No link as there is no English language (or indeed other) news-source I can find for this [h/t extremetemps on Twitter]:
Russia and Turkey have had their warmest January day’s on record. Parts of Turkey experienced temperatures of 30c (that’s 86F) at *night*, hotter than most summer nights.
I’ll update on this story when I can.
“Major cities across Turkey face running out of water in the next few months, with warnings Istanbul has less than 45 days of water left.
“Poor rainfall has led to the country’s most severe drought in a decade and left the megacity of 17 million people with critically low levels of water, according to Turkey’s chamber of chemical engineers.”
Weather whiplash for Turkey: “Hit by heavy rainfall, several houses and workplaces have been flooded in the districts of Buca, Karabağlar and Konak in Turkey’s Aegean province of İzmir.”
“Heavy rains and snowfalls across the Balkans of Europe over the past several days have swamped roads, damaged buildings, and disrupted land and sea traffic on Wednesday…
“Tons of garbage clogged a lake in southwestern Serbia after being swept off landfills by overflowing rivers.”
“After the devastating “Medicane” Ianos brought about deadly floods to Greece in September of2020, Karditsa has once again faced severe flooding on Tuesday.
“The mountainous areas of the region, located in central Greece, reported heavy rainfall on Tuesday… is only just recovering from the recent natural disaster.”
“December 2020 was the warmest in the Greek capital since 1860 in terms of average minimum temperatures during the night (11.7 degrees Celsius), according to meteorologists at the Athens Observatory.
“It was also the second warmest in terms of average temperature (13.8C), behind December 1960 (14.1C).”
“About 79 per cent of Nigerian farmers were estimated to have been affected by the ravaging effects of drought and flooding in 2020, a survey conducted in seven states of the country has shown…
“The survey, titled: “Nigerians just want to eat” and published this month, chronicled the major challenges bedevilling Nigerian farmers and food transporters which are capable of impeding national food security.”
“At least one person has been killed, 39 made homeless, 117 houses damaged and 315 other houses submerged in water by flash floods due to heavy rains in Tanzania’s southern region of Mtwara, officials said on Wednesday.
“The number of people made homeless could be more because some of them sought refuge from relatives and neighbors…”
“In southern Madagascar, “famine-like conditions” have doubled the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance compared with last year, to more than 1.3 million.
“Successive droughts and a lack of jobs linked to COVID-19 restrictions are to blame, the World Food Programme (WFP) said on Tuesday.”
“People who fled devastating floods in South Sudan’s Jonglei state to Mangalla in Central Equatoria state said they are now facing a new challenge — a severe lack of food and water.
“Waterborne diseases are also creating a nightmare among the group of about 96,000 people, Atem Akuoch, one of its leaders, told Anadolu Agency.”
“Heavy rain that lashed central districts of Tamil Nadu [India] over the past few days got more intense on Wednesday, leaving several urban areas inundated destroying thousands of acres of paddy crops in the delta region…
“About 2.06 lakh acres of paddy was already damaged in cyclones Nivar and Burevi.”
“The prices of vegetables and fish are going up across the board at wet markets in Singapore, with some vegetables costing about twice as much as they were just weeks ago.
“The Straits Times visited five wet markets on Tuesday (Jan 12) and vendors said poor weather conditions in Malaysia has caused a shortage in supplies as farms are flooded, resulting in poor crop output.”
“Temperature plunged below the freezing point in some parts of the New Territories this morning, with farmers reporting large scale damages to their crops.”
“Floods submerged 463 homes and affected 485 families comprising 1,554 people in South Solok District, West Sumatra Province [Indonesia], according to the local disaster mitigation office (BPBD)…
“The floods were triggered by incessant heavy rains that had lashed since Monday.”
“Heavy and continuous rain triggered flash floods that forced the evacuation of residents in Camiguin and Eastern Visayas provinces [Philippines], local and disaster response officials said on Wednesday.
“A low pressure area on Tuesday brought rain in Mindanao, flooding parts of Mambajao town in Camiguin and causing a series of landslides…”
“This time last month the Far North Coast [Australia] was being lashed by wild weather – now it’s been revealed several areas recorded their wettest December in more than a century.
“Casino, Lismore, Murwillumbah, Nimbin and Tweed Heads all smashed their previous rainfall totals.”
“An intense rain that occurred in a fleeting way caused a significant torrent that washed away several motorcycles and flooded shops in Ciudad del Este, capital of Alto Paraná, Paraguay.”
“Powerful winds whipped across the state Wednesday toppling trees, power poles and knocking out electricity to thousands of Montanans.
“According to a still unofficial report from the local National Weather Service office, an incredible 125 mile-per-hour wind gust was measured at the top of Mount Sentinel, Montana.”
“Official confirmation that part of Lancashire [UK] saw record rainfall in the past 12 months has come from veteran weather watcher Muriel Lord.
“For Muriel, who lives in the hills in Ribble Valley, it was the wettest year since her family began recording the rainfall on their farm more than 50 years ago. The sobering statistics are giving her real cause for concern…”
“Clothes washing linked to ‘pervasive’ plastic pollution in the Arctic:
“The Arctic is “pervasively” polluted by microplastic fibres that most likely come from the washing of synthetic clothes by people in Europe and North America, research has found.”
“As the Arctic melts, a regime shift is taking place:
“The Arctic is changing faster than any environment on Earth. The old order is being swept away, leaving scientists to ask: What’s coming in its place?”
“The world’s oceans reached their hottest level in recorded history in 2020, supercharging the extreme weather impacts of the climate emergency, scientists have reported.
“More than 90% of the heat trapped by carbon emissions is absorbed by the oceans, making their warmth an undeniable signal of the accelerating crisis.”
“The planet is facing a “ghastly future of mass extinction, declining health and climate-disruption upheavals” that threaten human survival because of ignorance and inaction, according to an international group of scientists, who warn people still haven’t grasped the urgency of the biodiversity and climate crises.”
“Rescue workers were among at least 11 Indonesians killed as two landslides in quick succession devastated a village in West Java. The landslides were reported three-and-a-half hours apart on Saturday at Cihanjuang Village in the Sumedang district of West Java, 150 kilometres south-east of Jakarta.
“Heavy rain is hampering rescue efforts with the death toll predicted to rise.”
“Two men died while at least 16,323 families, consisting of 81,615 individuals, were evacuated as flood waters rose in some areas in the Visayas [Philippines] due to non-stop rains spawned by the tail of the frontal system last Friday and Saturday…
“Local authorities said 15,200 families, consisting of 76,000 individuals, were evacuated in Negros Occidental last Friday.”
“At least three people were killed, while more than 62,000 others evacuated as a result of heavy rains in southern Thailand, authorities said on Monday.
“In a statement, the country’s Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Department said heavy rains since Jan. 4 has affected thousands of families in Narathiwat, Pattani, Yala and Songkhla provinces.”
“Wettest January on record for Tamil Nadu [India]; more heavy rain likely:
“Post cessation of Northeast Monsoon on 31st December 2020, an unusually heavy wet spell has lashed most parts of Tamil Nadu. Historic record rainfall has been recorded at many places including the state capital Chennai.”
“Japan’s Hokuriku region blanketed by record snowfall:
“Heavy snow has swept across the Hokuriku region of Japan, bringing traffic to a standstill, damaging electricity cables and leaving more than 100 vehicles stranded.” [Video]
“An atmospheric river is poised to bring another threat of flooding rainfall and landslides to the Pacific Northwest in what has already been one of the wettest starts to January on recordfor parts of the region.
“Disturbances in a strong jet stream stretching from west to east across the North Pacific Ocean will funnel this pipeline of moisture into the Northwest.”
“Wildfire smoke accounted for up to half of all health-damaging small particle air pollution in the western U.S. in recent years as warming temperatures fueled more destructive blazes…
“Even as pollution emissions declined from other sources including vehicle exhaust and power plants, the amount from fires increased sharply…”
“It’s not just you. Utah’s winters are getting warmer: It’s not just a license plate slogan; Utah really may have the greatest snow on earth…
“But those delicately balanced climate conditions aren’t immune to change, and you might be noticing a difference in temperatures, precipitation and seasonal patterns in general. If so, it’s not in your head—Utah’s winters really are getting warmer.”
“Manatees had a terrible 2020. Rainfall and floodgates are partly to blame…
“2020 was a very wet year, with record-breaking rainfall drenching South Florida right at the beginning of the season in May and then again through October, before Tropical Storm Eta slammed the region in November.”
“France’s Côte d’Azur braves the cold: a winter like no other.
“The French Riviera is susceptible to two different types of cold. Weather expert Paul Marquis explains the difference: “Arctic maritime air comes from the North Pole, from the north-west. It’s a moist air, it’s humid. Continental air comes from Russia. It’s much drier and that is what we are experiencing along the coastline at the moment.””
“Flooding has caused chaos in several Southeast European countries from Albania to Bulgaria.
“Heavy rain and snowfalls in recent days resulted in rising river levels and widespread flooding that resulted in dozens of people being evacuated from their homes in Albania and Kosovo, while emergency situations were declared in parts of Bulgaria and Serbia.”
“Istanbul’s drought raises ‘rain bomb’ debate among experts: Millions across Istanbul woke up on Saturday to a sight for sore eyes: The city’s desolated streets were echoing with the tips and taps of rain finally falling from the sky…
“…the sigh of relief was …because the metropolis is on the brink of depleting its water reserves.”
“An official delegation headed by the Wali of Casablanca-Settat region, Said Ahmidouch, visited several areas impacted by the floods in Morocco’s economic capital on Saturday.
“The tragic events have now claimed four lives and caused several injuries.”
“Heavy rain causes flooding in the region of Mecca, Saudi Arabia –
“Thunderstorms accompanied by heavy rainfall and strong winds lashed the regions of Mecca, Al Baha, Asir, Ha’il and Al Jawf have led to flash flooding.”
“Thunderstorms happen because of convection, when the heating of the Earth’s surface by sunlight and infrared radiation causes water to condense as buoyant air rises.”
“At least six people have died and nearly 50,000 evacuated in Malaysia after monsoon rains pounded the country’s east coast, authorities said, causing what residents described as the worst flooding in half a century…
“Heavy rains continued to batter the region on Friday, swelling the number of people abandoning their homes to more than 47,000, officials said.”
“Very heavy rains have lashed most parts of Karnataka [India] during the last 48 hours.
“More heavy showers are expected in the next 48 hours and light to moderate spells thereafter till 11th January and a break will follow. These exceptionally heavy rains are unprecedented…”
“There are nearly 4,000 glaciers lying up high in various regions of Afghanistan, but the climate change is severely threatening these highly important sources of water, according to international organizations and experts…
““Almost 14 percent of the total area of Afghanistan’s glaciers was lost between 1990 and 2015, a direct result of climate change, and a reduction that can only be expected to continue,” according to a report published by the Afghan Analysts Network.”
“A team of Chinese scientists have wrapped a section of a remote glacier in blankets to slow its melting amid rising temperatures due to global warming.
“The method can prevent masses of ice from melting too quickly by blocking solar radiation and heat exchange on the glacier’s surface, the researchers have concluded following a five-month experiment.”
“Exceptionally cold weather sweeping through China has caused a huge increase in power demand in the world’s largest energy consumer and hampered transportation…
“Cities such as the eastern port city of Qingdao recorded the lowest temperature in history and the capital city Beijing had coldest day since the 1960s on Jan 7.”
“The Bureau of Meteorology has revealed 2020 was Western Australia’s second-hottest year on record, trailing behind only 2019, and the fourth-hottest for the country as a whole.
“Daytime temperatures in WA were 1.54 degrees Celsius above average and night-time temperatures were 0.95C above average.”
“Warmer temperatures bring record water levels: Two of the largest rivers in British Columbia run through Prince George. Currently, both are running very high.
“Typically, large ice chunks form on the rivers, however, with the recent warm temperatures, precipitation, and high groundwater, levels are creating historical flows.”
“U.S. weather and climate disasters hit an all-time high in 2020 with 22 separate catastrophes that cost more than $1 billion each.
“The previous record for most billion-dollar weather and climate disasters was 16, which occurred in 2011 and 2017, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announcement on Friday.”
“Hundreds of families displaced after tornado rips through Texas City overnight.
“The storm blew through Texas City around 6 p.m on Wednesday night and left a trail of damage behind. Strong winds ripped the sides off of a convenience store and displaced around 400 residents at a nearby apartment complex according to Texas City officials.”
“Drought is an insidious climate threat… It may not grab extreme weather headlines… but drought during 2020 and heading into 2021 is a looming story likely to grow in importance…
“Dry conditions are tightening their grip on the Southwest, including fire-prone Southern California.”
“Greece is forecast to experience some of its highest January temperatures of the last 50 years, the meteo weather service of the National Observatory of Athens said on Friday.
“Temperatures will be as much as 15 degrees Celsius [27F] higher than normal for this time of year.”
“Heavy rain in Albania over the past three days has flooded thousands of acres of fields, blocked roads and forced authorities to evacuate scores of people, officials said Friday.
“The government’s emergency committee said more than 5,000 hectares (12,350 acres) were inundated…
“Rain is forecast to continue over the next three days.”
“Massive sinkhole swallows cars in Naples, Italy: A 50 metre wide sinkhole opens up outside the l’Ospedale del Mare hospital in Naples, Italy. January 8th 2021.”
“Spanish natural gas prices surged to a record as the nation grappled with unusually cold weather that even brought a rare snowfall to Madrid.
“The day-ahead price on Spain’s PVB gas trading hub has more than doubled since the start of the year and is near the record-high rates for liquefied natural gas in Asia…”
“Storm Filomena created havoc across Spain’s Costa del Sol last night when millions of litres of rainfall flooded city centres and cut off roads. Power cuts added to the misery…
“All throughout the night, the electricity came on then went off, potentially damaging computers, internet routers and home equipment.”
“Unprecedented flooding in Morocco has blocked roads and wreaked havoc, causing the municipal council of the economic capital [Casablanca] to hold an emergency meeting.
“Reports say locals who had their properties including vehicles destroyed have filed a number of complaints.”
“The flooding of rivers and overflowing of dams in the southern parts of Namibia is said to be the biggest since the 1990s…
“This is according to the National Hydrological Services (NHS), which announced That trees of the Namibia Industrial Development Agency were under water and the damage would be extensive.”
“Kenya needs $62bn (£46bn) to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis in the next 10 years, according to a government document sent to the UN framework convention on climate change. It equates to almost 67% of Kenya’s GDP…
“Food security, warns the report, will worsen because Kenyan farmers are almost entirely weather-dependent.”
“Last year was the joint hottest globally and by far the warmest year recorded in Europe, making the years from 2015 onwards the warmest six on record.
“Global average temperatures tied with 2016 at 0.6°C above the long-term average – despite the absence of an El Niño event, a climate phenomenon that has a warming effect. There was an El Niño in 2016.”
“A dramatic spike in temperatures is occurring at high altitudes above the North Pole, where the air is thin and typically frigid. Known as a sudden stratospheric warming event, experts say it’s likely to have potentially significant repercussions for winter weather across the Northern Hemisphere for weeks to possibly months.
“This unusually strong event may have profound influences on the weather in the United States and Europe, possibly increasing the potential for paralyzing snowstorms and punishing blasts of Arctic air, with the odds of the most severe cold outbreaks highest in Northern Europe.”
“Kyiv [Ukraine] records highest-ever yearly average temperature in 2020:
“The average yearly temperature in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv was the warmest in 2020, as it rose to + 10.9°C [51.6F], which was 3.2°C up from the climatic norm, thus setting a record for the entire observation period (since 1881).”
“A landslide that hit a village not far from Norway’s capital last week has claimed 10 lives, as rescue workers confirmed that seven people were dead, and abandoned hope that the others were still living…
“”The quick-clay slide happened more than 20 kilometers north of Oslo and follows a month of record rainfallin the capital.”
“British summer temperatures are set to rise faster than the global average, as scientists warn heatwaves will be more intense.
“The climate is set to warm up to 50 per cent more quickly than the average rate of global warming, with extremely hot days in particular getting hotter.”
“Spain registered its coldest temperature on record Wednesday, with a meteorological station in the Catalan Pyrenees registering a frigid -34.1 degrees Celsius (-29.3 Fahrenheit).
“The last time Spain broke its record for cold weather was Feb. 2, 1956, when thermometers in the same mountain range dropped to -32.”
“Saturday is set to be among the warmest January days on record for Malta, the Met Office has revealed, with temperatures forecast to reach up to 22°C.
“An expected south-westerly wind from the Sahara Desert is behind the unusually mellow forecast, according to the weather models.”
“Last year’s weather meant setting records for not only high temperatures but rainfall levels as well throughout Greece.
“Notably, the country was hit by the “Medicane” called Ianos in September of 2020, the strongest of all such rare Mediterranean cyclones on record. The storm’s unprecedented flooding and destructive winds killed four people in Greece and caused widespread damage across the country…”
“The world’s most devastating climate-driven loss of ocean life has been reported in the eastern Mediterranean, one of the fastest warming places on Earth.
“Native mollusc populations along the coast of Israel have collapsed by about 90% in recent decades because they cannot tolerate the increasingly hot water, according to a new study…”
“Chennai received the highest rainfall in a single day so far for the month of January in over a century of records, recording an average of 123 mm [4.8 inches] of rainfall on Tuesday. Guindy recorded the highest rainfall in the city with 162 mm [6.4 inches]…
“The heavy rains have resulted in inundation in many parts of the city.” [You may recall that Chennai basically ran dry in 2019].
“Malaysian villagers were evacuated in an excavator while others swam through deep waters Wednesday as the number forced from their homes by floods rose to more than 28,000 with at least four dead…
“…people in some areas say this year’s floods are the worst in decades.”
“Major flood warnings are in place in northern Queensland, Australia after the region was hit overnight with intense rainfall associated with ex-tropical cyclone Imogen.
“Flooding is being experienced in the town of Ingham, north of Townsville, after 120mm [4.8 inches] of rain was recorded in an hour there on Wednesday morning.”
“The climate crisis is being blamed for an astonishing predator-on-predator animal attack that took place in the Guatemalan rainforest, and was captured on camera.
“The footage shows a male jaguar attacking and killing an ocelot, which researchers say is a rare occurrence and is likely due to the abnormally fierce – and growing – competition for water.”
“Records show the Animas River [part of the Colorado River system] recently broke the all-time low flow set on the water gauge behind the Powerhouse Science Center, which has collected data for 109 years.
“The previous record low flow at the U.S. Geological Survey’s water gauge was set March 2, 1913, when the Animas River was running at 94 cubic feet per second.”
“Dust left deep beneath the oceans three to five million years ago has confirmed that climate change is pushing westerly winds towards the poles, say scientists.
“The winds, commonly known as the westerlies, play an important role in shaping the world’s weather by influencing rainfall, ocean currents and tropical cyclone paths.”
“The ‘Last Ice Area’ is a narrow band of ice that covers about a million square miles across the Northern coasts of Greenland and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, which has long withstood the effects of climate change – until now.
“A team from the University of Toronto found that the ice arches holding the frozen water together could soon collapse due to melting…”
“The Arctic Hasn’t Been This Warm for 3 Million Years:
“Today human activities are overwhelming the natural processes that pull CO2 out of the atmosphere. At the dawn of the Industrial Era in 1750, atmospheric CO2 stood at about 280 parts per million. It has taken humans only 200 years to completely reverse the trajectory begun 50 million years ago and return the planet to CO2 levels not experienced for millions of years.”
“The amount of greenhouse gases already released into the atmosphere by humans will likely warm our planet beyond the limits set out under the Paris climate agreement, alarming new research which recalculates previous climate models warns.
“Future warming from greenhouse gases that have already been emitted is called “committed warming”.”
“Global warming is increasing average temperatures across Earth and causing extreme weather events. At the same time, a new study found that temperatures in the upper atmosphere of the Earth are cooling…
“… these effects… could have serious consequences on everything from melting glaciers to humans’ ability to fly.”
“Barely two weeks after a prolific ocean-effect snowstorm dropped seven feet of snow and stranded thousands of motorists, the new year in Japan kicked off with another severe snowstorm. Up to another 85 inches fell through Saturday amid strong winds and record cold temperatures.
“The mind-boggling snowfall is linked to a pair of record-breaking weather systems… Mountainous areas of Japan are bracing for yet another dump of heavy snow over the next five days.”
“Over 4,200 people are still living in temporary housing in Kumamoto Prefecture, southwestern Japan, about six months after a deadly rain disaster mainly hit the southern part of the prefecture…
“In Kumamoto, 65 people died due to the flooding of the Kuma River and landslides, while two remain missing.”
“Two cold fronts are forecast to sweep across northern and eastern parts of China this week, bringing gales and low temperatures, the country’s meteorological authority said on Monday…
“Temperatures in parts of northern China are likely to reach record lows over the next few days, according to the National Meteorological Center.”
“As we all know it was a wet December in Juneau and Southeast Alaska…
“Meteorologist Kayla Tinker says widespread record rainfall paired with warmer than normal temperatures caused numerous landslides across Southeast Alaska. On December 1, Juneau recorded the largest 24-hour rainfall recorded since records began in 1936…”
“Two tornadoes touched down in Tehama County on Monday afternoon, causing tree and power line damage but no fatalities, according to the National Weather Service.”
“Last year ended up as Phoenix’s second warmest year since record-keeping began in 1896. The city’s average daily temperature was 77.2 degrees for 2020, only one-tenth of a degree behind the record-holding year of 2017.
“Although 2020 barely missed out on that title of hottest-ever year, July and August 2020 will go down as the two hottest months in Phoenix history.”
“The National Weather Service says 2020 was the warmest year on record for Portland, Maine. The average temperature for the year was 49.4 degrees Fahrenheit (9.7 Celsius), breaking the previous records set in 2010 and 2012. Records go back to 1940.”
“Bolivia’s Tuni glacier is disappearing, and so is the water it supplies:
“Bolivia’s Tuni glacier is disappearing faster than initially anticipated, according to scientists in the Andean nation, a predicament that will likely make worse water shortages already plaguing the capital La Paz, just 60 km away.”
“Video obtained by Reuters showed flooding along the Guillermo Loayza, a street close to the Mercado Campesino, the Sucre’s largest market [Bolivia].
“At least four were killed in the flash flood, police said, which occurred after torrential rain and hail hit the city. Local media reported that the storm lasted about 30 minutes.”
“Bolsonaro sent soldiers to the Amazon to curb deforestation. Here’s how the effort failed.
“…Now, with Brazil consumed by the coronavirus, the Amazon is inching closer to what scientists warn is a tipping point, when large swaths of rainforest transform into arid savanna.”
“France’s largest glacier is sliding down due to global warming:
“Today, the Mer de Glace remains the biggest glacier in France, and the second largest in the Alps. But it’s also become a symbol of the rapid pace of global warming. Mont Blanc is heating up more than twice as fast as the rest of the world.”
“The year 2020 was the hottest year in France since records began in 1900, state weather forecaster Meteo France said, in a new sign of the warming of the planet.
“It said that the average temperature across France in 2020 was 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 degrees Fahrenheit), beating the 13.9C (57 Fahrenheit) recorded in 2018, it wrote on Twitter.”
“Last year, the average air temperature in Estonia was 8.4 degrees Celsius [47.1F], which is 2.4 degrees Celsius higher than the long-term average and 0.8 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record. 2020 can be considered the warmest year in Estonian climate history so far.”
“Some Kenyan students in Kisumu county, close to the overflowing Lake Victoria, are forced to take a boat to school, only to find waterlogged classrooms and no teachers on site.
“Public schools have reopened in Kenya following a closure ordered by the government in March 2020 to curb the spread of Covid-19.”
“Depletion Of Mangroves [Pakistan]: Ecosystem Posing Threat To Sea Communities, Biodiversity:
“…a significant increase in marine water pollution, reduction in the river water supply, alarming overharvesting of the mangroves by the local communities in the Indus Delta, coastal erosion and sedimentation, are the major causes of this loss.”
“Delhi recorded 39.8mm [1.6 inches] rainfall in the past 48 hours (25mm + 14.8mm) to break 20 years record since 2000 of the highest rainfall in the month of January…
“This month also happens to be 3rd consecutive month to record above-normal rainfall for Delhi.”
“The number of people evacuated due to floods in Malaysia caused by monsoon rains exceeded 20,000 early Tuesday.
“A total of 20,838 people affected by the monsoon rains since Jan. 1 in the Pahang, Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor, and Perak states were taken to safe places, Malaysian authorities said… the death toll due to the floods rose to three.”
“A Far North kaitiaki [guardian] has described her horror after a historic fire on Manawatāwhi Island/Great Island [New Zealand] threatened the world’s rarest tree.
“Two Skyworks helicopters dropped 55,000 litres of water on the 15 by 25-metre blaze which was spotted on the island – about 60km northwest of Cape Rēinga – by a charter boat about 9.30pm on Saturday.”
“The tiny zooplankton at the centre of the Arctic food web are being forced to end their winter ocean hibernation early in areas where the sea ice is melting – throwing the entire local eco-system into disarray, a team of scientists has found…
“It’s unclear exactly what the effect of their changing habits will be on the broader environment in which they live but since they lies at the centre of the eco-system it seems likely to be considerable.”
“Alongside a deadly pandemic, 2020 also delivered reminders of the severity of the climate crisis facing the world…
“Images of some of these climate events — visually stunning and sobering in equal measure — have been captured by NASA’s fleet of Earth-observing satellites and instruments found on the International Space Station.”
“Some 1 million people in South Sudan have been displaced or isolated for months by the worst flooding in memory, with the intense rainy season a sign of climate change.
“The waters began rising in June, washing away crops, swamping roads and worsening hunger and disease in the young nation struggling to recover from civil war. Now famine is a threat.”
“‘The sea is rising, the climate is changing’: the lessons learned from Mozambique’s deadly cyclone…
“Nearly two years on from Idai, Mozambique is trying to rebuild. But we are living in a time of record-breaking natural disasters: extreme droughts, epic floods, apocalyptic wildfires.”
“Floods and damage to homes have been reported in parts of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal [South Africa] as torrential downpours continue into the new year.
“Johannesburg emergency management services (EMS) spokesperson Robert Mulaudzi said parts of Lenasia extension one and Protea Glen were flooded.”
“The rain that hit the city of Rio de Janeiro this Saturday, 2, caused floods and interdictions on city streets… As of 11:03 am, the city called in 21 sirens to alert residents of nine favelas about the risk of landslides and the need to look for safe places to protect themselves.”
“After significant flooding in Warrnambool caused by a “once in 50 years” storm, much of central and eastern Victoria [Australia] is being told to brace for heavy rain and damaging wind.
“Almost 50 millimetres [2 inches] of rain fell in the town in about an hour… Across just 12 minutes, more than 30 millimetres fell on the town, flooding streets…”
“Aussie farmer witnesses more rain fall in 24 hours than an entire year: 74mm [2.9 inches] had fallen in just 24 hours. It was more rain than the region had experienced in all of 2019.”
“A tropical cyclone warning has been issued for parts of northern Queensland, where residents have been warned to brace for gale force winds, abnormally high tides, large waves and heavy rainfall.
“The conditions may lead to flash flooding, the Bureau of Meteorology warned on Sunday.”
“Leading ski areas in Japan have reported up to a metre (40 inches) of snowfall in 72 hoursto see in the New Year. However one, Geto Kogen, has reported 220cm (over 7 feet) falling in three days, including 105cm in the past 24 hours alone.
“The latest big falls come a fortnight after the country’s ski areas reported up to three metres (10 feet) of snowfall in seven days in the lead up to Christmas.”
“Parts of Western Visayas and Southern Luzon [Philippines] greeted the New Year inundated by heavy rain and floods which forced more than 17,000 people to flee their homesin Negros Occidental province, officials said on Friday…
“…many communities in 23 towns and a city in the provinces of Sorsogon, Camarines Sur and Albay were hit by floods and landslides.”
“The wet weather has been so persistent that the 318.6mm [11.2 inches] of rain that fell in Changi [Singapore] from Friday, the first day of this year, was more than the average of 238.3mm for the month of January, said national water agency PUB on Saturday on Facebook.
“On Saturday, the heaviest rainfall of 210.6mm[8.3 inches] was also recorded in Changi between 12am and 7pm.”
“About 1,000 people in Malaysia’s southern state of Johor have been placed in temporary evacuation centres after flooding caused by two days of heavy rain which started on Friday (Jan 1).
“Four districts – Kulai, Johor Bahru, Kluang and Kota Tinggi – were hit by flooding…”
“Rescuers and foresters continue tackling a fire that has been raging since yesterday in the southeastern Russian city of Sochiand has already spread across 5.5 hectares (13.5 acres), the municipal authorities said on Saturday.
“The blaze started on Friday afternoon as dry litter caught fire in a forest next to the Golovinka village.”
“Kyiv [Ukraine] records warmest day in Dec over 140 years:
“For the first time in 140 years, the average daily air temperature was registered in the Ukrainian capital city of Kyiv on December 30, that is + 5.3°C, which was 0.7°C up against a record high temperature registered on December 30, 1913.”
“Global warming is putting the traditional post-prandial glass of port at risk as Portugal’s Douro Valley faces rising temperatures and lower rainfall.
“A report from Symington Family Estates, the group behind brands including Graham’s, Cockburn’s, Dow’s and Warre’s, contains a stark warning on the effects of climate change.”
“The average temperature recorded in Uccle [Belgium] for 2020 was 12.2°C [54F], an absolute record high since records began in 1833, according to the annual report of the Royal Meteorological Institute, RMI.
“It was also the first time the average had risen above 12°C, according to the RMI, which said the norm was 10.6°C.”
“2020 was a year of extremes for the UK with the wettest February on record, the sunniest spring, a heatwave in the summer and a day in October breaking rainfall records, says the Met Office.”
“Britain could be hit by a new ‘Beast from the East’ in the next fortnight as forecasters warn of ‘sudden stratospheric warming’ above the Arctic.
“Temperatures could hit -10 degrees celsius, roads will become treacherously icy and snow is expected to fall across the country, as police warn against all but essential travel.”
“For the second time in less than a decade, Northeast Pennsylvania experienced heat in 2020 like never before.
“The National Weather Service reported Friday that the average temperature last year at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport was 53.6 degrees, making it the warmest year locally since official record-keeping began in 1901.”
“Think Phoenix. Think Yuma. Think Las Vegas. Think Abu Dhabi, even Riyadh. From a drought standpoint, 2020 in Tucson resembled those rain-starved desert cities far more than itself during our driest year on record.
“…Tucson got only 4.17 inches of rain last year… The previous record low rainfall came 96 years ago — 5.07 inches in 1924, the National Weather Service said.”
“New research from West Coast oceanographers provides insight into the cause of toxic algae blooms that caused shellfish closures and marine mammal deaths near the Oregon-California border.
“The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Climate, shows climate change and a 2013-2015 Pacific Ocean heatwave, often called “the blob,” have together increased the growth of toxic algae off the coastline…”
“The storm [hammering the far western Aleutian Islands on Thursday], which has been described as a “bomb cyclone,” has already set records for the lowest sea level pressure ever recorded in Alaska and is considered the “deepest” cyclone in the state since record keeping began in the 1950s, according to climatologist Brian Brettschneider.”
“As Arctic sea ice steadily disappears and temperatures rise across the region, the tundra has generally been greening, with shrubs and small trees growing more robustly.
“Buta new study of growth rings in Arctic shrubs reveals a countervailing trend — the withering of plants in some areas because summer conditions have grown too hot and dry.”
“Planet Earth’s success in staying habitable for billions of years is partly down to luck, according to a new study.
“A mass simulation experiment suggests most planets would not have been able to cope with changes to their climate while still supporting life for the three billion years Earth has, scientists have said.”
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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.
No link as there is no English language (or indeed other) news-source I can find for this [h/t extremetemps on Twitter]: 
“Major cities across Turkey face running out of water in the next few months, with warnings Istanbul has less than 45 days of water left.
Weather whiplash for Turkey: “Hit by heavy rainfall, several houses and workplaces have been flooded in the districts of Buca, Karabağlar and Konak in Turkey’s Aegean province of İzmir.”
“Heavy rains and snowfalls across the Balkans of Europe over the past several days have swamped roads, damaged buildings, and disrupted land and sea traffic on Wednesday…
“After the devastating “Medicane” Ianos brought about deadly floods to Greece in September of2020, Karditsa has once again faced severe flooding on Tuesday.
“December 2020 was the warmest in the Greek capital since 1860 in terms of average minimum temperatures during the night (11.7 degrees Celsius), according to meteorologists at the Athens Observatory. 
“Malta experienced an unusually warm weekend, with Saturday the warmest January day since records began. 
“After being blasted by blizzard, Spain reels from record low temperatures.
“About 79 per cent of Nigerian farmers were estimated to have been affected by the ravaging effects of drought and flooding in 2020, a survey conducted in seven states of the country has shown…
“At least one person has been killed, 39 made homeless, 117 houses damaged and 315 other houses submerged in water by flash floods due to heavy rains in Tanzania’s southern region of Mtwara, officials said on Wednesday.
“In southern Madagascar, “famine-like conditions” have doubled the number of people in need of humanitarian assistance compared with last year, to more than 1.3 million. 
“People who fled devastating floods in South Sudan’s Jonglei state to Mangalla in Central Equatoria state said they are now facing a new challenge — a severe lack of food and water.
“You’re not imagining things, it’s seriously cold this year… 
“Heavy rain that lashed central districts of Tamil Nadu [India] over the past few days got more intense on Wednesday, leaving several urban areas inundated destroying thousands of acres of paddy crops in the delta region…
“The prices of vegetables and fish are going up across the board at wet markets in Singapore, with some vegetables costing about twice as much as they were just weeks ago.
“Record cold for Hong Kong:
“Floods submerged 463 homes and affected 485 families comprising 1,554 people in South Solok District, West Sumatra Province [Indonesia], according to the local disaster mitigation office (BPBD)…
“Heavy and continuous rain triggered flash floods that forced the evacuation of residents in Camiguin and Eastern Visayas provinces [Philippines], local and disaster response officials said on Wednesday.
“This time last month the Far North Coast [Australia] was being lashed by wild weather – now it’s been revealed several areas recorded their wettest December in more than a century.
“From extreme heat to flooding, wild weather events sweep Australia:
“Even as record snowfall has clobbered Japan’s western coast, much of the country’s eastern half has avoided major snow accumulation this winter. 
“An intense rain that occurred in a fleeting way caused a significant torrent that washed away several motorcycles and flooded shops in Ciudad del Este, capital of Alto Paraná, Paraguay.”
“A powerful wind storm rolled through the Pacific Northwest, killing one person and leaving a trail of damage…
“Powerful winds whipped across the state Wednesday toppling trees, power poles and knocking out electricity to thousands of Montanans.
“Official confirmation that part of Lancashire [UK] saw record rainfall in the past 12 months has come from veteran weather watcher Muriel Lord.
“Clothes washing linked to ‘pervasive’ plastic pollution in the Arctic:
“As the Arctic melts, a regime shift is taking place:
“The world’s oceans reached their hottest level in recorded history in 2020, supercharging the extreme weather impacts of the climate emergency, scientists have reported.
“The planet is facing a “ghastly future of mass extinction, declining health and climate-disruption upheavals” that threaten human survival because of ignorance and inaction, according to an international group of scientists, who warn people still haven’t grasped the urgency of the biodiversity and climate crises.”
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“There are nearly 4,000 glaciers lying up high in various regions of Afghanistan, but the climate change is severely threatening these highly important sources of water, according to international organizations and experts…
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“Drought is an insidious climate threat… It may not grab extreme weather headlines… but drought during 2020 and heading into 2021 is a looming story likely to grow in importance…
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“The world’s most devastating climate-driven loss of ocean life has been reported in the eastern Mediterranean, one of the fastest warming places on Earth.
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“Holiday goers still enjoying the surf in Whitianga [NZ] spent all day in their togs or huddled away indoors, as temperatures rose to 31.8C [89F].
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“Two cold fronts are forecast to sweep across northern and eastern parts of China this week, bringing gales and low temperatures, the country’s meteorological authority said on Monday…
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“Last year ended up as Phoenix’s second warmest year since record-keeping began in 1896. The city’s average daily temperature was 77.2 degrees for 2020, only one-tenth of a degree behind the record-holding year of 2017.
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“As Arctic sea ice steadily disappears and temperatures rise across the region, 
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