Apologies for the lack of an ‘Economic’ thread this morning. Work sometiimes encroaches and I must render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s.
“Every summer as the Arctic warms up, seasonal highways open on the ocean, allowing sea ice to migrate southward and melt. Now, satellite data is revealing that the gateway to one critical highway—the Nares Strait dividing northwest Greenland and Canada’s Ellesmere Island—has broken up months ahead of schedule. And that could spell even more trouble for the Arctic’s oldest and most critically-endangered sea ice.
“Normally, Baffin Bay just south of the Nares Strait remains closed off to marauding sea ice from the north until June, July or even August, thanks to the presence of an ice jam that forms at the strait’s northern mouth between November and January, taking on a spectacular, arch-like shape. This year, however, the Nares Strait arch began to disintegrate in March.”
“The Artic landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace: in Sweden, entire towns and villages, houses half sunken into the ground, are being moved to more stable ground, as the permafrost they had been built on shifts and melts.
“In the Canadian north, suitable houses have become so rare that apartment prices have skyrocketed, triggering a housing crisis.
“All around the Arctic, homes lay abandoned, the damage too severe. Roads and other vital infrastructure are at risk, too.”
“The Juneau International Airport [Alaska], the city’s official measuring point, is expected to warm to 80 degrees on Thursday and 82 degrees on Friday.
“The latter mark would set a new record for the hottest-ever June 28th in the capital city.
“The current record-high temperature is 78 degrees, set in 1983.”
“The 2019 Mississippi River flood fight is going to slog deep into the summer — and maybe much longer.
“While communities north of St. Louis are beginning the expensive path to recovery after record-breaking winter and spring precipitation and runoff, people below the Missouri River are shoveling mud from their houses and praying for a dry spell. The Lower Mississippi Valley remains in a flood crisis…”
“After historic flooding in the Mississippi River, the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway appears to have triggered the algae bloom. Mississippi River water can carry high levels of nutrient runoff from agricultural activities, as well as sewage from upriver sources…
“This May capped off the wettest 12 month period on record in the U.S. and was the second wettest month recorded in US history.”
“If there was one upside to the severe drought that plagued California for seven years, it was how the lack of rain and dirty runoff improved beach water quality…”
“”Last year was the fourth-warmest year on record [Jamaica] since we started recording temperatures. The highest temperature recorded last year was 36 degrees, but on Saturdays we have temperatures of 39 degrees and 39.1, which were recorded at two separate locations in Kingston.
“”We’ve never seen these types of temperatures in Jamaica, especially in Kingston. Based on our findings, there were some temperatures that were unprecedented,” he said.”
“A heat wave currently baking western Europe has already set new all-time June record highs, as an intense dome of high pressure taps into hot air from northern Africa.
“Germany recorded its hottest June temperature on record Wednesday… Fifty-one German reporting stations set new June heat records… An all-time June record high was also set in the Czech Republic… Poland also set a new all-time record high for the month of June…”
“A forest fire in Spain is raging ‘out of control’ today as sweltering Europe suffers through a Saharan Bubble heatwave with temperatures set to top 113F.
“Soldiers have been called in to help tackle the blaze which is devouring land across Torre del Espanol in the northeastern region of Catalonia.”
“India’s top rice and wheat producers Punjab, Haryana in the north west–which contribute almost 15 percent of India’s entire rice production, according to the NABARD and ICRIER report–and western Uttar Pradesh in the Gangetic plain, are also among the world’s top water-risk zones for agricultural production, the others being northeastern China and southwestern U.S., according to the WaterAid report.”
“Rani’s mother jostles with the crowd to fill one bowl of water and feed her children.
“”We know this is not the safest drinking water, but we do not have water in the village. Rani was thirsty and crying so I brought all the children here to drink water, while I fetch it for the house. This has been a daily affair for the last one year,” she said.”
“Record heat and below-average rainfall have left great swathes of Queensland [Australia] exposed to increased risk of bushfires, hot on the heels of the worst bushfire season in the state’s history.
“The Northern Australia Seasonal Bushfire Outlook, released on Thursday, predicts “above normal fire potential” for the 2019 season.”
“The JMA warned that over the 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. on June 28, the Shikoku region [of Japan] was expected to be lashed with up to 250 millimeters [nearly 10 inches] of rain in the heaviest hit areas.”
“Jamaica is in the middle of a sizzling hot spell during which temperatures have soared to record levels. In fact, the days have become so stiflingly muggy that a healthy individual would flirt with heat stroke if they don’t remain properly hydrated.
“And on Saturday, the mercury in the capital hit a sizzling 39.1 degrees Celsius – the highest temperature ever recorded in Kingston.”
“The past week has been unusually warm in South Florida, and it has been mainly rain-free across the region, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker.
“The conditions likely aided in the rapid spread of the fire, he added. For some Florida cities, the heat is going down in the record books for the month as well.”
“Ancient bald cypress trees, some as old as 2,624 years, recently discovered in Black River, North Carolina, provide one of the longest and most accurate records of local climate in North America… , the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts rising sea levels that could kill the Black River’s bald cypress…
“More immediately, many of these ancient trees, some of which were more than 100 years old when Julius Caesar was born, remain unprotected and subject to logging.”
“U.S. cotton acres could be the latest victim of the wild weather that’s already hampered corn plantings.
“Key American areas for cotton have seen different extremes of the weather spectrum. In the Midwest, relentless rain flooded fields. Meanwhile, parts of the Southeast have been gripped by extreme heat and drought. Both scenarios are terrible for farmers…”
“Climate change in the Western U.S. means more intense and frequent wildfires churning out waves of smoke that scientists say will sweep across the continent to affect tens of millions of people and cause a spike in premature deaths.”
“With the July 4 holiday around the corner, Lake Ontario remains at near-record levels — and so does the concern of tourism-related businesses along the lake shore.
“In Sackets Harbor, Mayor Molly Reilly said some merchants report that sales are half of what they were at this time last summer.”
“Heavy rains in Reynosa, Tamaulipas [Mexico], provoked flooding and power outages last night, and shut down two international border crossings…
“Additionally, Mexican and United States authorities decided to close the Anzaldúas and Hidalgo international bridges — both busy international points of entry between the two countries — due to flooding.”
“Brazil, and particularly the Amazonian state of Roraima, have seen large numbers of forest fires so far this year… The uptick in fires is being blamed on a number of factors, including worsening Amazon drought brought by climate change, land theft and illegal deforestation…
“Another contributing factor: federal deforestation and firefighting policies. Since March, the Bolsonaro government has cut $7.3 million slated for fire prevention and environmental inspections…”
“South Australia has seen temperatures plummet well below zero, severely damaging soft crops. The Bureau of Meteorology said Monday’s low of -5.7C at Renmark, in the state’s Riverland, was the equal-second lowest temperature on record for the town.
“Meteorologist Matthew Bass said it was the region’s sixth consecutive day below zero.
“”Those sort of temperatures are not what we see very frequently in South Australia … It’s a very significant, severe low temperature.””
“Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, saw a temperature of 30.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, a record high since the city’s meteorological data was first collected in 1981.
“The reading was 0.4 degrees Celsius higher than the previous record, according to the regional meteorological bureau.”
“Orange farmers in Maharashtra [India] are caught in the grip of drought with their orchards withering amid an intense heat wave. Nearly 40-60% of the orange orchards in the Vidarbha region have gone completely dry.
“Shridhar Thakre, executive director, MahaOrange, a body meant for export facilitation of oranges formed by the State Agriculture Marketing Board, said that the condition of the orchards is so bad that it will take another 5 years to revive them…”
“Abdulaziz Al-Qarawi, the weather forecaster at Directorate General of Civil Aviation says summer season has officially begun in Kuwait to start the summer solstice astronomically, reports Aljarida daily. He said, “In the next few days, we will notice a rise in temperature that may reach 52 degrees Celsius at the highest limit…””
“Climate change is threatening ancient Greek monuments, among them the Acropolis, one of the most-visited archaeological sites in the world, scientists said. Air pollution and acid rain are eroding marbles, while extreme weather phenomena such as droughts or torrential rains have led ancient walls and temples to develop structural problems.”
“The current June is set to be the hottest in recorded history in Austria, with regional heat records also expected to be eclipsed in some parts of the country this week, according to a leading weather authority.
“The Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG) said Tuesday the current June will be 4.5 degrees Celsius warmer than average…”
“…a number of June Alpine weather records fell on Tuesday. On the Säntis in eastern Switzerland, the maximum was 1C above the previous record for this month, hitting 19.4C. And the 23.2C seen on the Pilatus mountain in central Switzerland was 1.6C above the previous June record.
“The Swiss village of La Brévine, known as the Siberia of Switzerland because of its cold temperatures, also saw a new June record of 31.2C…”
“A blistering heatwave prompted Germany to impose speed restrictions on usually limit-free stretches of its high-speed motorways Wednesday, the latest sign of extreme weather events ruffling Europe’s largest economy.
“State authorities are reducing speeds to as low as 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) on some stretches because of fears that the unusually high temperatures could create potentially deadly cracks on Autobahn surfaces…”
“Meteorologists say the temperatures, a result of a warm air mass traveling north from Africa, could climb well above the typical June average to 40 degrees Celsius, or more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, in large stretches of the continent.
“Heat waves like these are becoming more frequent and prolonged, with hotter temperatures appearing earlier in the season, weather experts say.”
“The dust doesn’t always make it all the way across the ocean, but the current plume — seen in the image above — was a large one. It departed Africa in mid-June and has been making its way into the U.S. eastern and Gulf coasts this week…
“This dust layer also gives us a clue as to why the tropics are quiet when it comes to hurricane activity. It’s only the dust, but the dry air and wind that go with it, that makes it hard for tropical cyclones to get going in the Atlantic.”
“Tick populations now exist on every continent, even Antarctica, and Lyme disease can be found throughout most of Europe, where it ranks as the most common vector-borne disease, and beyond. “To me, there is little doubt that it is pandemic,” says Mary Beth Pfeiffer, author of Lyme: The First Epidemic of Climate Change. “It’s in China, Russia, Japan, Australia. It’s moving fast into Canada. It is all across the U.S. It calls for a huge national and concerted international effort to bring it under control.”
“The incidence of other tick-borne illnesses is also sharply rising. According to the CDC, the occurrence of those diseases in the U.S. has nearly tripled since 2004 and increased more than 22% from 2016 to 2017. In addition to Lyme, ticks transmit a slew of pathogens, including those that cause babesiosis, ehrlichiosis, anaplasmosis, southern tick-associated rash illness, tick-borne relapsing fever, tularemia, Colorado tick fever, Q fever, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, and Powassan encephalitis.”
“As droughts and dust storms become more common in the Southwest U.S., a fungal infection that can cause pneumonia and fatal meningitis is infecting more people than ever before.
“In recent years, infectious spores have traveled far beyond what scientists thought were the limits of the endemic.”
“Snow began falling above 2 100 m (7,000 feet) just west of Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 21, 2019, accumulating to nearly 51 cm (20 inches) over the weekend and boosting the state’s snowpack to extraordinary levels for the time of year…
“When we add all the snow that fell on June 21, the state’s snowpack exploded to 4,121 percent above normal.”
“Mother Nature will crank up the heat in the central United States this week! …Rocky Mountain cities such as Denver and Billings can expect hot and mainly dry conditions into the weekend with highs topping out in the 80s and 90s.”
“Severe weather spread over Texas to Indiana on Sunday, bringing heavy rain, powerful winds, large hail and tornadoes. The system that triggered the severe storms on Sunday was the culprit behind a multi-day severe weather outbreak that began during the middle of last week across the central United States.
“On Saturday, tornadoes touched down in four states: Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas and Texas.”
“The wettest year in memory has stalled planting and stunted crops in the Midwest at a time when farmers are already struggling with low prices and a trade war with China…
“The communities they live in and the businesses that supply them with seeds, fertilizer, equipment and services are struggling as credit conditions steadily deteriorate in a fragile rural economy.”
“U.S. wheat futures climbed nearly 2% on Monday due to weather-damaged crops in key production areas around the world, while corn and soybeans firmed as wet U.S. Midwest conditions stoked concerns about reduced harvests…
“A heat wave taking hold in western Europe, dry conditions in Canada and overly wet weather in winter wheat production areas of the United States have raised the risk of yield losses…”
“For the 10th consecutive day, temperatures have either tied or broken records at various locations across the state.
“Here on Maui, a record high temperature of 94 degrees was set in Kahului on Sunday, June 23, 2019, breaking the old record of 90 degrees, set for the same day in 1980.”
“In a study published Monday in Nature Climate Change, researchers in Brazil and the Netherlands present an analysis combining a number of scenarios for climate change and deforestation.
“They predict that by 2050 the average number of tree species found in any one part of the Amazon rain forest could decline by up to 58 percent, and that roughly one in three of the more than 6,000 species in the study could become critically endangered or go extinct.”
“A group of farmers in north-west New South Wales are offering to sell their water entitlements as an incentive to stop growing cotton…
“”The vendors are motivated to sell by the growing commentary around the degradation of the Barwon-Darling river system,” said Danny Thomas, regional director of CBRE Agribusiness.”
“Moree [NSW, Australia] has recorded its driest January to June in nearly 120 years, and the outlook doesn’t look much better for next year, according to a retired CSIRO weather monitor.
“So far this year, only 77 millimetres of rain has fallen in Moree – the driest January to June since 1902…”
“In Darwin [NT, Australia], more used to overnight temperatures north of 20C, this morning it dropped to a mere 12.7C. Middle Point, to the east of Humpty Doo, had its coldest night on record bottoming out at only 4.8C.”
“A historic drought in Chennai, the sixth-largest city in India, is so severe that it’s now visible from space.
“The city’s 4.6 million citizens are rationing every drop of water, restaurants are closing early and companies are scaling back their operations as Chennai tries to survive a heat wave with 99 per cent less water than it had at the same time last year. The state government is shipping in water on trucks, but those trucks can’t replace the now dried-up lakes that once fed the city.”
“The great mountains of Pamir [Tajikistan] that have been known as the ‘Roof of the World’ over the centuries is now falling victim to climatic change.
“One of the largest glaciers here, Garmo glacier, has retreated by a staggering 7 kilometers in the past few decades with the annual mean temperatures recording an upwards trend over the past decade.”
“At least three African nations will need to import more corn this year after extreme weather from cyclones to drought devastated crops, sparking some unusual trade flows.
“Corn is a staple grain across much of sub-Saharan Africa, where it’s milled and cooked with water to form a porridge or stiff dough. Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Kenya are all expected to see imports surge this season to offset dwindling harvests.”
““Data analysis shows that the normally eastward travelling summer circulation of the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes has slowed down, including the Jet Stream,” he said.
““This favours the buildup of hot and dry conditions over the continent, sometimes turning a few sunny days into dangerous heat waves.””
“Fourteen people were rescued by boat from Stirling County Rugby Club after torrential thundery downpours affected the area.
“Heavy rain led to disruption in the west of the capital across Bankhead, Clermiston and Corstorphine. Earlier Edinburgh Trams suspended some services until water had subsided from the tracks and advised passengers to use buses instead.”
“A study published in early June in the journal Earth’s Future predicted record-setting heat waves, while researchers in Australia also fear that the increase in temperature year-over-year may be “pushing ecosystems and communities beyond their ability to cope.” While earlier studies showed the globe has been on a warming trend for the last century, this new study also enforces how climate change has accelerated this warming and made it worse…
“The new research comes as several cities around the world are bracing for heatwaves, some of which are predicted to be record-setters.”
“Ecosystems in the Arctic undergo rapid, dramatic, and long-lasting changes in response to climate shifts — even those of average magnitude, according to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters.
“The study, conducted by an international research team led by members from the University of Maine, finds a “surprisingly tight coupling” between climate shifts and environmental responses in the Arctic.”
“Utqiagvik, Alaska, set an all-time June record high Thursday, continuing what has been the warmest year-to-date in America’s northernmost town.
“Formerly known as Barrow, Utqiagvik’s high soared to 73 degrees Thursday, topping the town’s previous June record of 72 degrees set on June 18, 1996, according to Rick Thoman, climate science and services manager for the National Weather Service Alaska region.”
“Anchorage saw a record high temperature on Sunday hitting 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
“The previous record for June 23 was 75 degrees in 1974…
“Warm temperatures and dry conditions are expected to continue through the week with highs near 70 degrees at the beginning of the week and in the mid to upper 70s toward Thursday and Friday.”
“The country’s top military commander says Canada’s Armed Forces are being pushed to the limit responding to an increasing number of climate-related events such as floods and fires…
“Just this spring more soldiers were deployed to assist states of emergencies — during floods in Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick as well as wildfires in Alberta — than were deployed overseas.”
“After days of deadly severe thunderstorms brought widespread damage across the southeastern and central United States, the threat for flooding and violent thunderstorms will continue across the south-central part of the nation on Monday…
“One woman was found dead amid flooding in eastern Oklahoma before dawn. A flash flood emergency was declared for southern Newton and northern McDonald counties in southwestern Missouri later in the morning.”
“It’s been a wet year in Kansas City — the wettest on record to be exact. As of Sunday morning, 31.89 inches of precipitation had fallen at Kansas City International Airport since the start of the year.
“That ranks 2019 as the wettest start of the year in the city’s history. And with more rain expected Sunday evening, that lead will only be extended, according to the National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill.”
“Mike Zuzolo, the president of Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting, said: “This planting-delay issue, because of what states it has affected, will make the planted acreage report … historically important for market direction.”
“…Farmers’ planting woes pushed corn prices at the Chicago board of trade to five-year highs…”
“The Mississippi River is expected to rise to just slightly below major flood level over the next few days before reconvening its slow descent…
“The river only recently dropped below major flood stage last week and while it isn’t expected to reach major flood stage again, the river’s expected descent to moderate flood stage has been extended until at least July 1.”
“Miami baked under the searing South Florida sun long enough to break temperature records on Sunday, hitting 95 degrees and surpassing the old record of 94°F set in 1996.”
“Temperatures [in Vietnam] yesterday peaked at 39 degrees Celsius in the north and 41 degrees Celsius the central region, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting.
“The harsh summer heat is forecast to remain in the central region today, with average temperatures ranging from 36 to 39 degrees Celsius and peaking at 41 in localities from Thanh Hóa to Thừa Thiên-Huế.”
“Several Indonesian regional authorities have been reminded to intensify monitoring for possible forest fires and drought, a report on Saturday (Jun 22) by the Antara news agency said.
“The caution comes as the Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMK) forecasts that this year’s dry season could be worse than the previous year.”
“The IMD said the country [India], as a whole, received 70.9 mm rainfall so far this monsoon season, whereas the long period average is 114.2 mm. This leaves a shortfall of 38%.
“The rain deficit has depleted reservoirs, besides delaying sowing of summer foodgrain crops. Parts of central and peninsular India are staring at a drought for the second successive year.”
“Heavy rains and driving winds forced the evacuation of a Cape Town building and left several suburbs without power.
“City council disaster officials and firefighters evacuated as many as 1,000 people from a building in Kruskal Avenue in Bellville after it was damaged by the storm.”
“Air pollution of toxic substances (namely nitrogen dioxide) in the central part of Kyiv [Ukraine] is six times higher than the allowable rate…
“Starting from June 10, there was a gradual accumulation of pollutants, especially nitrogen dioxide NO2 and formaldehyde…
“On June 11, in Kyiv, weather forecasters recorded the warmest night since 1881 – the heat did not drop below +20.2 degrees. Last week, weather forecasters warned about excessive fire risks of 4 and 5 levels.”
“An ‘unprecedented’ heatwave is set to hit Europe with forecasters warning that temperatures could soar over 40 degrees Celsius next week… a French meteorologist has said that the nation will see a heatwave that is ‘unprecedented’ for the month of June.
“Heat records will likely be broken in the coming days and the British Met Office has said that there is also fear of ‘violent storms’ with the sudden rise in temperatures leading to unstable weather.”
“Around the world, record temperatures have become more and more frequent in recent years. This month, Delhi reported its highest ever temperature of 48°C while Churu in Rajasthan crossed 50°C. Last week, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization confirmed two very recent readings as being among the hottest on record globally — 53.9°C in Mitribah, Kuwait (2016) and 53.7°C in Turbat, Pakistan (2017). India’s highest ever, too, came as recently as May 19, 2016 — 51°C in Phalodi, Rajasthan.
“A new study has projected that the record-setting trend will continue for at least the next 20 years, and for longer unless measures are taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
“Continental Europe is facing the prospect of a record-breaking heatwave next week as a colossal bubble of sweltering air drifts north from Algeria, bringing temperatures expected to reach 44C.
“The “Saharan Outbreak” is predicted to drive a wave of thunderstorms over Italy and Spain this weekend before a broad area of high pressure arrives on Monday with some of the hottest June weather since observations began.”
“On Wednesday afternoon, heavy thunderstorms hit parts of Hungary approximately totaling a month’s worth of rain.
“The sudden and excessive rainfall caused flash floods and disruptions in traffic in several places around the country.
“For example, in Szolnok, an underpass was filled with so much water that cars became submerged. In other cities and villages, streets and houses were flooded.”
“A group of academics and physicians agreed that the record rising temperatures in Kuwait had a negative effect on productivity with the only way out seemingly was to take a leave of absence…
“While heat strokes mainly occur outside, workers within office environments are not safe considering the record heat wave experienced in Kuwait, commented Dr Al-Shatti…”
“The toll of heatwave climbed to 108 in Bihar [India] on Thursday. Most heatwave deaths have been reported from Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada. Munger, Rohtas, Begusarai, Nalanda and Vaishali districts have also registered deaths by heat stroke this season.
“The Bihar government has announced that all schools, colleges, and coaching centres will remain closed till June 22. Similarly, all the shops in the affected districts will remain closed between 11 am and 5 pm.”
“India faces the worst long-term water crisis in its history as demand outstrips supply, with millions of lives and livelihoods at risk, the government think-tank Niti Aayog warned last year.
“Chennai was one of 21 cities the think-tank said could run out of ground water by 2020 and this week, taps ran dry as water levels in its four major reservoirs fell to one-hundredth of what they were this time last year.”
“A torrential downpour has pummeled Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, leaving many roads waterlogged and flooding dozens of reservoirs, local authorities said Friday.
“The rain that started on Thursday turned into a storm on Friday morning, causing overflowing at 46 small reservoirs in Wuhan…”
“While Palau and Yap will continue to be at risk for gusty showers and thunderstorms into this weekend, concern is rising for more significant impacts next week as development into a tropical storm or typhoon will be possible. Locations from the northern Philippines to Taiwan, South Korea and Japan may be at risk for impacts from the brewing tropical cyclone next week.”
“A Hawaii heat wave has continued to set record high temperatures through June…
“Officials say that since May 16, Maui has seen 18 record-setting or record-tying high temperature days, including 96 degrees Fahrenheit (36 Celsius) on May 26 at the Kahului Airport. Officials say 27 records were either set or matched in May in Honolulu, Kahului, Hilo, and Lihue.”
“Record rainfall over the past week in Argentina has slowed the rate of planting in northern and central regions of the country with some completed fields at risk of being hit by waterlogging, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said in their weekly report.”
“Officials have ordered residents of about 250 homes to evacuate east of Phoenix because of an aggressive wildfire.
“The so-called Woodbury Fire has claimed nearly 79 square miles of land in the Tonto National Forest and was 41 percent contained as of Thursday afternoon.”
“Severe thunderstorms roared from Georgia through New Jersey on Thursday afternoon, leaving behind widespread power outages and disruptive flooding across the region.
“Over 3,500 flights were delayed in the eastern U.S. on Thursday, according to Flightstats, with a majority of the delays being reported at airports around New York City. Airports, such as Newark and JFK airports were subject to ground delays as rain and storms moved through the city.”
“On the North Slope of Alaska, the Iñupiat tradition of hunting bowhead whales has an ancestry over 1,500 years old…
“But as temperatures have risen in the Arctic, the ice that serves as the platform for spring whaling has changed dramatically.
“And even though whalers in Utqiaġvik say that they’re adapting to that change, some also say the ice is less stable than it used to be — and more dangerous.”
“Rick Thoman, a Fairbanks-based climatologist, told The Washington Post that the loss of sea ice over the Chukchi and Beaufort seas of Alaska’s northern coast is now “unprecedented.”
“…“The jet stream this week was one of the craziest I’ve ever seen!” Jennifer Francis, a leading researcher who has published studies connecting mid-latitude weather to the dramatic changes across the Arctic, told The Washington Post.”
“Using a drone to show the cattle [NSW, Australia] gathering around the few water points remaining, the images are stark and harrowing. As Lea told The Mercury, she had over 1,300 cows to feed and water in an incredibly remote part of the state.
““There was no supply… we often have to drive 50 to 70 kilometers one way to get water for them.” All the usual points they could rely upon such as holding tanks or ponds were gone.”
“The melting of Himalayan glaciers has doubled since the turn of the century, with more than a quarter of all ice lost over the last four decades, scientists have revealed. The accelerating losses indicate a “devastating” future for the region, upon which a billion people depend for regular water.
“The scientists combined declassified US spy satellite images from the mid-1970s with modern satellite data to create the first detailed, four-decade record of ice along the 2,000km (1,200-mile) mountain chain.
“The analysis shows that 8bn tonnes of ice are being lost every year and not replaced by snow, with the lower level glaciers shrinking in height by 5 meters annually. The study shows that only global heating caused by human activities can explain the heavy melting.”
“The floor of the Chembarambakkam reservoir is cracked open, dry and sun-baked. About 25 km away, in Chennai, India’s sixth largest city with a population of 4.6 million is running out of water.
“Chembarambakkam and the three other reservoirs that have traditionally supplied Chennai are nearly all dry, leaving the city suffering from an acute water shortage, said Jayaram Venkatesan, an activist in the city.”
This is so sad. After years of drought, record rainfall had generated a bumper harvest for Iraq. Now insurgents are setting fire to it:
“…officials in Iraq’s breadbasket province Nineveh warned that if the fires spread to storage sites, a quarter of this year’s bumper harvest could be at risk, potentially ending Iraq’s dream of self-sufficiency after years of disruption due to drought and Islamic State rule.”
“A severe heatwave hit Yemen’s southern provinces controlled by the government, killing seven citizens within a week, a medical official told Xinhua on Wednesday.
“Seven citizens died as a result of the heatwave that overwhelmed the southern province of Lahj in addition to the repeated power outages, the local medical source said on condition of anonymity.”
“As if the weather in Germany hasn’t been crazy enough recently, it now looks set to get even more extreme: it’s going to get hotter and hotter next week, potentially reaching temperatures of up to 41 degrees…
“The weather experts are all in agreement on one thing: a heatwave is coming to Germany. The only question is how hot it will get and how long it will last.”
“Numerous Ohio cities have been hit hard by heavy flooding… In the city of Green, located in Summit County, the Dowey family remains trapped in their home as severe flash flooding swept away their driveway.
“The family, with three young children, moved to their home on East Nimisila Road six weeks ago.
“A reporter from FOX8 Cleveland traveled to the family’s home on Tuesday and interviewed the Dowey family across what looks like a moat in front of the house.”
“South Dakota doesn’t get a lot of tornadoes, but a twister there last weekend was particularly rare — because it was spinning clockwise. The National Weather Service says the anticyclonic tornado only lasted for about 45 seconds on June 15.
“That was long enough for it to knock down seven trees at a farmstead outside of Estelline, which is about 80 miles north of Sioux Falls.”
“Going to a movie could become pricier later this year for people who enjoy popcorn with a flick.
“The snack will be in short supply because relentless spring rain prevented many growers across the Midwest from planting. Popcorn processors estimate 30 to 40 percent of the nation’s popcorn fields went unplanted this spring — and the crops in many that were planted are growing poorly.”
“Beekeepers across the US lost four in 10 of their honeybee colonies over the past year, as the worst winter on record for tracked bee populations raised fresh concerns over the plight of the crucial pollinators…
“Overall, 40% of colonies died off over the entire year to April, which is above the 38% average since the survey began.”
“Just off the coast of Louisiana, where the Mississippi River lets out into the Gulf of Mexico, an enormous algae bloom, fueled by fertilizer from Midwestern farm fields and urban sewage, creates an area so devoid of oxygen it’s uninhabitable to most marine life every summer…
“This year, historic rains and flooding in the Midwest have roiled farm fields and overwhelmed sewer systems, flushing a tremendous amount of nutrients into the Mississippi River and into the Gulf, spurring a remarkable amount of algae. “
“Torrential rains in central and southern Uruguay in the past several days have caused massive floods and forced some 7,400 people to leave their homes, according to the latest update by the country’s National Emergency System.
“The central city of Durazno is the most affected, with 5,299 evacuees, according to official reports.”
“The NSW Government issued its Annual air quality statement 2018, showing high levels of toxic air pollutants across the state – and they are on the rise…
“There was also an increase in the number of days that reached hazardous pollution levels in 2018 compared to 2017.
“This was mainly due to record climate conditions – NSW had its warmest year on record for maximum mean temperatures, rainfall was 40% below average and the entire state drought-declared.”
“South Korea plans to send 50,000 tonnes of rice to drought-stricken North Korea, its first food donation to the isolated nation in a decade. A severe drought, compounded by economic sanctions, has led to chronic food shortages in North Korea.”
“Summer doesn’t begin for two more days, but oceanographers and climatologists are already sounding the alarm about stunning, dangerous ice melts going on right now in Greenland…
“…not only is the ice melting very fast, it has more time to melt this summer than it would in a climate system that wasn’t so unbalanced…”
“New evidence shows that Arctic ecosystems undergo rapid, strong and pervasive environmental changes in response to climate shifts, even those of moderate magnitude, according to an international research team led by the University of Maine…
“The new evidence underscores the highly responsive nature of Arctic ecosystems to abrupt transitions—and the strength of climate forcing.”
“Emissions need to be halved by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius but temperatures are on track to be double that by the end of the century even if countries’ current plans are fully implemented, scientists say.”
“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.
Apologies for the lack of an ‘Economic’ thread this morning. Work sometiimes encroaches and I must render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar’s. 
“For almost two months now, a bulging zone of high pressure has stagnated near Greenland. 
“The Artic landscape is changing at an unprecedented pace: in Sweden, entire towns and villages, houses half sunken into the ground, are being moved to more stable ground, as the permafrost they had been built on shifts and melts. 
“The Juneau International Airport [Alaska], the city’s official measuring point, is expected to warm to 80 degrees on Thursday and 82 degrees on Friday. 
“The 2019 Mississippi River flood fight is going to slog deep into the summer — and maybe much longer. 
“After historic flooding in the Mississippi River, the opening of the Bonnet Carre Spillway appears to have triggered the algae bloom. Mississippi River water can carry high levels of nutrient runoff from agricultural activities, as well as sewage from upriver sources… 
“The high temperature Tuesday was 92 degrees, tying the record for the day set in 2017. 
“The city has experienced heat that is extreme, even by its own sultry standards, with a slew of record high temperatures. 
“”Last year was the fourth-warmest year on record [Jamaica] since we started recording temperatures. The highest temperature recorded last year was 36 degrees, but on Saturdays we have temperatures of 39 degrees and 39.1, which were recorded at two separate locations in Kingston. 
“Hundreds of kindergartens and primary schools throughout France will remain closed until the end of the week as temperatures top 40C in many cities. 
“A heat wave currently baking western Europe has already set new all-time June record highs, as an intense dome of high pressure taps into hot air from northern Africa. 
“A forest fire in Spain is raging ‘out of control’ today as sweltering Europe suffers through a Saharan Bubble heatwave with temperatures set to top 113F. 
“India’s top rice and wheat producers Punjab, Haryana in the north west–which contribute almost 15 percent of India’s entire rice production, according to the NABARD and ICRIER report–and western Uttar Pradesh in the Gangetic plain, are also among the world’s top water-risk zones for agricultural production, the others being northeastern China and southwestern U.S., according to the WaterAid report.”
“Rani’s mother jostles with the crowd to fill one bowl of water and feed her children.
“Record heat and below-average rainfall have left great swathes of Queensland [Australia] exposed to increased risk of bushfires, hot on the heels of the worst bushfire season in the state’s history. 
“The JMA warned that over the 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. on June 28, the Shikoku region [of Japan] was expected to be lashed with up to 250 millimeters [nearly 10 inches] of rain in the heaviest hit areas.”
All-time heat record for Kingston, Jamaica:
“The past week has been unusually warm in South Florida, and it has been mainly rain-free across the region, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Paul Walker. 
“Ancient bald cypress trees, some as old as 2,624 years, recently discovered in Black River, North Carolina, provide one of the longest and most accurate records of local climate in North America… , the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicts rising sea levels that could kill the Black River’s bald cypress… 
“U.S. cotton acres could be the latest victim of the wild weather that’s already hampered corn plantings. 
“With the July 4 holiday around the corner, Lake Ontario remains at near-record levels — and so does the concern of tourism-related businesses along the lake shore. 
“Heavy rains in Reynosa, Tamaulipas [Mexico], provoked flooding and power outages last night, and shut down two international border crossings… 
“Brazil, and particularly the Amazonian state of Roraima, have seen large numbers of forest fires so far this year… The uptick in fires is being blamed on a number of factors, including worsening Amazon drought brought by climate change, land theft and illegal deforestation… 
“South Australia has seen temperatures plummet well below zero, severely damaging soft crops. The Bureau of Meteorology said Monday’s low of -5.7C at Renmark, in the state’s Riverland, was the equal-second lowest temperature on record for the town.
“Lhasa, capital of southwest China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, saw a temperature of 30.8 degrees Celsius on Monday, a record high since the city’s meteorological data was first collected in 1981. 
“Orange farmers in Maharashtra [India] are caught in the grip of drought with their orchards withering amid an intense heat wave. Nearly 40-60% of the orange orchards in the Vidarbha region have gone completely dry. 
Well, that’s comforting:
“The current June is set to be the hottest in recorded history in Austria, with regional heat records also expected to be eclipsed in some parts of the country this week, according to a leading weather authority. 
“…a number of June Alpine weather records fell on Tuesday. On the Säntis in eastern Switzerland, the maximum was 1C above the previous record for this month, hitting 19.4C. And the 23.2C seen on the Pilatus mountain in central Switzerland was 1.6C above the previous June record. 
“A blistering heatwave prompted Germany to impose speed restrictions on usually limit-free stretches of its high-speed motorways Wednesday, the latest sign of extreme weather events ruffling Europe’s largest economy. 
“Alarmed French beekeepers and farming groups warned Tuesday of a “catastrophic” honey harvest this year due to adverse weather. 
“Meteorologists say the temperatures, a result of a warm air mass traveling north from Africa, could climb well above the typical June average to 40 degrees Celsius, or more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, in large stretches of the continent.
“The dust doesn’t always make it all the way across the ocean, but the current plume — seen in the image above — was a large one. It departed Africa in mid-June and has been making its way into the U.S. eastern and Gulf coasts this week… 
“Tick populations now exist on every continent, even Antarctica, and Lyme disease can be found throughout most of Europe, where it ranks as the most common vector-borne disease, and beyond. “To me, there is little doubt that it is pandemic,” says Mary Beth Pfeiffer, author of Lyme: The First Epidemic of Climate Change. “It’s in China, Russia, Japan, Australia. It’s moving fast into Canada. It is all across the U.S. It calls for a huge national and concerted international effort to bring it under control.”
“As droughts and dust storms become more common in the Southwest U.S., a fungal infection that can cause pneumonia and fatal meningitis is infecting more people than ever before. 
“Snow began falling above 2 100 m (7,000 feet) just west of Denver, Colorado on Friday, June 21, 2019, accumulating to nearly 51 cm (20 inches) over the weekend and boosting the state’s snowpack to extraordinary levels for the time of year… 
“Severe weather spread over Texas to Indiana on Sunday, bringing heavy rain, powerful winds, large hail and tornadoes. The system that triggered the severe storms on Sunday was the culprit behind a multi-day severe weather outbreak that began during the middle of last week across the central United States. 
“The wettest year in memory has stalled planting and stunted crops in the Midwest at a time when farmers are already struggling with low prices and a trade war with China… 
“U.S. wheat futures climbed nearly 2% on Monday due to weather-damaged crops in key production areas around the world, while corn and soybeans firmed as wet U.S. Midwest conditions stoked concerns about reduced harvests…
“For the 10th consecutive day, temperatures have either tied or broken records at various locations across the state. 
“In a study published Monday in Nature Climate Change, researchers in Brazil and the Netherlands present an analysis combining a number of scenarios for climate change and deforestation. 
“A group of farmers in north-west New South Wales are offering to sell their water entitlements as an incentive to stop growing cotton… 
“Moree [NSW, Australia] has recorded its driest January to June in nearly 120 years, and the outlook doesn’t look much better for next year, according to a retired CSIRO weather monitor. 
“The great mountains of Pamir [Tajikistan] that have been known as the ‘Roof of the World’ over the centuries is now falling victim to climatic change. 
“At least three African nations will need to import more corn this year after extreme weather from cyclones to drought devastated crops, sparking some unusual trade flows. 
“Downpours across Belgrade have overwhelmed the city’s sewer system, resulting in traffic chaos in the Serbian capital… 
““Data analysis shows that the normally eastward travelling summer circulation of the Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes has slowed down, including the Jet Stream,” he said. 
“Fourteen people were rescued by boat from Stirling County Rugby Club after torrential thundery downpours affected the area. 
“A study published in early June in the journal Earth’s Future predicted record-setting heat waves, while researchers in Australia also fear that the increase in temperature year-over-year may be “pushing ecosystems and communities beyond their ability to cope.” While earlier studies showed the globe has been on a warming trend for the last century, this new study also enforces how climate change has accelerated this warming and made it worse…
“Ecosystems in the Arctic undergo rapid, dramatic, and long-lasting changes in response to climate shifts — even those of average magnitude, according to a new study published in Environmental Research Letters. 
“Utqiagvik, Alaska, set an all-time June record high Thursday, continuing what has been the warmest year-to-date in America’s northernmost town.
“Anchorage saw a record high temperature on Sunday hitting 77 degrees Fahrenheit. 
“The country’s top military commander says Canada’s Armed Forces are being pushed to the limit responding to an increasing number of climate-related events such as floods and fires… 
“After days of deadly severe thunderstorms brought widespread damage across the southeastern and central United States, the threat for flooding and violent thunderstorms will continue across the south-central part of the nation on Monday… 
“It’s been a wet year in Kansas City — the wettest on record to be exact. As of Sunday morning, 31.89 inches of precipitation had fallen at Kansas City International Airport since the start of the year. 
“Mike Zuzolo, the president of Global Commodity Analytics and Consulting, said: “This planting-delay issue, because of what states it has affected, will make the planted acreage report … historically important for market direction.” 
“The Mississippi River is expected to rise to just slightly below major flood level over the next few days before reconvening its slow descent… 
“Temperatures [in Vietnam] yesterday peaked at 39 degrees Celsius in the north and 41 degrees Celsius the central region, according to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting. 
“Several Indonesian regional authorities have been reminded to intensify monitoring for possible forest fires and drought, a report on Saturday (Jun 22) by the Antara news agency said. 
“The IMD said the country [India], as a whole, received 70.9 mm rainfall so far this monsoon season, whereas the long period average is 114.2 mm. This leaves a shortfall of 38%. 
“Heavy rains and driving winds forced the evacuation of a Cape Town building and left several suburbs without power. 
“Air pollution of toxic substances (namely nitrogen dioxide) in the central part of Kyiv [Ukraine] is six times higher than the allowable rate… 
“Around the world, record temperatures have become more and more frequent in recent years. This month, Delhi reported its highest ever temperature of 48°C while Churu in Rajasthan crossed 50°C. Last week, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization confirmed two very recent readings as being among the hottest on record globally — 53.9°C in Mitribah, Kuwait (2016) and 53.7°C in Turbat, Pakistan (2017). India’s highest ever, too, came as recently as May 19, 2016 — 51°C in Phalodi, Rajasthan.
“Continental Europe is facing the prospect of a record-breaking heatwave next week as a colossal bubble of sweltering air drifts north from Algeria, bringing temperatures expected to reach 44C.
“Britain could see its hottest June day on record next week as a ‘Spanish plume’ hits the country, bringing 34C temperatures. 
“On Wednesday afternoon, heavy thunderstorms hit parts of Hungary approximately totaling a month’s worth of rain. 
“A group of academics and physicians agreed that the record rising temperatures in Kuwait had a negative effect on productivity with the only way out seemingly was to take a leave of absence… 
“The toll of heatwave climbed to 108 in Bihar [India] on Thursday. Most heatwave deaths have been reported from Aurangabad, Gaya and Nawada. Munger, Rohtas, Begusarai, Nalanda and Vaishali districts have also registered deaths by heat stroke this season. 
“A Tamil Nadu faces its worst-ever drought, several dead fish were seen lying on the peripheries of the dried up Selva Chinthamani Lake in Coimbatore. 
“India faces the worst long-term water crisis in its history as demand outstrips supply, with millions of lives and livelihoods at risk, the government think-tank Niti Aayog warned last year. 
“A torrential downpour has pummeled Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, leaving many roads waterlogged and flooding dozens of reservoirs, local authorities said Friday. 
“Record rainfall over the past week in Argentina has slowed the rate of planting in northern and central regions of the country with some completed fields at risk of being hit by waterlogging, the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange said in their weekly report.”
“Officials have ordered residents of about 250 homes to evacuate east of Phoenix because of an aggressive wildfire. 
“Severe thunderstorms roared from Georgia through New Jersey on Thursday afternoon, leaving behind widespread power outages and disruptive flooding across the region. 
“On the North Slope of Alaska, the Iñupiat tradition of hunting bowhead whales has an ancestry over 1,500 years old… 
“Using a drone to show the cattle [NSW, Australia] gathering around the few water points remaining, the images are stark and harrowing. As Lea told The Mercury, she had over 1,300 cows to feed and water in an incredibly remote part of the state. 
“The melting of Himalayan glaciers has doubled since the turn of the century, with more than a quarter of all ice lost over the last four decades, scientists have revealed. The accelerating losses indicate a “devastating” future for the region, upon which a billion people depend for regular water.
“The floor of the Chembarambakkam reservoir is cracked open, dry and sun-baked. About 25 km away, in Chennai, India’s sixth largest city with a population of 4.6 million is running out of water. 
This is so sad. After years of drought, record rainfall had generated a bumper harvest for Iraq. Now insurgents are setting fire to it: 
“A severe heatwave hit Yemen’s southern provinces controlled by the government, killing seven citizens within a week, a medical official told Xinhua on Wednesday. 
“As if the weather in Germany hasn’t been crazy enough recently, it now looks set to get even more extreme: it’s going to get hotter and hotter next week, potentially reaching temperatures of up to 41 degrees… 
“Numerous Ohio cities have been hit hard by heavy flooding… In the city of Green, located in Summit County, the Dowey family remains trapped in their home as severe flash flooding swept away their driveway. 
“South Dakota doesn’t get a lot of tornadoes, but a twister there last weekend was particularly rare — because it was spinning clockwise. The National Weather Service says the anticyclonic tornado only lasted for about 45 seconds on June 15. 
“Going to a movie could become pricier later this year for people who enjoy popcorn with a flick. 
“Beekeepers across the US lost four in 10 of their honeybee colonies over the past year, as the worst winter on record for tracked bee populations raised fresh concerns over the plight of the crucial pollinators… 
“Just off the coast of Louisiana, where the Mississippi River lets out into the Gulf of Mexico, an enormous algae bloom, fueled by fertilizer from Midwestern farm fields and urban sewage, creates an area so devoid of oxygen it’s uninhabitable to most marine life every summer… 
“Torrential rains in central and southern Uruguay in the past several days have caused massive floods and forced some 7,400 people to leave their homes, according to the latest update by the country’s National Emergency System. 
“The NSW Government issued its Annual air quality statement 2018, showing high levels of toxic air pollutants across the state – and they are on the rise… 
“Summer doesn’t begin for two more days, but oceanographers and climatologists are already sounding the alarm about stunning, dangerous ice melts going on right now in Greenland… 
“New evidence shows that Arctic ecosystems undergo rapid, strong and pervasive environmental changes in response to climate shifts, even those of moderate magnitude, according to an international research team led by the University of Maine… 
“Emissions need to be halved by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius but temperatures are on track to be double that by the end of the century even if countries’ current plans are fully implemented, scientists say.”