“At least 12 people are dead and 300 injured after a pair of tornadoes ripped apart homes and other buildings in southern and eastern China Friday night.
“Local government officials said eight people died in the city of Wuhan, famous as ground zero of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press reported.
“”I’ve grown up in Wuhan and I’ve never seen anything like it,” one resident of the city posted on China’s Weibo app, according to Reuters. “There’s been so much extreme weather recently.””
“Heavy rains pounded parts of Japan’s southwestern main island of Kyushufrom the night of May 16 to May 17, prompting landslide warnings and evacuation orders…
“According to the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), 90.5 millimeters [3.6 inches] of rain per hour fell on the town of Yamato, Kumamoto Prefecture, up to 6 a.m. on May 17 — a record high for the month of May. In the 24 hours up to 10 a.m. on the same day, the town was soaked with a total of 240.5 mm [9.5 inches] of rain, another May record.”
“Tauranga [NZ] City Council: Streams that supply water to city at lowest levels on record…
“The streams that supply water to Tauranga are at the lowest levels the local council has ever seen – and it’s pleading with residents to use it wisely. Restrictions that would have normally been lifted after summer are still in place in mid-May.”
“AP PHOTOS: ‘Amazon Venice’ scrambles to stay above floods.
“Anama, home to 14,000 people on a tributary of the Solimoes River that flows toward capital Manaus, is just one municipality of dozens in Amazonas state that has seen life upended by unusual rainfall.”
“An Ecosystem in Crisis: Environmental Degradation in Venezuela.
“Venezuela’s biodiverse environment, from its share of the Amazon rainforest to its lakes and coastline, has suffered increasing levels of pollution and degradation in recent years. Venezuela’s reliance on extractive practices including mining and its ageing oil industry is one of the main drivers of the degradation of its environment.”
“…the blaze now called the Palisades Fire grew over the weekend to consume over 1,325 acres in western Lost Angeles County by Sunday afternoon, with zero containment as of 1:30 p.m. PT.”
“Many Texas trees still suffering from February’s winter storm won’t make it, arborists say… If you haven’t noticed, some of Central Texas’ trees aren’t looking so good.
“Live oaks with leaves sprouting from the branches and trunk. Ash trees with a sporadic green on only half of the canopy. Loquat, fig and citrus trees with growth at the base of the tree and nowhere else.”
“‘Worst day’: Severe drought crisis deepens along Oregon-California border.
“The water crisis along the California-Oregon border went from dire to catastrophic this week as federal regulators shut off irrigation water to farmers from a critical reservoir and said they would not send extra water to dying salmon downstream or to the half-dozen wildlife refuges that harbor millions of migrating birds each year.”
“Summer-like heat may shatter temperature records on the Prairies.
“All three Prairie provinces will be approaching 30°C for the first time in 2021 on Monday… The incoming heat adds concerns about the ongoing drought conditions the region is experiencing.”
“Wildfire burns along Red River [Manitoba] during tinder-dry weekend…
“As of Sunday afternoon, the fire was still burning, sending thick black smoke into the sky. Fire crews are still determining the cause and size of the fire.”
“Rainy May one of the UK’s wettest ever after last year’s scorching record breaker…
“This May is officially a washout, with Wales having already had its average rainfall this month, while UK temperatures overall have been around 3C below average… More heavy rain is expected to make this one of the UK’s wettest on record.”
“Climate crisis: Spain records hottest year in 2020.
“Spain marked its hottest year in recorded history last year, according to Spain’s environment ministry on Friday… Seven of the 10 hottest years in Spain took place over the last decade, according to the government document.”
“Turkey’s April precipitation rate down by 50 percent, officials warns for drought…
““There was 90 percent decline in rainfalls in the Southeastern Anatolia region and some 76 percent decline in Eastern Anatolia in April,” said a report published by Water Policy Association.”
“Scores feared dead as floods wreak havoc [Kenya]… property worth millions of shillings destroyed in Machakos and Nairobi counties following heavy rains.
“The heaviest death toll was recorded in Machakos where six people were swept away by raging waters in three separate incidents on Thursday night.”
“Sri Lanka: Heavy shower, flooding leaves 4 killed, more than 42,000 harmed.
“On Saturday, May. 15 Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Center stated in its most recent weather report that four persons as a minimum lost their lives and more than 42,000 others had been harmed by days of robust winds and heavy showers which hit the nation because of the formation of a super cyclone in the Bay of Bengal.”
“Cyclone Tauktae: Covid-battered India braces for storm… India’s western state of Gujarat is braced for cyclone Tauktae, reported to be the strongest storm to hit the region since 1998.
“At least six were killed and thousands evacuated in the last two days amid heavy rains accompanying the storm.”
“Covid threat and drought combine to put India’s tea harvest at risk… India is the world’s second-largest tea producer after China, and competes with countries such as Kenya and Sri Lanka in the export market.
“Producers warn that, if not brought under control, the outbreaks could ruin the harvest season and push prices higher.”
“Downpour-triggered flooding submerges 14 villages in West Aceh [Indonesia]…
“Banda Aceh, Aceh (ANTARA) – Flooding caused by unremitting heavy rainfall and the overflowing of several rivers submerged 14 villages in West Aceh District, Aceh Province, the Aceh Disaster Mitigation Office (BPBA) stated.”
“Jakarta ranked world’s most environmentally vulnerable city.
“The Big Durian has been ranked as the world’s most environmentally vulnerable metropolitan, as climate change, pollution, heatwaves, earthquakes and flooding are key threats to the capital’s residents and businesses.”
“It’s near winter in the Antarctic Peninsula yet the temperatures have been unusually mild.
“Many stations like Esperanza and Marambio have had Tmaxes between +3c [37.4F and +10c [50F] in the past 10 days and in the last 24 hours even Tmins were above freezing – temperatures more typical of summer.”
“Siberian wildfire season kicks off early and northwestern Russia is 20 degrees hotter than normal…
“After the last few years, marked by extremely warm weather in Siberia and north central Russia and with an unprecedented number of wildfires even within the Arctic Circle, the scientific community is looking very closely at what is happening in the region.”
“Why we need to talk about climate migrants… Unfortunately, time is almost up…
“When an estimated 600 million people are faced with life-threatening heatwaves, subsequent food and water shortages, potential for renewed conflicts due to the weaponization (and/or monetization) of strategic resources and greater social fragmentation…
“…the only way to survive is to head for cooler, resource-abundant and still thriving parts of the world.”
“Iceland Declares First-Ever Alert Phase Due to Wildfire Risk…
“The alert phase applies to all of South and West Iceland, from Breiðafjörður to Eyjafjöll, where weather has been dry for weeks and little precipitation is in the forecast. Wildfires have broken out in the region daily this week.”
“Russia is to lose its permafrost, warns Minister of Natural Resources.
“The phenomenon of permafrost – a several-metre-deep and hard frozen mix of soil, sand and ice, lying under cities, towns and vast unpopulated areas of Russian Arctic regions – is vanishing…
“Alexander Kozlov, Russian Minister of Natural Resources said.”
“Polar bear treks 1,500 miles south as Arctic hunting zone melts away…
“Melting ice cover forced the bear into making the journey, scientists said… It was the farthest south a polar bear has been seen in Russia, Ilya Mordvintsev, a researcher at Russia’s Academy of Science, said yesterday.”
“‘It is far worse than I thought’: Northwest Territories, [Canada] communities down river brace for flooding…
“Last fall, the river froze with unprecedented high water levels, which is now making for a very unpredictable breakup… Tulita’s fire chief describes the flooding as ‘horrific’ and the worst he’s ever seen.”
“Arizona inmates battle wildfires on the front lines…
“It’s been an active wildfire season, and a few hundred wildfires have started since the start of the year. Some of Arizona’s prisoners have stood on the front lines battling the flames.”
“Residents despair as Valley of Mexico floods after heavy rains...
“The Valley of Mexico, a region that includes Mexico City and the states of Mexico, Hidalgo, and Tlaxcala, accumulated large amounts of water, causing roadblocks, and flooding of the subway network, businesses and private homes, a situation also experienced in areas of states such as Jalisco and Veracruz.”
“Brazil’s lower house of Congress has approved a bill fiercely contested by environmental groups to loosen licensing requirements for infrastructure, mining, agriculture and other projects.
“The move drew criticism from conservation groups at a time when Brazil’s environmental record is under intense scrutiny as deforestation in the Amazon rainforest soars.”
“The rainy season has barely begun but has already hit the Central African Republic hard.
The torrential rains on 23 April not only affected the people in Kodozilo and Danzi, but also plunged the entire capital into darkness for weeks and made water an even scarcer commodity in a country where only one in three people has access to clean water.”
“The ongoing heavy downpour has left over 800 families homeless for close to a month, after the Kuja river broke its banks, flooding several villages in Kenya. Compounded by the backflow from Lake Victoria, the villages of Angugo, Nyora, Modi and Lwanda are uninhabitable.”
“Hundreds of families in Napak district, Karamoja sub region [Uganda] have been displaced and their planted crops destroyed following torrential rainsthat hit the area on Wednesday.
“This reporter at the scene says flash floods have covered about two kilometres of the newly constructed tarmac of Moroto- Soroti road…”
“Nelson Mandela Bay [South Africa] caught in perfect storm of Covid-19, electricity and water crises, says business chamber…
“Water to about one-third of the metro is predicted to run out if it doesn’t rain soon… The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality last week called on all residents and businesses to urgently conserve water…”
“A significant cyclone may form in Indian Ocean and affect Mumbai [the last thing India needs right now]…
“Damaging winds topping 100 mph, a significant storm surge and copious flooding rains are possible if the storm comes together the way some computer models are suggesting.”
“Warnings from Earth’s ‘Third Pole’ – Climate Change at the Crest of the World…
“Rapid changes in the region’s climate… are affecting glacier melt and snowmelt. People in the region are already modifying their land-use practices in response to the changing water supply, and the region’s ecology is transforming.”
“The Antarctic ice sheet could suffer a chain reaction collapseas melting ice exposes land underneath, leaving less heat to be reflected away and causing temperatures to rise further…
“The research, published in Nature Geoscience on Thursday, suggests that if global temperatures continue to rise, the ice sheet could give way to the land underneath it.”
“Air pollution could trigger flooding, study suggests…
“An elevated level of freezing point could lead to rainfall in areas where there should have been snowfall, and this could accelerate the rate of glacier melt.”
“Scientists track a cargo spill from New York to Norway, reveal how currents disperse harmful substances…
“…articles with a density close to or lower than seawater, including many common plastics, disperse to the ocean surface, where they’re often carried thousands of miles onto far-flung beaches… my colleagues and I found evidence such plastics can survive in the ocean for up to 1,300 years.”
“Climate emissions shrinking the stratosphere, scientists reveal…
“The thickness of the atmospheric layer has contracted by 400 metres since the 1980s, the researchers found, and will thin by about another kilometre by 2080 without major cuts in emissions…
“The discovery is the latest to show the profound impact of humans on the planet.”
“La Niña conditions have ended and NOAA forecasters estimate about a 67% chance that neutral conditions will continue through the summer. The ENSO forecast for the fall is less confident, with odds of a second-year La Niña currently hovering around 50–55%.”
“California has expanded a drought emergency declaration to a large swath of the nation’s most populated state amid “acute water supply shortages” in northern and central parts of California.
The declaration, expanded by Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, now includes 41 of 58 counties, covering 30% of California’s nearly 40 million people. The… American west is in extensive drought just a few years after California emerged from a punishing multiyear dry spell.
“Officials fear an extraordinary dry spring presages a wildfire season like last year, when flames burned a record 6,562 sq miles (16,996 sq km).”
“America’s electric cars need lithium so badly it may wipe out this species…
“…an Australian mining company, has said it’s ready to break ground on a lithium mine later this year on the land [in Nevada] where Tiehm’s buckwheat grows. Under the barren soils lies 146.5 million metric tons of lithium and boron.”
“Widespread street flooding was reported early Monday in metro New Orleans as storms moved through the region, dropping up to 6 inches of rain in places, forecasters said. More rain is expected through early afternoon.
“Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Slidell warned of the possibility of life-threatening flash flooding…”
“Chunk of highway goes flying through truck’s windshield after lightning strikes road [Florida]…
“When fire rescue crews in Walton County, 40 miles north of Destin, responded to the scene of a traffic accident near mile marker 81 eastbound on Interstate 10 they found a Ford truck with both its windshield and rear window shattered.”
“Tornado Alley isn’t living up to its name with near-record quiet activity this April…
“Not even a dozen tornadoes were reported in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska during the month of April. This accounts for just 16% of all April, preliminary tornadoes in the US, instead of the average of 28%.”
“National Hurricane Centre upgrades Hurricane Zeta to category 3 in post storm analysis…
“Hurricane Zeta actually became a category 3 major hurricane right before landfall in southeastern Louisiana. This makes Zeta the latest landfalling major hurricane on record in the continental United States(October 28, 2020).”
“Manitoba’s fire situation could be Canada’s most significant weather disaster of 2021, says climatologist…
“David Phillips told 680 CJOB that so far this year, the province has only seen half of its usual amount of precipitation, and we’re now into a time of year that usually sees heavy rains in the region.”
“This month may break cold weather record in Norfolk [Canada]… Farmers are working to prevent late-spring frost from damaging crops as temperatures dip at night.
““I reached out to a couple farmers, they are concerned for sure,” said Larry Davis, a director at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture for Brant, Haldimand and Norfolk.”
“Iceland’s Farmers Becoming Increasingly Concerned About Continued Drought…
“The weather in recent weeks has been dry which has caused many wildfires across the country. The National Commissioner of Police’s Civil Protection Department has declared a level of uncertainty due to the weather.”
“French, EU apricot harvests seen at historic lows after frosts…
“France’s apricot harvest this year is expected to fall to its lowest level in at least 46 years, down 60% from the five-year average, the farm ministry said on Tuesday, in an example of damages to French orchards after severe spring frosts.”
“Croix de Buazon in Ardeche [France] saw 327mm [12.88 inches] of rain recorded on the single day of Monday 10/05 at the Infoclimat station… quite exceptional in the month of May.”
“At least 25 people have been killed in the past seven days due to heavy rains pounding several parts of Somalia… the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said.
“…among the dead include 14 children and seven internally displaced people.”
“Six people including four children died in a flash flood that also destroyed several residence and agricultural lands in the northern province of Takhar [Afghanistan], officials said Tuesday.
“Provincial director of Disaster Management Department Farid Nikpour said the floods caused closure of roads between Warsaj, Farkhar and Taloqan districts.”
“At least one killed, two injured in large Kazakhstan wildfire…
“A wildfire in eastern Kazakhstan that has burned an area of 310 hectares (766 acres) has killed at least one person and injured two others on Monday, the local emergencies department said.”
“At least seven people were killed and one reported missing after a landslide at a West Sumatra gold mine, authorities said Tuesday.
“Torrential rains triggered a landslide on Monday, inundating the mine with mud mixed with stones and debris in South Solok regency, West Sumatra, said the local emergency agency head Fikri.”
“More than half of the 33,000 families affected by floods in early April in East Timor have still not received support, a month after the disaster, with more than 3,000 people still homeless, according to the latest report.
“The report… shows that so far less than 15,000 families have been supported across the country.”
“Kalbarri [West Australia] residents “traumatised,” struggling to connect with mental health support after Cyclone Seroja…
“At a community meeting on Thursday, emotions ran high as residents raised concerns about homelessness, unemployment and the removing of road blocks preventing visitors from entering Kalbarri.”
“A “very dangerous” thunderstorm supercell has lashed large parts of Queensland, with residents copping the brunt of five-centimetre hail and 70km/h winds…
“Golf ball-sized hail hit in Toowoomba Wellcamp Airport and Helidon, west of Brisbane, yesterday.”
“New Zealand’s record-breaking May temperatures aren’t set to last with a cold snap expected to blast the country late this week.
“NIWA meteorologist Chris Brandolino told The AM Show… “It’s been warm – summer-like. We are transitioning from summer to winter but bypassing autumn, do not collect $200 and pass go – or pass autumn in this case. We are going right into winter. It’s been exceptionally warm.””
“New research shows that ‘explosive’ cyclones off Antarctica, caused by increasing extreme atmospheric events, can contribute to ice shelf calving and, ultimately, sea level rise…
““While twin cyclones are usually observed in the tropics, to our knowledge this is the first report of polar twin cyclones near Antarctica.”
“Insurance market losses from some of the larger catastrophe events to strike Japan over the last year have risen, with the latest figures for the July 2020 extreme rains, September 2020’s typhoon Haishen and January 2021’s snowfall event combining to near US $2.3 billion…
“The majority of the losses from these weather related catastrophe events were retained by the major Japanese domestic market property insurers…”
“Brazil’s Parana corn crop conditions worsen with drought.
“The area of the second, or safrinha, corn crop under good condition dropped further in the Brazilian state of Parana to 25% as of May 10 from 28% in the previous week, according to data the State Secretariat of Agriculture and Supply released.”
“Mass deaths of reindeer on Yamal Peninsula linked to climate change…
“‘The perished reindeer were observed all around the northern tundra, among them were wild reindeer who also suffered from icing and lack of forage. Herders showed us that their hooves were worn out because they had to dig through ice so much’, said researchers Alexandra Terekhina and Alexander Volkovitsky from the Arctic Research Station in Labytnangi…”
“One in four cities around the world lack the money to protect themselves against the ravages of climate breakdown, even though more than 90% are facing serious risks, according to research.
“Cities are facing problems with flooding, overheating, water shortages, and damage to their infrastructure from extreme weather, which is growing more frequent as the climate changes.”
“With a moderate La Niña event in the tropical Pacific Ocean, global temperatures in 2021 are running decidedly cooler when compared to recent years…
“The lack of a new warmest year record in 2021 could sap some of the sense of urgency among policymakers in the U.S. and abroad during a critical year for enacting stricter emissions cuts…”
“Earliest tropical storm on record develops in the eastern Pacific… The first tropical storm of the 2021 eastern Pacific hurricane season formed off the southwest coast of Mexico on Sunday.
“Tropical Storm Andres is the earliest tropical storm to ever form during the satellite era in the eastern Pacific, surpassing Adrian in 2017. Andres also holds the distinction of developing before the official start of eastern Pacific hurricane season, which begins on May 15.”
“Warming Pacific waters likely adding to Arctic sea ice loss…
“For the past decade, scientists have observed abnormally low sea ice extent. While most of the cause has been attributed to a warming Arctic climate, a new study from the University of Alaska Fairbanks has found evidence that warming waters outside the Arctic are impacting sea ice as well.”
“RM of Piney declares local state of emergency as forest fire burns for 24 hours in southeast Manitoba…
“A rural municipality in southeast Manitoba is declaring a local state of emergency as a forest fire, burning for more than 24 hours, crossed a highway on Sunday and is forcing traffic to be rerouted.”
“Utah and the rest of the West are headed into the summer facing extreme drought conditions and calls for water conservation are only going to heat up as temperatures climb.
“This week, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox issued an executive order prohibiting state agencies from watering during the hottest times of the day — between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m…”
“Firefighters battling multiple wildfires in Arizona… Arizona firefighters are working to contain four wildfires burning in the central part of our state…
“Warm, breezy, and dry conditions mean continuing fire danger statewide.”
“Heavy rains cause floods in Metepec [central Mexico]; dozens of cars are caught floating…
“Through social networks a shocking video circulates where you can see about 30 cars floating, as if they were rafts, inside a parking lot. The events occurred in the “Nueva Vida” church in the La Michoacana neighborhood.”
“The winter wave in Antioquia [Colombia], which has been going on for several weeks, continues to wreak havoc…
“According to the Administrative Department of Risk Management of Antioquia (Dapard), “so far in the first rainy season there have been 71 emergencies derived from 4 torrential floods, 6 sudden floods, 21 floods, 32 mass movements , a storm electricity and 7 gales…”
“Deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon surged during the month of April, ending a streak of three consecutive months where forest clearing had been lower than the prior year.
“The rise in deforestation came despite a high-profile pledge from Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to rein in deforestation in Earth’s largest rainforest.”
“Rains leave almost four thousand people homeless in the province of Cuanza Norte [Angola].
“About 4,000 people are homeless in the province of Cuanza-Norte, northern Angola, because of the rains that fell this Saturday, in the municipalities of Banga, Cambambe, Samba Cajú and Ngonguembo, with an incidence in Cambambe.”
“At least 1m people facing starvation as Madagascar’s drought worsens…
“The south saw 50% of its usual rains during the October planting season, in a fourth year of drought… People eating termites and clay as UN says acute malnutrition has almost doubled this year…”
“Thousands of fish have died in a stream that runs by the village of Celebiyan Cayi in Turkey’s Diyarbakir province. The government is investigating the cause, but villagers think it’s because of pollution and drought.
““There was no oxygen for the fish, so they died,” said villager Nadim Oluk.”
“At least 35 fires broke out in southern Israel on Sunday, as terrorists from Gaza launched incendiary balloons at the Jewish state in the midst of a late spring heatwave.
“Israeli news site Walla reported that the fires were bad enough to shut down train service between the cities of Ashkelon and Netivot…”
“Three children die of heat exhaustion in locked car in Baghdad…
“Saturday, three children died inside a locked car in Al-Baladiyat area in Baghdad due to the severe heat, as the Iraqi capital goes through a heatwave.“
“Oman’s government pledged on Sunday to help farmers whose land and crops were damaged by heavy rain and flooding last week.
“Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Water Resources Dr Saud Al Habsi visited farmers in areas that were affected by the rains that lashed Oman since Wednesday.”
“Danger: Nepal’s glacial lakes are filling up… [risk of glacial outbursts rising]
“Till the 1960s, the Imja Glacier near Mt Everest had only a few melt-pools. Since then, the ice has been replaced by a lake nearly 2km long, 600m wide and up to 150m deep. The ice is receding 70m a year.”
“The climate crisis is triggering really bad weather [in Malaysia]…
“Thunderstorms in the tropics don’t make a news story, but when they seem so relentless, and rage with such an extreme edge, it makes me wonder: Is this really normal? One thunderstorm last month even smashed the glass panel of a building in Kuala Lumpur, raining glass on people inside.”
“Parched Taiwan prays for rain as Sun Moon Lake is hit by drought…
“…reservoirs across central and southern Taiwan are effectively empty, down to 5% or less. Last week, there were reports of mass fish deaths, a phenomenon seen in Australia’s drought.”
“Napier [New Zealand] records its hottest May day ever as heatwave hits Hawke’s Bay cities…
“On Monday afternoon the city reached 27.8C [82F] while in Hastings reached 28.1C. “That’s half a degree hotter than the record from 2004,” MetService meteorologist Alwyn Bakker.” said.”
“A wildfire has ravaged a 16th century Tatar village in Siberia that authorities had planned to turn into a tourist attraction.
“The Omsk Tatars National and Cultural Autonomy group said the fire that started on the afternoon of May 6 lasted for about 15 hours and completely destroyed 25 buildings, including 14 private houses and a shop in the village of Karakul…”
“A sure sign of spring in northern Europe is the arrival of the Arctic tern bird, but ahead of the UN’s World Migratory Bird Day experts fear the warming of the oceans in its nesting grounds in the northern Atlantic is threatening its very existence…
“Iceland’s tern population — which currently stands at some 250,000 nesting couples — has declined over the last few decades, with climate change the probable culprit.”
“Urban and rural areas in eight provinces of Iran have been affected by spring floods that have killed at least 10 people over the past days.
“The heavy rainfalls have resulted in flash floods in the provinces of Isfahan, Yazd, Sistan and Balouchestan, South Khorasan, Kerman, Khorasan Razavi, Semnan and Tehran.”
“…more than 80 percent of Somalia is facing drought conditions in the mid of the primary Gu rainy season. Yet, flash floods have been reported in the last two days following heavy and sporadic rains in [Hargeisa] Somaliland.”
“Europe shivered through coldest April in decades, and it’s not relenting… The United Kingdom saw its coldest average low temperature in April since 1922…
““This was a shockingly cold month, the coldest April in my lifetime, and remarkably fell after record breaking heat at the very end of March,” wrote Scott Duncan, a London-based meteorologist, in an email.”
“Wildfire In Heiðmörk Dangerously Close To Reykjavík’s Water Supply…
“The first four months of the year were the driest in Reykjavík for more than a quarter of a century… Reykjavík’s and Kópavogur’s water source is in the immediate vicinity of the area that burned yesterday.”
“A man-made disaster has created a manatee famine throughout Florida… Up and down the Sunshine State, manatees, the gentle giants of the inland waterways, are dying en masse. They are, in fact, starving to death…
“Decades of conservation success have given way to jumbles of bones and rotting carcasses all around Florida.”
“A cemetery that was submerged by the construction of a dam has reappeared from the depths of a reservoir in Sinaloa [Mexico] due to severe drought…
“One of the largest in the state, the reservoir is at only 11.2% of its capacity, according to a report by released Monday by the National Water Commission.”
“What we have now is no deviation. It is the norm itself. Our climate has changed. As much water falls from the sky as before, but at different times and in different ways.”
“A giant sequoia has been found smoldering and smoking in a part of Sequoia National Park that burned in one of California’s huge wildfires last year, the National Park Service said Wednesday.
““The fact areas are still smoldering and smoking from the 2020 Castle Fire demonstrates how dry the park is,” said Leif Mathiesen, assistant fire management officer…”
“Flood threats persist as storms continue to drench south…
“Relentless wind and rain keeps pummeling much of the southeastern United States spawning tornadoes, sparking a flash flood emergency in Alabama and damaging homes from Texas to Virginia.”
“Fifteen cows were killed when lightning struck a family farm in Alabama as severe weather moved through the area, according to an emergency management director.”
“Don’t be shocked! Tuesday’s storms were the most electric in more than 4 years.
“Tuesday’s storms were absolutely electric. Nearly 4.5 million lightning events were detected, which is the busiest the skies have been since May 20, 2017, according to experts who follow the charge.”
“The 2010s saw a vast majority of its months coming in warmer and wetter than normal in the Emerald City. 2015 was the warmest year on record in Seattle and just about every month’s record for warmest average temperature was set in the last decade.“
“Morden [Manitoba] restricts water usage amid severe drought, while farmers fret over parched soil conditions…
“A dry fall, winter and now spring have taken a toll in southern Manitoba, where the City of Morden says it is experiencing a severe drought and imploring people to conserve water.”
“Flooding at Caribou Crossing as record Yukon snowpack melts.
“”All of the buildings for the tourism operations, our museums — they’ve had water in them. Our animal yards are all under water, so all of our walkways, our boardwalks. There are millions of gallons in here,” said General Manager Dale Colbran on Tuesday.”
“The National Marine Fisheries Service approved salmon harvest levels for fisheries in southeast Alaska that will hinder the recovery of the fish and starve southern resident killer whales, a fish conservation group told a federal court in Washington.”
“Beijing faces rare May sandstorm with high wind gusts.
“Beijing is braving a sandstorm that caused high air pollution levels on Thursday afternoon with level nine wind gusts in some areas, a rare phenomenon for this time of the year.”
“Some households in Taiwan are going without running water two days a week after a months-long drought dried up the island’s reservoirs and a popular tourist lake.
“Authorities are drilling extra wells and using military planes to dump cloud-seeding chemicals in hopes of triggering rain. The government has allocated money to extract drinkable water from the sea.”
“Global heating pace risks ‘unstoppable’ sea level rise as Antarctic ice sheet melts…
“The current pace of global heating risks unleashing “rapid and unstoppable” sea level rise from the melting of Antarctica’s vast ice sheet [rapidly accelerating circa 2060, they suggest], a new research paper has warned.”
“Ice on Fire: first wildfires are registered around the world’s Pole of Cold in Yakutia [Siberia]… The first was registered as unusually early as 29th April by the settlement of Teryut, a short distance north from Oymyakon.
“Sentinel-2 satellite caught sight of frozen Indigirka River, snow-covered mountains, and ominous dark-orange dots scattered along the valleys…
“This kind of fire – most often in peat, or young coal, or a mixture of both – is often described as a ‘zombie fire’.“
“Scientists fear more lung cancer as radon is released from thawing permafrost.
“Massive amounts of uranium are stored in high concentrations underground throughout the Arctic zone… as permafrost thaws, the radioactive gas seeps out from underground and is released into the atmosphere.”
“Large wildfires have broken out on heathland in Dorset [UK]. More than 90 firefighters dealt with a blaze at Boveridge Heath, Verwood, which started just after 14:50 BST on Monday…
“A major fire devastated 220 hectares (550 acres) of Wareham Forest last May.”
“April was a month to remember [UK]. It was so cold that frosts were widespread, and they were so frequent that a record was set for the most in April for at least 60 years.
“There was an average of 22 days of ground frost instead of the normal 12 days, more typical of winter than spring, and it has set back the growing season by about two weeks, which is especially hard on vineyard and fruit-tree growers.”
“Melting ice reveals first world war relics in Italian Alps…
“The effects of climate change are visible all across the Italian Alps. Forni, one of Italy’s largest valley glaciers, has retreated 800 metres within the past 30 years and 1.2 miles (2km) over the past century.”
“Drought refugees numbering in excess of 10 000 have swarmed into northern areas of Namibia… from Huíla, Cunene, Namibe, and Cuando Cubango provinces in Angola.
“Namibian Ambassador to Angola, Patrick Nandago, said that the people from these provinces have sought refuge in Namibia as a result of the reigning drought.”
““There was no rainfall. The land has dried up. There was no rain. We do not have products to harvest. We were forced to let the sheep eat them,” Muslim Ali, a farmer from Kobane said on Sunday.”
“Four people have died in flash floods as a result of heavy rains in Yemen’s Tarim. The city, located in the central province of Hadramawt, is best known for its mud-brick structures and more than 360 mosques — including Al-Mehdar, which has the tallest minaret in the country.”
“The intensification of the drought in the country coincided with the consolidation of water transfer policies by the heads of the last four governments, which has led to the desertification of many parts of the country’s soil.”
“12 dead in flash floods in western Afghanistan. Flash floods caused by heavy rains have caused the death of 12 people, including four children, in the western Afghan province of Herat…
“…hundreds of domesticated animals of the villagers also perished in the floods while hundreds of acres of agricultural land and orchards of the poor farmers were also destroyed…”
“Chinese banks accused of funding deforestation around world.
“Chinese banks are the second largest financers of commodities implicated in tropical rainforest deforestation, according to research that casts doubt on Beijing’s ambitions to be a global leader in the fight against climate change.”
“Urgent responses to climate change in the Mekong river are required…
“The situation is exacerbated by the effects of climate changeincluding drought, flood, and sea level rise. Starting with drought, both 2019 and 2020, water level in the Mekong River experienced severe drought at records low.”
“Taiwan Drought Highlights Water Stress as Growing Environmental Risk.
Taiwan’s extended drought indicates how water stress and changing precipitation patterns could emerge as financial risks across value chains, and the stark choice governments may have to make in rationing water between households and industry… Fitch expects climate change to make these challenges more common and difficult globally over time.”
“After a near-record wet March in the south-east, we’ve just had a near-record dry April [NSW, Australia].
“New South Wales has just experienced one of its driest Aprils on record, after wading through its second-wettest March since records began in 1900, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.”
“Millions of bees killed from ongoing effects of New South Wales floods…
“Initially, floodwaters were responsible for destroying several beehives on the property, but prolonged rainfall in the region had far more devastating effects.”
“Once again, Northern Marianas beat its monthly record of the highest temperature with 93F-33.9C on 2 May tying the record set in May 2011,few days after beating the April record and after the February and March records.”
“Forest fires drive expansion of savannas in the heart of the Amazon.
“Researchers analyzed the effects of wildfires on plant cover and soil quality in the last 40 years. The findings of the study show that the forest is highly vulnerable even in well-conserved areas far from the ‘deforestation arc’.”
“Corn Tops $7 a Bushel for First Time Since 2013 on Supply Worry…
“Dryness is hampering Brazil’s key second-crop corn, and rain in the coming week will fail to reach some key growing areas, according to Somar. That could further hurt yields…”
“Climate change: Chilling signs as severe drought sees California reservoirs drop to alarming levels…
“A stolen car has just been recovered from a reservoir in Marin County in California, 25 years after it was dumped there. They only spotted it because the water level has dropped so low…”
“US south braced for more severe weather after tornadoes and hailstorms… The American south is still reeling…
“Following reports of tornadoes, hail and severe storms, more than 90,000 people in states such as Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Kentucky and North Carolina were without power as of late Tuesday morning.”
“North Dakota experiences extreme increase in wildfires, acres burned.
“North Dakota is weathering wildfires burning acreage at an alarming rate, and because fires have ignited throughout the state since January and drought conditions continue to worsen, North Dakota’s “fire season” could very well be prolonged into a “fire year.””
“Receding glaciers causing rivers to suddenly disappear.
“As glaciers around the world recede rapidly owing to global warming, some communities are facing a new problem: the sudden disappearance of their rivers.”
“Why Extreme Heat Might Cancel Your Flight…and climate change may only make the problem worse.
“…as high temperatures thin the atmosphere, oxygen molecules spread farther apart from one another. With fewer air molecules pushing back beneath the wings of the plane, the air fails to generate enough force for takeoff.”
“Pesticides Threaten the ‘Foundations of the Web of Life,’ New Soil Study Warns.
“A study published Tuesday in the journal Frontiers in Environmental Science bolsters alarm about the role that agricultural pesticides play in what scientists have dubbed the “bugpocalypse”…”
“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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About This Site
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.
“At least 12 people are dead and 300 injured after a pair of tornadoes ripped apart homes and other buildings in southern and eastern China Friday night.
“Heavy rains pounded parts of Japan’s southwestern main island of Kyushu from the night of May 16 to May 17, prompting landslide warnings and evacuation orders…
“Tauranga [NZ] City Council: Streams that supply water to city at lowest levels on record…
“AP PHOTOS: ‘Amazon Venice’ scrambles to stay above floods. 
“An Ecosystem in Crisis: Environmental Degradation in Venezuela. 
“The California Wildfire Season Is Ramping Up…
“Many Texas trees still suffering from February’s winter storm won’t make it, arborists say… If you haven’t noticed, some of Central Texas’ trees aren’t looking so good. 
“‘Worst day’: Severe drought crisis deepens along Oregon-California border.
“Summer-like heat may shatter temperature records on the Prairies.
“Wildfire burns along Red River [Manitoba] during tinder-dry weekend…
“Rainy May one of the UK’s wettest ever after last year’s scorching record breaker…
“Climate crisis: Spain records hottest year in 2020.
“Turkey’s April precipitation rate down by 50 percent, officials warns for drought…
“Scores feared dead as floods wreak havoc [Kenya]… property worth millions of shillings destroyed in Machakos and Nairobi counties following heavy rains.
“Sri Lanka: Heavy shower, flooding leaves 4 killed, more than 42,000 harmed.
“Cyclone Tauktae: Covid-battered India braces for storm… India’s western state of Gujarat is braced for cyclone Tauktae, reported to be the strongest storm to hit the region since 1998.
“Covid threat and drought combine to put India’s tea harvest at risk… India is the world’s second-largest tea producer after China, and competes with countries such as Kenya and Sri Lanka in the export market.
“Downpour-triggered flooding submerges 14 villages in West Aceh [Indonesia]…
“Jakarta ranked world’s most environmentally vulnerable city.
“It’s near winter in the Antarctic Peninsula yet the temperatures have been unusually mild.
“Siberian wildfire season kicks off early and northwestern Russia is 20 degrees hotter than normal…
“Why we need to talk about climate migrants… Unfortunately, time is almost up… 
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“Late warm spells in Southern Hemisphere. South Africa: 
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“New month, old habit. 
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“Widespread Drought in Mexico… 
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