“First 100F/37.8C of 2023 in the United States! Falcon Lake in Texas reached the triple digit, while in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee monthly records are falling like flies.
“Atlanta rose above 80F in winter for the first time in its history.” [Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport reached 81F / 27.2C, breaking the old record of 80° from Feb. 7, 2019].
“New York’s Record Warm Winter: Good for Sunbathing, Bad for Ski Slopes.
“A wildly erratic season has been a blessing for haters of mittens and blizzards, but a potential disaster for businesses that rely on snow and ice… the mild temperatures are threatening or shattering records, with New York recording its second warmest January on record and neighboring states like New Jersey, Massachusetts and Connecticut setting new highs for the month.”
“Grape vines suffer major damage in Nova Scotia from wild weather swings.
“Some grape varieties may have been completely lost in Nova Scotia when the mild winter suddenly turned frigid… The warmest winter on record meant grape vines in Nova Scotia didn’t get as hardy or as acclimated to the cold weather as they normally do, and when the cold snap finally hit in early February, Ells said it was a recipe for disaster.”
“Warm weather has resulted in record-low ice levels across the Great Lakes this winter, which could lead to increased lake-effect snow and flooding concerns for cities and towns along the shorelines.
“The warmer weather in the region resulted in dwindling ice starting in January, with several cities reporting their warmest start to the year on record…”
“Wisconsin ice storm forecast; possibly worst in nearly 50 years.
“Southern Wisconsin could experience its worst icing since 1976 when a storm passes through Wednesday, Feb. 22 into Thursday. In addition, this system will likely set February snowfall records for parts of Minnesota and central Wisconsin.”
“The land of swimming pools and movie stars [LA] is close to a blizzard warning for the first time in more than 30 years.
“A wild pattern draped over North America led to a significant bout of snow across southwestern portions of the United States, bringing a rare bout of blizzard conditions to the mountains near Los Angeles for the first time since the late 1980s.”
“The National Weather Service is forecasting 100 inches of snow to fall near Mount Baldy Resort in a 24 period Friday-Saturday, which would absolutely smash the US 24-hour snowfall record.
“The blizzard that is about to hit SoCal could truly be unprecedented.”
“Climate change is affecting agave crops, tequila.
“Agave is drought-tolerant and can thrive in hot weather with little to no water. However, the crops are not tolerating the recent major weather whiplashfrom extreme drought to deadly storm deluges. Climate change is also putting a strain on the agave plant’s vital pollinator: the bat.”
“According to INDAP, out of dead animals, 13,554 are poultry birds, 1,783 cattle, 560 goats, 407 sheep and 244 pigs, among other species. The report did not include wildlife affected by the forest fires in early February, mainly in Ñuble, Biobío and La Araucanía regions, where over 452,000 hectares were ravaged.”
“Fires blazed through a protected wilderness in northeastern Argentina in February 2023. Home to jaguars, capybaras, and giant anteaters, Iberá National Park has reportedly been burning since late December 2022, and continued to burn as of February 22, 2023.”
“Between 2022 and 2023 there were already 8 heat waves: in February there were 27 cities that broke records [Argentina]…
“At least 27 Argentine cities broke a temperature record this month. Some recorded an all-time high, while others had their warmest February day… What is expected in the future? In the AMBA area the strong heat returns…”
“Brazil floods: death toll rises to 48 as landslides and looters prevent aid reaching survivors.
“Rescue operations were continuing and firefighters, police and volunteers still hoped to find people alive in the rubble of houses slammed by the landslides. 1,730 people have been displaced and 1,810 left homeless.”
“Recent Alps snow cover decline ‘unprecedented’ in past 600 years.
“The duration of snow cover in the Alps is now 36 days shorter than the long-term average – an “unprecedented” decline over the past 600 years – according to recent research… The findings are significant for the millions of people who depend on meltwater from the Alps snowpack every year for “agricultural, industrial and domestic purposes…””
“France goes 31 days without rainfall, unprecedented in winter.
“With rainfall over the entire country of less than one millimetre a day since January 21, weather service Meteo France said the absence of precipitation equals the record set in spring 2020. Winter is normally a crucial period for recharging groundwater levels with rainfall. The number of days without rain has “never been seen” in winter.”
“Lake Garda tourists [Italy] flock to island reconnected by drought.
“Dotted with cypresses and rocky white beaches, San Biagio island was in the past only accessible by boat. But historically low waters on the lake have revealed a sand and stone causeway — and tourists are flocking to the site.”
“Experts are warning that olive oil could join the list of kitchen staples seeing a price hike this year.
“Droughts and intense heat ravaged olive-producing regions across Europe in 2022, causing a poor harvest season that will likely see supplies dwindle. Major olive oil-producing and exporting countries like Italy, Greece, Spain, and Portugal are projecting lower bounties.”
“Snowstorm in Morocco leaves 87 villages isolated and 24,000 people in need of assistance.
“The southeast of Morocco has been experiencing an unprecedented snowstorm since this weekend that has left 24,000 families in need of assistance and 87 isolated villages in the region of Ouarzazate and Zagora…”
“Yesterday 20 February was the hottest day on record for the Nigerian town of Port Harcourt with 38.6C [101.5F].
“Very high temperatures have persisted in the area for weeks. February is the or one of the hottest months of the year few degrees above Equatorial Africa.”
“Daily outages likely as Nelson Mandela Bay starts water throttling during crisis.
“Residents of Nelson Mandela Bay will have to battle daily water cuts unless consumption can be reduced to 50 litres per person per day. This, as the city cuts back on its extraction from near-empty dams to preserve the little that is left.”
“‘Absolute chaos’ after flooding in the Vaal [NE South Africa]…
“There are people who had a house on Friday and on Sunday morning they only had a foundation. Their entire house was washed away.” This is according to Storm Zurcher, the community policing forum chairperson of the Loch Vaal neighbourhood watch area.”
“Cyclone Freddy makes landfall in Madagascar, leaving destruction in its wake.
“Cyclone Freddy made landfall in south-eastern Madagascar on Tuesday, leaving at least four people dead and destruction in its path, as winds of up to 112 mph lashed the island nation. Waves of nearly 8 metres brought flooding to parts of the country, with the storm forcing more than 11,000 people to flee their homes.”
“While cyclone Freddy made landfall in Madagascar in the past hours, high temperatures were recorded yesterday in the Reunion Island up to 36.0C [96.8F] at Pointe des Trois-Bassins, a new monthly record.
“More South, monthly record at Port Aux Francais (lat 49S), Kerguelen Islands with 24.0C.”
“Drought trends in the Horn of Africa are now worse than they were during the 2011 famine in which hundreds of thousands of people died.
“The IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Center said on Wednesday that below-normal rainfall is expected during the rainy season over the next three months… The drought, the longest on record in Somalia, has lasted almost three years and tens of thousands of people have died.”
“Why has Pakistan not recovered from its catastrophic floods?
“…Six months on from the worst of the devastation, people across the country are still displaced and facing knock-on effects of the floods on their health. The international community pledged $9bn to aid Pakistan in rebuilding at the beginning of this year, but experts on the ground say it will be of little use if it does not arrive soon.”
“Explained: Why February is the new May as temperature breaks record across India…
““It’s not even March yet and it’s already looking like a replay of last year, where spring was missing. The pace of change is alarming,” said Aditya Valiathan Pillai, an associate fellow at the Center for Policy Research focusing on heat waves.”
“A massive storm system has smashed NSW leaving a path of destruction in its wake while South Australia endures an extreme heatwave and an out-of-control grass fire sparks alerts in Victoria.
“…a month’s worth of rain struck in a single night… Huge rainfall totals were reported across the city with Terrey Hills reporting a whopping 92mm of rain, breaking its February rain record of 90.2mm.”
“Australia faces unprecedented grassfires next summer ‘supercharged’ by global heating.
“Australia should prepare for grassfires on a scale not experienced before, with new analysis warning spring and summer 2023-24 could see widespread fire risk “supercharged” by the climate crisis.”
“Niwa glaciologists are preparing themselves for “utter devastation” when they do their annual Glacier Snowline Survey next month.
“Climate and environmental applications principal scientist and survey leader Dr Drew Lorrey said New Zealand had just experienced its hottest year (2022) on record, and many of the South Island’s glaciers would have been decimated.”
“Antarctic sea ice hit record lows again. Scientists wonder if it’s ‘the beginning of the end’.
“Antarctic sea ice has reached record low levels for the second time in two years… “It’s “not just ‘barely a record low,’” Ted Scambos, a glaciologist at the University of Colorado Boulder, told CNN. “It’s on a very steep downward trend.””
“No, billionaires won’t “escape” to space while the world burns…
“The ISS crew is only able to survive up there at all because multiple countries employ thousands of brilliant, highly-trained engineers and doctors and astrophysicists and computer experts whose full-time job is keeping them alive and the ISS functioning.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“At least 36 people have been killed after heavy rain caused flooding and landslides in Brazil, authorities say…
“Sao Paulo state government said rain in the region had surpassed 600mm (23.6in) in one day, one of the highest amounts ever in Brazil in such a short period [and shattering many records for Sao Paolo; Bertioga received 694 mm / 27.3 inches]…
“Sao Paulo state has declared a 180-day state of emergency for six cities after what experts described as an unprecedented, extreme weather event.”
“Paraguay: Due to river overflow of an entire community had to be evacuated.
“At least four communities of the Pueblo Pâi are in a severe emergency situation in the area of Pedro Juan Caballero, in the department of Amambay, due to flooding in Paraguay after the overflow of the Aquidabán River.”
“Unseasonal frost wreaks havoc on crops in Argentina.
“Argentina’s meteorologists were predicting it, but of course rural producers preferred not to believe it, but it happened. In some regions of Argentina, frost formed this Saturday morning (18). Well out of season, this early frost affected vast productive areas in the provinces of Buenos Aires, Santa Fe, Córdoba, La Pampa and San Luis.”
“Wildfires in Chile Raise ‘Great Concern’, says Minister.
” New and reactivated wildfires in south-central Chile are causing great concern in populated areas, the country’s Interior Ministry Carolina Toha said on Saturday, as some have destroyed buildings and left at least three people severely injured.”
“Cuba wildfire threatens hundreds as it nears national park.
“A major wildfire in eastern Cuba was spreading closer to a national park on Monday, threatening hundreds of residents in its path, Cuban state television said Monday. Firefighters were attempting to control the blaze that started this weekend in the mountainous Pinares de Mayari region…”
“‘He baked’: Heat waves are killing more L.A. homeless people who can’t escape broiling sun…
“Although the unhoused population represents about 70,000 of Los Angeles County’s more than 9.8 million people, they accounted for nearly half — 5 in 12 — of deaths from heat illness or heat exposure last year, according to data from the coroner’s office.”
“Water crisis in West: Massive reservoir Lake Powell hits historic low water level.
“Lake Powell, the nation’s second-largest reservoir and one that provides water and power to millions of people in southern California, has reached its lowest levels since its first filling in the 1960s. Its companion reservoir, Lake Mead, is at levels almost as low.”
“Extreme jet stream to unleash wild week of weather across the Lower 48…
“Record cold will become established across the West, with historically warm February weather in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, including temperatures in the 80s to near 90. In between, the air masses will clash — brewing serious trouble.”
“The 2022-23 winter season has been the least snowy to date for Bridgeport and the New York City area, the National Weather Service announced Sunday…
“The lack of snow cover is allowing spring plants to emerge unusually early… Last month was the warmest January on record for Bridgeport and the third warmest for Hartford.”
“No ‘meaningful’ rainfall in Shropshire for a whole month after threats of flooding in January [UK]…
“…while it is too early to predict what the summer might bring, environment expert, Dave Throup, says the swings between wet and dry, hot and cold, are an indication of future weather… the weather station at Shawbury currently showed 32 continuous days of less than a millimetre of rain.”
“UK runs short of salad crops and citrus fruits after cold spell in Med.
“Supermarkets are facing shortages of salad crops, including cucumbers, lettuce, peppers and tomatoes, as well as broccoli and citrus fruits amid cold weather in producing countries such as Spain and Morocco [I can confirm an absence of peppers, locally].”
“21.7C [71.1F] at Innsbruck, Austria hottest winter day in Tyrol history; 20.1C in Germany at 720m above sea level; and 91 monthly records of February highest Min. temperatures! Including Munich with 10.3C; 25C in Galicia (Spain) for 2 days in a row; 23.1C in France.”
“Venice canals start to run dry as low tide and lack of rain hit.
“Weeks of dry winter weather have raised concerns that Italy could face another drought after last summer’s emergency, with the Alps having received less than half of their normal snowfall, according to scientists and environmental groups.”
“Extensive flooding in northern Romania on Saturday night left roads damaged and disrupted rail services.
“The worst affected counties were Bistrita and Maramures. A new section of road rebuilt with €2 million of European Union funding two years ago was badly damaged. Rivers burst their banks, leaving homes and farmland flooded and triggering landslides.”
“South Africa: Flood Wreaks Havoc On Eastern Cape After Weekend of Torrential Rain.
“The body of a six-year-old was recovered on Sunday afternoon while workers are still searching for his mother and his four-year-old sister. Another two boys are missing but presumed drowned after devastating floods ripped through Coffee Bay on the Wild Coast. Torrential rains have left a path of devastation through the Eastern Cape.”
“Very hot day in South Africa which is under the influence of a strong ridge and berg winds from West to East.
“The area of Durban had temperatures at record levels: Mount Edgecombe, just at its north, rose to 41.4C [106.5F], which is only 0.1C from its highest temperature on records.”
“Hauling icebergs to Africa: could a bizarre plan to get drinking water actually work? [This again, lol]
“…master mariner Nick Sloane [is] the brains behind the Cape Town plan. Using satellite data to find the best berg, his “team of glaciologists, engineers and oceanographers” plans to catch it in a giant net and pull it by tugboat into the mighty Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and thence into the north-flowing Benguela Current towards South Africa.”
“‘Millions’ in India, Pakistan at risk of flooding from glacial lakes: What a new study says.
“Around 15 million people across the world face the risk of sudden and deadly flooding from glacial lakes, which are expanding and rising in numbers due to global warming, according to a new study.”
“Shimla, The capital city of Himachal Pradesh [home to many glaciers, of course], on Friday had experienced its warmest February night with minimum temperature at 14.4 degrees [57.9F]which is eleven degrees above normal…
“[This beat the record] of 14.2 degrees Celsius, which was recorded on 23 February, 2015.”
“High February temperatures have India already bracing for more heat waves.
“Last year, Indian meteorologists sounded the first heat wave alert of the year in March, foreshadowing a summer that arrived unusually early — and brought some of the most extreme temperatures in India’s recorded history. This year, they are sounding the alarm even earlier.”
“India Heat Wave: Another day with temperatures up to 39C [102.2F] in India in this unprecedented winter heat wave (Feb 1953 heat wave was in the last days of February).
“Kota broke its February record with 37.4C,while the capital Delhi with 33.6C barely missed it.”
“Mauritius grounds flights as it braces for Cyclone Freddy.
“In an address late on Sunday, Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth said Freddy is an “extremely strong cyclone which is a direct threat” to the islands of Mauritius, Rodrigues and Saint Brandon. He urged people to take all necessary precautions, stay home and remain “vigilant”.”
“Pollen levels are expected to double in some areas of Japan this year, triggering sneezing attacks, itchy eyes and — potentially — a drag on consumer spending.
“Record high temperatures last summer gave rise to a decade-high volume of cedar flowers in Japan’s main industrial areas, according to data from the environment ministry.”
“The never-ending fallout of the northern rivers floods [NSW, Australia]: ‘People are just worn down’.
“As the anniversary of the disaster approaches, along with the cyclone season, for those left in the flood’s wake the impact is still unfolding. When the flood waters receded a year ago, for many, the disaster was only beginning.”
“After Cyclone Gabrielle, New Zealand wonders how – and if – to rebuild.
“… the keen desire to preserve a home, and awareness that some of those homes are critically vulnerable to future floods – is now in the minds of tens of thousands of New Zealanders, and a government that faces extremely tough questions in the coming weeks.”
“The Auckland Regional Public Health Service is warning health providers of a potential outbreak of leptospirosis, which could be linked to recent extreme weather events.
“In a statement to primary healthcare providers on Monday it said there had been an increase in the number of cases of the disease reported in the region over the last two weeks.”
“Summer of extremes: Too much water in the North, not enough down South [NZ].
“The contrast between the dry South Island and saturated North is “stark”, with a severe lack of rain on the usually wet West Coast causing “unprecedented” water shortages. Areas around the South Island are extremely dry with fire bans and conserve water notices in place…”
“This may look like a very ordinary seascape, but it isn’t. This view is at 72°S in the Bellingshausen Sea, Antarctica, taken from RV Polarstern expedition PS134.
“In a normal year there would be a lot of sea ice in this area, but this year there is none.
“This month has seen a new record minimum in Antarctic sea ice extent since satellite records began more than 40 years ago. In the Bellingshausen Sea most of the ice was gone by the end of November.”
“Stronger El Niño events may speed up irreversible melting of Antarctic ice, research finds.
“Stronger El Niño events due to global heating may accelerate irreversible melting of the Antarctic ice sheet and ice shelves and the rise in sea levels, according to research from Australia’s premier government science agency.”
“What does the return of El Nino mean for the planet – and you?
“…El Nino is likely to push global average temperatures well above the 1.5 deg C threshold, which will significantly raise the risks of drought, floods, and extreme heatwaves. It will also increase the risk of food and water insecurity and poverty for millions of people worldwide.”
“The astonishing fact is that, despite acquiring the ability to annihilate ourselves back in the 1950s, when thermonuclear weapons were invented, very few philosophers in the West have paid much attention to the ethics of human extinction. Would our species dying out be bad, or would it in some way be good – or just neutral?”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Temperature surges to 40 degrees [104F] in February [India]. Things to get worse ahead, predicts climatologists.
“On February 16, temperatures in Gujarat’s Bhuj rose to 40.3 Celsius… “The 40 degree in February in India is the earliest ever seen in India and it also the earliest ever in the whole Asia together with Makkah, Saudi Arabia [in 2016]. Historic.””
“Pakistan didn’t miss the historic event with 40.0C [104F] at Mithi, which is the highest reliable temperature ever recorded in February in Pakistan (previous 39.4C in Feb 1953 at Umarkot, old higher readings are not reliable).
“Last month, India issued notice to Pakistan that it intends to negotiate new terms for the Indus Water Treaty… India contends that Pakistan, with its repeated bids for international intercession to block modestly sized Indian hydropower projects over technical objections, has abused and even breached the IWT’s dispute-settlement provisions.”
“Water scarcity a national security threat, says Pakistan…
““Pakistan’s national security is linked with its food security, which in turn is directly linked with water security,” argued Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman as parliamentarians from more than 60 countries gathered at the UN…”
“According to the 30-year climate values compiled every 10 years, the January 0°C isotherm in the eastern plains of China has moved 70-170 km northward during the past 4 compilations.“
“Cyclone Freddy, the year’s first category 5 storm, heads toward vulnerable Madagascar… Peaking with 165-mph winds, Freddy could set a Southern Hemisphere record for strength plus longevity…
“Born off the coast of northwest Australia, Freddy could make it all the way to Africa by next week.”
“New Zealand: search for the missing as Cyclone Gabrielle death toll climbs to nine…
“The prime minister, Chris Hipkins, said the response to the crisis was “still under way and there are people across the North Island working around the clock”. Hipkins has called Gabrielle the biggest natural disaster to hit New Zealand this century, and warned that the death toll was likely to rise…”
“Climate change-linked heat worsened Argentina drought impact, scientists say.
“Extreme high temperatures in Argentina linked to climate change exacerbated the impact of a historic drought that has hit the South American country’s farm regions since last year, scientists said in a report on Thursday.”
“Heat and cold records broken in just five days in Argentina… with temperatures plummeting 30 degrees Celsius as a heatwave gave way to historic snowfalls.
“A cold front from Patagonia caused temperatures in Buenos Aires to drop from a high of 38.1 [100.6F] Celsius last Sunday to only 7.9 Celsius [46.2F] on Thursday – a record low for the month of February since 1951… Record February lows were also recorded elsewhere as a mass of cold air from the South Pole entered central Argentina…”
“Drought and frost batter vital potato crops in Bolivia…
“”In the Bolivian highlands, we are fully experiencing the effects of climate change,” said Cipca technician Orlando Ticona. “We are experiencing a climate crisis, which has had a profound impact on all crops in the highlands, that is potatoes and Andean grains. The potato mostly.””
“How does anthropogenic warming influence the record-breaking northwest Pacific marine heatwave?
“…”According to attribution analysis, human influence was estimated to have made such an event about 43 times more likelyand the return period from more than two centuries in the counterfactual world to about five years in the present climate,” said Prof. Yin.”
“Where U.S. house prices may be most overvalued as climate change worsens.
“The nation’s real estate market has yet to fully account for the increasing threats to millions of homes from rising seas, stronger storms and torrential downpours, according to new research published Thursday.”
“Exceptional – this was the warmest February night for many US stations with Min. temperatures up to 64F/68F even in Delaware where Georgetown hasn’t dropped below 64F for the whole night: it’s like a mid summer overnight Tmin.
“Also staggering overnight Min of 68F/20C at Sampson NC.”
“Spring Rushes in Weeks Early as Winter Fizzles Across the US.
“New York’s winter keeps melting away, insects are buzzing in Massachusetts, and across parts of Texas plants are leafing out earlier this year than they have in the last four decades.”
“Warm Mediterranean air has been pushed north and is now massing over Germany and Holland. The high – named “Feuka” – will bring some of the warmest temperatures in Europe to Germany in the next few days, in a heatwave similar to that which hit the Bundesrepublik over the new year.”
“France is undergoing an unprecedented winter drought that could cause headaches for farmers and the country’s main hydropower producers…
“It hasn’t rained in the nation since Jan. 21, a 27-day streak that’s a record for winter, weather forecaster Meteo France said Friday. While some regions may see showers next week, France will likely end the month with a 50% rainfall deficit.”
“2022 in the Principality of Monaco was record warm: Average temperature was 18.2C,+1.4C above normal. For the first time in its history it reached 35C /95F (35.1C on 20 July 2022 in Jardine Exotique Observatory).
“Yearly lowest was +5.3C. Rainfalls were 476.1mm, 30% below average.”
“Italy faces another year of severe drought after little winter rain or snow…
“Coldiretti, Italy’s biggest farmers’ association, said the 2022 drought caused €6bn (£5.4bn) worth of damage to agricultural produce. It warned that a third of production was at risk this year unless another long and severe drought was averted.”
“Two Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Officers have died while fighting fires in Aberdare forest.
“The fast-spreading fire which is still raging in the forest has left more than 40,000 acres of Aberdare forest destroyed since its onset in the last week… the KWS assistant Director of mountain conservation Bakari Mungumi, said they have been working day and night to try and keep the fire out, which is spreading very fast.”
“Vast Refugee Camp in Kenya Swells as Drought Hits Somalia.
“Magan Noor Abdi was 17 with three children the first time she fled Somalia. It was 2010, and famine was coming… Last year, the East African drought—now the region’s longest on record—devastated a third of Mrs. Abdi’s crops. Al-Shabaab stole another third.”
“Water Shortage Protest Turns Deadly in Ethiopia’s South.
“Dr. Behailu Dego, a surgeon at Welkite University Referral Hospital, said that two protesters were shot and died on arrival at the hospital. “All of the injuries were from bullet wounds. The sad part is that we don’t have any blood banks in the area,” Dego said.”
“South Africa’s Kruger National Park Battles Floods in Tourist Season.
“South Africa’s biggest national park has been drenched with heavy rains for more than a week, forcing it to evacuate guests and close some roads just as overseas tourists were returning after a three-year hiatus. All dirt roads and some tarred roads in the southern part of the Kruger National Park have been closed…”
“El Niño’s Return Grows More Likely as La Niña Weather Pattern Winds Down.
“The reign of the weather phenomenon La Niña is coming to an end, as the powerful pattern eases to a more normal state before its counterpart, El Niño, becomes increasingly likely to form later this summer, according to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
“Climate, ice sheets & sea level: the news is not good…
“Up to now, climate models have underestimated how much ice sheets will add to future sea level rise because they mostly looked at the one-way impact of rising air temperatures on the ice, and not the complicated interaction between atmosphere, oceans, ice sheet and ice shelves.”
“Scientists Examine Dangerous Global Warming ‘Accelerators’.
“Recent climate projections may be underestimating the pace of global warming in an atmosphere damaged by greenhouse gas emissions, because the interaction of powerful climate feedback loops that can accelerate warming are not well-represented in key climate models…
“The researchers examined 41 climate feedback loops and found 27 that significantly increase warming but may not be fully accounted for in climate models”
“Wine connoisseurs face testing times as climate change alters flavors.
“Wine aficionados like to credit different soil and geographical conditions for producing a wide spectrum of flavors for the same grape varieties—even within the same area. When it comes to one of Europe’s favorite drinks, people tend to think a ”typical” taste profile exists for each region. The trouble is, climate change may be altering the baseline.””
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“So-called Doomsday Glacier [Thwaites, Antarctica] is ‘in trouble,’ scientists say after finding surprising formations under ice shelf…
In two studies, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, scientists revealed while the pace of melting underneath much of the ice shelf is slower than previously thought, deep cracks and “staircase” formations in the ice are melting much faster.”
“Another day, another record shattering low for Antarctic sea-ice extent, now down from 1,995,759 km² to 1,968,016 km² [first year on record below 2M km²] with several more days of melt ahead.“
“An increase in the pace at which sea levels are rising threatens “a mass exodus of entire populations on a biblical scale”, the UN secretary general has warned.
“The climate crisis is causing sea levels to rise faster than for 3,000 years, bringing a “torrent of trouble” to almost a billion people, from London to Los Angeles and Bangkok to Buenos Aires…”
“Arctic Northeast Passage: Navigability Changes in 40 Years…
“…the number of navigable days has been steadily growing, reaching 89±16 days for Open Water (OW) ships and 163±19 days for Polar Class 6 (PC6) ships in the 2010s. In addition, more consecutive NWs have emerged for both OW ships and PC6 ships since 2005 because of the faster sea-ice retreat. Since the 1980s, according to the simulation, the number of Arctic routes has continuously increased…”
“Alarming levels of PFAS in Norwegian Arctic ice pose new risk to wildlife.
“The Oxford University-led study’s measurements of ice around Svalbard, Norway, detected 26 types of [toxic] PFAS compounds, and found when ice melts, the chemicals can move from glaciers into downstream ecosystems like Arctic fjords and tundra.”
“New technique maps large-scale impacts of fire-induced permafrost thaw in Alaska.
“About 40 percent of interior Alaska is underlain by ice-rich permafrost—permanently frozen grounds made up of soil, gravel and sand—bound together by ice. Certain conditions, such as climate warming, have intensified tundra wildfires which have profound implications for permafrost thaw.”
“Waters off New England had 2nd warmest year on record in ’22…
“The Gulf of Maine, a body of water about the size of Indiana that touches Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Canada, is warming faster than the vast majority of the world’s oceans. Last year fell short of setting a new high mark for hottest year by less than half a degree Fahrenheit…”
“Positively New Jersey: Warm winter leaves ice boat and yacht club members frustrated…
“New Jersey saw temperatures in the mid-60s on Wednesday – incredibly warm for February… members of the North Shrewsbury Ice Boat and Yacht Club, which was founded in 1880. For the fifth straight winter, …have been unable to feel the thrill of ice boating on their home turf due to a lack of ice.”
“It’s 60 Degrees in February. This Is What Climate Change Looks Like.
“Whether it’s winter or summer, it’s been difficult to avoid freakishly warm weather around the world this year. It might seem like a fluke, but it’s really a reflection of temperatures being driven inexorably higher by a changing climate.”
“Million of Americans are fleeing their homes because of extreme weather.
“More than a million Americans last year were forced from their homes for more than a month due to a weather disaster, according to a first-of-its-kind release from the Census Bureau. When counting temporary evacuations lasting less than a week, the number balloons to more than 3.4 million — or 1.4% of the U.S. population.”
“Wall Street sees profits in dropping Colorado river levels.
“As Wyoming and other Colorado River Basin states grapple with ways to keep a river more than 40 million people, agriculture and industry depend on flowing, Wall Street is tapping water scarcity to deliver steep profits.”
“California’s snowpack is melting faster than ever before, leaving less available water.
“For decades, Californians have depended on the reliable appearance of spring and summer snowmelt to provide nearly a third of the state’s supply of water. But as the state gets drier, and as wildfires climb to ever-higher elevations, that precious snow is melting faster and earlier than in years past — even in the middle of winter.”
“Water Shortages Threaten to Increase Violence and Disappearances in Mexico…
“Changing weather patterns, the failure of government institutions to accommodate growing and moving populations, and the realities of decaying infrastructure are reducing the availability of usable fresh water in several parts of Mexico. This, I believe, is adding to crime, civil unrest and migration, as people search for more habitable or safer ground.”
“Argentina’s drought-stricken crops could bring in 23% fewer export dollars this season versus a year earlier, the Buenos Aires grains exchange said in a report on Tuesday.
“For much of the last year, Argentina’s worst drought in sixty years has delayed planting and withered crop outlooks, making life ever harder for farmers in a country where inflation nears 100%.”
“A relentless drought in Rio Grande do Sul continues to limit Brazil’s soybean output potential this year…
“In the worst case scenario, output there could fall by 40% to 12.6 million tonnes, a large drop from the state’s 21 million tonne production potential, said Decio Teixeira, vice-president of Rio Grande do Sul’s farmer group Aprosoja-RS.”
“Number of fires in the Brazilian Amazon in August-September 2022 was highest since 2010.
“The number of active fires recorded in the Brazilian Amazon in August-September 2022 was the highest since 2010, according to an article published in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Besides the record number of fires (74,398), the researchers found they were due not to extreme drought, as in 2010, but to recent deforestation by humans.”
“Invisible destruction: 38% of remaining Amazon forest already degraded.
“…over time, there has been an increase in the areas that were not completely deforested but suffered various stages of degradation. “Deforestation is really important – but yes, if we only look at that, we ignore changes in the remaining forests that can emit as much CO2 as deforestation,” warns professor Jos Barlow from the UK’s Lancaster University.”
“More than half of England’s rivers are filled with chemical pollution which can kill wildlife.
“Chemical pollution in Britain’s rivers is as bad, if not worse, than sewage discharges and needs urgent action to tackle it, campaigners have warned… More than half of England’s rivers and three-quarters of its lakes are considered to have too much phosphorus in them… There is also evidence of extensive chemical pollution in the UK’s waterways, including from pharmaceuticals and domestic products…”
“Flowering into frost: Climate change is ‘destroying’ Spain’s treasured almonds.
“Almond blossoms always used to be a welcome sign that spring was on its way in Spain. But the pretty pink flowers are no longer a reliable indicator, as climate change throws the seasons out of sync. 2023 was the third-driest year in Spain since records were started in 1964. The Mediterranean country also had its hottest summer on record.”
“Africa in 2022 saw flooding and landslides occur on an unprecedented scale. Many leaders – including DR Congo’s President Felix Tshesekedi – blamed the phenomenon on the climate crisis. Judging from extreme weather in countries like South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique it looks like Africa will continue to feel the impact of this phenomenon.”
“Record numbers of displaced Africans face worsening prospects.
“Across many parts of Africa, conflict, political violence, climate change and food insecurity are converging to forcibly displace more Africans than ever. High inflation rates, rising energy costs and repercussions from COVID-19 and the Ukraine war compound already complex situations.”
“KwaZulu-Natal towns [South Africa] pick up the pieces after severe floods, extent of damage still being assessed.
“Just 10 months after KwaZulu-Natal suffered catastrophic flooding and loss of lives, the province has been hit by more destruction due to heavy rains. The Presidency announced late on Monday night that the government had… declared a national state of disaster.”
“Record heat wave in the Southern Arabian Peninsula and Iran.
“Sharurah at 720m above sea level rose to 38C [100.4F], while Najran at 1200m to 36C. In Iran 32C at Iranshar (590m) and Bam (940m),31C at Saravan (1200m). In India 36C in Rajastan. 36C also in the Emirates. Heat will just get worse.”
“Pakistan ravaged by water-borne diseases after last year’s floods.
“Pakistan still faces a crisis situation more than six months after its catastrophic floods. Waters have not receded in parts of the south and cases of water-borne diseases are surging, making restoration of medical infrastructure an urgent need.”
“Temperatures [potentially set to exceed] 50 degrees [122F] in parts of Western Australia this weekend as national heatwave continues.
“Dangerous conditions have been forecast in Western Australia this weekend with near-record temperatures set to skyrocket above 50 degrees, prompting a bushfire warning from officials.”
“Cyclone Gabrielle: fresh storm warnings for New Zealand’s worst-hit regions as death toll rises to five.
“At least five people have died and evacuations are continuing as fresh storm warnings are announced in regions of New Zealand already devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle and the prime minister warns of the likelihood of further fatalities.”
“Why New Zealand is no safe haven from the climate crisis…
“…heavy rainfall isn’t the only risk posed by climate change in New Zealand, long considered a safe haven by those seeking refuge from global troubles. Parts of the country have experienced drought in recent years, and even a few years ago, Auckland – the city hit by a short bout of intense rainfall in January – was close to running out of water.”
“Chinese researchers have found that greenhouse warming and internal variability have increased the frequency of extreme El Nino and Central Pacific El Nino events since 1980…
“According to the researchers, El Nino has changed its properties since the 1980s, characterized by more common extreme El Nino and Central Pacific El Nino events.”
“Climate change may make it easier for mosquitoes to spread malaria…
“Using data dating back to 1898, a team of Georgetown University researchers found the limits of the malaria mosquitos’ ranges moved away from the equator by 4.7 kilometers (2.9 miles) a year on average over the past century. Mosquitos did some mountain climbing, too…”
“Climate change and conflict are supercharging cholera, a diarrheal disease caused by ingesting contaminated water and food, killing thousands of people from Haiti to Malawi. More people died of cholera last year globally than in the previous five years combined…”
“Bird flu spreads to new countries, threatens non-stop “war” on poultry.
“Avian flu has reached new corners of the globe and become endemic for the first time in some wild birds that transmit the virus to poultry, according to veterinarians and disease experts, who warn it is now a year-round problem… Some experts suspect climate change may be contributing to the global spread by altering wild birds’ habitats and migratory paths.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
Thank you to all my readers and especially paying subscribers for their patience in my absence. I hope February is treating you kindly. I’ll be back at my station for the foreseeable now…
“There are signs of an “extraordinary marine heatwave” in the Antarctic, a scientist monitoring ocean temperatures in the region has warned.
“While the south pole previously appeared to buck the trend of global heating seen elsewhere, cooling until the 1980s, the continent is now one of the fastest-warming places on the planet – and is seeing record-high temperatures as sea ice levels hit new lows.”
“New Zealand declared a national state of emergency for only the third time in its history on Tuesday as Cyclone Gabrielle caused widespread flooding, landslides and huge ocean swells, forcing evacuations and stranding people on roof tops.
“Cancelled flights stranded thousands of people, while hundreds of thousands remained without power.”
“-Whangārei had its wettest Feb day on record
-Napier had its 2nd wettest Feb day on record
-Auckland has had over 55% of its annual normal rainfall in 45 days!”
“Bushfires flare out of control in south-west Queensland as residents urged to flee.
“Communities in south-west Queensland have been evacuated and homes hit by fast-moving bushfires, as residents of Myall Park and Hookswood near the town of Miles were urged to leave immediately.”
“The Government of Chile reported that there are about 300 active fires in the country.
“The Chilean Government has reported on Monday that there are 303 fires detected in the country as a whole, of which 82 are “in combat”, that is, uncontrolled, three more than on Sunday.”
“This is by a huge margin the hottest summer ever recorded in Argentina.The extreme heat started in November (last meteorological spring month but with full summer conditions).
“The Nov 2022-Jan 2023 record warm period is being joined by a stifling February.”
“The town of Colonia with 40.8C [105.4F] had its highest temperature on records, the Carrasco AP of the capital Montevideo with 41.0C tied its record of January 2022. Monthly records: Durazno, Tacuarembo, Rocha 39.0 (tied),Treinta y Tres (today).”
“Peru mudslides leave villagers with ‘nothing left’.
“Torrential rain late last week in Mariano Valcarel district of the southwestern Arequipa region provoked a mudslide on the San Martin mountain. Several communes were buried under mud and rocks, leaving 18 dead and around 20 others missing.”
“‘Double-edged sword’: why the badly needed rains in California could fuel catastrophic fires.
“…the rains that hammered California this winter came as a mixed blessing, delivering badly needed relief while posing new risks. Along with seeding the tinder of tomorrow, the inclement weather hampered efforts to perform essential landscape treatments needed to mitigate the risks of catastrophic fire.”
“Following an unseasonably warm winter, spring has arrived historically early in parts of the US, despite Punxsutawney Phil’s predictions of a long winter.
“Parts of the South are seeing either the earliest spring on record or a spring that only occurs this early every 40 years, according to the National Phenology Network.”
“The National Weather Service reports that the average temperature for the month of January on Martha’s Vineyard was just over 40° [4.4C], the warmest on record.
“The weather service has been tracking temperatures on the Island since 1946… That beats out the previous record of 38.9°, recorded in 2006.”
“Authorities in Vermont are warning ice fishers to stay off the ice of a lake after three people died after falling into the lake last week.
“According to the U.S. National Weather Service Burlington, the area has experienced temperatures between 7 degrees to 15 degrees above normal in the past week, saying Tuesday that it’s been an “abnormally warm” February so far.”
“A much milder-than-average weather pattern across the Great Lakes for most of this winter has produced the lowest ice cover on record for the Great Lakes… As of Monday, ice covered only 8 percent of the Great Lakes.”
“‘Race against time’: Rideau Canal skating rink faces 1st year without opening.
“The opening of Canada’s iconic Rideau Canal Skateway in Ottawa has been pushed back continually this year as the nation’s capital and much of Ontario are experiencing an unusually “mild” winter season. The famous canal-turned-ice-rink has opened to the public every year since 1971.”
“[Canada’s] Tornado count in 2022 tied all-time record – report.
“The researchers of Western University’s Northern Tornadoes Project (NTP) have confirmed that 117 tornadoes were reported across Canada in 2022 – matching the all-time record set by the year prior, 2021… Ontario had the most number of tornadoes last year, with 51.”
“‘Exceptional’ warming: January temperatures 2.2 degrees higher than average in Europe…
“The month started with a record-breaking heatwave, as New Year’s Day saw an alarming number of heat records fall across the continent, with at least eight countries experiencing their warmest-ever January day. The climatologist Maximiliano Herrera… told CNN at the time that it was “the most extreme heat wave in European history.””
“Kenya seeks divine help to end crippling, ongoing drought.
“With the prospect of a sixth consecutive failed rainy season in the east and Horn of Africa, Kenya’s president is hoping the heavens will finally open with the help of a national day of mass prayer on Tuesday. William Ruto announced the plans for the country’s first ever day of prayer on Sunday…”
“Since early February, heavy rains (reaching up to 100 mm in 24 hours) hit the southern region of Mozambique over the past ten days, causing widespread flooding and structural damages, particularly in Maputo city and Maputo province. At least 30,600 people (5,721 families) have reportedly been affected by flooding…”
“South Africa Declares National State of Disaster Over Floods…
“It was the second such pronouncement in less than a week. President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday declared a national state of disaster over an energy crisis that’s crippling the nation’s economy… The floods have damaged homes, businesses, basic infrastructure, roads, bridges and affected crops and livestock…”
“Global Warming Making India Vulnerable to Extreme Weather Events…
““The extremes are increasing — hot is becoming hotter and cold is becoming colder,” said M. Ravichandran, the top bureaucrat at the country’s earth sciences ministry. This trend is only going to intensify every year, driven by a warming planet, he said in an interview…”
“The rapid melting of glaciers in Kashmir and Ladakh has worried experts who say it would enhance serious implications for regional water availability and hydrological regimes…
“Kolahoi, the largest glacier of Kashmir valley’s Jhelum Basin, is retreating rapidly due to spurt rise in temperature triggered by global warming and extreme pollution.”
“Central Asia is boiling under an unprecedented heat wave for early February with temperatures reaching:
“38.8C [101.8F] in India at Karwar, 38.3C at Ratnagir, 37.9C at Goa. 38.6C in NE Thailand at Mukdahan. Further West in Saudi Arabia 37.0C at Sharurah at 720m above sea level. Next heat wave: Pakistan.”
“In recent days, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has seen strong winds.
“Today, 20 stations have recorded gusts of ＞30 m/s, and Everest Base Camp Station has recorded gusts of 60.0m/s [134.2mph], breaking the record of wind speed in Tibet! Strong wind blew sand, and stained the clouds yellow.”
“Historic heat wave in Taiwan with temperatures never seen before in February.
“36.3C [97.3F] at Dawu destroys the previous Taiwanese record 35.2C set at the same town on 24 February 1942. 36.0C at Neimen, 35.8C at Yujing. Monthly record also at Taichung with 33.2C and many others.”
“New data gives NOAA more extensive picture of global climate.
“The new version of NOAA’s Global Temperature dataset shows similar warming trends in the Earth’s climate when compared to the previous version… This new information comes at a critical time in the Earth’s climate history.”
“When NOAA released its 2020 numbers for atmospheric methane, many scientists were surprised. Though economic data showed that COVID-19-related lockdowns had led to improvements in air quality and reductions in carbon dioxide emissions, atmospheric methane still soared…
““The research team attributed about half of the increase in the 2020 growth rate to heightened emissions from wetlands… The scientists attributed the other half of the increase in the growth rate to a decline in emissions of NOx due to COVID-19 lockdowns.”
“Myth-buster: Why two degrees of global warming is worse than it sounds.
“…impacts will only intensify as the temperature continues to tick up… With every degree of warming, there’s also an increased likelihood of reduced crop yields, loss of biodiversity, and coral reef die-off, underscoring the fact that a seemingly small change can have major consequences.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
A reminder that tomorrow will be my last thread until the 14th Feb, as I am heading for England. I do apologise for deserting my station for so long but family calls. If it’s any consolation, this will likely be my last significant trip until Christmas.
“Let’s have our cake and eat it, too!” say humans: “The fight against global warming should not be at the expense of economic growth, the United Arab Emirates’ oil chief who will lead this year’s UN climate talks said on Monday.
“Sultan Al Jaber, the UAE’ special envoy for climate change and CEO of oil giant ADNOC, said the energy transition needed to make the planet “wealthier and healthier”.”
“Germany made ‘painful choices’ in clearing village to make way for coal mine, climate envoy says.
“In an interview with Sky News, Germany’s climate envoy Jennifer Morgan admitted Germany was “vulnerable” to the energy crisis, saying it had “learned the hard way” to reduce dependence on fossil fuels or on any one country.”
“…as the Dutch this week commemorate the great flood of 1953, thoughts are inevitably turning to current-day climate change and how the low-lying country remains vulnerable to rising ocean levels. Horrific images of men, women, children and cattle trying to stay afloat in icy waters that swamped villages and thousands of acres of farmland remain etched in the collective memory…”
“Spain’s prized jamón ibérico bellota is under threat from the climate crisis as rising temperatures and low rainfall imperil a key ingredient of the pigs’ diet – acorns.
“In a country where pigs are as populous as people, there are many varieties of ham but none is so revered as jamón ibérico bellota, which retails at upwards of €100 (£88) a kilo.”
“Sub-Saharan Africa Heat Wave: Temperatures again around 38C/40C even at 300m-400m above sea level between Northern Nigeria, Niger and Chad.
“Kano in Nigeria with 38.2C 100.8F (hourly max) set a record for January, while many other stations just across the Nigerien border were few decimals short.”
“Over 450 families face starvation as hailstorm wreaks havoc in Mitooma, Uganda…
“The hailstorm claimed the lives of several animals including cows, goats, and pigs, and destroyed several acres of banana, coffee and cassava plantations as well as beans, maize, and Irish potato gardens.”
“Cyclone in Madagascar kills dozens [30, latest toll], displaces tens of thousands.
“More than two dozen Madagascans have died and tens of thousands have been left homeless since a severe tropical cyclone made landfall last week and swirled for days off the island’s western coast, official records show.”
“Unusual cold weather in the Strait of Hormuz area in the Middle East:
“Yesterday cold and rainy with just 14.4C of Tmax. in the Kish Island of Iran. After very mild weeks, the cold reached Oman where snow has been falling on the Jabal al Shams Mountain (>2700m) in the past 5 days.”
“UAE received rainfall for three days straight. At the end of it, one station — Al Faqa’a — received 118mm [4.6 inches] of precipitation. This is significant, considering the UAE records an annual average of 100mm rainfall.
“Storm Centre posted a stunning video that shows a valley bloom green after the rains.”
“UAE president’s trip to Islamabad postponed due to ‘extreme weather conditions’…
“The leader of the oil-rich Gulf nation was scheduled to meet Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif here to discuss bilateral ties and broaden his country’s investment footprint… Islamabad’s sky was overcast with intermittent rains accompanied by gusty winds lashing it since Sunday night, which apparently made it impossible for the royal aircraft to land.”
“Unseasonal rain, hailstorm hit crops on 14.9L hectares [Rajasthan, India]…
“Jaipur: Agriculture minister Lalchand Kataria on Monday informed the state assembly that according to preliminary estimates crops over 14.92 lakh hectares (out of 109 lakh hectares of rabi crop) were affected by the untimely rain, frost and hailstorm in the state in the last two days. The loss to crops ranges from 2 to 65 per cent.”
“Study links record-breaking rainfall events in separate regions.
“In September 2021, record-breaking rainfall occurred in both Northwest India and North China. This was unexpected… A study published in Advances of Atmospheric Sciences found that the rainfall and large-scale circulations in September 2021 resembled those of the peak rainy season (July and August), possibly due to warmer conditions over continental Eurasia.”
“In Hongyuan, Sichuan, the lowest temperature is – 24.2C [-11.6F] this morning, the highest temperature is 14.4C [57.9F] in the afternoon, and the temperature difference throughout the day is as high as 38.6C!
“This is the second largest temperature difference between day and night since China has meteorological records.”
“With the exception of western Tibet, which is snowing, the whole [of China] is warming violently. Yunnan and western Sichuan may hit the highest record in January today.”
“In the North China Plain, the temperature has risen to the highest this year. Beijing 14.0C [57.2F] and Tianjin 13.6 C are not only the highest this year, but also the highest in late January, the second highest in January.”
Update: “Today, 12 provinces and 89 stations across the country broke the record of January; three stations equalled the record, including 48 stations in Yunnan. Kunming was 24.7C [76.5F], breaking the January record again after five days.”
“A forest fire broke out on Saturday in south China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and firefighters continued to battle the blaze as of 9 p.m. Monday, local authorities have said… More than 500 firefighters and other emergency response personnel have been dispatched to tackle the blaze.”
“Floods followed by droughts, or droughts followed by floods, will rise in frequency in a warming world. Global warming will amplify a new type of natural hazard in East Asia: drastic and rapid swings in weather, from heat or drought to flood, and vice versa.”
“The death toll from flooding and landslides prompted by persistent rains since December [Philippines] has climbed to 43 while eight others have been reported missing, according to Jan. 30 update of the national disaster management council.
“Rains are expected to continue this week in affected areas, including southern parts of Luzon, eastern Visayas, and parts of Mindanao…”
“A number of rainfall records have been broken in Albury and parts of north-east Victoria [Australia] following heavy downpours…
“The Bureau of Meteorology said Albury Airport received its highest 24-hour rainfall total on record with a reading of 132 millimetres [5.2 inches] at 9am on Monday.”
“A torrential downpour overnight capped off Sydney’s wettest start to the year in more than three decades. Locals watched a steamy, still day turn into a summer storm on Monday evening… Sydney’s main rain gauge at Observatory Hill recorded 52mm between 5:20pm and 6:20pm.”
“-48.7C [-55.7F] at Vostok in Antarctica yesterday 29 January is the lowest reliable temperature on records in January (a couple of lower temperatures in 1994 and 1998 didn’t pass the quality control) and few decimals from the Antarctic lowest on records for this month.“
“South America under an endless sequences of heat waves:
“Yesterday very hot in Patagonia up to 41.0C [105.8F] at San Antonio Oeste; Monthly record at Chapelco (779m) with 37.0C and missed by just 0.1C at Bariloche (845m) with 34.3C. More severe heat waves are looming and more records can fall.”
“Record heat in Florida and Georgia today. Jacksonville Int. AP with 87F [30.6C] broke its record of hottest January day on records. Even hotter the Cecil AP with 88F.
“In Georgia 86F at Stafford and Oke West, just 1F from the State record of highest temperature in January.”
“January 2023 will be remembered more for its tornadoes and severe weather than for more traditional winter weather like snow and ice for everyone east of the Rockies. January is not typically a severe weather month, but this year was a big one.”
“NYC just broke the record for the longest winter without snowfall…
“Not only is there no snow in sight for the near future, but NYC is also seeing some above-normal temperatures. Today, Monday, January 30, the high was predicted to be 52 degrees…in the supposed dead of winter. Many New Yorkers have been describing the lack of snow and warmer temps as “weird” and “unnerving.””
“Honey bee colony loss in the U.S. linked to mites, extreme weather, pesticides…
“The research team found that several stressors impacted honey bee colony loss at the national level, including the presence of nearby pesticides, frequent extreme weather events, and weather instability.”
“Hinman Glacier, largest between Mount Rainier and Glacier Peak [Washington State], melts away…
“Hinman Glacier, which sits on the Cascade Mountains spine between Snoqualmie and Stevens passes, shrunk to just 0.04 square kilometers in 2022, according to glaciologist Mauri Pelto. This is just 4% of its 1958 size.”
“Warmer climate may drive fungi to be more dangerous to our health…
“A new study out of Duke University School of Medicine finds that raised temperatures cause a pathogenic fungus known as Cryptococcus deneoformans to turn its adaptative responses into overdrive.”
“Earth is on track to exceed 1.5C warming in the next decade, study using AI finds.
“The world is on the brink of breaching a critical climate threshold, according to a new study published on Monday, signifying time is running exceedingly short to spare the world the most catastrophic effects of global heating.”
Missed this one a couple of weeks ago: “New report shows alarming changes in the entire global water cycle…
“The key conclusion? Earth’s water cycle is clearly changing. Globally, the air is getting hotter and drier, which means droughts and risky fire conditions are developing faster and more frequently.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
– Karina S.
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“First 100F/37.8C of 2023 in the United States! Falcon Lake in Texas reached the triple digit, while in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee monthly records are falling like flies.
“New York’s Record Warm Winter: Good for Sunbathing, Bad for Ski Slopes.
“Grape vines suffer major damage in Nova Scotia from wild weather swings.
“Warm weather has resulted in record-low ice levels across the Great Lakes this winter, which could lead to increased lake-effect snow and flooding concerns for cities and towns along the shorelines.
“Wisconsin ice storm forecast; possibly worst in nearly 50 years.
“The land of swimming pools and movie stars [LA] is close to a blizzard warning for the first time in more than 30 years.
“The National Weather Service is forecasting 100 inches of snow to fall near Mount Baldy Resort in a 24 period Friday-Saturday, which would absolutely smash the US 24-hour snowfall record.
“Climate change is affecting agave crops, tequila.
“Chile: Wildfires kill over 17,000 farm animals.
“Fires Burn in Argentina’s Iberá National Park.
“Between 2022 and 2023 there were already 8 heat waves: in February there were 27 cities that broke records [Argentina]…
“Brazil floods: death toll rises to 48 as landslides and looters prevent aid reaching survivors.
“Recent Alps snow cover decline ‘unprecedented’ in past 600 years.
“France goes 31 days without rainfall, unprecedented in winter.
“Lake Garda tourists [Italy] flock to island reconnected by drought.
“Experts are warning that olive oil could join the list of kitchen staples seeing a price hike this year.
“Snowstorm in Morocco leaves 87 villages isolated and 24,000 people in need of assistance.
“Yesterday 20 February was the hottest day on record for the Nigerian town of Port Harcourt with 38.6C [101.5F].
“Daily outages likely as Nelson Mandela Bay starts water throttling during crisis.
“‘Absolute chaos’ after flooding in the Vaal [NE South Africa]…
“Cyclone Freddy makes landfall in Madagascar, leaving destruction in its wake.
“While cyclone Freddy made landfall in Madagascar in the past hours, high temperatures were recorded yesterday in the Reunion Island up to 36.0C [96.8F] at Pointe des Trois-Bassins, a new monthly record.
“Drought trends in the Horn of Africa are now worse than they were during the 2011 famine in which hundreds of thousands of people died.
“Why has Pakistan not recovered from its catastrophic floods?
“Explained: Why February is the new May as temperature breaks record across India…
“A massive storm system has smashed NSW leaving a path of destruction in its wake while South Australia endures an extreme heatwave and an out-of-control grass fire sparks alerts in Victoria.
“Australia faces unprecedented grassfires next summer ‘supercharged’ by global heating.
“Niwa glaciologists are preparing themselves for “utter devastation” when they do their annual Glacier Snowline Survey next month.
“Antarctic sea ice hit record lows again. Scientists wonder if it’s ‘the beginning of the end’.
“No, billionaires won’t “escape” to space while the world burns…
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Missed this one a couple of weeks ago: