage” caused by Storm Arwen a week ago…
“The regulator Ofgem has launched an “urgent” review into the response of energy network companies to the storm – while the army has been deployed to help residents in Scotland and Durham who have been left without power for a week.”
“Storm Arwen has created a ‘masterpiece’ among its trail of devastation – by blasting tonnes of grass so hard the blades wove themselves so perfectly onto a fence that passers-by thought it was handmade.
“Landscape photographer Colin Richards braved the weather on November 28 to walk up Mynydd Pwll-yr-Iwrch, south Wales, when he came across an ‘unbelievable’ sight…”
“A forest fire has been declared at noon this Friday in the Pico Cisne area of the municipality of Cómpeta , in Malaga [Spain].
“The official Twitter account of the Andalusian Fire Prevention and Extinction Plan reported at 2:16 p.m. of said fire, whose smoke is already visible even from the provincial capital.”
“Floods Cut Off Communities in South Sudan’s Unity State.
“Severe flooding has hit South Sudan’s northern state of Unity, cutting off communities from accessing supplies of food and other vital commodities, a state official said Friday…
“At least 26 million people are struggling for food following consecutive poor rainfall seasons in the Horn of Africa.
“Drought conditions in northern Kenya, much of Somalia and southern Ethiopia are predicted to persist until at least mid-2022, putting lives at risk. The situation is already so bad that wild animals are dying…”
“2 days of December and already 4 Countries setting or tying a national monthly record of highest temperature!
“As forecast by your author, today 2nd December it was Kazakhstan turn: With 25.7C [78.3F] Shymkent (42N, 550m above sea level) set the new Kazakh record, beating its own 25.4C set in Dec 1987.”
“There is no 4 without 5…Indeed, Today 2 December Kyrgyzstan was the 5th country to set/tie a national monthly record of highest temperature this month.
“The capital Bishkek (756m above sea level) rose to 23.7C [74.7F], 0.4C above the Dec 1971 record set at the same place.”
“Explained: Why Mumbai has received highest-ever single-day rainfall during December.
“… the IMD’s Santacruz observatory recording 91.2 mm [3.6 inches] rain in 24 hours… Until now, the record of the all-time highest December rainfall was on December 6, 2017, when Cyclone Ockhi passed off the Mumbai coast logging 53.8 mm [2.2 inches] rain in 24 hours.”
“Hundreds of fish die in Jakkur, Rachenahalli lakes [Bengaluru, India]… The record rainfall over the last two months has not only affected the lives of city dwellers, but also the aquatic life in many lakes.
“Witnessing a heavy influx of floodwaters mixed with sewage, several lakes in the city are reporting the death of aquatic animals.”
“Hong Kong has its third-warmest autumn on record, Observatory says.
“September had 15 ‘very hot days’ this year, the most yet recorded, according to the weather forecaster. November had 230 hours of sunshine, 35 per cent more than the norm over the preceding 30 years.”
“A hurricane hit Parakan in Temanggung Regency, Central Java, Indonesia on December 2nd 2021.
“The storm damaged a number of houses, with roofs being torn off by the force of the wind. No warning was given, meaning residents were unable to take shelter or precautions.”
“Scott Morrison attacked over ‘secrecy’ after documents reveal cyclones and floods set to pummel Australia…
“The Bureau of Meteorology briefed the meeting of premiers, chief ministers and the prime minister on 5 November about the high-risk weather facing the nation until April.”
“Severe Flooding in Australia Set to Worsen, Submerging Crops.
“Severe flooding episodes across vast swathes of eastern Australia this week show no signs of relenting as costs to farmers continue to mount, with another bout of heavy rain on course to hit the already sodden growing regions over this weekend.”
“‘Fingerprints of climate change’ all over [New Zealand’s] warmest November on record, Niwa says…
“It surpassed November 2019 as the warmest on record, and three of the four warmest Novembers have now occurred since 2013… Twenty-six locations experienced the highest or second-highest warmest temperatures for spring on record.”
“Air bubbles sound climate change’s impact on glaciers.
“As the world’s temperatures rise, tidewater glaciers are receding and melting, releasing air trapped in the ice. Scientists can listen to the release of the air and potentially use the sounds to help them gauge the impact of climate change on the ice floes.”
“Orcas are spreading further into the Arctic Ocean as sea ice melts.
“Orcas – also known as killer whales – used to be unusual visitors to the Arctic Ocean off Alaska, but they are becoming more common there, which might be bad news for local ecosystems.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an ‘Economic’ thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It means a lot.
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“Historic wind storm slam central U.S., with tornadic storms in Iowa… Winds have gusted to 70 to 100-plus mph. Minnesota and northern Iowa could see their first December tornadoes on record as derecho barrels eastward…
“107 MPH Gust Recorded On Colorado Eastern Plains [Lamar], Almost Category 3 Hurricane Force Wind.
“Quad-State Tornado May Be Longest-Lasting Ever.
“Desperate victims of Mayfield tornado burn the wreckage of their own home to stay warm as temperatures drop below freezing…
“Prairie drought drives Canada’s canola, wheat production down more than 35%…
“Unprecedented transportation disruptions caused by floods in British Columbia have sent lumber prices soaring…
“Rivers of mud flow from wildfire burn scar through California homes after powerful storm…
“Storm wreaks havoc on Tijuana, kills 3, floods migrant camp.
“Colombia’s Indigenous nomads displaced by violence… Deforestation to make way for illegal drug crops and agriculture have threatened their way of life…
“Barrage of droughts weakens Amazon’s capacity to bounce back, study finds.
“Argentina exchange says dry summer poses ‘big challenge’ for soybeans, corn.
“Spanish regions are declared a catastrophic zone due to the floods.
“300% more rain than usual [in the Spanish Balearics]…
Another wild hailstorm in South Africa: “Citizens of Amatole District residents have very little to cheer about this Christmas, as a devastating wind and hailstorm swept through most of the Amatole region this past Monday.
“Torrential rains accompanied by hailstorms pounded the Midlands capital, Gweru [Zimbabwe] on Tuesday and left a trail of destruction, including destruction of houses.
“Drought in Lake Chad Region Heightens Conflicts Between Herders And Farmers.
Satellite images from NASA of disappearing Lake Tuz in Turkey.
“A looming humanitarian catastrophe: Millions at risk as drought hits northeast Syria and Iraq.
“Iran short of rain by 33%.
“Mass evacuations as super Typhoon Rai slams into Philippines.
“Climate change is intensifying extremes, even in the oceans.
“Marine heatwave closes Abrolhos Island scallop fishery [Western Australia].
“Australia forecast to have summer of extreme heatwaves and floods…
“Australia’s mouse plague legacy leaves levies damaged following heavy floods.
“Alarming population declination of the rare Antarctic South Georgia shag…
“Global Warming Could Sink Mongolia’s “Permafrost Highway”…
“Melting permafrost in Russia’s Arctic regions could release ancient and potentially deadly viruses and bacteria, the government has warned.
“Ships traveling the thawing Arctic are leaving garbage in their wake, scientists warn.
“US study: Record highs, rain and beaver damage in the Arctic…
“November 2021: Earth’s 4th-warmest November on record.
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I reported this hailstorm in the previous thread but it wasn’t clear at the time how lethal it had been
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