“Hurricane Walaka and Super Typhoon Kong-rey are out there staring down satellites, and by extension, their human creators. The storms underwent a dramatic transformation Sunday night into Monday and are now the two strongest storms on the face of the Earth.
“Both underwent rapid intensification, a meteorological process where cyclones’—the generic name for hurricanes and typhoons—wind speeds crank up at least 35 mph over a 24-hour stretch. Walaka, situated in the Central Pacific, was officially a Category 4 storm with winds of 150 mph as of 11 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time, though meteorologist Ryan Maue estimated that based on satellite observations, it was likely much stronger by mid-morning local time.
“Meanwhile Kong-rey, churning in the Western Pacific about 200 miles southeast of Taipei, was packing sustained winds upwards of 155 mph, the equivalent of a strong Category 4 hurricane. It could menace Japan late this week, continuing a string of rotten weather luck that’s plagued the country all year…
“Assuming the storms continue to strengthen and officially obtain Category 5 status, they would become the first pair of Category 5 storms ever recorded at the same time in the Pacific, according to Masters.”
“Typhoon Queenie has further intensified, but will not make land in any part of the Philippines, state weather bureau PAGASA said early Tuesday. PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the trough of the typhoon, however, may dump rain over the eastern section of the country… The 17th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, Queenie currently packs maximum sustained winds of 190 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 235 kph.”
“Melbourne shattered a heat record in September, experiencing its warmest ever, National Weather Service meteorologists said. Residents there also experienced the second driest September ever. The average temperature for the month was 83.6 degrees. The previous record was 82.4 degrees set in 2017 and in 2007…”
“Australia’s food bowl, was on track to have its driest calendar year since 1902. “The signal in the outlook (from October to December) that’s really strong is warmth,” Trewin said. Daytime temperatures in September were 1.41 degrees Celsius above the average between 1961 and 1990… Bushfire season has begun early across much of Australia as a result of a warm, dry winter.”
“Deserts aren’t supposed to get much rain, but Tropical Depression Rosa is flipping the script. Rosa is spreading its heavy rainfall over land Tuesday across Mexico’s Baja peninsula and into the United States, with more than 11 million people under a flash flood watch in the Southwest… It’ll drench Baja California with 3 to 6 inches of rain, with some spots getting up to 10 inches, the National Hurricane Center said.”
“Seattle has only amassed 2.04 inches of rain since May 1, making it the driest May-September on record, beating 2003’s record of 2.94 inches. The average is 6.59 inches. But even more impressive: It’s the driest 5-month stretch of weather at any time of the year. The previous driest stretch was 2.06 inches set in June-October 1987…”
“Perhaps most unusual about the September rains in Galveston is that it hasn’t been accompanied by a major tropical storm or hurricane. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded the island for several days with intense, focused ferocity, but this year the rains were persistent and steady over an extended period.”
“Many Iowans turning their calendars to October today are hoping this month will be much drier than September. State Climatologist Justin Glisan says several cities recorded their wettest-ever September. “In fact, the Waterloo Airport record their wettest month on record of any month.”
“If anybody can withstand the heat, it’s Floridians. But for how long? Last month was Tampa Bay’s hottest September on record, producing record-high temperatures on seven different days. The trend of record and near-record highs doesn’t appear to be slowing down, either, according to the National Weather Service.”
“September was hotter than ever in Charleston, federal meteorologists said Monday, continuing the trend of “warmest” records being broken in South Carolina and worldwide… It was nearly 2 degrees warmer than 2016, the next warmest September, according to figures compiled by the Weather Service office.”
“North Carolina has suddenly become a hot spot for some of the largest mosquitoes in the country — known as “mega mosquitoes” — due to the rancid puddles left behind by Hurricane Florence. USA Today called it an “outbreak” and described them as “blood-thirsty,” “aggressive” and “monstrous pests.””
Meanwhile, displaced polar air penetrates parts of Canada: “September 2018 was way colder than normal in Saskatoon with temperatures trending a whopping four degrees cooler than normal overall. Most of that was on the daytime high side of the scale with the mercury averaging out an impressive 5.4 degrees cooler than seasonal with overnight lows 2.5 degrees below normal.”
“Tropical Storm Leslie, which currently hovering over the mid-Atlantic, has the potential to pose a threat to the UK, forecasters have warned. Expected to develop into a hurricane as it reaches warmer waters, the storm front is currently moving in a southwesterly direction towards Bermuda and the eastern United States. America’s National Hurricane Center has however suggested it could be about to perform an abrupt U-turn and head for the British Isles.”
“A stubborn pocket of snow known as “Scotland’s glacier” has melted away for the second consecutive year despite only thawing a handful of times since records began in the 1800s.
“The snow-patch at Garbh Choire Mor on Braeriach in the Cairngorms — which is renowned for its lack of sunlight — has never defrosted two years in a row before.”
“Denmark’s agricultural sector is set to record huge losses after grain harvests produced the lowest output since 1983. With only minimal amounts still to be registered, the total harvest of grain for 2018 will reach around 6.5 million tonnes, according to industry representative organisation Dakofo. “The figure represents a ten million tonne or 35 percent reduction in comparison with 2017.”
“Summer ended with a bang in Dubrovnik as an explosive thunderstorm struck the region last night. Torrential rains started falling at around 4.00 am and lightening hammered down all around the city.
The rains fell so heavily that they caused instant flooding.”
“In just fifteen minutes yesterday afternoon (Monday) a powerful storm ripped through a popular tourist resort in Andalucia in southern Spain sending flood water cascading through the streets. A powerful combination of rain and hail buffeted the coastal town of Nerja in the Axarquia, at around 5.30pm.”
“On Friday, September 28, the provinces of Rhamna and Al Haouz in the Marrakech-Safi region experienced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, killing one man from Al Haouz, two women from Sidi Ifni, and a man and a child from Rhamna… Following the floods, which raged Friday to Sunday, the Directorate of Meteorology warned citizens not to approach riverbanks in the coming days, as more heavy rainfall is forecast in the regions.”
“Economic losses caused by drought in China may double if the global temperature rises by 1.5°C to 2.0°C above pre-industrial levels, with increasing drought intensity and areal coverage across China, a new economic assessment study by Chinese scientists found… Recent years have seen significant increase in drought losses around the world. About 20 percent of China’s direct economic losses by weather and climate disasters are caused by drought.”
“The Pic du Midi [Pyrenees] has finally recorded temperatures below zero for the first time in 108 days, pulverizing the record for the summit.
“It had been 108 days since the thermometer previously descended below the zero-degree mark at the Pic du Midi , the summit of the Hautes-Pyrénées which rises to 28.70 meters above sea level. A record since 1882 and the first temperature readings.
“In the night from Sunday to Monday, Meteo France forecasters finally have the first negative temperatures since June 14…”
“The previous record dates from 1999 with 77 days in a row without frost. Over the period from June 15 to September 30, there are 28 days with frost on average between 1882 and 2017. This figure drops to 21 days between 1988 and 2017.
“This rise in temperatures does not only affect the Pic du Midi. In Toulouse, the month of September 2018 is the hottest of all the months of September since 1947 and the first measurements. The previous record dates from 1987…”
“Reports this morning have confirmed that last month was the hottest in Portugal since records began…
“The hot weather is expected to last during the first week of October, with highs forecast to remain above 30 degrees Celsius for large parts of the country.”
“The eastern Mediterranean is getting battered Saturday as a rare and powerful hurricane-like storm roars across Greece, triggering flooding as it makes its way toward Turkey. The storm, called Zorba, on Saturday morning lashed the Greek coastal city of Kalamata and other spots along the Peloponnese coast, knocking out power in the town of Pylos. Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to cause flash flooding and major disruptions to air, land and sea transport in Turkey…”
“Following record-breaking temperatures in the Netherlands, a tree planted years ago by a Jewish woman near the capital produced what may be the country’s first naturally-grown etrog fruit in decades.”
“The Bayelsa State Government [Nigeria] has directed immediate closure of all schools in the state as a precautionary measure to avoid loss of lives in the current flooding in the state.”
“Amid a worsening water crisis at home, Iraq’s foreign minister used his time at the UN podium on Saturday to call on upstream neighbours to reduce their use of waterways that flow into the country… Iraq is in the midst of an unprecedented drought, which has eclipsed previously notable low-rainfall years in 2009 and 2015.”
“The total rain recorded this year in Mumbai in September has been the lowest in 27 years. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a meagre 73mm of rain this month even though the average rainfall for September is 341mm. The city, thus, has got only 20% of the required rainfall.”
“The Southwest Monsoon, which brings rain from June to September, recorded a countrywide deficit of more than 9% this year, with the north-eastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura receiving scanty rainfall, according to data from the India Meteorological Department (IMD).”
“A powerful typhoon sliced through Japan on Sunday (Sep 30), killing two and injuring dozens, and bringing fierce winds and torrential rain to areas already battered by a string of recent extreme weather episodes. Typhoon Trami sparked travel disruption in the world’s third-biggest economy, with bullet train services suspended, more than 1,000 flights cancelled and Tokyo’s evening train services scrapped.”
“Tropical cyclone Kong-Rey has intensified into a typhoon ahead of its expected entry to the Philippine area of responsibility on Monday afternoon, the state weather bureau said. Spotted 1,565 kilometers east of Southern Luzon at 3 a.m., Kong-rey was packing maximum sustained winds of 130 kilometers per hour and 160 kph gusts, said PAGASA weather forecaster Ariel Rojas. If it continues moving west northwest at 15 kph, the typhoon will enter the country between 1 and 3 p.m.”
“Australia has notched its driest September on record, with less than a third of the usual rainfall for the month, extending the dry spell that has farmers and firefighters increasingly desperate for rain.”
“Hurricane Rosa struck fear into the heart of Arizonans who know the damage major flooding can deliver in the desert, but the Valley breathed a small sigh of relief after weather reports Sunday downgraded Rosa to a tropical storm. People across the state stayed on weather watch, as the storm’s remnants are still expected to pummel much of the state with heavy rains.”
Tampa Bay can expect October to start the same way it endured September: Record heat. Forecasters with the National Weather Service say only one day in September had a below-average temperature, while seven days had record highs and the month as a whole was the hottest on record. Forecasters say the heat will remain to start October, with highs above 90 every day this week.”
“The Gulf Stream is slowing, according to two articles published in April by different research teams in the journal Nature. As it slows, it tracks slightly farther north – hugging tighter to our coast and filling the Gulf of Maine with more of its warm Caribbean water. “Hurricanes need that latent heat released into the centre of the storm to remain strong,” said Day. “The warmer the water, the more evaporation of air and that evaporation feeds the bottom of the storm.””
“A high-pressured western ridge has positioned itself near Alaska, allowing record-breaking warmth from the North Pacific to spread over the Arctic… Climate scientist Zack Labe told Euronews this phenomenon could cause temperatures to rise over 10°C above average in some areas of Alaska, making the climate feel equivalent to late-summer. Labe believes this pattern will likely slow the progression of sea ice refreezing in the western Arctic.”
“Turkey is bracing for the first hurricane in its modern history, expected to hit its western coasts on Sept. 30.
“A tropical storm formed in the Central Mediterranean is expected to gain strength and move east in the coming days, the state-run Meteorological General Directorate said in a statement on Sept. 27.
“Dr. Murat Gündüz, an academic from Dokuz Eylül University (DEU) in the western Turkish province of İzmir told local media the storm is expected to turn into a hurricane on Sept. 28 before hitting Greece and Turkey on the weekend…
““It will arrive in İzmir on Sept. 30 evening or the morning of Oct. 1. Our predictive models suggest Turkish coasts from the south of İzmir to Antalya will be affected,” Gündüz said, stressing that a Mediterranean hurricane is “a very rare phenomenon.”
“European countries around the Mediterranean have no official agencies to monitor hurricanes. It is expected we will see more of them in the future due to climate change and we need centers to monitor them,” said Gündüz.”
“Nearly 200 people have died in flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains across 12 states in Nigeria. The National Emergency Management Agency said on Thursday that 199 people were killed after the main Niger and Benue rivers burst their banks. A national disaster was declared in several central and southern states… more than 3,000 recorded cases of cholera… more than 286,000 people homeless. Numbers were expected to rise and more rain is expected in the coming weeks… Flooding has not only devastated towns and villages along the rivers but also destroyed crops and killed livestock.”
“Hours of heavy rainfall across the Coast region [of Kenya] have led to flash flooding. This has sparked fears of displacement, landslides and disease.. Most parts of the Coast experienced storms rarely seen locally…
“There were also claims that burst sewers emptied debris and raw sewage into some city streets.”
“On Thursday, a severe rain and thunderstorm hit Saudi Arabia’s Mecca, flooding the holy city’s streets.
“Earlier this week, the kingdom’s General Authority of Meteorology and Environmental Protection warned the region’s residents about the unstable weather conditions. In a post uploaded to Twitter late on Thursday, the authority’s officials said they expect the rain to continue until late Friday.”
“Iraqi agriculture has been especially hard hit by drought this year, resulting in an official ban on the growing of rice and cereals which require a lot of water and the deaths of thousands of animals.”
“A large, very strong typhoon churned towards Japan Friday, with the weather agency warning the storm would rip through the nation over the weekend, bringing violent winds and torrential rain…. If the forecast holds, it will be the latest in a series of extreme natural events to strike Japan. Western parts of Japan are still recovering from the most powerful typhoon to strike the country in a quarter of a century… Deadly record rains also hit western Japan earlier this year and the country sweltered through the hottest summer on record.”
“Maui got drenched by heavy rain Thursday, which led to flooding in and around Lahaina.
“A flash flood warning was in effect Thursday morning with thunderstorms in the area. Rainfall rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour were recorded in the heaviest downpours.”
“Hurricane Rosa intensified into a major storm in the Pacific Ocean, with maximum sustained winds near 145 miles per hour (230 kph) and little change in strength was expected overnight, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said late on Thursday.”
“The presence of hurricane Rosa on Mexican coasts caused flooding in different streets and avenues of at least four Mexican States. On the National Highway in Estanzuela, Monterrey, Nuevo León , some cars were stranded due to flooding.
“For this reason, the governor of the state, Jaime Rodríguez Calderón , warned about the situation and invited the population not to leave their homes if possible, through a message on their twitter account.”
“Tropical Storm Kirk dropped heavy rain and unleashed flooding as it passed through the eastern Caribbean, according to the National Hurricane Center (NHC).
“The NHC 8 p.m. advisory said Kirk is approaching St. Lucia and heavy showers and thunderstorms are beginning to spread across Barbados.”
“The Rio Grande is again looking mighty puny where it crosses through Albuquerque as persistent drought continues to afflict the Southwest. Flows on Thursday afternoon were at 133 cubic feet per second, below the historical Sept. 27 average of 410 cubic feet per second.”
“This year has been a tale of feast or famine in terms of rainfall across the Lower 48 where some have had historic 1-in-1,000-year rainfall events and others have had little to no rain. At least five extreme rainfall events, defined by the 1,000-year rainfall metric, have occurred east of the Rockies in the first nine months.”
“We caught up with Hamilton County Emergency Management crews today as they worked with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to assess damage that happened from flash flooding in Soddy-Daisy Wednesday.
“The summer-like heat is continuing across the Lowcountry [South Carolina] and reinforcing the already broken record. This month’s average high is currently at 81.4 degrees, passing all other previous averages.”
“Scientists say that parts of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, containing roughly half of Earth’s freshwater, is especially vulnerable to rising temperatures.
“Moderate global temperature rises of just two degrees Celsius could still be enough to melt parts of the largest ice sheet on Earth and raise sea levels by several metres, experts have warned.”
“Half of the world’s killer whale populations could be wiped out in a few decades because of toxic chemicals in the oceans, researchers say. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were previously used to make electrical components and plastics, but despite efforts to ban the pollutants they remain in high levels in some areas.”
“The close-up truth is that people are rapidly depleting the Earth with ever more efficient methods of extraction and harvesting, resulting in pollution that threatens a new mass extinction potentially worse than the Ice Age.”
“An ‘exceptionally rare’ tropical cyclone has developed east of Australia.
“The Fiji Meteorological Service has issued a weather warning over Tropical Cyclone Liua, which is currently at category one status.
“‘Tropical Cyclone Liua develops well east of Australia. Yes you read right, it’s September and there’s a tropical cyclone,’ Australian meteorologist Anthony Cornelius, from WeatherWatch posted on social media.”
“…’It is very unusual, in fact this is the first tropical cyclone to form in the month of September going back to 1950. It is certainly unusual,’ Chris Brandolino from the New Zealand climate and weather office, NIWA, told RadioNZ.”
“Parts of southeast Queensland were left blanketed with “snow” after spring storms dumped hail in vast quantities overnight, and the Weather Bureau says there is more to come today.
“A number of supercell storms swept through the Brisbane and Gold Coast regions, with particularly intense cells hitting the far south of the state.”
“Typhoon Trami will likely come closest to Taiwan sometime between Friday night and midday Saturday, likely brining heavy rains to northern Taiwan, before veering north toward Japan, according to the Central Weather Bureau.
“As of 2 a.m. this morning, Typhoon Trami was located 880 kilometers east of Eluanbi moving northwest at a speed of 6 kilometers per hour and was packing maximum sustained winds of 155 kilometers per hour with gusts of 191 kilometers per hour.”
“Ministry spokesman Nou Vattanak told The Post that floods triggered by heavy rains over the past few months have damaged some 90km of roads throughout the Kingdom [of Cambodia], disrupting transportation and costing the government millions of dollars. “Flood caused by heavy rain this year has ravaged 32 roads in more than 10 provinces, costing $9 million in damage. National Road 48 took the brunt of it and requires immediate repair to ease traffic,” he said.”
“I grew up here [in The Karoo, South Africa], and I can’t recall a drought as bad as this. The impact has been tremendous. Farmers have lost hundreds of millions of rands in lost production.
“They had no irrigation water so [they] could not produce feed on the farms – mostly lucerne, but some barley and maize – so [farmers] have to buy all their feed. Feed is very expensive, and then there is the added cost of transport,” Kleyn said.”
“…there’s evidence to suggest increasing rainfall over time. Data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency from 1981-2017, analysing 13 affected locations, reveals a rising trend in annual rainfall, which it says is likely to be a significant factor responsible for floods. But it’s not just rain falling in Nigeria itself.
“Heavy precipitation upstream on the Benue and Niger rivers – in Cameroon, Mali and the country of Niger – contributes large volumes of water to Nigeria’s river system.”
Didn’t one of these just cause unprecedented rainfall and flash-flooding in Tunisia? [Answer – yes, it did.]
“…some Mediterranean holiday hotspots could be hit by a deadly – and very rare – weather phenomenon this week that is comparable to a hurricane. Holidaymakers in Greece and Turkey are under threat from torrential rain and winds of up to 100mph as the storm system forms, forecasters say.”
“The Arctic outbreak across much of Europe this week has seen temperatures drop in parts of Croatia by more than 10 °C and on Wednesday a new record low was set on Zavižan. Located in the Northern Velebit National Park, Zavižan recorded a low yesterday morning of -4 °C, the coldest ever September temperature recorded since measurements begun back in 1953, DHMZ reported.”
“Forecaster James Madden said: “Long-range predictions have shown for a time that this winter could deliver some particularly cold and snowy conditions [to Scotland]. “”This could bring some potentially crippling snowfall as these fronts will clash with cold air pooled over the UK. “This blocked pattern is showing signs of holding out through January…” It is understood rising temperatures in the Eastern Pacific could soon reach threshold values for an El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to become established.”
“Tropical Storm Kirk is not expected to weaken until it crosses the Lesser Antilles and moves over the eastern Caribbean Sea where it will bring dangerously heavy rains, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said on Wednesday…
“These rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mudslides…”
“As of 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, 10.85 inches of rain had fallen in Louisville so far in September, which makes it the wettest September on record, according to the National Weather Service in Louisville. That tops the 10.49 inches of rain that Louisville received in September 1979, according to NWS data.”
“Heavy rains triggered flash flooding in Tennessee Wednesday, killing at least one person and prompting authorities to open shelters… Soddy-Daisy Police Capt. Jeff Gann told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the death is believed to be a drowning related to flooding in the town located about 17 miles north of Chattanooga.”
“This month will go down not just as the wettest September on record in Waterloo [Iowa], but the wettest month overall. 12.89 inches of rain have fallen so far this month, eclipsing July 1999’s 12.82 inches of rain. Waterloo’s wettest September was in 1941 with 11.63 inches of rain.”
“Windsor-Essex saw a record-breaking amount of rain Tuesday, with a total of 47.5 mm — 38 mm of it from the evening storms. Dave Rogers, meteorologist for Environment Canada, said there weren’t any reports of tornadoes, but wind damage was reported…
“The previous record for most amount of rain was set on Sept. 25, 1945, with 32 mm.”
“Hurricane Rosa, which is quickly strengthening in the eastern Pacific, could bring rain and flash flooding to the southwestern United States early next week. Rosa became a hurricane Wednesday morning in the eastern Pacific Ocean just under 500 miles south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Conditions are favorable for the hurricane to rapidly intensify, and Rosa could become a major hurricane on Thursday. Some additional strengthening is possible through Friday.”
“Glaciers feed the Indus River system, the country’s precious water lifeline. But data from the past 50 years shows that all but about 120 of the glaciers show signs of melting. In the past 80 years, meteorologists say the average temperature in mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan has increased by 1.4C (2.5F) compared to a rise of 0.6C (1F) in the lower-lying provinces.
“The melting ice has created some 3,000 glacial lakes and a survey has found 33 considered at risk of bursting in Gilgit-Baltistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, threatening seven million people.”
“The low-lying shrubs, grasses and other plants growing in the Arctic are getting taller. The finding comes from scientists who have analysed three decades of measurements.
“This data, gathered across Alaska, Canada, Iceland, Scandinavia and Russia, indicates that a warming climate is driving the change.”
“Even though the ice didn’t break an all-time record, it was still well below the historical average… In fact, each of the last 12 years have been the lowest 12 years on the satellite record… Some of the thickest, oldest Arctic ice, which is anchored in a compacted mass off the frigid north Greenland shore, broke apart this year.”
“Hurricane Florence was the nation’s second rainiest storm in 70 years, a top rainfall meteorologist calculated.
“Only last year’s Hurricane Harvey rained more over a 14,000 square mile area during a four-day time period, said Ken Kunkel, a meteorologist at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration and North Carolina State University.
“Scientists said climate change likely boosted rainfall totals for both storms.
Kunkel’s preliminary analysis found more than 17.5 inches fell on average over five weather stations in the 14,000 square miles of the eastern Carolinas stretching from Fayetteville, North Carolina, to Florence, South Carolina. The amount is second to Harvey’s 25.6 inches.
““That’s a lot of water,” Kunkel said.
“The third rainiest storm was in March 2016 in northern Louisiana and the seventh was in southern Louisiana in August 2016. The three rainiest and four of the top seven have all occurred in the last three years — which Kunkel said is no coincidence.”
“For much of the United States, September played out as follows: Rain tonight, followed by more rain in the morning. Watch for occasional drizzle and downpours, which will be interspersed with rain. “It really worked out to be an odd September. It’s been a very wet month for two-thirds of the country,” says Jon Gottschalck, the chief of operations at the Climate Prediction Center in the National Weather Service.”
“Heavy rains caused flash flooding and dangerous road conditions in parts of Connecticut Tuesday. Officials warn residents to never drive through flooded roadways – vehicles can be damaged or get stuck, requiring rescue.” Photos:
“A hard frost settled over Prince Edward Island overnight Monday, and unofficial readings show record cold in Charlottetown and Summerside. Charlottetown appears to have set records for both Sept. 24 and Sept. 25. “This is what we would call our first real killing frost,” said Amy Smith of Heart Beet Organics in North Wiltshire. “All the basil plants are down, the zucchini, eggplants, cucumbers. All the real tender crops are definitely done.””
“Different areas of the state Vargas, in northern Venezuela, are flooded due to heavy rains that have plagued the entity. Citizens reported, through Twitter, that the precipitations have created great vehicular chaos in the streets of the different sectors of Vargas.
“They indicated that the water has dragged some vehicles.”
“It was once the world’s highest ski resort. Now it’s a victim of climate change. The Chacaltaya glacier in Bolivia stands as a reminder of the past, and a warning for the future….
“Nowadays, it’s a sad relic of the après ski lifestyle some Bolivians enjoyed on this once mighty glacier, which has melted faster than scientists had predicted.”
“Tropical Storm Rosa, which formed off the Pacific coast Tuesday, is expected to strengthen rapidly and become a hurricane Wednesday and a major hurricane Thursday.
“But the National Hurricane Center, in Miami, says Rosa is likely to stay far offshore.”
“Even though the official start of the South Pacific tropical season is still more than a month away, an area of low pressure could become a named tropical cyclone in the next day or two.
“The official start of the tropical season in the South Pacific Basin is Nov. 1… Regardless of tropical development, daily downpours will bring the risk of flash flooding to the Solomon Islands each of the next several days.”
“Powerful Trami remains a powerful typhoon on Wednesday as it slowly meanders toward the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. The powerful cyclone is currently equal to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific oceans.
“Trami will remain over the open ocean in an ideal environment through at least Thursday, allowing the storm to remain a dangerous and powerful typhoon.”
“In a shearing shed surrounded by browning fields at Briagolong in East Gippsland, a small group of farmers meets to discuss their growing concerns about the lack of rain. Property owner John Freeman says the farm has had less than a third of its average annual rainfall. Just 178 millimetres have fallen so far this year. Usually that number would be up around 600 millimetres. “I’ve seen a few droughts come and go but this one would have to be almost the daddy of them all,” he says.”
“China’s carbon emissions have risen this year by an amount that experts say is “globally significant”… The news follows a summer heatwave across the northern hemisphere, with China’s June temperatures the second highest on record. New research also suggests that China’s northern plain – its most important region for food production and one of the most populous areas in the world – could be hit by the world’s most deadliest heatwaves by the end of the century if emissions are not drastically curbed.”
“Kerala, India, now faces continued tragedy as water wells across the state appear to be drying up. According to the latest news from the flood-affected state, reported by the Times of India “A series of issues including soaring mercury levels, unprecedented dip in water level of rivers, sudden drying up of wells, and depletion of groundwater reserves and mass perishing of earthworms have caused widespread concern in various parts of Kerala after the devastating deluge last month.”
“Torrential monsoon rains have caused flash flooding in India’s hill state of Himachal Pradesh. The heavy downpours forced a rise in water levels in rivers and flooding in residential areas, stranding people in remote villages…
“A total of 10 districts in the hilly Himachal Pradesh state are affected by floods and the landslides they triggered.”
“[Iran’s] unprecedented decline in precipitation during the past water year (Sept. 23, 2017-Sept. 22, 2018) and years of drought have caused a steep decline in the water stored in hydroelectric dams. As a result, energy produced at 53 hydroelectric power plants in summer fell to 3.65 million megawatt hours, indicating a 36% reduction compared to the corresponding period last year, the Energy Ministry said.”
“The classic aridity of the Middle East is evident almost everywhere in Israel at this time of year. Both the flora and the fauna and the nature sites where they are found, have developed the endurance and ability to adapt to intense heat and lack of rain. But the climate change in recent years, along with increasing overconsumption of water resources, have made life much harder even for those plants and animals that were used to a long, hot and dry summer.”
“Nearly a quarter of a million households in Nigeria are at risk after heavy rains caused flooding that has inundated 80 per cent of the country. The rainfall began in July and has continued into September, causing Nigeria’s two main rivers – the Niger and the Benue – to burst their banks. The resulting disaster is affecting 34 of the country’s 36 states and has caused 141 deaths and 265 injuries to date. The Government of Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in the four worst-affected states of Kogi, Niger, Anambra and Delta.”
“A wildfire whipped by strong winds has forced dozens of people to evacuate part of a peninsula in southern Croatia as the army joined local efforts to fight the flames…
“Tinder dry conditions on the other side of the Adriatic Sea have caused similar problems in Italy. A huge forest fire which broke out in northern Tuscany on Monday night forced the evacuation of around 700 residents from their homes.”
““Snowing occurs from time to time in Štrbské Pleso [Slovakia] by the end of September... but the incidence of continuous snow cover in the third weeks of September in this locality is quite a rarity,” the meteorologists summed up.”
“The German Ministry for Food and Agriculture (BMEL) recently issued a preliminary estimate for the 2018 grain and winter rapeseed crops. It put grain production (excluding corn) at 34.5 million tonnes, compared to 41 million tonnes a year ago. Germany’s corn crop was more severely impacted, as BMEL forecasts a 50% reduction in production compared to a year ago, which would be the lowest output since 1994.”
“…after one of the Nordic region’s driest and warmest summers ever, hydro reservoirs are at their lowest level since 2006, and the price of futures contracts have soared to records.
“The risk of shortages rises as winter approaches and brings with it higher demand for heating, increasing the chances that price spikes during critical hours in the morning and late afternoon, according to the grid.”
“The whale, “out of its normal habitat” away from the coasts of the Arctic and Greenland, ordinarily swims in groups but might have become separated from its pod as a result of illness or injury or been driven off course by a “disturbance” at sea, Ms Babey speculated. This disturbance could be anything from a weather front to it being startled by a noise from a ship, she said.”
Arctic lake specialist Katey Walter Anthony finds an Arctic lake unlike any other – it is positively haemorrhaging methane:
“Set against the austere peaks of the Western Brooks Range, the lake, about 20 football fields in size, looked like it was boiling. Its waters hissed, bubbled and popped as a powerful greenhouse gas escaped from the lake bed. Some bubbles grew as big as grapefruits, visibly lifting the water’s surface several inches and carrying up bits of mud from below.
“This was methane…
“As the permafrost thaws across the fast-warming Arctic, it releases carbon dioxide, the top planet-warming greenhouse gas, from the soil into the air. Sometimes, that thaw spurs the growth of lakes in the soft, sunken ground, and these deep-thawing bodies of water tend to unleash the harder-hitting methane gas.
“But not this much of it. This lake, which Ms Walter Anthony dubbed Esieh Lake, looked different. And the volume of gas wafting from it could deliver the climate system another blow if lakes like this turn out to be widespread.”
“Like tree rings, mosses preserve a record of past climate in their shoots. From this we found nearly half of the mosses showed evidence of drying. Healthy green moss has turned red or grey, indicating that plants are under stress and dying. This is due to the area drying because of colder summers and stronger winds. This increased desertification of East Antarctica is caused by both climate change and ozone depletion.”
“It’s the last thing drought-declared Queensland graziers need, but dry conditions are now affecting the production of a wide range of feed supplements given to animals when grass and hay run low.”
“”Today we visited the district of Liwan West and Pinukpuk,” explains Pierre-Louis Bercion, HI’s basic needs coordinator in Philippines. “There are a lot of uprooted trees and damaged houses, but the farms have taken the biggest hit: a lot of rice and maize plantations have been destroyed, just a month before harvest time.
“For people in rural areas, who live mainly off the land, it’s a disaster.””
“Typhoon Paeng (international name Trami), will bring more rain to northern Luzon, which is still reeling from the onslaught of typhoon Ompong, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday night.
“The state weather bureau, in its latest advisory 11 p.m. Monday, said the typhoon’s rainbands may be felt by Friday in northern Luzon.”
“Super Typhoon Trami explodes in strength on its way toward Taiwan…
“The Japanese Meteorological Agency predicts the storm will hover just above the threshold for “Super Typhoon” status, whereas the Joint Typhoon Warning Center based in Honolulu is calling for the storm to explode in intensity.”
“A month after intense monsoon rains caused the worst floods in nearly 100 years in the southern Indian state of Kerala, other regions of the country are facing the wrath.
“India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a yellow alert (watch/be updated) warning of heavy rainfall in Kerala, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Tamil Nadu this week.”
“This is the shocking moment a tourist bus is tossed around like a toy after being swept away by flood waters leaving several people stranded. Footage captured the empty bus being washed away by raging waters of Beas River, Himachal Pradesh in northern India following heavy rain and flash flooding. The end of a blue coach can be seen hanging off a muddy ridge as it precariously dangles in the water.”
““We are now extremely concerned that several factors may be coming together over the next weeks and months to create a potential perfect storm,” WHO’s head of emergency response Peter Salama told a news conference in Geneva.
“At least 100 people have died in the outbreak, out of 150 cases in North Kivu and Ituri provinces.”
“The people of Oguta [Nigeria], who initially thought they have escaped the horrors of flooding, are now counting their losses, following the bursting of the banks of Oguta Lake and its major outflow, Orashi River… “People started harvesting their unripe crops soon after the flood alarm was raised by government. The sad thing is that some farmers borrowed huge sums of money from banks and invested in the farms that have now been swallowed up”, Igwe Nzeribe said.”
“Following a brief lull in tropical weather across the Atlantic Basin, several areas of interest developed this past weekend, including the season’s newest named storms.
“Tropical Storm Kirk developed on Saturday morning. It formed at 8.3 degrees north latitude, making it the lowest latitude at which an Atlantic named storm has formed since 1902.”
“Heavy rains that struck Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua last week moved into western Michoacán yesterday, killing five and causing flooding in two neighborhoods…
“The back end of a semi trailer was nearly swallowed by a sink hole in a city street after torrential rains drenched Mexico City. The back end of the semi fell part way into a large sink hole that formed alongside a deep excavation at the intersection of Avenida Oceanía and Avenida Peñón in the Venustiano Carranza area of the city…
“The rains, accompanied by intense hail, caused severe flooding…”
“Do you remember the 21st night of September? Torrential rain that fell Friday night kicked off a record-breaking weekend in North Texas. Dallas-Fort Worth is forecast to close out the month with more rain — even though we’ve already received more than four times the normal amount of rain for the month…
“Here’s a timeline of our record-breaking weekend:”
“An entire herd of cattle were swept away from a field where they were pastured in Oklahoma. Heavy floodwaters came after more than 13 inches of rain drenched the area, according to an NBC News affiliate. A video of the incident taken by bystander Alex Spahn and posted to Twitter shows dozens of bovines being overtaken by a forceful flow of water throughout an area of farmland south of Oklahoma City called Fittstown.”
“Authorities in Georgetown County, South Carolina, are urging thousands of people to evacuate ahead of historic flooding in an area where multiple swollen rivers converge. The county escaped the brunt of Hurricane Florence’s wind, but it sits at the mouths of the Waccamaw, Great Pee Dee and Sampit rivers.
“Parts of Georgetown County will see at least 10 feet of flooding, forecasters say. Key words: at least. The flooding is expected to begin Tuesday and will last through the weekend.”
“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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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.
“Hurricane Walaka and Super Typhoon Kong-rey are out there staring down satellites, and by extension, their human creators. The storms underwent a dramatic transformation Sunday night into Monday and are now the two strongest storms on the face of the Earth.
“Typhoon Queenie has further intensified, but will not make land in any part of the Philippines, state weather bureau PAGASA said early Tuesday. PAGASA weather specialist Ariel Rojas said the trough of the typhoon, however, may dump rain over the eastern section of the country… The 17th tropical cyclone to enter the country this year, Queenie currently packs maximum sustained winds of 190 kilometers per hour (kph) and gusts of up to 235 kph.”
“Melbourne shattered a heat record in September, experiencing its warmest ever, National Weather Service meteorologists said. Residents there also experienced the second driest September ever. The average temperature for the month was 83.6 degrees. The previous record was 82.4 degrees set in 2017 and in 2007…”
“Deserts aren’t supposed to get much rain, but Tropical Depression Rosa is flipping the script. Rosa is spreading its heavy rainfall over land Tuesday across Mexico’s Baja peninsula and into the United States, with more than 11 million people under a flash flood watch in the Southwest… It’ll drench Baja California with 3 to 6 inches of rain, with some spots getting up to 10 inches, the National Hurricane Center said.”
“Seattle has only amassed 2.04 inches of rain since May 1, making it the driest May-September on record, beating 2003’s record of 2.94 inches. The average is 6.59 inches. But even more impressive: It’s the driest 5-month stretch of weather at any time of the year. The previous driest stretch was 2.06 inches set in June-October 1987…” 
“Perhaps most unusual about the September rains in Galveston is that it hasn’t been accompanied by a major tropical storm or hurricane. In 2017, Hurricane Harvey flooded the island for several days with intense, focused ferocity, but this year the rains were persistent and steady over an extended period.”
“Many Iowans turning their calendars to October today are hoping this month will be much drier than September. State Climatologist Justin Glisan says several cities recorded their wettest-ever September. “In fact, the Waterloo Airport record their wettest month on record of any month.”
“September was hotter than ever in Charleston, federal meteorologists said Monday, continuing the trend of “warmest” records being broken in South Carolina and worldwide… It was nearly 2 degrees warmer than 2016, the next warmest September, according to figures compiled by the Weather Service office.”
Meanwhile, displaced polar air penetrates parts of Canada: “September 2018 was way colder than normal in Saskatoon with temperatures trending a whopping four degrees cooler than normal overall. Most of that was on the daytime high side of the scale with the mercury averaging out an impressive 5.4 degrees cooler than seasonal with overnight lows 2.5 degrees below normal.”
“Tropical Storm Leslie, which currently hovering over the mid-Atlantic, has the potential to pose a threat to the UK, forecasters have warned. Expected to develop into a hurricane as it reaches warmer waters, the storm front is currently moving in a southwesterly direction towards Bermuda and the eastern United States. America’s National Hurricane Center has however suggested it could be about to perform an abrupt U-turn and head for the British Isles.”
“A stubborn pocket of snow known as “Scotland’s glacier” has melted away for the second consecutive year despite only thawing a handful of times since records began in the 1800s. 
“Summer ended with a bang in Dubrovnik as an explosive thunderstorm struck the region last night. Torrential rains started falling at around 4.00 am and lightening hammered down all around the city. 
“In just fifteen minutes yesterday afternoon (Monday) a powerful storm ripped through a popular tourist resort in Andalucia in southern Spain sending flood water cascading through the streets. A powerful combination of rain and hail buffeted the coastal town of Nerja in the Axarquia, at around 5.30pm.”
“On Friday, September 28, the provinces of Rhamna and Al Haouz in the Marrakech-Safi region experienced heavy rainfall and thunderstorms, killing one man from Al Haouz, two women from Sidi Ifni, and a man and a child from Rhamna… Following the floods, which raged Friday to Sunday, the Directorate of Meteorology warned citizens not to approach riverbanks in the coming days, as more heavy rainfall is forecast in the regions.”
“Economic losses caused by drought in China may double if the global temperature rises by 1.5°C to 2.0°C above pre-industrial levels, with increasing drought intensity and areal coverage across China, a new economic assessment study by Chinese scientists found… Recent years have seen significant increase in drought losses around the world. About 20 percent of China’s direct economic losses by weather and climate disasters are caused by drought.”
“The Pic du Midi [Pyrenees] has finally recorded temperatures below zero for the first time in 108 days, pulverizing the record for the summit.
“Reports this morning have confirmed that last month was the hottest in Portugal since records began… 
“The eastern Mediterranean is getting battered Saturday as a rare and powerful hurricane-like storm roars across Greece, triggering flooding as it makes its way toward Turkey. The storm, called Zorba, on Saturday morning lashed the Greek coastal city of Kalamata and other spots along the Peloponnese coast, knocking out power in the town of Pylos. Heavy rainfall and strong winds are expected to cause flash flooding and major disruptions to air, land and sea transport in Turkey…”
“Following record-breaking temperatures in the Netherlands, a tree planted years ago by a Jewish woman near the capital produced what may be the country’s first naturally-grown etrog fruit in decades.”
“The total rain recorded this year in Mumbai in September has been the lowest in 27 years. The India Meteorological Department’s (IMD) Santacruz observatory recorded a meagre 73mm of rain this month even though the average rainfall for September is 341mm. The city, thus, has got only 20% of the required rainfall.”
“A powerful typhoon sliced through Japan on Sunday (Sep 30), killing two and injuring dozens, and bringing fierce winds and torrential rain to areas already battered by a string of recent extreme weather episodes. Typhoon Trami sparked travel disruption in the world’s third-biggest economy, with bullet train services suspended, more than 1,000 flights cancelled and Tokyo’s evening train services scrapped.”
“It was only a few hours of torrential rain that turned Torreon [Mexico] into a lake.”
“The Gulf Stream is slowing, according to two articles published in April by different research teams in the journal Nature. As it slows, it tracks slightly farther north – hugging tighter to our coast and filling the Gulf of Maine with more of its warm Caribbean water. “Hurricanes need that latent heat released into the centre of the storm to remain strong,” said Day. “The warmer the water, the more evaporation of air and that evaporation feeds the bottom of the storm.””
“A high-pressured western ridge has positioned itself near Alaska, allowing record-breaking warmth from the North Pacific to spread over the Arctic… Climate scientist Zack Labe told Euronews this phenomenon could cause temperatures to rise over 10°C above average in some areas of Alaska, making the climate feel equivalent to late-summer. Labe believes this pattern will likely slow the progression of sea ice refreezing in the western Arctic.”
“Turkey is bracing for the first hurricane in its modern history, expected to hit its western coasts on Sept. 30.
“Nearly 200 people have died in flooding caused by heavy seasonal rains across 12 states in Nigeria. The National Emergency Management Agency said on Thursday that 199 people were killed after the main Niger and Benue rivers burst their banks. A national disaster was declared in several central and southern states… more than 3,000 recorded cases of cholera… more than 286,000 people homeless. Numbers were expected to rise and more rain is expected in the coming weeks… Flooding has not only devastated towns and villages along the rivers but also destroyed crops and killed livestock.”
“Hours of heavy rainfall across the Coast region [of Kenya] have led to flash flooding. This has sparked fears of displacement, landslides and disease.. Most parts of the Coast experienced storms rarely seen locally… 
“On Thursday, a severe rain and thunderstorm hit Saudi Arabia’s Mecca, flooding the holy city’s streets. 
“Iraqi agriculture has been especially hard hit by drought this year, resulting in an official ban on the growing of rice and cereals which require a lot of water and the deaths of thousands of animals.”
“Maui got drenched by heavy rain Thursday, which led to flooding in and around Lahaina. 
“The presence of hurricane Rosa on Mexican coasts caused flooding in different streets and avenues of at least four Mexican States. On the National Highway in Estanzuela, Monterrey, Nuevo León , some cars were stranded due to flooding. 
“We caught up with Hamilton County Emergency Management crews today as they worked with the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency to assess damage that happened from flash flooding in Soddy-Daisy Wednesday. 
“Britain’s record heatwave this summer triggered a sharp surge in hospital admissions for sunstroke and heat-related issues… 
“The heavy rains recorded yesterday in Benidorm [Spain] left up to 60 liters of water per square meter in some areas of the city in just ten minutes…
“Scientists say that parts of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet, containing roughly half of Earth’s freshwater, is especially vulnerable to rising temperatures. 
“Half of the world’s killer whale populations could be wiped out in a few decades because of toxic chemicals in the oceans, researchers say. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were previously used to make electrical components and plastics, but despite efforts to ban the pollutants they remain in high levels in some areas.”
“The close-up truth is that people are rapidly depleting the Earth with ever more efficient methods of extraction and harvesting, resulting in pollution that threatens a new mass extinction potentially worse than the Ice Age.”
“An ‘exceptionally rare’ tropical cyclone has developed east of Australia.
“Parts of southeast Queensland were left blanketed with “snow” after spring storms dumped hail in vast quantities overnight, and the Weather Bureau says there is more to come today. 
“Typhoon Trami will likely come closest to Taiwan sometime between Friday night and midday Saturday, likely brining heavy rains to northern Taiwan, before veering north toward Japan, according to the Central Weather Bureau. 
“Ministry spokesman Nou Vattanak told The Post that floods triggered by heavy rains over the past few months have damaged some 90km of roads throughout the Kingdom [of Cambodia], disrupting transportation and costing the government millions of dollars. “Flood caused by heavy rain this year has ravaged 32 roads in more than 10 provinces, costing $9 million in damage. National Road 48 took the brunt of it and requires immediate repair to ease traffic,” he said.”
“I grew up here [in The Karoo, South Africa], and I can’t recall a drought as bad as this. The impact has been tremendous. Farmers have lost hundreds of millions of rands in lost production. 
“…there’s evidence to suggest increasing rainfall over time. Data from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency from 1981-2017, analysing 13 affected locations, reveals a rising trend in annual rainfall, which it says is likely to be a significant factor responsible for floods. But it’s not just rain falling in Nigeria itself. 
Didn’t one of these just cause unprecedented rainfall and flash-flooding in Tunisia? [Answer – yes, it did.]
“Forecaster James Madden said: “Long-range predictions have shown for a time that this winter could deliver some particularly cold and snowy conditions [to Scotland]. “”This could bring some potentially crippling snowfall as these fronts will clash with cold air pooled over the UK. “This blocked pattern is showing signs of holding out through January…” It is understood rising temperatures in the Eastern Pacific could soon reach threshold values for an El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) to become established.”
“A strong storm of rain and hail that has unloaded in the early afternoon of this Wednesday on the Segovian towns of Cuéllar and Vallelado…
“Heavy rains triggered flash flooding in Tennessee Wednesday, killing at least one person and prompting authorities to open shelters… Soddy-Daisy Police Capt. Jeff Gann told the Chattanooga Times Free Press that the death is believed to be a drowning related to flooding in the town located about 17 miles north of Chattanooga.”
“Windsor-Essex saw a record-breaking amount of rain Tuesday, with a total of 47.5 mm — 38 mm of it from the evening storms. Dave Rogers, meteorologist for Environment Canada, said there weren’t any reports of tornadoes, but wind damage was reported… 
“Glaciers feed the Indus River system, the country’s precious water lifeline. But data from the past 50 years shows that all but about 120 of the glaciers show signs of melting. In the past 80 years, meteorologists say the average temperature in mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan has increased by 1.4C (2.5F) compared to a rise of 0.6C (1F) in the lower-lying provinces.
“The low-lying shrubs, grasses and other plants growing in the Arctic are getting taller. The finding comes from scientists who have analysed three decades of measurements. 
“Even though the ice didn’t break an all-time record, it was still well below the historical average… In fact, each of the last 12 years have been the lowest 12 years on the satellite record… Some of the thickest, oldest Arctic ice, which is anchored in a compacted mass off the frigid north Greenland shore, broke apart this year.”
“Hurricane Florence was the nation’s second rainiest storm in 70 years, a top rainfall meteorologist calculated.
“Heavy rains caused flash flooding and dangerous road conditions in parts of Connecticut Tuesday. Officials warn residents to never drive through flooded roadways – vehicles can be damaged or get stuck, requiring rescue.” Photos: 
“Different areas of the state Vargas, in northern Venezuela, are flooded due to heavy rains that have plagued the entity. Citizens reported, through Twitter, that the precipitations have created great vehicular chaos in the streets of the different sectors of Vargas. 
“Tropical Storm Rosa, which formed off the Pacific coast Tuesday, is expected to strengthen rapidly and become a hurricane Wednesday and a major hurricane Thursday. 
“Even though the official start of the South Pacific tropical season is still more than a month away, an area of low pressure could become a named tropical cyclone in the next day or two. 
“Powerful Trami remains a powerful typhoon on Wednesday as it slowly meanders toward the Ryukyu Islands of Japan. The powerful cyclone is currently equal to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific oceans. 
“In a shearing shed surrounded by browning fields at Briagolong in East Gippsland, a small group of farmers meets to discuss their growing concerns about the lack of rain. Property owner John Freeman says the farm has had less than a third of its average annual rainfall. Just 178 millimetres have fallen so far this year. Usually that number would be up around 600 millimetres. “I’ve seen a few droughts come and go but this one would have to be almost the daddy of them all,” he says.”
“China’s carbon emissions have risen this year by an amount that experts say is “globally significant”… The news follows a summer heatwave across the northern hemisphere, with China’s June temperatures the second highest on record. New research also suggests that China’s northern plain – its most important region for food production and one of the most populous areas in the world – could be hit by the world’s most deadliest heatwaves by the end of the century if emissions are not drastically curbed.”
“Kerala, India, now faces continued tragedy as water wells across the state appear to be drying up. According to the latest news from the flood-affected state, reported by the Times of India “A series of issues including soaring mercury levels, unprecedented dip in water level of rivers, sudden drying up of wells, and depletion of groundwater reserves and mass perishing of earthworms have caused widespread concern in various parts of Kerala after the devastating deluge last month.”
“Torrential monsoon rains have caused flash flooding in India’s hill state of Himachal Pradesh. The heavy downpours forced a rise in water levels in rivers and flooding in residential areas, stranding people in remote villages… 
“[Iran’s] unprecedented decline in precipitation during the past water year (Sept. 23, 2017-Sept. 22, 2018) and years of drought have caused a steep decline in the water stored in hydroelectric dams. As a result, energy produced at 53 hydroelectric power plants in summer fell to 3.65 million megawatt hours, indicating a 36% reduction compared to the corresponding period last year, the Energy Ministry said.”
“The classic aridity of the Middle East is evident almost everywhere in Israel at this time of year. Both the flora and the fauna and the nature sites where they are found, have developed the endurance and ability to adapt to intense heat and lack of rain. But the climate change in recent years, along with increasing overconsumption of water resources, have made life much harder even for those plants and animals that were used to a long, hot and dry summer.”
“Nearly a quarter of a million households in Nigeria are at risk after heavy rains caused flooding that has inundated 80 per cent of the country. The rainfall began in July and has continued into September, causing Nigeria’s two main rivers – the Niger and the Benue – to burst their banks. The resulting disaster is affecting 34 of the country’s 36 states and has caused 141 deaths and 265 injuries to date. The Government of Nigeria has declared a state of emergency in the four worst-affected states of Kogi, Niger, Anambra and Delta.”
“A wildfire whipped by strong winds has forced dozens of people to evacuate part of a peninsula in southern Croatia as the army joined local efforts to fight the flames… 
“…after one of the Nordic region’s driest and warmest summers ever, hydro reservoirs are at their lowest level since 2006, and the price of futures contracts have soared to records. 
“The whale, “out of its normal habitat” away from the coasts of the Arctic and Greenland, ordinarily swims in groups but might have become separated from its pod as a result of illness or injury or been driven off course by a “disturbance” at sea, Ms Babey speculated. This disturbance could be anything from a weather front to it being startled by a noise from a ship, she said.”
Arctic lake specialist Katey Walter Anthony finds an Arctic lake unlike any other – it is positively haemorrhaging methane:
“Like tree rings, mosses preserve a record of past climate in their shoots. From this we found nearly half of the mosses showed evidence of drying. Healthy green moss has turned red or grey, indicating that plants are under stress and dying. This is due to the area drying because of colder summers and stronger winds. This increased desertification of East Antarctica is caused by both climate change and ozone depletion.”
“”Today we visited the district of Liwan West and Pinukpuk,” explains Pierre-Louis Bercion, HI’s basic needs coordinator in Philippines. “There are a lot of uprooted trees and damaged houses, but the farms have taken the biggest hit: a lot of rice and maize plantations have been destroyed, just a month before harvest time. 
“Typhoon Paeng (international name Trami), will bring more rain to northern Luzon, which is still reeling from the onslaught of typhoon Ompong, state weather bureau PAGASA said Monday night. 
“Super Typhoon Trami explodes in strength on its way toward Taiwan… 
“A month after intense monsoon rains caused the worst floods in nearly 100 years in the southern Indian state of Kerala, other regions of the country are facing the wrath. 
“This is the shocking moment a tourist bus is tossed around like a toy after being swept away by flood waters leaving several people stranded. Footage captured the empty bus being washed away by raging waters of Beas River, Himachal Pradesh in northern India following heavy rain and flash flooding. The end of a blue coach can be seen hanging off a muddy ridge as it precariously dangles in the water.”
““We are now extremely concerned that several factors may be coming together over the next weeks and months to create a potential perfect storm,” WHO’s head of emergency response Peter Salama told a news conference in Geneva. 
“The people of Oguta [Nigeria], who initially thought they have escaped the horrors of flooding, are now counting their losses, following the bursting of the banks of Oguta Lake and its major outflow, Orashi River… “People started harvesting their unripe crops soon after the flood alarm was raised by government. The sad thing is that some farmers borrowed huge sums of money from banks and invested in the farms that have now been swallowed up”, Igwe Nzeribe said.”
“Following a brief lull in tropical weather across the Atlantic Basin, several areas of interest developed this past weekend, including the season’s newest named storms. 
“Heavy rains that struck Sinaloa, Sonora and Chihuahua last week moved into western Michoacán yesterday, killing five and causing flooding in two neighborhoods… 
“The back end of a semi trailer was nearly swallowed by a sink hole in a city street after torrential rains drenched Mexico City. The back end of the semi fell part way into a large sink hole that formed alongside a deep excavation at the intersection of Avenida Oceanía and Avenida Peñón in the Venustiano Carranza area of the city… 
“Do you remember the 21st night of September? Torrential rain that fell Friday night kicked off a record-breaking weekend in North Texas. Dallas-Fort Worth is forecast to close out the month with more rain — even though we’ve already received more than four times the normal amount of rain for the month… 
“An entire herd of cattle were swept away from a field where they were pastured in Oklahoma. Heavy floodwaters came after more than 13 inches of rain drenched the area, according to an NBC News affiliate. A video of the incident taken by bystander Alex Spahn and posted to Twitter shows dozens of bovines being overtaken by a forceful flow of water throughout an area of farmland south of Oklahoma City called Fittstown.”
“Authorities in Georgetown County, South Carolina, are urging thousands of people to evacuate ahead of historic flooding in an area where multiple swollen rivers converge. The county escaped the brunt of Hurricane Florence’s wind, but it sits at the mouths of the Waccamaw, Great Pee Dee and Sampit rivers.