“Forecasters have said that it’s looking increasingly likely this month could be the hottest January ever recorded in Australia with an “intense hot spell” just around the corner…
““We’ve just come off the back of the hottest December on record. In this latest heat spell we had four days that were in the top 10 hottest Australian days on record and the hottest night on record,” said Sky News Weather channel meteorologist Rob Sharpe.
““We’ve had some serious heat and it has not really broken up. This next hot spell will take us through to the end of month so I wouldn’t be surprised if it was the hottest January ever,” he said. “And if that happens it could be the hottest summer on record.””
“Japan’s squid sector is in danger, with growing reports that catches this season have hit a record low, causing prices to soar, reports The Telegraph.
“A drop in volumes of squid caught by Japanese fisherman has been attributed by experts to a combination of overfishing and rising sea temperatures due to climate change.”
“Seven weeks after a massive earthquake rocked Alaska, aftershocks are still shattering 7-year-old Connor Cartwright’s sense of safety… the seemingly never-ending aftershocks deepen quake anxiety for the second-grader and many other Alaska residents in the wide swath of the state shaken by the Nov. 30 quake…
“The latest big aftershock happened last Sunday — a magnitude 5.0 jolt that flared already frayed nerves and prompted panicky posts on social media.”
“Five people have died as a result of a winter storm that slammed the Midwest this weekend before shifting toward the Northeast, bringing dangerous conditions to roads, railways and airports.”
“Several areas of Argentina are in water emergency in the face of heavy flooding in the coastal region due to the intense rains registered over the last weeks…
“Secretary of Civil Protection, Emilio Renda said, “We have never seen rains like these before.”
“Heavy rains and flooding swept away houses in Madagascar’s capital of Antanarivo have killed nine people, an official report said Sunday… According to officials in the district, at least five houses collapsed and were washed away in the deluge.”
“The record for Australia’s all-time highest overnight temperature was smashed last night, just one of the marks to fall in what is becoming a heatwave for the history books.
“Dr Blair Trewin, senior climatologist at the Bureau of Meteorology, said a minimum of 35.9 degrees Celsius was recorded at Noona, between Wilcannia and Cobar in western New South Wales, while 35.6C was measured at Borrona Downs.
“”Both of those broke the previous record which was 35.5C set in 1982 in Arkaroola, South Australia, and was equalled in 2003 at Wittenoom in WA.”
“He said the current heatwave was shaping up as one of the most significant on record in inland New South Wales.”
“Queensland has broken its record for the most consecutive days above 40 degrees Celsius. Cloncurry and Camooweal, in the state’s north west, recorded 33 days between December 16 last year and January 17 this year… Prior to this, the record stood at 31 consecutive days, recorded in 2012 in Birdsville and 1973 in Boulia and Urandangi.
“The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast the record will continue to rise in the coming weeks.”
“A rare marine heatwave is under way in places around New Zealand, with fish and other marine life likely to spend the next couple of months swimming south to find cooler water.
“The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa) has confirmed marine heatwave conditions in parts of the Tasman Sea and the seas east of the country, for the second consecutive summer.”
“If you feel like it’s been a mild winter so far, you’re not imagining things.
“This has been the warmest first half of January ever recorded in Seattle, according to the National Weather Service in Seattle… temperature records go back to marks taken at the Federal Building in downtown Seattle since the 1890s…”
“If you’re wondering exactly how warm it was in 2018, you may have to wait for the U.S. government to start functioning again… A NOAA spokesperson confirmed to Earther that “both the timing of the 2018 State of the Climate report and climate research are impacted as a result of the lapse in funding.””
“At least five people died this week in storms that battered different parts of California with heavy rain, wind and snow.
“The Midwest and Northeast, meanwhile, are preparing for two storms, including one expected to dump several inches of snow in certain areas and could lead to a “flash freeze.””
“The southeastern Minnesota towns of Harmony, Mabel and Caledonia all beat the state’s old annual precipitation record in 2018.
“Harmony finished at No. 1 with 60.21 inches of precipitation last year, according to unofficial results. The previous record came in 2016 when Waseca had 56.24 inches.
“In climate terms, breaking a precipitation record by nearly 4 inches is “a little absurd,” said Kenny Blumenfeld, senior climatologist with the state Department of Natural Resources.”
“Intense rainfall in Northeast Argentina has caused devastating floods, amplifying the economic burdens of the country’s record inflation. About 3,500 people have evacuated the region, and millions of hectares of crops have been sent underwater…
“Just last year, Argentina was plagued with severe drought, the worst that had hit the country in half a century.”
“At least four people have been killed in Lebanon, including a Syrian girl and her brother, after heavy rain and snow battered the country.
“Storm Miriam – also referred to by some Lebanese officials as Storm Tracy – is the second to hit the Eastern Mediterranean country this month after Norma, which struck on January 6.”
“The alleyways of the Syrian town of Darkush are normally thronged with pedestrians but since the swollen Orontes River burst its banks, Abu Ihab’s boat has provided the main way of getting around…
“…this year, days of torrential rain in the mountains has sent a deluge downstream, submerging the streets of his hometown under as much as a metre and a half (five feet) of water.”
“About 20 per cent out of Nigeria’s estimated population of 200 million people are at the risk of one form of flood or the other across the country, the National Emergency Management Agency announced on Thursday.
“With an estimated population of 200 million people, 20 per cent of this figure means that about 40 million citizens are being affected by one form of flood or the other, especially during the raining season.”
“Studies of the food Resilience and Nutrition Security Programme in Angola (FRESAN) conducted in 2018 indicate that over 1.1 million Angolans living in the southern provinces of Huíla, Namibe and Cunene are affected by drought as a result of the climate change phenomenon.”
“The study… found that 60% of wild coffee species are under threat of extinction. This includes the wild species of Arabica, the most popular cultivated coffee species accounting for 60% of global production.
“The majority of the wild coffee species globally are found in Africa and Madagascar, where deforestation, human encroachment and disease is increasingly killing wild coffee plants.”
“For the past decade, the World Economic Forum has put out a yearly review of the greatest threats to our world—the economic and geopolitical risks that endanger our planet, our way of life, and even our species.
“This year, for the third year running, “extreme weather” induced by climate change has taken the top spot in the Global Risks Report, issued the week prior to the forum’s gab fest in Davos…”
“Australia is in the midst of a scorching heat wave this week that has set all-time temperature records in what has been four of its most sweltering days in history.
“The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) in Australia said Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday ranked among the top 10 hottest days on record for the country as whole.
“Marble Bar in northwest Australia has experienced the hottest temperature since the weekend, topping out at 120.4 degrees Fahrenheit (49.1 degrees Celsius) on Sunday.
“Not far behind is Tarcoola in South Australia which hit 120.2 degrees Fahrenheit (49 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday. That is the hottest temperature in its history dating to 1903.
“At least five other locations in southeast Australia set all-time record highs on Wednesday.”
“Despite a forecast yesterday by the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) that snow would fall on Yushan [Taiwan] on Wednesday (Jan. 16) evening or Thursday morning, only rime was spotted…
“…it appears the mountain will soon break the record for the latest snowfall in 66 years.”
“Snow began to fall in Jerusalem and on the mountains of central Israel on Wednesday evening.
“The heavy snow will continue to fall in the capital throughout Wednesday night and is expected to stick on the ground, according to the Meteorological Service.”
“There was significant snowfall across central and eastern parts of Europe last week, with record-breaking amounts of snow for January in some parts of the Alps. It has been reported that over 3.5 metres (11.5ft) fell in places.
“The hazardous wintry conditions led to several fatalities and widespread disruption. Many areas remain on high alert due to the risk of avalanches, with further heavy snow expected as a succession of fronts move through from the north-west.”
“Almost 6 inches of rain just fell in central California and the southern part of the state has seen more than 4 inches, resulting in flooding and rockslides reportedly hitting cars.
“Wind gusts of up to 98 mph also were reported in central California, and in the Bay Area trees were toppled, with some falling on cars. A second, stronger storm is continuing to batter the West Coast this morning…”
“Glaciers are faithful indicators of climate change since they shrink and grow in response to changes in precipitation and temperature.
“The first comprehensive assessment of glacier mass loss for all regions in western North America (excluding Alaskan glaciers) suggests that ice masses throughout western North America are in significant decline: glaciers have been losing mass during the first two decades of the 21st century.”
“According to Roshydromet, average temperatures in the Kara Sea have since 1998 increased with as much as 4,95 C degrees. Ice is retreating and the permafrost melting.
“Data from measuring points in the country’s European parts of the Arctic in 2017 showed an average shrinking of the permafrost layer by about 10 cm. In 2018, the average temperature increase in the polar parts of the country was between 2-4 degrees above normal, a recent sum-up from Roshydromet reads.”
“A detailed study of climate change and the North suggests the impact on roads and other infrastructure will be even more severe than anticipated.
“John Pomeroy of the University of Saskatchewan says projections in the newly published paper are the most precise ever made. He says they show significant threats to crucial links such as the Dempster Highway, the only road from southern Canada to the Arctic coast.”
The oceans are facing a perfect storm of threats that will destroy marine life unless the government takes urgent action, a new report has warned.
“Plastic pollution, climate change, and overfishing are combining to put sea creatures under intolerable stress, according to MPs on the [UK’s] Environmental Audit Committee.”
“It has been a wet year so far in the low Pampas of South America. Northeast Argentina and the adjacent parts of Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil have been hit with extensive flooding.
“Since the beginning of the year, the area has received about five times the long-term expected average rainfall.
“On January 8, the Argentine city of Resistencia recorded 224mm rainfall. This is a new 24-hour rainfall record, much higher than the previous highest of 206mm, recorded in January 1994.
“Eastern Pampas has good farming land but the first soybean crop was a complete loss in some areas because of the rain. The ground is still water-logged. In the province of Corrientes, water is nearly two metres deep, displacing the herds of cattle.
“In Paso de Los Libres, a border city in what is known as the Argentine Mesopotamia, January brought 483mm of rain so far. The average rainfall for January is 128mm…
“The forecast for the next week suggests another 250mm of rain in the Argentine province of Corrientes and the northern parts of Uruguay.”
“With just 16 days left until a deadline set by the federal government, the Arizona Legislature is under pressure to push through a Colorado River drought plan that would prevent Lake Mead from dropping to extremely low levels.
“Gov. Doug Ducey appealed to lawmakers Tuesday to get the deal done quickly, saying it’s his top priority.
““This is by far the most pressing issue we face as a state,” Ducey said at a news conference. “And the clock is ticking.””
“Satellite images and weather models have confirmed that the polar vortex – the area of low pressure and swirling cold air above the North Pole – has split into three.
“That means that temperatures far below normal can be expected in the eastern half of North America, according to The Washington Post.”
“Thousands of people remained cut off from the outside world on Tuesday after two weeks of exceptionally heavy snow in the Alps blocked villages and ski resorts.
“Snowfall has broken records in many parts of Austria, with as much as ten feet falling in just 15 days in some areas, and more than 41,000 people were cut off from the outside world in the Austrian region of Salzburg alone.”
“Greece has seen storm after storm, with rain and heavy snow, march through the entire nation in the past several weeks. The torrential rain of the last few days has turned streambeds which remain dry for most of the year into waterfalls in the areas of Merkaria and Agrari [Mykonos].
“Snow has been piling up on Mount Hermon, the highest point in Israel, as torrential rain intermittently pounded the north and center Monday.
“A short section of Israel’s north-south highway, Route 90, was closed in the morning to traffic in both directions between the Tiberias hot springs and the city of Tiberias itself because of flooding.”
“The top 15 hottest places in the world yesterday were all in Australia, as an intense heatwave weather system – possibly the worst since 2011 – continues to sweep over the country. Of the 15 locations, 10 were in South Australia, three in New South Wales and another two in the Northern Territory, with temperatures ranging between 46.1C and 49.1C, according to US-based El Dorado Weather.”
““It’s been like hell. The thing is, you have to work. Start off early, knock off early – by one or two o’clock. You try and do as much as you can in the morning. By the afternoon, it’s too hot to work.
““You have to try and leave your tools in the shade. If you don’t, it burns your fingers. There’s not much you can do. And plenty of water. If you don’t have that, you’re in strife.”
“Over two days in November, record-breaking heat in Australia’s north wiped out almost one-third of the nation’s spectacled flying foxes, according to researchers.
“The animals, also known as spectacled fruit bats, were unable to survive in temperatures which exceeded 42C.”
“As levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide rise and warm the globe, Antarctica’s ice will become more vulnerable to cycles on an astronomical scale, particularly the tilt of our planet is as it spins around its axis.
“New research finds that over 30 million years of history, Antarctica’s ice sheets responded most strongly to the angle of Earth’s tilt on its axis when the ice extends into the oceans, interacting with currents that can bring warm water lapping at their margins and leading to increased melting.”
“The oceans are warming up much faster than scientists had previously predicted, substantially raising the risks and magnitude of natural disasters, a team of international researchers has warned.
“In the next four decades, sea temperatures will rise four times more rapidly than they did in the previous six decades.”
“A pair of new studies released on Monday share a same ominous message — that our planet’s ice is melting at an alarming rate, which is bad news for global sea levels.
“According to a study led by Eric Rignot from the University of California at Irvine, which looked at details of ice and snow from the entire continent of Antarctica since 1979, Antarctica’s crucial ice sheet has been melting for the entire 39 year period, but that is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak.
“Antarctica is melting away,” Rignot told CNN, “not just in a couple of places.””
“Warmer, wetter weather after days of heavy snowfall has increased the risk of avalanches in parts of southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
“In Bavaria, snow melt has flooded several roads and some basements in the town of Harburg as the Woernitz river swelled overnight. Dozens of people have already died in avalanches and weather-related accidents in the region since the start of the year.”
“The year 2018 was the hottest in Slovakia since records began, according to several weather stations. The average annual temperature was 12 degrees Celsius or more. The average temperature in Žihárec (Nitra Region) was even higher: 13 degrees Celsius, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) informed.
““This value was recorded for the first time in the history of meteorological measurements in Slovakia,” SHMÚ wrote on its website.”
“Syrian refugees in Lebanon are struggling with the aftermath of a storm that drenched the country’s eastern and northern regions, delivered floodwaters and damaged hundreds of makeshift camps. Storm Norma, which last week brought with it incessant rain and snowfall, affected more than 22,000 refugees…
“A new storm, dubbed Storm Miriam, hit the country on Sunday evening. It is expected to bring snowfall and continue until January 17, exacerbating already dire conditions across Lebanon’s Syrian refugee camps.”
“Massive flooding hit northern towns as parts of the country, including Jerusalem, braced for snow over the next few days.
“Forecasts predicted an overnight freeze and local rain in the mountainous parts of the Galilee and Jerusalem regions, slowly building up until Wednesday, when major storms are expected to hit Israel’s shores.”
“A major winter storm that hammered the Midwest and mid-Atlantic over the weekend missed Upstate New York, but another one looms for next weekend. The National Weather Service office in Binghamton said a “potentially major winter storm” is shaping up for Saturday and Sunday, and has already alerted the media and emergency managers.”
“A deadly winter storm that claimed the lives of at least nine people pummeled the mid-Atlantic region, leading to power outages, canceled flights and hundreds of car accidents.
“The winter storm began to unfold over the region on Friday afternoon with heavy snow and freezing rain across Missouri and Kansas. Some motorists became stranded on the snow-covered roads for hours, and additional travel delays continued through Sunday.”
“A series of Pacific storms will bring heavy rain, extreme winds and deep snow to California through the week. These rains could lead to mudflows in areas burned by wildfires earlier in the year. A mandatory evacuation has already been issued for residents in the Holy Fire burn area.”
“PG&E, the largest utility in California, announced Monday that it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of the month, providing a 15-day advance notice required by law.
“What’s forcing the company into this unsavory position is upward of $30 billion in liability after record-breaking deadly wildfires in 2017 and 2018 torched big swaths of California. Investigators have attributed more than 1,500 fires to PG&E power lines and hardware…”
“Temperatures soared into the mid-teens across southern Alberta last weekend, smashing records and sending many out to bask in the mid-winter sunshine. While a major cool-down is on the way for this week, one thing that doesn’t feature in the forecast — and hasn’t for much of the winter thus far — is snow.”
“Port Augusta in South Australia has reached 48.9C on Tuesday, as a heatwave sets in across much of Australia threatening more record hot days.
“All-time highest minimum temperatures have also been broken in three places. Meekatharra in Western Australia and Fowlers Gap and White Cliffs in New South Wales all registered an overnight minimum of 33C on Monday.”
“The NSW Department of Primary Industries said on Jan. 15 there has been another fish kill at the NSW-Victorian border at Lake Hume. The department announced that some 1,800 fish had died at Lake Hume, which is part of the Murray River system, and that the cause of the mass deaths is so far unknown, according to AAP.”
“Video and pictures have emerged showing some of the dry lightning strikes on Tasmania’s east coast as the fires increase in dangerous weather conditions.
“About 1,500 lightning strikes were recorded across the state overnight, with 500 reported between 9:00am and midday on Tuesday.”
“Parts of central Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania are forecast to experience a severe heatwave until Thursday, with the hot weather contracting to New South Wales and Queensland on Friday and Saturday…
“The hottest spot in NSW will be Menindee, near Broken Hill, with forecast temperatures of 45C on Monday rising to 47C on Thursday, and Friday expected to contribute to more fish deaths.
“As many as 1m fish are believed to have died in two mass fish kills in the Menindee Lakes since December.
“The heatwave is caused by a strong high-pressure system that has dragged hot air from the Pilbara in Western Australia, where temperatures in Marble Bar have been above 40C since mid-December, said Ashleigh Langey from the Bureau of Meteorology…
“hot weather records could be broken in northern Victoria, with temperatures of 46C forecast for Mildura on Tuesday and Mildura, Swan Hill and Echuca on Wednesday. Albury-Wodonga, Shepparton and Wangaratta are also forecast to be very hot.
“The hottest temperature ever recorded in Mildura is 46.9C.
““If we get to 47C in the next couple of days then we will be breaking not just January records but all-time hot weather records as well,” BoM senior forecaster Michael Efron said.
“Weeks of heavy rains and flooding have killed at least nine people in Papua New Guinea, with authorities warning more bad weather and devastation could be on the way.
“Central Province Disaster Division Coordinator Tumai Ipo told AFP Monday they have received reports of at least nine deaths, with many more families left homeless or without access to safe drinking water.”
“The flood of different rivers and streams in the interior of Uruguay
“…due to the heavy rains that have hit the country in recent days has led to the displacement of 1,170 people , 85% of them in the department of Durazno, reported on Saturday. National Emergency System.”
“In the last 11 days, 400 millimetres [over 15 inches] of rain fell in the northeast of Santa Fe province [Argentina], the INTA reported. El Nochero, Santa Margarita and Villa Minetti were among the towns most affected.
“The town of Los Amores in Santa Fe registered rainfall of 740 millimetres [nearly 30 inches] in one week, which is the equivalent of its total annual average.”
“The threat for flooding and mudslides is expected to ramp up across California as the train of storms with heavy rain, mountain snow and gusty winds persists this week… Burn scar areas will be most susceptible to devastating debris flows, and residents living in these areas should heed all evacuation orders by officials. Flooding and mudslides may not be limited to these communities.”
“A winter storm that blanketed the Midwest with snow and left seven dead hit Washington and its surrounding areas Sunday — with more than 35 million people under winter weather alerts.
“Up to a foot of snowfall is possible in Washington and Virginia on Sunday and into Monday morning, the National Weather Service said.”
“Like almost all farmers in the northern ends of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties [Florida], 2018 was one for the record books, and not in a good way. The Pensacola area saw just over 90 inches of rain total last year, which is 2 feet more than it normally does. Mickey Diamond, a cotton and peanut farmer in Jay, said his town saw over 100 inches of rain.
““It’s basically chaotic,” says Tony of the new climatic normal.
““It’s non-stop flowers from now on. Winters are milder on average and there’s every opportunity to have a riot of lovely flowers from December right through till spring.” …Deadly floods in Bangladesh, devastating wildfires in California, melting glaciers in Greenland, coral bleaching in the oceans – this is climate change in action.”
“Southern Germany and Austria can expect further heavy snowfall over the next few days, forecasters have warned, after unusually severe weather left five people dead in the Alps region.
“Up to 80 centimeters (31 inches) of fresh snow is expected above 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) until Tuesday, along with more than half a meter at lower altitudes.”
“Syrian refugees in Lebanon are enduring yet another heavy storm, bringing more rains and snowfall to the camps in the country’s eastern and northern regions…
“Lebanon is home to more than one million Syrian refugees, most of whom live in informal settlements made out of tarpaulin tents supported by wooden frames.”
“Two cars were washed away Sunday in flash flooding near Nahal Hilazon, a stream in northern Israel. Rescue units arrived at the scene and saved the lives of both drivers. The country has been hit with heavy rains this winter. Last week an IDF soldier drowned in a training exercise when attempting to cross Nahal Hilazon.”
“The waters off the UAE are already extremely warm…
“The Arabian Gulf’s waters are also set to become saltier as heat increases the rate of evaporation, Dr Plancherel said, and the region’s problem of “hypoxia”, or low water oxygen levels, is likely to become more severe and widespread.”
“More than 20 people have been killed following violent storms and flash flooding in three countries most vulnerable to harsh weather patterns in Southern Africa in recent days.
“Mozambique is the worst affected, with at least 18 people dead after lightning strikes and river flooding in different parts of the Niassa and Zambezia provinces.”
“International climate scientists believe that man-made climate change and its effect on rainfall made the drought in the Western Cape province over the past few years about three times more likely.
“Between 2015 and 2018, the province experienced below average rainfall, resulting in the worst drought since 1904.”
“U.S. Navy secretary has hinted at sending a group of ships to the Arctic this summer to reinforce the country’s presence in the polar area.
“Arctic sea ice has been steadily receding due to global warming. As a result, more navigable areas and new shipping routes are opening up for exploration.”
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“Forecasters have said that it’s looking increasingly likely this month could be the hottest January ever recorded in Australia with an “intense hot spell” just around the corner…
“Japan’s squid sector is in danger, with growing reports that catches this season have hit a record low, causing prices to soar, reports The Telegraph. 
“The temperature in Hong Kong could drop to a chilly 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday… 
“After the coldest December in 13 years, the national capital [Delhi] experienced its hottest January-day on Sunday, since 2007…
“Seven weeks after a massive earthquake rocked Alaska, aftershocks are still shattering 7-year-old Connor Cartwright’s sense of safety… the seemingly never-ending aftershocks deepen quake anxiety for the second-grader and many other Alaska residents in the wide swath of the state shaken by the Nov. 30 quake… 
” More than six-and-a-half feet of rain fell on the region [Blue Ridge Mountains] in 2018…
“Several areas of Argentina are in water emergency in the face of heavy flooding in the coastal region due to the intense rains registered over the last weeks… 
“Heavy rains and flooding swept away houses in Madagascar’s capital of Antanarivo have killed nine people, an official report said Sunday… According to officials in the district, at least five houses collapsed and were washed away in the deluge.”
“The record for Australia’s all-time highest overnight temperature was smashed last night, just one of the marks to fall in what is becoming a heatwave for the history books.
“Queensland has broken its record for the most consecutive days above 40 degrees Celsius. Cloncurry and Camooweal, in the state’s north west, recorded 33 days between December 16 last year and January 17 this year… Prior to this, the record stood at 31 consecutive days, recorded in 2012 in Birdsville and 1973 in Boulia and Urandangi.
“A rare marine heatwave is under way in places around New Zealand, with fish and other marine life likely to spend the next couple of months swimming south to find cooler water.
“If you feel like it’s been a mild winter so far, you’re not imagining things. 
“At least five people died this week in storms that battered different parts of California with heavy rain, wind and snow. 
“The southeastern Minnesota towns of Harmony, Mabel and Caledonia all beat the state’s old annual precipitation record in 2018.
“Intense rainfall in Northeast Argentina has caused devastating floods, amplifying the economic burdens of the country’s record inflation. About 3,500 people have evacuated the region, and millions of hectares of crops have been sent underwater… 
“At least four people have been killed in Lebanon, including a Syrian girl and her brother, after heavy rain and snow battered the country. 
“The alleyways of the Syrian town of Darkush are normally thronged with pedestrians but since the swollen Orontes River burst its banks, Abu Ihab’s boat has provided the main way of getting around… 
“About 20 per cent out of Nigeria’s estimated population of 200 million people are at the risk of one form of flood or the other across the country, the National Emergency Management Agency announced on Thursday. 
“The study… found that 60% of wild coffee species are under threat of extinction. This includes the wild species of Arabica, the most popular cultivated coffee species accounting for 60% of global production. 
“For the past decade, the World Economic Forum has put out a yearly review of the greatest threats to our world—the economic and geopolitical risks that endanger our planet, our way of life, and even our species. 
“Australia is in the midst of a scorching heat wave this week that has set all-time temperature records in what has been four of its most sweltering days in history.
“Despite a forecast yesterday by the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) that snow would fall on Yushan [Taiwan] on Wednesday (Jan. 16) evening or Thursday morning, only rime was spotted… 
“Snow began to fall in Jerusalem and on the mountains of central Israel on Wednesday evening. 
“There was significant snowfall across central and eastern parts of Europe last week, with record-breaking amounts of snow for January in some parts of the Alps. It has been reported that over 3.5 metres (11.5ft) fell in places. 
“Almost 6 inches of rain just fell in central California and the southern part of the state has seen more than 4 inches, resulting in flooding and rockslides reportedly hitting cars. 
“Glaciers are faithful indicators of climate change since they shrink and grow in response to changes in precipitation and temperature. 
“According to Roshydromet, average temperatures in the Kara Sea have since 1998 increased with as much as 4,95 C degrees. Ice is retreating and the permafrost melting. 
“A detailed study of climate change and the North suggests the impact on roads and other infrastructure will be even more severe than anticipated. 
“It has been a wet year so far in the low Pampas of South America. Northeast Argentina and the adjacent parts of Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil have been hit with extensive flooding.
“High in the mountains above Mérida lie the fast-melting remnants of Venezuela’s once-extensive glaciers…
“With just 16 days left until a deadline set by the federal government, the Arizona Legislature is under pressure to push through a Colorado River drought plan that would prevent Lake Mead from dropping to extremely low levels.
“Satellite images and weather models have confirmed that the polar vortex – the area of low pressure and swirling cold air above the North Pole – has split into three. 
“Thousands of people remained cut off from the outside world on Tuesday after two weeks of exceptionally heavy snow in the Alps blocked villages and ski resorts. 
“Snow has been piling up on Mount Hermon, the highest point in Israel, as torrential rain intermittently pounded the north and center Monday. 
““It’s been like hell. The thing is, you have to work. Start off early, knock off early – by one or two o’clock. You try and do as much as you can in the morning. By the afternoon, it’s too hot to work.
“Over two days in November, record-breaking heat in Australia’s north wiped out almost one-third of the nation’s spectacled flying foxes, according to researchers. 
“As levels of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide rise and warm the globe, Antarctica’s ice will become more vulnerable to cycles on an astronomical scale, particularly the tilt of our planet is as it spins around its axis.
“…high above Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city, the Tuyuksu glacier is melting like mad…
“The oceans are warming up much faster than scientists had previously predicted, substantially raising the risks and magnitude of natural disasters, a team of international researchers has warned. 
“A pair of new studies released on Monday share a same ominous message — that our planet’s ice is melting at an alarming rate, which is bad news for global sea levels.
“Warmer, wetter weather after days of heavy snowfall has increased the risk of avalanches in parts of southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland. 
“The year 2018 was the hottest in Slovakia since records began, according to several weather stations. The average annual temperature was 12 degrees Celsius or more. The average temperature in Žihárec (Nitra Region) was even higher: 13 degrees Celsius, the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute (SHMÚ) informed.
“Syrian refugees in Lebanon are struggling with the aftermath of a storm that drenched the country’s eastern and northern regions, delivered floodwaters and damaged hundreds of makeshift camps. Storm Norma, which last week brought with it incessant rain and snowfall, affected more than 22,000 refugees… 
“Massive flooding hit northern towns as parts of the country, including Jerusalem, braced for snow over the next few days. 
“A deadly winter storm that claimed the lives of at least nine people pummeled the mid-Atlantic region, leading to power outages, canceled flights and hundreds of car accidents. 
“PG&E, the largest utility in California, announced Monday that it will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the end of the month, providing a 15-day advance notice required by law. 
“Port Augusta in South Australia has reached 48.9C on Tuesday, as a heatwave sets in across much of Australia threatening more record hot days. 
“Video and pictures have emerged showing some of the dry lightning strikes on Tasmania’s east coast as the fires increase in dangerous weather conditions. 
“Parts of central Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania are forecast to experience a severe heatwave until Thursday, with the hot weather contracting to New South Wales and Queensland on Friday and Saturday…
“Weeks of heavy rains and flooding have killed at least nine people in Papua New Guinea, with authorities warning more bad weather and devastation could be on the way. 
“The flood of different rivers and streams in the interior of Uruguay 
“In the last 11 days, 400 millimetres [over 15 inches] of rain fell in the northeast of Santa Fe province [Argentina], the INTA reported. El Nochero, Santa Margarita and Villa Minetti were among the towns most affected. 
“A winter storm that blanketed the Midwest with snow and left seven dead hit Washington and its surrounding areas Sunday — with more than 35 million people under winter weather alerts. 
“Like almost all farmers in the northern ends of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties [Florida], 2018 was one for the record books, and not in a good way. The Pensacola area saw just over 90 inches of rain total last year, which is 2 feet more than it normally does. Mickey Diamond, a cotton and peanut farmer in Jay, said his town saw over 100 inches of rain.
““It’s basically chaotic,” says Tony of the new climatic normal. 
“Southern Germany and Austria can expect further heavy snowfall over the next few days, forecasters have warned, after unusually severe weather left five people dead in the Alps region.
“Syrian refugees in Lebanon are enduring yet another heavy storm, bringing more rains and snowfall to the camps in the country’s eastern and northern regions… 
“The waters off the UAE are already extremely warm… 
“More than 20 people have been killed following violent storms and flash flooding in three countries most vulnerable to harsh weather patterns in Southern Africa in recent days. 
“U.S. Navy secretary has hinted at sending a group of ships to the Arctic this summer to reinforce the country’s presence in the polar area. 