“The calendar says it’s the 1st meteorological winter day but in many areas it looks almost like summer:Today Azerbaijan had its hottest December day in history with 29.1C [84.4F] at Lankaran. 29.4C [84.9F] also in Turkmenistan…
“Note: The Azerbaijan new December record of 29.1C is now higher than the November record of 29.0C which was set ….last year.”
“This morning with hot Khamsin winds, the Lebanese capital Beirut woke up with temperatures as high as 29C [84.2F] in some areas of the city,while in Israel Tel Aviv rose to nearly 33C in the afternoon and Jerusalem (815m asl) above 28C.”
“Lebanese minister pleads for water as forest fires rage near Beirut.
“Mr Yassine said longer summers, high temperatures and gusts of wind created a “dangerous mix” that make forest fires more frequent. Wildfires raged for three days earlier this month, destroying large areas of greenery in the Mount Lebanon district.”
“Somalia: Intensifying Drought Will Likely Result in ‘Deyr’ Crop Failure and Livestock Losses.
“The *deyr *rains have largely failed since October, causing alarm for the deterioration of food security conditions in Somalia. Intensifying drought has led to water shortages, a high likelihood of crop failure, and atypically high levels of livestock migration and deaths.”
“Some areas of Oman experienced heavy flooding on Tuesdayas heavy rain and hail fell, and authorities warned people to stay away from wadis and other areas prone to flooding.”
“Delhi’s November air pollution the worst since records began.
“India’s national capital Delhi witnessed its worst ever air quality in the month November this year after recording 11 days of “severe” pollution — ranked as hazardous for breathing — and not one day of “good” air quality, data showed.”
“Mumbai all set to break all-time record for rainfall recorded in 24 hours in December.
“Mumbai is all set to break the all-time record for ainfall recorded in 24 hours in December. The all-time high 24 hour rainfall recorded so far was 54mm in December 2017 and meteorologists have hinted that Wednesday’s rainfall will surpass this mark.”
“Cyclone Jawad: IMD issues red alert for this state – “heavy” to “very heavy” rainfall expected…
“The weather office said that the low pressure area brewing over the south Andaman Sea and adjoining area will intensify into a depression and take the shape of a cyclonic storm around December 3.”
“With a temperature of 33.7C [92.7F] the coastal resort town of Cox’s Bazar, famous for its nice beaches, recorded the highest December temperature in Bangladeshi history, 0.2C above the 33.5C of nearby Teknaf in 2016.”
“Rains trigger floods and landslides in Vietnam, 18 missing.
“Heavy rains that triggered floods and landslides in central Vietnam have left at least 18 people missing, some feared dead, with houses destroyed and roads damaged, authorities said on Thursday.”
“December started with a boom in Japan. Over 100 monthly records beaten on the first day of the month! 47 heat records, 63 for rainfall (hourly) and 47 for wind gusts.”
“Clean-up begins in flooded towns as rising floodwaters pose new threat to other southern Queensland towns [Australia].
“Major flood warnings remain in place for the Dawson River, the Condamine and Balonne Rivers, the Macintyre and Dumaresq Rivers and the Warrego River.”
“NSW has wettest November in 121 years of records.
“NSW has experienced its wettest November since at least 1900, with some inland regions recording as much as four times the usual rainfall as the La Nina event in the Pacific took hold.”
“A heat wave is approaching both Santiago [Chile] and in six other regions over the next few days.
“Specifically, between Saturday and Monday, December 6, Valparaíso, O’Higgins, Maule, Ñuble, Biobío and Araucanía will experience extremely high temperatures.In fact, in some cities of the Maule these will reach up to 38º [100.4F].
“November was the hottest, driest ever in the Coachella Valley…
“The average temperature in Palm Springs for the month was 72.7 degrees. The previous warmest November on record, averaging 70.9 degrees, was in 2017. The record heat comes atop bone-dry conditions last month that show no sign of changing this winter.”
“California Will Curtail Water to Farms and Cities Next Year as Drought Worsens.
“California plans to dramatically curtail water delivery next year from its network of canals, pipelines and reservoirs to 27 million Californians and three-quarters of a million acres of farmland because of a two-year drought.”
“Seattle’s wettest fall on record has already hit unsheltered people hard, and it could get worse…
“Most of the rainy and cold weather Seattle receives doesn’t trigger emergency shelter activation, which leaves thousands of people outside to fight off the elements.”
“‘This storm is not over’: With more rain coming, British Columbians evacuate.
“Flooding could be made worse by another 40 to 50 mm Wednesday afternoon as record alpine temperatures accelerate snowmelt and threaten B.C.’s South Coast.”
“22.5C [72.5F] today in Penticton, British Columbia! That breaks the previous provincial monthly record by more than 3C and ties the national December record set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1982.
“Also 20.7C in Summerland, 18.1C in Osoyoos, 17.9C in Salmon Arm, 17.8C in Kelowna U.”
“Here the US answer to the Canadian December record:
“Wyoming: 78F at Buffalo Dec State record tied; Montana: 78F at Jordan Dec State record tied; North Dakota: 71F at Hettinger new December record. Tomorrow it will be even worse.”
“Climate change brings a perfect storm of raw sewage and rainfall in [US] cities that can least afford it…
“… a new threat looms as the warming planet produces heavier and more frequent storms in the same regions of the country saddled with combined sewer systems.”
“Northern Ireland weather: Warmest autumn ever as Met Office record 10.95C [51.7F] average. [Northern Ireland also had its hottest summer on record, breaking its high temp record on three consecutive days in July.]
“Dr Mark McCarthy, of the National Climate Information Centre, described November as a markedly “mild and dry month”.”
“Prepare for more extreme weather, Britons warned in wake of Storm Arwen…
“Storm Arwen was “an event the likes of which we haven’t seen for 60 years” and the UK needs to be prepared for more extreme weatherdue to the climate crisis, according to the business secretary, as more than 30,000 homes remain without power.”
“Years-long drought has damaged Berlin’s forests and healing will take time.
“The overall state of trees is worse than average. This was mainly due to a three-year long drought in the area, that caused death rates and visible damages to go up… Local authorities are taking decisive steps to help forests…”
“Meteorological madness in Spain for the December bridge: anomalous heat with cold strokes.
“According to his model , the climatological winter will be warmer than usual in much of the national territory , although with nuances by regions and months.”
“Tornadoes increase in the Mediterranean as its waters warm.
“The observation of marine sleeves and tornadoes is becoming more frequent on the Spanish coasts (Barcelona, Alicante or the Balearic Islands, for example), but also in Italy and other Mediterranean regions.”
“Zombie fires burn at -60C outside Oymyakon, the world’s coldest permanently inhabited place…
“Photographer Semyon Sivtsev shared videos and pictures of the zombie fires outside him home village of Oymyakon, The Pole of Cold. ‘I filmed them near to grasslands close to the village of Khara Tumul, not far from Oymyakon…”
“More icebreakers coming to aid Russian Arctic ships in need.
“The Vaigach has for the past weeks been hectically engaged with icebreaking in the Laptev Sea and the East Siberian Sea, where up to 20 ships have been locked in the ice. This year’s early freeze in the Russian Arctic created a critical situation…”
“Rain to replace snow in the Arctic as climate heats, study finds…
“Even if the global temperature rise is kept to 1.5C or 2C, the Greenland and Norwegian Sea areas will still become rain dominated. Scientists were shocked in August when rain fell on the summit of Greenland’s huge ice cap for the first time on record.”
“World’s Strongest Ocean Current in Antarctic Speeds Up Due to Climate Change.
“The Antarctic Circumpolar Circulation (ACC), maybe more than any other ocean current, has a significant impact on the Earth’s climate. Even as we fear that rising global temperatures are slowing one of the world’s biggest currents, we now have data that the ACC is speeding up…”
“The staggering scale of glacier melt demands swift climate action…
“From 2000 to 2019, glaciers other than the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost an average of 267 billion metric tons of water each year, give or take 16 billion metric tons, according to research McNabb co-authored in the journal Nature.”
“Heat, no food, deadly weather: Climate change kills seabirds.
“The warming of the planet is taking a deadly toll on seabirds that are suffering population declines from starvation, inability to reproduce, heat waves and extreme weather.”
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Yet more extraordinary weather in the Mediterranean: “6 killed, dozens injured in heavy storms that battered Turkey.
“At least four people, including a foreign national, died and dozens of others were injured on Monday after heavy storms [winds over 80mph] hit Turkey’s biggest city Istanbul and its surrounding regions, the governor’s office said.”
“Extraordinary heat in Greece. In the middle of the night 2 days from the meteorological winter, Chania is recording >30C (THIRTY degrees; 86F) at local 3am, which is well above a summer average night.
“For the end of November it’s near record even for tropical latitudes!“
“Snowfalls, heavy rains and strong winds hit Italy and Spain…
“The Nervion, Cadagua and Ason rivers in northern Spain burst out their banks on Monday 29 November, flooding streets in several towns. Other rivers like the Deva are close to exceeding their flow capacity after heavy rains hit northern Spain and snow in the region melted suddenly after the last week snowstorm.”
“Shell to ‘blast’ South African coastline in search of oil during whale season…
“Shell’s ships will have to conduct three-dimensional seismic surveys… using underwater explosions… Environmentalists worry the sound of these explosions… will leave marine life ‘panicked and damaged’.”
“As floods worsen, Uganda moves to protect its vanishing wetlands.
“Until recently, truck drivers who poured fill into wetlands near Uganda’s capital, to illegally create new land for building or agricultural expansion, rarely met any resistance.”
“The rising cost of the climate crisis in flooded South Sudan – in pictures.
“Families facing severe hunger are wading through crocodile-infested waters in search of water lilies to eat. Susan Martinez and photographer Peter Caton return with Action Against Hunger to find that the dire situation they reported on in March has only worsened.”
“The lake that vanished: Climate change and conflict combine in Syria’s Idlib…
““War has displaced millions of people in Syria and now climate change is making the situation even worse,” Mark Cutts, the UN deputy regional humanitarian coordinator for the Syria crisis, told MEE.”
““Nightmare”: Power Cuts, Flooding Bring Chennai [Tamil Nadu, India] To Standstill, Again.
“Chenna Rainfall: Chennai braces for more rains for the next three days. The city has already received more than 1000 mm [39.4 inches] rains since Octoberand the bulk of it in November.”
“Tropical cyclones in Asia could have double the destructive power by the end of century, study finds.
“Tropical cyclones in Asia could have double the destructive power by the end of the century, according to new research, as scientists say the human-made climate crisis is already making them stronger.”
“Heat waves, tropical nights increase in N. Korea due to global warming: weather agency.
“North Korea has seen an increase in heat waves and tropical nights and a decline in cold spells over the past three decades as global warming has driven up temperatures, South Korea’s state weather agency said Tuesday.”
“With loss of forests, Bali villages find themselves vulnerable to disaster…
“Considering the village’s dense forest and plentiful crops, Sumerti said she didn’t understand how the flood could be so severe. Traces of it were still visible a month later; the walls of several houses and other buildings had collapsed, while rice fields remained inundated.”
“Parts of northern Western Australia are bracing for a week of scorching temperatures as extreme heatwave conditions hit the region.
“The Bureau of Meteorology is forecasting a run of hot days in the Pilbara and Kimberley, with temperatures in some areas expected to exceed 45 degrees Celsius [113F].”
“Western Australia’s penguins fighting for survival…
“Another heatwave hit early this year, killing fish, and causing malnutrition and deaths in the already reduced penguin population. The surviving birds are so underweight, they cannot reproduce…”
“NSW notches up wettest November in more than 100 years as records tumble in the Hunter Valley.
“The Lostock Dam weather station recorded 352.8mm [13.9 inches] this month, surpassing the previous November high, set in 2013, by more than 100mm. Bureau of Meteorology forecaster David Wilke said it had been the “wettest November on record for NSW in general”.”
“Australia’s forest fires fanned by climate crisis: Study.
“New research by CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has found climate change has driven a significant increase in forest fires in the country over the past 30 years.”
“Marine heatwave occurring in waters around New Zealand, NIWA says…
“Not only that, but coastal sea temperatures around New Zealand have been 1.1C to 1.4C above average during November, with daily sea surface temperatures more than 3C above average around the western and northern North Island and eastern South Island over the last week.”
“La Nina is set to wreak havoc during Argentina’s upcoming summer, when soybean and corn plants will be growing across the Pampas farm belt.
“Precious little rain will fall in January and February across much of the key growing region because of the weather pattern, according to maps in a Buenos Aires Grain Exchange report.”
“Maximum alert in Misiones [Argentina] due to the Paraná river shrinking and the drought…
“The historic declines of the Paraná River is suffering from time to time in Misiones… has already become the steepest in the last seven decades …unfortunately… it will continue throughout the summer, so the authorities are on a red alert…”
“The rains cause floods in five municipalities in central Bolivia.
“The heavy rains registered in the last hours caused floods and floods in at least five municipalities in the Bolivian region of Cochabamba, in the center of the country, according to official information.”
“B.C. floods: Province extends state of emergency with third storm looming.
“The provincial state of emergency is being extended into the middle of December, as a third major storm heads this way. Gas rationing measures are also staying place, and drivers are being warned to stay off the roads during the next atmospheric river.”
“Seattle area breaks rainfall record ahead of another atmospheric river.
“The National Weather Service (NWS) has confirmed that this past fall has been the wettest the Seattle area has experienced on record, as the region continues to deal with heavy rains and flooding conditions.”
“Strong winds, with occasional gusts of up to 100 mph, made travel difficult along the Rocky Mountain Front in northern Montana, while record high temperatureswere seen in some areas…
“Missoula hit 62, the warmest high temperature on record for this late in the season.”
“Warmer summers worsen tick infestations for moose in U.S., study says…
“In addition to the partial loss of their bristly winter coats, tick infestation makes moose anemic and less able to reproduce, she said. It’s a leading cause of recent population declines in the Northeast, where summer temperatures have been surging…”
“A massive wildfire on North Carolina’s Pilot Mountain has been raging for three days, spreading across hundreds of acres.
“Officials say the fire, which started on Saturday, is currently burning 240 acres of land, forming a blazing ring around the mountain’s peak. So far, no people or homes have been harmed.”
“Hundreds of seal pups killed after Storm Arwen batters nature reserve on Scottish coast.
“The pups perished at St Abb’s Head national nature reserve in Berwickshire, in a bay at Pettico Wick. Rangers there found 224 dead grey seal pups in the water, with “many more” washing up on the shoreline.”
“Climate crisis posing growing risk to the homeless, UK charities tell ministers…
“The leaders of three of the UK’s biggest housing charities have written to ministers to call for urgent action for this winter for people facing homelessness, and to improve inadequate housing.”
“Scientist says time is running out for West Antarctic ice sheet…
“Unless we can bring our present atmospheric carbon dioxide level down, the eventual outcome will again be substantial loss of ice and open seas across West Antarctica.”
“How Norilsk, in the Russian Arctic, became one of the most polluted places on Earth.
“A smelting company has poisoned rivers, killed off forests and belched out more sulfur dioxide than active volcanoes. Now it wants to produce more metal for the “green economy.””
“Nurdles: the worst toxic waste you’ve probably never heard of.
“Billions of these tiny plastic pellets are floating in the ocean, causing as much damage as oil spills, yet they are still not classified as hazardous.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.
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“[Yet more extreme weather for The Mediterranean] Cars carried away by floodwaters as month’s worth of rain pelts Malta. Flash floods carried away cars, collapsed walls and trapped motorists in their submerged vehicles after a month’s worth of rain fell in a matter of hours on Thursday.
“Police and army units were deployed as roads turned into rivers, leading to multiple water rescues and road closures throughout the day.”
“Tornados, Landslides Hit Western Greece as Weather Front Moves East.
“Several parts of western Greece were hit by tornados, landslides and heavy rain on Friday, causing damage to buildings and flooding on many roads throughout the region.”
“Helicopter rescue evacuations as northern Spain floods.
“Heavy rainfall of over 150 mm [6 inches] in 24 hours caused severe northern Spain floods, prompting evacuations and dramatic rescues by helicopter. Emergency services had to evacuate 40 patients from a hospital in Arriondas in the Parres municipality due to the flooding.”
“A severe hailstorm disrupted operations at Barcelona–El Prat Airport in Spain on the morning of November 25, with flights completely stalled at one point, according to local reports.
“Hail also caused disruptions at other airports, according to weather information service El Tiempo.”
“Egypt: Sisi to Inspect Areas Damaged By Aswan Flash Floods.
“President Abdel Fattah El Sisi will inspect on Thursday areas damaged by the latest flash floods and storms in the Aswan Governorate, Presidential Spokesman Bassam Radi said.”
“Blowing the house down: life on the frontline of extreme weather in the Gambia.
“A storm took the roof off Binta Bah’s house before torrential rain destroyed her family’s belongings, as poverty combines with the climate crisis to wreak havoc on Africa’s smallest mainland country.”
“High fertiliser prices threaten food production amid drought worries.
“Food insecurity in the region —where several conflicts in the Horn of Africa, climate change and socio-economic conditions are already a cause for worry — is about to get worse as the global price of fertiliser soars.”
“Somalia’s president resigns two months’ salary to help fight the country’s drought crisis.
“The president of Somalia, Mohamed Abdullahi ‘Farmaajo’, announced this Friday that he will resign his salary from November and December as a personal donation to contribute to the fight against devastating drought that is ravaging part of the country…”
“Police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of people in a central Iranian city who were protesting to demand government action over a drought, media reported Friday.
“Some videos on social media appeared to show police and protesters clashing in the dry bed of the Zayandehrud River.”
“India battles floods amid spike in extreme weather events. Unprecedented rain and flooding in southern India has led to substantial loss of life and property.
“While experts say the disasters are linked to climate change, environmentalists are pushing for nature-based solutions.”
“Kerala surpasses 2018 tally, records heaviest rainfall in 6 decades.
“Heavy rainfall in catchment areas forced authorities to open the shutters of Idukki dam thrice (October 29, November 10 and November 14), a first of sorts since the arch dam was commissioned in 1973.”
“25 cm rain [9.8 inches] in 9 hours drowns Thoothukudi.
“Thoothukudi received a whopping 25 cm of rain within just nine hours on Thursday, forcing weather officials to issue a red alert to the district. The incessant rains left the district reeling with an average rainfall of 9.1 cm between 6 am and 5 pm.”
“Permafrost on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) undergoes significant thawing and degradation under climate warming.
“Ground deformation is a key indicator of permafrost degradation, which can be quantified via the advanced multi-temporal Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) techniques.”
“Central Queensland [Australia] residents flee rising floodwaters for the second time in eight months.
“For the second time in eight months, Clive Nesbitt has lost everything… In the past 48 hours, an average of 150 millimetres [6 inches] fell throughout the catchment, but falls of up to 270mm [10.6 inches] were recorded near Theresa Creek.”
“Warnings of flash flooding in Brisbane, Sydney as ‘relentless’ rain continues.
“Australia’s east coast is being battered by a weather system stretching across four states as the November deluge continues… Residents in parts of both states could be cut off, with more than 100 roads already swallowed by rising waters in Queensland.”
“Recurring drought, regular power outages and a devastated farming industry — these are the problems scientists say Brazil could face as research suggests the rainforest-rich country is drying out at an alarming rate.”
“Vaquitas: What are the ‘smiling pandas’ of the sea and why are they going extinct?
“…A …narrow strip… between mainland Mexico and the peninsula of Baja California, is the only place vaquitas live. With their numbers drastically falling in recent years, vaquitas are now limited to the northwestern corner of the gulf.”
“Thousands without power in Southern California as fierce winds fuel potential wildfire threat for 17 million people.
“More than 70,000 homes and businesses in Southern California lost power on Thanksgiving as the region battles dangerously dry conditions and high winds, with gusts topping 70 mph in some areas.”
“Arctic sea ice melt has driven an increase in “fire-favourable weather” across the western US over the past four decades, according to new research.
“The study, published in Nature Communications, finds that low Arctic sea ice levels during July to October have knock-on impacts in the atmosphere that push the jet stream northwards.”
“Unrelenting drought leaves millions who rely on Colorado River facing an uncertain future.
“The Colorado River is a critical resource for the western U.S. But a megadrought, one significantly exacerbated by climate change, is jeopardizing the river’s future and threatening to upend how its water is used and longstanding agreements between states.”
“‘Atmospheric rivers’ threaten new floods in hard-hit Washington state.
“Flood watches were issued for much of western Washington state on Friday, as storms associated with multiple “atmospheric rivers” threatened parts of the US north-west that saw heavy damage from extreme weather earlier this month.”
“‘We have nowhere’: B.C. First Nations, rural residents say storm permanently changed the land…
““It moved rivers and moved hills and filled valleys and then created new valleys … That’s the magnitude of that storm,” said the elected chief of the Shackan First Nation.”
“Freezing rain wreaks havoc on roads in Edmonton region, several fatal collisions Thursday morning.
“A freezing rain warning was issued for about four hours on Thursday for the Edmonton region, as overnight rainfall turned to deadly ice on area roads and highways.”
“Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey flies in to Port aux Basques after record storm severs highway links in N.L…
“Just over 165 millimetres [6.5 inches] of rain has fallen in Channel-Port aux Basques since Tuesday, setting records for the highest 24-hour rainfall total and highest two-day rainfall amount, according to Environment Canada meteorologist Rodney Barney.”
“Latest first snow since 1889 falls at Albany International Airport [NY].
“The first snowflakes of the winter season were observed at Albany International Airport on Friday, according to the National Weather Service in Albany, making it the second-latest snowfall on record logged for Albany.”
““Winds continue to wreak havoc on the outer ridgeline of Grandfather Mountain this morning,” Fisher posted on Twitter. “Peak gust so far is 102.1 mph.””
“Storm Arwen: winds reach almost 100mph as wild weather batters UK.
“The UK has felt the full force of Storm Arwen with gusts of almost 100 miles per hour battering some areas, leaving one man dead, buildings damaged and trees blown down in the ferocious winds.”
“Scandinavia’s Wine Scene Is Growing, Partially Due to Climate Change.
“In the last 10 years alone, the number of vineyards in Denmark has more than doubled to over 100. The trend is picking up across Scandinavian borders, too: Sweden has grown to 40 vineyards…”
“France’s Burgundy winemakers agree on one thing: 2021 was about as catastrophic a year as any of them can remember.
“It was in April that disaster struck. Even as the delicate buds of their vines were burgeoning, the weather forecasts warned of a sudden and unseasonable drop in temperatures.”
“‘Lost’ Siberian tiger is spotted 800 miles north of its normal habitat by Russian residents of the ‘coldest permanently inhabited’ region in the world…
“It is the first time the endangered Amur tigers – the world’s largest cats – have been seen in this region in half a century, and the latest account of an animal venturing far from its normal home in Siberia.”
“Climate tipping points: The Arctic is a bellwether for irreversible change…
“The term “tipping point” is often applied to a moment of critical change in human history. In ecology, tipping points describe small changes that, over time, force an irreversible change.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an ‘Economic’ thread.
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“Arctic Ocean started getting warmer decades earlier than we thought, study finds…
“”When we looked at the whole 800-year timescale, our temperature and salinity records look pretty constant,” said co-lead author Dr. Tesi Tommaso from the Institute of Polar Sciences of the National Research Council in Bologna. “But all of a sudden at the start of the 20th century, you get this marked change in temperature and salinity—it really sticks out.””
“Ice-locked Arctic towns might not get needed supplies.
“Ships loaded with several thousand tons of goods are unable to reach settlements along Russia’s Arctic coastfollowing the early freeze on the Northern Sea Route. Among the objects waiting for equipment is the floating nuclear power station in Pevek.”
“City of Iqaluit [far north, Canada] looks for workers to help with water distribution.
“The City of Iqaluit is hiring temporary workers to help with water distribution as its water emergency [record warmth melted permafrost, cracking fuel pipes, which contaminated water plant] enters its seventh week and the energy of volunteers …dwindles.”
“Greenland saw record ice loss from calving icebergs and ocean melt over the last year.
“Greenland had a quite a year. For the first time in its history, rain fell at its summit. In August, it experienced one of the latest-occurring melt events in recent memory. This also became the third year with major melting events in the past decade.”
“A Lurking Disaster in Greenland… A far larger landslide is expected with 10 times the volume of debris [than the one that destroyed Nuugaatsiaq in 2017]…
“This also taps into a deeper… question about Greenland’s future—the tenability of its smaller communities in a risky and uncertain landscape… Such occurrences are expected to increase with climate change.”
“Shellfish areas [UK] polluted by sewage tens of thousands of times last year.
“Shellfish areas around the UK were polluted by human sewage tens of thousands of times last year, data reveals. People eating the fish could have been at risk of being poisoned by E.coli or norovirus.”
“Ten regions on alert for snow as early winter storm hits Spain.
“[Also]… Tarragona province recorded 67 millimeters of rain per hour on Monday, with 125mm [4.9 inches] falling between midnight and Tuesday at 8am. This made Monday the rainiest day of November since 1920.”
“Climate: extreme events in Italy rose in past 10 years.
“The number of extreme-weather events registered in Italy is increasing significantly every year as the climate crisis escalates, according to the Osservatorio CittàClima 2021 report released on Tuesday by environmental association Legambiente.”
“South Sudan is staring at a catastrophic humanitarian crisis as extreme floods hit the country for the third consecutive year.
“Humanitarian agencies are warning that the situation is threatening to cause an outbreak of waterborne diseases and malaria, and lead to food insecurity and malnutrition…”
“A six-year old girl has died after she was trapped in the rubble of one of 20 houses destroyed in a hailstorm in Mwenezi [Zimbabwe] on Tuesday night.
“The hailstorm left a trail of destruction in the Rinnett resettlement area near Rutenga where most houses, including Mwenezi Clinic, were left without roofs.”
“World Bank warns over looming plunge in Iraq water resources…
“Water is a crucial issue for the oil-rich country of 40 million that is facing an acute energy crisis, compounded by increasingly severe droughts and low rainfall.”
“According to hard-line Tasnim News Agency, nearly half of the million residents of Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari province struggle to obtain consistent potable water… Solving the water shortages of the country is now on the shoulders of President Ebrahim Raisi.”
“Pakistan has ordered private offices and schools to remain closed on Mondays in Lahore in the hope that a three-day weekend will help reduce toxic levels of smog in the country’s second-largest city…
“Last week, the air quality index in the city of about 12 million people was ranked at 348, much above the hazardous level of 300….”
“Video shows southern India under water after weeks of heavy rain.
“Heavy rains have been pounding southern India on and off for weeks. The latest spell has submerged highways and roads, while completely isolating some villages and blocking access to food and water.”
“Record rainfall in Queensland’s Wide Bay signals the start of La Niña. The so-called Bundaberg dome has burst with the city set to record its wettest November since 1934.
“Localised flash flooding has cut roads, dams are overflowing, and parts of the Wide Bay Burnett have already received triple their monthly rainfall average.”
“Parts of New South Wales have already recorded their wettest November in more than 100 years as most of Australia is lashed with severe thunderstorms and a huge soaking of rain.
“Orange in NSW’s Central Tablelands has seen its highest monthly rainfall since records began in 1870 with a total of 243.2mm [9.6 inches] recorded as of Tuesday…”
“Hawaii cattle ranchers are feeling the heat as the drought persists. They say it’s forcing them to spend a lot more money and threatening their livelihood.”
“San Francisco declared a water shortage emergency and is calling for a 10% reduction across its regional system…
“”With California still experiencing devastating drought and the uncertainty around this rainy season, we need to make tough decisions that will ensure that our water source continues to be reliable and dependable for the future,” Mayor Breed said.”
“Southern California faces year’s worst fire threat amid Santa Ana wind event…
“November has been mostly dry and punctuated by several rounds of warm Santa Ana winds, which at times have brought record-breaking temperatures to the coast, quickly drying out vegetation and nearly erasing the benefits of earlier autumn rains.”
“As winter approaches, Utah remains in drought, needing multiple years of heavy snowpack…
“The latest U.S. Drought Monitor map of Utah produced by the University of Nebraska shows that the entire state remains primarily in extreme drought conditions, even in the middle of November.”
“Flood-hit British Columbia eyes cost of climate-proofing infrastructure…
“Upgrades would include building longer bridges and bigger culverts with wider drainage channels, putting roads on flatter slopes to avoid landslides and armoring slopes with vegetation and boulders…”
“Could take ‘days or weeks’ to fix flood-damaged parts of Cape Breton [eastern Canada]…
“Incredible rainfall totals in Cape Breton. Widespread 100+ mm, with 200+ recorded in parts of Victoria county, including 279mm [11 inches] at Ingonish River! 150 to 170 mm in the Sydney region.”
“Fall foliage was disrupted by climate change. It might be the new normal
“…the Northeast, which is most famous for fall foliages, is warming faster than the rest of North America. From Vermont to North Carolina, fall foliage appeared behind schedule this year—continuing a long-term trend…”
“After a hectic start to the Atlantic hurricane season, cyclone activity around the world has come to a sudden halt, leaving seas eerily silent and scientists stumped.
“For weeks, the oceans have been quiet and the tropics devoid of cyclones. Not one hurricane-strength storm has formed since October 29.”
“Typically after choosing a partner, only 1-3% would separate in search of greener romantic pastures. But in the years with unusually warm water temperatures, that average consistently rose, with up to 8% of couples splitting up.”
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.
“Rising flood waters surround aid camp in South Sudan putting tens of thousands at risk.
“A displaced persons camp with the same population as Oxford is surrounded on all sides by rising flood waters. Aid workers fear that the mud dikes could soon break, leaving tens of thousands of children in 1.5m deep murky water.”
“Western Cape DRM providing aid after heavy flooding and storm damage in George [South Africa].
“The Western Cape Disaster Management Centre says it is supporting the ongoing storm in the Southern Cape and that the Garden Route Joint Operations Committee was activated early this morning.”
“Heavy rain in Alexandria [Egypt] floods streets and suspends schools…
“Alexandria was hit with disastrous rainstorms in 2015, 2019, and 2020, leaving several people dead and many more injured. The 2015 disaster resulted in the resignation of the Alexandrian governor at the time, Hani El-Messeiri.”
“Temperatures are expected to drop across the kingdom in the coming weeks following rain and inclement weather, the National Centre of Meteorology reported. The centre has forecast rain for all regions of the kingdom.”
“The Climate Crisis Is Wreaking Havoc on Farmers in Iraq.
“After decades of devastating political instability, Iraq is still in danger. The agricultural workers of the war-torn country have to wrestle with a new and equally destructive force: climate change.”
“‘Left With Just The Clothes We Were Wearing’: Devastating Flood Made Kyrgyz Man An Environmental Migrant.
“Medet Askarov left his village in Kyrgyzstan and moved to Moscow with his family after a flood destroyed his home. Many other Kyrgyz have migrated or moved because of severe drought.”
“In Hard Times, Afghan Farmers Are Turning to Opium for Security.
“The war’s intense conclusion and a drought combined to wipe out the famous Afghan pomegranate harvest in Kandahar Province, during a devastating national economic crisis.”
“Goa [central, west India] records all time high rainfall; unseasonal weather activity to continue…
“Goa ( Panjim) received an unprecedented heavy rainfall in the past 24hr. The local weather station measured 121mm rainfall, ending at 8.30am today morning. This is an all time high rainfall in 24hr, beating nearly a century old record of 109mm, witnessed on 06th November 1922.”
“Karnataka sees rise in extreme weather events in the last few decades.
“Climate change is impacting the water cycle and the rainfall patterns, resulting in intense rainfall and associated flooding in some areas and drought in other regions of Karnataka.”
“The devastating floods in parts of Kanniyakumari district destroyed beehives in several honeybee colonies putting livelihoods of many beekeepers at stake. Honeybee farming was a major source of livelihood for people…”
“Record rainfall in Great Southern as Perth gets ready for beach weather…
“Parts of Dumbleyung received a whopping 60mm [2.4 inches] of rain in 30 minutes and 62mm in an hour, with Katanning recording 22.6mm… more rain was expected…”
“BOM declares La Niña as eastern Australia prepares for another sodden end to the week…
“BOM head of operational climate services Andrew Watkins said the La Niña was “likely to persist until at least January, possibly through the summer as a whole”.”
“Badly Timed Rain Hurts Australian Wheat When World Needs It Most…
“Just as farmers were set to head into the fields and pull off a bumper harvest, sheets of heavy rain have battered crops across major growing regions in the country’s east, bogging down machinery and raising the risk of hefty downgrades…”
“Hawaii’s second largest island bans coral killing sunscreens… Maui officials prohibit sales of more than 80 non-mineral skin protectants due to reefs being bleached by chemicals like oxybenzone and octinoxate.”
“There’s less than a 40% chance of water supplies getting back to normal after this winter, with a slightly better than 50% chance that the state’s drought will worsen, according to forecasters at a Monday, Nov. 22, drought webinar…@”
“Climate change has helped turn Utah’s Great Salt Lake into ‘a puddle of its former self’…
“Despite still being depicted on most maps in its former glory, the lake has shrunk dramatically and now holds only half as much as its historical average, the paper reported.”
“Cloud seeding becomes more popular as America faces worsening droughts.
“As the first winter storms rolled through this month, a King Air C90 turboprop aircraft contracted by the hydropower company Idaho Power took to the skies over southern Idaho to make it snow.”
“Climate change fuels a water rights conflict built on over a century of broken promises.
“Extreme drought and wildfires in the Upper Northwest have further imperiled an already fragile Klamath River Basin [Oregon]. Fish are dying from disease that proliferates in warm water and low flows. Farmers don’t have enough water to sustain crops.”
“Extreme Floods In Pacific Northwest Send Farmers Into Crisis…
“Just east of the region in Sumas Prairie, one chicken farmer said he left 40,000 of his birds behind after receiving an evacuation order on Nov. 16. His farm is now sunk under six feet of water.”
“For B.C.’s salmon, floods represent another challenge to survival…
“Salmon have evolved to withstand floods before, but perhaps not one like this, said Jonathon Moore, a Simon Fraser University biology professor… The main concern, he said, is whether newly spawned eggs could have been washed away — also known as scouring.”
“Floods and wildfires are now normal life in small-town Canada…
“Three of British Columbia’s worst wildfire years have taken place in the last four years, and the widespread floods and mudslides last week took place after roughly a month’s worth of rain fell in a matter of days…”
“Autumn is drawing to a cold and frosty end as temperatures take a tumble, several degrees below what is expected at this time of year. The cold has dealt a final blow to many trees that had managed to cling on to their last leaves and now the landscape looks naked…”
“Plans to build 35-mile water pipeline to protect Lincolnshire from shortages…
“AWS says: “Together, these challenges make our region particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including drought and flood… “Our region is officially classed as ‘water stressed’…”
“The average temperature has already risen 1.7 degrees in Extremadura [Spain] due to climate change…
“Spain is actually better off than the rest of Europe, where the average increase is 2.2 degrees, according to the latest report on the state of the climate in Spain from the Aemet (the State Meteorological Agency).”
“Energy Crunch Drives Carbon to Record as Europe Burns More Coal.
“Europe is growing increasingly reliant on coal to keep the lights on as the weather turns cold, sending the cost of polluting to a record. Carbon prices exceeded 70 euros for the first time ever as utilities turn to the dirtiest of fossil fuels.”
“Russia Losing 1-3 Meters of Arctic Shoreline to Climate Change Annually – Scientists.
“Russia is losing increasing amounts of its Arctic coast each year as climate change accelerates natural erosion processes, a phenomenon that could catalyze new ecological disasters, scientists have warned.”
“Invasive species are threatening Antarctica’s fragile ecosystems as human activity grows and the world warms.
“… life in Antarctica evolved in isolation, with flora and fauna that commonly exist nowhere else and can cope with frigid conditions. But the simplicity of Antarctica’s food webs can often mean there are gaps in the ecosystem that other species from around the world can fill.”
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.
“Last night was the warmest ever recorded [in Denmark] so late in the year, since temperatures started being registered back in 1874.
“From 19:00 on Thursday night to 07:00 this morning, the coldest temperature measured was 9.2 degrees C [48.6F] in Nexø. That’s 0.5 degrees warmer than the previous record, which was 8.7 degrees.”
“Scotland’s wild salmon crisis: Why warming rivers and hydropower could be to blame for ‘devastatingly’ low stocks.
“… the last few seasons have been among the worst in living memory. The Atlantic salmon that once crowded these waters [River Spey] have nearly disappeared.”
“UK’s warmer, wetter weather sparks bumper year for mushrooms.
“The UK is having a bumper year for mushrooms due to the warm, damp weather, says scientists, with an increase in the number of rare and unusual species identified.”
“Intensifying heatwaves and water shortages are forcing Spanish farmers to rethink how and what they grow. While some eye short-term profits, others are opting for sustainable ways of coping with climate change.”
“The emerging reality for many residents in small towns, rural areas and cities, is that their own Day Zero is looming — or is already here… As a water-scarce country, South Africa is facing a myriad of complex water problems…”
“Monkeys terrorize farmers, destroy crops in Tanzanian villages.
“Deprived of habitat and food in sanctuaries due to deforestation, gangs of monkeys threaten livelihood of farming community… the monkeys who are usually moving in groups of 20-30 invade farms and leave hapless farmers watching as they destroy crops.”
“How locust swarms ‘the size of Luxembourg’ are plaguing East Africa.
“In 2018, two unusual cyclones – linked to climate change – deposited rain in the remote Empty Quarter of the Arabian peninsula, which led to an 8,000-fold increase in locust numbers there. In 2019, strong winds blew the growing swarms first into Yemen, then across the Red Sea into Somalia, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Kenya…”
“UN sounds alarm on Somalia’s ‘rapidly worsening’ drought…
“The Horn of Africa is now “on the verge of a fourth consecutive failed rainfall season”, according to a joint statement by the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs and the Somali government released late on Thursday.”
“A major fire broke out near the Israel-Jordan border on Thursday morning, with Israeli officials warning it was out of control, moving quickly and threatening a gas pipeline.
“In a statement, the Israel Fire and Rescue Services said firefighting teams were battling the blaze near moshav Ein Tamar, south of the Dead Sea.”
“Syria Kurds revive ancient rain ritual as drought bites…
“The “Bride of the Rain” ritual, practised for centuries by the region’s Kurdish community, is traditionally performed during winter to ward off drought… After largely dying out in recent decades, the custom has re-emerged as drought-hit residents of Syria’s northeast grapple with a growing climate disaster…”
“Iranians gather in mass protest against water crisis caused by dried-up river…
“The massive protest, that drew in farmers and other people from across Isfahan province, was the biggest since demonstrations over the water crisis started on November 9.”
“‘We thought he had Covid but it was smog’: Life in polluted Pakistan.
“Red-eyed residents cough, everything smells of smoke, and cars shine their headlights in the middle of the day. Smog has again blanketed Pakistan’s Lahore, and its citizens are becoming desperate.”
“Climate change altering Ganga’s flow [India], more floods predicted: Study…
“A new study from the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) and the Indian Institute of Technology-Kanpur hints at more floods from the Ganga basin as human activities and climate change alter its water flow.”
“Bengaluru received record rainfall, heading for all-time high monthly rainfall…
“…there are still about 2 weeks to go and therefore a fair chance to reach or cross this magic figure of 297mm /11.7 inches [which is the monthly record for November].
“39 feared dead in TN, Andhra Pradesh rain disaster…
“At least 30 people were feared to have died when they got washed away in floodwaters from Cheyyeru river as the earthen bund of Annamayya reservoir in Rajampet of Andhra Pradesh’s Kadapa district was breached after heavy rain…”
“Extent of massive inland NSW flooding [Australia] revealed from the air — and more rain is on the way.
“with more rain forecast, this flood may not be over. Satellite images taken by the European Union’s Copernicus Sentinel-2 show the water slowly creeping across the region, even though the rainfall that began this disaster fell a week ago.”
“South Korea’s beaches face threat from development, rising seas…
“Choi Jong-min, who runs a guest house at Sacheonjin beach, was shocked when high waves washed away major portions of the beach this year, including during a typhoon in August.”
“60-Foot Waves Exploded off the [US] Pacific Coast During October’s Bomb Cyclone.
“The bomb cyclone and atmospheric river that pummeled Northern California in late October produced exceptionally heavy rain and high winds. But it also battered the California coast with some epic ocean waves.”
“US wildfires have killed nearly 20% of world’s giant sequoias in two years.
“Lightning-sparked wildfires killed thousands of giant sequoias this year, adding to a staggering two-year death toll that accounts for up to nearly a fifth of Earth’s largest trees, officials said on Friday.”
“Ontario farmers sending hay to drought-stricken Saskatchewan farms.
“Southern Ontario farmers are sending shipments of hay to their agricultural peers in Saskatchewan… The major drought in Western Canada has left farmers without enough hay for winter.”
“In pictures: British Columbia devastated by catastrophic floods.
“Canada’s west coast is reeling from catastrophic flooding after a major storm destroyed roads, houses and bridges in what may be the costliest natural disaster in the country’s history.”
“After floods, oil slicks, human and animal waste.
“Petroleum slicks, human and animal waste, deceased animals and garbage. All this and more have been spotted floating in the water by volunteers working to salvage B.C. homes and communities flooded after the recent catastrophic storm.”
“Storms at Canada’s Biggest Port Leave Grain Stuck in Prairies.
“Mountains of wheat and canola are stranded in Canada after storms blocked access to the Port of Vancouver during peak shipping season. There’s no rail access to Canada’a biggest port after days of torrential rain and landslides.”
“Antarctic ice sheet destabilized within a decade… after the natural warming that followed the last Ice Age…
“A new data-model study led by the University of Bonn (Germany) now shows that it took only a decade to initiate this tipping point in the climate system, and that ice mass loss continued for many centuries.”
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.
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“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.
“The calendar says it’s the 1st meteorological winter day but in many areas it looks almost like summer: Today Azerbaijan had its hottest December day in history with 29.1C [84.4F] at Lankaran. 29.4C [84.9F] also in Turkmenistan…
“More incredible stuff: Another tropical night in Russia, now officially into winter!
“Record warmth also in the Middle East:
“Lebanese minister pleads for water as forest fires rage near Beirut.
“Somalia: Intensifying Drought Will Likely Result in ‘Deyr’ Crop Failure and Livestock Losses.
“Some areas of Oman experienced heavy flooding on Tuesday as heavy rain and hail fell, and authorities warned people to stay away from wadis and other areas prone to flooding.”
“Delhi’s November air pollution the worst since records began.
“Mumbai all set to break all-time record for rainfall recorded in 24 hours in December.
“Cyclone Jawad: IMD issues red alert for this state – “heavy” to “very heavy” rainfall expected…
“Bangladesh again!
“Rains trigger floods and landslides in Vietnam, 18 missing.
“Clean-up begins in flooded towns as rising floodwaters pose new threat to other southern Queensland towns [Australia].
“NSW has wettest November in 121 years of records.
“A heat wave is approaching both Santiago [Chile] and in six other regions over the next few days.
“November was the hottest, driest ever in the Coachella Valley…
“California Will Curtail Water to Farms and Cities Next Year as Drought Worsens.
“Seattle’s wettest fall on record has already hit unsheltered people hard, and it could get worse…
“‘This storm is not over’: With more rain coming, British Columbians evacuate.
“22.5C [72.5F] today in Penticton, British Columbia! That breaks the previous provincial monthly record by more than 3C and ties the national December record set in Hamilton, Ontario in 1982.
“Here the US answer to the Canadian December record:
“Climate change brings a perfect storm of raw sewage and rainfall in [US] cities that can least afford it…
“Northern Ireland weather: Warmest autumn ever as Met Office record 10.95C [51.7F] average. [Northern Ireland also had its hottest summer on record, breaking its high temp record on three consecutive days in July.]
“Prepare for more extreme weather, Britons warned in wake of Storm Arwen…
“Years-long drought has damaged Berlin’s forests and healing will take time.
“Meteorological madness in Spain for the December bridge: anomalous heat with cold strokes.
“Tornadoes increase in the Mediterranean as its waters warm.
“Zombie fires burn at -60C outside Oymyakon, the world’s coldest permanently inhabited place…
“More icebreakers coming to aid Russian Arctic ships in need.
“Rain to replace snow in the Arctic as climate heats, study finds…
“World’s Strongest Ocean Current in Antarctic Speeds Up Due to Climate Change.
“The staggering scale of glacier melt demands swift climate action…
“Heat, no food, deadly weather: Climate change kills seabirds.
Yet more extraordinary weather in the Mediterranean
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