“New Zealand flooding: state of emergency in Canterbury, with hundreds evacuated. Hundreds of people have been evacuated and many more face being forced to abandon their homes in New Zealand’s Canterbury region as heavy rains raise water levels and cause widespread flooding.
“A state of emergency was declared for the entire Canterbury region and at least 300 homes were evacuated overnight as water levels rose in rivers across the region in a “one-in-100-year deluge”, local media reports said on Monday.”
“Melbourne just shivered through its coldest May morning in 72 years…
“The morning of Sunday, May 30 was the coldest May morning for 71 years and 364 days according to the Bureau of Meteorology, with the mercury dropping to a chilly 1.7 degrees [35.1F].”
“Australian farmer counts the cost of mouse plague after drought.
“Australian farmer Norman Moeris lifts a protective tarpaulin covering his valuable grain harvest on a cool evening – only to reveal a seething mass of rodents.”
“A freak cyclone destroyed Ian’s pub [500km north of Perth, Australia]. A warming climate could mean more are on their way.
“When Cyclone Seroja unleashed on Western Australia earlier this year, many residents experienced a freak weather event for the first time. Weeks later, they are learning of the storm’s true cost.”
“In a flood-prone Sabah village [Malaysian Borneo], life hangs on a rope lifeline.
“Living in one of the most flood-prone areas in Sabah has forced villager Abdul Malik Abdul Ghani to come up with a routine every time the floodwater rises. He literally reaches for his lifeline. It is a rope that he ties from the stilt of his house to that of a neighbour’s house.”
“Drought continues in Taiwan as rainstorms fail to raise reservoir water levels…
“The rains led to flooding in some parts of the island — water levels in Changhua’s Lukang town reached up to people’s calves — but failed to fall into catchment areas, resulting in just a minor increase in reservoir water levels.”
“Sri Lanka faces ‘worst beach pollution’ in history from burning ship.
“Sri Lanka faces an unprecedented pollution crisis as waves of plastic waste from a burning container ship hit the coast and threaten to devastate the local environment, a top environment official warns.”
“Cyclone-hit barge Gal Constructor spills diesel into Arabian Sea.
“Barge Gal Constructor, which for stuck on the rocky ridges at Vadrai coast, Palghar due to Cyclone Tauktae, has started to spill around 80,000 litres of diesel and lube, grease and other liquids into the sea.”
“Sundarbans bears the brunt of cyclone Yaas while shielding rest of Bangladesh…
“…this protection comes at a cost, as the forest ecosystem must bear heavy damage each time to both its flora and fauna… For two days, the entire mangrove remained inundated in saline water pushed in by tidal waves that reached over five-feet during the high tide.”
“Huge swathes of farm land swamped in eastern India after cyclone Yaas.
“More than 96,000 hectares (237,221 acres) of agricultural land has been inundated in parts of an eastern Indian state hit by a powerful storm this week, officials said, a year after the coastal region was ravaged by a super cyclone.”
“Delhi’s 10 consecutive months of weather records hint climate trouble.
“Delhi has broken at least one weather record every month since August last year, witnessing everything from rain to sweltering heat and biting cold, hinting that broader climate change is precipitating a shift in weather patterns.”
“Ivory Coast is in the midst of a new geological era called the “Anthropocene”, characterised by multiple upheavals due to human pressure on biodiversity…
“”Extensive agriculture has over the years destroyed the forest, changing the climate and the green face of the country. As a result, the low productivity of farms, the loss of soil fertility and irregular rainfall show that “we have reached the limit of what is possible”, explains Carol Flore-Smereczniak, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative in Ivory Coast.”
“‘They failed us’: how mining and logging devastated a Pacific island in a decade…
“Logging companies arrived on the island of West Rennell at the southern tip of Solomon Islands about 10 years ago. Satellite images show extensive tree cover loss in the western part of the island and the scars of roads built to get the timber out.”
“Brazil is facing its worst drought in more than 90 years, sparking fears of energy shortages from its large hydroelectricity industry and an increased risk of fires in the Amazon rainforest…
“Ministry warns dry spell is expected to continue for months in southeast and midwest region.”
“California already in throes of drought as summer looms.
“Summer has not even begun and Lake Oroville, the second-largest reservoir in California that provides drinking water to more than 25 million people, is at less than half of its average capacity at this time of year.”
“Unprecedented outbreak of side blooms on saguaros cacti in Arizona…
“Typically, the giant cacti sprout flowers only around the tips of their arms and trunks. But a large number of saguaros also are pushing out buds farther down their stems this year… The exact cause is unclear, but experts agree the rare display is a sign of distress.”
“Record-cold temperatures grip Northeast Memorial Day weekend.
“Periods of heavy rain and well below-average temperatures continue to grip parts of the Northeast this Memorial Day weekend… there is a stubborn upper level low over southeast Canada that is pulling down cooler air and keeping the air rather unsettled.”
“Alaska drilling project defended by Biden requires inserting giant chillers into melting permafrost.
“The use of massive “chillers” to prevent Alaskan permafrost melting for oil drilling operations has resulted in criticism of Joe Biden’s White House after his administration defended the move.”
“Climate change has transformed the Arctic into one of the most politically dangerous regions on the planet. Now, Vladimir Putin is ramping up the rhetoric…
“The warming climate has changed everything, militarily and economically, in the northernmost reaches of the world.”
“Sixteen wildfires break out in Russia’s Tyumen Region [Siberia] over 24 hours…
“Governor of the Tyumen Region reported that the region had been documenting the most extensive wildfires over the past 10 years… The region is experiencing anomalously hot weather for mid-May – up to 30 degrees Centigrade.”
“Brutal heat wave in Central Asia. On 30th May Turkmenistan set a new record of highest temperature for May with 45.8C [114.4F]both at Erbent and Ekezhe.
“Monthly record also in the capital Askhabad with 45.6C.
“Uzbekistan got close to its record also with 44.0C at Buzaubaj.”
“A combination of extreme weather, climate change and environmental degradation have created the perfect storm – or rather,a series of eight cross-border sandstorms through March, April and May that have destroyed animal herds, exacerbated respiratory problems and cancelled flights in both Mongolia and China…
““If no measures are taken now, Mongolia will be all desert in 30 to 40 years,” says Dulamsuren.”
“Arctic Wildfires Are Back With Record Blazes in Western Siberia.
“Scientists are worried about the intensity of fires this early in the season… The Arctic suffered the worst wildfire season on record for the second year in a row in 2020.”
“After the new national monthly record of highest temperature with 39.7C [103.5F] few days ago, on 26th May Russia also recorded a new monthly record for its Asian part with 39.1C at Kulunda, which beats the 38.3C [102.4F] set at Slavgorod on 26 May 1980.”
“Balkan beauty defiled by fractured nation’s tide of pollution: Waste from three countries of the former Yugoslavia pours down the River Drina to create an island of rubbish – no one is willing to tackle the problem…
“In the middle of an emerald green idyll, a dramatic riverscape that inspired one of Europe’s most celebrated writers, birds swoop and pick at a toxic island.”
“The wrong kind of rain: why Britain is not as wet as we think..
“Climate change is bringing ever more extreme weather to Britain. While storms and floods make dramatic headlines, summer heatwaves and droughts threaten to bring severe seasonal water shortages within our lifetimes.”
“Experts predict Iraq-like weather for Spain in the near future.
“Heatwaves at currently unimaginable temperatures will increase throughout the Iberian peninsula in two projected scenarios by 2050, according to a recent study.”
“Devastating drought continues to plague communities and livestock in the Kunene region, governor Marius Sheya said. He said the situation remains dire.”
“More drought predicted for Iran over next 5 years.
“According to the World Meteorological Organization, over the next five years (2021-2025) the average rainfall is expected to be 75 percent lower than normal and the average temperature between 50 to 75 percent higher than the long-term average.”
[Edit: my sensible webmaster points out that this 50 to 75 percent increase cannot possibly be correct. Perhaps they are talking about the deviation of the increase?]
“Sri Lanka braces for major oil spill as cargo vessel expected to sink.
“Apart from the 325 metric tonnes of fuel in its tanks, the Singapore-flagged cargo vessel was loaded with 1,486 containers carrying about 25 tonnes of hazardous nitric acid.”
“Rapid heating of Indian Ocean worsening cyclones, say scientists.
“The Indian subcontinent has been facing the brunt of costly and deadly tropical cyclones for decades. But scientists say global heating is accelerating the rate of ocean warming, leading to an increased number of cyclones and rapid intensification of weak storms, with severe repercussions for the country.”
“Cyclone Yaas batters India’s east coast leaving tens of thousands homeless.
“At least three people died and tens of thousands were made homeless when a powerful cyclone swept into eastern India from the Bay of Bengal on Wednesday, inundating hundreds of low-lying villages, officials said.”
“Gajuwaka in Visakhapatnam for the first time recorded about 42 degrees Celsius [107.6F] this season, which was said to be the highest in the last 43 years. The last time the city crossed 42 degrees Celsius was on May 19, 1978…
“The sudden spurt in temperatures was mainly attributed to Cyclone Yaas sapping moisture in the region.”
“China has swung into gear to fortify its flood-defense network ahead of what may be a heavy flood season, with 97 rivers across the country having already exceeded warning levels as of Thursday.
“Observers said the Three Gorges project will be able to handle greater flooding than last year, so there’s no need to hype the “deformation theory.”
“China says its sea levels have risen 3.4 mm a year from 1980-2020.
“China’s coastal sea waters have risen by 3.4 millimetres per annum over the 1980-2020 period and hit their third highest level on record last year, the country’s environment ministry said on Wednesday.”
“Scientists warn of bad year for fires in Brazil’s Amazon and wetlands.
“Dry weather this year raises the risk of severe fires in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest and Pantanal wetlands, scientists say, warning that a drought could fuel destruction of biomes critical to curbing climate change.”
“At least 1,500 evacuated by floods in the Caribbean of Guatemala.
“Some 1,500 people were evacuated from their homes on Thursday due to floods caused by recent rains in a Caribbean town of Guatemala, in the east of the country, reported a source from Civil Protection.”
“Drought conditions could worsen California wildfires that have already burned 5 times more land this year than same time last year…
“Just last year, wildfires ravaged more than four million acres up and down California, accounting for roughly 4% of all the land in the state. Four of the largest wildfires in the state’s history burned last year alone.”
““It’s really bad for us”. Water managers prepare for severe drought across the state [Nevada].
“For the past few weeks, I’ve heard variations of the same line: “This is one of the worst water years I’ve seen in a long time.” The drought is visible on the ground. There is less snow on the mountains and less water running off into streams. Soil is dry and reservoirs are far below full.”
“Trees in the Ozarks struggling to catch up to the season… It’s a picture-perfect morning in the Ozarks… But there’s something wrong with the picture this spring. It’s May 25 and a lot of the trees do not have all of their leaves.
“According to Eric Driskell, who works for Falwell Tree Service in West Plains, cold weather and excessive moisture could be the culprits.”
“The past twenty years have been the hottest that Yellowstone has seen in the 1,250 years of records.
“A team of researchers from the University of Idaho in Moscow took samples of living and dead Engelmann spruce trees from high elevations in and around the US national park. From this, they were able to extend the record of max summer temperatures by more than 1,000 years.”
“This Arctic mine is a warning the world must heed… As the Arctic thaws, developers are rushing to take natural resources…
“What’s happening at Mary River reflects a bigger question, says Bernauer: whether or not mining under our current economic system can ever be done sustainably. “If [companies] want to stay in business, eventually they’re going to have to do what it takes to keep those profits flowing.””
“From suicide to ‘eco-anxiety’, climate change spurs mental health crisis.
“Intensifying climate change impacts, from fiercer heatwaves to more flooded homes, are driving a growing mental health crisis around the world whose costs are so far underestimated and poorly understood, researchers said on Wednesday.”
https://news.trust.org/item/20210526120959-puazp
“‘Time is running out’: Planet on course to hit a critical temperature limit soon.
““There is about a 40% chance of the annual average global temperature temporarily reaching 1.5° Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above the pre-industrial level in at least one of the next five years — and these odds are increasing with time,” the World Meteorological Organization said…”
[They are defining pre-industrial as 1850. If you use the IPCC’s original 1750 baseline, we very likely already breached 1.5C in the El Nino year of 2016].
“Several Russian regions will experience “extreme hot weather” over the next few days… The freak weather conditions are expected to be most severe in the Volga River region and the Ural Mountains. Temperatures in these areas could rise to 37 degrees Celsius [98.6F]…
“The heatwave has been raging through Siberia and European parts of Russia for two weeks, with Moscow and St. Petersburg seeing a rapid shift from snow to record heat in the space of just ten days. Some areas around the Arctic Circle were as hot as beaches in Southern France and Italy.
“Temperatures in Ufa, Samara, and Orenburg rose to 31-32 C [89.6F] May 22, smashing heat records… Extreme weather events in Russia have doubled in frequency in the last 20-25 years…”
“The record heat is persisting in Central Russia with again a Tmax monthly record at Yekaterineburg with 34.7C [94.5F].
“Also 36.3C [97.3F] at Sorochinsk, in Kazakhstan after the 40.5C [104.9F] recorded yesterday at Novyj Ushtogan… Uralsk beat its May record for the 3rd time in a row with 37.8C [100.04F].
“Russian oil companies are illegally disposing of millions of tons of contaminated drilling waste, a practice that is wreaking environmental havoc by polluting northern rivers that drain into the Arctic Ocean, a new RFE/RL investigation has found.”
“Cyprus swelters under mid-summer conditions… In 2020 Cyprus sweltered under… the hottest summer on record, as warm-weather records were broken in July, August, and September last year…
“The average daily maximum temperature in July was 39.7°C [103.5F] with the island experiencing a series of week-long heatwaves.”
“25th May Qatar set a new record of the highest temperature ever recorded in May with 48.1C [118.6F] at Abu Samra, 0.3C above the previous monthly record set at Doha Airport in 1986 and 2014.
“This is the 44th national monthly record of Tmax beaten or tied so far in 2021 vs. 3 of Tmins.”
“Cyclone Yaas: more than a million evacuated as storm hits India’s east coast.
“More than 1.2 million people have evacuated low-lying areas of India’s east coast as Cyclone Yaas made landfall on Wednesday… A tornado snapped electricity lines that electrocuted two people and damaged 40 houses in West Bengal’s Hooghly district on Tuesday…”
“China braces for summer floods as 71 rivers exceed warning levels.
“China is bracing for a heavy flood season with 71 rivers already exceeding warning levels, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Tuesday, as meteorological authorities warned that global warming is fuelling more extreme weather.”
“Climate change could push temperatures at the Tokyo Olympics to the ‘danger-zone’ for athletes, report warns.
“Intense heat and high humidity could pose a serious risk to athletes at this year’s Tokyo Olympics, according to a new report… the average annual temperature in Tokyo “has increased by 2.86 degrees Celsius since 1900, more than three times as fast as the world’s average.”
“The extent of Australia’s revolting mouse plague has been revealed in an alarming new map by the CSIRO…
“According to the the national science body, the worst hit areas have been the Northern Tablelands, Central West and New England regions of NSW, but there has been speculation the plague could reach even Sydney in coming months.”
“A series of lightning flashes, followed by thunder, were observed on Monday morning in various districts across Lima and Callao [Peru], causing surprise and fear in the population…
“…this is an atypical phenomenon that occurs every 50 years, usually in high Andean and jungle areas.”
“A third part of Guatemala is prone to flooding and landslides due to rains…
“Severe weather in Guatemala from 21 to 24 May 2021 affected over 10,000 people and damaged more than 200 homesacross the departments of Baja Verapaz, Izabal, Petén, Quetzaltenango, San Marcos, Santa Rosa, Sololá and Suchitepéquez…”
“Texas Legislature close to approving billions to pay for winter storm financial fallout…
“Several billions of dollars in state-approved financing will be necessary to stabilize the state’s distressed energy market after the winter storm. Texas approves more in finance bailouts for its utilities than any other state.”
“Biden increases funding to prepare for extreme weather ahead of hurricane season.
“President Joe Biden will double funding for communities to prepare for extreme weather events ahead of a hurricane season that meteorologists warn will bring above-normal activity to the Atlantic.”
“Arizona’s current historic drought may be ‘baseline for the future’… Arizona and other Western states just lived through the driest year in more than a century, with no drought relief in sight in the near future, experts told a House panel Tuesday…
““We have never seen drought at the scale and intensity that we see right now, and it is possible that this may be the baseline for the future,” Elizabeth Klein, a senior counselor to the secretary of Interior, said in her testimony.”
“Raleigh [North Carolina] on pace for driest spring on record… with the month of May quickly drawing to a close we may actually have THE driest spring ever in Raleigh dating back to 1887!
“…Folks on Facebook and social media were saying enough already with the rain [in March]… Then in just three months’ time we are at an opposite extreme with rainfall down over 5” for spring.”
“Greenland’s ice sheet is releasing huge amounts of mercury into rivers… [Great. We can add that to the carcinogenic radon being released from thawing permafrost.]
“An ice sheet in the southwestern region of Greenland is releasing huge amounts of mercury into nearby rivers. The discovery is worrying as the toxic metal can accumulate in the marine animals that are a key dietary component for local Indigenous communities.”
“Where’s Wally? Iceberg-hopping walrus is now 2,600 miles from home… Walruses are only rarely spotted so far south of the Arctic Circle, where they typically hunt for shellfish in shallow water and rest on nearby beaches and icebergs…
““Wally’s rare southern appearance was not one “we would ever expect to see,” Jenny Simpson, head guide at Padstow Sealife Safaris, told Live Science…”
“Katesbridge: Northern Ireland hamlet breaks another cold record…
“There have been 12 days with air frosts recorded at the weather station so far in May. On average, it records two and a half days during the final month of meteorological spring.”
“It will probably come as no surprise, but provisional figures from the Met Office show that Wales has experienced its wettest May since records began in 1862… Simon Partridge, a senior operational meteorologist at the Met Office, said the wet weather had been mainly down to the position of the jet stream.”
“Can wildfires be prevented in a world dealing with climate change?
“India recorded 82,170 forest fire alerts from April 1 to 14, nearly doubling from 43,031 in the same period in 2020. Forest fires, wildfires and their alerts in the country have gone up sharply in recent times, posing a serious threat to our environment, wildlife and biodiversity.”
“Air pollution helps wildfires create their own lightning.
“Most people know lightning can spark wildfires. But wildfires can also spark lightning… Now, researchers have revealed a key cause of this phenomenon: air pollution. Dirtier air means more lightning above wildfires—and more rain, too.”
“Plastic Pollution Raises Beach Temperatures, Threatening Marine Life, Study Finds…
“”When you have plastic piling up and piling up, it creates this insulation layer – it rapidly raises the temperature to a point where it is likely unsuitable for most animals,” Dr. Jennifer Lavers from the University of Tasmania’s Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies said.”
“22nd May [was] a historic day in the Russian Federation with the temperature rising to 39.7C [103.5F] at Khasavyurt in the Republic of Dagestan. This is the highest temperature ever recorded in spring in Russia.”
[Dagestan is a somewhat disputed territory, so whether or not we can call it Russia is perhaps open to debate but this is an apolitical post.
May heat records have been falling across The Caucasus.]
“Orchards on Mount Shingal are on the verge of drying out, severely affecting the livelihood of local farmers. Most of the produce grown on Mount Shingal’s orchards is figs and grapes, with more than a thousand families in the area depending on the crops for their livelihood.”
“Iran rolling blackouts blamed on heat, drought, crypto-mining…
“…a government report this month said precipitation was down 43 percent compared to the country’s long-term average, warning of reduced water supplies for the year.”
“India braces for cyclone Yaas with winds of 185kmh [115mph]…
“The oil ministry has taken steps to secure offshore oil and gas installations as well as shipping vessels, with Cyclone Yaas expected to the hit the coasts of northern Odisha and West Bengal by Wednesday evening.”
Wild swing from heatwave to sub-zero conditions kills 21 ultramarathon runners in China:
“”In a short period of time, hailstones and ice rain suddenly fell in the local area, and there were strong winds. The temperature sharply dropped,” Baiyin city mayor, Zhang Xuchen, said on Sunday.”
“Hong Kong hiker dies as soaring temperatures make Sunday hottest day in May on record.
“A hiker died as the persistent heatwave hitting Hong Kong reached its peak on Sunday afternoon when temperatures rose above 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit), making it the hottest day in May on record.”
“The harsh heat wave in Southern China, Northern Vietnam and Northern Laos reached its peak on 23rd May with the temperature rising to 44.1C [111.4F] at Yuanjiang in the Yunnan Province, which smashed the previous all time record of highest temperature if the city by a full 1C.”
“Japan saw a huge weather contrast on Fri. While the south had [Japan’s] hottest May day on record [33.6c / 92.5F], the main island had the wettest May day with nearly 290mm/11.4 inches in 24 hours…”
“Trucks of fresh water used to feed Taiwan’s semiconductors as crops left to die in punishing drought…
“The world’s largest microchip maker is buying tanker trucks full of water to keep its plant going as farmers struggle to make ends meet during the worst drought in the history of Taiwan.”
“Over 5,000 people have been forced from their homes after days of flooding in East Malaysia.
“Malaysia’s National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA) reported flooding in parts of Sabah State from 17 May 2021. Areas in the neighbouring state of Sarawak were flooded from 20 May.”
“More than 100 thousand families are affected by the flood in the Amazon…
“The level of the Rio Negro has already reached the second highest milestone in history and the forecast is that it will continue to rise. The capital, Manaus, is 13 centimeters away from registering the biggest flood in the last 100 years.”
“Florida’s manatees are dying in record numbers after tens of thousands of acres of vegetation critical to their survival was wiped out by pollution.
“More have died in the first five months of this year than were lost all of last year, many victims of a famine caused by a series of algal blooms that blanketed waterways and choked off their staple diet of seagrass.”
“Southeast to see record temperatures in first heat wave of year.
“CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar says many cities in the US Southeast and mid-Atlantic are seeing abnormally high heat and will experience multiple days of record heat.”
“May could be another record-breaking dry month for Portland… Portland is shattering records that climatologists don’t want us to break. Last month, the city set a new record for the driest April since 1956, and May isn’t far behind.
“Out of the 22 full days we’ve had in May, just three have had measurable rain in Portland.”
“With alarm bells ringing about the rapid demise of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean, satellite data have revealed how the intrusion of warmer Atlantic waters is reducing ice regrowth in the winter.”
“Scientists say it will take millions of years to undo the damage humanity is currently causing on the world’s biodiversity, described as a 6th mass extinction.
“A new study found that the rate of biodiversity decline in freshwater ecosystems outcompetes that during the end-Cretaceous mass extinction event, which wiped out the dinosaurs.”
And just for interest: “Solar Storms Are Back, Threatening Life as We Know It on Earth…
“.,..the geomagnetic waves unleashed by solar storms can cripple power grids, jam radio communications, bathe airline crews in dangerous levels of radiation and knock critical satellites off kilter. “
“It’s only May, and temperatures near the Arctic Circle in northwestern Russia are approaching 90 degrees. In Moscow, temperatures have shattered records on consecutive days.
“It has also been unusually warm in central Canada, where raging wildfires in Manitoba are sending plumes of smoke across retreating ice in Lake Winnipeg.
“Summer has yet to begin in the northern hemisphere, but temperatures in high latitudes are already alarmingly warm, portending another brutally hot season while signaling more climate troubles.”
“Russian Arctic Temps Now Hotter Than in Mediterranean… Temperatures across the Arctic region are now 20-24 degrees Celsius [36 to 43.2F] higher than normal for this time of year…
“In settlements near the Arctic Circle like Naryan-Mar, Arkhangelsk and Salekhard, the temperature has been hovering around 25-30 C [86F] for several days, the Barents Observer reported.”
“‘Zombie wildfires’ that smoldered beneath the snow in Siberia are raging again… Hundreds of fires are raging across Russia as wildfire season descends on the world’s largest country ahead of schedule, according to news reports.
“Some parts of the country have already reported a record number of spring wildfires…”
“Nornickel pumped out diesel from Arctic fuel tank after small leak…
“Russia’s Nornickel has pumped out 12,200 tonnes of diesel from one of its fuel tanks in the Arctic following a leak of 20 litres, the company said on Wednesday, adding that there was no damage to the environment.”
“Wales records one of the wettest May months with more wet and windy weather forecast… it has been an exceptionally rainy month…
“Wales has already recorded 157% of the average May rainfall, and we’re only just over half way through the month. With more rainfall forecast over the coming days, this total will increase yet again.”
“Emergency authorities report that one person has died in flash flooding which struck in Žarnovica district, Banská Bystrica Region of central Slovakia.
“Severe flash flooding struck the village of Rudno and Hronom in Žarnovica district on 17 May 2021. The dam of a reservoir near the village is thought to have broken after recent heavy rainfall.”
“More than a dozen Greek villages were evacuated Thursday as firefighters battled the country’s first major blaze of the year on a mountain range overlooking the Gulf of Corinth.”
“Thousands of residents in Bujumbura and Gatumba have fled their homes after their property and houses were flooded due to the rising water levels of Lake Tanganyika and the swelling rivers around the city.”
“Cyclone Tauktae: death toll rises to more than 90 after huge storm hits India.
“The number of fatalities from a major cyclone on India’s west coast has jumped to at least 91 and the navy was searching for another 49 people missing at sea after a barge carrying offshore workers sank in the storm.”
“The weather department has warned of another cyclone that is likely to advance over the Bay of Bengal around May 21.
“A cyclone is likely to form over the Bay of Bengal and expected to hit the eastern coast on May 23, a top official of the Ministry of Earth Science said on Wednesday.”
“Assam tea industry predicts crop loss of 40% due to drought.
“While the Covid-induced economic distress struck all sectors, the Assam tea industry also apprehends that the prolonged drought-like situation might cause a crop deficit from January to May this year amounting to about 40 per cent, over the same period in 2019.”
“Heavy rain expected for Tokai and Kansai regions [Japan]… Some parts of Tokai, Kansai and Kyushu had record rainfall for May in the past 24 hours.
“The rain has increased the risk of landslides. Mudslide warnings have been issued in some areas in Osaka, Nara, Kyoto, Shiga, Wakayama, Aichi, Gifu and Nagano prefectures.”
“Taiwan drought could threaten global supply of electronic chips.
“The worst drought in Taiwan’s history shows no signs of easing up, presenting potential problems for microchip manufacturers. The country is also facing a major outbreak of coronavirus infections.”
“[Australian] Cotton yields smashed to 37 year lows by 2019/20 drought… The full impact of the horror east coast drought on the cotton sector has recently been borne out in Australian Bureau of Statistics data.
“The ABS has released data from the horror 2019-20 season before the drought broke which found total production dropping to its lowest levels in 37 years.”
“Sydney records coldest stretch of May days in 54 years…
“Sydney temperatures dropped to 8.7C [47.7F] at sunrise this morning marking the city’s coldest run of nights this early in the year in 66 years with temperatures dropping to 9C or lower on five consecutive nights.”
“Major 2015 wildfires in central Amazon killed a quarter of vegetation… causing a loss of around 27 per cent of vegetation in the region over the next three years…
“Wildfires during this period burned an estimated 9246 square kilometres of the Amazon rainforest in total – even affecting the central region, which is historically very wet and fire-resistant.”
“Illegal clearing for agriculture is driving tropical deforestation… Tropical forests around the world are being destroyed at an alarming rate, even in 2020 when the global economy slowed dramatically during the pandemic.
“A new report released this week offers insight into a primary driver of this deforestation – and our unwitting complicity as consumers.”
“Venezuela’s Crumbling Oil Industry Is An Environmental Nightmare…
“While the collapse of Venezuela’s oil industry and what was once the richest economy in South America are well documented, there is little coverage of the immense environmental damage being caused by the decay of its energy infrastructure.”
“Declining levels at the second-largest reservoir in the U.S. have spurred officials in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and New Mexico to search for ways to prop it up.
“Lake Powell on the Colorado River is dropping rapidly amid one of the southwestern watershed’s driest years on record. It’s currently forecast to be at 29% of capacity by the end of September — the lowest level since the reservoir first started filling in 1963.”
“Louisiana storm death toll climbs to 5; hundreds dealing with flood damage.
“The number of deaths related to a deluge of rain that hit parts of Louisiana this week has risen to five, health officials said Thursday, and more rain is forecast for a region that has already seen flash flooding.”
“Largest iceberg in the world breaks off Antarctica – European Space Agency…
“Alex Brisbourne, glacier geophysicist at British Antarctic Survey, said the Weddell Sea was not currently warming, but elsewhere around the Antarctic continent, “the warming ocean was melting other ice shelves and this is allowing the ice to drain more quickly off the continent…”
“A study has demonstrated that new types of brominated flame retardants accumulate in the tissues of killer whales near Norway and are also passed on to nursing offspring.”
“Climate disasters ‘caused more internal displacement than war’ in 2020.
“Intense storms and flooding triggered three times more displacements than violent conflicts did last year, as the number of people internally displaced worldwide hit the highest level on record.”
“Permafrost carbon feedbacks threaten global climate goals.
“…a new paper released today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences argues that the carbon budget these [Paris Agreement] commitments are based on does not take into account the latest science on Arctic feedback loops, and calls for global leaders to rethink emissions goals.”
“Fears spill from Russian oilfield could threaten Barents Sea…
“Fears are growing that a spill from an oilfield in northern Russia could reach the Barents Sea as frozen lumps of oil are swiftly being carried downstream on a river – although the operator’s parent company, Lukoil, has said clean-up efforts are in the “final stages”.”
“Wildfires Scorch Forests In Parts Of Russia… Different Russian regions have been hit by the spread of wildfires amid a heatwave…
“Russia’s Emergencies ministry says the total area of forest hit by fires in Tyumen region has reached more than 60 thousand hectares (over 148 thousand acres).”
“Moscow has beaten temperature records over 100 years old for the second day in a row Tuesday…
“Temperatures are likely to climb higher and reach around 33 C later in the afternoon, when they will approach an all-time May record of 33.2 C [91.4F] that was set on May 28, 2007, Fobos said.”
“Cyclone Tauktae: Indian navy in search for 81 oil workers missing at sea.
“The Indian navy has mounted a massive air and sea rescue mission for 81 missing oil workers and crew whose barge sank in heavy seas after a powerful cyclone struck the west coast of the country.”
“Mumbai on Monday experienced its wettest-ever day in May, breaking all previous 24-hour rainfall records.
“The Santacruz observatory recorded 214mm [8.43 inches] between 8.30am and 8.30pm on Monday. The all-time 24-hour rainfall recorded here for May previously was 190mm (2000).”
“Why are tropical cyclones in increasing in the Arabian Sea?
“”Now what is happening — the Arabian Sea temperatures, the ocean’s surface temperatures — are warming rapidly,” climate scientist Roxy Mathew Koll of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology told AFP.”
“Panic among Hunza villagers (Pakistan) as fears of glacial outburst grow… The increasing water discharge from the Shisper glacial lake in Hunza has created fear among people living downstream…
“The surge in the nearby Muchuhur glacier in May 2018 had blocked the water flow, creating a lake in Shisper glacier.”
“Deadly Flash Floods on the Rise in the Himalayas.
“…as a deadly flash flood in the region this past February indicates, such natural calamities are becoming more frequent and intense in the ecologically fragile region, say experts.”
“Drought-hit Taiwan plans more water curbs for chip hubs…
“Describing the drought as the worst in the island’s history, the economy ministry said it the absence of rain it would raise the drought level to its highest red alert, meaning companies in the Hsinchu and Taichung science parks should trim water use by 17%.”
“Turf growers fear a shortage after floods destroy NSW crops… Lynne Bonser has worked at Earl’s Turf for more than a decade, and she’s never seen the property so badly hit.
“”Those who were alive in the 78 floods and remember them say the current was just so much faster [during this flood],” she said.”
“Brazil, the world’s biggest exporter of coffee, sugar and orange juice, just had a rainy season that brought hardly any rain. Soils are parched and river levels are low in the nation’s Center-South region, a powerhouse of agricultural output.”
“Brazil’s pandemic-weary Manaus flooded by rising Amazon rivers.
“Heavy rains in the Amazon rainforest have caused rivers to rise to near record levels, flooding small Brazilian towns and threatening the state capital Manaus with another disaster after it was severely struck by the coronavirus pandemic.”
“Yanomami beset by violent land-grabs, hunger and disease in Brazil…
“Shocking images shared on Brazilian social media this week have cast a spotlight on a spiral of violence, malnutrition and disease that threatens fresh devastation for the Yanomami people and their ancestral territory in the Amazon state of Roraima.”
“California Farmers Facing Drought Are Choosing Empty Fields. In some areas of California it’s so dry that farmers aren’t even bothering to plant crops this season.
“Growers north of San Francisco have begun pulling out of local farmers markets and produce-box programs.”
“‘What more can you do to us?’: Flooding swamps Louisiana, killing 2; rainfall in Lake Charles possibly a 100-year event…
“Louisiana was hit especially hard Monday: The weather service said in a Facebook post that south Lake Charles in western Louisiana saw 12 to 15 inches of rain in a 12-hour period.”
“Extreme pattern divides the Prairies with winter and summer weather…
“Southern areas are seeing mid-summer heat and the risk for severe thunderstorms, while northern sections are on the opposite end of the temperature spectrum — with single-digit daytime highs and heavy snow.”
“A ridge starts dominating the forecast for the eastern US as we continue through the rest of the week… The southerly wind builds the heat and humidity for record high temperatures.”
“New Jersey wildfire threatens homes, burns 1,000 acres. Firefighters in New Jersey were battling a wildfire Monday that had burned more than 1,000 acres in less than a day, officials said.
“The fire was spotted at about 4 p.m. Sunday in a forested area on the Jersey Shore that has limited accessibility, according to a statement from the New Jersey Forest Fire Service.”
“Climate crisis to put millions of British homes at risk of subsiding. The hotter and drier summers being driven by global heating mean the ground under houses will shrink and crack, scientists said.
“The key areas affected are London, Essex, Kent, and a swathe of land from Oxford up to the Wash… because the clay formations underlying these areas are most vulnerable to losing moisture.”
“Once viewed as benign wetland firebreaks, these complex ecosystems are not necessarily resistant to fire and can extend and accelerate wildfires. When climate change and human activity accelerate the drying of such wetlands, stored peat becomes even more dangerous fuel for smoky, stubborn and potentially devastating fires.”
“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.”
– Karina S.
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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.
“New Zealand flooding: state of emergency in Canterbury, with hundreds evacuated. Hundreds of people have been evacuated and many more face being forced to abandon their homes in New Zealand’s Canterbury region as heavy rains raise water levels and cause widespread flooding.
“Melbourne just shivered through its coldest May morning in 72 years… 
“Australian farmer counts the cost of mouse plague after drought.
“A freak cyclone destroyed Ian’s pub [500km north of Perth, Australia]. A warming climate could mean more are on their way.
“In a flood-prone Sabah village [Malaysian Borneo], life hangs on a rope lifeline.
“29th May was a historic day for Manila, Philippines. The Ninoy Aquino AP rose to 38.6C [101.5F] which is:
“Drought continues in Taiwan as rainstorms fail to raise reservoir water levels…
“Sri Lanka faces ‘worst beach pollution’ in history from burning ship.
“Cyclone-hit barge Gal Constructor spills diesel into Arabian Sea.
“Sundarbans bears the brunt of cyclone Yaas while shielding rest of Bangladesh…
“Huge swathes of farm land swamped in eastern India after cyclone Yaas.
“Delhi’s 10 consecutive months of weather records hint climate trouble.
“Ivory Coast is in the midst of a new geological era called the “Anthropocene”, characterised by multiple upheavals due to human pressure on biodiversity…
“‘They failed us’: how mining and logging devastated a Pacific island in a decade…
“Brazil is facing its worst drought in more than 90 years, sparking fears of energy shortages from its large hydroelectricity industry and an increased risk of fires in the Amazon rainforest…
“California already in throes of drought as summer looms.
“Unprecedented outbreak of side blooms on saguaros cacti in Arizona…
“Record-cold temperatures grip Northeast Memorial Day weekend.
“Alaska drilling project defended by Biden requires inserting giant chillers into melting permafrost.
“Climate change has transformed the Arctic into one of the most politically dangerous regions on the planet. Now, Vladimir Putin is ramping up the rhetoric…
“Sixteen wildfires break out in Russia’s Tyumen Region [Siberia] over 24 hours…
“Brutal heat wave in Central Asia. On 30th May Turkmenistan set a new record of highest temperature for May with 45.8C [114.4F] both at Erbent and Ekezhe. 
“A combination of extreme weather, climate change and environmental degradation have created the perfect storm – or rather, a series of eight cross-border sandstorms through March, April and May that have destroyed animal herds, exacerbated respiratory problems and cancelled flights in both Mongolia and China…
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Wettest May on record confirmed for
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Wild swing from heatwave to sub-zero conditions kills 21 ultramarathon runners in China
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