“Greenland’s largest glaciers are currently melting at levels close to what scientists had previously expected under a future “worst-case scenario”, a study has found.
“Using a combination of aerial photographs and field data, the study found that current rates of mass loss from Greenland’s three largest glaciers are higher than once thought.”
“…unprecedented wildfires are devastating large land areas within the Arctic Circle…
“While climate change is increasing the ground temperature in Arctic regions and contributing to the frequency of wildfires, the damage caused by wildfires may in turn cause compounding effects that will continue to drive climate change.”
“In a last-ditch attempt to make good on promises to the oil and gas industry, the Trump administration is rushing to formalize plans to drill for oil in the Arctic national wildlife refuge before Joe Biden takes office.
“On Tuesday, the Bureau of Land Management initiated the process with a formal “call for nominations”, inviting input on which land tracts should be auctioned off in the refuge’s 1.5m-acre coastal plain region.”
“Sequoia experts may never know how many of the world’s most massive trees died in the Castle fire [California], but judging by what they have seen so far, they say the number is certainly in the hundreds — and could easily top 1,000.
““This fire could have put a noticeable dent in the world’s supply of big sequoias,” said Nate Stephenson, a research ecologist…”
“A fast-moving wildfire burning in winds gusting in excess of 50 mph (80 kph) destroyed multiple homes in a southwest Reno neighborhood Tuesday and forced the evacuation of hundreds more on the edge of the Sierra foothills.
“Reno Fire Chief David Cochran said as many as 500 homes were potentially threatened by the wind-driven blaze that grew to 1,500 acres (600 hectares) within 3 hours of when it broke out…”
“We usually think of Las Vegas as the land of milk and honey… But experts have been predicting for years that, by 2021, water levels in Lake Mead could drop to such a low level it would create a water shortage.
“…the climate emergency and recent droughts have changed the complexion and urgency of the problem.”
“This summer was Arizona’s hottest on record, and in August, the city clocked four days that were 43 degrees C (110 degrees F) or hotter and 26 that were over 37 degrees C (99 degrees F). Tucson temperatures are on average 2.5 degrees C (4.5 degrees F) warmer now than in 1970…
“In September, Tucson’s hottest and driest on record, city officials declared a climate emergency…”
“A rare tornado warning was issued for Manhattan and the Bronx on Sunday night as strong winds [up to 75mph] and rain pummelled the area…
“NBC News meteorologist Brittany Borer said the warning was issued after there was some indication of rotation in the clouds near Fort Lee, New Jersey, west of New York City, indicating a tornado could be generated.”
“The Mexican government has admitted it took the decision to release unusually large amounts of water from a dam in the south of the country, which has left thousands of people homeless.
“Water was discharged from the Peñitas dam [Tabasco, Mexico] following flooding caused by Hurricane Eta… local authorities believe as many as 72,000 people have now been left homeless [vast majority uninsured].”
“Iota is now considered the strongest storm to hit Nicaragua in the country’s history and has killed six people, according to the Nicaraguan government…
“There is almost no communication with the city of Bilwi, also known as Puerto Cabezas, due to blackouts and fallen electrical cables.”
“As 2020 Amazon fire season winds down, Brazil carbon emissions rise.
“A ruinous fire season, record deforestation and rising carbon emissions leave scientists worried that Bolsonaro’s Brazil will blow past its Paris Climate targets, with devastating results for the Amazon and the world.”
“New Zealand marine heatwave looms following warmest winter on record:
“The news comes after climate experts in New Zealand gave their predications for the coming summer, which they said would be long, hot and dry, with an increased risk of bushfires and drought.”
“A state of calamity has been declared in the province of Bulacan [Philippines] on Tuesday following widespread flooding that left at least P1 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
“This city and five towns were under water. Hardest hit was the town of Calumpit where flooding went as deep as 2.4 meters [7.9 feet], more than the average height of a door.”
“Rising sea-surface temperatures, caused by excessive levels of greenhouse gases heating the atmosphere, mean the Philippines is facing larger storms, more often.
“Following the [recent typhoon] disasters, President Rodrigo Duterte… renewed calls for wealthy nations to be held accountable for the climate crisis that is being acutely felt in the developing world.”
“While world grappled with Covid-19, Indonesia lost over 200,000 hectares [this is actually a lower number than usual but it’s still gone forever] to forest fires:
“Plantation companies, including those with parent firms allegedly from Singapore and Malaysia, Mr Taufik writes, have continued to clear forests by burning them in order to plant oil palm and pulpwood, which is illegal, but still practised, in Indonesia.”
“More than 23,000 residents of Obongi District in West Nile, Uganda, have been displaced from their homes as the sub-region experiences severe flooding caused by rising River Nile waters.
“The rising water levels of River Nile, which started in June, have left Obongi Landing Site and the neighbouring Obongi Town Council submerged.”
“Somalia’s ongoing seasonal rains have affected nearly 214,000 people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday.
“More than 180,000 people have been temporarily displaced from their homes… OCHA said in a statement… Climate change has been markedly felt in Somalia, Chad, and the Sahel region.”
“The Mer de Glace [glacier, France] has been shrinking since the beginning of the 20th century, but the loss has accelerated over the past two decades.
“Since 1900, it’s shrunk by about a third of its volume. In total it’s lost around 1.5 cubic kilometers [nearly 1 cubic mile] of ice. That’s equivalent to more than half a million Olympic swimming pools of ice.”
“The world should react with the same urgency to climate change as is to the coronavirus crisis, the Red Cross says, warning that global warming poses a greater threat than COVID-19.
“Even as the pandemic rages, climate change is not taking a break from wreaking havoc, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said in a report.”
“Never before has the maximum temperature remained in double digits for as long as this year. We are currently at 229 consecutive days with 10C [50F] or higher [Netherlands], which is a record…
““This is quite special,” says meteorologist Yannick Damen of Weeronline about the relatively mild weather. “Many heat records have been broken in recent weeks. Monday was officially the hottest November 9 on record, and a week earlier, on November 2, with more than 20c [68F], it was even the hottest November day we have ever recorded. ””
“… we [in the UK] experienced the wettest February on record followed by an incredibly dry Spring in 2020 [followed by a record-breaking heatwave in August]. The chief executive of the Royal Meteorological Society, Prof. Liz Bentley, commented that:
” “It’s unprecedented to see such a swing from one extreme to the other in such a short space of time. That’s what concerns me. We don’t see these things normally happening with our seasons.”“
“The government of the Russian Federation believes that the residents of annexed Crimea are themselves to blame for the lack of water on the peninsula, as they “steal water from each other.”
“…In Crimea, reservoirs became shallow as a result of drought. ” [Crimea is having its driest year in 150 years of record-keeping. They are drilling for water in desperation].”
“A historic wooden mosque in Istanbul caught on fire Sunday and Turkish firefighters put out the blaze, working from both land and sea.
“The Vanikoy Mosque built in the 17th century during the reign of Ottoman Sultan IV Mehmed, is located on the Asian side of Istanbul along the Bosporus Strait. Videos showed heavy smoke pouring from the structure.” [Turkey set a slew of heat records in September and October].
“Lower Dir [Pakistan] was in the grips of an extreme cold weather on Sunday after experiencing what was said to be record rain and snowfall that continued for a second day.
“Up until Saturday, three feet of snow was recorded in Mahodand…”
“The 700 glaciers in Bhutan are losing its mass or retreating at an alarming rate that experts warn the glaciers could disappear in the next 50 years if the trend continues…
“Between 2004 and 2019, Ganju La glacier, located at the Pho Chhu basin has retreated at an average retreat rate of 11.4 metres per year…”
“Climate change seen through rapid rise of temperatures throughout S. Korea:
“On Aug. 1, 2018, a record high temperature was recorded in Hongcheon, Gangwon Province, South Korea when the mercury reached 41C [106F]… Scientists say the country will see temperatures of up to 49C [120F] in 40 years if greenhouse gases aren’t reduced.”
“Thousands of people fled their homes in Vietnam on Saturday as Typhoon Vamco barrelled towards central regions already pummelled by weeks of successive storms.
“Airports have been shut, beaches closed, and a fishing ban put in place…”
“The death toll from the deadliest cyclone to hit the Philippines this year has climbed to 67, while many areas remained submerged in a northern region…
““This is the worst flooding that we had in the last 45 years,” Cagayan Governor Manuel Mamba said during a briefing with Duterte. “We see that it is worsening every year.”“
“As of 5pm today [Saturday], heavy showers had dumped 76mm [3 inches] of rainfall in the first two weeks of the month. The downpour has trumped the 1984 November rainfall record of 73.2mm.”
“The Spring heatwave has sent temperatures soaring across Queensland, nudging November records in some areas… The outback town of Winton hit a scorching 44C [111F] this afternoon…
“A fire weather warning is in place for that region due to the very hot conditions and strong, gusty winds.”
“Some of New Zealand’s coastal waters have now warmed to a “marine heatwave” state – an unusual picture likely to grow even more striking over coming months.
“The unusually warmer seas are a classic calling card of a strong La Nina system that’s now influencing our weather – but also of climate change.”
“Colombian President Ivan Duque on Sunday visited areas affected by landslides due to torrential rains, which left three dead and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people.
“The most serious incident was reported at dawn on Saturday along a road connecting the municipalities of Dabeiba and Uramita in the Antioquia province, where a landslide buried houses and vehicles…”
“A trailer with more than 42 tons of food and other products arrived in the city of Villahermosa , the capital of the state of Tabasco [Mexico], which has been seriously affected by the rains…
“The storm known as Iota rapidly strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane Sunday evening and is expected to slam into storm-ravaged Central America in the coming days.
“Iota is forecast to make landfall as a Category 4[winds already up to 155mph now]. It will be the second major hurricane to hit the region in the past two weeks.”
“Climate scientists say that this year’s record-breaking hurricane season and the “unprecedented” double blow for Central America has a clear link to the climate crisis.
““In a 36-hour period [Eta] went from a depression to a very strong category 4,” said Bob Bunting, CEO of the non-profit Climate Adaptation Center. “That is just not normal. Probably it was the fastest spin up from a depression to a major hurricane in history.”“
“After a brief run of sweater weather, temperatures are heating back up in Phoenix, and a new set of potential records are up for grabs.
“Monday through Thursday, temperatures will be inching close to 90 degrees in the lower deserts. If temperatures overperform, Phoenix could see the latest 90F [32C] day ever recorded.”
“New Mexico ranchers face historic drought: Drought has decimated the tall grasslands that once blanketed the landscape, replacing them with weeds and other less edible plants…
“Ranchers across New Mexico are selling off large portions of their cattle, in some cases more than half their herds, as drought has ravaged what little grassland remains.”
“On Virginia’s far Atlantic flank, a cherished store of salt marshes is being lost:
“As increasing global air and ocean temperatures accelerate the movement of the barrier islands landward, the Eastern Shore’s salt marshes are disappearing faster than they can rebuild themselves, leaving the mainland more vulnerable to rising waters and increasingly violent storms.”
“A heart-warming video has surfaced that shows almost a dozen polar bears circling and climbing onto a garbage truck in Russia with the driver inside.
“Such interactions between polar bears and humans in the Arctic are likely to become more frequent, as… climate change has led to a decrease in sea ice, depriving these predators of some of their hunting grounds and forcing the animals to find new ways to feed.”
“When the Arctic researchers Jacqueline Grebmeier and Lee Cooper made their annual scientific pilgrimage to frigid seas off Alaska last month, what they found was startling.
“Areas that were previously accessible at that time of the year only with an ice-breaking ship had become open, wavy water. “We packed our long underwear, and we never put it on,” Cooper said.”
“The reality is most people don’t ‘get’ how big the climate crisis really is, how enormous the impact of endlessly pumping pollution into our biosphere causes and how much of an existential threat that poses us all as a species…
“We can barely cope with the first wave of disruptions, how on earth will we cope when the enormity of events eclipse these small ones?“
“North Pole above freezing… the highest temperature at the North Pole was 1.1°C or 34.1°F on November 12…
“These high temperatures over the Arctic Ocean are caused by transfer of huge amounts of heat from the Arctic Ocean to the atmosphere, indicating severe overheating of the Arctic Ocean as a result of the ongoing movement of ocean heat at the surface of the North Atlantic to the Arctic Ocean along the Gulf Stream.”
“Record November warmth in Svalbard – 9.4 °C, 49F measured at the weather station in Reindalspasset just after midnight [!] on November 12.
““It is the highest temperature officially recorded in Svalbard during November,” says Climate Scientist Ketil Isaksen with the Norwegian Meteorological Institute in a tweet.”
[You may recall that Svalbard has repeatedly broken records this year, including reaching 21.7 °C, 71F its all-time hottest temperature in July].
“According to government data, 2020 was the warmest October in Central Russia in its 130-year history of meteorological observations… the average air temperature broke the previous record by 0.5°C. It was set over a century ago in 1896.
“Perhaps even more worrying, the average temperature in the Russian Eastern Arctic was – considering the norm – up by 10°C.”
“Prince Edward Island [Canada] breaks another temperature record Thursday…
“On Tuesday, records were broken across the Island. In Charlottetown, the thermometer climbed to 21.3 C, 70F a record for a Nov. 10, and also a remarkable 100th day where the temperature reached 20 C, 68F at Charlottetown Airport this year.
“It also tied a record for the warmest November temperature in Charlottetown, set Nov. 4, 1982.”
“An oil spill at the Nalcor Energy Churchill Falls [Canada] switchyard in late October released roughly 45,000 litres of oil, the company said in a media release on Thursday, as it continues to work on clean up.
“The spill was caused by a transformer failure and fire, the company maintains, but while Nalcor at the time said the transformers hold 53,000 litres of oil, they actually hold 111,400 litres…”
“The last week has been one for the weather record books in Southern Maine.
“The high temperature reached 69F degrees in Portland on Wednesday, breaking the record of 65F degrees set in 2002. It also marked the fourth time in six days that Portland set a record high temperature.”
On the other side of the jet stream trough: “The mercury continues to drop to record low temperatures as a week-long stretch of unseasonably cold weather continues across much of Nevada and the Sierra.
“The National Weather Service says South Lake Tahoe, California set a record low on Tuesday for the third time in a week.
“Tuesday’s low of 8 degrees (-13 Celsius) smashed the previous record of 13 (-10.5 C) dating to 1985.”
“California catches a break from worst-ever year for wildfires with cooler weather, but the threat remains:
“After being ravaged by wildfires, California has won a temporary reprieve… Cooler weather, however, is little comfort to firefighters who know the state is still in the prime of what many still call fire season.”
“Tropical Storm Eta made [its fourth!] landfall south of Cedar Key, Florida, at 4 a.m. Thursday morning with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, after dumping more than six inches of rain in the Sarasota area overnight.
“The storm’s floodwaters have been blamed for at least one death.”
“At least seven people have been killed and two are missing in flash flooding in North Carolina caused by Tropical Storm Eta.
“Parts of the Tar Heel state experienced torrential downpours and as much as 10 inches of rain inundated roadways on Thursday. The heavy rain in North Caroline came as Eta spiralled away from Florida…”
“North Atlantic hurricanes are retaining far more of their strength when they hit land because of global warming, say scientists.
“Previously, experts believed these storms died down quickly once they made landfall. But over the past 50 years, the time it takes for hurricanes to dissipate on the coast has almost doubled.”
“The US National Hurricane Centre (NHC) said a tropical wave located over the central Caribbean Sea is gradually becoming better organized and will develop into a tropical depression soon.
“If the system develops, it will be the [unprecedented and] 30th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season. It will be called Iota.”
“It’s the year of the unprecedented and the hurricane season has been no exception.
“A record-breaking hurricane season shut in an OPEC-nation amount of oil during a global pandemic that decimated demand and sent crude stockpiles soaring.”
“Central America’s battle with Hurricane Eta could leave some countries scarred for generations… the [Category 4] storm hovered for days over Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala…
“More than 3.6 million people across Central America have been affected to varying degrees, according to the Red Cross. “We are talking about a huge impact across the region,” said Santiago Luego, of the Red Cross.”
“Argentina’s wheat harvest is seen at 16.7 million tonnes, slightly down from the previous 17 million tonne estimate due to a prolonged drought, the Rosario Grains Exchange (BCR) said…
“A drought since the middle of this year has caused major losses in wheat acreage in large parts of Argentina’s agricultural heartland.”
“Somalia: Floods affect 73,000 people… Climate change has been markedly felt in Somalia, Chad, and the Sahel region.
“Rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall caused by climate change have lowered crop yields. It is poor communities that often face greater exposure to climate hazards.”
“With dry conditions prevailing in Himachal Pradesh [India] for the last two months, the state has witnessed a spurt in forest fires.
“According to forest officials, nearly 500 forest fires have been reported in the state since August, most of which occurred in the districts of Kullu and Shimla.”
“An independent investigation based on satellite imagery has concluded that palm oil giant Korindo deliberately set fires to clear rainforest in its concession in Indonesia’s Papua province…
“The finding is the latest allegation of illegal burning by Korindo, which is accused of having cleared a Chicago-sized area of rainforest in Papua.”
“Thick mud and debris have coated many villages around the Philippine capital after a typhoon caused extensive flooding that sent people fleeing to their roofs and killed at least 39 people…
“…the military was rescuing people in places where waters remained high. Amphibious assault vehicles, usually used in counter-insurgency operations, were deployed for the rescue work.”
“Rising average temperatures and levels of carbon dioxide are increasing extreme weather events in Australia, a new report by the nation’s two government climate science agencies has found.
“We’ve entered a new era of sustained extreme events such as dangerous bushfires and heatwaves.”
“Perth [Australia] weather: Weekend showers may smash November rainfall record.
“Perth has [already] recorded its wettest November since the early 1990s as early morning showers ensured the monthly rainfall total was now three times above the average.”
“An icy polar vortex lingering above Antarctica could have serious repercussions on Australia’s weather over summer.
“The air above Antarctica is currently at record cold levels for this time of year according to meteorologists, and this is behind the fluctuating weather patterns parts of Australia have seen in recent weeks.”
“Even if human-caused greenhouse gas emissions can be reduced to zero, global temperatures may continue to rise for centuries afterward, according to a scientific study published Thursday.
“”The world is already past a point of no return for global warming,” the study authors report in the British journal Scientific Reports.
“The only way to stop the warming, they say, is that “enormous amounts of carbon dioxide have to be extracted from the atmosphere.””
“Unseasonably high temperatures are being forecast this week throughout Siberia. The latest freak weather follows a summer of unprecedentedly warm weather in the remote region.
“Roman Vilfand, of the Hydrometeorological Center in Moscow, told reporters that Western Siberia’s weather was 6 to 10 degrees Celsius warmer than normal for the season, while Central Siberia will be 8 to 15 degrees warmer.
“In 2017, the average temperature in Siberia was around -15 degrees Celsius, with extremes as low as -30. Speaking to the TASS news agency, Vilfand added that, “In the Novosibirsk, Tomsk, and Omsk regions, daytime temperatures will be positive, [which is] incredible warmth [for the time of year].””
“Temperature maps from Russian meteorology service Roshydromet show that the islands of Severnaya Zemlya located north of the Siberian mainland were as much as ten degrees Celsius warmer than normal for the season.
“… the Russian archipelago of Severnaya Zemlya had the biggest temperature anomaly on the planet.”
“All-time November snow records have been broken for parts of the [Canadian] Prairies…
As official snow totals now start to funnel in, the highest snow so far has been reported in Kindersley, Saskatchewan. That’s with a preliminary tally of a whopping 47.6 cm. Not only did that make for the largest two day snowfall for the city, but also the snowiest November day ever recorded.”
“It’s not just the record snow [Nevada], but also the extreme cold. Several cold records were broken all across the area, both at night and during the day.
“Just a few short days ago, we were talking about setting record high temperatures across the area.”
“The mild weather [in the central and Eastern US] has shattered records in numerous cities and could put some locations on the path to experience their warmest November on record…
“On Monday, highs were in the 70s along much of the Eastern Seaboard, approaching the 80-degree mark in spots.”
“Extreme weather events took the spotlight again in October as the nation saw raging wildfires, record hurricane activity and record snowfall in some parts of the USA…
“Some state standouts include California, which had its hottest October on record…”
“Wildfires Are Close to Torching the Insurance Industry in California:
“The last time Cal Fire created a map delineating areas of severe fire risk was in 2007. Since then, California has experienced 15 of the 20 most damaging fires in its history, including five this year alone.
“Moreover, wildfires before 2007 mostly affected forest, open grasslands, and the few houses that stood at the edge of what foresters call the wildland-urban interface. Recent fires have encroached on territory once thought to be safe, razing suburban block after suburban block.”
“From Miami Lakes to Brickell, tow trucks were working overtime after Tropical Storm Eta left neighborhoods flooded, cars stranded, and even some toppled trees…
“The South Florida Water Management District has had pumps running for the last week. anticipating between 10 to 15 inches of rain from Eta.”
“At least 27 people have died and thousands have been displaced or left homeless from severe flooding in the states of Chiapas and Tabasco, in southeast Mexico, as a result of unprecedented downpours in the region…
““There was record rainfall. It had never rained so much. I am talking about the past 50 years in the case of Tabasco … It was something extraordinary,” Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who is from Tabasco, told reporters…”
“2020 has broken yet another extreme weather record: the most named tropical storms ever in an Atlantic hurricane season.
“Early Tuesday morning, Subtropical Storm Theta formed in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, according to the National Hurricane Center, making it the 29th named storm — a weather system strong enough to warrant an official designation — of the season.
“This beats the previous benchmark of 28 storms set in 2005.”
“Raging rivers of mud sweep through towns and villages in Crete flooding hundreds of homes with residents clambering onto rooftops amid torrential rain on Greek island…
“It is the third time in less than a month that the area has been hit by flooding. Heavy rainfall is expected to continue through Thursday.”
“A month after the announcement of the hottest September in Turkey’s 93 sites, Turkish officials declared new high-temperature records for October in 33 regions of the country…
“…we saw record-breaking changes in temperatures in October in 33 sites,” said Hüseyin Toros, an academic from Istanbul Technical University… He listed “the melting of the icebergs in the North Pole and the high-pressure areas” as the reasons for this record.”
“Months of torrential rain in northern Congo has left some 83,000 people battling the effects of flooding, the World Food Programme said Monday…
“The WFP announced it was making $1 million available in emergency funding for those worst affected as it responds to the worst flooding seen in the area in two decades.”
“Scorching heat swept across some parts of Zimbabwe on Sunday and Monday, with Masvingo and West Nicholson in Matabeleland South recording extremely high temperatures that broke records set 60 years ago…
“In an interview yesterday, the department’s head of Public Weather Service, Mr Tichaona Zinyemba, said high temperatures recorded indicated the effects of climate change.”
“Cape Town faces an 80% higher chance of another “Day Zero” drought by the end of the century if greenhouse gas-emissions keep rising at current rates, research showed on Monday, as the South African city races to safeguard water supplies…
“Following a 2018 drought in South Africa that nearly caused Cape Town’s taps to run dry, known as Day Zero, officials have been working to avert further water crises.”
“Bangladesh sees record rainfall in nine months: in a shift from the usual weather pattern, Bangladesh has witnessed around 50 percent more rainfall in the first nine months of 2020, compared to the average rainfall in the corresponding period during the last 30 years…
“Experts claim the massive rainfall this year was due to a warm air mass, which is a consequence of global warming.”
“Glaciers in China’s bleak Qilian mountains are disappearing at a shocking rate as global warming brings unpredictable change and raises the prospect of crippling, long-term water shortages, scientists say.
“The largest glacier in the 800-kilometer (500-mile) mountain chain on the arid northeastern edge of the Tibetan plateau has retreated about 450 meters since the 1950s…”
“North Korea is making all-out efforts to prevent forest fires, state media said Wednesday, as the dry weather puts the country’s deforestation problem at greater risk.”
“Snake-shaped tornado tears village [Indonesia] apart:
“A menacing, snake-shaped tornado appeared in the sky above Yogyakarta, Indonesia on November 5. Locals were initially unworried about the twister, but minutes later were terrified when the twister touched down.” Video:
“Thousands of people were evacuated from their homes in storm-battered parts of the Philippines Wednesday as the third typhoon in as many weeks barrelled towards the country.
“Vamco was expected to graze Catanduanes Island — which was devastated by Typhoon Goni less than two weeks ago — before making landfall on the most populous island of Luzon later Wednesday…”
“More than 8,000 properties across South Australian remain without power after storms lashed the state, with a heatwave now expected across the country.
“At one stage more than 32,000 of its customers lost electricity with the storms also sparking a spate of scrub fires caused by 300,000 lightning strikes.”
“Record-breaking rain and flooding has plunged the New Zealand city of Napier into a state of emergency.
“The North Island city renowned for its art deco architecture had 242.4mm of rain between 9am on Monday and 9am on Tuesday – its wettest day since 1963 and second-highest ever.”
“[This melting of permafrost], driven by global warming, is happening not just on the Siberian tundra, but throughout a northern hemisphere area of about 23 million square km, or twice the size of the US.
“Found mainly in the Arctic regions, from Russia to Canada, permafrost is also present in the high mountain terrain right across the Alps.”
“Some of the world’s most valuable ecosystems [mangrove forests] are facing a “triple threat” to their long-term durability and survival, new research shows.
“The study found that mangrove forests, their large biodiversity and the coastal protection they provide are under pressure from three distinct threats – sea-level rise, lack of mud and squeezed habitats.”
“A rapidly warming climate will spell disaster for swathes of life on earth, including many bird species.
“A new study reveals some birds which are dependent on specific abundant food sources at certain times of year may not be able to adapt fast enough to the change to seasonal patterns the climate crisis is bringing.”
“In the midst of the state’s most destructive wildfire season, California shattered temperature records in August, September and October.
“All three months were the state’s warmest on record, according to a new report by UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain.
“In August, a ferocious heat wave saw temperatures in Death Valley reach a blistering 130 degrees — thought to be the highest temperature on Earth in nearly a century, if not ever.
“Temperatures in September and October, too, skyrocketed to new heights. Over Labor Day weekend, Woodland Hills clocked the hottest official temperature on record in Los Angeles County, 121 degrees.”
“As the seasons start to change, offering cooler temperatures in the Valley of the Sun, Phoenix is continuing to play “catch up” after record-breaking heat caused extra drying, furthering the drought that has been years in the making…
“According to phoenix. gov, Arizona has been in drought conditions for 15 years, and has “surpassed the worst drought in more than 110 years of official record-keeping.””
“A forecasted high of 75 degrees Monday [Chicago] would not only break the old record of 74 degrees set back on November 9, 1999, but also establish a new record of six consecutive 70-degree days in November…
“At this point, a record high of 72 degrees is also in the forecast for Tuesday…”
“Toronto is experiencing its warmest November weather on record. Friday’s high of 20.8 C broke the record of 20.5 C set in 2015, Environment Canada reported…
“…it’s nothing but sun in the Toronto forecast all weekend and through Tuesday.”
“A strengthening Tropical Storm Eta made landfall on Florida’s Lower Matecumbe Key on Sunday night…
“Florida officials closed beaches, ports and Covid testing sites, shut down public transportation and urged residents to stay off the streets. Some districts shut down in-person schooling on Monday.”
“Up to 150 people are feared to have been killed in a landslide in Guatemala after Storm Eta lashed central America with torrential downpours.
“Many of those who lost their lives in the remote mountain village of Queja in the country’s central region of Alta Verapaz were buried in their homes under mud, according to the authorities.”
“Scientists in northern Russia have discovered a huge walrus haulout on the shores of the Kara Sea where their habitat is under threat from shrinking ice and human activity…
“Walrus haulouts have traditionally been located on drifting sea ice or on Arctic islands, scientists say.
“But warmer climate cycles mean sea ice is shrinking and habitats are under threat from oil and gas exploration and more Arctic shipping.”
“Finland’s November high temperature record has been broken for the second time in four days as a measuring station at Mariehamn airport in Åland recorded a measurement of 16.6 degrees Celsius on Friday.
“This beats the previous record of 14.7, which was set at Pori airport on Finland’s west coast on Tuesday.”
“Coastal beauty spots [UK] are being used as “open sewers” with untreated waste routinely discharged into the sea, environmental campaigners have found.
“Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) cited almost 3,000 examples of raw sewage pollution incidents in English and Welsh waters over 12 months.”
“A wildfire has killed two people west of the Algerian capital, the emergency services said Saturday… More than 50 additional firefighters were dispatched from Algiers to help tackle the blaze which broke out on Friday night.
“Over the past 24 hours, fires have been reported in northern Algeria in 10 of the country’s 58 provinces.”
“As Sudan faced the worst floods in a century, we travelled to Khartoum to meet some of those most affected: Record levels of rainfall have caused the worst flooding on the Nile River for 100 years.
“As the floods swept away livestock and crops, it led to the Nile – the lifeblood of Sudan’s rich agricultural production – becoming a relentless enemy.”
“Air quality in India’s capital New Delhi remained in the “severe” category for a third straight day on Saturdaydue to increased stubble fires and vehicle emissions, the country’s main environment monitoring agency said…
“The air quality has worsened due to the unusually high fire emissions, and no quick recovery is expected…”
“Hong Kong experienced its warmest ever start to winter on Saturday, but dangerously high levels of pollution forced the city’s environmental watchdog to warn [the vulnerable] to stay indoors…
“…the 30.2 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) temperature recorded on Saturday afternoon was the warmest for the time of year since records began in 1884.”
“Left with nothing’: In a flash, floods upend lives of thousands [Vietnam].”
“On October 28, Storm Molave, the most powerful to have hit Vietnam in two decades, made landfall in the central provinces of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai. The central region had already suffered torrential rains and widespread flooding in the preceding weeks…”
“U.N. assessments to gauge the needs of hundreds of thousands of people affected by Super Typhoon Goni, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever to hit the Philippines, reveal a catastrophic trail of devastation and destruction.
“A preliminary assessment shows at least 2 million people have been affected by the destructive force of Goni.”
“Incredible footage shows how flooding has submerged Napier [North Island, NZ] streets…
“Napier City Council is asking residents to avoid all but non-essential travel, flush toilets only when necessary and limit all water use as flash flooding overwhelms the roads and wastewater system.” Video:
“Heatwaves in Southland [NZ] are expected to double in the next 20 years. The key climate change points for the south include sea level rising effecting ecology and settlements.”
“Researchers have… hypothesized that climate change could have played a role in the extinction of Homo species.
“In a new study, published in the journal One Earth, a multidisciplinary team of scientists from Italy, the United Kingdom, and Brazil make the case that this factor was the major driver in the extinction of other hominins.”
“Climate change poses a direct threat to human health, and growing evidence suggests pregnant people are especially vulnerable to hotter-than-normal summers.
“A new analysis of 70 studies from around the world has found higher temperatures during pregnancy are linked to a small increase in preterm births and stillbirths, especially in low- and middle-income countries.”
“Thursday’s temperature of 99 degrees will go in the record books as the hottest November day in the Phoenix Valley since [record-keeping began in] 1895…
“Previously, the hottest recorded day in November topped out at 96 degrees, according to the Weather Service.”
“Thursday marked 199 straight days without any measurable rainfall in Sin City [Las Vegas] according to the National Weather Service office there, and the forecast is dry for Friday too, making a 200-day dry streak all but certain.
“Vegas’ previous all-time dry record dry streak was a paltry 150 days set in 1959.”
“The number of severe forest fires across the western US has increased eightfold in the past 35 years, a study has found.
“The rise in area burned by high-severity fires is linked to hotter and drier weather across the region, said scientists. Researchers expect the frequency of blazes will continue to increase…”
“Parts of Ontario and Quebec are about to see a stretch of record-breaking warmth never experienced in November before…
“Temperatures for the days ahead will be more typical of early October, and even late September for some, as daytime highs soar into the mid to upper teens each day.”
“Florida in the path of Eta and it could become a hurricane again…
“The 2020 hurricane season continues its relentless onslaught… at least two more landfalls seem likely: Cuba on Sunday and possibly South Florida on Monday.”
“Dozens dead as Eta wreaks waterlogged havoc on Central America.
“The remnants of Hurricane Eta unleashed torrential rains and catastrophic flooding on Central America, with fatalities sharply up on Thursday mostly because of mudslides…”
“Several heat records were broken in the Caribbean in 2020. In particular, in September, Dominica, Grenada and Puerto Rico broke their all-time national / territorial high temperature records.”
“In Brazil’s Amazon, capacity is lacking to battle growing numbers of runaway wildfires:
“The Amazon city of Novo Progresso, for instance… has no firefighting capacity. The nearest fire department is in Itaituba, more than 400 km (250 miles) away.
“That means that when blazes escape control, there can be little prospect of getting them put out before they turn into major threats.”
“A sign of the summer to come: Huge hailstones, severe thunderstorms and a months’ worth of rain to fall in Australia – and forecasters predict the weather won’t get better until March.
“More wild weather is expected on east coast today and throughout next week.”
“Tropical storm Siony is moving towards the Pacific Ocean and is expected to make landfall in the Philippines on Thursday night or Friday morning, said Philippines’ weather bureau on Wednesday…
“The storm is moving slowly but it could still intensify into a typhoon…”
“There has been an increase in the number of water-borne diseases in Hyderabad [India] due to the recent [unprecedented] floods, said Dr. Shankar, Superintendent, Fever Hospital…
“…especially water-borne diseases like diarrhea, typhoid and other diseases like malaria, chicken guinea; these cases have increased,” Dr. Shankar added.”
“New Delhi, Nov 5 October recorded the warmest nights in the last 50 years and the month was the third warmest in terms of average monthly maximum and mean temperature during the same period, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Thursday.”
“Storm Causes Massive Flooding And Damage In Coastal Cities In Israel:
“Due to the major rainstorm that struck Israel on Tuesday night and carried on through most of Wednesday, rescue teams were busy in numerous coastal cities aiding people who got stuck due to floods that washed out various neighborhoods.”
“Cyprus sees rain after hottest summer ever: Cyprus saw its first winter rainfall on Wednesday signalling the end of a long, hot dry summer with temperatures finally dropping to the average for the season…
“In September, Cyprus sweated under the hottest day on record as temperatures reached a whopping 46.2°C.”
“In a place that barely sees 10 inches of rain per year, Libya, a largely desert country in North Africa, isn’t exactly a hotspot for severe weather.
“But atmospheric scientists are investigating an episode of “gargantuan” hail that pummeled Libya’s capital city last week, with individual hailstones nearly 7 inches in diameter.”
“Animals across the Arctic are changing where and when they breed, migrate and forage in response to climate change, says a new study unveiling the massive scale of the change.
“The changes mean humans in the Arctic may have to adapt and adjust everything from hunting seasons to conservation to land use, scientists say.”
“When the crew and passengers of the nuclear-powered icebreaker ship 50 Years of Victory reached the north pole in 2018, they placed a time capsule in the ice floe… for whomever might discover it in the future.
“The future came pretty swiftly. The cylinder was found this week on the north-western tip of Ireland after floating an estimated 2,300 miles from the Arctic Circle, where global heating is melting a record amount of ice.”
“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.
“Greenland’s largest glaciers are currently melting at levels close to what scientists had previously expected under a future “worst-case scenario”, a study has found.
“…unprecedented wildfires are devastating large land areas within the Arctic Circle…
“In a last-ditch attempt to make good on promises to the oil and gas industry, the Trump administration is rushing to formalize plans to drill for oil in the Arctic national wildlife refuge before Joe Biden takes office. 
“Video shows damage at Rocky Mountain National Park after wildfires burned 30,000 acres:
“Sequoia experts may never know how many of the world’s most massive trees died in the Castle fire [California], but judging by what they have seen so far, they say the number is certainly in the hundreds — and could easily top 1,000.
“A fast-moving wildfire burning in winds gusting in excess of 50 mph (80 kph) destroyed multiple homes in a southwest Reno neighborhood Tuesday and forced the evacuation of hundreds more on the edge of the Sierra foothills.
“We usually think of Las Vegas as the land of milk and honey… But experts have been predicting for years that, by 2021, water levels in Lake Mead could drop to such a low level it would create a water shortage.
“This summer was Arizona’s hottest on record, and in August, the city clocked four days that were 43 degrees C (110 degrees F) or hotter and 26 that were over 37 degrees C (99 degrees F). Tucson temperatures are on average 2.5 degrees C (4.5 degrees F) warmer now than in 1970…
“When will it end? We’re officially eight weeks into fall, and Phoenix is still having a hard time forgetting its summer.
“A rare tornado warning was issued for Manhattan and the Bronx on Sunday night as strong winds [up to 75mph] and rain pummelled the area…
“The Mexican government has admitted it took the decision to release unusually large amounts of water from a dam in the south of the country, which has left thousands of people homeless.
“Iota is now considered the strongest storm to hit Nicaragua in the country’s history and has killed six people, according to the Nicaraguan government…
“As 2020 Amazon fire season winds down, Brazil carbon emissions rise.
“New Zealand marine heatwave looms following warmest winter on record: 
“Emergency crews are still clearing the trail of destruction left behind after a severe thunderstorm struck Newcastle [NSW, Australia] overnight.
“A state of calamity has been declared in the province of Bulacan [Philippines] on Tuesday following widespread flooding that left at least P1 billion in damage to agriculture and infrastructure.
“Rising sea-surface temperatures, caused by excessive levels of greenhouse gases heating the atmosphere, mean the Philippines is facing larger storms, more often.
“While world grappled with Covid-19, Indonesia lost over 200,000 hectares [this is actually a lower number than usual but it’s still gone forever] to forest fires:
“More than 23,000 residents of Obongi District in West Nile, Uganda, have been displaced from their homes as the sub-region experiences severe flooding caused by rising River Nile waters.
“Somalia’s ongoing seasonal rains have affected nearly 214,000 people, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said on Monday.
“The Mer de Glace [glacier, France] has been shrinking since the beginning of the 20th century, but the loss has accelerated over the past two decades. 
“The world should react with the same urgency to climate change as is to the coronavirus crisis, the Red Cross says, warning that global warming poses a greater threat than COVID-19.
“Earth endured exceptional heat last month with October 2020 ranking fourth-hottest October on record.
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“Climate change seen through rapid rise of temperatures throughout S. Korea: 
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Perth’s wettest November confirmed
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“After a brief run of sweater weather, temperatures are heating back up in Phoenix, and a new set of potential records are up for grabs. 
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On the other side of the jet stream trough
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“It’s the year of the unprecedented and the hurricane season has been no exception.
“Argentina’s wheat harvest is seen at 16.7 million tonnes, slightly down from the previous 17 million tonne estimate due to a prolonged drought, the Rosario Grains Exchange (BCR) said…
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“As Sudan faced the worst floods in a century, we travelled to Khartoum to meet some of those most affected: 
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“If this weather pattern holds, 
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“In Brazil’s Amazon, capacity is lacking to battle growing numbers of runaway wildfires
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“In a place that barely sees 10 inches of rain per year, Libya, a largely desert country in North Africa, isn’t exactly a hotspot for severe weather. 
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