“Small Russian town is epicenter of unprecedented heatwave:
“The summer of 2020 beat the records. Since measurements started in year 1881, the temperatures in the Arctic have never been this high, according to Russia’s meteorological service Roshydromet.
“And the most extreme examples are found in the Russian part of the region… the average Russian Arctic temperatures were as much as 3-5 degrees Celsius higher than normal…
“Russian Arctic temperature records have this summer come one after another…. In June, the village of Vekhoyansk in northern Yakutia had the highest temperature ever measured north of the Arctic Circle — 38 degree Celsius.”
“A woman who visited a “heave mound” on Siberia’s Arctic tundra before it exploded to form a huge crater said it was “as if the earth was breathing” and that the ground was shaking…
“”She quickly left the place just in time before it exploded. If she had shown more curiosity, she would have been killed by this explosion and we would have the first victim.””
““Zombie” wildfires that were smoldering beneath the Arctic ice all winter suddenly flared to life this summer when the snow and ice above it melted, new monitoring data reveals.
“And this year has been the worst for Arctic wildfires on record, since reliable monitoring began 17 years ago…”
“From South Jordan to South Willard and beyond, northern Utah residents are reporting widespread wind damage from an arctic storm the day after Labor Day.”
“From summer heat to snow in 18 hours: Weather whiplash strikes Rocky Mountain states…
“Winter weather advisories and winter storm warnings blanket the Rockies, the alerts Monday overlapping with warnings advertising high fire danger as wildfires continue to rage across the West. Exceptionally hot, dry weather this week left many asking “is this a joke?” when bulletins were issued for the sudden anticipated snowfall.”
“Uncontrolled wildfires driven by high winds and unprecedented temperatures raged across the U.S. West on Tuesday, incinerating the Washington town of Malden and threatening communities in Oregon and California…
““The scale of this disaster really can’t be expressed in words,” said Brett Myers, sheriff of Whitman County, where the town of 200-300 people is located. “I pray everyone got out in time.””
“California is having a record-breaking year of flames, as dozens of wildfires have set the state ablaze. Wildfires have burned more than 2.2 million acres (8,903 square kilometers) across California this year…
“”This is crazy. We haven’t even got into the October and November fire season and we’ve broken the all-time record,” Cal Fire Capt. Richard Cordova told CNN.”
“The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is continuing to chug along at a record pace with Tropical Storm Paulette and Tropical Storm Rene forming over a period of just six hours Monday, as forecasters warn most of the strongest storms lie ahead.
“So far, 17 named storms have formed… putting it on a pace unseen since record-keeping began in 1851.”
“Thousands of migrants fled a camp under COVID-19 lockdown after multiple fires gutted much of the site on the Greek island of Lesbos, authorities said early Wednesday…
“Wildfires fanned by strong winds were also burning in two other areas on the island.”
“Torrential floods hit Algiers, Algeria’s capital, after heavy rains. September 7th and 8th, 2020.
“”The rains that fell on the night of Monday, September 7 in Algiers caused significant damage. These stormy rains, accompanied by hail, flooded several towns in the capital and paralyzed road traffic on several axes.”
“Over 1,500 families in Northern Cameroon have been displaced as overwhelming floods – from heavy rainfall in the town of Maroua the last few days, have destroyed their homes, washed away livestock and devastated plantations.
“The installed embankment along the Logone River has also given out and even bridges have collapsed, leaving the inhabitants despondent [I’ll bet!].”
“Frustration in Dakar as fresh Senegal floods wreak havoc.
“There is anger in Senegal over severe flooding that has left at least four people dead after Dakar and wide swathes of the country were steeped in heavy rains. Roads were blocked and homes collapsed.”
“Rising Nile floodwaters are threatening to swamp an ancient archaeological site in Sudan after rivers in the country reached some of the highest ever recorded levels, archaeologists said.
“Teams have set up sandbag walls and are pumping out water to prevent damage at the ruins of Al-Bajrawiya, once a royal city of the two-millennia-old Meroitic empire…”
“Projections show rainfall patterns shifting in Afghanistan, with longer dry spells, but heavier rain is also predicted in the spring and summer when the parched land cannot absorb it…
““Afghanistan is extremely vulnerable to climate change. In a country where more than 50 per cent live in poverty and rely on the environment for their livelihoods, the effects of climate-induced disasters such as droughts and floods could be disastrous. Nor is the country equipped to handle these disasters.””
“Torrential rains have claimed 246 lives and injured 170 others in Pakistan since June when the monsoon began in the country, the disaster management agency said on Monday.”
“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he will reconsider year-end projects after a typhoon battered several areas of the country…
“The typhoon damage left North Korea “with the situation in which we cannot help but change the direction of our struggle after comprehensively considering the year-end tasks that were under way … ” Kim said in a statement carried by KCNA.”
“Scientists may just have identified Thwaites Glacier’s Achilles heel. This Antarctic colossus is melting at a rapid rate, dumping billions of tonnes of ice in the ocean every year and pushing up global sea-levels.
“Now, a UK-US team has surveyed the deep seafloor channels in front of the glacier that almost certainly provide the access for warm water to infiltrate and attack Thwaites’ underside.”
“From erratic rainfall to severe droughts, global warming is increasing competition for water around the world, with water-related conflicts on the rise.
“According to the WRI, more than two billion people live in countries experiencing “high” water stress.”
“A report commissioned by federal regulators overseeing the nation’s commodities markets has concluded that climate change threatens U.S. financial markets, as the costs of wildfires, storms, droughts and floods spread through insurance and mortgage markets, pension funds and other financial institutions.
““A world wracked by frequent and devastating shocks from climate change cannot sustain the fundamental conditions supporting our financial system,” concluded the report…”
There’s too much news for me not to do a climate thread today, unfortunately. There may not be another thread until Wednesday but we shall see. Events seem to keep overtaking me!
“Svalbard experienced hottest summer on record: Glaciers are melting, permafrost thaws and buildings are sagging. What scares the scientists most is studies of decomposing carbon from beneath the ground being emitted to the atmosphere as CO2 or methane…
“In the 1990s, a clear change was observed, and after 1997 the researchers have not registered a single summer with a mean temperature under the normal.”
“An early taste of winter with record cold temperatures and snow — yes, snow — is on the way for the Rocky Mountains.
“A strong September cold front is set to drop out of Canada in the beginning of the week, making its presence known from the Dakotas all the way down to Texas by Wednesday.”
“As of Saturday afternoon, not only had a new record been set, but Denver had officially recorded its latest day of 100 degrees or hotter since record-keeping began…
“By 4:40 p.m., the temperature had ticked up to 101 degrees, according to weather service, a new record high for September.”
“September has arrived but the record-breaking heat has not left Death Valley.
“On Saturday, the high at Death Valley National Park was 125 degrees… its all-time hottest temperature for September. The previous record was 123, set in 1996.”
“California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in five counties late Sunday as multiple wildfires continue to burn across the state following a weekend that brought both record high heat and record acres scorched…
“Tens of thousands of acres have been burned by the three fires, which have also destroyed homes…”
“The largest wildfire in Colorado’s recorded history didn’t destroy scores of homes like other mammoth fires of the past, but it scorched large swaths of ranch land and wildlife habitat tied to many people’s livelihoods.
“The Denver Post reports the Pine Gulch Fire left some ranches in western Colorado blackened and useless for grazing.”
“For most in southwest Louisiana, there’s little debate that the devastation Laura wrought tops that of Hurricane Rita, the 2005 monster of a storm that’s been the yardstick in this part of the state for every hurricane since.
“But there’s a growing sense that, fearsome though Laura was… it’s gone largely unnoticed in the rest of the country…”
“Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro is under renewed criticism over widespread wildfires in the country’s Amazon rainforest, which rights groups say have reached an “alarming” level so far this year.
“A group of environmental NGOs launched a website called Defund Bolsonaro this week…”
“Venezuelan Cities Flooded With Water and Crude Oil Following Heavy Rains…
“Many families were forced to sleep out in the open after water flooded their homes making them uninhabitable…. Three cities in the Venezuelan state of Zulia have been transformed into something resembling Venice, Italy…”
“Senegalese President Macky Sall has activated an emergency aid plan after a seven-hour downpour caused widespread floods.
“Water Minister Serigne Mbaye Thiam told national television that Saturday had seen more rain fall in a single day than the country usually sees in three months of rainy season.”
“After months of unusually heavy rain, thousands of people in Kenya’s Great Rift Valley have evacuated due to intense flooding.
“Rising waters have inundated homes, businesses, farms, and even entire islands. The torrential rains have also caused two important lakes to swell, creating several issues for local wildlife and businesses.”
“Typhoid, cholera outbreak feared due to Karachi’s post-rain insanitary conditions…
“Following last week’s torrential rains, the sewerage system of the city — already in fragile condition — collapsed completely, resulting in filthy water flooding almost all thoroughfares and neighbourhoods of the metropolis.”
“The receding water has revealed the extent of damage in flood-ravaged Kendrapara district, Odisha [India] with the worst hit being farmers…
““The floods have completely shattered the rural economy. Farmers had spent huge amount of money to raise paddy saplings which have been damaged in the floods. With the deluge ruining our livelihood, we now stare at a bleak future,” said Sarat Sahoo, a farmer of Manapur village under Rajkanika.”
“As glaciers in Kashmir are melting fast, having lost 23% of area in the last six decades, the valley could face major water scarcity in coming years which could result in less agricultural productivity.”
“Typhoon Haishen has touched down in South Korea after slamming through southern Japan…
“Haishen is the third typhoon to hit South Korea in a two-week period – the country has not previously been hit by three typhoons in a single year, according to records dating back to 1945.”
“Dozens of schools were closed and workers were barred from outdoor work in Jordan on Sunday as the country toiled through the longest heatwave to hit it in a century of record-keeping…
“The heatwave, which started on August 29 and is expected to continue until September 10, is the longest and hottest on records going back to 1922, the Jordan Meteorological Department said.”
“A teenage boy in Jerusalem died of heatstroke on Sunday, as Israel braced itself for another week of searing temperatures after experiencing the hottest days on record.
“The heatwave, now on its eighth day… has caused multiple life-threatening incidents.”
“Large areas of northern Scotland have been placed on drought alert by environmental watchdogs despite heavy rain and flooding last month.
“The water level in many lochs is “very low”, according to the latest water scarcity report, published at the weekend by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa).”
“Land in Russia’s Arctic blows like a bottle of champagne:
“”Since finding the first crater in 2014, Russian scientists have documented 16 more explosions in the Arctic caused by gas trapped in thawing permafrost…
“…scientists have established that the craters appearing in the far north of western Siberia are caused by subterranean gases, and the recent flurry of explosions is possibly related to global warming.”
“Several of Turkey’s southern provinces saw the hottest September temperatures in history, according to the country’s meteorological department on Sept. 3.
“Adana registered 45.1 degrees Celsius (113.1 degrees Fahrenheit) which is the highest temperature in the province as the previous hottest September was recorded in 1994 with 43.2 degrees Celsius…”
“Another body was recovered on Friday in the aftermath of devastating floods that hit Turkey’s northern province of Giresun last month, bringing the death toll to 11…
“Some 157 people were rescued from imminent death and 12 among them were injured when unprecedented floods hit Giresun…”
“In two regions of Ukraine, the forest fires continue to rage. Initially, 400 hectares were engulfed in flames in the Kharkiv region and 1.200 hectares in the Luhansk region; however, the fire area extended hour after hour due to strong gusts of wind and covered more territory.
“The force of nature led to tragic consequences and numerous destructions…”
“Over what can only be described as a bizarre, all-kinds-of-everything August – we [in Cork] had close to record levels of rain, above-average temperatures and the most sun recorded at any weather station across Ireland.
“And if that wasn’t enough – we finished out the month with two named storms within 48-hours – bringing the worst daily rain-fall to hit Leeside in decades.”
“If two named storms and three areas to watch sound like a bit much for this hurricane season, that may just be the start of what’s likely to be an active September in the tropics.
“The Atlantic is brimming with tropical activity, with the potential for several more storms to form in the next two weeks alone.”
“Monday night was lit — and then some — at the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla. Nearly 30,000 lightning flashes… Hail up to 2 inches in diameter and 75 mph winds were reported…
“A meteorologist at the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center in Norman described the scene as “some of the most intense lightning storms I’ve ever witnessed.””
“The holiday weekend is starting off with hot weather for the history books. Temperatures reached 114 degrees at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Friday afternoon, setting a record…
“Fridayalso marks the 51st day that Phoenix has seen temperatures reached more than 110 degrees. That’s an all-time recordwe’ve been adding to since the previous record was 33 days.”
“With California’s second-, third- and fourth-largest wildfires on record still actively burning, a searing heat wave beginning Friday threatens to set back firefighting efforts, lead to potential rolling electricity service blackouts and smash all-time temperature records throughout the state.
“Heat warnings and advisories are also in effect for parts of Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.”
“A record amount of the world’s largest tropical wetland has been lost to the fires sweeping Brazil this year…
“The enormous fires — often set by ranchers and farmers to clear land, but exacerbated by unusually dry conditions in recent weeks — have engulfed more than 10 percent of the Brazilian wetlands, known as the Pantanal, exacting a toll scientists call “unprecedented.””
“The central Japan city of Sanjo registered a temperature of 40.4 C on Thursday, a national record high for September, as a wide area along the Sea of Japan coast witnessed extraordinary heat.
“The Japan Meteorological Agency said the intense heat in the city in Niigata Prefecture may have been caused by a Foehn wind — a warm, dry gust periodically descending the leeward slope of a mountain.”
“Super Typhoon Haishen is roiling the unusually warm waters of the Western Pacific Ocean, having reached the equivalent of high-end Category 4 intensity, with 155 mph maximum sustained winds.
“The storm rapidly intensified on Thursday Eastern time, vaulting from Category 2 to super typhoon status with sustained winds of 150 mph or greater in about 24 hours.“
“With rising population and declining arable land, China may be staring at a major food crisis…
“…this year rain-triggered floods and drought earlier, have threatened China’s Three Gorges Dam, disrupted rice, wheat and other crops production in South China, and in the Yangtze River basin. Floods have affected 54.8 million people, causing economic loss of US$ 20.8 billion.”
“The town of Kunri, Pakistan, is famous for chili farming and is home to one of the largest chili markets in the world. But in recent years, extreme heat and flooding have destroyed much of farmers’ harvests, impacting the livelihoods “of about 30,000 people,” one trader said.
“Farmers expect to save just 30% of their chili crops this year…”
“Pakistan’s sprawling Karachi ‘broken’ by monsoon floods. Record rains inundated Pakistan’s largest city, paralysing city authorities as people were left to fend for themselves…
“”What we need most right now is clean drinking water and vegetables. You can’t make a meal out of oil or just packets [of dry food],” said Azhar Abbas, a shopkeeper…”
“The Indian Ocean was on full alert again today as an oil supertanker caught fire off the coast of Sri Lanka and began spilling oil late evening on 3 September…
“The vessel, the MT New Diamond, is a Very Large Crude Carrier (VLCC) and was reportedly carrying 2 million barrels of oil. This is double the amount of oil that is putting the entire Red Sea region at risk with a deteriorating, abandoned Yemeni tanker.”
“Sudan’s Security and Defence Council has declared a national state of emergency for three months because of floods that have killed 99 people this year and designated Sudan a natural disaster zone…
“The rates of floods and rain for this year exceeded the records set during the years 1946 and 1988, with expectations of continued rising indicators…”
“There have been more fires alerts around the world this year than last year, spelling dire consequences for health, biodiversity, and the economy — and human actions are mostly to blame.
““The world witnessed the devastating consequences of the fires last year, from billions of wildlife lost and people losing their homes and livelihoods, not to mention the impact on climate,” said Fran Price, global leader for forests at WWF. “And yet, here we are again.””
“A joint research team led by Prof. Cong Zhiyuan from the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research (ITP) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) found that Arctic sea-ice loss intensifies aerosol transport to the Tibetan Plateau…
“…the aerosol optical depth (AOD) presented a significant annual peak in April each year. In this time period, South Asia also experiences intensive forest fires and burning of agricultural wastes.”
“Researchers came to study Russian Arctic glacier, but found only big lake… The glacier used to be the second biggest in the whole Ural region. It was 2,2 km long…
“That is all history. When a group of researchers arrived on site mid-August, the MGU glacier was no longer there.”
“New Zealand has had its warmest winter since records began more than 100 years ago, according to official climate data.
“The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research’s (Niwa) Seven Station Temperature Series, which began in 1909, shows the 2020 winter was 1.14C above average.
“Niwa forecaster Ben Noll said that seven of the 10 warmest winters on record in New Zealand have now occurred since 2000. “It just showcases the trajectory that we are on,” he said.”
“Western Australia has posted its warmest winter on record, largely driven by unprecedented heat in the state’s north.
“According to the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM), WA’s mean maximum temperature was 2.38 degrees Celsius above average, while the mean minimum temperature was 0.81C above average.”
“Eastern Japan recorded its highest average temperature for the month of August since 1946 when records were first kept, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.
“The average temperature for the Kanto-Koshin, Hokuriku and Tokai regions in Eastern Japan in August was 2.1 degrees higher than in an average year, the JMA said Sept. 1.”
“A cargo ship carrying 43 crew and nearly 6,000 cattle sank off Japan after reportedly losing an engine in rough seas caused by Typhoon Maysak, a survivor has said.
“The Filipino crew member, named as Sareno Edvarodo, a 45-year-old chief officer, was rescued late on Wednesday after Japanese navy P-3C surveillance aircraft spotted him wearing a life vest and waving while bobbing in the water.”
“Two powerful typhoons are hurtling toward the Korean Peninsula, threatening to bring more flooding and devastation to an area that has already been battered by one of the wettest monsoon seasons in recent history.
“Typhoon Maysak — which is currently equivalent to a Category 4 hurricane — is expected to make landfall on the southern part of the Korean Peninsula Wednesday night, local time.”
“Bangladesh has experienced intense flooding covering at least a quarter of the country as it goes through monsoon season… along the Jamuna River… high danger levels have been reached or surpassed…
“One of the areas affected is the Pabna district, home to the construction site of Bangladesh’s two nuclear power reactors at the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.”
“Flash floods triggered by heavy rains have killed 15 people and damaged scores of houses in Pakistan’s scenic northwestern Swat Valley, a spokesman said.
“It comes as rescuers assisted residents in the port city of Karachi, where last week’s rains wreaked havoc that killed dozens.”
“Nearly 120,000 people have been displaced by flash floods caused by heavy rains across Chad in the month just ended.
“At least 32,000 of the affected persons are in N’Djamena, the country’s capital city, according to IOM’s Displacement Tracking Matrix (DTM). DTM data further indicate a total of 7,122 households have been affected.”
“A heatwave that arrived in Turkey last week will continueas meteorologists warned temperatures may rise further…
“Weather experts warn that temperatures may be the highest in decades for September in central parts of the country, particularly in the Aegean region and landlocked parts of the Black Sea region.”
“Last month, Cyprus witnessed the hottest August on record with the daily average temperature recorded in Nicosia reaching a blistering 39.5 degrees Celsius.
“The second highest daily average for the month was recorded in August 2010 when average temperatures recorded standing at 39.3֯ C.”
“The largest and most symbolic glacier in the Dolomites could vanish within 15 years because of global heating, Italian scientists have warned.
“The 3,343m Marmolada, located on the border of the Trentino and Veneto regions and known as the Queen of the Dolomites, has already lost more than 80% of its volume over the last 70 years.”
“…rain has been welcomed in parts of Argentina ravaged by wildfires. About 22,000 of them are burning, in at least a dozen provinces – including one of the most biodiverse regions in the country.”
“Record-high temperatures are expected across California for the holiday weekend, increasing fire risk and exacerbating poor air quality…
““This is an exceptionally dangerous event, especially considering the holiday weekend and the ongoing pandemic,” warned the NWS forecast office in San Diego. “This event will be hotter than the recent mid-August heat wave. Temperatures this high, and this widespread, are rarely ever seen in this area.””
“With flames racing across hundreds of square miles throughout Colorado and California this summer… residents can’t help but wonder what our beloved forests will look like in a few decades.
“A new University of Colorado Boulder-led study offers an unprecedented glimpse, suggesting that when forests burn across the Southern Rocky Mountains, many will not grow back and will instead convert to grasslands and shrublands.”
“Chicago’s meteorological summer didn’t set too many records as it happened, but higher-than-normal temperatures each month stacked up to make for the hottest summer on record…
“The average temperature for the months of June, July and August was 76.7 degrees, besting the average temperature of 76.4 degrees set in 1955…”
“Meteorological summer (June, July & August) is now in the rear view mirror – and this was certainly one for the record books.
“Summer 2020 was the hottest on record in Tampa going all the way back to 1890. This was assisted in large part by a record hot and unusually dry month of July.”
“Tropical Depression Fifteen strengthened slightly Tuesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center upgraded it to Tropical Storm Omar. Just hours earlier, a vigorous tropical disturbance in the Caribbean became Tropical Storm Nana, according to the hurricane center.
“The record-breaking hurricane season continues to churn out storms. Nana and Omar are the earliest 14th and 15th named storms in the Atlantic basin, respectively, each breaking a record from the 2005 season.”
“The Bering Sea ice cover during the winters of 2018 and 2019 hit new lows not seen in thousands of years, scientists reported on Wednesday, adding to concerns about the accelerating impact of climate change in the Arctic…
“[Scientists used analysis of] …peat land, which holds organic compounds from plants dating back millennia, on the remote St. Matthew island off Alaska.”
“The multinational company that operates the Red Dog Mine in Northwest Alaska says that thawing permafrost linked to global warming has forced it to spend nearly $20 million to manage its water storage and discharge.”
““Today is the start of the Northern Hemisphere autumn in meteorological terms. Summer 2020 had a major impact on ice shelves and glaciers,” WMO spokesperson Clare Nullis told a twice-weekly UN briefing.
““The summer of 2020 has been marked by many new temperature records.”“
“A succession of heatwaves and extreme weather conditions have forced French winemakers to undertake the earliest grape harvest in nearly 500 years.
“Vineyards in Burgundy scrambled to organise grape picking after abnormally hot and dry conditions brought the fruit to maturity more than a month earlier than average years, according to local records.”
“Huge blazes have threatened to ruin an ancient city in Greece, and have forced thousands to flee their homes in Spain and Italy.
“In Greece, four water-dropping planes and two helicopters helped dozens of firefighters contain a huge blaze on Sunday at the edge of one of the country’s most important archaeological sites – Mycenae.”
“High winds, tornadoes and giant hail: extreme weather hit many parts of Italy’s north and centre-north this weekend, leaving at least four holidaymakers dead and causing widespread damage. Weather alerts continue over the coming days.”
“Cyprus issued its first-ever red warning during a sweltering heatwave as maximum temperatures are expected to soar to a scorching 44 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day of 2020…
“…meteorologist Philippos Tymvios said according to data this August could also be the hottest on record.
““If today’s temperatures match our predictions, then we will probably be announcing that this year’s August has smashed the record.””
“Rescuers in Afghanistan continued to search amidst mud and rubble for missing people on Saturday after flash flooding this week killed around 160 people and washed away homes across the country, officials said.
“Thirteen provinces, mostly in the country’s north, had been affected by floods, according to the Ministry for Disaster Management.”
“After sweeping across Japan’s Ryukyu Islands on Monday night local time, powerful Typhoon Maysak is headed for a likely Wednesday landfall in South Korea that may lead to widespread and potentially severe damage.
“At 8 a.m. EDT Monday, August 31… Maysak was about 110 miles south-southwest of Kadena Air Force Base on the island of Okinawa… packing 1-minute sustained winds of 125 mph, the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane.”
“North Korea is putting all-out efforts to minimize crop damage from Typhoon Bavi and record rainfall this season, calling it an “urgent” matter for the country’s self-reliance and self-prosperity, state media said Monday…
“The recent flooding… has raised concerns over food security…”
“A storm early Sunday morning in Unalaska recorded high gusts of 120 mph…
“…according to climatologist Rick Thoman, “This was the strongest storm to affect Alaska during the month of August on record…
““Most of the North Pacific Ocean surface temperatures are warmer than normal: virtually the entire Bering Sea ocean surface temperatures are warmer than normal,” Thoman said.”
“Ketchikan, Southeast Alaska, has unofficially broken its summer rainfall record with 47 inches of its famous “liquid sunshine” in the months of June, July and August.
“And that’s not the only rain-related record that Ketchikan broke this summer. Here’s National Weather Service Forecaster Wes Adkins.
““So not only have you had the most accumulations, but you’ve also suffered the most rainy days,” Adkins said.”
“Remember May, when we all wished it would just stop raining? Well, it did.
“After experiencing the wettest May ever, Chicago hit a dry spell that only worsened as summer progressed, with the area now on the verge of drought, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.”
“A Los Angeles-area natural gas plant has been leaking large amounts of planet-warming gas methane for years…
“…the city has been aware of the urgency since at least March but has not scheduled repairs until later this year, according to a recording made public on Wednesday.”
“August was Tucson’s hottest month ever recorded, with sizzling temperatures breaking the previous record — set in July.
“In addition, the summer season from June 1 through Aug. 31 was Tucson’s hottest in all 125 years of weather records, breaking the previous summer heat record set in 1994.”
“As August ends, so does the warmest summer on record in Providence, Rhode Island.
“from June 1 through August 31, the average temperature in the Providence area was the warmest we’ve recorded. That 74.5-degree reading was calculated by taking all 92 high and low temperatures from those days and averaging them together.”
“The amount of carbon dioxide emitted by Arctic wildfires this year is already 35% higher than the figure for the whole of 2019.
“The latest data, provided by the EU’s Copernicus atmosphere monitoring service, shows that up to 24 August 245 megatonnes of CO2 had been released from wildfires this year. The figure for the whole of last year was 181 megatonnes.”
“The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, which hold enough frozen water to lift oceans 65 metres, are tracking the UN’s worst-case scenarios for sea level rise, researchers said Monday, highlighting flaws in current climate change models.
“Mass loss from 2007 to 2017 due to melt-water and crumbling ice aligned almost perfectly with the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change’s (IPCC) most extreme forecasts.”
“The volume of lakes formed as glaciers worldwide melt due to climate change had jumped by 50 percent in 30 years, according to new study based on satellite data.
“”We have known that not all meltwater is making it into the oceans immediately,” lead author Dan Shugar, a geomorphologist and associate professor at the University of Calgary, said in a statement.
“”But until now there were no data to estimate how much was being stored in lakes or groundwater.””
“Flooding caused by heavy rains in Niger has killed at least 45 people this week and forced more than 226,000 from their homes.
“Niger’s western region has been hardest hit by days of torrential rain that caused the Niger River to overflow, essentially shutting down the capital, Niamey.”
“An horrific event in Uganda left many children dead and injured during a serious electrical storm.
“During a football match in the northwest Ugandan city of Arua, a huge lighting storm hit the pitch and nine children between the ages of thirteen and fifteen lost their young lives.”
“Heavy [record-breaking] rains have hit parts of Pakistan, including the financial capital of Karachi, for a fifth straight night, bringing further flooding to towns and villages and leaving at least 36 people dead.
“About 76cm (30in) of rain have fallen in Karachi since Sunday…”
“India has received the highest rainfall in the month of August this year since 1976—25 per cent more than the average, after recording 10 per cent less downpour than the average in July, thus setting a new record after 44 years, the IMD said…
“According to the IMD data, central India received the highest rainfall in August—57 per cent above the average…”
“Flooding in the riverside villages of Aul, Pattamundai and Rajkanika blocks [Odisha, India] has given rise to fear of crocodiles from Bhitarkanika National Park entering human habitations.
“Several crocodiles have strayed into Brahmani, Kharasotra and Kani rivers from the… Bhitarkanika National Park due to the floods. “
“This summer has been the hottest ever recorded in Taiwan, with several monitoring stations having reported record temperatures, the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) said yesterday…
“Several weather monitoring stations have recorded the highest temperatures ever, including 40.2°C in Taitung County’s Dawu Township, 39.7°C in Taipei…”
“A man, a woman and a four-year-old boy have been killed by falling trees in separate incidents, after wild winds swept across parts of Victoria state in eastern Australia.
“…winds of 158 kilometres per hour (98 miles per hour) – equivalent to a Category 2 cyclone – were recorded at Wilsons Promontory…”
“South America’s Pantanal wetlands — reaching into Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay — are burning at a record pace this year.
“In Brazil, a sanctuary that was home to some of the world’s last surviving blue macaws said it was devastated by fire. And in Argentina, thousands of acres of wetlands around the Parana River have been ablaze for months…”
“California may experience its worst year for wildfires in decades… it has already battled two of the three largest blazes in its recorded history… even before the peak season begins.
“Record temperatures have exacerbated the state’s ongoing drought and triggered dry-lightning that started more than 700 fires…”
“Before and after images have shown the devastation Hurricane Laura has brought to the Gulf Coast of the US.
“The category 4 storm, one of the strongest to ever hit the US, left six people dead and flattened buildings across Louisiana on Thursday before moving inland to Arkansas with heavy rains.”
“Although the remnants of Hurricane Laura are still drenching parts of the eastern U.S. Friday, there are already concerns about more storms stirring in the Atlantic Ocean. The National Hurricane Center has identified two areas for potential tropical development, one in the central Atlantic, the other in the eastern Atlantic.”
Weather whiplash for the UK: “Forecasters have predicted Bank Holiday Monday could be the coldest on record after torrential rain caused flooding in parts of the UK.
“Temperatures are expected to be well below average for the time of year – a stark difference from last year where the highest temperatures on record were seen…”
“With climate models forecasting an increase in long dry spells, heatwaves and drought, as well as intermittent inland floods and violent downpours, many small settlements in Hungary are already suffering from the effects of climate change and extreme meteorological events.
“Just one example is the record 1,000 millimetres of precipitation in 2010 that caused widespread inland waterlogging, only to be followed by two dry years.”
“As Arctic ice melts, polluting ships stream into polar waters…
“Traffic through the Arctic’s busiest lane along the Siberian coast increased 58 percent between 2016 and 2019… As those heavy ships burn fuel, they release climate-warming carbon dioxide as well as black soot.”
“A polar bear has killed a man in Norway’s Arctic Spitsbergen island, local officials say…
“Experts say polar bears’ hunting grounds have diminished as the Arctic ice sheet melts because of climate change, forcing them into populated areas as they try to find food.”
“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
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“The summer of 2020 beat the records. Since measurements started in year 1881, the temperatures in the Arctic have never been this high, according to Russia’s meteorological service Roshydromet.
“A woman who visited a “heave mound” on Siberia’s Arctic tundra before it exploded to form a huge crater said it was “as if the earth was breathing” and that the ground was shaking…
““Zombie” wildfires that were smoldering beneath the Arctic ice all winter suddenly flared to life this summer when the snow and ice above it melted, new monitoring data reveals.
“From South Jordan to South Willard and beyond, northern Utah residents are reporting widespread wind damage from an arctic storm the day after Labor Day.”
“From summer heat to snow in 18 hours: Weather whiplash strikes Rocky Mountain states…
“Uncontrolled wildfires driven by high winds and unprecedented temperatures raged across the U.S. West on Tuesday, incinerating the Washington town of Malden and threatening communities in Oregon and California…
“California is having a record-breaking year of flames, as dozens of wildfires have set the state ablaze. Wildfires have burned more than 2.2 million acres (8,903 square kilometers) across California this year…
“The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is continuing to chug along at a record pace with Tropical Storm Paulette and Tropical Storm Rene forming over a period of just six hours Monday, as forecasters warn most of the strongest storms lie ahead.
“Deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon hit an 11-year high last year and has soared a further 25 percent in the first half of 2020, according to INPE.
“Thousands of migrants fled a camp under COVID-19 lockdown after multiple fires gutted much of the site on the Greek island of Lesbos, authorities said early Wednesday…
“Torrential floods hit Algiers, Algeria’s capital, after heavy rains. September 7th and 8th, 2020. 
“Over 1,500 families in Northern Cameroon have been displaced as overwhelming floods – from heavy rainfall in the town of Maroua the last few days, have destroyed their homes, washed away livestock and devastated plantations.
“Frustration in Dakar as fresh Senegal floods wreak havoc.
“Rising Nile floodwaters are threatening to swamp an ancient archaeological site in Sudan after rivers in the country reached some of the highest ever recorded levels, archaeologists said.
“Projections show rainfall patterns shifting in Afghanistan, with longer dry spells, but heavier rain is also predicted in the spring and summer when the parched land cannot absorb it…
“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he will reconsider year-end projects after a typhoon battered several areas of the country…
“Scientists may just have identified Thwaites Glacier’s Achilles heel. This Antarctic colossus is melting at a rapid rate, dumping billions of tonnes of ice in the ocean every year and pushing up global sea-levels.
“From erratic rainfall to severe droughts, global warming is increasing competition for water around the world, with water-related conflicts on the rise.
“A report commissioned by federal regulators overseeing the nation’s commodities markets has concluded that climate change threatens U.S. financial markets, as the costs of wildfires, storms, droughts and floods spread through insurance and mortgage markets, pension funds and other financial institutions.
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“September has arrived but the record-breaking heat has not left Death Valley. 
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“California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in five counties late Sunday as multiple wildfires continue to burn across the state following a weekend that brought both record high heat and record acres scorched
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“Typhoon Haishen has touched down in South Korea after slamming through southern Japan… 
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“If two named storms and three areas to watch sound like a bit much for this hurricane season, that may just be the start of what’s likely to be an active September in the tropics. 
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“The holiday weekend is starting off with hot weather for the history books. Temperatures reached 114 degrees at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport on Friday afternoon, setting a record…
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“With flames racing across hundreds of square miles throughout Colorado and California this summer… residents can’t help but wonder what our beloved forests will look like in a few decades.
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“Meteorological summer (June, July & August) is now in the rear view mirror – and this was certainly one for the record books. 
“Tropical Depression Fifteen strengthened slightly Tuesday afternoon and the National Hurricane Center upgraded it to Tropical Storm Omar. Just hours earlier, a vigorous tropical disturbance in the Caribbean became Tropical Storm Nana, according to the hurricane center.
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“Remember May, when we all wished it would just stop raining? Well, it did.
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Weather whiplash for the UK
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