“The past 60 days from mid-September into mid-November have seen five deadly weather disasters in the United States take a total of more than 130 lives.
“These five weather events include hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding and wildfires. One region in particular, the South, has been particularly hard hit by deadly weather this fall.”
“Here is a closer look at each of these memorable occurrences…”
“The “Camp Fire” in Northern California has scorched some 130,000 acres and is 35 percent contained, according to officials Tuesday night. In addition, the “Camp Fire” death toll has now reached 48. Statewide there are a total of 50 deaths.
“Some 9,000 firefighters have been battling the wildfires, which have become the deadliest and costliest in state history.”
“The U.S. Geological Survey has confirmed what many residents of the Carolinas already suspected: Hurricane Florence’s rainfalls brought with them record flooding. Preliminary data indicates that 18 USGS streamgages in North Carolina and 10 in South Carolina registered record-setting water levels, called peaks of record. Another 45 streamgages in North Carolina and 10 in South Carolina recorded streamflows…”
“Tuesday, Melbourne [Florida] broke an 80-year old record, hitting 88 degrees, thanks to a leftover summertime warm streak. The original record was set in 1938.
“The super heat comes as Brevard County residents are making preparations for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. Weather officials said the unseasonably warm temperatures will linger through the week…”
“The Gulf of Maine, the huge body of water that borders New England stretches, roughly bordered by Cape Code on the south and Nova Scotia on the north, is warming up fast – faster than almost any other part of the world’s oceans. Why? Geography of the land and geography of the ocean floor, which make the gulf acting “something like a bathtub,” plus the effect on currents of huge amounts of cold water from melting Greenland glaciers.”
“Researchers agree that polar bears represent a growing threat to Inuit communities, but say that is because climate change has pushed them closer to human settlements – not because the bear population is growing. “There seems to be a divergence between scientists and Inuit on the threat that climate change poses to this species,” said Andrew Derocher, a polar bear researcher at the University of Alberta.”
“Across the planet, shorebirds are in serious trouble. In the past 50 years their well-documented North American populations are estimated to have plummeted by at least 70 percent on average, and shorebirds elsewhere are hardly doing better, if not worse.”
“This week could see an ‘Indian summer’ marking the warmest mid-November days for 177 years with sunny spells of 17-18c. Today could be the warmest November 14 since records began in 1841 if highs beat the 17.7c recorded in Cwmbargoed, Glamorgan, Wales.”
“The Met Office also said a bitter last week of November could bring snow to the north of the country. Forecaster John Hammond told The Sun Online:
“”A huge area of high pressure will drive the Russian air towards us, and there is a chance that a few flurries of snow may drift in on the breeze. Frosty mornings will become routine.”
“The Greater Amman Municipality (Jordan) on Tuesday put its staff on “maximum alert” to deal with any potential disruptions as heavy rain is again expected until the end of the week.”
“Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has suspended work at all of its companies on Wednesday due to the extreme weather which has hit the country in recent days.
“Kuwait’s Minister of Public Works, Hussam Al Roumi, resigned on Friday because of the extensive damage to public property caused by heavy rains and floods.”
“Over 16,600 families have been affected by heavy rains and subsequent flood this month in Batticaloa [Sri Lanka], with 242 families displaced.
“Students from the Vanthaarumoolai campus of the University of Batticaloa have launched makeshift teaching lessons for children living in camps with their parents, displaced by flooding.”
“A powerful photo shows a drought-stricken [Australian] farmer’s desperation as he ‘prays for rain’ on his devastated cattle farm.
“The image shows 83-year-old farmer Alf King kneeling and clasping his hands together on the parched earth of his farm just outside of Bingara, near the border of New South Wales and Queensland.”
“Following a weekend of heavy rains and widespread flooding, Dominica was placed on high alert on Tuesday due to a tropical wave which is now affecting the island.
“The Office of Disaster Management (ODM) warned the inclement weather will continue until early Wednesday. A Flood Warning was also issued early Tuesday morning after flooding was reported in several parts of the island.”
“Persistent rainfall in one of the driest places on Earth has had a disastrous effect on its ecosystem. Microorganisms in South America’s Atacama desert – known for its Mars-like dryness – have struggled to survive the sudden change in climate over recent years, a study has shown.”
“Heatwaves appear to be sterilising male insects, a discovery that has serious implications in a world of rising temperatures and mass extinctions.
“A new study found heatwave conditions slashed sperm production in beetles by three quarters and halved the amount of offspring they could produce.
“With massive insect declines already recorded by scientists from Germany to Puerto Rico, the findings present another massive source of concern for scientists.”
“Multiple fires have been raging in California leaving at least 42 people dead and 150,000 displaced throughout the state. The Camp Fire in northern California has become the most destructive wildfire in state history, incinerating the town of Paradise.”
“Although President Trump has blamed “poor” forest management, the science says a phenomenon that one meteorologist dubbed “negative rain” played a part in sparking the wildfires.
“That “negative rain,” along with dry, windy conditions, has made Northern California ripe for devastating blazes. And as global warming escalates, it’s only going to get worse.”
“Fall 2018 in Texas brought massive amounts of rainfall across Texas. There was so much downpour, it broke the state’s record for the wettest two-month period on record going back to 1895.
“September and October each individually set a new record for the amount of precipitation during the respective months.”
“Another interesting stat is that 36 percent of our 2018 days have had measurable rain, or essentially one out of every three days. When you dig further into the weather data, we’ve had 20 days this year with an inch or more of rain (the all-time record is 21 days) with our largest daily rainfall total on in July 21st with exactly four inches that day. This year we’ve had 33.25 inches just on those 20 days alone, or nearly 60 percent of our total rainfall on only 6 percent of our total days this year.”
“Climate change is impacting the Caribbean hugely, with millions facing increasing food insecurity and decreasing freshwater availability as droughts become more likely across the region…
“In Haiti, for example, over half of the crops were lost in 2015 due to drought…”
“According to official rainfall data from the National Weather Service, many Big Island [Hawaii] rain gauges saw their wettest October on record, with most rain gauges still recording higher-than-average rainfall this year to date.”
“It is not just inland farmers who have been affected by drought [in Australia], with diminished rainfall and high temperatures now hitting the fishing industry…
“He said the lack of rain meant fish food — bugs, beetles and microbes — was not being washed into the estuaries and river systems that play a big role in the life of most commercial fish species.”
“Flash floods in Malaysia’s capital city brought roads to a standstill over the weekend.
“On Sunday, people in Kuala Lumpur battled flash floods in busy areas such as the Jalan Tun Razak tunnel and Jalan Loke Yew street, Malaysia’s state-run Bernama news channel reported. The floods, which followed almost two hours of heavy downpour, trapped five drives in the tunnel, Bernama added.”
“Cyclonic Storm Gaja formed this weekend in the Bay of Bengal and will track westward toward southern India in the coming days. Gaja is expected to strengthen into a severe cyclonic storm by Wednesday.. A track to the west and southwest into the middle of the week will take the strengthening cyclone toward the coastline of Tamil Nadu and bring impacts ranging from flooding rainfall and mudslides to damaging winds.”
“A six-year-old girl from Jonasi Village in Uzumba Maramba Pfungwe district [Zimbabwe] died recently after she was swept away while trying to cross a flooded stream following heavy rains that pounded the area and left some people homeless.”
“As Cape Town prepares for another summer on the brink of an environmental disaster, with fresh restrictions on water usage already in place, the head of South African tourism has called on the city to become a blueprint for water-scarce cities around the world.”
“The South African Weather Services on Tuesday warned residents of extremely hot conditions expected over the Cape Winelands, Central Karoo and the interior of the Garden Route in the Western Cape, as well as a heatwave over the eastern parts of the country, Northern Cape, Free State and North West provinces. The Gauteng Weather Service said the province had started experiencing extremely high temperatures from Monday…”
“The room in the house was completely flooded, when the youngest fell off the bed. In the midst of the floods that hit the area in recent days, the neighborhood Los Alamos de Virrey del Pino, La Matanza, Buenos Aires dawned on Tuesday with the saddest news.
“An eight-month-old baby drowned when he fell into the water that surrounded the bed where he slept with his mother…”
“The retreat of glaciers, which is compounded by global warming, threatens the main source of fresh water for residents in the nearby cities of EL Alto and La Paz — and the crops on which they rely.
“”If temperatures continue to rise, these high-altitude glaciers will also lose their mass of ice and there will only be snow on the summit,” said glaciologist Patrick Ginot. “This will happen all along the Andes.””
Yet more record for The Netherlands: “Tuesday will go down in the weather history books as the warmest November 6 on record, after the temperature hit 17.1 degrees at the De Bilt measuring station near Utrecht. In the south of the country it was even warmer and could top the 20.4 degrees recorded in Maastricht on November 6, 1955. The normal temperature in November is around 11 degrees.”
“Some 75 departments across France are to file for “agricultural disaster” status with the country’s farming ministry due to the devastating drought that has hit parts of France since June. According to the farming union FNSEA the damage caused by the repeated dry weather has caused between €250 million and €300 million in losses. Farmers have talked of individual losses of between 30 and 60 percent.”
“As the Arctic loses ice at dramatic rates, people in Qaanaaq, the northernmost town in Greenland, are finding their homes, livelihoods, customs and very survival at risk.”
The Express sucks and is a questionable source but I can’t find another ‘overview’ article on the Middle East flooding and what the article says is basically accurate:
“Freak weather has battered the Middle East in recent weeks, causing widespread flooding and storms across the Arabian peninsula. One of Saudi Arabia’s main airports – King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh – buckled under the weight of rain yesterday, as water flooded the building. The unprecedented scale of extreme weather has left thousands without power and has killed dozens from flooding.”
“Thunderstorms brought heavy rains, strong winds and fresh flooding to the desert state of Qatar on Sunday for the second time in less than a month, as bad weather battered the region claiming lives. Some areas of Qatar received almost half-a-year’s worth of rainfall in just a few hours… Sunday’s weather was not as extreme as last month when Qatar was hit by floods which saw more than a year’s rain in one day.”
“Overall, at least 12 people were killed and dozens wounded in the flooding, while thousands of tourists were evacuated from the ancient city of Petra and other popular tourist destinations.
“Health officials at al-Nadeem hospital in Madaba, some 30km south of the capital, Amman, told Al Jazeera that the cause of death of all 11 victims brought there was drowning.”
“A heavy downpour led to flash floods in several parts of Singapore on Sunday afternoon (Nov 11), including along a stretch of the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE).
“This comes a day after flash floods hit parts of Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Batok in western Singapore, prompting investigations by national water agency PUB.”
“The drop of 100 millimeters in less than twelve hours caused flooding in several municipalities of the Conurbano (Buenos Aires). There is still no official information on the number of evacuees… The alert of the National Meteorological Service continues and indicates strong storms with intense rains, gusts and occasional fall of hail for the entire northern area of the Province. Through social networks the neighbors showed the flood:”
“Heavy flooding has been reported across Dominica on Saturday as heavy rains associated with a trough system continue to lash the island. Flooding has been reported at the island’s main airport and the north of the island…
“Reports are that the northern part of the island has been cut off since a bridge in the area has been compromised.”
“It is the time of year when those of us in the United States are honoring our veterans or thinking about Thanksgiving turkey. However, an Atlantic hurricane season that has already given us Florence and Michael is not ready to exit stage left. A new disturbance in the tropics has formed…”
“An Arctic air mass gripped four southern Saskatchewan communities last week, smashing years-old temperature records. The temperature in Moose Jaw, Regina, Watrous and Weyburn dipped below -20 C early Friday morning, Environment Canada said. Meanwhile, Regina broke a nearly century-old record that day with the temperature dropping to -24.9 C. The previous record of -23.9 C was set in 1919.”
“With less sea ice, there is burgeoning interest in shipping and other commercial activity throughout the Northwest Passage — the fabled route that links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, via Canada’s convoluted Arctic archipelago — as well as the Northern Sea Route, which cuts across Russia’s northern seas.
“This trend has serious potential impacts for Arctic sea life.”
“By Wednesday, the jet stream is forecast to pull a plume of warm air towards the UK from the Atlantic Ocean, causing thermometers to rise above average for this time of year…
“Britain could bask in the hottest November 14 for 177 years on Wednesday if temperatures peak 17.7C, recorded in 1989 in Cwmbargoed, Glamorgan, Wales, forecasters say.”
“The driest year in France since 1959 has brought disaster for wild mushroom pickers in rural regions, with local newspapers and radio stations full of bad tidings.
““Where have the mushrooms gone?” read one headline in La Montagne, in the Auvergne region of southern France.”
“St Mark’s Basilica in Venice needs urgent funding to save its precious marble and mosaic floor after flood water did decades worth of damage in a day, officials have warned.
“The Catholic cathedral, which attracts more than five million visitors a year, was filled with nearly three feet of water at the end of October in some of the worst flooding in the city since 1872.”
“With tears in her eyes, the Greek Olympic gold medalist stopped running and began walking through a black-clad crowd lining the street.
“That was because she had just reached Mati, the grief-stricken coastal village near Greece’s capital, Athens, where 99 people lost their lives to devastating wildfires some three months ago.”
“Deadly wildfires such as those raging in northern and southern California have become more common across the state and elsewhere in the world in recent years. Agence France-Presse talked to scientists about the ways in which climate change can make them worse…
“”The patient was already sick,” in the words of David Bowman, a professor of environmental change biology at the University of Tasmania and a wildfire expert.
“Nasa has spotted an enormous new Antarctic iceberg while on a mission to survey the region’s shifting sea ice and glaciers. It marked the first time anyone had laid eyes on the massive expanse of ice, which the agency said had broken off from Pine Island Glacier in late October and was first observed by satellites.
“The US National Ice Centre estimates the iceberg, dubbed B-46, was 66 square nautical miles (87 square miles) in size, around three times the size of Manhattan.”
“Japan’s weather bureau said on Friday the El Niño weather pattern appears to have formed and that there was a 70 percent chance it would continue into the Northern Hemisphere spring.
“A US government weather forecaster on Thursday projected an 80 percent chance of the El Niño weather pattern forming and continuing through the Northern Hemisphere in winter 2018/19.”
“Over the past month, Johnson, director of veterinary science at the Marine Mammal Center, just north of San Francisco, and his team have been getting an average of five sick California sea lions a day…
“To exacerbate the issue even more, an El Nino event is predicted over the coming months, meaning warmer ocean waters off the West Coast and possibly more algal blooms and toxins.”
“Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in size Thursday
“…threatening several northern California communities and forcing panicked residents to race to help neighbors and drive through walls of flames to escape.”
“The monsoon may be long gone, but the mosquitoes are still hanging around thanks to record-setting rainfall the Valley received last month.
“A lot of rain and pleasant fall temperatures has mosquito season buzzing right along, but there’s not much we can do about it, according to Dr. Kirk Smith with Maricopa County Environmental Services.”
“2018 has been a wet year for the United States, particularly in the central and eastern states, where numerous cities are on pace for the wettest year on record… A persistent southward dip in the jet stream over the central and eastern U.S. for much of the spring and summer was one driving factor for this year’s wetness. Hurricane Florence also contributed to 2018’s excessive rainfall in parts of the Southeast, Appalachians and mid-Atlantic states.”
“Torrential rainfall throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday has led to flooding across the three islands, with St. Thomas and St. John experiencing the more severe cases, according to multiple videos posted by residents…
“W.M.A. said after the rain and the storm water run-off subsides, the sewer collection system may continue to be impacted.”
“Several days of heavy rain and thunderstorms will target parts of Argentina and Uruguay in the coming days. The prolonged rain event will total more than a month’s worth of normal rainfall in many locations… “These storms will be locally severe with the risk for damaging winds, flash flooding and hail.”
“In recent days Brazil has been hit by numerous events of torrential rains that have caused unprecedented flooding of rivers, with consequent floods and flash floods.
“Bahia is the most affected region in the western part of the country. In Correntina the rivers came out of the banks invading with an impressive force whatever they found on their way.”
“At least 23 per cent of deaths in Africa are linked to the environment, the highest of any region worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).
“This figure is expected to rise as global warming disrupts food supply, water sources and weather patterns, said Magaran Bagayoko, WHO’s director of communicable diseases in Africa.”
“Struggling after decades of war, Afghanistan is now facing an acute food shortage in many regions…
“…2.6 million people enduring emergency-level food insecurity, one stage short of outright famine, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.”
“Persistent dry weather and pest attacks are set to cut India’s sugar output from a record this year even after farmers in the world’s second-largest producer increased plantings…
““Sugarcane, with its lush vegetative growth, is very susceptible to drought and the Indian crop suffered from this in 2018 along with attacks of white grub in the key producing state of Maharashtra.””
“Wet season rice production in Laos is expected to be reduced by about 300,000 tons after widespread flooding this year that affected many parts of the country.”
“Bang Saphan Hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan [Thailand] transferred 10 patients in critical condition to the provincial hospital on Thursday night amid heavy flooding triggered by more than 200 millimetres of rainfall in just 24 hours.”
“The torrential rain that has been causing chaos in the West Coast of New Zealand since yesterday, leading to the death of a woman in a swollen river, is forecast to continue for just a little while longer…
“The Otago Regional Council confirmed the Manuherikia, Clutha and Taieri rivers are still rising after heavy rainfall. Both lakes Wakatipu and Wanaka rose overnight and water levels continue to increase.”
“More than 10 hours of sunshine and the month’s maximum temperature of 27.4˚C on the first day of October might have raised hopes that mild weather would linger a little longer. However, October went on to become the stormiest month since 1951, Malta Airport’s Meteorological Office said.”
“Quite a coincidence. On October 30, 2008, the Ligurian coast was swept by huge waves that were awe-inspiring but also caused great damage and great concern to residents.
“It was as if the entire ocean was heaving along an impossible plane. Fast forward ten years and we have a repeat performance; more destruction, the port of Rapallo obliterated, water surges on inland towns.”
“The Arctic is no longer the safe haven it once was for nesting birds, a new scientific report warns. Having nests raided by predators is a bigger threat for birds flocking to breed than in the past, it shows.
“This raises the risk of extinction for birds on Arctic shores, say researchers.”
“In just two decades the Arctic Ocean is likely to be ice-free during August and September, and by 2060 the Arctic Ocean will be ice-free throughout the summer months, according to a new systematic review. “This will have far-reaching implications, well beyond the Arctic,” says Julienne Stroeve of University College London, UK.”
“Last summer’s extreme weather was a showcase of how global warming is altering our atmosphere, from a scorching heat wave that contributed to a spate of wildfires in Scandinavia and California to devastating floods and all-time record-high temperatures set around the Northern Hemisphere.”
“Even for a wet country like New Zealand, the current weather system battering the country has brought phenomenal amounts of rain.
“Ivory Glacier in the west coast has reported a staggering 443.5mm (17.5 inches) of rain in just 24 hours, according to the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research on Thursday.
“The glacier might be a wet place but to give context, Auckland expects 1,101mm in an entire year.
“Meanwhile, MetService reported that Hokitika, a township in the country’s South Island, saw more than 800 lightning strikes in just 20 minutes.
“Strong winds are also a major problem and warnings remain in force for winds over 150kph in some parts of the country.
“The rain has brought flooding, landslips and triggered widespread disruption; several major roads have been closed, a highway bridge has been swept away and a number of schools have been forced to close.”
“A powerful storm system brought a variety of crazy weather to Australia this week. Weather ranging from flooding to large hail and dust storms were reported across eastern Australia since Monday. Below are several amazing videos taken just this week showing the extreme weather.”
“It’s the flooding season, but central Vietnam has been longing for rains for the past three months.
“The normal rainy season in the central region lasts from August to November, and seasonal flooding is a regular occurrence. This year, however, the amount of rainfall has fallen to record lows.”
“Heavy rain in the western part of Indonesia recently resulted in floods and landslides in several provinces, including North Sumatra, Riau and West Java, claiming the lives of a number of people…
“At least nine districts have been inundated, namely Lingga Bayu, Panyabungan, Kotanopan, Tambangan, Hutabargot, Panyabungan Selatan, Batang Natal, Kecamatan Naga Juang and Panyabungan Timur.”
“NASA’s Terra satellite provided a visible image of a more organized Tropical Cyclone Alcide in the Southern Indian Ocean after it reached hurricane-force…
“Alcide, the first named storm of the 2018-2019 southwest Indian Ocean cyclone season, will continue to strengthen and may impact areas from Madagascar to Reunion and Mauritius in the coming days.”
“Saudi Arabia’s Met department has issued a “code red” warning in parts of the country as thunderstorms and dust storms continue to batter the eastern region, according to local media reports… The storms will also be accompanied by dusty and cold winds… The authority has also cautioned of the possibility of snow… Last week, higher elevation areas in Al-Taif witnessed snow as temperatures dropped, according to reports.”
“Italy is facing a €3 billion cleanup bill after torrential rain and gale-force winds caused chaos and destruction.
“Severe winds and storms destroyed homes and wiped out entire forests, while floods killed a family of nine in Sicily. Meanwhile, Venice was completely flooded…”
“Increased temperatures and droughts are taking their toll on the Amazon as trees are unable to adapt to the changing climate, a study has found.
“Researchers examining decades of growth in parts of the rainforest found that global warming was linked to a changing tree composition – but as some tree species died, not enough were springing up to replace them.”
“A warmer, drier climate is expected is increase the likelihood of larger-scale forest disturbances such as wildfires, insect outbreaks, disease and drought…
“…according to a new study co-authored by a Portland State University professor.”
“A new study conducted by scientists from U.S., German and Dutch research institutions reveals that anthropogenic warming will likely lead to future increases in heat waves, floods, drought and wildfire episodes…
“…the authors have run multi model simulations to show how changes in the Jet Stream pattern are linked to the occurrence of these extreme weather events.”
“Winter 2018-2019 in the Arctic will be warmer than usual. Precipitation will be more common, and sea-ice extent, by contrast, will be below normal. This conclusion is contained in the published in Geneva by the world meteorological organization (WMO) the final statement of the second session of its pan-Arctic forum on climate prediction (Pan-Arctic Climate Outlook Forum, PARCOF).”
Newly arriving species may be bringing rare or novel pathogens to the Arctic and old ones may be reviving in melting permafrost:
“…Humpbacks are not the only marine mammals that have been expanding their range northward. Most notably, as sea ice melts, ice-avoiding killer whales have been moving deeper into the Arctic Ocean, hunting and killing both narwhal and beluga whales. Other whale species — including minke, bottlenose, fin, and sperm whales — are also making their way north as the Arctic heats up. At the same time, on land, grizzly bears, white-tailed deer, coyotes, and other animals and birds have been expanding their range into the warming boreal forest and Arctic tundra.
“…emerging evidence suggests that some of these newly arriving species may be bringing rare or novel pathogens to the Arctic. In recent years, a plethora of deadly and debilitating diseases have struck reindeer in Scandinavia and Russia, muskoxen on Banks and Victoria islands in Arctic Canada, polar bears and seals off the coast of Alaska, and eider ducks in northern Hudson Bay and the Bering Sea…
“Another possibility being investigated by scientists is that bacteria such as anthrax — an outbreak of which resulted in the culling of 250,000 reindeer in western Siberia in 2016 and 2017 — are being liberated by rapidly thawing permafrost. The anthrax outbreak in the far northern Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug of Siberia compelled Russia’s Department of Defense to launch an emergency task force to help vaccinate 730,000 reindeer. One person died from anthrax, and several dozen reindeer herders got sick when the animals succumbed to the disease. A record heat wave that swept across the tundra that summer is thought to have thawed out reindeer carcasses that were infected with the spores.”
“Greenland’s ice sheet lost up to 270 billion tons of ice every year between 2012 and 2014, according to a study in Geophysical Research Letters.
“Currently, it’s losing ice at a rate faster than any time in the last 400 years, and the melt is accelerating, a separate study stated. This is what Tom Hegen, a photographer from Munich, Germany, takes to the skies to document.”
“Three weeks on from the worst flooding in more than thirty years, parts of west Wales have again woken up to disruptions caused by a huge downpour of rain.
“Carmarthenshire Council issued a flood warning last night and warned people to expect high tides and high winds and to be mindful if they were on or near coastal paths or low lying roads and land.”
“Temperatures in De Bilt climbed to 19 degrees on Tuesday, making it the warmest November 6th in the Netherlands since temperature measurements started in 1901. “The previous record was 17.1 degrees in 2005. This is the 13th heat record broken this year, Weeronline reports.”
“The drought summer still goes on in Germany. Farmers’ associations complain about a lack of aid payments, important waterways such as the Rhine report historic lows…
“The lack of rain continues to ensure in the dams of the Ruhr Association for sinking water levels – and unfamiliar sights. For example, the water level in the Bigget dam is currently almost 16 meters below the so-called full traffic jam.”
“Temperature records all over the Czech Republic fell on Tuesday, as the warmest summer on record is on its way to becoming the warmest autumn on record.
“The Moravian-Silesian province saw the warmest temperatures, with a weather station near Bohumin recording a November high of 20.6 degrees Celsius.”
“The water level in Israel’s only freshwater lake fell further in November, approaching an all-time low. “The water level in the Sea of Galilee has receded to its lowest point in 17 years, hydrologists warn. In October the water level in the lake fell another 19 centimeters, and has continued to recede in November, says the Water Authority’s Hydrological Service.”
“Iraq suffered immense environmental devastation during its war with Islamic State (ISIS). Some areas, particularly Mosul and other Sunni-dominated cities, have been reduced to toxic wastelands. The problem has been compounded by the pollution of rivers, water scarcity in some quarters and flash flooding in others, leading to widespread protests. The mass death of the fish along the Euphrates River is only the latest example of the environment’s decline.”
“A deadly storm system will continue to bring the risk for flooding downpours and thunderstorms to parts of the Middle East into Tuesday night.
“Before unleashing heavy rainfall across Iraq and Iran, the storm caused deadly flash flooding in Saudi Arabia over the past week. The severe weather claimed the lives of at least 14 people, according to Arab News.”
“Flash floods triggered by incessant rains have left at least 27 people dead and nearly six lakh others marooned in nearly two dozen districts in Bangladesh, officials said on Monday…
“The deluge has affected some 586,000 people, forcing 368,586 of them to take refuge in makeshift shelters as the country witnesses the second round of floods since June.”
“A Greater Brisbane suburb has recordest its warmest November night in 78 years of weather monitoring…
“The suburb of Amberley in Ipswich sweated through an overnight low of 23.8 degrees on Tuesday, beating the record set in 2008 by 0.1 degrees, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.”
“A large dust storm swept across western NSW yesterday afternoon…
“A few locations in western NSW have experienced their driest year-to-date in more than a century. Cobar’s 74mm of rain during the first 10 months of 2018 was its driest January to October period since 1902, towards the end of the Federation Drought.”
“A caravan with thousands of migrants has been making its way through Mexico after setting out three weeks ago from Honduras, which holds the distinction of being one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Over the past four decades, the country’s average temperature has risen, and it has borne the brunt of ever more frequent severe weather events.”
“The cost of some vegetables has soared after the devastating October floods that wiped out crops.
“Following the severe flooding affecting areas of Trinidad during the period October 19-21, the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation said the prices of some veggies such as tomatoes, melongene, and sweet peppers have doubled as farmers’ crops were decimated.”
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“The past 60 days from mid-September into mid-November have seen five deadly weather disasters in the United States take a total of more than 130 lives.
“The “Camp Fire” in Northern California has scorched some 130,000 acres and is 35 percent contained, according to officials Tuesday night. In addition, the “Camp Fire” death toll has now reached 48. Statewide there are a total of 50 deaths. 
“Tuesday, Melbourne [Florida] broke an 80-year old record, hitting 88 degrees, thanks to a leftover summertime warm streak. The original record was set in 1938. 
“The Gulf of Maine, the huge body of water that borders New England stretches, roughly bordered by Cape Code on the south and Nova Scotia on the north, is warming up fast – faster than almost any other part of the world’s oceans. Why? Geography of the land and geography of the ocean floor, which make the gulf acting “something like a bathtub,” plus the effect on currents of huge amounts of cold water from melting Greenland glaciers.”
“Researchers agree that polar bears represent a growing threat to Inuit communities, but say that is because climate change has pushed them closer to human settlements – not because the bear population is growing. “There seems to be a divergence between scientists and Inuit on the threat that climate change poses to this species,” said Andrew Derocher, a polar bear researcher at the University of Alberta.”
“The Met Office also said a bitter last week of November could bring snow to the north of the country. Forecaster John Hammond told The Sun Online: 
“Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) has suspended work at all of its companies on Wednesday due to the extreme weather which has hit the country in recent days. 
“A new study of geothermal records has shown that India has warmed about 1°C over the baseline mean temperature of the 19th century… 
“Over 16,600 families have been affected by heavy rains and subsequent flood this month in Batticaloa [Sri Lanka], with 242 families displaced. 
“A powerful photo shows a drought-stricken [Australian] farmer’s desperation as he ‘prays for rain’ on his devastated cattle farm. 
“Following a weekend of heavy rains and widespread flooding, Dominica was placed on high alert on Tuesday due to a tropical wave which is now affecting the island. 
“…the flood [in Buenos Aires] was caused by intense rainfall that fell in the space of a few hours. 
“A new study found heatwave conditions slashed sperm production in beetles by three quarters and halved the amount of offspring they could produce.
“Multiple fires have been raging in California leaving at least 42 people dead and 150,000 displaced throughout the state. The Camp Fire in northern California has become the most destructive wildfire in state history, incinerating the town of Paradise.”
“Although President Trump has blamed “poor” forest management, the science says a phenomenon that one meteorologist dubbed “negative rain” played a part in sparking the wildfires. 
“Fall 2018 in Texas brought massive amounts of rainfall across Texas. There was so much downpour, it broke the state’s record for the wettest two-month period on record going back to 1895. 
“Climate change is impacting the Caribbean hugely, with millions facing increasing food insecurity and decreasing freshwater availability as droughts become more likely across the region… 
“It is not just inland farmers who have been affected by drought [in Australia], with diminished rainfall and high temperatures now hitting the fishing industry… 
“Flash floods in Malaysia’s capital city brought roads to a standstill over the weekend. 
“As Cape Town prepares for another summer on the brink of an environmental disaster, with fresh restrictions on water usage already in place, the head of South African tourism has called on the city to become a blueprint for water-scarce cities around the world.”
“The retreat of glaciers, which is compounded by global warming, threatens the main source of fresh water for residents in the nearby cities of EL Alto and La Paz — and the crops on which they rely. 
“Some 75 departments across France are to file for “agricultural disaster” status with the country’s farming ministry due to the devastating drought that has hit parts of France since June. According to the farming union FNSEA the damage caused by the repeated dry weather has caused between €250 million and €300 million in losses. Farmers have talked of individual losses of between 30 and 60 percent.”
“As the Arctic loses ice at dramatic rates, people in Qaanaaq, the northernmost town in Greenland, are finding their homes, livelihoods, customs and very survival at risk.”
The Express sucks and is a questionable source but I can’t find another ‘overview’ article on the Middle East flooding and what the article says is basically accurate:
“Thunderstorms brought heavy rains, strong winds and fresh flooding to the desert state of Qatar on Sunday for the second time in less than a month, as bad weather battered the region claiming lives. Some areas of Qatar received almost half-a-year’s worth of rainfall in just a few hours… Sunday’s weather was not as extreme as last month when Qatar was hit by floods which saw more than a year’s rain in one day.”
“Overall, at least 12 people were killed and dozens wounded in the flooding, while thousands of tourists were evacuated from the ancient city of Petra and other popular tourist destinations. 
“A heavy downpour led to flash floods in several parts of Singapore on Sunday afternoon (Nov 11), including along a stretch of the Kallang-Paya Lebar Expressway (KPE). 
“The drop of 100 millimeters in less than twelve hours caused flooding in several municipalities of the Conurbano (Buenos Aires). There is still no official information on the number of evacuees… The alert of the National Meteorological Service continues and indicates strong storms with intense rains, gusts and occasional fall of hail for the entire northern area of the Province. Through social networks the neighbors showed the flood:”
“Heavy flooding has been reported across Dominica on Saturday as heavy rains associated with a trough system continue to lash the island. Flooding has been reported at the island’s main airport and the north of the island… 
“An Arctic air mass gripped four southern Saskatchewan communities last week, smashing years-old temperature records. The temperature in Moose Jaw, Regina, Watrous and Weyburn dipped below -20 C early Friday morning, Environment Canada said. Meanwhile, Regina broke a nearly century-old record that day with the temperature dropping to -24.9 C. The previous record of -23.9 C was set in 1919.”
“With less sea ice, there is burgeoning interest in shipping and other commercial activity throughout the Northwest Passage — the fabled route that links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, via Canada’s convoluted Arctic archipelago — as well as the Northern Sea Route, which cuts across Russia’s northern seas. 
“By Wednesday, the jet stream is forecast to pull a plume of warm air towards the UK from the Atlantic Ocean, causing thermometers to rise above average for this time of year… 
“The driest year in France since 1959 has brought disaster for wild mushroom pickers in rural regions, with local newspapers and radio stations full of bad tidings. 
“St Mark’s Basilica in Venice needs urgent funding to save its precious marble and mosaic floor after flood water did decades worth of damage in a day, officials have warned. 
“With tears in her eyes, the Greek Olympic gold medalist stopped running and began walking through a black-clad crowd lining the street. 
“Deadly wildfires such as those raging in northern and southern California have become more common across the state and elsewhere in the world in recent years. Agence France-Presse talked to scientists about the ways in which climate change can make them worse… 
“Nasa has spotted an enormous new Antarctic iceberg while on a mission to survey the region’s shifting sea ice and glaciers. It marked the first time anyone had laid eyes on the massive expanse of ice, which the agency said had broken off from Pine Island Glacier in late October and was first observed by satellites.
“Japan’s weather bureau said on Friday the El Niño weather pattern appears to have formed and that there was a 70 percent chance it would continue into the Northern Hemisphere spring.
“Over the past month, Johnson, director of veterinary science at the Marine Mammal Center, just north of San Francisco, and his team have been getting an average of five sick California sea lions a day… 
“Tens of thousands of people were ordered to evacuate a fast-moving wildfire that exploded in size Thursday 
“The monsoon may be long gone, but the mosquitoes are still hanging around thanks to record-setting rainfall the Valley received last month. 
“Torrential rainfall throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands on Thursday has led to flooding across the three islands, with St. Thomas and St. John experiencing the more severe cases, according to multiple videos posted by residents… 
“In recent days Brazil has been hit by numerous events of torrential rains that have caused unprecedented flooding of rivers, with consequent floods and flash floods. 
“At least 23 per cent of deaths in Africa are linked to the environment, the highest of any region worldwide, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). 
“Struggling after decades of war, Afghanistan is now facing an acute food shortage in many regions…
“Persistent dry weather and pest attacks are set to cut India’s sugar output from a record this year even after farmers in the world’s second-largest producer increased plantings… 
“Bang Saphan Hospital in Prachuap Khiri Khan [Thailand] transferred 10 patients in critical condition to the provincial hospital on Thursday night amid heavy flooding triggered by more than 200 millimetres of rainfall in just 24 hours.”
“The Otago Regional Council confirmed the Manuherikia, Clutha and Taieri rivers are still rising after heavy rainfall. Both lakes Wakatipu and Wanaka rose overnight and water levels continue to increase.”
“Quite a coincidence. On October 30, 2008, the Ligurian coast was swept by huge waves that were awe-inspiring but also caused great damage and great concern to residents. 
“The Arctic is no longer the safe haven it once was for nesting birds, a new scientific report warns. Having nests raided by predators is a bigger threat for birds flocking to breed than in the past, it shows. 
“Last summer’s extreme weather was a showcase of how global warming is altering our atmosphere, from a scorching heat wave that contributed to a spate of wildfires in Scandinavia and California to devastating floods and all-time record-high temperatures set around the Northern Hemisphere.”
“Even for a wet country like New Zealand, the current weather system battering the country has brought phenomenal amounts of rain.
“It’s the flooding season, but central Vietnam has been longing for rains for the past three months. 
“Heavy rain in the western part of Indonesia recently resulted in floods and landslides in several provinces, including North Sumatra, Riau and West Java, claiming the lives of a number of people… 
“NASA’s Terra satellite provided a visible image of a more organized Tropical Cyclone Alcide in the Southern Indian Ocean after it reached hurricane-force… 
“Saudi Arabia’s Met department has issued a “code red” warning in parts of the country as thunderstorms and dust storms continue to batter the eastern region, according to local media reports… The storms will also be accompanied by dusty and cold winds… The authority has also cautioned of the possibility of snow… Last week, higher elevation areas in Al-Taif witnessed snow as temperatures dropped, according to reports.”
“Here was a top-tier climate scientist, a man who at the age of 42 had published 40 papers in the world’s most esteemed peer-reviewed journals 
“Italy is facing a €3 billion cleanup bill after torrential rain and gale-force winds caused chaos and destruction. 
“Increased temperatures and droughts are taking their toll on the Amazon as trees are unable to adapt to the changing climate, a study has found. 
“A warmer, drier climate is expected is increase the likelihood of larger-scale forest disturbances such as wildfires, insect outbreaks, disease and drought…
“October 2018 Records: 
“A new study conducted by scientists from U.S., German and Dutch research institutions reveals that anthropogenic warming will likely lead to future increases in heat waves, floods, drought and wildfire episodes… 
Sounds like a safe prediction:
Newly arriving species may be bringing rare or novel pathogens to the Arctic and old ones may be reviving in melting permafrost:
“Greenland’s ice sheet lost up to 270 billion tons of ice every year between 2012 and 2014, according to a study in Geophysical Research Letters. 
“Three weeks on from the worst flooding in more than thirty years, parts of west Wales have again woken up to disruptions caused by a huge downpour of rain. 
“The drought summer still goes on in Germany. Farmers’ associations complain about a lack of aid payments, important waterways such as the Rhine report historic lows… 
“Temperature records all over the Czech Republic fell on Tuesday, as the warmest summer on record is on its way to becoming the warmest autumn on record. 
“Iraq suffered immense environmental devastation during its war with Islamic State (ISIS). Some areas, particularly Mosul and other Sunni-dominated cities, have been reduced to toxic wastelands. The problem has been compounded by the pollution of rivers, water scarcity in some quarters and flash flooding in others, leading to widespread protests. The mass death of the fish along the Euphrates River is only the latest example of the environment’s decline.”
“A deadly storm system will continue to bring the risk for flooding downpours and thunderstorms to parts of the Middle East into Tuesday night. 
“Flash floods triggered by incessant rains have left at least 27 people dead and nearly six lakh others marooned in nearly two dozen districts in Bangladesh, officials said on Monday… 
“A Greater Brisbane suburb has recordest its warmest November night in 78 years of weather monitoring… 
“A large dust storm swept across western NSW yesterday afternoon… 
“A caravan with thousands of migrants has been making its way through Mexico after setting out three weeks ago from Honduras, which holds the distinction of being one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to the effects of climate change. Over the past four decades, the country’s average temperature has risen, and it has borne the brunt of ever more frequent severe weather events.”
“The cost of some vegetables has soared after the devastating October floods that wiped out crops. 