“Billions of tonnes of ice in Greenland is melting 50 years ahead of climate change schedules…
“…preventing inhabitants from moving around the country by sledge and leading to the surreal spectacle of children playing in the Arctic sea due to rising temperatures.”
“A Russian naval expedition has discovered five Arctic islands as climate change melts glaciers and reveals landforms previously hidden under ice.
“Ranging in size from 900 to 54,500 square metres, the five tiny islands are located in the cove of Vize off the northeastern shore of Novaya Zemlya, which divides the Barents and Kara seas in the Arctic ocean, a defence ministry statement said…
“The islands were previously concealed under the Nansen glacier, also known as the Vylka, which is part of Europe’s largest ice cap covering much of Novaya Zemlya’s northern island.”
“The Arctic shortcut that connects Asia and Europe is open and ice-free and shipping appears smooth, also for vessels without ice class standards…
“The last pieces of frozen water vanished in mid-August… That includes the East Siberian Sea… Developments on the Northern Sea Route are closely connected with current dramatic climate changes in the area… ice melting is reaching unprecedented levels.”
“Global warming combined with the most serious drought in more than 30 years has led both to massive forest fires throughout Russia east of the Urals and to an abnormal drop in the water levels of major rivers
“…putting a halt to most river traffic and thus leaving many in the far north without the supplies they will need for the coming winter.”
“A destructive wildfire season in Alaska has only grown worse in recent weeks, as the Swan Lake Fire has spread rapidly. Located near Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula, the blaze has been fueled by an incredibly warm and dry summer.
“Since being ignited by lightning on June 5, the blaze has become the country’s largest wildfire at a total size of 158,042 acres…”
“A fast-flying migratory butterfly from the Mediterranean is appearing in large numbers across southern England this summer as a result of global heating, experts say.
“More than 50 long-tailed blues and hundreds of the butterfly’s eggs have been discovered in recent weeks, which is likely to result in an unprecedented emergence of the butterfly in Britain later this autumn.”
“The French government has announced that almost all the central strip of the country (from Nantes to Dijon) is in “crisis alert” as well as parts of the southwest, near Toulouse.
“This means that water can only be used for the most essential needs – such as drinking water, sanitary and public health usage. Agricultural usage, however, is prohibited under this alert.”
“Over the past seven decades, the number of extreme heat days in Europe has steadily increased, while the number of extreme cold days has decreased, according to new research.
“Alarmingly, this trend is happening at rates faster than those proposed by climate models.”
“Climate change is cooking our fish before they even leave the sea. Marine heatwaves on the surface of the Mediterranean are breaking records for temperature and duration.
“Surface heatwaves are affecting as much as half the Mediterranean basin and are wreaking ecological havoc…”
“At least seven people were killed Wednesday when a river burst its banks and flooded a village football pitch where a game was being played in south Morocco, local authorities said. Eight men who took refuge in the changing rooms were swept away by the floodwaters, the witness, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
“”We’re in shock. I’m 64 years old and I’ve never seen such a downpour,” the witness said.”
“Five people feared dead after a flooded river burst following torrential rains in Eastern Uganda.
““Relatives of the people suspected to have been buried under mud across over 800 metres have been desperately trying to recover the bodies but they are being hampered by the lack of appropriate tools,“said James Ingoi is Bulambuli’s acting deputy chief administrative officer…”
“More than 2.5 million Kenyans are facing starvation as drought and the food security situation in the country continues to deteriorate, says Kenya’s National Drought Management Authority…
“The agency issued the warning in its latest report says the number of 2.6 million people facing food shortages had increased from the estimated 1.6 million people previously assessed to be at risk as at the end of May.”
“The ochre ground is cracked from dryness [Thailand].
“Even the sections that look green and thriving belie the lack of rain that has hit hard over the past few months. “I have been doing agriculture my whole life,” the 43-year-old said, eyes wet with despondency. “This drought is the worst.”
“A tornado has swept through Hainan island in southern China, killing eight people and injuring two others. The official Xinhua News Agency said the tornado struck Nada town in Danzhou city early Thursday morning.”
“Massive flooding triggered by torrential rain in southwestern Japan has left three people dead and one missing, while more than 1,900 people were being accommodated at evacuation centers as of Thursday morning.”
“Counting Thursday, Metservice’s Auckland Airport weather station has recorded 27 “rainy days”. A rainy day, according to the weather forecaster, is a day with 0.1mm of rain or more…
“That’s equal to the current August record at Auckland Airport set in 2010.
“It’s also only one day less than the highest number of rainy days for any month which was set last month with 28… With two days left this month, both records could be broken.”
“The fires raging in the Brazilian Amazon are likely to intensify over the coming weeks, a leading environmental expert has warned, despite government claims the situation had been controlled.
“About 80,000 blazes have been detected in Brazil this year – more than half in the Amazon region – although on Saturday the far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, claimed the situation was “returning to normal”.”
“Torrential rain hit southwestern Japan on Wednesday, prompting local governments to instruct hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate as rivers overflowed and landslides struck in what the weather agency called an “unprecedented downpour” that left at least two people dead.
“The whole area was under the water, and we couldn’t even see the roofs of vehicles,” said a 59-year-old man who was evacuated with his family to a temple in Takeo…
“Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures issued evacuation instructions to around 847,000 residents at one point after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its maximum level-5 warning for floods and landslides in the northern Kyushu region, with precipitation levels approaching their highest levels in decades.”
“The tropical cyclone is expected may reach typhoon status prior to reaching land for a second time. A general west to west-northwestward track during this time will take the storm near or just south of Hainan, China, and then into northern Vietnam and northern Laos.”
“At least 90 people were killed with 65 others injured by severe monsoon flooding and landslides, which occurred nationwide in Myanmar since late June this year, an official from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement told Xinhua.
“From June 25 to Aug. 26, monsoon rains have led to widespread flooding and landslides, displacing a total of 211,800 residents across Myanmar…”
“Records were shattered as Perth’s temperature reached a glorious 30C just after 2pm this afternoon. It is the hottest winter day ever recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology, beating the previous mark of 28.1C set on June 5, 1965.
“The scorcher tops the average maximum temperature for this time of year by around 9 degrees and comes after Australia recorded its hottest-ever month in January.”
“There are now approximately five times as many wildfires burning in Africa than in the Amazon, according to images captured by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) technology last week.
“The affected countries include the Democratic Republic of Congo, Gabon, Cameroon and Angola in the heart of Central Africa.”
“Weak rainfall is unlikely to extinguish a record number of fires raging in Brazil’s Amazon anytime soon, with pockets of precipitation through to Sept 10 expected to bring only isolated relief, according to weather data and two experts.
“The world’s largest tropical rainforest is being ravaged as the number of blazes recorded across the Brazilian Amazon has risen 79% this year through to Aug 25…”
“According to a recent study by IPAM, forest mortality can affect up to 90% of trees in dry years, especially on the edge of the forests. “The landscape is changing radically,” said IPAM’s Brando.
“”We’re seeing grazing lands penetrate the forest and a major decline in biodiversity.””
“During the afternoon of Tuesday high temperatures occurred from the valleys of Atacama to the interior sectors of the Valparaíso Region. The Coquimbo region was the one with the highest heat, reaching 37.1 degrees in Vicuña and 36 in Monte Patria and Ovalle, according to information provided by Mega meteorologist Jaime Leyton.”
“Across the Southwest [USA], people are wondering when seasonal rainstorms will make their way through the region…
“The Flagstaff airport usually logs nearly 5.5 inches of rain by now but has only seen one-fifth of that — the driest in 120 years. Las Vegas has barely recorded any rain. The city of St. George had zero rain in July and August — far from the average 1.25 inches.”
“The City of Seldovia [Alaska] issued an emergency disaster declaration at a council meeting on Aug. 26 over the depletion of its public water source. The city says it has 14 days of water left.
“The declaration cited record high temperatures and lack of precipitation across the state which has caused its water supply to rapidly diminish. The declaration says there is “not a foreseen renewable source of water forthcoming in the immediate future.””
“The Trump administration is moving to lift logging restrictions on Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the country’s largest national forest, The Washington Post reports.
“The president reportedly directed Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue to lift the restrictions put in place under the Clinton administration’s 2001 “Roadless Rule” earlier this month…”
“Environment Canada has issued a weather warning to the residents of the Maritime provinces, advising them that a ‘tropical cyclone’ is expected to hit eastern Canada before the end of the week. Tropical storm ‘Erin’ is expected to form on Tuesday afternoon, and will then track northeastward from the Carolinas into Canada.”
“Kids splashing each other in the sea and locals wearing t-shirts were unheard of here in August 10 years ago…
“But now, alongside teenage girls wearing skirts to school and increasing mosquitoes, it is a common occurrence for the residents of Qaanaaq, in north-west Greenland, one of the world’s most northerly cities situated 700 miles north of the Arctic Circle.”
“2019 has been a year of temperature records in Norway, and they keep on coming. New records were set in the final days of August.
“On 27 August, a temperature of 30.1C was recorded in Etne, Hordaland.
“Never before has it been so hot, so late in the year. The Norwegian Meteorological Institute confirmed that the previous record for a 30C+ day in Norway was 26 August, 1947.”
“Since the wildfires are up north, their ash and soot, which releases black carbon, pose a massive threat to the Arctic region’s ice sheets. They could accelerate melting, which will increase the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere.
“With less nearby forest to absorb it, this carbon will contribute to global warming at an unprecedented rate. Likewise, melting of the ice sheets might free previously-trapped permafrost methane…”
“Austria has just seen the second-warmest summer season in 253 years of recorded history, according to preliminary figures released Tuesday by the Central Institute of Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG).
“This summer, measured from June through August, has been 2.7 degrees Celsius hotter than the long-term average, taking into account prognoses for the last few days of August. The result brings it just below the hottest summer in recorded history in 2003, which was 2.8 degrees hotter than average.”
“This is the shocking moment a street in Madrid was turned into ‘hellish’ rapids following storms and heavy rainfall this afternoon.
“Vehicles can be seen being washed away by the gushing stream in the streets of Arganda, an area just south east of Madrid capital.
“The footage was tweeted by climate expert Mario Picazo.
“A strong thunderstorm has hit the southeast of Madrid,” he wrote, “These are the first images from the streets of Arganda, where the skies have collapsed in just a few minutes… wow!”
“A spectacular tornado has hit the outskirts of Malaga [Spain] tonight as scorching weather gave way to freak storms with torrential rain and thunderstorms.
“Footage of the phenomena has been posted on social media, with the emergency services receiving hundreds of calls.”
“Eindhoven [Holland] is in the grip of its third official heatwave this year, with the temperature topping 30 Celsius for the third day in a row, weather bureau Weerplaza said…
“On Tuesday, when the temperature will top 30 Celsius nationwide, it will be the second official heat wave of the year. There have only been three previous national heatwaves in a single year since official records began in 1901 – in 1941, 2006 and 2018.”
“Another [UK] summer record has been broken with Monday being the hottest late August bank holiday ever, according to the Met Office.
“Temperatures hit 33.2C at Heathrow, up from 28.6C at Tibenham Airfield earlier in the day and smashing the previous record of 28.2C…
“Temperatures also hit a high of 33.3C at Heathrow on Sunday, while hundreds of thousands of people enjoyed what is thought to be the hottest Notting Hill Carnival ever in west London.”
“When record-breaking temperatures of 70°F were reached in 2012 (4°F higher than what was then considered average), the Puffins’ preferred prey were in short supply.
“The herring, haddock and hake (“forage fish”) that the Puffins feed their chicks may have perished or found refuge in deeper, cooler water not accessible to the puffins.”
“A relentless downpour dumping more than 9 inches of rain at some locations Sunday caused flash flooding throughout the Shoals [Alabama] that entered some buildings and delayed schools Monday in Cherokee.”
“A 13-year-old boy drowned Saturday during flash flooding in Missouri, according to local reports. John D. Wheeler, of Carl Junction, Missouri, was identified by police as the teen who died in the floods in Joplin, The Springfield News-Leader reported.
“Joplin is about a Springfield, the third biggest city in Missouri, is about 70 miles southwest of Springfield.”
“New Orleans residents showed how widespread the flooding was on social media. …A Flash Flood Warning was issued around 4 p.m. as 3-5 inches of rain dropped in less than two hours, sending water into homes, businesses and vehicles. New Orleans residents showed how widespread the flooding was.”
“The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning as Tropical Storm Dorian continues to move across the Caribbean toward the island…
“Puerto Ricans have been urged by their governor to prepare for the coming storm. Puerto Rico Gov. Wanda Vázquez Garced declared a state of emergency for the island on Monday.”
“Tropical Storm Ivo left two dead and communities across the country [Mexico] ravaged by floods, sinkholes, hailstorms and damaged infrastructure over the weekend.
“The deaths, a minor in Ahome, Sinaloa, and an adult male in Monterrey, Nuevo León, were both caused by electrocution.”
“As fires continue to rage in Brazil, nearly a million hectares (6,200 sq miles) of farmland and unique dry forest have been destroyed by weeks of blazes across the border in Bolivia, where the flames have now reached the country’s Amazon region.
““This is the biggest ever catastrophe for biodiversity in Bolivia,” said Fernando Vargas, an indigenous leader in the Isiboro Sécure Indigenous territory and national park, known as Tipnis by its Spanish acronym.”
“…Chile is home to 4% of the world’s and 80% of South America’s glaciers. Located in the Andes mountain range, they provide a vitally important water resource but are under threat from global warming. The host country of the UN’s COP25 international climate talks, Chile is working on a new inventory of its glaciers. With only half of the assessment carried out, the outlook is already worrying.”
“The heat in the southern hemisphere is typical of the first months of the year, but not in August. That is why the temperatures that were recorded in recent days in Chile have attracted attention in the meteorological services of the country and the entire continent, as temperatures reached 37 degrees.”
“It’s still winter, but you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise tomorrow with Perth [Western Australia] set to break the record for the hottest day ever in August.
“Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Daryl Vink said the forecast maximum of 28 degrees Celsius would be the hottest in 79 years.”
“Weather officials in Nagasaki prefecture, western Japan, said the heaviest rainfall in half a century hit parts of Tsushima city on Tuesday morning. Evacuation advisories were issued at 8a.m. to more than 5,200 residents in some districts of the city due to heightened risks of mudslides.”
“Heavy rains and floods have killed at least 62 people and injured 98 others in Sudan since July, the Health Ministry said. The disaster has affected almost 36,000 families in 17 of the volatile East African nation’s 18 states, acting Undersecretary of Health Sulaiman Abdul Jabbar told reporters late Sunday in Khartoum.”
“Climate change is altering the ability of the Southern Ocean off the West Antarctic Peninsula to absorb carbon dioxide, according to a Rutgers-led study, and that could magnify climate change in the long run.”
“This summer, Alaska has experienced record high temperatures and devastating wildfires. If such events become more frequent, how might that impact our northernmost forests?
“A team of researchers led by the Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) projected that the combination of climate change and increased wildfires will cause the iconic evergreen conifer trees of Alaska to get pushed out in favor of broadleaf deciduous trees…”
“At least 62 people have died in Sudan as flash flooding across the country causes devastation to people’s homes and livelihoods in the northeast African country.
“The destruction, caused by a barrage of torrential rain that began in July, has affected people across 15 of the country’s states…
“Flooding is believed to have damaged at least 37,000 homes across the country, according to UN estimates, causing at least two thirds of them to completely collapse.”
“As the world focuses on the blazing Amazon rainforest, huge fires engulfing large parts of central and southern Africa have gone largely unnoticed.
“Satellite data shows that Brazil is suffering only one 13th of the world’s fires: an arc of land stretching across Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe and across the water to Madagascar is ablaze.”
“The August bank holiday record for highest temperature in the UK has been broken.
“A recording of 33.3C (91.9F) was noted at Heathrow at around 2.30pm, the Met Office said. The record before today was set in 2001, also at Heathrow, and was 31.5C (88.7F).”
“Record heat and wet weather [in the UK] have created the “perfect” environment for fleas to thrive, leading to huge jump in complaints.
“Calls about the unwanted visitors to the pest controllers shot up a staggering 415 per cent in July compared to the previous month and with the same period last year.”
“Tropical Storm Dorian is expected to strengthen into a hurricane and bring wind, rain and storm surges to the Lesser Antilles and Puerto Rico over the coming week.”
“Torrential rain triggered flash flooding in Fort Smith, Arkansas, early Saturday, killing one motorist, closing roads and forcing residents from their homes… Some Wunderground personal weather stations measured 5 to 8 inches of rain in parts of the Fort Smith metro area Saturday morning. This latest fatality was the 79th flood death in the U.S. so far in 2019…”
“The record-breaking heat of the last few months, the historic drought, and some unlucky lightning strikes have sparked fires that have already burned almost 3 million acres this summer in Alaska.
“More than 800 firefighters, some of whom flew up from the Pacific Northwest, are currently battling the flames in the south-central part of the state.”
“Scientists believe heat stress killed thousands of salmon in an Alaskan river last month…
“Peter Westley, an assistant professor of fisheries at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said migrating fish face different challenges than local fish, and species have different levels of heat tolerance. He also said people shouldn’t be surprised if it happens again…”
““Here in Hawaii, we always talk about sea level rise and that’s been the main focus. You can see it and put metrics on it and it grabs attention,” said Stanbro, who leads Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency.
““But the hurricane stuff, the heat stuff and the fire stuff is what I think will really impact Hawaii before sea level rise gets a chance.””
“Bolivian President Evo Morales has done an about-face declaring himself now open to international aid to fight the blazes that have engulfed rural villages in the border areas of Bolivia and Brazil and doubled in size since Thursday.
“Morales is also suspending his campaign for re-election for at least a week, just two months from election day, to focus on the fires.”
“”We are talking about a process of desertification [in this part of Chile] rather than a temporary drought or absence of rain problem. We are talking about a tendency that has come to stay,” Felipe Machado, director of the country’s resilience institute.”
“Wildfires engulfed more than 400,000 hectares in Siberia overnight on August 25-26, according to combined statements by the Russian Aerial Forest Protection Service and Environmental Ministry say and quoted by TASS… A record 5.5 million hectares was ablaze in Russia in mid-August, mostly in Siberia…”
From historic drought to inundation: “The Tumen River has flooded due to intense rains in the Rajin-Sonbong area in north-eastern North Hamgyong Province, submerging houses in the area, according to local sources.
“Around 500 houses in the area near Wonjong Village have been submerged and there are also reports of fatalities, although the exact number has not been ascertained.”
“The water level was chest high [in Penang in 2017] and furniture in many homes was wrecked, while large trees were uprooted by strong winds and torrential rain. A week of flash floods in November 2017 saw thousands of people displaced in Penang.”
“The peak of this year’s dry season has not only seen fires across thousands of hectares of South Sumatra, one of the worst-affected provinces, but has also left people scrambling for water.
“Rivers and wells have become so depleted that people have been forced to buy water for their daily needs like drinking and cooking.”
“Afghans not only are facing challenges in regard to their safety and security as the country’s presidential election nears, but they also are struggling more than ever to afford the basics such as food and shelter…
“Severe drought conditions over the past several years have set back agriculture in Afghanistan, affecting the country’s economy as well as residents’ food security.”
“At least four people died and more than 100 were injured in lightning strikes during a thunderstorm in Poland, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki says…
“The storm is said to have descended suddenly after a sunny morning.
“”Nobody expected such a sudden storm to break out and from our human point of view it was something which was impossible to predict,” Mr Morawiecki said an emergency meeting in the region.
“There were reports of casualties in different parts of the mountain range. At least four rescue helicopters were sent to the area.””
“A tropical plant has produced male and female cones outdoors in the UK for the first time in 60 million years, in an event that botanists say is a clear indication of climate change.
“Two cycads (cycas revoluta), a type of primitive plant that dominated the Earth’s flora 280 million years ago, have produced cones on the cliffs of a botanic garden on the Isle of Wight, off England’s south coast.”
“When General Franco ordered a valley bordering the Tagus river to be flooded in the 1960s so that a hydro-electric dam could be built to boost the rural economy, a site described as Spain’s Stonehenge was lost to the world.
“Today, as a drought ravages the west of the country, the Bronze Age temple has emerged again on the bed of the dried-up reservoir.
“After more than a year without rain, the megalithic standing stones have reappeared…”
“Torrential rain has destroyed makeshift tents and caused severe flooding to temporary displacement camps in northeast Nigeria, leaving vulnerable families homeless. The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) is appealing for urgent financial assistance to address the colossal humanitarian needs and to prevent the spread of deadly cholera.”
“It has been widely reported that the year 2019 is the driest in 90 years [for Namibia]. Windhoek measured the lowest rainfall since it started recording its rainfall in 1891.
“Government started rolling out the drought relief programme at the beginning of June, after President Hage Geingob declared a national drought emergency in May.”
“The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) jointly activated a level-IV emergency response on Thursday for severe drought in central China’s Hubei Province.
“The work team dispatched to the drought-hit areas earlier had transformed into a disaster relief group to help with drought relief, according to the MEM.”
“In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide.
“Record depths were reached along 500km of the Flinders River, submerging 25,000 square kilometres of country. Cattle were stranded. Many drowned.”
“For the first time in a quarter of a century, parts of NSW’s Hunter region will face water restrictions as the state deals with one of its worst droughts on record.
“The level one water restrictions – which focus on reducing outdoor water use – will kick in on September 16 across the Lower Hunter, which includes the city of Newcastle, 150km north of Sydney.”
“It’s called a sudden stratospheric warming event – and, unlike the name might suggest, the rare phenomenon could spell a burst of bitterly cold weather for New Zealand over coming weeks.
“A sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) event kicks off when the temperature of the stratosphere – that’s 30km to 50km above ground – over the South Pole climbs by more than 25C.
“Meteorologists think it’s likely this is about to happen next week.”
“Amazonia and its trees are a significant source for oxygen, and major sink for absorbing carbon dioxide.
“The process of photosynthesis is important for life on Earth and all of those trees in the Amazon are deterrents to the growing problem of increased greenhouse gases.”
“The American Southwest is feeling the heat with another round of record-challenging temperatures forecast during the last half of August as the region endures one of the driest monsoon seasons on record.
“On Wednesday, at least four record highs were broken in the Southwest, three of which were in Arizona.”
“Streets are flooded in “Coast Guard City, USA,” and the maritime rescue force is responding to dangerous events not seen for decades on Lake Michigan… Welcome to the nation’s “Third Coast,” where climate change is fueling conditions that have turned the Great Lakes into the erratic high seas of the Midwest.”
“Disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks are an increased threat in New Jersey because they are living longer lives due to extended warm months and mild winters.
“Some of the state’s largest and most popular lakes have been inundated by algae blooms this summer due to an exceptionally wet year and exceptionally warm July. And fish that once swam in abundance off the coast of New Jersey have migrated north…”
“Federal fisheries experts are painting a devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit.
“Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson said that 2019 has been an especially difficult year in what has been a decades-long decline in stocks, after his department released a new report on the state of wild Pacific salmon.”
“Scientists from the University of Oregon recently found that the underwater section of a glacier in southeast Alaska is melting at rates up to two orders of magnitude greater than those predicted by theory.
“The results, published in the journal Science, challenge the current models used to predict the melting of tidewater glaciers worldwide.”
“Wildfires are a growing concern around the country [USA]. According to the latest National Climate Assessment, hotter, drier conditions over the past two decades have led to more area being burned across the US.
“To make matters more perilous, since the 1990s, many millions of homes around the country have been built in or near forested areas…”
“Black carbon particles from forest Siberian forest fires, fall down to the arctic ice. As these particles are black, they absorb sunlight and can accelerate ice melt if found in high enough concentrations.
“Our graphic shows black carbon concentrations, where high values can be seen emerging from the Siberian forest fires, circulating into the polar circle.”
“Our research, published today in Current Biology, found some plants have been going extinct up to 350 times faster than the historical average – with devastating consequences for unique species.”
“Nine people have died and 35 are still missing after a series of mudslides in an autonomous region of China’s southwestern Sichuan province, local authorities said Thursday (Aug 22).
“A 33-year-old firefighter was among those killed by a flash flood that tipped over an emergency response vehicle as they went to help people affected by a mudslide in Wenchuan county, according to local officials…
“…more than 100,000 people have been evacuated from Wenchuan in the mountainous Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture.”
“Life has come full circle in Kerala after the devastating floods.
“On August 8, 2018, rain started pounding the state, causing hills to come crashing down the valleys, making huge dams overtop, inundating huge swathes of land and leaving the state grappling with the worst deluge in a century that claimed 433 lives.”
“Weeks after devastating floods affected millions and killed more than 100 people in Bangladesh, many families are still reeling from a lack of aid as the country suffers an outbreak of waterborne diseases.
“Monsoon flooding in nearly half of the country’s districts (28 out of 64) affected more than seven million people, left tens of thousands of houses uninhabitable and destroyed crops over vast areas.”
“The prices of sticky rice seeds and other crops grown in Thailand are increasing because of the wide-reaching drought while those of crops in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are much lower, regardless of the state of supply and demand in the three countries [thus encouraging smuggling].
“Many areas are facing drought in spite of the ongoing wet season.”
“On May 17, 2014, a catastrophic rock-ice avalanche and glacial mudflow took place in the Tergi (Dariali) gorge, blocking strategic infrastructure in Georgia. The disaster resulted in the death of nine people.
“About 200 people were evacuated by helicopter from a border crossing checkpoint and nearby areas. Glacial mudflow destroyed the Trans-Caucasus gas pipeline, Dariali Hydropower Plant, and an international road connecting Georgia and Russia.”
“Sydney’s dam storage levels have dropped below 50% for the first time in more than a decade.
“Storages dropped to 49.7% on Thursday, a 0.4% decline on the previous week. It is the first time since 2004 – which was during the millennium drought – that dam storage levels in Sydney have fallen below 50%.”
“As most of the science community knows, the climate emergency is here now. Weather extremes such as droughts and heatwaves are increasing in frequency and intensity and are measurably exacerbated by climate change. The significant impacts of these extremes are well documented on both our native terrestrial and marine ecosystems.
“Less documented is what’s happening beneath our feet…”
“Climate change may make it harder to predict the most severe of the El Niño and La Niña weather disturbances in the Pacific Ocean. That’s because these events will become less connected with what happens halfway around the world in the Atlantic, researchers report online August 21 in Science Advances.”
“”On the question of burning in the Amazon, which in my opinion may have been initiated by NGOs because they lost money, what is the intention? To bring problems to Brazil,” – Jair Bolsonaro
“This accusation comes after he reportedly hinted that the fires are caused by groups who started the fire to film it.”
“No, it isn’t deja vu. Phoenix broke a high-temperature record for the third time in 2019 on Wednesday after breaking a record on Tuesday as well. But while Tuesday’s record was broken by 1 degree — 113 degrees over the previous record of 112 degrees in 1986 — Wednesday shattered its previous record of 110 degrees in 2007 with a recorded high of 114 degrees.”
“Something odd happened in August 2018, the same month my family was down the shore. Five states—Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire—notched their hottest August ever measured…
“What made it exceptional were not the hot days but the warm nights, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
“Since 1984, Pelto has made the journey to Washington to take detailed measurements of 10 glaciers for the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project. He signed up for the annual tradition, which is supposed to last half a century, when he was a 22-year-old Idaho college student. Since then, he’s already witnessed two glaciers disappear.”
“”You know things can change,” said Swain. “But right now in terms of the ecosystem, it’s most likely that things will change for the worse because you know even if grey seals were reduced … we’re entering a period of dramatic climate change.””
“As of Wednesday, Alaska continues to be the nation’s top priority. The largest of the eight fires in the state is the McKinley Fire, which broke out on Saturday near Milepost 91 of the Parks Highway…
“Four years ago, Russia instituted a policy of letting remote forest fires burn unless it made sense economically to put them out. Environmentalists warned that the new rules would intensify Siberia’s annual fire season and release more greenhouse gases into the air.
“The public, for the most part, didn’t pay attention to the regulation change. That changed this summer…”
“Fears over climate change have reached record levels – with 85 per cent of adults in the UK now ‘concerned’ about global warming in a poll. This is the highest figure since pollster IPSOS Mori first asked the question in 2005.
“The fears are seen as a response to the record temperatures in July and what is predicted to be the UK’s wettest ever August.”
“Costa Blanca [Spain] has been hit by torrential rain causing the usual crystal blue waters to turn a muddy brown and streets to flood.
“Spain’s Alicante province ground to a halt in some place as residents and tourists chose to stay indoors and roads were blocked by fast-flowing water.”
“… cooler than usual temperatures continued [in Malta] till early June, while “unexpected” precipitation in May resulted in the outbreak of downey mildew – a kind of fungus which attacks the foliage especially of the indigenous species of the girgentina and ġellewża grapes.
“This factor alone led to the loss of over half of the harvest in certain vineyards…”
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
– Karina S.
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About This Site
Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“Billions of tonnes of ice in Greenland is melting 50 years ahead of climate change schedules…
“A Russian naval expedition has discovered five Arctic islands as climate change melts glaciers and reveals landforms previously hidden under ice.
“The Arctic shortcut that connects Asia and Europe is open and ice-free and shipping appears smooth, also for vessels without ice class standards… 
“Global warming combined with the most serious drought in more than 30 years has led both to massive forest fires throughout Russia east of the Urals and to an abnormal drop in the water levels of major rivers
“A destructive wildfire season in Alaska has only grown worse in recent weeks, as the Swan Lake Fire has spread rapidly. Located near Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula, the blaze has been fueled by an incredibly warm and dry summer. 
“A fast-flying migratory butterfly from the Mediterranean is appearing in large numbers across southern England this summer as a result of global heating, experts say. 
“The French government has announced that almost all the central strip of the country (from Nantes to Dijon) is in “crisis alert” as well as parts of the southwest, near Toulouse. 
“Over the past seven decades, the number of extreme heat days in Europe has steadily increased, while the number of extreme cold days has decreased, according to new research. 
“Climate change is cooking our fish before they even leave the sea. Marine heatwaves on the surface of the Mediterranean are breaking records for temperature and duration. 
“At least seven people were killed Wednesday when a river burst its banks and flooded a village football pitch where a game was being played in south Morocco, local authorities said. Eight men who took refuge in the changing rooms were swept away by the floodwaters, the witness, speaking on condition of anonymity, said.
“Five people feared dead after a flooded river burst following torrential rains in Eastern Uganda.
“More than 2.5 million Kenyans are facing starvation as drought and the food security situation in the country continues to deteriorate, says Kenya’s National Drought Management Authority… 
“The ochre ground is cracked from dryness [Thailand]. 
“Massive flooding triggered by torrential rain in southwestern Japan has left three people dead and one missing, while more than 1,900 people were being accommodated at evacuation centers as of Thursday morning.” 
“Counting Thursday, Metservice’s Auckland Airport weather station has recorded 27 “rainy days”. A rainy day, according to the weather forecaster, is a day with 0.1mm of rain or more… 
“The fires raging in the Brazilian Amazon are likely to intensify over the coming weeks, a leading environmental expert has warned, despite government claims the situation had been controlled. 
“Torrential rain hit southwestern Japan on Wednesday, prompting local governments to instruct hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate as rivers overflowed and landslides struck in what the weather agency called an “unprecedented downpour” that left at least two people dead.
“Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki prefectures issued evacuation instructions to around 847,000 residents at one point after the Japan Meteorological Agency issued its maximum level-5 warning for floods and landslides in the northern Kyushu region, with precipitation levels approaching their highest levels in decades.”
“At least 90 people were killed with 65 others injured by severe monsoon flooding and landslides, which occurred nationwide in Myanmar since late June this year, an official from the Ministry of Social Welfare, Relief and Resettlement told Xinhua. 
“Records were shattered as Perth’s temperature reached a glorious 30C just after 2pm this afternoon. It is the hottest winter day ever recorded by the Bureau of Meteorology, beating the previous mark of 28.1C set on June 5, 1965.
“There are now approximately five times as many wildfires burning in Africa than in the Amazon, according to images captured by NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) technology last week. 
“According to a recent study by IPAM, forest mortality can affect up to 90% of trees in dry years, especially on the edge of the forests. “The landscape is changing radically,” said IPAM’s Brando. 
Chile’s winter heatwave: 
“Across the Southwest [USA], people are wondering when seasonal rainstorms will make their way through the region… 
“The City of Seldovia [Alaska] issued an emergency disaster declaration at a council meeting on Aug. 26 over the depletion of its public water source. The city says it has 14 days of water left. 
“The Trump administration is moving to lift logging restrictions on Alaska’s Tongass National Forest, the country’s largest national forest, The Washington Post reports. 
“Kids splashing each other in the sea and locals wearing t-shirts were unheard of here in August 10 years ago… 
“2019 has been a year of temperature records in Norway, and they keep on coming. New records were set in the final days of August. 
“Abnormally low water levels driven by drought are threatening the livelihoods of thousands of people in the Russian Arctic… 
“Since the wildfires are up north, their ash and soot, which releases black carbon, pose a massive threat to the Arctic region’s ice sheets. They could accelerate melting, which will increase the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere. 
“Austria has just seen the second-warmest summer season in 253 years of recorded history, according to preliminary figures released Tuesday by the Central Institute of Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG).
“This is the shocking moment a street in Madrid was turned into ‘hellish’ rapids following storms and heavy rainfall this afternoon.
“A spectacular tornado has hit the outskirts of Malaga [Spain] tonight as scorching weather gave way to freak storms with torrential rain and thunderstorms. 
“Two people were injured in the Turkish town of Terme yesterday when a city bridge collapsed due to heavy rains. 
“Eindhoven [Holland] is in the grip of its third official heatwave this year, with the temperature topping 30 Celsius for the third day in a row, weather bureau Weerplaza said… 
“Another [UK] summer record has been broken with Monday being the hottest late August bank holiday ever, according to the Met Office. 
“When record-breaking temperatures of 70°F were reached in 2012 (4°F higher than what was then considered average), the Puffins’ preferred prey were in short supply. 
“A relentless downpour dumping more than 9 inches of rain at some locations Sunday caused flash flooding throughout the Shoals [Alabama] that entered some buildings and delayed schools Monday in Cherokee.”
“New Orleans residents showed how widespread the flooding was on social media. 
“The National Hurricane Center issued a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch for Puerto Rico on Tuesday morning as Tropical Storm Dorian continues to move across the Caribbean toward the island… 
“Tropical Storm Ivo left two dead and communities across the country [Mexico] ravaged by floods, sinkholes, hailstorms and damaged infrastructure over the weekend. 
“As fires continue to rage in Brazil, nearly a million hectares (6,200 sq miles) of farmland and unique dry forest have been destroyed by weeks of blazes across the border in Bolivia, where the flames have now reached the country’s Amazon region.
“…Chile is home to 4% of the world’s and 80% of South America’s glaciers. Located in the Andes mountain range, they provide a vitally important water resource but are under threat from global warming. 
Freaky winter heatwave for Chile: 
“It’s still winter, but you could be forgiven for thinking otherwise tomorrow with Perth [Western Australia] set to break the record for the hottest day ever in August. 
“Heavy rains and floods have killed at least 62 people and injured 98 others in Sudan since July, the Health Ministry said. The disaster has affected almost 36,000 families in 17 of the volatile East African nation’s 18 states, acting Undersecretary of Health Sulaiman Abdul Jabbar told reporters late Sunday in Khartoum.”
“This summer, Alaska has experienced record high temperatures and devastating wildfires. If such events become more frequent, how might that impact our northernmost forests? 
“At least 62 people have died in Sudan as flash flooding across the country causes devastation to people’s homes and livelihoods in the northeast African country.
“As the world focuses on the blazing Amazon rainforest, huge fires engulfing large parts of central and southern Africa have gone largely unnoticed. 
“Hundreds of people have been evacuated from hotels and beaches in Greece as firefighters tackle dozens of wildfires across the country. 
“The Alpine glaciers are disappearing due to global warming. 
“A shortage of sweet potatoes has hit the UK, leaving many supermarkets out of stock. 
“The August bank holiday record for highest temperature in the UK has been broken. 
“Record heat and wet weather [in the UK] have created the “perfect” environment for fleas to thrive, leading to huge jump in complaints. 
“Torrential rain triggered flash flooding in Fort Smith, Arkansas, early Saturday, killing one motorist, closing roads and forcing residents from their homes… 
“Nearing the fall months has not allowed El Paso to escape desert summer heat, with temperatures reaching as high as 103 degrees Sunday… 
“The record-breaking heat of the last few months, the historic drought, and some unlucky lightning strikes have sparked fires that have already burned almost 3 million acres this summer in Alaska. 
“Scientists believe heat stress killed thousands of salmon in an Alaskan river last month… 
““Here in Hawaii, we always talk about sea level rise and that’s been the main focus. You can see it and put metrics on it and it grabs attention,” said Stanbro, who leads Honolulu’s Office of Climate Change, Sustainability and Resiliency. 
“Bolivian President Evo Morales has done an about-face declaring himself now open to international aid to fight the blazes that have engulfed rural villages in the border areas of Bolivia and Brazil and doubled in size since Thursday. 
“”We are talking about a process of desertification [in this part of Chile] rather than a temporary drought or absence of rain problem. 
From historic drought to inundation: “The Tumen River has flooded due to intense rains in the Rajin-Sonbong area in north-eastern North Hamgyong Province, submerging houses in the area, according to local sources. 
“The worst-hit areas [of Taiwan as storm Bailu passed over] were the mountains in the southeast, in the counties of Taitung and Hualien. 
“The peak of this year’s dry season has not only seen fires across thousands of hectares of South Sumatra, one of the worst-affected provinces, but has also left people scrambling for water. 
“Afghans not only are facing challenges in regard to their safety and security as the country’s presidential election nears, but they also are struggling more than ever to afford the basics such as food and shelter… 
A video discussion by Nicholas Humphrey of the historically intense late-August cyclone headed for the Arctic on Friday (August 23rd). 
“At least four people died and more than 100 were injured in lightning strikes during a thunderstorm in Poland, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki says…
“A tropical plant has produced male and female cones outdoors in the UK for the first time in 60 million years, in an event that botanists say is a clear indication of climate change. 
“When General Franco ordered a valley bordering the Tagus river to be flooded in the 1960s so that a hydro-electric dam could be built to boost the rural economy, a site described as Spain’s Stonehenge was lost to the world. 
“Torrential rain has destroyed makeshift tents and caused severe flooding to temporary displacement camps in northeast Nigeria, leaving vulnerable families homeless. 
“It has been widely reported that the year 2019 is the driest in 90 years [for Namibia]. Windhoek measured the lowest rainfall since it started recording its rainfall in 1891. 
“The China National Commission for Disaster Reduction and the Ministry of Emergency Management (MEM) jointly activated a level-IV emergency response on Thursday for severe drought in central China’s Hubei Province. 
“In February, about 600,000 cattle were killed by catastrophic flooding across north Queensland’s Carpentaria Gulf plains. The flood waters rose suddenly, forming a wall of water up to 70km wide. 
“For the first time in a quarter of a century, parts of NSW’s Hunter region will face water restrictions as the state deals with one of its worst droughts on record. 
“It’s called a sudden stratospheric warming event – and, unlike the name might suggest, the rare phenomenon could spell a burst of bitterly cold weather for New Zealand over coming weeks. 
“Amazonia and its trees are a significant source for oxygen, and major sink for absorbing carbon dioxide. 
“The American Southwest is feeling the heat with another round of record-challenging temperatures forecast during the last half of August as the region endures one of the driest monsoon seasons on record. 
“Streets are flooded in “Coast Guard City, USA,” and the maritime rescue force is responding to dangerous events not seen for decades on Lake Michigan… 
“Disease-carrying mosquitoes and ticks are an increased threat in New Jersey because they are living longer lives due to extended warm months and mild winters. 
“Federal fisheries experts are painting a devastating picture of the challenges facing Pacific salmon and point to climate change as the main culprit. 
“Scientists from the University of Oregon recently found that the underwater section of a glacier in southeast Alaska is melting at rates up to two orders of magnitude greater than those predicted by theory. 
“Wildfires are a growing concern around the country [USA]. According to the latest National Climate Assessment, hotter, drier conditions over the past two decades have led to more area being burned across the US. 
“Black carbon particles from forest Siberian forest fires, fall down to the arctic ice. As these particles are black, they absorb sunlight and can accelerate ice melt if found in high enough concentrations. 
“Our research, published today in Current Biology, found some plants have been going extinct up to 350 times faster than the historical average – with devastating consequences for unique species.”
“Nine people have died and 35 are still missing after a series of mudslides in an autonomous region of China’s southwestern Sichuan province, local authorities said Thursday (Aug 22).
“Life has come full circle in Kerala after the devastating floods. 
“Weeks after devastating floods affected millions and killed more than 100 people in Bangladesh, many families are still reeling from a lack of aid as the country suffers an outbreak of waterborne diseases. 
“The prices of sticky rice seeds and other crops grown in Thailand are increasing because of the wide-reaching drought while those of crops in Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar are much lower, regardless of the state of supply and demand in the three countries [thus encouraging smuggling]. 
“On May 17, 2014, a catastrophic rock-ice avalanche and glacial mudflow took place in the Tergi (Dariali) gorge, blocking strategic infrastructure in Georgia. The disaster resulted in the death of nine people. 
“Sydney’s dam storage levels have dropped below 50% for the first time in more than a decade. 
“As most of the science community knows, the climate emergency is here now. 
“Climate change may make it harder to predict the most severe of the El Niño and La Niña weather disturbances in the Pacific Ocean. 
“”On the question of burning in the Amazon, which in my opinion may have been initiated by NGOs because they lost money, what is the intention? To bring problems to Brazil,” – Jair Bolsonaro
“No, it isn’t deja vu. Phoenix broke a high-temperature record for the third time in 2019 on Wednesday after breaking a record on Tuesday as well. 
“Weather went from extremely wet to extremely hot and dry across most of Texas in 2019, according to the Texas State Climatologist. 
“Since 1984, Pelto has made the journey to Washington to take detailed measurements of 10 glaciers for the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project. 
“”You know things can change,” said Swain. “
“Fears over climate change have reached record levels – with 85 per cent of adults in the UK now ‘concerned’ about global warming in a poll. This is the highest figure since pollster IPSOS Mori first asked the question in 2005. 
“Costa Blanca [Spain] has been hit by torrential rain causing the usual crystal blue waters to turn a muddy brown and streets to flood. 