“The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen, even in summer.
“This phenomenon – which has never been recorded before – has occurred twice this year due to warm winds and a climate-change driven heatwave in the northern hemisphere.
“One meteorologist described the loss of ice as “scary”. Others said it could force scientists to revise their theories about which part of the Arctic will withstand warming the longest.
“The sea off the north coast of Greenland is normally so frozen that it was referred to, until recently, as “the last ice area” because it was assumed that this would be the final northern holdout against the melting effects of a hotter planet.
“But abnormal temperature spikes in February and earlier this month have left it vulnerable to winds, which have pushed the ice further away from the coast than at any time since satellite records began in the 1970s.”
“Weather becomes more extreme when instead of moving on it stays in the same place for days or weeks on end. Never-ending rainfall causes flooding, and prolonged sunny weather sparks droughts and wildfires… Evidence is now mounting to show that human-induced warming in the Arctic is distorting the planet’s natural circulation patterns such as the jet stream and making these “stalling” events more likely.”
“A number of Swedish reactors had to shut down or reduce output as the summer heatwave sent temperatures to record highs in July, with the sea water that is used to cool them becoming much warmer than normal, exceeding safety levels.”
“This summer is verging on the hottest for 359 years – hotter than 1976’s sizzler and even 1666’s Great Fire of London summer… Temperatures from June 1 to August 15 averaged 16.1C, hotter than 2006’s record 15.78C from June 1 to August 31.”
“Eastern Switzerland has experienced the driest summer on record, and farmers all over the country have been forced to bring their [cows] down early from the mountains as pastures are depleted, said Reto Burkhardt, a spokesman for the country’s milk producers’ association.”
“People in the Queenstown area of the Eastern Cape [South Africa] have been struggling to get water for months. The main dam is at 10%; the augmentation scheme cannot cope with demand; and a new dam project is more than a year behind schedule. Spokesperson for the Chris Hani District Municipality Thobeka Mqamelo said the water problems are due to the severe drought gripping the area for the past three years.”
“Afghanistan is experiencing a drought so severe that two million people may run out of food in the next six months. More than 80,000 people have left their villages in search of water in cities. The United Nations fears that number may double.”
“Flood waters have receded in the southern Indian state of Kerala, allowing authorities to retrieve the bodies of victims and enabling residents to start assessing the damage to their homes after the worst monsoon rains in a century.”
“Nearly 5 million people in central China’s Henan Province have been affected by Typhoon Rumbia, the 18th this year, local authorities said Monday… Non-stop heavy rain caused flooding in cities and counties across the province.”
“South Korea’s producer prices rose to a four-year high in July as the worst heat in recent years hurt the farming sector, central bank data showed Tuesday… The index of agricultural products jumped 7.9 percent on-month in July as crop production was spurred by the recording-breaking hot spell… This summer, South Korea has been experiencing record-breaking high temperatures. The daytime temperature of the country’s capital reached a record 39.6 C on Aug. 1, while some regions saw the mercury surpass 40 C.”
“Governor Eddie Calvo has declared a “State of Emergency” for Guam as a result of flooding that has left roads and bridges impassible and island residents homeless.”
“The entirety of Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, is suffering from a crippling drought that is the most severe in recent memory. The tough conditions are drying up huge swathes of land, leaving farmers struggling to feed their livestock and water their crops. It’s also exacerbating bushfires in the state. One mining town in the outback, Broken Hill, is even reporting crowds of emus arriving into town searching for water and food…”
“Brazil’s northeastern state of Alagoas has declared a 180-day state of emergency after dozens of cities in the region experienced water shortages that have affected more than 200,000 people.”
“Arapiraca is among the 38 cities in an area that thrives on tobacco crop. This year, however, has experienced an extremely bad harvest. Local farmers are also experiencing a shortfall in the corn yield.”
“B.C. is under a state of emergency and whole communities in the B.C. interior are under evacuation alerts. Most Westerners, however, are experiencing the fires second-hand; as a mysterious and choking haze that has suddenly delivered Beijing-levels of pollution to what are normally some of the world’s most pristine natural landscapes.”
“The death toll from the worst flooding to hit India’s Kerala state in a century has jumped to 357 with losses to infrastructure pegged at almost $3bn…
“The amount of rain that has fallen is unexpectedly high this year, according to Al Jazeera’s senior meteorologist Steff Gaulter.
“”Normally, by this point in the monsoon season, we expect to see about 1,649mm of rain. But this year it was 2,344mm. This is well over what we’d expect in the entire monsoon season, and we still have another month to go,” she said…
“According to India’s weather bureau, since the beginning of June, more than 321cm of rain has fallen on the hilly central district of Idukki, which is now virtually cut off from the rest of the state.
“The Kerala government has said it faces an “extremely grave” crisis and Vijayan warned of further torrential rainfall hitting the region over the weekend.
“The gates of dozens of dams and reservoirs across the state have been opened as water levels reach dangerous levels, inundating many other villages.”
“Typhoon Rumbia brought heavy rain to the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, forcing the evacuation of 14,573 residents from disaster-prone regions… Precipitation in urban areas ranged from 50 to 70 mm in a 90-minute period.”
“At least 10 people have died and two are missing in Vietnam after typhoon Bebinca made landfall… Many districts in Nghe An have received heavy rainfall of between 180 to 250 millimeters since Thursday night, leaving many mountainous villages submerged. Thousands of students in the province are unlikely to start their new school year on schedule this week.”
“Japan and South Korea are bracing for two typhoons which are expected later this week. The two storms, the 20th and 21st named storms of the West Pacific typhoon season, are still strengthening as they head north… Soulik is forecast to have winds gusting up to 200 kilometres per hour. Torrential rain is likely to cause flooding and a storm surge threatens to trigger coastal flooding.”
“Communities reeling from Australia’s worst drought in more than 50 years will be given extra funding to help deal with the dry conditions in their own way. Sixty drought-affected councils across western Queensland and New South Wales will be handed $1m each by the federal government to spend on anything from trucking in drinking water to building new community facilities.”
“Harrowing new footage released by California’s firefighting agency Cal Fire reveals the massive fire tornado that led to the death of a firefighter on July 26.”
“Temperatures will be on the rise early this week across the northwestern U.S. as high pressure builds to the north… Seattle and Portland both could challenge record highs.”
“Flights at several airports in B.C.’s Interior and West Kootenay regions have been cancelled or delayed Sunday as wildfire smoke continues to choke the province.”
“Firefighters in Sweden have faced their worst bushfire season ever on the back of the country’s hottest July since records began more than 260 years ago… “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Stockholm’s chief fire officer Peter Arnevall… Sweden recorded 18 of its warmest 19 summers in the past 25 years… “We’ve been warned now what can happen … look at climate change and the temperatures in Sweden, and what’s happening with our climate.””
“A sustained drought in Germany has revealed the ruins of a village abandoned when a large reservoir was created more than 100 years ago… Like many European countries, Germany has seen remarkably little rain in recent months… Eight German states have already reported drought-related damage amounting to $3.4 billion.”
“Switzerland this weekend again experienced temperatures over 30C – the eight consecutive weekend this has been the case… the dry conditions have made life difficult for farmers and wildlife. The army has helped bring water to thirsty cows in the Alps while the Swiss Fishing Federation told The Local fish populations were seriously struggling.”
“British holidaymakers were filmed fleeing Benidorm’s beaches today as flash floods turned streets into fast-flowing rivers. Temperatures in the Spanish resort are currently lower than in the UK.”
“Torrential rain has lashed the west coast of Africa, leaving parts of Liberian capital Monrovia under water… Monrovia was not the only place to experience torrential rain. An airport in Grand Bassa, south of the capital, reported 360mm of rain in 24 hours – roughly the amount that is expected in the entire month of August.”
“Much of Sudan including the capital Khartoum was recently hit by unprecedented rain, which has left scores dead and thousands of others displaced, while destroying power grids, houses and inflicting serious damage on public utilities and infrastructure.”
“Scientists have worried for years that rising temperatures will free carbon trapped in frozen soil in the Arctic, accelerating the pace of climate change — but now they believe abrupt thawing below lakes is even more dangerous… Here’s the problem: When permanently frozen dirt melts, the bacteria trapped inside it become active again, munch through whatever organic material is in reach, and produce carbon dioxide and methane, which are both powerful greenhouse gases.”
“In the tropical waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, conditions appear to be primed for the development of an El Niño event, with potentially far-reaching consequences.
“…If an El Niño does develop, even a weak one, it could… provide a natural boost to global average surface temperatures, nudging 2018 and possibly 2019 further up the ladder of the hottest years on record.”
“Water temperatures at San Diego beaches have been above average for weeks. Not only are the ocean temperatures warmer than they have ever been, but it is also the longest stretch of time the temperatures have stayed well above average without dipping below.”
“Bad news for the West: Even after firefighters have already battled 101 large blazes this year, the remainder of wildfire season is expected to be hotter and drier than normal, virtually assuring there will be more destruction ahead, scientists for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.”
“The Colorado River is so strained amid population growth and a climate shift to hotter, drier conditions that federal water managers may declare an unprecedented “shortage” and cut releases from reservoirs. The feds are imploring Western states to do more now to cut water use.”
“That global warming leads to more heat extremes is not rocket science and has been confirmed by global data analysis. We’re seeing five times more monthly heat records — such as “hottest July on record in California” — now than we would in a stable climate… [but] there is growing evidence that the dynamics of weather itself are changing.”
“How bizarre was the scorching heat this summer [in the UK]? There have been lots of comparisons with the summer of 1976, but Simon Lee at the University of Reading discovered a fascinating difference. He tweeted: “June 1976: the UK was one of the warmest places relative to normal across the globe, with most areas cooler than average. June 2018: the UK was just another warm blob in a mostly warmer than normal world.””
“[UK] Farmers are pushing for a big rise in egg prices after a warning that higher feed costs have left many of them on the brink of collapse. The high cost of chicken feed and plunging farm-gate prices have left many free-range producers ‘desperate’ for retail price rises. The summer drought has left farmers paying up to 50 per cent more for feed than a year ago, says Robert Gooch, head of the British Free Range Egg Producers Association.”
“The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says he is increasingly concerned about the current outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”
“Two major dams in Kanchanaburi [Thailand] were almost full Thursday evening, especially Vajiralongkorn dam where more than three times as much water is flowing in as is being discharged, according to the director… The critical water situation was revealed at a time when most parts of the country are preparing to cope with the impact of Tropical Storm Bebinca, which was forecast to bring torrential rain to parts of Thailand.”
“Vietnam put thousands of soldiers on standby, readied evacuation plans and ordered vessels to stay in port on Thursday as flood-prone northern provinces braced for a tropical storm due to make landfall on Friday. Tropical storm Bebinca… is expected to dump up to 450 millimetres (17.7 inches) of rain in Thanh Hoa and Hoa Binh provinces, threatening floods and landslides.”
“Typhoon Rumbia made landfall in the Chinese financial hub of Shanghai early on Friday morning, bringing strong winds and rain, state news agency Xinhua said. Shanghai had evacuated 53,000 people in preparation for the typhoon, the state news agency reported. The storm, the 18th typhoon to affect China this year, landed just after 4 a.m…”
“At some point on Sunday or Monday, though, a trough of low pressure in the mid-levels will build southward over eastern China and the Korean peninsula that will tug Soulik northwestward toward southwestern Japan.”
“Starving kangaroos have been looting rubbish tips and even resorted to eating cardboard… Severe drought conditions have forced kangaroos into Canberra’s suburbs in a desperate search for food and water amid one of the driest winters on record. With 99 per cent of New South Wales and just under 60 per cent of Queensland officially in drought, some farmers have even been feeding the kangaroos alongside their own livestock.”
“The latest data show July was the third hottest on record, more than 0.4°C warmer than average – almost on par with the last year. Temperatures were unusually high in many regions around the globe.
“After devastating Japanese floods early in July, parts of Asia, Northern Europe and the United States faced fierce heatwaves and lack of rain.
“The extreme weather conditions aggravated wildfires, hitting Sweden and California especially hard.
“Europe saw its second warmest July on record. Temperatures topped 30°C in the Arctic Circle. Historical highs were broken across the continent.”
“The heat has somewhat subsided in Europe this last week but it is still incredibly dry, even Ireland which is famously cold and wet, is suffering from the drought conditions, it didn’t rain at all in June and July.”
“Torrential rain and thunderstorms last night have flooded Khreshchatyk and a number of other streets in the Ukrainian capital, Informator.Kyiv has reported on Facebook.”
“Authorities in Niger on Wednesday said floods threatened the historic centre of the 15th-century city of Agadez after weeks of heavy rain… Floods have already killed 22 people nationwide, destroyed homes and gardens and decimated livestock.”
“Torrential rains continue to batter the southern Indian state of Kerala for the seventh day in a row, causing widespread flooding and landslides that have led to the deaths of at least 77 people. As water levels continue to rise, a red alert has been sounded across all districts in the state…”
“The number of patients who went to emergency rooms with heat-related illnesses this summer had reached 4,148 as of Tuesday, the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday. This is nearly double the previous record of 2,125 in 2016.”
“High temperatures recorded over an extended period this summer have apparently caused insects, such as mosquitoes and beetles, to meet an untimely demise across [Japan].”
“Miller said he knew something was odd when he spotted a school of bat rays — which typically only congregate in pockets of warm water — swimming just off the pier earlier this month. Changes in ocean circulation associated with warmer surface waters [as we are seeing with the record-breaking marine heatwave off California] will likely mean decreased production of phytoplankton — the tiny organisms that form the basis of the marine food web, he said.”
“In new images snapped by NASA’s high-flying Aqua satellite, huge concentrations of carbon monoxide can be seen drifting from the west to the east. The dangerous clouds of gas [from California’s fires] can last for weeks on end, and as winds push them across the country the threat of diminished air quality becomes more and more real.”
“The weather map for Texas has been one big, angry block of orange, with temperatures regularly in the nineties and beyond in cities throughout the state. California is coming off its hottest July of all time. The recording station in Death Valley averaged 108.1 degrees for the month. Up here in Portland, we’re pushing toward 2015’s all-time record of 29 days over 90 degrees.”
“As wildfires continue to rage throughout eastern Washington, officials said on Tuesday that air quality in Seattle had gotten worse than that of Beijing.”
“British Columbia has found itself coping with another active wildfire season, and it’s going to get worse before it gets better. This week, the province of B.C. declared a state of emergency due to the wildfires burning around the province. This state of emergency – the second to be declared in two years – will last 14 days.”
“Those with shopping plans south of the border this weekend may want to carefully consider travel routes as a state of emergency was declared in upstate New York. Heavy rain over several days has led to epic flooding and water rescues. Floods waters have hit several counties in New York and Pennsylvania, destroying numerous homes.”
“A major drought has ruined crops and left livestock dead in two southern provinces of Honduras causing famine and a government-declared state of emergency.”
“NSW declared its earliest total fire bans on record on Wednesday in an ominous sign of what could become a disastrous season of bushfires unless substantial rain arrives, fire experts say.
“Fire crews battled at least 83 fires across the state after stronger-than-expected winds prompted authorities to take the unusual step of declaring fire bans in Sydney, the Illawarra and the Hunter regions part way through the day…
“The bans beat the previous earliest such declarations anywhere in NSW by almost two weeks… While the big dry has drawn much attention – all of NSW was declared in drought earlier this month – the driest start to a year in the state since 1965 and record daytime temperatures have fed growing concern among fire researchers for some time.
“For Sydney, year-to-date daytime temperatures have averaged 23.7 degrees, eclipsing the previous highest of 23.6 degrees in 2016, the Bureau of Meteorology said.”
“A severe drought has gripped an area of Australia more than twice the size of Texas, turning normally fertile crop areas into dust bowls, draining water reserves and leaving wine-producing regions parched. Hungry kangaroos are turning up in cities. Millions of dollars of farm equipment is idle across vast expanses of agricultural land in the continent’s east and farmers are wondering if they should bother planting crops.”
“”We’re in a record-setting streak right now,” Mark Moede, a National Weather Service meteorologist in San Diego, said in an interview. “It’s unprecedented — typically it’s pretty temperate.” Since July 1, San Diego hasn’t had a single day where the high temperature fell below normal.”
“The heat wave that has recently swept the US has put 100 million Americans under heat warnings; caused power cuts in California where temperatures in places such as Palm Springs approached 122 degrees; and resulted in deaths from New York to the Mexican border, where people smugglers abandoned their clients in the desert. Further north, in Canada, more than 70 people perished in the Montreal area after a record burst of heat. Record temperatures raise wrenching questions about the future viability of cities such as Phoenix…”
“Storm clouds gathered over southern Oregon and northern California early on Wednesday, threatening to spark more wildfires with lightning strikes as emergency crews battled several deadly blazes, forecasters said. The clouds carried little rain and offered little chance of a break from the bone-dry conditions plaguing the region, the National Weather Service said.”
“Williamsport, Pennsylvania, is likely to have two back-to-back months of record rainfall. Following the wettest July on record, the wettest August on record is on the doorstep.”
“A researcher from the University of Calgary says temperatures are on the rise across Alberta, but Calgary, along with Banff and Jasper national parks, is really feeling the heat.”
“In July, extreme heat set new all-time records in northern parts of Norway, pushing temperatures over 30 degrees celsius (86℉). The Norwegian Meteorological office showed continued high temperatures up to 40 degrees celsius (105℉) in some areas for the beginning of August.
In these tinder-dry conditions, wildfires start very easily, and a prolonged drought and gusty winds have exacerbated the problem. In May, the warmest on record, the fire service was battling several outbreaks in up to 1,000 acres.”
“The Government of Venezuela decreed on Tuesday the red alert after the flood in the rivers Orinoco and Caroni, after the latter registered 18.02 meters above sea level, a situation that was not seen for more than 40 years in the country… “The floods are products of the rains and climate change is the fault of the capitalist model,” said a spokesman.”
“As the end of the rainy season approaches, and dams have yet to reach a 60% provincial average, Cape Town may be dealt another drought blow. South African Weather Services has predicted that another El Niño event may hit the country at the beginning of Spring.”
“A study of the world’s largest colony of king penguins has found that their population declined by 88 percent over the last 35 years – from 2 million to less than 200,000. The majestic birds live on the Ile aux Cochons island, halfway between the tip of Africa and Antarctica. The decline likely began around 1997… when a major El Niño temporarily warmed the southern Indian Ocean, killing off or displacing the fish and squid the penguins rely on.
“The species does not fly or migrate, so they found themselves stuck on their foodless island. El Niños typically come in 2-7 year cycles but can be amplified by global warming, which make the cycles last longer.”
“A tsunami of waste and plastic washing up and being thrown to shore as volunteers avoid being hit by rubbish has been caught on camera. Rippling and swirling piles of bottles, bags and packaging can be seen being carried by waves that send waste flying into the air. The heartbreaking footage was captured at Manila Bay, Philippines…”
“Heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh for the last three days has claimed 19 lives. The state capital Shimla also received the highest rain in August in 117 years, the weather office has said. It has warned the hill state could experience more rain.
“The India Meteorological Department or IMD has also forecast heavy rain in other states. Goa and the Konkan region, Odisha and Kerala will continue to experience heavy rain, the weather office has said.”
“Experts believe that long, dry periods, especially during winter and the pre-monsoon period, caused by increased warming, is a significant factor for more fires. The annual mean temperature in India has increased by 1.2 degree Celsius since the beginning of the 20th century… The last decade (2001-2010/ 2007-2016) was also the warmest on record…”
“Shaanxi province has been battling heavy downpours and howling winds since early July. The extreme weather had triggered severe flooding and landslides. The embankment of a reservoir near Zizhou county was breached in mid July, forcing 20,000 residents to evacuate.”
“A tropical low that has been spinning near the southeast coast of China since last week finally became Tropical Storm Bebinca on Monday and will bring several days of heavy rainfall to parts of China and Vietnam this week.”
“Indoor playgrounds are proving a godsend for parents looking to allow their children to stay active and safe as Japan sweats through a summer of record-breaking heat. Parents are turning to playgrounds in air-conditioned shopping centers and other commercial enterprises when they would typically use public spaces outdoors.”
“Australia is drying up. Red dust has replaced green fields. Cracked and baked creek beds offer no relief to malnourished sheep and cattle. The stoic resilience of Aussie farmers is being tested. As News.com put it, “Some farmers say the only water they’ve seen in years is the tears on their pillows.””
“Sydney could be hit with dust storms from Wednesday as winds increase and temperatures rise. Conditions are so dry in rural New South Wales that the dust could be carried from western inland areas to the eastern coast.”
“California’s deadly wildfire season continues, and one staggering data point illustrates just how serious things are: Three of the state’s top 10 largest wildfires on record are burning at the same time.”
“A fire in Glacier National Park has sparked evacuations over the weekend as record heat and high winds cause the fire to spread. The Howe Ridge Fire first ignited over the weekend after lightning struck on Saturday. The wildfire spread rapidly as triple-digit temperatures and high winds fed the flames.”
“The police chief in Brick, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency and evacuated residents of a retirement community. Seven to 8 inches of rain fell on the Jersey shore town in a matter of hours… In Pennsylvania, a flash flood emergency was declared for western Bradford County… The National Weather Service in State College said there were numerous reports of 6 inches of rain or more in Schuylkill and Columbia counties.”
“In the 80 years since the weather service began taking the official Cleveland temperatures at the airport, Cleveland has never had warmer summer evenings than this year.”
“A meeting of German officials to discuss the ongoing drought has failed to produce the result farmers have been hoping for. The Agriculture Ministry said it was still too early to decide on financial aid.”
“Senegal is experiencing the third severe drought period in six years, after 2011 and 2014, leaving nearly a quarter of a million people food insecure as the ‘hunger season’ begins.”
“Melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica speeds up and slows down in response to changes in deep ocean temperature, and is far more variable than previously thought, according to new research published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.”
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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.
“The oldest and thickest sea ice in the Arctic has started to break up, opening waters north of Greenland that are normally frozen, even in summer.
“This summer is verging on the hottest for 359 years – hotter than 1976’s sizzler and even 1666’s Great Fire of London summer… Temperatures from June 1 to August 15 averaged 16.1C, hotter than 2006’s record 15.78C from June 1 to August 31.”
“At least 11 people were killed in southern Italy when heavy rain flooded a deep mountain gorge filled with hikers, officials said.”
“Afghanistan is experiencing a drought so severe that two million people may run out of food in the next six months. More than 80,000 people have left their villages in search of water in cities. The United Nations fears that number may double.”
“Governor Eddie Calvo has declared a “State of Emergency” for Guam as a result of flooding that has left roads and bridges impassible and island residents homeless.”
“Brazil’s northeastern state of Alagoas has declared a 180-day state of emergency after dozens of cities in the region experienced water shortages that have affected more than 200,000 people.”
“B.C. is under a state of emergency and whole communities in the B.C. interior are under evacuation alerts. Most Westerners, however, are experiencing the fires second-hand; as a mysterious and choking haze that has suddenly delivered Beijing-levels of pollution to what are normally some of the world’s most pristine natural landscapes.”
“The National Weather Service reported flash floods across the Madison [Wisconsin] area on Monday evening, after nearly nine inches of rain.”
“The death toll from the worst flooding to hit India’s Kerala state in a century has jumped to 357 with losses to infrastructure pegged at almost $3bn…
“Typhoon Rumbia brought heavy rain to the northeastern Chinese port city of Dalian, forcing the evacuation of 14,573 residents from disaster-prone regions… Precipitation in urban areas ranged from 50 to 70 mm in a 90-minute period.”
“Hundreds of firefighters are battling terrifying bushfires in NSW which have ripped through thousands of hectares.”
“Firefighters in Sweden have faced their worst bushfire season ever on the back of the country’s hottest July since records began more than 260 years ago… “We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Stockholm’s chief fire officer Peter Arnevall… Sweden recorded 18 of its warmest 19 summers in the past 25 years… “We’ve been warned now what can happen … look at climate change and the temperatures in Sweden, and what’s happening with our climate.””
“Torrential rain has lashed the west coast of Africa, leaving parts of Liberian capital Monrovia under water… Monrovia was not the only place to experience torrential rain. An airport in Grand Bassa, south of the capital, reported 360mm of rain in 24 hours – roughly the amount that is expected in the entire month of August.”
“Scientists have worried for years that rising temperatures will free carbon trapped in frozen soil in the Arctic, accelerating the pace of climate change — but now they believe abrupt thawing below lakes is even more dangerous… Here’s the problem: When permanently frozen dirt melts, the bacteria trapped inside it become active again, munch through whatever organic material is in reach, and produce carbon dioxide and methane, which are both powerful greenhouse gases.”
“In the tropical waters of the equatorial Pacific Ocean, conditions appear to be primed for the development of an El Niño event, with potentially far-reaching consequences.
“A heatwave in Switzerland has uncovered a Second World War plane that was frozen inside a glacier for the last 72 years.”
“The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) says he is increasingly concerned about the current outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).”
“Starving kangaroos have been looting rubbish tips and even resorted to eating cardboard… Severe drought conditions have forced kangaroos into Canberra’s suburbs in a desperate search for food and water amid one of the driest winters on record. With 99 per cent of New South Wales and just under 60 per cent of Queensland officially in drought, some farmers have even been feeding the kangaroos alongside their own livestock.”
“The latest data show July was the third hottest on record, more than 0.4°C warmer than average – almost on par with the last year. Temperatures were unusually high in many regions around the globe.
“Torrential rain and thunderstorms last night have flooded Khreshchatyk and a number of other streets in the Ukrainian capital, Informator.Kyiv has reported on Facebook.”
“Torrential rains continue to batter the southern Indian state of Kerala for the seventh day in a row, causing widespread flooding and landslides that have led to the deaths of at least 77 people. As water levels continue to rise, a red alert has been sounded across all districts in the state…”
“In new images snapped by NASA’s high-flying Aqua satellite, huge concentrations of carbon monoxide can be seen drifting from the west to the east. The dangerous clouds of gas [from California’s fires] can last for weeks on end, and as winds push them across the country the threat of diminished air quality becomes more and more real.”
“A major drought has ruined crops and left livestock dead in two southern provinces of Honduras causing famine and a government-declared state of emergency.”
“NSW declared its earliest total fire bans on record on Wednesday in an ominous sign of what could become a disastrous season of bushfires unless substantial rain arrives, fire experts say.
“A tsunami of waste and plastic washing up and being thrown to shore as volunteers avoid being hit by rubbish has been caught on camera. Rippling and swirling piles of bottles, bags and packaging can be seen being carried by waves that send waste flying into the air. The heartbreaking footage was captured at Manila Bay, Philippines…”
“Heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh for the last three days has claimed 19 lives. The state capital Shimla also received the highest rain in August in 117 years, the weather office has said. It has warned the hill state could experience more rain. 
“Sydney could be hit with dust storms from Wednesday as winds increase and temperatures rise. Conditions are so dry in rural New South Wales that the dust could be carried from western inland areas to the eastern coast.”
“At least 27 people have been rescued after 8 to 9 inches of rain caused flash flooding in the Nueces River at a park west of San Antonio [Texas].”
“The police chief in Brick, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency and evacuated residents of a retirement community. Seven to 8 inches of rain fell on the Jersey shore town in a matter of hours… In Pennsylvania, a flash flood emergency was declared for western Bradford County… The National Weather Service in State College said there were numerous reports of 6 inches of rain or more in Schuylkill and Columbia counties.”
Video of flash-flooding across Trinidad & Tobago: 
“Melting of ice shelves in West Antarctica speeds up and slows down in response to changes in deep ocean temperature, and is far more variable than previously thought, according to new research published this week in the journal Nature Geoscience.”