“China storm: Eleven dead and thousands evacuated after massive thunderstorm hits Nantong. The city of Nantong, near Shanghai, was one of the worst hit areas, with trees and buildings blown over in winds up to 100mph…
“Nantong is about 60 miles away from Shanghai, on the other side of the Yangtze delta.”
“Trail of damage in Shizuoka [Japan] after rare tornado hits.
“A tornado slammed into Shizuoka Prefecture on the night of May 1 stripping homes of roof tiles, knocking down utility poles and leaving three people injured, local authorities said.”
“Sydney was enveloped in a thick bank of hazardous bush fire smoke Monday (May 3), forcing authorities in Australia’s largest city to scale back controlled forest burning nearby.
“Ferries were cancelled and the city’s five million residents were told to stay indoors if necessary, as air pollution levels spiked.”
“Corn hits 8-year high as Brazil drought lifts supply concerns.
“U.S. corn futures rose more than 3% on Monday to hit their highest in more than eight years as a drought in southern Brazil exacerbated worries about global supply.”
“Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it absorbed over past 10 years.
“The Brazilian Amazon released nearly 20% more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere over the past decade than it absorbed, according to a startling report that shows humanity can no longer depend on the world’s largest tropical forest to help absorb manmade carbon pollution.”
“Heat wave exceeds 40 degrees C [104F] in Yucatan.
“The highest ranges in the last days were in Tekax and Tzucacab to the South with 42.8 [109F]; Tizimín and Chemax to the East with 41.8, and Puerto Progreso with 41 degrees.”
“San Antonio’s 4-day rain total nearly equals 4-month norm.
“Matthew Brady, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said San Antonio [Texas] has received 7.13 inches of rain at its official site at the San Antonio International Airport, since Wednesday.”
“‘Gargantuan’ hailstone that fell Wednesday may claim new Texas record. Everything’s bigger in Texas. Apparently that extends to hail, including one stone that may have been more than a half-foot wide.
“It fell amid a barrage of prolific hailstorms that incurred potentially billions of dollars in damages across Fort Worth, Oklahoma City and areas west of San Antonio…”
“More than 20 million genetically modified mosquitoes are coming to the Florida Keys this year, in a landmark project by British biotech company Oxitec and Monroe County’s Mosquito Control District.
“This mosquito control method hasn’t been used in the U.S. before. It’s a pilot program and the first trial began over the past week.”
“California’s wildfire season is expanding as the wet season becomes compressed…
“The greatest risk for wildfires comes between August and November… But in recent years, that dry season has been swelling, the threat of fires lingering when winter rains are delayed.”
“‘Beyond depressing’: What happened to Phoenix Lake? A favorite Bay Area spot is barely there…
“In recent weeks, the reservoir has lost some of its beauty with the water dropping to a historically low level. The site of the dwindling lake — with its edges dry, crack and exposed — is alarming many residents and visitors.”
“‘It’s like a rotting carcass of its former self’: funeral for an Oregon glacier…
“The funeral, a stunt held by worried glacier researchers on the steps of the state capitol in Salem, illustrated how the climate crisis is rapidly gnawing away at the majestic icepacks that used to throng the mountains of the northwestern US, potentially posing a threat to the region’s water supplies.”
“April 2021 now holds the record for the driest April in Oregon history.
“Meteorologists from the National Weather Service recorded a rainfall total of 0.39 of an inch at the Portland International Airport for the whole month. That number shatters a record previously held from 1956…”
“April 22 landslide in northern Quebec second largest in 150 years, say experts…
“Over 45 million cubic metres of debris ended up in Great Whale River… The landslide measures 1.8 kilometres long and 500 metres wide across the riverbank.”
“The recent serious gorse and heather fire in the Mournes [Ireland] should focus our minds on climate changeand the risk wildfires pose to our peatlands and uplands…
“Climate change predictions are for warmer, drier conditions which will lead to stronger, less predictable winds and more drying up of the soil surface.”
“The climate crisis could be behind French vineyard devastation… By the end of France’s big freeze, at least one-third of this year’s wine harvest and many other crops were lost, in what by some estimates was the country’s worst agricultural disaster of the century…
“Drastic temperature fluctuations and erratic weather patterns may have a lasting impact on French wines…”
“Eastern Cape drought: Nelson Mandela Bay’s dying dams.
“The two major dams for the Eastern Cape’s biggest metro, Nelson Mandela Bay, are running dry and with no major rain forecast, the city is facing an unprecedented water crisis.”
“Burundi: Floods from rising Lake Tanganyika affect 8000 families… it appears that the number of people affected could most probably rise as flooded houses continue to collapse.
“The lake’s levels have been slowly rising since February 2021 and stood at 776.45 metres above sea level as of April 19 — as on that night, torrential rains caused the banks of the Ruzizi River to overflow.”
“Floods swept through parts of Yemen amid heavy seasonal rains, leaving at least 13 people dead, including two children, security officials said Saturday.
“Last year, flooding in Yemen left dozens dead and forced tens of thousands to leave their homes.” Video:
“Epidemics of Tree-Destroying Diseases Are On the Rise…
“With wildfires growing fiercer and more frequent and world leaders vowing to plant trillions of trees to help restore nature and tackle the climate emergency, there’s an urgent need to find ways to fight future epidemics.”
“An increasing number of people are being threatened by flooding caused by glacial lakes bursting, scientists have warned.
“As the planet warms and glaciers recede, meltwater accumulates and forms lakes, often as a result of ice or moraine acting as a dam. Since 1990, the volume, area and number of these glacial lakes has increased by 50% globally.“
“Permafrost could release much more carbon than expected…
““The stability of the last 400,000 years may actually work against us, in that it has allowed carbon to steadily accumulate in permafrost over this time,” said study co-author Professor David McGee.”
“Sea Level Rise From Antarctic Melt Could Be 30% Higher Than We Thought… The Antarctic ice sheet contains a global disaster waiting to happen…
“…water currently locked in the form of Antarctic ice will melt into the oceans, raising sea levels to a point that will have a significant impact on coastal communities, even in the next few decades.”
“‘Impossible to adapt’: Surprisingly fast ice-melts in past raise fears about sea level rise.
“Studies of ancient beaches and fossilised coral reefs suggest sea levels have the potential to rise far more quickly than models currently predict, according to geologists who have been studying past periods of warming.”
“Unrest from World’s Largest Volcano Prompts Alert from Local Authorities… ongoing unrest at the world’s largest volcano has prompted local authorities to remind residents and visitors to prepare for the eventual eruption…
“Mauna Loa has seen an uptick in activity, including 175 small-magnitude earthquakes below Mauna Loa in the last week alone.”
“Europe shatters record for hottest April night. The station of Falasarna near Chania in the island of Crete didn’t drop below 30.7C [87.3F] during the night.
“Temperatures have been nearly 34-35C from midnight to after 2am. By far the warmest night ever recorded in April in European history.”
“A heatwave is expected to hit Greece over the [Greek Orthodox] Easter holiday, with temperatures peaking at an incredible 38°C (100°F) on Sunday in some parts of the country.
“Although the weather in the country is generally warm at this time, temperatures in April are very rarely this high, with the past ten days of well above 20°C (68°F) temps having already broken records.”
“Ivory Coast sounds alarm over plunging elephant population.
“Elephants face extinction in Ivory Coast where they are a national emblem, with numbers decreasing by half in the past 30 years, the country’s water and foresty ministry said Wednesday.”
“Critically endangered blue whale washes up in Walvis Bay [Namibia].
“The carcass of a critically endangered Antarctic blue whale that washed up in Walvis Bay this week is the first-ever recorded stranding of this species in Namibia, South Africa and probably on the continent since the end of commercial whaling in 1985″
“UN warns of famine in drought-ravaged southern Madagascar. Persistent drought in southern Madagascar has left hundreds of thousands of people on the brink of famine…
“Ministry of Health data revealed that 16.5 percent of children under five now suffer from acute malnutrition, almost double the proportion four months ago, the agency said.”
“Qatar expands fish farming as climate change affects sea stocks.
“Qatar plans to expand fish farming to meet growing demand for fresh fish in local markets and maintain stocks in offshore Gulf waters in the face of devastating climate change.”
“Central Asia Heatwave:29th April saw a new national monthly record of highest temperature in Tajikistan with 37.9C [100.2F] at Isambaj. (previous 37.5C).”
“Heat Wave Continues In Odisha [India]: 7 Places Record More Than 42 Degree Celsius [107.6F].
“Bhubaneswar: Boudh has recorded the highest temperature of the day as 7 places witnessed temperature of 42 degrees Celsius or above in Odisha on Wednesday. The Meteorological Centre, Bhubaneswar informed that Boudh sizzled at Boudh 43.2 degrees Celsius [109.8F].
“Understanding Chennai summers: Where did the sea breeze go?
“On March 30th, the Meenambakkam weather station in Chennai recorded a high of 41.3 degree C, beating the all-time record for the hottest day in March in the city… cases of rising temperatures and overall heat stress have been shooting up at an alarming rate over the recent years, raising concerns over global warming…”
“Watching a coral reef die as climate change devastates one of the most pristine tropical island areas on Earth… The Chagos Archipelago is one of the most remote, seemingly idyllic places on Earth…
“The state of China’s climate in 2020: Warmer and wetter again.
“”Against the background of global warming, extreme weather and climate events occur more frequently and have wide influence on society and economies.””
“Heavy floods forecast in [China’s] major river basins.
“China is expected to experience heavy flooding in some of its major river basins during flood season as this year’s climate conditions are worse than normal, the China Meteorological Administration said.”
“Auckland drought: Water restrictions to remain until at least August.
“Record-breaking dry summers took Auckland’s water storage lakes down to just 42 per cent in May 2020, prompting unprecedented restrictions, and a $224 million plan to fast-track additional water sources.”
“The big melt: New Zealand’s glaciers losing 1.5m of thickness each year…
“Vargo said as of the late 70s there were about 3100 glaciers across the country, with almost all of them in the South Island. But in a 2016 aerial survey, they found just 2900.”
“World will lose 10% of glacier ice even if it hits climate targets.
“A tenth of the world’s mountain glacier ice will have melted by the middle of this century even if humanity meets the goals of the Paris climate agreement, according to figures compiled exclusively for the Guardian.”
“Warming seas brought an eerie calm to a stormy region. In July 2020, the Western North Pacific was hit by a record-breaking number of typhoons: zero.
“Unusually balmy Indian Ocean temperatures were a major reason for the total lack of Pacific typhoons in July 2020 — an unprecedented absence in 55 years of record-keeping.”
“Amazon River flood hits record in Parintins and Nhamundá [Brazil] also decrees emergency situation.
“The inhabitants of the floodplain area are the most affected, 1,291 families are directly affected by the rising water levels, adding up to 5,108 people who go through difficult situations…”
“Storm causes structure over Aztec ruins to collapse in Mexico City.
“A roof that partly protected one of Mexico’s most important ancient sites collapsed under the weight of a major rain and hail storm late on Wednesday, causing minor damage to the ornate temple complex that once hosted the Aztec empire’s elite warriors.”
“Huge Hail Pummels [US] Southern Plains, Shattering Windows And Totaling Cars.
“Thousands of people in Texas and Oklahoma woke up Thursday to survey the damage left behind by significant hailstorms that slammed heavily populated areas on Wednesday night”
“From dust bowl to California drought: a climate scientist on the lessons we still haven’t learned…
““These are not accidental, strange dry periods,” said Peter Gleick, the co-founder of the Pacific Institute, a global thinktank that has become a leading voice on water issues in California and around the world. “They’re increasingly the norm.””
“World’s largest firefighting plane grounded as the West braces for another destructive wildfire season.
“Amid a drought in the West and warnings of another potentially destructive wildfire season ahead, the owners of the world’s largest firefighting air tanker have grounded the massive aircraft, saying it’s just not turning a profit.”
“Flooding and mudslides add to St. Vincent’s volcano woes.
“Heavy rains have poured down on the island of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, causing flooding and mudslides that damaged some homes and further battered areas already burdened by heavy ashfall from eruptions of La Soufriere volcano.”
“Noctilucent Clouds Light Up Northern Germany. A shift in the tropopause jet may have triggered the unusual number of high-altitude clouds that briefly appeared in the early summer of 2019…
““Noctilucent clouds are highly sensitive to temperature and are an interesting tracer for what is going on in the upper mesosphere,” said Michael Gerding…”
“Arctic biodiversity at risk as world overshoots climate planetary boundary.
“The Arctic Ocean biome is changing rapidly, warming at twice the rate of the rest of the world. In turn, multiyear sea ice is thinning and shrinking, upsetting the system’s natural equilibrium.”
“Melting of ice sheets rapidly increase methane in environment, study affirms.
“Melting of the Arctic ice sheets caused rapid methane release from the ocean floor during the last two deglaciations, according to a new study led by scientists at The University of Tromso – The Arctic University of Norway.”
“Even Closed Oil Wells Are Still Spewing Methane Into The Air, Scientists Warn.
“Abandoned wells, hundreds of thousands of which are thought to be undocumented, are estimated to spew vast amounts of heat-trapping methane emissions into the atmosphere, far exceeding the projections of environmental authorities such as the US EPA.”
“La Nina Gives a Turbocharge Boost to Already High Food Prices [except it’s not just La Nina, as “natural” weather phenomena now have an anthropogenic twist].
“The prospect of a U.S. drought — and difficult weather almost everywhere else — has prices soaring.”
“Cities around the world are responding to the threat from rising temperatures by hiring “chief heat officers” to address a problem that will be accentuated by climate change.”
[For anyone familiar with Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” books, this immediately made me think of the Golgafrinchams, who operate under the delusion that bureaucracy is the cure for all ills.]
“A team led by physical oceanographers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego, and including Bangor University scientist, shows in a new study how plumes of warm water are flowing into the Arctic Ocean from the Pacific Ocean and accelerating sea ice melt from below.”
“Ten months after giant Arctic spill, inspectors fear more accidents at Nornickel’s oil tank farms…
“An unannounced control mission conducted at the Taymyr Energy Company and the Norilsktransgaz has raised the concern about possible more accidents at the far northern oil facilities operated by mining and metallurgy company Nornickel.”
“Novosibirsk, Russia’s third most populous city is under a blanket of smoke caused by wildfires in Omsk and Novosibirsk region. Residents say it’s incredibly unpleasant to be outside, with throat and head aching after minutes spent outdoors.”
“Today 27 April temperatures reached 39.8C [103.6F] at Saragt in Turkmenistan, 37.2C at Kungrad in Uzbekistan, 36.6C at Kazalinsk in Kazakhstan (April record trounced) and 35.6C at Isambaj in Tajikistan.”
“Hundreds of deer have lost their feeding grounds in the wildfires that swept through Killarney National Park [Ireland].
“The cause of the blaze, which destroyed up to 3,000 hectares of heath and mountain, is still under investigation, with gardaí saying they are keeping an open mind.”
“Driest and frostiest April on record so far for UK as gardeners warned fruit crop will be damaged…
“The Met Office said just 4.7mm of rainfall had fallen in England since the start of the month. The driest on record is 1938, when there was just 6.7mm of rain.”
“Freak weather brings flooding and hail in Makkah but Saudis remain upbeat…
“Videos shared from Makkah showed cars submerged as water flowed down a heavily flooded street. Those performing tawaf at the city’s Grand Mosque were caught in a hail storm.”
“Air pollution: Asia’s deadliest public health crisis is not Covid…
“Thailand’s verdant north, free of both industry and tourists, has somehow found itself at the epicentre of a global crisis… For at least the past 15 years… Chiang Mai Province has endured days with the highest PM2.5 readings in the world.”
“Deforestation ramps up in Cambodia’s Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary… The forests of Keo Seima Wildlife Sanctuary boast a plethora of wildlife – including several endangered and recently described species.
“But the habitat these animals depend on is disappearing, with 32% of Keo Seima’s primary forest cleared over past 20 years.”
“Melting glaciers threaten China’s plan to build world’s biggest hydroelectric dam in Tibet. A landslide in 2018 has created an icy problem in the Yarlung Tsangpo, the proposed site of a hydropower plant.”
“Rapid retreat of glaciers leading world towards humanitarian crisis: Around 70 per cent of Earth’s freshwater is stored in glaciers… But rising global temperatures are causing these icy rivers to quickly melt away, said Prof Jemma Wadham,…
“”The rapid loss of glacial ice poses a particularly high risk in developing regions where many millions depend on glaciers for drinking water, said Prof Wadham…”
“Brazilian power sector under strain amid record low rainfall…
“Brazilian power sector regulator Aneel may have to activate its red flag tariff system in May, as water reservoirs at local hydroelectric power plants have fallen to historic lows, according to specialists.”
“The heavy rains that have occurred since the end of 2020 in the North Region… the Solimões River, at the measurement point in the city of Manacapuru in the state of Amazonas, has exceeded the severe flood level of 19.6m since Monday (26). This Wednesday the river level is 19.7m.”
“Drought, High Temps Damaging New Mexico’s Forests and Creating Risk For Catastrophic Wildfires… The number of damaged forest acres increased 9% in 2020…
Bark beetles are killing thousands of trees, many made more vulnerable because of drought.”
“Severe drought spells catastrophe for California’s salmon populations…
“Water temperatures greater than 56F have proven to be fatal for salmon eggs… As calculated through the end of May, the Bureau of Reclamation estimates up to $7 million dollars in losses from the sale of electricity.”
“Drought-hit California moves to halt Nestlé from taking millions of gallons of water…
“California water officials have moved to stop Nestlé from siphoning millions of gallons of water out of California’s San Bernardino forest, which it bottles and sells as Arrowhead brand water, as drought conditions worsen across the state.”
“Unprecedented combination of weather and drought conditions fueled Oregon’s September wildfires.
“An unprecedented combination of strong easterly winds and low humidity coupled with prolonged drought conditions drove the spread of catastrophic wildfires in the Oregon Cascades last September, a new study has found.”
“Near Record Heat Fuels Severe Storms [for the US] This Week… Severe thunderstorms return to the Plains on Tuesday as a dramatic temperature swing brings potentially record-breaking, summerlike heat to the eastern United States this week.
“The weather pattern will evolve as the jet stream dips across the West…”
“U.S. counts record-matching total of avalanche fatalities…
“In a pandemic year that has already forced confrontation with mortality, a notably high number of people died in the backcountry this season, matching the modern record of 36 set during the 2009-2010 winter season. And winter in the mountains isn’t over.“
“New research shows continued habitat loss will drive caribou to extinction in B.C…
“The study shows that caribou have lost twice as much habitat as they’ve gained over the past 12 years. Research shows that logging, road building, forest fires and climate change are the main factors driving the increased rate of habitat loss.”
“Millions of drinking wells around the world may soon be at risk of running dry. Overpumping, drought and the steady influence of climate change are depleting groundwater resources all over the globe, according to new research.
“As much as 20% of the world’s groundwater wells may be facing imminent failure, potentially depriving billions of people of fresh water.“
“Climate change: A small green rock’s warning about our future…. “Our findings do confirm that the ice sheet can disappear fairly rapidly…” explained Prof Siddoway.
“We read from very detailed records… that the [West Antarctic] ice sheet has collapsed back in a considerable extent, specifically in the middle Pliocene… The climate conditions of the Pliocene are what we are expected to enter. And if warming continues at the rate that it is now, we may stay there.”
“Climate tipping points may have been reached already, experts say…
“Changes are happening faster than what was expected and the chance of hitting tipping points in the climate system, which just a decade ago appeared remote and far off, now seems much more likely and more immediate.”
“At least 10 people died and eight are still missing after an avalanche occurred near the Indo-China border in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district on Friday. [You may recall Uttarakhand experienced a far more lethal glacier burst in Feb].
“The avalanche occurred after a part of a glacier collapsedbeyond Sumna on Sumna-Rimkhim road where labourers were engaged in road construction work.”
“Lack of sufficient rainfall in Himachal Pradesh, between January and March, has caused major losses in the crops sown in winter…
“Temperature over the Himalayas warming due to climate change, has led to a significant melting and decline in glacier mass over the Himalayan region in the recent decades, say experts.”
“Bangladesh has recorded the highest temperature in seven years as it swelters under a severe heat wave [June is usually the hottest month for Bangladesh]… The mercury rose to 41.2 degrees Celsius [106.2F] in Jashore on Sunday, the highest in the country since 2014…
“Dhaka experienced the hottest day in eight years, with the highest temperature recorded at 39.5 degrees Celsius.”
“Nearly 2,000 firefighters and civilian volunteers are battling forest fires raging for the fifth day in southwest China’s Sichuan Province.
“The fires broke out in the forests of Liangshan Prefecture on Tuesday in Ma’an Village of Mianning County. Strong and unpredictable winds caused the fire to spread rapidly across the region.”
“Taiwan’s government has undertaken groundwater drilling in four major areas as an emergency response to the most serious drought on the island for over half a century.
“The drought has been precipitated in part by the fact the island had no typhoons in 2020, the first annual hiatus in 56 years.”
“Another record in the US Territory of Northern Marianas in the Pacific Ocean:
“On 24th April The Saipan Int. AP recorded 93F / 33.9C which is the new April territorial record of highest temperature after tying the old record of 92F (set last year) 3 times.”
“Farmers in parts of West Australia’s Mid West are struggling to seed paddocks strewn with powerlines felled by Cyclone Seroja…
“Ferocious winds tore a 150-kilometre-wide, 700km-long path from Kalbarri to Merredin, damaging at least 130 transmission poles, four substations and 80 feeder poles.”
“Brazil cuts environment budget despite climate summit pledge… At a US-led climate summit, Bolsonaro promised to double the money reserved for environmental enforcement and to end illegal deforestation by 2030.
“But the budget signed off on Friday did not include his spending pledge, or additional proposals made by Congress. His government has weakened protections and wants to develop protected areas.”
“Mexico’s drought reaches critical levels as lakes dry up…
“Drought conditions now cover 85 percent of Mexico, and residents of the nation’s central region said Thursday that lakes and reservoirs are simply drying up, including the country’s second-largest body of fresh water.”
“An Arizona wildfire that’s ‘raging out of control’ prompts evacuation orders for about 200 homes… The blaze, named the Flag Fire, is about 600 acres in size, Mohave County Communications Director Roger Galloway said in a news release Sunday evening.
“Officials in the county issued evacuation orders for residents of Pine Lake, about two hours north of Phoenix.”
“A huge wildfire on Northern Ireland’s Mourne Mountains, declared a major incident by the Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS), is causing “incredible” damage to the environment.”
“Wildfires ravage Britain on one of driest April’s on record… Hundreds of firefighters across Britain have been fighting serious wildfires across the UK…
“Fire crews have been fighting grass and gorse blazes between Thursday and Saturday in Cornwall, Dorset, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, the Lake District, Gwynedd, north Wales and Orkney.”
“Turkey to witness extreme climate changes: Report…
“Extreme weather incidents have been on the rise in the country for the last two decades. Only in 2019, some 935 extreme natural incidents occurred,” according to a 2020 environmental report by the Environment and Urbanization Ministry.”
“Iraq’s Kurdish farmers in anguish as drought kills harvest season…
“Kurdish farmers look over their crops with dread. Every day without rainfall is another day when the reality that their agricultural season is prematurely over further sinks in.”
“Siberian fires not an isolated event, EU earth observatory shows…
“A new report released this week by the UN’s World Meteorological Organization shows that the tragedy in Siberia was not an isolated event, but part of broader changes affecting global weather.”
“Fighting the feedback loop: why scientists are sounding the alarm on Canada’s melting permafrost.
“Nearly half of Canada’s land mass lies above permafrost. As it thaws, greenhouse gases stored for centuries in the frozen ground are released and once-stable land is susceptible to collapse.”
“UN to declare slashing methane emissions more important than previously thought… According to The Times, the report indicates a shift in the global conversation regarding climate change, which has largely focused on reducing carbon dioxide.
“The looming report comes after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration found that carbon dioxide and methane emissions surged last year, even in the thick of coronavirus shutdowns.”
“From raw sewage to microplastics, our oceans and waterways are becoming more toxic by the day…
“About four billion people experience severe water shortages for at least one month a year and around 1.6 billion people – almost a quarter of the world’s population – have problems accessing a clean, safe water supply, according to the United Nations.”
“Climate Change Has Shifted the Axis of the Earth. Loss of water on land through ice melting and human-caused factors is changing the movement of the North and South poles.
“Glacial melting due to global warming is likely the cause of a shift in the movement of the poles that occurred in the 1990s.”
“The death toll from a torrential rainstorm that hit Angola’s capital, Luanda, this week has risen to 24… The hours-long storm pounded the coastal city on Monday, triggering flash floods that brought down buildings and swept away trees and cars.
“At least 2,344 homes were flooded and 60 collapsed, it added, according to AFP news agency. A total of 11,745 people have been affected.
“Four health centres, four bridges and 14 schools were also submerged.”
“A rare tropical cyclone is approaching Tanzania and could become the first cyclone to make landfall in the nation in modern records.
“Tropical Cyclone Jobo, located near Madagascar in the South Indian Ocean, is equivalent to a strong tropical storm with winds just shy of 100 kph (62 mph).”
“Brown locusts have survived a long drought in South Africa – here’s how… The Northern Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa recently experienced their longest drought in 100 years…
“The answer lies in the fact that the eggs can survive for several years in the soil with the embryos developing at different rates in response to environmental conditions.”
“As taps run dry, water consumption still too high in drought-stricken Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality [South Africa]…
“Executive Mayor, Nqaba Bhanga, said on Tuesday, “Currently our dam levels are sitting at 13.32% which is very worrying. We will be launching a comprehensive communications strategy next week… as the devastating drought situation enters the next phase.””
“Somalia braces for record levels of displacement as drought takes hold…
““Once again Somalia is facing the prospect of serious drought. Water and pasture resources are depleting every day and resulting in people abandoning their homes with their livestock to search for better conditions…” said Mohamed Abdi, Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) in Somalia.”
“Drought aggravates sinkhole trouble for Turkey’s grain silo… Sinkholes wide enough to swallow a bus dot this drought-stricken breadbasket of the Turkish plains, worrying farmers as they spread and creep closer to residential homes.
““The drought situation is getting worse,” said farmer Tahsin Gündoğdu…”
“Gaza poultry farmers incur huge losses during heatwave:
“The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture in Gaza said on Tuesday that initial estimates indicate that poultry farmers in the besieged enclave have incurred losses of nearly $275,000 due to the heatwave currently affecting the area.”
“Weather warnings have been issued for several regions across Saudi Arabia from Friday until Tuesday, the Kingdom’s civil defense said on Thursday…
“It also warned that the capital Riyadh, Qassim, the Eastern Province, and Hail will experience moderate to heavy rain that may lead to torrential flows and flooding.”
“42-yr-old rain record in Shimla [India] broken… Shimla received 86 mm of rain [3.39 inches] in the past 24 hours, breaking the 42-year-old record of heavy rainfall in one day in April…
“The thunderstorm disrupted power supply, uprooted trees and blew off roofs of kaccha houses at several places… As many as 179 roads in the state were blocked.”
“The typhoon that hit my island [Palau] didn’t make the news. This is what the climate crisis looks like…
“Palau was hit by Typhoon Surigae last week, but even the typhoons that don’t claim lives or flatten cities are devastating for those who live through them… Luckily we had enough food to allow us to hole up in our house for at least two days.”
“Expedition hauls tons of plastic out of remote Hawaii atolls…
“A crew returned from the northernmost islands in the Hawaiian archipelago this week with a boatload of marine plastic and abandoned fishing nets that threaten to entangle endangered Hawaiian monk seals and other animals on the uninhabited beaches stretching more than 1,300 miles north of Honolulu.”
“Experts say record-breaking ocean temps are hurting local sea life [South California]…
“A sobering warning on Earth Day: Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography say record-breaking ocean temperatures and toxin levels are having an extremely harmful effect on marine life.”
“Climate change is worsening water scarcity in rural Alaska says study…
““Inadequate water access has been a persistent issue in more than 200 rural Alaskan communities, whose residents are primarily Alaska Native people,” the study said.”
“Seattle recorded a record-breaking seven days in a row with temperatures at or above 70 degrees in April. The previous five-day record was originally broken April 20…
“The new record was set April 21, when Seattle hit 71 degrees at 3 p.m., according to the National Weather Service.”
“California governor declares drought emergency in 2 counties…
“The declaration is targeted to Mendocino and Sonoma counties, where drought conditions are especially bad… California, which is now in its second year of drought, is bracing for another devastating wildfire season after a winter with little precipitation.”
“This stunning timelapse shows the megadrought’s toll on the West’s largest reservoir [Lake Mead]…
“Just how bad is the drought in the Western US? The shrinking of Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir, is a troubling indicator. The massive man-made lake, which straddles the border of Arizona and Nevada, is now only at 39 percent of its full capacity…”
“Juniper tree die-off in Arizona linked to drought, Forest Service says…
“Juniper trees are dying in Arizona’s Prescott and Kaibab National forests at an alarming rate, and drought is behind the die-off according to the U.S. Forest Service.”
“Rare April snowfall, record cold engulf central U.S. while sweeping east…
“Record lows were set all the way to the Gulf Coast on Wednesday morning… Snowfall in the Great Lakes area in the last 24 hours peaked at 6-8 inches near Toledo.”
“As of Wednesday morning, Indianapolis recorded 2 inches of snow, breaking the record for most single-day snow this late in April, according to NWS Indianapolis. This is also the only time in April, this late in the year, that the city received more than a trace of snowfall.
“It’s “very, very rare,” said Michael Koch, NWS Indianapolis Senior Meteorologist.
“He noted that it’s also not common to see heavy snow falling before sunset, as it did Tuesday evening.”
“Scientists make it official and declare Ayoloco glacier [on Mexico’s Iztaccíhuatl volcano] dead…
“In addition to being ecologically and environmentally important, the Ayoloco glacier had inspired a range of artists. It was extensively photographed, filmed and depicted in artworks, and inspired many Mexican writers.”
“Corn crop ratings tumble in southern Brazil after unusually dry stretch…
“Crop conditions have already plunged in No. 2 producer Parana, which grows 15% of Brazil’s second corn crop. As of Monday, just 62% of the southern state’s corn was in good condition, down from 76% a week earlier and 92% the prior week.”
“Joe Biden’s billions won’t stop Bolsonaro destroying the Amazon rainforest… Bolsonaro’s environment minister, Ricardo Salles, is asking for a yearly instalment of $1bn – in return for which, he says, Brazil’s forest clearance would be reduced by between 30% and 40%.
“There are concerns that some of these funds could be channelled to the very land-grabbers who are behind the destruction of the Amazon.”
“Subtropical Storm Potira forms off Brazil’s coast…
“Storm formation in the southern Atlantic is very rare. Only 15 named tropical systems have developed in the Atlantic south of the equator, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Brian Lada.”
“Climate change: Poland’s coal pollution dilemma – ‘I need fresh air… but there is no fresh air’… Concentrations of harmful airborne particles, known as PM10 and PM2.5, were higher in Poland than any other European country.
“Air pollution causes a grim litany of health problems, including cancer, heart disease and respiratory problems.”
“Arctic sizzled in 2020, the warmest year for Europe too… Europe endured record heat and rainfall last year while temperatures in Arctic Siberia soared off the charts, the European Union’s climate monitoring service reported Thursday.
“The continent in 2020 was nearly half a degree Celsius hotter than the next warmest year…”
“Extreme Melt Reduced Greenland Ice-Sheet Storage: The vast melting of Greenland’s ice sheet caused by unusually high temperatures in 2012 had a lasting impact on its ability to absorb and store future meltwater, new research showed Tuesday.
“Authors of the research said it was evidence of how one-off or rare weather events could have a lasting impact on Earth’s frozen spaces and a knock-on effect on global sea levels.”
“Melting ice in Arctic linked to bowhead whales holding off annual migration…
“…researchers have found a whale species that typically migrates away from solid sea ice each autumn and returns every summer to feast on tiny crustaceans did not make the 6,000km (3,700-mile) roundtrip in 2018-2019.”
“Climate change is breeding ‘pizzly’ bears — hybrids between polar bears and grizzlies…
“Pushed by warming temperatures, grizzly bears are increasingly migrating north where temperatures are colder, while polar bears are moving south pushed by melting ice in the Arctic Circle. Inevitably, the two species crossed paths and interbred…”
“Fairbanks [Alaska] experiences massive temperature swing…
““The big story is the tremendous temperature change,” climatologist Rich Thoman said. Fairbanks experienced a 93 degree temperature difference over an eight-day span… it ties with a March 1992 record for the greatest difference outside of mid-winter.”
“Early start to Washington’s wildfire season has officials worried… Last week was the first time we hit 70 degrees in the Seattle area this year and already wildfire concerns are upon us.
“The state Department of Natural Resources responded to 91 fires last week and is gearing up for what could be a bad season…”
“As a megadrought persists, new projections show a key Colorado River reservoir could sink to a record low later this year…
“…a key reservoir on the Colorado River could sink to historically low levels later this year, new US government projections show, potentially triggering significant water cutbacks in some states as early as next year.”
“Interstate water wars are heating up along with the climate:
“As a longtime observer of interstate water negotiations, I see a basic problem: In some cases, more water rights exist on paper than as wet water – even before factoring in shortages caused by climate change and other stresses.”
“Old Man Winter to bring unusual late-season snow and record cold [to parts of the US] this week…
“A late-season winter storm early this week will bring snow to over a dozen states… with nearly 100 record daily cold temperatures at risk of being broken.”
“Andean glaciers are melting, reshaping centuries-old Indigenous rituals…
“In recent years, the Colque Punku has lost some of its brilliance. The snow that turns into ice that forms the glacier is melting. Researchers have determined that tropical glaciers in the Peruvian Andes have decreased in size by about 30 percent in recent years.”
“Climate crisis: Why are we seeing so many huge cliff falls on the UK’s coastline?
“While Britain’s coastlines can expect to be hammered throughout the year by strong winds, torrential rains and powerful waves, the frequency of these incidents might lead some to wonder whether climate change is playing a role in accelerating their frequency.”
“The year 2020 was the hottest year ever recorded in Morocco, hotter than 2017 and 2010 respectively…
“Total annual rainfall recorded a deficit across the whole country , above a 50% deficit north of Marrakech and in Souss-Massa and the Anti-Atlas regions, while it hardly rained in the southern provinces.”
“Flash floods triggered by torrential rains in Angola [which until then had been having its worst drought in four decades] have killed at least 14 people and displaced around 8,000 in the capital Luanda, the national news agency reported.
“Bridges and homes collapsed on Monday as hours of heavy rain fell on the ocean-facing city, swamping streets and sweeping away cars…”
“Cyprus stifled under heatwave, high dust levels… Cyprus feels the brunt of an off-season heatwave while suffocating under a thick layer of dust from the Sahara Desert.
“Maximum temperatures on Monday will rise to a scorching 37 degrees Celsius [98.6F], well above the seasonal average of 23C.”
“Middle East Heat Wave:The Syrian capital Damascus located at over 600m above sea level tied its record of highest temp ever recorded in April with 38.4C [101.1F].
“Monthly records were also set at Ardabil and Sanandaj in Iran.”
“Afghanistan: 13 million lack food as drought crisis bites…
“The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) says urgent action is needed to avert a deepening crisis in Afghanistan as one third of the country’s population is going without adequate food due to a worsening drought crisis.”
“Fires ravage forests in Himalayas, threatening health and biodiversity.
“Smoke blankets Kathmandu as a record number of forest fires rage across the mountains of India and Nepal… Aside from hazards to human health, these fires pose major threats to forest and biodiversity conservation.”
“Mercury rises to 40°C [104F] as heatwave sweeps over Bangladesh… Bangladesh’s maximum temperature rose 40°C on Monday as heatwave continues to sweep over the country.
“The highest temperature in the country was recorded in Jessore, said a Bangladesh Meteorological Department (BMD) press release on Tuesday.”
“Vietnam’s northern mountainous area hit by flash floods; three deaths confirmed…
“At least three people were killed in a flash flood that swept through Van Ban District, in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, over the weekend.”
“Heavy rain is continuing to lash parts of Far North Queensland with emergency services attending dozens of jobs overnight…
“Cairns has received more than half-a-metre of rain over the past three days — including 200mm overnight — while areas to the south, around Innisfail, have received nearly a metre this week.”
“The entire New South Wales coast experienced its wettest week ever during last month’s floods, according to a special report from the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM)…
“BOM senior climatologist Blair Trewin said about 81,900 gigalitres of water fell on the state in a week… “…the total amount of rain fallen on NSW equalled approximately 160 Sydney Harbours,” he said.”
“…the physiological processes of bleaching are not well understood. Now, KAUST researchers show that, long before signs of bleaching appear, prolonged spells of warm water cause heat stress that disrupts the nutrient cycling of the coral and its symbiotic algae.”
“Shark catastrophe points to failure to enact global biodiversity agreements…
“A near-sharkless open ocean could soon be a reality, according to Nathan Pacoureau, a postdoctoral researcher in the Earth to Ocean Research Group at Simon Fraser University in Canada. Pacoureau… detected a 70% decline in shark and ray populations over the last 50 years.”
“2020 was one of the three hottest years on record, marked by wildfires, droughts, floods and melting glaciers, a United Nations report said on Monday, prompting the U.N. Secretary-General to say the world stands “on the verge of the abyss”.”
“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.
“China storm: Eleven dead and thousands evacuated after massive thunderstorm hits Nantong. The city of Nantong, near Shanghai, was one of the worst hit areas, with trees and buildings blown over in winds up to 100mph…
“Trail of damage in Shizuoka [Japan] after rare tornado hits.
“Prolonged drought in Taiwan has affected the lychee harvest and may bring down production to less than 10 percent…
“Sydney was enveloped in a thick bank of hazardous bush fire smoke Monday (May 3), forcing authorities in Australia’s largest city to scale back controlled forest burning nearby.
“Corn hits 8-year high as Brazil drought lifts supply concerns.
“Brazilian Amazon released more carbon than it absorbed over past 10 years. 
“Heat wave exceeds 40 degrees C [104F] in Yucatan.
“San Antonio’s 4-day rain total nearly equals 4-month norm. 
“‘Gargantuan’ hailstone that fell Wednesday may claim new Texas record. Everything’s bigger in Texas. Apparently that extends to hail, including one stone that may have been more than a half-foot wide.
“More than 20 million genetically modified mosquitoes are coming to the Florida Keys this year, in a landmark project by British biotech company Oxitec and Monroe County’s Mosquito Control District.
“California’s wildfire season is expanding as the wet season becomes compressed…
“‘Beyond depressing’: What happened to Phoenix Lake? A favorite Bay Area spot is barely there…
“‘It’s like a rotting carcass of its former self’: funeral for an Oregon glacier…
“April 2021 now holds the record for the driest April in Oregon history.
“April 22 landslide in northern Quebec second largest in 150 years, say experts…
“Scotland’s Weather: April was sunniest on record – but also one of the coldest, says Met Office. 
“The recent serious gorse and heather fire in the Mournes [Ireland] should focus our minds on climate change and the risk wildfires pose to our peatlands and uplands…
“The climate crisis could be behind French vineyard devastation… By the end of France’s big freeze, at least one-third of this year’s wine harvest and many other crops were lost, in what by some estimates was the country’s worst agricultural disaster of the century…
“Another amazing record in Greece. The station of Zymbragou (NOA-Univ. of Athens official station) in Crete didn’t drop below +29.4C [84.9F] on 2 May. 
“Eastern Cape drought: Nelson Mandela Bay’s dying dams. 
“Burundi: Floods from rising Lake Tanganyika affect 8000 families… it appears that the number of people affected could most probably rise as flooded houses continue to collapse.
“Floods swept through parts of Yemen amid heavy seasonal rains, leaving at least 13 people dead, including two children, security officials said Saturday.
“Epidemics of Tree-Destroying Diseases Are On the Rise…
“An increasing number of people are being threatened by flooding caused by glacial lakes bursting, scientists have warned.
“Permafrost could release much more carbon than expected…
“Sea Level Rise From Antarctic Melt Could Be 30% Higher Than We Thought… The Antarctic ice sheet contains a global disaster waiting to happen…
“‘Impossible to adapt’: Surprisingly fast ice-melts in past raise fears about sea level rise.
“Unrest from World’s Largest Volcano Prompts Alert from Local Authorities… ongoing unrest at the world’s largest volcano has prompted local authorities to remind residents and visitors to prepare for the eventual eruption…
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“Another record in the US Territory of Northern Marianas in the Pacific Ocean: 
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“Fighting the feedback loop: 
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More hail for Saudi
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