“Hurricane Florence is set to bring 50% more rainfall to the US east coast due to human-induced climate change, according to a landmark forecast that has outlined the influence of warming temperatures upon the looming storm.
“An attribution study by scientists ahead of Florence’s landfall, expected in North Carolina on Thursday, found that the storm will be about 50 miles (80km) larger in diameter than it would be if human activity had not warmed the planet…
““Dangerous climate change is here, it’s not a problem for future generations,” said Michael Wehner, staff scientist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. “These risks have been permanently increased and we have to accept that fact.””
“”Human-induced climate change continues to warm the oceans,” claims a recent study published in Earth’s Future, an online scientific journal. “The resulting environment, including higher ocean heat content and sea surface temperatures, invigorates tropical cyclones to make them more intense, bigger, and longer lasting and greatly increases their flooding rains.””
“The center of Hurricane Florence has smashed into North Carolina bringing winds of 90 mph and storm surge of up to 10 feet and leaving around 150 people trapped in one city. Rescue teams were working to free those trapped in New Bern as city spokeswoman Colleen Roberts warned that the storm surge will increase further as Florence passes over the area…
“Florence is forecast to dump up to 40 inches of rain in some areas after it makes landfall in North and South Carolina Potentially 10 trillion gallons of rain is expected in southern states in the next week.”
“Denver’s heat records just keep melting away. The city has tied the record high of 96 degrees set on this date in 1990 and 1895, according to the National Weather Service. Temperatures in the 90s set or tied records Monday and Tuesday as well, while Wednesday fell just one degree short of a record.”
“Hot weather and drought could spark the return of the Zika virus, scientists have warned. The disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, spread throughout Brazil and Latin America in 2015 and 2016 where it was linked to a spate of neurological defects among babies born to mothers infected with the virus… The rapid spread of the disease is thought to be linked to the El Niño climate cycle, which caused high temperatures and severe drought over parts of South America in 2015.”
“A runway at Kansai International Airport reopened Friday, after being closed for 10 days due to flooding caused by a powerful typhoon earlier this month… Typhoon Jebi passed through western Japan on Sept. 4, bringing storm surges that flooded one of the airport’s two runways and the No. 1 terminal building used by most airlines. The terminal typically serves about 400 flights daily.”
“The Philippines is bracing itself for one of the strongest typhoons in its history, as authorities evacuate families in their thousands, close schools and put rescuers and troops on full alert in the country’s north. Five million people are expected to be affected by Typhoon Mangkhut, which experts have categorised as a super typhoon with powerful winds and gusts equivalent to a category-5 Atlantic hurricane… with sustained winds of 205km/h and gusts of up to 255km/h, Philippine forecasters said.”
“On Friday, Security Minister [for Hong Kong] John Lee Ka-chiu said he was expecting a storm of “extraordinary speed, scope and severity”, and said government departments were being put on alert to react “as soon as needed”. The monster storm is predicted to bring destructive winds and rain to the city on Sunday, and the government is making plans to evacuate some 2,000 people from Tai O, one of several at-risk areas in Hong Kong.”
“Drought-stricken farmers’ chances of rain this spring [in Queensland, Australia] look dashed, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of a probable El Nino. The bureau’s climate outlook for the rest of the year has predicted more dry weather and hot temperatures, alarming relief charities who say drought conditions for farmers are already “catastrophic”.”
“Provinces across Turkey’s Marmara and Black Sea regions were hit with flooding and hailstorms on Thursday afternoon and evening, as rain and thunderstorms are predicted to continue into Friday… the city of Kastamonu was hit with walnut-sized hail for 20 minutes, smashing windows of vehicles and buildings, and puncturing walls and roof tiles. The Directorate of Meteorology said in 90 minutes, 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of rainfall fell per square meter in the city of Bandirma.”
“According to reports on the website Severe Weather Europe Croatia will once again find itself in the middle of a heat wave… This August was one of the warmest on record in Dubrovnik with temperatures in the mid-thirties all month and rainfall minimal.”
“A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for all of the Azores Islands… The NHC says that Helene is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of two to four inches across the Azores, with isolated amounts up to eight inches across the western Azores. This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash flooding.”
“Some patches of Arctic permafrost are bleeding acid as they melt. The dribble of acid is destroying rocks and releasing more carbon dioxide into the air… Climatologists have warned for years that Arctic permafrost is thawing due to climate change. This will transform the landscape, and release carbon that is locked away in the permafrost in the form of carbon dioxide and methane…”
“Large amounts of dust from Asian deserts could be contributing to the warming of Arctic sea surfaces, but satellites are misreading these temperatures as being colder than they are.
“That’s according to a recent study published in Scientific Reports by Ron Vincent, an associate professor in the department of physics and space science at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ont. He studies sea and water surface temperatures in the Arctic.
“”I don’t think people think about the Arctic as being a particularly dusty place, and I don’t think it’s well known just how much dust is being transported to the Arctic,” he said.
“Approximately 6.5 million metric tons of dust are deposited north of 60 every year, much of it coming from deserts in Asia, according to another study cited in the paper…
“Satellites misread the surface temperature, Vincent said, because dust doesn’t emit energy as efficiently as water or ice surfaces. Therefore, satellites report the temperature as being colder than it actually is…
“”With global warming, we’re seeing more and more drylands, and we’re seeing more dust storms occurring and more violent dust storms. So what this implies is that we can expect more dust coming to the Arctic with time,” he said.”
“The Canadian Rockies have seen back-to-back summers of intense wildfire activity and smoke, while glaciers at higher elevations continue their slow decline. For glaciologist and University of Calgary professor Shawn Marshall, while both wildfires and the recession of glaciers are connected to the effects of climate change globally, as fires burn in Western Canada they are also contributing to the loss of ice.”
“While summers are normally dry in the Northwest, unusual and in many places record-breaking weather left many Washington rivers running at less than half their normal levels in August, according to USGS. It’s what the Northwest is expected to look like a couple decades down the road if we humans can’t get climate change under control.”
“After multiple heatwaves that literally burned the leaves off native California plants in the campus botanical garden, it almost goes without saying: 2018 was UCLA’s hottest summer ever recorded. Naturally, that included the hottest temperature ever recorded at UCLA: a blistering 111 degrees Fahrenheit on July 7, blasting past the 1939 record of 109 degrees.”
“Tropical Storm Olivia made landfall Wednesday on Hawaii’s island of Maui, passed south of Oahu and weakened as it dumped moderate to heavy rain that flooded roads… Olivia follows Hurricane Lane, which dropped more than 50 inches of rain last month on Hawaii, the second-highest rainfall total from a tropical cyclone in the United States since 1950.”
“The Philippines is bracing for Typhoon Mangkhut, the most powerful storm this year, with millions living in its path and fears its rains could combine with monsoonal storms that could spark landslides and flash flooding… The typhoon is arriving at the start of the rice and corn harvest season in Cagayan, a major agricultural producer, and farmers were scrambling to save what they could of their crops, Mamba said. The Philippines has been trying to cope with rice shortages.”
“In July, parts of western Japan were deluged with more than 1,000mm (39 inches) of torrential rain. Gushing water broke levees and landslides destroyed houses, killing more than 200 people in the country’s worst weather disaster in 36 years. “If this happened to Tokyo, the city would suffer catastrophic damage,” said Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, director of the Japan Riverfront Research Center and author of the book ‘Capital Submerged’.”
“The frosts of late November last year, as well as the frosts and hail storms recorded in spring and summer this year, have entailed a reduction in Valencia’s [Spain] estimated kaki production. For now, the total volume this campaign is expected to fall by more than 30%.”
“Germany faces a severe potato shortage as a consequence of unusually hot and dry weather this summer, the German Farming Society (DLG) warned on Wednesday. “We are expecting one of the smallest potato harvests of all times in Germany”, Martin Umhau, a member of the DLG supervisory board, told the German press agency (dpa).”
“”There is an emerging understanding of the link between our changing climate and the rising incidence of various infectious diseases,” said Sarah Coates from the University of California, San Francisco, as per PTI.”
“Subtropical Storm Joyce formed over the western Atlantic Ocean on Sept. 12, joining Hurricane Florence, Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Helene at the height of the 2018 hurricane season. Joyce is expected to gain tropical characteristics, and some strengthening is forecast.”
“The origins of Florence are unusual, too. “Florence developed further north and east in the Atlantic than you’d expect for a storm that reaches the US,” said Chris Davis, senior scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. “Storms like that don’t usually make it that far west. But it’s moving at a steady clip and baring down on some pretty vulnerable parts of North Carolina.””
“Authorities in the U.S. Southeast are checking dams and urging their owners to lower water levels ahead of Hurricane Florence, which is expected to unleash torrential rains and test the thousands of dams in the region. Florence is expected to dump up to 30 inches of rain and 40 inches in some areas, according to the National Hurricane Center.”
“Fewer homeowners in North and South Carolina own flood insurance than five years ago, signaling many won’t have access to ready cash if they need to rebuild after Hurricane Florence. Standard homeowners’ insurance policies typically cover damage from fire and other storm-related events. But they exclude storm surge and other flooding damage—and wind damage, in some coastal counties.”
“As the US east coast braces for Hurricane Florence, an even stronger super typhoon is barreling down on southeast Asia, with Hong Kong and Macau square in its path.
“Super Typhoon Mangkhut, known as Super Typhoon Ompong in the Philippines, is currently equivalent to a category 5 Atlantic hurricane, with winds of at least 252 kilometers per hour (157 mph), stronger than Florence, which is expected to cause massive flooding and devastation in the Carolinas.”
“Heavy, tropical rainfall is expected across southern China and northeastern Vietnam as Barijat moves in late this week. Prior to strengthening to a tropical storm, the system produced heavy rain across northern and eastern Taiwan on Saturday… A two-day rainfall total in Shilin District, along the northern coast of Taiwan, reached nearly 500 mm (20 inches). Now in the South China Sea, Barijat will keep moving westward, remaining south of Hong Kong and taking aim for southern China.”
“The flood that caused massive devastation across Kerala has left behind several scars… People fear that the drop in water level of rivers and other water bodies may trigger a severe drought and drinking water shortage in the coming months, adding to the miseries of the flood-hit people. A sudden rise in mercury levels have compounded the fears.”
“As the dry weather condition continues to take place across Sri Lanka, the DMC stated that up to 890,000 have been affected… The Irrigation Department said that the water capacity of the 72 reservoirs under its purview have decreased to 35% of its total capacity.”
“In Iraq, a major Middle East grain buyer, will cut the irrigated area it plants with wheat by half in the 2018-2019 growing season as water shortages grip the country, a government official told Reuters. Drought and dwindling river flows have already forced Iraq to ban farmers from planting rice and other water-intensive summer crops.”
“A river of garbage has been filmed flowing through the streets of Beirut after torrential rains caused flooding in Lebanon. Incredible footage hows bags of rubbish, hundreds of plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and even a mattress being swept along the road as stunned onlookers watch. Beirut has been struggling to dispose of its waste since 2015 when the country’s main landfill site closed following years of over-use.”
“Around the world, people are struggling for access to drinking water… For centuries, between late May and early October, [Switzerland’s] dairy farmers have been bringing their cows up to graze in the high mountain pastures. But this summer, because of a severe drought in July and August, cows grazing in mountain pastures haven’t had enough to drink. So water has been delivered to them.”
“From melting ice caps to rising sea levels, climate change has irrevocably altered the state of our planet. But global warming may have officially crossed the line — and entered into our cupboards. In a report by industry site Bakery and Snacks, the summer’s record high temperatures and especially dry weather in Europe are expected to wreak havoc on the entire continent’s potato chip supply.”
“Beer drinkers could be forced to swallow even higher prices next year as the brewing industry is rocked by the soaring costs of ingredients, according to a report. The price of barley has risen sharply after the summer heatwave scorched harvests across Europe, but other costs, such as energy, are also rising. Even the price of the aluminium used to make beer cans rose by 8% this year, on top of a more than 20% hike in 2017.”
“Latest indications point toward the storm [Isaac] tracking between the islands of St. Lucia and Antigua. Many of these islands are still rebuilding follow Hurricane Maria, which crossed the Lesser Antilles and moved over Puerto Rico almost a year ago.”
“Hurricane Florence will bring “life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding” to North and South Carolina, the US National Hurricane Centre has warned. The agency also predicted huge quantities of rain – more than a metre in some places – would fall as the storm slowed and stalled over coastal states and other inland areas, including in Georgia and Tennessee.”
“Heavy rainfall over Texas City has sent flash flooding into the streets and some homes. The area received more than nine inches of rain, and more is expected… Quiana Simmons Jackson says she lost everything during Hurricane Harvey, and now, her home is flooded again.”
“Extreme heat contributed to more deaths in metropolitan Phoenix last year than initially thought. The Arizona Republic reported Monday that Maricopa County public health officials recently revised the number of heat-related deaths for 2017 to 172. The number marks a record for a second year and an 11 percent increase from the 150 deaths in 2016.”
“In recent years, people have been increasingly flocking to the world’s glaciers. This boom in “glacier tourism” seems to be dually spurred, at least in part, by climate change: For one, people seem eager to glimpse the majestic monuments of ice before they melt away. And as ice sheets disappear, many glaciers are becoming more accessible—and unstable. The result is that places such as Exit Glacier are not only witnessing more tourists than ever crossing rocky, dangerous terrain; they’re also becoming better poised for those wrong place, wrong time misfortunes.”
“…the latest forecast calls for dangerous conditions on Tuesday night and Wednesday on Maui, Lanai, Molokai, and Oahu. Five to ten inches of rain are possible across the islands, with the greatest totals—including the chance for 15 or more inches of rain near the mountains—expected on Maui.”
“Crippling drought conditions in eastern Australia are expected to wipe millions of tonnes off winter crop production this year and rainfall forecasts suggest “limited” prospects for summer crops, a new report has warned. On Tuesday a report from the federal agricultural department revealed the winter crop production in New South Wales would be almost cut in half on the year before.”
“There’s a 70% chance of a recurrence of the El Niño weather event before the end of this year, according to the World Meteorological Organization.
“This year started with the opposite to El Niño, the so-called La Niña phase. This saw cooler than average sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific.
“That has now faded and, according to the WMO models, there’s a 70% chance of another El Niño developing by the end of this year.
“However, it is expected to have less impact than in 2015-16.
““WMO does not expect the anticipated El Niño to be as powerful as the 2015-2016 event, but it will still have considerable impacts,” said WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalas.”
“The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a report last week confirming that unusually high ocean surface temperatures aren’t confined to the Gulf of Maine. According to NOAA, for several weeks, sea surface temperatures in the western North Atlantic Ocean have been running significantly above normal.”
“Hurricane Isaac is currently pushing through the open tropical Atlantic Ocean but could bring heavy rain and damaging winds to parts of the Lesser Antilles later this week.”
“As Paul Flaherty flew over Hurricane Florence, he didn’t like what he was seeing. The storm was getting stronger and stronger. It grew from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in 72 hours. Flaherty, flight director for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Hurricane Hunters, saw the eye wall forming. He felt a sick feeling in his gut.”
“Hurricane Helene won’t hit Nova Scotia, but it’ll bring summer-like temperatures to the province. “It’s going to give us an extended period of sunny, warm weather with the humidex going back to 35 by Saturday or Sunday,” said Cindy Day, SaltWire Network’s chief meteorologist, on Monday.”
“This summer’s heat wave in Atlantic Canada was reflected in sea surface temperatures from southern Nova Scotia to northern Newfoundland. In much of the region, ocean temperatures at the surface last month were two to three degrees higher than the 20-year average, according to data from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans.”
“A heat wave earlier this summer caused some major melting of a glacier in Yukon, and one glaciologist says that could have repercussions for waterways and wildlife… ‘To see this large an area form so quickly — I’ve never seen that before,’ says glaciologist.”
“While this year’s long, hot summer [Utah] has already rung up a price tag in the tens of millions of dollars in drought-related impacts, another winter of light snowfall could take current water concerns and mitigation costs to unprecedented levels in the year ahead.”
“It’s been warm all across Arizona, on track to be the warmest it’s ever been, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix… If the trend stays the same and 2018 does indeed become Arizona’s warmest, it will come at a time during what experts have called one of worst droughts in 1,000 years.”
“Unusually high numbers of dead and dying baby seabirds have been washing up on Oregon beaches this summer, alarming some scientists and rescue groups… In California, some scientists are worried they’re seeing a repeat of 2014 and 2015 when the so-called “blob” – a mass of warm water that hung around the Pacific into 2016 – resulted in a mass die-off of common murres, as well as other marine birds and mammals.”
“Hawaii officials urged residents and visitors to be prepared as a strong tropical storm approached the island state. Olivia was a few hundred miles east of Hilo late Monday with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph… “We don’t know what it’s going to look like as Olivia approaches the Hawaiian Islands. So please, folks, don’t let your guard down,” Caldwell said.”
“Typhoon Mangkhut has intensified into a supertyphoon, the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC) said Tuesday. It is currently packing 250 kilometers per hour maximum sustained winds and gusts reaching 306 kph, according to one-minute readings made by the U.S. Navy-Air Force command based in Hawaii… The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council on Tuesday morning already raised the highest alert in a 3-step system as Mangkhut continues towards The Philippines.”
“Over the past three months, the Northern Hemisphere has experienced unprecedented heatwaves, crashing through previous temperature records. During the northern summer, Algeria experienced the hottest day ever recorded in Africa at 51.3°C. Japan had its hottest day on record with 41.1 °C. In the United States, California had its worst wildfires on record after experiencing scorching temperatures of up to 45°C. And in Greece, 98 people died in the deadliest wildfires the world has seen since Black Saturday.
“But as the southern half of the planet heads into our summer, it looks like Australia could follow the trend set by our northern cousins.”
“The broadest take on climate change’s effect on us is that, “in the next 30 years, the western parts of South Africa are expected to be hotter and drier than the rest of the country. More extreme weather, droughts and floods can be expected,” according to the State of Climate Change Science and Technology in SA report.”
“Agriculture production to see a drastic drop across the state. For the state, it has been a mix of “too much” and “too little”. While the bounteous southwest monsoon triggered devastating floods and landslides in seven districts of coastal Karnataka, at least 15 districts in the state are staring at severe drought situation.”
“A total of 275,000 people have been displaced by drought in western Afghanistan – 52,000 more than the number uprooted by conflict this year – with over two million threatened by the effects of water shortages, the United Nations said.”
“As droughts worsen across the globe, more people who earn their living through farming and owning livestock are forced to leave their homes… More Kenyans were affected by drought and violence than Linke had thought. Approximately 15 percent of respondents reported having to relocate due to drought. Twenty-one percent reported being violently attacked outside of their homes, and a large share of the victims were migrants; 43 percent of people who reported relocating were victims of violence, compared to nearly 12 percent of the general population.”
“Over the past four years, Cuba has faced the most extensive drought seen in 115 years, affecting 80 percent of the country. Prolonged rationing in the residential sector, with the suspension of water supply for up to a month, caused serious social upheaval, while economic losses amounted to 1.5 billion dollars, according to official figures.”
“Warning of the risks of “runaway” global warming, the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, on Monday called on global leaders to rein in climate change faster. “If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change,” Mr. Guterres said at United Nations headquarters in New York.”
We have hurricanes in The Atlantic and typhoons in The Pacific thanks to warmer waters in both – a most unusual situation:
“As forecasters predicted an increased likelihood that Tropical Storm Florence could strengthen and strike somewhere along the East Coast, some experts said it was another symptom of a historic and unique hurricane season that could be influenced by global warming.
“With the Eastern Seaboard on alert, storms in the northeast Pacific Ocean have generated the most “accumulated cyclone energy” on record through the first week September, said Phil Klotzbach, an atmospheric science researcher at Colorado State University.
“Usually when the Pacific is alive with storm energy the Atlantic Ocean is not. The synergistic high and low activity modes are well known to scientists, and this was supposed to be the Pacific’s year to make waves.
“And then Florence came along.
““The thing that’s interesting now is the Pacific is still active, but the Atlantic is very active, which isn’t normal,” Klotzbach said. “I’m surprised to see the Pacific and Atlantic active at the same time.”
“”…experts say there are correlations between what’s happening in the seas off the United States and what global warming has been doing for years — heating up the waters.””
“Tropical Storm Helene strengthened into a Hurricane Sunday afternoon. At 5 p.m. Helene was located about 145 miles to the southwest of the southernmost Cabo Verde Islands. Helene is moving toward the west near 13 mph, and a turn toward the west-northwest is expected on Monday, with a continued west-northwestward motion through Tuesday.”
“As the southeast part of the United States continues to watch what will happen with Hurricane Florence, the National Hurricane Center has now said Isaac has intensified into a Category 1 Hurricane late Sunday, the fifth hurricane of the 2018 season.”
“Hurricane Florence is still on track to hit the East Coast of the United States this week… Florence, which was upgraded from a tropical storm to a hurricane on Sunday, was in the Atlantic Ocean, about 1,400 miles from East Coast. It was moving west close to 7 mph, about 720 miles from Bermuda, the National Hurricane Center said.”
“Three people, including a young mother and her toddler, drowned on Saturday when their cars were swept away as flash flooding hit Fort Worth, Texas.” “The floodwaters were really high for a long period of time, which made access hard to get to people and unfortunately it’s been a very sad day for Fort Worth and for its residents,” McAmis said.”
“A roaring wildfire that shut down a stretch of a major interstate near the California-Oregon border exploded in size as crews on Saturday scrambled to prevent flames from reaching rural communities. The blaze in California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest was burning out of control after chewing through 150 square kilometers of timber and brush since Wednesday.”
“It’s no surprise that during a year where Portland saw a record number of 90-degree days, drought conditions across Oregon have reached critical levels. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, 93 percent of the state is in a drought and 100 percent of the state is classified as abnormally dry.”
“Close to 13,000 square kilometres of land were scorched, blistered, and branded in British Columbia in 2018, and this year has set a new record for the largest area burned by fire in a season. Even in Ontario, over 1,200 fires have broken out as of August 30, double the 10-year average for the province. The number of fires and the damage that they inflict can vary over different seasons. But recent trends point to a worrisome pattern.”
“Poor harvests caused by drought in parts of Central America could leave more than two million people hungry, the World Food Programme said on Friday, warning climate change was creating drier conditions in the region. Lower than average rainfall in June and July has led to major crop losses for small-scale maize and bean farmers in Central America’s “Dry Corridor”, which runs through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.”
“ENSO-neutral conditions persisted in the tropical Pacific during August 2018. Atmospheric indicators became aligned with oceanic indicators during August, for a climate system that is gradually moving in the direction of El Niño. This is consistent with the consensus from international models, which forecast a transition toward El Niño over the next three-month period (62% chance over September – November 2018). The probability for El Niño conditions being established reaches a peak during early 2019, with a 78% chance for El Niño conditions over March – May 2019.”
“Typhoon shelters in the Northern Marianas are filling up as people prepare for Typhoon Mangkhut. The typhoon is expected to pass between the island of Rota and Guam as a category three storm about 4pm local time. Our correspondent on Saipan Mark Rabago said businesses and schools were closed and people have been lining up for supplies. He said everyone, including the government, has learnt the lessons from Typhoon Soudelor which caused severe damage three years ago.”
“A slowly organizing tropical low near southern Taiwan will threaten the country with flooding downpours in advance of potential impacts from Mangkhut… This low, along with the Mei-yu front, has already produced heavy rain across northern Taiwan on Saturday when in excess of 300 mm (12 inches) of rain fell across portions of New Taipei and Taipei Cities. The deluge continued on Sunday as additional rain fell across the area. A two-day rainfall total in Shilin District, along the northern coast of Taiwan, reached nearly 500 mm (20 inches).”
A weather system being monitored in the Pacific Ocean can develop into a “supertyphoon” while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said Monday. Typhoon Mangkhut is packing 140 kph maximum sustained winds and gusts of up to 170 kph and can enter PAR by Wednesday… Mangkhut, which will be named “Ompong” once inside PAR, will come in packing sustained winds of 215 kph but can develop into a supertyphoon within the next 12 to 24 hours.”
“… this year is the worst we have ever seen. There are parts of Australia where it’s unheard of not to grow a winter crop. These are the key supply areas that Australian agribusiness relies on for feed grain year in year out. But this year, the headers will remain in the sheds — as the few crops which made it out of the ground simply sizzle on the stalk — astonishing plant physiologists and devastating farmers.”
“Torrential rainfall in Rajasthan’s Kota division since late Friday evening wreaked havoc, with thousands being shifted to camps by the administration in Baran and Kota districts of the state. Three more persons died in separate rain-related mishaps, taking the toll to six in Kota division.”
“Some residents of Ibeju Lekki in Lagos [Nigeria] on Saturday lamented their loss of valuables worth millions of Naira to flood from persistent rainfall since the early hours, coupled with the poor drainage facilities in the community.”
“Frightening flash flooding hit a village in Spain at the weekend, sweeping away car in the street, as a major storm hit the area. The carnage that ensued was captured on camera by locals of the village of Cebolla in Toledo. Saturday saw the nearby Sangüesa creek burst its banks causing a flash-flood to pour through the streets wreaking havoc on the village’s annual fiesta.”
“If you tossed and turned this summer because of the oppressive heat, here’s why: “This summer’s nighttime temperature, when averaged nationwide for June, July and August, was the hottest ever, recorded at 60.9 degrees, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
“In fact, every state had an above-average summer minimum temperature.
“Climate scientists define summer as the three months from June 1 through Aug. 31. U.S. climate records go back to 1895.
“The inability of the atmosphere to cool off at night is a sign of global warming, driven by man-made climate change, NOAA said.
“”In general, since records began in 1895, summer overnight low temperatures are warming at a rate nearly twice as fast as afternoon high temperatures for the U.S.,” NOAA said in a statement.”
“New Jersey just suffered through its second hottest August on record, and the Garden State is now stuck in an early September heat wave. Yes, more intense heat and more oppressive humidity are hitting us, with air temperatures forecast to rise into the low to mid-90s Thursday afternoon and the humidity making it feel as hot as 100 to 104 degrees.”
“Toronto just wrapped up one of the hottest summers it had ever seen. Record-breaking heat sweltered Ontarians from the end of June leading all the way into the beginning of September. Well, it finally looks like we’re going to get the fall weather a lot of us have been waiting for. With remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon sneaking its way up to Canada, temperatures are set to drop dramatically this weekend.”
“With hurricane season in full swing, another tropical wave is behind Florence — Helene — potentially becoming the next storm. The new storms formed just as tropical depression Gordon left flooding and rain behind for the Gulf Coast. Parts of Florida saw almost 10 inches of rain.”
“An intense wildfire roared unchecked for a second day on Thursday through drought-desiccated timber in Northern California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest, threatening scores of homes and forcing the closure of an interstate highway after motorists had to flee their vehicles… The blaze has raged with the same extreme intensity seen in several devastating wildfires in recent months. Fueled by drought-ravaged pine forests thick with dead and dying timber, flames spread quickly, torching entire trees and leaping from tree-top to tree-top while hurling showers of embers into more dried-out vegetation.”
“One year ago, Hurricane Harvey shattered the U.S. record for most rain to come down in a single storm. Last month, another hurricane dropped record rains, this time on Hawaii. Named Lane, its measured tally would seem to be the highest ever for this island state, and second nationally only to what Harvey unleashed on Texas… Both Harvey- and Lane-like downpours could become more common in the future. The reason: climate change… Warmer air can hold more water.”
“Hurricane Olivia has begun to weaken but remains a major hurricane at Category 3 strength and may have a close encounter with Hawaii next week, just weeks after Hurricane Lane’s flooding rainfall.”
“The National Weather Service held a heavy weather briefing at Civil Defense this afternoon. The NWS announced that Guam is looking at a possible Category 3 or Category 4 Typhoon should it pass over Guam on Tuesday, September 11th… NWS’ Landon Aydlett says we could be dealing with a potentially bad situation for Guam and the entire Mariana Islands. He adds that this could be the worst hit in a decade.”
A summer of record heat, historic storms and flooding, and now an earthquake for Japan with more rain to hinder rescue operations:
“Residents of Hokkaido awoke to powerful shaking early Thursday morning as the quake caused numerous landslides and homes to collapse. Dry weather will yield to rain in the next 24 hours which may hinder and delay some rescue and recovery efforts.”
“Severe flooding in North Korea has killed at least 76 people with nearly the same number missing and thousands left homeless by the destruction, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Thursday.”
“The number of dead continues to climb as updated reports come in from remote areas of Laos hit by flooding and landslides in recent weeks, Lao sources say. In Houaphanh province in eastern Laos, heavy rains last week poured down a mountain into a valley, flooding a small river and slamming into villages nearby, an official of the province’s Labor and Social Welfare Department told RFA’s Lao Service on Thursday.”
“Nearly five million people in 11 provinces in Indonesia have been suffering water shortage as a drought has been affecting the areas since late July. To date, the National Disaster Management Authority (BNPB) has allocated Rp50 billion (RM13 million) to supply clean water to the people in the areas.”
“Sydney has been thrown into transport chaos as wild weather and accidents across the city grinds travel to a halt… Lightening strikes are causing delays to train services and flights at Sydney Airport are being cancelled. “Greatest storm I’ve ever seen at Sydney airport at the moment!” wrote one Twitter user. “Don’t like the chances of getting out of here tonight!” …People have filmed hail resembling snow on the roads between Sydney and Wollongong.”
You may recall that New Zealand has just had its warmest summer on record:
“A hungry horde of rodents and insects has been breeding a pest army – and they’re about to be unleashed. New Zealand has just had an abnormally warm winter – usually a time where weak pests get killed off.”
“A region of West Antarctica is behaving differently from most of the continent’s ice: A large patch of ice there is thickening, unlike other parts of West Antarctica that are losing ice… A study led by the University of Washington has discovered a new clue to this region’s behavior: A volcano under the ice sheet has left an almost 6,000-year record of the glacier’s motion. The track hidden in the middle of the ice sheet suggests that the current thickening is just a short-term feature…”
“The Czech capital Prague has experienced its hottest summer since records started in 1775, the weather institute said on Thursday… The hot spell brought a drought that has affected 94 percent of the central European country, causing crop damage estimated at up to 11 billion koruna (427 million euros, $500 million), according to the Agrarian Chamber.”
“A particularly violent cloudburst hit Barcelona… on Friday morning bringing thunder, lightning and 75mm of rain… Photographer Pol Turrents described the storm as “the biggest I have seen in my life” as the streets of the Catalan capital became torrents of rainwater… Also on Thursday a violent hailstorm in the province of Teruel saw people running for shelter as the hail resembled rocks more than stones.”
“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.”
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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 Florence is set to bring 50% more rainfall to the US east coast due to human-induced climate change, according to a landmark forecast that has outlined the influence of warming temperatures upon the looming storm.
“”Human-induced climate change continues to warm the oceans,” claims a recent study published in Earth’s Future, an online scientific journal. “The resulting environment, including higher ocean heat content and sea surface temperatures, invigorates tropical cyclones to make them more intense, bigger, and longer lasting and greatly increases their flooding rains.””
“The center of Hurricane Florence has smashed into North Carolina bringing winds of 90 mph and storm surge of up to 10 feet and leaving around 150 people trapped in one city. Rescue teams were working to free those trapped in New Bern as city spokeswoman Colleen Roberts warned that the storm surge will increase further as Florence passes over the area… 
“Hot weather and drought could spark the return of the Zika virus, scientists have warned. The disease, transmitted by mosquitoes, spread throughout Brazil and Latin America in 2015 and 2016 where it was linked to a spate of neurological defects among babies born to mothers infected with the virus… The rapid spread of the disease is thought to be linked to the El Niño climate cycle, which caused high temperatures and severe drought over parts of South America in 2015.”
“The Philippines is bracing itself for one of the strongest typhoons in its history, as authorities evacuate families in their thousands, close schools and put rescuers and troops on full alert in the country’s north. Five million people are expected to be affected by Typhoon Mangkhut, which experts have categorised as a super typhoon with powerful winds and gusts equivalent to a category-5 Atlantic hurricane… with sustained winds of 205km/h and gusts of up to 255km/h, Philippine forecasters said.”
“On Friday, Security Minister [for Hong Kong] John Lee Ka-chiu said he was expecting a storm of “extraordinary speed, scope and severity”, and said government departments were being put on alert to react “as soon as needed”. The monster storm is predicted to bring destructive winds and rain to the city on Sunday, and the government is making plans to evacuate some 2,000 people from Tai O, one of several at-risk areas in Hong Kong.”
“Drought-stricken farmers’ chances of rain this spring [in Queensland, Australia] look dashed, with the Bureau of Meteorology warning of a probable El Nino. The bureau’s climate outlook for the rest of the year has predicted more dry weather and hot temperatures, alarming relief charities who say drought conditions for farmers are already “catastrophic”.”
Photos of drought in Iran’s North Khorasan province:
“Provinces across Turkey’s Marmara and Black Sea regions were hit with flooding and hailstorms on Thursday afternoon and evening, as rain and thunderstorms are predicted to continue into Friday… the city of Kastamonu was hit with walnut-sized hail for 20 minutes, smashing windows of vehicles and buildings, and puncturing walls and roof tiles. The Directorate of Meteorology said in 90 minutes, 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of rainfall fell per square meter in the city of Bandirma.”
“Glaciologists predict that half of the small glaciers in Switzerland will disappear within the next 25 years.” Photos:
“A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for all of the Azores Islands… The NHC says that Helene is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of two to four inches across the Azores, with isolated amounts up to eight inches across the western Azores. This rainfall may cause life-threatening flash flooding.”
“Some patches of Arctic permafrost are bleeding acid as they melt. The dribble of acid is destroying rocks and releasing more carbon dioxide into the air… Climatologists have warned for years that Arctic permafrost is thawing due to climate change. This will transform the landscape, and release carbon that is locked away in the permafrost in the form of carbon dioxide and methane…”
“Large amounts of dust from Asian deserts could be contributing to the warming of Arctic sea surfaces, but satellites are misreading these temperatures as being colder than they are.
“The Canadian Rockies have seen back-to-back summers of intense wildfire activity and smoke, while glaciers at higher elevations continue their slow decline. For glaciologist and University of Calgary professor Shawn Marshall, while both wildfires and the recession of glaciers are connected to the effects of climate change globally, as fires burn in Western Canada they are also contributing to the loss of ice.”
“While summers are normally dry in the Northwest, unusual and in many places record-breaking weather left many Washington rivers running at less than half their normal levels in August, according to USGS. It’s what the Northwest is expected to look like a couple decades down the road if we humans can’t get climate change under control.”
“After multiple heatwaves that literally burned the leaves off native California plants in the campus botanical garden, it almost goes without saying: 2018 was UCLA’s hottest summer ever recorded. Naturally, that included the hottest temperature ever recorded at UCLA: a blistering 111 degrees Fahrenheit on July 7, blasting past the 1939 record of 109 degrees.”
“The Philippines is bracing for Typhoon Mangkhut, the most powerful storm this year, with millions living in its path and fears its rains could combine with monsoonal storms that could spark landslides and flash flooding… The typhoon is arriving at the start of the rice and corn harvest season in Cagayan, a major agricultural producer, and farmers were scrambling to save what they could of their crops, Mamba said. The Philippines has been trying to cope with rice shortages.”
“In July, parts of western Japan were deluged with more than 1,000mm (39 inches) of torrential rain. Gushing water broke levees and landslides destroyed houses, killing more than 200 people in the country’s worst weather disaster in 36 years. “If this happened to Tokyo, the city would suffer catastrophic damage,” said Nobuyuki Tsuchiya, director of the Japan Riverfront Research Center and author of the book ‘Capital Submerged’.”
“Germany faces a severe potato shortage as a consequence of unusually hot and dry weather this summer, the German Farming Society (DLG) warned on Wednesday. “We are expecting one of the smallest potato harvests of all times in Germany”, Martin Umhau, a member of the DLG supervisory board, told the German press agency (dpa).”
“”There is an emerging understanding of the link between our changing climate and the rising incidence of various infectious diseases,” said Sarah Coates from the University of California, San Francisco, as per PTI.”
“The origins of Florence are unusual, too. “Florence developed further north and east in the Atlantic than you’d expect for a storm that reaches the US,” said Chris Davis, senior scientist at the US National Center for Atmospheric Research. “Storms like that don’t usually make it that far west. But it’s moving at a steady clip and baring down on some pretty vulnerable parts of North Carolina.””
“Fewer homeowners in North and South Carolina own flood insurance than five years ago, signaling many won’t have access to ready cash if they need to rebuild after Hurricane Florence. Standard homeowners’ insurance policies typically cover damage from fire and other storm-related events. But they exclude storm surge and other flooding damage—and wind damage, in some coastal counties.”
“As the US east coast braces for Hurricane Florence, an even stronger super typhoon is barreling down on southeast Asia, with Hong Kong and Macau square in its path.
“The flood that caused massive devastation across Kerala has left behind several scars… People fear that the drop in water level of rivers and other water bodies may trigger a severe drought and drinking water shortage in the coming months, adding to the miseries of the flood-hit people. A sudden rise in mercury levels have compounded the fears.”
“In Iraq, a major Middle East grain buyer, will cut the irrigated area it plants with wheat by half in the 2018-2019 growing season as water shortages grip the country, a government official told Reuters. Drought and dwindling river flows have already forced Iraq to ban farmers from planting rice and other water-intensive summer crops.”
“A river of garbage has been filmed flowing through the streets of Beirut after torrential rains caused flooding in Lebanon. Incredible footage hows bags of rubbish, hundreds of plastic bottles, cardboard boxes and even a mattress being swept along the road as stunned onlookers watch. Beirut has been struggling to dispose of its waste since 2015 when the country’s main landfill site closed following years of over-use.”
“Beer drinkers could be forced to swallow even higher prices next year as the brewing industry is rocked by the soaring costs of ingredients, according to a report. The price of barley has risen sharply after the summer heatwave scorched harvests across Europe, but other costs, such as energy, are also rising. Even the price of the aluminium used to make beer cans rose by 8% this year, on top of a more than 20% hike in 2017.”
“Hurricane Florence will bring “life-threatening, catastrophic flash flooding” to North and South Carolina, the US National Hurricane Centre has warned. The agency also predicted huge quantities of rain – more than a metre in some places – would fall as the storm slowed and stalled over coastal states and other inland areas, including in Georgia and Tennessee.”
“Heavy rainfall over Texas City has sent flash flooding into the streets and some homes. The area received more than nine inches of rain, and more is expected… Quiana Simmons Jackson says she lost everything during Hurricane Harvey, and now, her home is flooded again.”
“Crippling drought conditions in eastern Australia are expected to wipe millions of tonnes off winter crop production this year and rainfall forecasts suggest “limited” prospects for summer crops, a new report has warned. On Tuesday a report from the federal agricultural department revealed the winter crop production in New South Wales would be almost cut in half on the year before.”
“There’s a 70% chance of a recurrence of the El Niño weather event before the end of this year, according to the World Meteorological Organization. 
“Hurricane Isaac is currently pushing through the open tropical Atlantic Ocean but could bring heavy rain and damaging winds to parts of the Lesser Antilles later this week.”
“A heat wave earlier this summer caused some major melting of a glacier in Yukon, and one glaciologist says that could have repercussions for waterways and wildlife… ‘To see this large an area form so quickly — I’ve never seen that before,’ says glaciologist.”
“It’s been warm all across Arizona, on track to be the warmest it’s ever been, according to the National Weather Service in Phoenix… If the trend stays the same and 2018 does indeed become Arizona’s warmest, it will come at a time during what experts have called one of worst droughts in 1,000 years.”
“Over the past three months, the Northern Hemisphere has experienced unprecedented heatwaves, crashing through previous temperature records. During the northern summer, Algeria experienced the hottest day ever recorded in Africa at 51.3°C. Japan had its hottest day on record with 41.1 °C. In the United States, California had its worst wildfires on record after experiencing scorching temperatures of up to 45°C. And in Greece, 98 people died in the deadliest wildfires the world has seen since Black Saturday. 
“Agriculture production to see a drastic drop across the state. For the state, it has been a mix of “too much” and “too little”. While the bounteous southwest monsoon triggered devastating floods and landslides in seven districts of coastal Karnataka, at least 15 districts in the state are staring at severe drought situation.”
“As droughts worsen across the globe, more people who earn their living through farming and owning livestock are forced to leave their homes… More Kenyans were affected by drought and violence than Linke had thought. Approximately 15 percent of respondents reported having to relocate due to drought. Twenty-one percent reported being violently attacked outside of their homes, and a large share of the victims were migrants; 43 percent of people who reported relocating were victims of violence, compared to nearly 12 percent of the general population.”
“Warning of the risks of “runaway” global warming, the United Nations secretary general, António Guterres, on Monday called on global leaders to rein in climate change faster. “If we do not change course by 2020, we risk missing the point where we can avoid runaway climate change,” Mr. Guterres said at United Nations headquarters in New York.”
We have hurricanes in The Atlantic and typhoons in The Pacific thanks to warmer waters in both – a most unusual situation: 
“Three people, including a young mother and her toddler, drowned on Saturday when their cars were swept away as flash flooding hit Fort Worth, Texas.” “The floodwaters were really high for a long period of time, which made access hard to get to people and unfortunately it’s been a very sad day for Fort Worth and for its residents,” McAmis said.”
“It’s no surprise that during a year where Portland saw a record number of 90-degree days, drought conditions across Oregon have reached critical levels. According to the National Integrated Drought Information System, 93 percent of the state is in a drought and 100 percent of the state is classified as abnormally dry.”
“Poor harvests caused by drought in parts of Central America could leave more than two million people hungry, the World Food Programme said on Friday, warning climate change was creating drier conditions in the region. Lower than average rainfall in June and July has led to major crop losses for small-scale maize and bean farmers in Central America’s “Dry Corridor”, which runs through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras and Nicaragua.”
“Typhoon shelters in the Northern Marianas are filling up as people prepare for Typhoon Mangkhut. The typhoon is expected to pass between the island of Rota and Guam as a category three storm about 4pm local time. Our correspondent on Saipan Mark Rabago said businesses and schools were closed and people have been lining up for supplies. He said everyone, including the government, has learnt the lessons from Typhoon Soudelor which caused severe damage three years ago.”
A weather system being monitored in the Pacific Ocean can develop into a “supertyphoon” while inside the Philippine area of responsibility, the state weather bureau said Monday. Typhoon Mangkhut is packing 140 kph maximum sustained winds and gusts of up to 170 kph and can enter PAR by Wednesday… Mangkhut, which will be named “Ompong” once inside PAR, will come in packing sustained winds of 215 kph but can develop into a supertyphoon within the next 12 to 24 hours.”
“Torrential rainfall in Rajasthan’s Kota division since late Friday evening wreaked havoc, with thousands being shifted to camps by the administration in Baran and Kota districts of the state. Three more persons died in separate rain-related mishaps, taking the toll to six in Kota division.”
“Frightening flash flooding hit a village in Spain at the weekend, sweeping away car in the street, as a major storm hit the area. The carnage that ensued was captured on camera by locals of the village of Cebolla in Toledo. Saturday saw the nearby Sangüesa creek burst its banks causing a flash-flood to pour through the streets wreaking havoc on the village’s annual fiesta.”
“If you tossed and turned this summer because of the oppressive heat, here’s why: 
“Toronto just wrapped up one of the hottest summers it had ever seen. Record-breaking heat sweltered Ontarians from the end of June leading all the way into the beginning of September. Well, it finally looks like we’re going to get the fall weather a lot of us have been waiting for. With remnants of Tropical Storm Gordon sneaking its way up to Canada, temperatures are set to drop dramatically this weekend.”
“An intense wildfire roared unchecked for a second day on Thursday through drought-desiccated timber in Northern California’s Shasta-Trinity National Forest, threatening scores of homes and forcing the closure of an interstate highway after motorists had to flee their vehicles… The blaze has raged with the same extreme intensity seen in several devastating wildfires in recent months. Fueled by drought-ravaged pine forests thick with dead and dying timber, flames spread quickly, torching entire trees and leaping from tree-top to tree-top while hurling showers of embers into more dried-out vegetation.”
A summer of record heat, historic storms and flooding, and now an earthquake for Japan with more rain to hinder rescue operations:
“Severe flooding in North Korea has killed at least 76 people with nearly the same number missing and thousands left homeless by the destruction, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said on Thursday.”
“The number of dead continues to climb as updated reports come in from remote areas of Laos hit by flooding and landslides in recent weeks, Lao sources say. In Houaphanh province in eastern Laos, heavy rains last week poured down a mountain into a valley, flooding a small river and slamming into villages nearby, an official of the province’s Labor and Social Welfare Department told RFA’s Lao Service on Thursday.”
“Sydney has been thrown into transport chaos as wild weather and accidents across the city grinds travel to a halt… Lightening strikes are causing delays to train services and flights at Sydney Airport are being cancelled. “Greatest storm I’ve ever seen at Sydney airport at the moment!” wrote one Twitter user. “Don’t like the chances of getting out of here tonight!” …People have filmed hail resembling snow on the roads between Sydney and Wollongong.”
You may recall that New Zealand has just had its warmest summer on record: 
“A region of West Antarctica is behaving differently from most of the continent’s ice: A large patch of ice there is thickening, unlike other parts of West Antarctica that are losing ice… A study led by the University of Washington has discovered a new clue to this region’s behavior: A volcano under the ice sheet has left an almost 6,000-year record of the glacier’s motion. The track hidden in the middle of the ice sheet suggests that the current thickening is just a short-term feature…”
“A particularly violent cloudburst hit Barcelona… on Friday morning bringing thunder, lightning and 75mm of rain… Photographer Pol Turrents described the storm as “the biggest I have seen in my life” as the streets of the Catalan capital became torrents of rainwater… Also on Thursday a violent hailstorm in the province of Teruel saw people running for shelter as the hail resembled rocks more than stones.”