Daily updates on climate change and the global economy.

1st July 2022 Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

Using data gathered over the last four decades to study the effects of temperature changes and rain on the atmospheric concentration of methane, scientists have concluded that Earth could be both delivering more, and removing less, methane into the air than previously estimated

“…They show that climate change is a stronger driver of increasing atmospheric methane than expected, causing the Earth to heat up more and faster than anticipated.”

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/06/220630083306.htm


Global emissions of methane from oil and gas basins have showed a “worrisome” jump since the beginning of 2021… according to new research.

“US-based geo-analytics company Kayrros, a specialist in analysing satellite data, studied emissions of the potent climate-warming gas in several onshore US basins, as well as producing fields in Iraq, Iran, Kuwait and Turkmenistan, and at the giant but ageing Hassi R’Mel gas basin in Algeria.”

https://www.upstreamonline.com/environment/new-study-highlights-worrisome-rise-in-global-methane-emissions/2-1-1249027


Midnight Sun heat wave… Temperatures surpassed 30 degrees Celsius across northern Scandinavia on Wednesday and many metrological stations hit new record high temperatures for June

“…the record temperatures in the Arctic are signs of worrying heat events in patterns of human-caused climate change.”

https://thebarentsobserver.com/en/climate-crisis/2022/06/heatwave-northern-edge-europe


Record heat sets off flood warnings in Northern Norway.

“Northern Norway sweated through sudden and record-high temperatures this week and now they’ve set off rapid melting of snow that was still lying at high elevations. Local officials braced for flooding, while weather experts linked it all to climate change.”

https://www.newsinenglish.no/2022/06/30/record-heat-sets-off-flood-warnings


Record-high temperatures in Hungary, some water shortages…

“Hungary witnessed record-high temperatures in the early morning as well as the afternoon on Wednesday, with peak temperatures reaching 39.2 C, the Hungarian Meteorological Service (OMSZ) said… Meanwhile temporary water shortages have been experienced in ten localities of Pest County…”

https://dailynewshungary.com/record-high-temperatures-in-hungary-some-water-shortages/


One dead after severe rainfall causes heavy flooding in southern Austria.

“Authorities in Austria have declared a civil emergency after mudslides cut off several villages from rescue services, while at least one person died after heavy rainfall caused flooding in the southern state of Carinthia.”

https://www.euronews.com/2022/06/29/one-dead-after-severe-rainfall-causes-flooding-in-southern-austria


French told to prepare for second heatwave within two weeks.

“The mercury is set to climb again in France two weeks after a heatwave that caused record-breaking early summer temperatures across the country… South-eastern France is expected to bear the brunt of the heatwave, with local temperatures tipped to surpass 40°C.”

https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20220630-french-told-to-prepare-for-second-heatwave-in-two-weeks


Italy suffers extreme temperatures with 22 cities on red alert…

“The African anticyclone Charon, largely responsible for the heat wave, will continue to punish this European nation for at least another ten days… The temperatures expected in Sicily could surpass the European record of 48,8 degrees Celsius set on that island on August 11, 2021…”

https://www.plenglish.com/news/2022/06/29/italy-suffers-extreme-temperatures-with-22-cities-on-red-alert/


Italy: Seawater crashes through barriers and rushes up rivers as northern Italy faces worst drought in 70 years.

“Waves from the Adriatic Sea have been crashing through anti-salt barriers and pushing downstream, making irrigation even more difficult for farmers already struggling against the high temperatures.”

https://news.sky.com/story/italy-looming-agricultural-catastrophe-as-saltwater-from-adriatic-damages-crops-12642432


Record Marine Heatwave Hits Mediterranean Sea. On June 19, a day after thermometers rose to record highs across several parts of Spain and France, a buoy floating on the Mediterranean Sea, off the coast of the Balearic Islands, registered 29 degrees Celsius (84F).

The extreme heat wave on land unleashed a marine heatwave that’s still ongoing… “There has never been such an intense marine heat wave so early in the year…”

https://gcaptain.com/record-marine-heatwave-hits-mediterranean-sea/


More June records of highest temperatures fell yesterday in North Africa. In Algeria 48.7C [119.7F] at Touggourt and 47.7C at El Golea.

“The heat will stay at extreme levels into the first days of July but July (and all time) records will be more difficult to beat.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1542493154951081984


Flash floods hit Obuasi in Ashanti, Ghana on June 29th 2022.

“Heavy rain caused flash floods, causing disruption throughout the area. Sewers overflowed, as drains failed to handle the volume of water. Houses were flooded, with possessions destroyed or washed away by the water. Roads were blocked by water, making travel impossible and isolating areas.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11G3AzUrGD4


Ethiopia Child Marriages Surge as Drought Hits Families…

“Impoverished families are exchanging female children for dowries and because “it’s one less mouth to feed for the family,” Andy Brooks, Unicef’s child protection adviser for Eastern and Southern Africa, said in an interview. “These are not decisions families are taking lightly.””

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-29/ethiopia-child-marriages-surge-as-drought-impoverishes-families


Among so many records today it’s worth mentioning the tiny island of Mayotte, a French territory in the Indian Ocean archipelago of Comoros. 

This June 2022 was its 100th (HUNDREDTH) consecutive warmer than average month. Last slightly cooler than average month was February 2014!”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1542462965672189952


Iran again! Today 30th June the city of Shiraz beat its June record again with 42.8C [109F] which is just 0.4C from its all time high for any month.

Altitude is 1500m above sea level.

“At low elevations temperature reached 50.7C [123.3F] at Dezful.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1542606097571139584


Historic day in Central Asia. With 48.2C [118.8F] Uchadzhi in Turkmenistan recorded the hottest June day in history of Central Asia/Former USSR.

Previous record was 48.0C in 1977.

“Also 45.8C in Uzbekistan (record 46.5C) and 45.1C in Tajikistan (record 46.0C).”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1542176354661195780


Turkmenistan calls, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan answer!

“100% Historic day: 46.1C at Isambaj New Tajik record for June and hottest day ever for the station; 44.1C in the capital Dushanbé – hottest day ever; 47.0C [116.6F] at Termez New Uzbek record for June.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1542558611066572802


Glacial outburst sweeps away two bridges in Chitral’s Garam Chashma area [Pakistan].

“GLOFs are sudden events, which can release millions of cubic metres of water and debris, leading to loss of lives, property and livelihoods among remote and impoverished mountain communities… Footage aired on Dawn News TV showed fast-flowing flood waters tearing through one of the bridges.”

https://www.dawn.com/news/1697483/glacial-outburst-sweeps-away-two-bridges-in-chitrals-garam-chashma-area


Hatoyama, north of Tokyo, had 39.9C [103.8F] on Thursday. That’s hotter than yesterday’s Dubai (39.2C).

16% of Japan had the hottest June day on record. Tokyo’s highs were above 35C for six days in a row, making it the longest on record for June.

https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1542459834317975552


Living through Japan’s hottest [early] summer on record [I don’t think we can give it that overall designation yet]…

“For many in Japan, the heat over the last few days feels strange, and rather frightening. This should be the middle of the country’s rainy season. But across Japan the skies are clear, and the mercury is stuck in the high 30s and has twice broken through 40C this week.”

https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/world/470151/living-through-japan-s-hottest-summer-on-record


Animals we’ve lost: the 15 carp species that disappeared from a single lake. Just two species of the freshwater fish still exist in the ancient waters of Lake Lanao in the Philippines after predatory fish were accidentally introduced.

“It was a celebrated clan: a group of 17 carp species found nowhere else in the world except for an ancient freshwater lake in the Philippines.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/29/15-carp-species-extinct-philippines-aoe


Communities in New South Wales hit by heavy flooding earlier this year are bracing for days of torrential rain, as the east coast prepares for an intense wet spell

“Six-hourly rainfalls of between 80mm to 150mm [5.9 inches] are possible, with the warning of heavy rainfall likely to last into Sunday, potentially bringing with it flooding along the east coast.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/01/nsw-weather-communities-brace-for-flooding-as-heavy-rainfall-returns-to-state


Australia’s bushfire season now lasts for 130 days a year and has lengthened by almost a month in the past four decades, according to new research.

“In the south-east of the country, where forests and communities are still recovering from the unprecedented Black Summer bushfires of 2019 and 2020, there are now 11 extra days where the risk of fire is at its most extreme, compared with the late 1970s.”

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/jul/01/australias-bushfire-season-has-grown-by-almost-a-month-in-40-years-study-finds


More Brazilians are dying in floods and downpours. It’s not just the water that is killing them…

“Between late May and the start of June 130 people died as a result of heavy rains in the state of Pernambuco in north-eastern Brazil. In February and March at least 240 people perished in Petropolis near Rio de Janeiro following severe flooding in the city’s hinterland.”

https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2022/06/30/more-brazilians-are-dying-in-floods-and-downpours


Emergency in Soacha [Colombia] due to overflow of sewage and toxic foam.

Due to the heavy rains, a ravine on which sewage is poured overflowed and flooded part of the low income Villa Esperanza neighborhood… dozens of people were trapped in the middle of the dirty waters and the foam of foul odors that even reached, the eight meters high.”

https://www.infobae.com/america/colombia/2022/06/29/emergencia-en-soacha-por-desbordamiento-de-aguas-negras-y-espuma-toxica/


Death risk soars with exposure to extreme heat and air pollution the same day: study.

Researchers gathered data on more than 1.5 million deaths in California between 2014 and 2019 using death certificate information from California’s Department of Public Health and data on temperature levels and air particulate matter… There was a 36.2% increase in mortality risk for people over 75.”

https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/environment/3541725-death-risk-soars-with-exposure-to-extreme-heat-and-air-pollution-the-same-day-study/


San Francisco train derailment was caused by severe heatwave, say experts…

“The derailment caused a dangerous accident, with all 50 passengers having to be evacuated and several people reporting minor injuries. Temperatures on the track reached a sweltering 60 degrees Celsius (140 Fahrenheit) near the city of Concord in the Bay Area.”

https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/06/29/san-francisco-train-derailment-was-caused-by-severe-heatwave-say-experts


This June the hottest on record in San Antonio, Texas.

Not only was the month the hottest June on record, but it also saw the most 100-degree days of any June on record! (Temperature records in San Antonio began in 1885). This all follows the hottest May on record…

https://www.ksat.com/weather/2022/07/01/this-june-the-hottest-on-record-in-san-antonio/


The Water Wars Come to the Suburbs… The best gossip you’re likely to hear in Rio Verde Foothills, Arizona, is about water…

“Some homeowners’ wells are drying up, while others who get water delivered have recently been told that their source will be cut off on January 1st. “It’s going to turn into the Hunger Games,” Leigh Harris said grimly.”

https://www.newyorker.com/news/letter-from-the-southwest/the-water-wars-come-to-the-suburbs


Yes, The Drought Really Is That Bad. The Western U.S. is experiencing its worst drought since 800 A.D…

“Across the West, state leaders are bracing against the long-term impacts of aridification… A study published in Nature Climate Change in February predicted a 94% chance the drought stretches through 2023; the chances of it persisting through 2030 are 75%.”

https://www.bendsource.com/bend/yes-the-drought-really-is-that-bad/Content?oid=17103913


With changing climate, global lake evaporation loss larger than previously thought.

“A white mineral ring as tall as the Statue of Liberty creeps up the steep shoreline of Lake Mead, a Colorado River reservoir just east of Las Vegas on the Nevada-Arizona border. It is the country’s largest reservoir, and it’s draining rapidly.”

https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-global-lake-evaporation-loss.html


Climate change may be culprit in Antarctic fish disease outbreak.

“…scientists determined the tumors were the result of a parasitic illness, an unprecedented outbreak on a scale never seen before near Antarctica. Waters and melting ice might have contributed to the outbreak in this particularly vulnerable ecosystem, the team reports in June in the journal iScience.”

https://phys.org/news/2022-06-climate-culprit-antarctic-fish-disease.html


Scientists surprised as geomagnetic storm [over the weekend] opens ‘crack’ in Earth’s magnetosphere.

“Even if we had been able to predict the storm, the planet has limited defences against the most powerful forms of space weather – and our increasing dependence on electronics makes us vulnerable to their effects.”

https://news.sky.com/story/scientists-surprised-as-geomagnetic-storm-opens-crack-in-earths-magnetosphere-12642375


You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back over the weekend with an ‘Economic’ thread.

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29th June 2022 Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

June heat waves smash records across the globe – it’s not your imagination: This summer is already hotter than normal.

““These temperatures are occurring with only 2 degrees Fahrenheit of global warming and we are on track for 4 degrees Fahrenheit more warming over this century,” Andrew Dessler, a Texas A&M University climate scientist, told the Associated Press. “I literally cannot imagine how bad that will be.””

https://grist.org/extreme-weather/june-heat-waves-smash-records-across-the-globe/


Italy hits record June temperatures as another heat wave sweeps Europe. Scorching temperatures have again swept across parts of Europe, with many locations in Italy among those setting June or all-time records for heat.

“Temperatures surpassed 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 Celsius) across much of Italy on Tuesday. Rome tied its hottest temperature on record, while several other cities set monthly records.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/28/record-heat-europe-italy-rome-scandinavia/


Rome firefighters battled a vast wildfire on the north-west outskirts of the city on Monday afternoon amid the hottest temperatures ever recorded in the capital in June

“The blaze was exacerbated after the explosion of 50 gas cylinders in storage and driven by high winds on a day when the city’s temperatures topped 40°C [104F], beating Rome’s previous June record of 38°C in 2019.”

https://www.wantedinrome.com/news/rome-battles-wildfires-amid-record-june-heatwave.html


The mayor of an Italian town has banned hairdressers and barbers from shampooing their customers’ hair twice in an attempt to conserve water during one of the most severe droughts in decades.

“Carlo Gubellini, the mayor of Castenaso, near Bologna in the Emilia-Romagna region, said thousands of litres of water was squandered each day through double-shampooing…”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/28/italian-hairdressers-face-fines-for-shampooing-amid-heatwave-castenaso-bologna


Heatwave in Finland.

32.9°C today in Pori airport is a new June heat record for the station and overall for the City of Pori. Previous record was 31.4°C on 14.6.1977… Porvoo Kalbådagrund remained above 22.7°C all night. If it stands until 9 p.m., it will be the highest Tmin in June in Finland.”

https://twitter.com/mikarantane/status/1541828334006505474


Heatwave in northern Norway, up to 1000 km north of polar circle, has today resulted in 23 June heat records.

“All weather stations with new records has been in work for more than 15 years. Oldest heat record beaten today was from 1958.”

https://twitter.com/VaerTorsten/status/1541867309064765440


A walrus has been spotted on the beach on Poland’s northern coast, the first ever such sighting of the Arctic mammal in the Baltic Sea.

“The 2-metre-long mammal appeared on Thursday morning on the beach in Łazy, close to the seaside resort of Mielno… Arctic walruses tend to live in the coastal waters of the Arctic, along the coasts of North America and Russia.”

https://www.thefirstnews.com/article/huge-arctic-walrus-spotted-on-local-beach-in-first-ever-polish-sighting-31339


Netherlands: Rare tornado leaves 1 dead.

“A tornado hit the small historic fishing town of Zierikzee in the Netherlands on Monday, blowing the roofs off several houses and causing several casualties. At least one person died and 10 others were injured as the whirlwind left a trail of damage in several streets, according to the Zeeland province safety authority.”

https://www.dw.com/en/netherlands-rare-tornado-leaves-1-dead/a-62278978


Heavy rainfall causes flooding in Russia-annexed Crimea.

The Biyuk-Karasu river overflowed for the first time in history on Monday, the Tass news agency reported, prompting officials to introduce a state of emergency in the Belogorsky district in the south of the peninsula.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/heavy-rainfall-causes-flooding-russia-annexed-crimea-2022-06-27/


In the last ten days central Siberia has been experiencing new devastating wildfires that are quickly enlarging in multiple regions.

“This fire seen by Sentinel2 on June25 in northern Irkutsk oblast (63N,108E) is already more than 160Km2 wide. Russia – ClimateEmergency.”

https://twitter.com/AMIE_py/status/1541255372513607683


Morocco invests in desalination plants as drought worsens.

“Water stress is defined as water supplies below 1,700 cubic meters per person annually. When annual supplies are less than 1,000 cubic meters per person, the population is at the water scarcity level, and below 500 cubic meters is absolute scarcity… Morocco is below 650 cubic meters per person annually, compared to 2,500 in 1960.”

https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2022/06/morocco-invests-desalination-plants-drought-worsens


Heat wave, fires badly damaging Tunisia’s grain harvest… The farmers union forecasts that output will fall well short of government hopes…

“Loss of grain production comes as the North African country struggles with food importation costs driven higher by the war in Ukraine.”

https://www.middle-east-online.com/en/heat-wave-fires-badly-damaging-tunisias-grain-harvest


Historic day in Tunisia. With a temperature of 48.7C [118.6F] Tozeur tied the national record of the highest temperature in June, which was set at the same place last year. Second place for Kebili with 48.1C also the same value set in June 2021.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1541854423525343234


Sandstorms cause serious damage to properties in Namibia’s coast.

“The sandstorm has caused infrastructural damage in the major coastal towns including Luderitz, Walvis Bay, Henties Bay, and Swakopmund, and resulted in the closure of a school and businesses in Swakopmund.”

https://www.thestar.com.my/news/world/2022/06/28/sandstorms-cause-serious-damage-to-properties-in-namibia039s-coast


An extreme heatwave warning has been issued for the Northern Cape [South Africa].

“The South African Weather Services said clear skies and offshore conditions are expected to result in persistently high temperatures over the Richtersveld Municipality in the Northern Cape between Wednesday and Friday.”

https://www.iol.co.za/news/weather/sa-weather-services-issues-warning-of-heatwave-for-northern-cape-7837879d-cff8-4f8b-a070-8a93eca32f12


Severity of Middle East sandstorms confronts Arab Gulf states with a daunting challenge…

““The incidence and intensity of dust storms vary year by year and the World Meteorological Organization declared that the world is going through a turbulent time of extreme climate change. Dust storms with winds up to 45 km per hour for several days are a common phenomenon in the area, and are a result of this extreme global climate.””

https://www.arabnews.com/node/2112886/middle-east


A terrible heat wave is under way in Iran. All main cities had their hottest June day on records:

“Tehran 42.0C [107.6F]; Esfahan 42.1C; Mashhad 41.6C; Shahrud 40.4C; Bojnourd 41.8C; Very close: Kerman (1750m) 40.0C; Yazd (1237m) 43.8C; *0.2 from record; Sabzevar (980m) 44.7C *0.1 from record.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1541817462122917890


After Brutal Heatwave, Himachal’s Apple Farmers [India] Say Over 30% of Crop Damaged…

“By ‘damaged’, Panjita explains, he means that the fruit has cracked and has stopped growing in size. “Premature dropping of the fruit is another common problem. Spots on the fruit are also visible,” he adds.”

https://thewire.in/agriculture/after-heatwave-himachals-apple-farmers-fear-damage-of-over-rs-50-crore


Photos: Thousands forced to leave home in India’s flood-hit Assam… The worst floods in years have affected millions of people in the northeastern Indian state of Assam and killed 127 people so far, according to officials.

“The floods have breached more than 200 embankments in the state, displacing tens of thousands of people and submerging large swaths of cultivated land.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2022/6/27/photos-thousands-forced-to-leave-home-in-indias-flood-hit-assam 


7 million in Bangladesh need aid after ‘worst floods in memory,’ Red Cross says.

“Hundreds of thousands of homes near the Bangladesh-India border are underwater, and in the worst-hit areas whole neighborhoods have been submerged, aid agencies said Tuesday. At least 207 people in both countries have died since the floods began in April, according to official figures.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/29/asia/bangladesh-floods-millions-urgent-relief-need-intl-hnk/index.html


According to the local insurance regulator, extreme levels of rainfall in China have triggered parametric catastrophe insurance payouts for 16 cities in the province of Guangdong

Guangdong recorded 666mm, or 26 inches of rainfall [over, I’m assuming, a 24 hour period], breaking the record for the province.

https://www.artemis.bm/news/china-rains-trigger-guangdong-parametric-catastrophe-insurance/


More extreme weather events expected to pummel China in July, August…

“”It is predicted that from July to August, there will be more extreme weather events in China, and regional flood conditions and drought conditions will be heavier than usual,” said Yao Wenguang, director of the Department of Flood and Drought Disaster Prevention of the Ministry of Water Resources…”

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/more-extreme-weather-events-expected-pummel-china-july-august-2022-06-28/


Heat records have been shattered many times in Japan. A total of 263 June record highs have been set in six days.

Tokyo had highs of over 35℃ (95F) for four days in a row, making it the first time on record for June. And it will be even hotter tomorrow.

https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1541735462892580869


One of the coldest July days in recorded history looks like it is about to be set in the Northern Territory [Australia] in the middle of the dry season.

“The Top End’s typically hot and sunny middle months have been disrupted by dark clouds and rain over the past couple of days, in what the Bureau of Meteorology is describing as “quite unusual”.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-29/cold-weather-snap-katherine-nt-rain-dry-season/101190202


Record-high temperatures set to scorch Alaska to start July.

“Alaska, traditionally one of the coldest states in the country, is set to see an unusually warm start to July thanks to a heat dome parking itself over the region. Temperatures could rise up to 20 degrees F above normal in the northernmost state, with temperatures rising well into the 80s to near 90 F.”

https://www.aol.com/weather/record-high-temperatures-set-scorch-163542010.html


June heat wave continues on with 7th consecutive 100-degree day in Sacramento [California].

“June 2022 has had 11 days reach at least 100 degrees. That is the second highest number of days for June according to National Weather Service records dating back to 1877… It is worth noting that July is typically the hottest month of the year.”

https://www.kcra.com/article/june-heat-wave-7th-consecutive-day-sacramento/40436979


Austin [Texas] breaks June record for 100-degree days — and 5 other things to know about the weather.

“The June weather has been so brutally hot and dry, it’s not even funny… With a maximum temperature reading of 102, Austin on Monday logged its 21st day of 100-degree weather in June, breaking the record set in 2008 for the most 100-degree days in June.”

https://eu.statesman.com/story/weather/2022/06/27/austin-tx-weather-forecast-heat-break-june-record-100-degree/7745868001/


Chilli peppers, coffee, wine: how the climate crisis is causing food shortages…

“Blistering heat, stronger storms, droughts, floods, fires and changes in rainfall patterns are also affecting the cost and availability of staples, including wheat, corn, coffee, apples, chocolate and wine. The climate crisis is increasing the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events – and it’s putting food production at risk.”

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/28/climate-crisis-food-shortages


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 a huge help, especially as the cost of living crisis is biting here in the UK.

27th June 2022 Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

Japan tops 104 degrees [40C] for first time in June amid record heat wave.

“In a blistering hot June around the Northern Hemisphere, in which heat records have fallen on every continent, Japan is the latest to swelter. On Saturday, temperatures there shot above 104 degrees (40 Celsius) for the first time on record during the month, another clear sign of the sweeping effects of human-caused climate change.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/25/japan-heat-wave-climate-record/


Rainy season finishes earliest ever in Kanto region [Japan] as power crunch hits area.

“As parts of the country see record high temperatures, leading to residents being asked to conserve energy to help protect power grids, Japan’s Meteorological Agency said Monday that the rainy season has ended for the Kanto-Koshin, southern Kyushu and Tokai regions.”

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2022/06/27/national/rainy-season-early-end/


Seoul [South Korea] recorded the highest-ever morning low for June on Sunday, with temperatures hitting 24.8 C [76.6F] or higher, the state weather agency said.

“The figure, recorded at 2:34 a.m., broke the previous record of 24 degrees set on June 19, 1997, according to the Korea Meteorological Administration.”

https://m.koreaherald.com/amp/view.php?ud=20220626000126


Historic day in China: The NE province of Hebei reached a temperature of 44.2C [111.6F] at Lingshou.

No less than 25 main national stations today had their hottest day ever (for any month). “Also 40.1C at Tianjin and 39.2C in the capital Beijing. 44C+ outside Xinjiang in China is very rare.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1540669953728057345


Cities underwater in China today as record floods hit on 26th June 2022, Guangdong.

“Several days of heavy rain has caused widespread flooding in Southern China on June 26th 2022. Among the worst affected areas is Guangdong, with parts of Yingde several feet under water. Other provinces affected include Hunan and Jiangxi.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XxviEEOnX-4


Uttarakhand [India]: 1 km-long lake formed near Pindari glacier due to landslides.

“The official from the Bageshwar district administration, who wished to remain anonymous, told TOI, “Though the water from the lake is seeping naturally right now, it may cause a massive flash flood later, leading to severe damage in settlements along the Pindar and Alaknanda river.””

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/dehradun/1-km-long-lake-formed-near-pindari-glacier-due-to-landslides/articleshow/92460736.cms


New Lake found below Siniolchu [Sikkim, India], a beautiful but unwelcome discovery.

“Mr. Mukherjee says that, “based on our primary observations, we understand that it is a ‘Moraine Dammed Glacial Lake’ created by glacial retreat due to global warming and by the topographic depression of the terminal and the right lateral moraine of the Zumthul Phuk Glacier…”

https://www.dreamwanderlust.com/news/new-lake-found-below-siniolchu-a-beautiful-but-unwelcome-discovery


Recent floods in Afghanistan caused by incessant rain kill 400 people.

“The Taliban-led government in Afghanistan has confirmed that 400 people have died in the recent floods triggered by incessant rain across the country… The statement added that the floods have also inflicted financial losses.”

https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/recent-floods-in-afghanistan-caused-by-incessant-rain-kill-400-people-122062300241_1.html


Middle East Heat Wave – terrible conditions in the Iranian port of Bandar E Dayyer:

“After a max. temperature of 50.4C [122.7F], the minimum temperature didn’t drop below 39.4C [102.9F]. If it stands 24 hours, it will be the highest minimum temperature in June in Iranian history and one of the highest worldwide.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1541047031212515328


Summer means suffering: how workers survive intense Gulf heat.

“Although summer has only just begun, temperatures have already topped 50 degrees Celsius (122 Fahrenheit) in parts of the desert region, which is bearing the brunt of climate change. Summer means suffering for anyone working outside, along with risks of dehydration, heat stroke and heart failure…”

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220626-summer-means-suffering-how-workers-survive-intense-gulf-heat


Sandstorms sweep across Syria, Iraq once again.

“Images of sandstorms hitting Syria and Iraq once again circulated on social media on Sunday, echoing dramatic scenes that have been repeatedly witnessed over the past three months. A “terrifying dust storm” fell across Erbil yesterday…”

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/sandstorms-sweep-across-syria-iraq-once-again


Strong Storm Leaves Casualties, Heavy Damage in Syria.

“Two civilians were killed and other wounded in a thunderstorm that swept Syria’s coast and northwestern regions on Saturday. Local media, including state news agency SANA, published photos of the damage left behind by the rain and thunderstorm.”

https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3724696/strong-storm-leaves-casualties-heavy-damage-syria


Is eastern Africa’s drought the worst in recent history? And are worse yet to come?

“Four consecutive rainy seasons have now failed since late 2020, a climatic event not seen in at least 40 years… Forecasts suggest that the September to December rainy season could also fail. This would set the stage for an unprecedented five-season drought.”

https://theconversation.com/is-eastern-africas-drought-the-worst-in-recent-history-and-are-worse-yet-to-come-185327


Mediterranean Heat Wave: The new heat wave in Central Eastern Mediterranean is extending north up to Scandinavia. Today up to 48.9C [120F] in Algeria, 46C+ in Tunisia.

“Tomorrow some monthly records are at stake including the area of Rome (& Vatican City). Very cool in NW Spain & Portugal.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1541135681036099585


The mayor of Milan on Saturday announced the northern Italian city’s fountains would be switched off as part of water restrictions imposed due to a drought.

“Beppe Sala announced the measures the day after the wider Lombardy region declared a state of emergency to last until September 30, directing mayors to curtail non-essential water use.”

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220625-drought-hit-milan-to-close-fountains


Scientists investigate ‘snow blood’ phenomenon, climate change links [Alps]…

“”There’s a double reason” for studying the algae, Eric Marechal explained. “The first is that it is an area that is little explored and the second is that this little explored area is melting before our eyes, so it’s urgent,” he said.”

https://www.dailysabah.com/life/science/scientists-investigate-snow-blood-phenomenon-climate-change-links


Hold your nose! Budapest heatwave nudges record temperatures – but the rubbish is uncollected…

“With forecasters predicting that Budapest could reach its all-time high of 40 degrees Celsius [104F], authorities have urged residents to limit their exposure to the extreme heat and stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day.”

https://newseu.cgtn.com/news/2022-06-24/Hungary-set-for-record-temperatures-and-uncollected-rubbish-1b8jNb46aje/index.html


Floods in Turkey’s Kastamonu evoke fears of 2021 disaster.

“The Black Sea province of Kastamonu started the week with flash floods after downpours late Sunday. Inebolu stream in the Inebolu district of the northern Turkish province overflowed its banks Monday morning, inundating residential areas…”

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/floods-in-turkeys-kastamonu-evoke-fears-of-2021-disaster/news


Another Week of Record-Breaking Heat Scorches Much of the U.S.

“…high temperatures are expected to persist in Texas and across the South into next week, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The recent heat spell comes on the heels of stifling temperatures last week, creating what has been an unseasonably hot June for many cities in the U.S.”

https://www.wsj.com/articles/another-week-of-record-breaking-heat-scorches-much-of-the-u-s-11656162000


The record June heat wave in southern Louisiana, with water temperatures edging into the mid-90s on Friday in Lake Pontchartrain and along the Gulf Coast, is serving up a triple whammy of water-related dangers: an elevated risk of intense hurricanes, an increased number of dangerous Vibrio bacteria infections, and more fish kills.

“…the Slidell office of the National Weather Service reported that the average temperature of 88.1 degrees for the seven days ending Thursday marked the hottest June week on record. It beat a previous record in 2012 and marked the 17th-warmest seven days for any time of the year.”

https://www.nola.com/news/environment/article_33c7b556-f402-11ec-8386-4fb32bb665eb.html


Sweltering streets: Hundreds of homeless die in extreme heat [US].

“Temperatures are rising nearly everywhere because of global warming, combining with brutal drought in some places to create more intense, frequent and longer heat waves… Just in the county that includes Phoenix, at least 130 homeless people were among the 339 individuals who died from heat-associated causes in 2021.”

https://www.knkx.org/environment/2022-06-25/sweltering-streets-hundreds-of-homeless-die-in-extreme-heat


Rising flood waters force Peguis First Nation to declare state of emergency once again [Manitoba]…

“About a month after historic flooding on Peguis First Nation began to recede, the community in Manitoba’s Interlake region is being hit hard by rising waters once again… Now, roads that had only been cleaned up from flooding last month are again overcome by water…”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/peguis-first-nation-flooding-state-of-emergency-1.6501775


Records may fall as impressive heat wave roasts the Arctic Circle.

An all-time heat record is under threat and Hudson Bay’s ice is melting at an astonishing rate as a persistent spell of hot weather roasts the Arctic Circle… Inuvik, N.W.T., could be on track to tie or shatter its all-time hottest temperature on record by Canada Day.”

https://www.theweathernetwork.com/ca/news/article/records-may-fall-as-impressive-heat-wave-roasts-the-arctic-circle


As deadline looms, countries struggle to agree on protecting nature…

“Progress is “very slow and not significant,” said co-chair, Francis Ogwal, emphasizing a need for compromise on the details of 21 biodiversity protection targets. These range from countries conserving 30% of their territory to slashing harmful agricultural subsidies.”

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/deadline-looms-countries-struggle-agree-protecting-nature-2022-06-24/


Here’s The Latest Data On Climate And Food And It’s Not Good…

Modern agriculture has been built on three key assumptions, says David Barber, a partner at agriculture and food investors Astanor Ventures: Cheap energy, free water and consistent weather. “The whole system does not function without that,” Barber says. “It reveals some of this for the house of cards that it is.”

https://www.forbes.com/sites/chloesorvino/2022/06/26/heres-the-latest-data-on-climate-and-food-and-its-not-good/


You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread.

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24th June 2022 Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

Lowest Antarctic sea ice extent for the date…

Combined with a low Arctic extent result in a lowest global extent for the date

[June 22nd]“.

https://twitter.com/kevpluck/status/1539573569637974016


This year’s Arctic sea-ice melt for the month of June ranks #1 overall through June 22, overtaking 2012 in the last two days, with 1999 close behind.

“With one week left, we’ll see if June, 2022 holds on to this dubious record.”

https://twitter.com/EliotJacobson/status/1539950747164348416


Ongoing Arctic heatwave breaks June record in Norilsk, Russia and ties its all-time (any month) record of +32°C (89.6°F). Norilsk is about 300 km north of the Arctic Circle.”

https://twitter.com/ScottDuncanWX/status/1540008824786063361


Alaska’s June wildfires break records, fueled by hot, dry weather.

“A record number of acres have burned this month in Alaska, forcing Indigenous people from their homes, compromising air quality and stretching firefighting resources thin. More than 1 million acres have gone up in flames already…”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/climate-environment/2022/06/23/alaska-record-fires-climate/


Warmest start to summer on record continues across Southcentral Alaska.

“For the eighth day this year, Anchorage reached 75° Wednesday [23.9C], which has only happened one other time in recorded history this early in the season… this heat and dry weather is here to stay. We’ll likely see another eight 70° days, finishing out the month of June close to 10° above normal.”

https://www.alaskasnewssource.com/2022/06/23/warmest-start-summer-record-continues-across-southcentral-alaska/


‘Almost a perfect storm’: How this northern town [NW Ontario] is battling floods.

“Fort Frances is one of 24 communities in northwestern Ontario that have declared a state of emergency due to spring flooding since March 30. The town of nearly 8,000 people sits on the shore of Rainy River; a small tributary runs through town toward Rainy Lake…”

https://www.tvo.org/article/almost-a-perfect-storm-how-this-northern-town-is-battling-floods


US could run out of mustard because of climate change…

“Drought and heatwaves last year in central Canada, one of the world’s key mustard seed growing regions, reduced the harvest — creating a dearth of supplies that’s now rippling through mustard producers, CBC reports. France is now experiencing shortages of Dijon mustard…”

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/mustard-shortage-us-seed-b2106958.html


23rd June most of US is under heat wave conditions, especially in the SE.

“Some remarkable temps today includes: SC 104F; GA 106F; New monthly heat record at Fitzgerald with 105F; FL 105F; Monthly record tied at Mayport with 103F; AL 105; Hot also in the SW and Central Plains.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1540088999338991616


June weather in Austin on Thursday delivered the month’s 17th day of triple-digit temperatures, putting the month on a record-setting path.

“Not only did Thursday’s high of 104 tie the daily heat record set in 2017, but if the current National Weather Service extended forecast holds up, the city will likely record as many 20 days of 100-degree temperature readings in June, which would match the June record set in 2008.”

https://eu.statesman.com/story/weather/2022/06/23/austin-weather-june-temperature-record-days-100-weather/7714557001/


Las Vegas declares turf war on lawns as drought worsens.

“Las Vegas is ripping up millions of square feet of grass – including greenery along the iconic strip – as the city struggles with a decades-long drought made worse by climate change… levels [at Lake Mead] have dropped to an all-time low due to a sustained drought exacerbated by climate change.”

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/las-vegas-declares-turf-war-lawns-drought-worsens-2022-06-22/


Mosquitia [Honduras] in emergency and calamity due to floods…

“the congresswoman of the Liberal Party, Erika Urtecho, declared that… the rains will continue… “”We have been with incessant rains, some communities in the department of Gracias a Dios are flooded, we are worried that a new tropical wave will be entering. There are evacuations of many affected families,” she said.”

https://criterio.hn/la-mosquitia-en-emergencia-y-calamidad-por-inundaciones-y-sistema-de-salud-deplorable/


Dozens of Suriname villages await aid following unprecedented floods…

“Last month, Suriname President Chan Santokhi declared seven of the country’s 10 districts to be disaster areas and asked international partners for help… Nearby Venezuela, which has been ravaged by years of economic crisis, nonetheless delivered 40,000 tons of goods, including food and medicines, and distribution will begin this week.”

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220624-dozens-of-suriname-villages-await-aid-following-unprecedented-floods-1


Storm’s damages put focus on Cuba’s dire housing crisis.

“The first storm of the 2022 hurricane season, which hit Cuba in mid-June, collapsed or damaged dozens of homes in the capital that were already in poor condition, tearing off pieces of roof, balconies and facades. That highlighted one of Cuba’s main social problems: a shortage of quality housing…”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/ap-cuba-storm-raul-castro-people-b2107101.html


Hail ‘bigger than golf balls’ hits France leaving trail of destruction.

“Senator Fabien Genet said the extreme weather had caused ‘enormous damage’. ‘We have just had a storm of unprecedented violence with hailstones of a size that has never been seen in the memory of the inhabitants,’ he told The Times.”

https://metro.co.uk/2022/06/22/hail-bigger-than-golf-balls-hits-france-leaving-trail-of-destruction-16875162/


Portugal facing worst drought since records began.

“Last month was the hottest and driest month of May in the last 92 years … and rainfall was much lower than expected for the time of year… Very sadly this news doesn’t surprise me at all after the disastrous lack of rainfall we had in autumn, winter and spring. It is terrible news for farmers and for wildlife!”

https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2022-06-22/portugal-facing-worst-drought-since-records-began/68108


Fears for wolf population after ‘catastrophic’ wildfire in Spain.

“The Spanish government has declared the Sierra de la Culebra mountain range in Zamora province a catastrophe zone after a fire destroyed 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of woodland, raising fears for the future of the local wolf population.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/23/spain-wildfire-wolf-population-sierra-de-la-culebra


Italy’s heatwave to last another week and get even hotter, say forecasts.

“The Italian health ministry has issued red alerts for extreme heat on Friday and Saturday in and around the cities of Bologna, Campobasso, Florence, and Pescara… Weather forecasters warn that the heatwave is set to continue until the end of the month.”

https://www.thelocal.it/20220623/italys-heatwave-to-last-another-week-and-get-even-hotter-say-forecasts/


Nigeria’s homes are vanishing into the sea from climate change.

“When an ocean surge washed away Mureni Sanni Alakija’s house in 2011, he took a loan to build a home farther away. But that too is no longer safe as the sea creeps inland in Okun Alfa, a neighbourhood in Nigeria’s commercial capital Lagos.”

https://www.reuters.com/business/environment/nigerias-homes-are-vanishing-into-sea-climate-change-2022-06-22/


Torrential rain wreaks havoc in Twin-city, Ghana…

“The long hours of torrential rains that hit the Twin city of the Western Region have rendered many homeless. The rain also covered the surfaces of many major roads including the Ketan to Nkroful Junction, Kansaworodo, vodafone, Paa Grant and the Apollo highway.”

https://www.modernghana.com/news/1166626/wr-torrential-rains-wreak-havoc-in-twin-city.html


Iraq’s sandstorms are threatening life in the Fertile Crescent.

“The storms cause fatalities around the country and long-term respiratory illnesses by inhaling sand and dust. This year, over ten thousand people were hospitalized, with at least five recorded deaths from the sandstorms that swept through Iraq. As a result of these dire conditions, this year, the Iraqi government shut down for many ministerial and provincial workers.”

https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/blogs/menasource/iraqs-sandstorms-are-threatening-life-in-the-fertile-crescent-its-time-the-iraqi-government-takes-a-stance/


Iraqi planting area reduced by 50% due to water scarcity.

“The Iraqi Ministry of Water Resources revealed on Wednesday that water scarcity caused 50 percent reduction in the planting area in Iraq, according a statement of the National Center for Water Resources Management cited by The Iraqi News Agency.”

https://www.iraqinews.com/iraq/iraqi-planting-area-reduced-by-50-due-to-water-scarcity/


Bangladesh floods: Experts say climate crisis worsening situation.

“The worst floods in Bangladesh in more than a century have killed dozens of people so far and displaced nearly 4 million people… Experts say the catastrophic rain-triggered floods, which submerged large part of the country’s northern and northeastern areas, are an outcome of climate change.”

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/6/22/bangladesh-floods-experts-say-climate-crisis-worsening-situation


Amid record-breaking floods in China, premier calls for stepped up disaster control and relief.

“Executive meeting of the State Council told more extreme weather predicted and everything must be done to ensure ‘safety of people’s lives and property’… Scientists have warned that climate change will result in more extreme weather events, from more intense floods to droughts and heatwaves.”

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/3182764/amid-record-breaking-floods-china-premier-calls-stepped-disaster


China Heat Wave: Terribly hot day in Xinjiang today with 46.5C [115.7F] at Turpan. Nights will have nearly 35C [95F] of Min. temperatures.

“The heat will increase in the East with record hot conditions in Henan Province. The capital Beijing will rise to 38C on Saturday. Stay tuned.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1539940639810387968


Unprecedented June heat is baking western Japan in the middle of the rainy season.

The temperature rose to 36.1C [97F] in Nobeoka Thursday, making it the highest for June since records started in 1961.

“The heat will shift to the Tokyo area during the weekend. Get ready!”

https://twitter.com/sayakasofiamori/status/1539869485204525058


Very cold temperatures this morning in New Zealand with up to -11.2C [11.8F] in Middlemarch.

-8.6C in Dunedin, which is a new monthly record and only 0.2C from the all-time record since records began in 1972.

https://twitter.com/ThierryGooseBC/status/1539707464718745600


New Zealand is experiencing the largest bleaching of sea sponges ever recorded, scientists say, after extreme ocean temperatures turned millions of the aquatic creatures white.

“The discovery comes after researchers raised the alarm in May, when sea sponges off New Zealand’s southern coastline were found bleached for the first time.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/23/new-zealand-records-largest-ever-bleaching-of-sea-sponges


You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back over the weekend with an ‘Economic’ thread.

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22nd June Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

The Dez River in southwestern Iran is drying up as the temperature in several cities across Khuzestan province has risen to above 50 degrees Celsius or 122 F.

“According to the Meteorological Organization of Iran on Tuesday, temperature in the city of Abadan hit a staggering 52.2 degrees Celsius – or about 126 degrees Fahrenheit – a new record for the city and the province for June temperatures for the first time in 70 years, when the city’s weather station was established.”

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202206213057


For Iraqis a sweltering summer of ‘hell’ has begun.

“While Basra is used to scorching summers, this year it has started sooner than expected, bringing misery to residents in a city also plagued by chronic electricity shortages. “By God, we are tired,” Umm Mohammed said faintly, adding that the heat had woken her up in the middle of the night.”

https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20220621-for-iraqis-a-sweltering-summer-of-hell-has-begun


Desertification is rising in Central Asia…

“The study also says that temperatures have been increasing for the last 35 years across Central Asia, including China, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Moreover, the study found that mountain regions have also become hotter and wetter during the same period, which may cause the withdrawal of some major glaciers.”

https://peoplesdispatch.org/2022/06/21/desertification-is-rising-in-central-asia-study/


Torrential rains cause flash floods and landslides in parts of Pakistan.

After the heatwave pushed temperatures close to record highs, Pakistan is now bracing for the risk of flash floods as pre-monsoon rains continue in different parts of the country. The torrential rains affected different parts of Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces…”

https://gulfnews.com/world/asia/pakistan/torrential-rains-cause-flash-floods-and-landslides-in-parts-of-pakistan-1.88738213


Darjeeling [West Bengal, India]: With Siliguri receiving record rainfall on Monday evening [around eight inches in three hours], low lying areas have been inundated.

“The Siliguri Municipal Corporation authorities took stock of the situation on Tuesday with a control room opened up. Relief material has also been distributed to affected families.”

http://www.millenniumpost.in/kolkata/in-about-3-hours-siliguri-gets-over-200mm-rainfall-some-parts-flooded-483007


‘Like a scene from Titanic’: floods in Assam submerge entire villages.

“People living in Assam, in north-east India, are usually stoical about the flooding that occurs to a greater or lesser extent every monsoon season. But this year they say the situation is dramatically worse. “It was like a scene from Titanic,” one man told local media of the rising waters that have flooded all but two of the state’s districts.”

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/21/air-of-despondency-in-assam-as-floods-submerge-entire-villages


Power demand in parts of China sets new records amid searing heat… In contrast to the heaviest rainfall in 60 years in southern China, Henan and nearby Shandong and parts of Hebei have battled with scorching heatwaves and drought-like conditions this month.

“Temperatures in Henan’s capital Zhengzhou… have reached 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) in recent days.”

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/power-demand-parts-china-sets-new-records-amid-searing-heat-2022-06-20/


Two provinces in south China upgraded flood warnings on Tuesday as rivers overflowed their banks and waters reached record levels, forcing people from their homes and disrupting work after weeks of pounding rain, state media reported.

“Guangdong province’s Shaoguan city, where average rainfall since late May has broken records, raised its flood alert to the highest, Level 1…”

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/chinas-southern-provinces-raise-alerts-rivers-flooding-break-records-2022-06-21/


North Korea careens from floods to drought, straining an already fragile system.

“North Korea is in the middle of a drought that threatens to leave crops starved of water. But this dry spell also comes in the aftermath of heavy rains and destructive flooding, and as the government imposes public health restrictions to prevent the spread of COVID-19. This is the DPRK’s new normal in the climate change era.”

https://www.nknews.org/pro/north-korea-careens-from-floods-to-drought-straining-an-already-fragile-system/


Hawaii’s Extreme Drought Is Forcing Ranchers And Farmers To Get Creative…

“The unusually dry winter and continuing drought has left farmers with less water, but also struggling to deal with unseasonal and unusual pests. At the same time, growing deer populations are encroaching on their land and eating their crops.”

https://www.civilbeat.org/2022/06/hawaiis-extreme-drought-is-forcing-ranchers-and-farmers-to-get-creative/


Dams, Taps Running Dry in Northern Mexico Amid Historic Water Shortages.

“In the sprawling metropolitan area of Monterrey, home to some 5.3 million people, the drought and years of below-average rainfall have led to citywide water shortages. “We’re in an extreme climate crisis,” Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia said at a news conference last week. “Today, we’re all living it and suffering.””

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2022-06-20/dams-taps-running-dry-in-northern-mexico-amid-historic-water-shortages


As water crisis worsens on Colorado River, an urgent call for Western states to ‘act now’…

“The Interior Department is seeking the emergency cuts to reduce the risks of Lake Mead and Lake Powell… “We have urgent needs to act now,” Tanya Trujillo, the Interior Department’s assistant secretary for water and science, said during a speech on Thursday. “We need to be taking action in all states, in all sectors, and in all available ways.””

https://www.latimes.com/environment/story/2022-06-20/as-colorado-river-reservoirs-drop-states-urged-to-act-now


Summer officially begins with record heat as 65 million Americans can expect highs above 100° this week…

“Over the next few days, the center of heat will shift over the South and Southeast, from Texas to Georgia, and numerous cities are likely to face triple-digit temperatures, including Dallas, Houston, New Orleans, Memphis, Nashville and Atlanta.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/21/weather/heat-wave-second-week-record-temperatures-tuesday/index.html


Electrocuted Birds Are Dying, Sparking Wildfires Across the US.

“Some wildfires might be the result of a gender reveal gone awry or a failed attempt at disposing of camping debris, but plenty others are caused by something far more mundane. Research by a US engineering consultancy firm has revealed that many wildfires are caused by birds that have been electrocuted by power lines.”

https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/337318-electrocuted-birds-are-dying-sparking-wildfires-across-the-us


Wildfire in southern New Jersey grows to about 12,000 acres.

“Firefighters are battling the blaze at Wharton State Forest that is “fueled by dry and breezy conditions,” the service said on social media, and spread across four townships — Washington, Shamong, Hammonton and Mullica.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/weather/new-jersey-wildfire-wharton-state-forest/index.html


Greenland’s peripheral glaciers make up only four per cent of the island’s ice cover but are contributing up to 11 per cent of total ice loss from territory, say researchers of a paper published this month in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

““You have this pretty small fraction of the ice cover responsible for a relatively large fraction of the ice loss, which is pretty phenomenal,” William Colgan, a researcher…”

https://www.rcinet.ca/eye-on-the-arctic/2022/06/21/climate-change-accelerating-ice-loss-from-peripheral-glaciers/


Parts of Scotland have been warned to beware of water shortages following a “deterioration” in conditions during the start of summer.

An “alert” level warning has been put in place for almost the entire East Coast of the country in response to the growing threat of hot and dry weather… “Water is a finite resource, even in Scotland, and pressures on the water environment will only get worse with climate change.””

https://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-coast-of-scotland-placed-on-water-scarcity-alert-as-dry-conditions-affecting-supplies


The UK heatwave caused the mass death of fish at a Derbyshire park amid warnings soaring temperatures are leaving them “gasping for air”.

“Around 100 roach fish were found dead in Belper River Gardens, which runs alongside the River Derwent, on Sunday after temperatures soared past 30C earlier last week.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/climate-change/news/heatwave-fish-death-belper-glasgow-b2106022.html


Trees to trams: How French cities are adapting to heatwave summers. The world is heating up, and France is no exception…

“Météo France reports that the country has suffered at least 43 heat waves have been detected since 1947, but they are becoming more alarming. “Heat waves are increasing in intensity and frequency because of climate change,” said Robert Vautard, meteorologist and climatologist to Reporterre.”

https://www.thelocal.fr/20220621/trees-to-trams-how-french-cities-are-adapting-to-heatwave-summers/


Spain devastated by wildfires amid record-breaking heat wave…

““What we’re witnessing today is unfortunately a foretaste of the future,” Clare Nullis, a spokeswoman for the World Meteorological Organization, told the Independent over the weekend as she warned that early heat waves were being propelled by climate change.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2022/06/20/spain-wildfires-2022-europe-heatwave/


Heatwave: 16 Italian cities on alert with peaks of 43C [109.4F]…

“As of June 21st, Italy’s health authorities have put 16 cities on red or amber alert as meteorologists warn of “unusually” high temperatures for this time of year. Cities on the highest red alert over the coming days include Turin, Bolzano and Bologna, according to the latest official forecasts.”

https://www.thelocal.it/20220621/heatwave-latest-16-cities-in-italy-on-alert-with-peaks-of-43c/


Italian regions to declare state of calamity over drought.

“The Lazio region announced the forthcoming adoption of a drought state of calamity on Monday and the Po valley’s regions are considering doing the same as Italy faces its worst drought in 70 years. In the last few days, the heat wave has worsened the drought situation.”

https://www.euractiv.com/section/energy-environment/news/italian-regions-to-declare-state-of-calamity-over-drought/


Firefighters mobilize as massive wildfire hits Turkey’s Marmaris.

“The first major forest fire of “fire season” gripped the southwestern Aegean town of Marmaris late Tuesday. Firefighters struggled to put out the flames that spread across a forest in the Bördübet neighborhood since the blaze broke out at around 8 p.m. local time.”

https://www.dailysabah.com/turkey/firefighters-mobilize-as-massive-wildfire-hits-turkeys-marmaris/news


A severe drought continues to affect Morocco.

The Al Massira dam, the country’s second largest reservoir, is currently at 6.3%. The lack of water is visible when comparing Sentinel2 images from 2017 and 2022.”

https://twitter.com/defis_eu/status/1539150806745849857


‘We just pray for rain’: Niger is in the eye of the climate crisis – and children are starving…

“Niger is on the frontline of the climate crisis. Increasingly erratic rainfall and longer dry seasons mean that many parts of the country have not had a good harvest in a decade. Temperatures are rising 1.5 times faster here than the rest of the world…”

https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2022/jun/20/niger-in-eye-of-climate-crisis-and-children-are-starving-malnutrition


Drought Forces Ethiopian Herders to Eat Cattle Feed.

“A record drought in the Horn of Africa has wiped out crops and millions of cattle and left millions of people who depend on them facing hunger. In Ethiopia’s Oromia region, some herders have been forced to eat roots they would normally feed to their cattle.”

https://www.voanews.com/a/drought-forces-ethiopian-herders-to-eat-cattle-feed/6624963.html


At least five people, including four children, have died after torrential rain overnight led to flooding in Ivory Coast’s economic capital Abidjan, the emergency services said Tuesday…

“Between Monday and midday Tuesday, some neighbourhoods in Abidjan received around 200 millimetres (eight inches) of rainfall, the equivalent of several weeks of rain…”

https://www.barrons.com/news/floods-kill-four-children-in-ivory-coast-01655809507


Cape Town – While the aftermath of the intense rainfall last week was still being dealt with, the rainfall figures recorded by the SA Weather Service (Saws) indicated that Monday, June 13, was the single wettest June day on the Cape Flats since at least 1960

“”June is the wettest month on average in Cape Town, its mountain catchments and along the West Coast, and the record was broken by a very large margin, so climatologically Monday’s rainfall was quite an extreme event.”

https://www.iol.co.za/capeargus/news/single-wettest-june-day-since-1960-recorded-on-the-cape-flats-says-sa-weather-service-d3ceda5d-ef42-4a07-8ab4-77d656538190


‘Biodiversity loss is humanity’s greatest threat’…

“Mass species extinction is taking place right before our eyes, and yet most of us hardly notice… according to scientists, the world may lose nearly 1 million species by 2030, with one species already becoming extinct every 10 minutes. This is catastrophic, because a world that lacks diversity is a dangerous place for all species, including humans.”

https://www.dw.com/en/biodiversity-loss-is-humanitys-greatest-threat/a-62113416


Here’s what happens if the world loses its rainforests.

“The Amazon is like a gigantic recycler, a water pump… You stop this water pump and the whole system may transform into a savannah because there is not enough water left to sustain a tropical forest. There will be a cascade of impacts following the disappearance of an ecosystem like that. It will probably be more than society as we know it can withstand.”

https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/heres-what-happens-if-world-loses-its-rainforests


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20th June 2022 Today’s Round-Up of Climate News

Dozens of people have died and millions of homes are underwater following huge floods in north-eastern India and Bangladesh. At least 62 people have died.

In India, Assam state’s disaster management agency said 32 of its 35 districts were underwater as the swollen Brahmaputra River broke its banks, displacing more than three million people.”

https://news.sky.com/story/at-least-59-people-dead-in-bangladesh-and-india-after-floods-leave-millions-stranded-12636586


Mawsynram And Cherrapunji [Meghalaya, India], The World’s Wettest Places See Record Rainfalls In Past 24 Hours…

“In the past 24 hours on Friday, Mawsynram, the wettest place in India, saw 1003.6 mm [39.5 inches] of precipitation, the highest ever on a day in June… Cherrapunji recorded the third time highest rainfall with 972.0 mm [38.3 inches] of rain in 24 hours.”

https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/mawsynram-and-cherrapunji-the-worlds-wettest-places-see-record-rainfalls-in-past-24-hours-572546.html


Fujian Songxi [China] has its largest flood in history: the rainstorm warning continues…

“…on June 18, the daily precipitation in Songxi County, Fujian exceeded 225.6 mm [8.9 inches], which greatly refreshed the local daily precipitation record… The water level of Songxi passing through the city rose to 193.98 meters, which was 1.59 meters higher than the highest water level in the local history.”

https://gamingsym.in/fujian-songxi-has-the-largest-flood-in-history-the-rainstorm-warning-continues/


Heaviest rain in 60 years hits southern China, as experts warn extreme weather will only get worse…

“China recorded average annual rainfall of 672.1 mm last year, which was 6.7% above normal, according to a report released by the National Climate Center in May. The report concluded that China’s weather anomalies were getting worse, especially in terms of rainstorm intensity during the summer months.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/20/world/southern-china-southern-severe-flood-rain-climate-crisis-intl-hnk/index.html


Dramatic images of tornado tearing through city of Foshan in China’s southern Guangdong province.

“A tornado hit the city of Foshan in the southern Chinese province of Guangdong on June 19, 2022. Footage captured the twister as it ripped through Nanhai district in the city of over 9 million people, at around 7.20am.”

https://www.scmp.com/video/china/3182310/tornado-hits-foshan-no-casualties-reported-megacity-southern-chinas-guangdong


Harsh Heat Wave in Mongolia.

“On 19th June temperatures reached as much as 39.1C [102.4F] at Sainshand (936m above sea level), but nights are also very warm in places. Hanbogd (914m) recorded a Min.temperature of 26.7C after yesterday Max. of 38.3C. These night temperatures are at record level.”

https://twitter.com/extremetemps/status/1538453023185424384


Snowy Hydro’s water problem shows how weather is a driver of [Australia’s] energy crisis.

“As Australia’s power crisis began to ramp up early this month, Snowy Hydro was called on to increase production. But the hydro-electric generator remains significantly constrained by a surprising problem — too much water. It’s only one example of how weather extremes have deepened the nation’s man-made power crisis.”

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-06-20/snowy-hydro-water-problem-weather-driver-energy-crisis/101158300


Changes in the jet stream are steering autumn rain away from southeast Australia.

“You wouldn’t know it from the torrential rains that have inundated large parts of New South Wales and Queensland this year, but average late-autumn rainfall over southeast Australia has declined significantly since the 1990s. Less rain in these areas is an expected consequence of global warming.”

https://theconversation.com/changes-in-the-jet-stream-are-steering-autumn-rain-away-from-southeast-australia-184649


PHOTOS: A dry lagoon in Chile and dead animals show the ravages of climate change…

“The Peñuelas reservoir in central Chile was until 20 years ago the main source of water for Valparaíso… [Now it is] A huge expanse of dry, cracked land is littered with skeletons of fish and animals that died in search of water.”

https://businessinsider.mx/sequia-chile-peces-muertos-evidencian-cambio-climatico_lifestyle/


More than five hours of rains left serious flooding on roads, establishments, as well as traffic congestion in the city of Cali [Colombia]…

“…as well as flooded roads that caused our men to have to rescue several vehicles that were stranded and trapped on the tracks. There were also falls of trees on the public road and in the ring road stone was found on the road that fell from the mountain, “said Corporal Marco Gómez, coordinator of the Telematics Center of the Firefighters of Cali.”

https://www.rcnradio.com/colombia/pacifico/aguacero-dejo-inundaciones-vehiculos-atrapados-y-arboles-caidos-en-cali


Get ready for triple-digit temperatures again, as massive heat dome engulfs the US.

“The heat wave comes on the heels of another record-breaking heat wave over the last week, which impacted many of the same regions about to be affected by the second wave. From Lincoln, Nebraska, to Fargo, North Dakota, temperatures will reach triple digits by the end of the weekend.”

https://edition.cnn.com/2022/06/18/weather/record-heat-midwest-southeast-weekend/index.html


It’s a scorcher! Jersey hits record high as temperatures soar across the islands.

“The temperature at the Maison St. Louis Observatory in Jersey has reached 33.1°C [91.6F], the hottest June day on record since records began at the Observatory in 1894. There is the possibility that the temperature will rise a little further during the next hour.”

https://www.itv.com/news/channel/2022-06-17/channel-islands-braced-for-hottest-day-of-the-year-so-far


France [Normandy]: Kitesurfer killed and several people injured after ‘mini-tornado’ hits beach.

“A kitesurfer has died after he was thrown against a seafront restaurant window during a “mini-tornado” on a beach, according to French media. A strong gust of wind reportedly caused the 31-year-old victim to smash into the building in Villers-sur-Mer…”

https://news.sky.com/story/france-kitesurfer-killed-and-several-people-injured-after-mini-tornado-hits-beach-12637011


The city of Biarritz experienced an “absolute” temperature record “all months combined” on Saturday, affected like a large part of France, by an unprecedented heat wave…

Biarritz reached 42.9C [109.2F], Saturday at 4 p.m., according to Météo France, which indicated that the previous record of 40.6C dated from August 2003.”

https://www.europe1.fr/societe/meteo-41-degres-a-biarritz-cet-apres-midi-record-absolu-tous-mois-confondus-4118307


Just an unbelievable day of unprecedented heat across Europe, and it’s only [Sunday] June 19.

Switzerland, Austria, and Poland tied or broke their hottest June temperatures ever recorded. Cottbus, [northeast] Germany, saw its hottest temperature in recorded history, a blistering 39.2C (102.6F).

https://twitter.com/US_Stormwatch/status/1538620925024776192


Camels trek through Prague to highlight drought and water scarcity.

“Camels began appearing in Prague, Ostrava, and the forests of Beskydy – Radegast’s home in Moravia – on June 17, the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. Given the extreme high temperatures across the Czech Republic this weekend, they came at an appropriate time.”

https://www.expats.cz/czech-news/article/camels-trek-through-prague-to-highlight-worldwide-drought


Firefighters in Spain and Germany struggled to contain wildfires on Sunday amid an unusual heat wave in Western Europe for this time of year.

“Residents had to be evacuated after a forest fire blazed through Treuenbrietzen in the south-west of Berlin, as the country joined others seeing rising temperatures earlier in the year than normal.”

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10931951/More-600-people-evacuated-near-Berlin-forest-fire-spreads.html


A wildfire raged out of control in central Evia, Greece’s second-largest island, on Saturday with authorities ordering the evacuation of one village, the fire department said.

“About 70 firefighters were battling the blaze on the ground assisted by nine fire dousing planes and four helicopters before the night set in. Evia suffered devastating forest fires last summer that destroyed about a third of its forest cover.

https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/wildfire-rages-greeces-evia-island-one-village-evacuated-2022-06-18/


Rain pounds Lagos [Nigeria], houses, roads flooded, property destroyed…

“Roads and houses were flooded and property destroyed in Lagos on Saturday after a downpour which lasted for hours. The rain witnessed in many areas of the state caught many residents and passengers unaware as they ran to shelter stands to avoid being soaked.”

https://punchng.com/rain-pounds-lagos-houses-roads-flooded-property-destroyed/


Durban water rationing to start on Monday [for 10 to 12 months]…

The city is implementing the system to allow it to start repair work on the pipelines which were damaged during the April floods. City spokesperson Msawakhe Mayisela says the water rationing will allow the repair work to take place.”

https://www.ecr.co.za/news/news/durban-water-rationing-start-monday/


The level of Erbil’s underground water has decreased around 500 meters over the past two decades, the Kurdistan Region’s ministry of municipalities and tourism warned on Friday… “In 2022, around 300 wells have gone dry,” the statement read, adding that the general directorate of water will dig 138 wells in order to reduce water crisis.”

https://www.rudaw.net/english/kurdistan/180620221


In a parched land, Iraqi gazelles dying of hunger.

“Gazelles at an Iraqi wildlife reserve are dropping dead from hunger, making them the latest victims in a country where climate change is compounding hardships after years of war. In little over one month, the slender-horned gazelle population at the Sawa reserve in southern Iraq has plunged from 148 to 87.”

https://phys.org/news/2022-06-parched-iraqi-gazelles-dying-hunger.html


Middle Eastern cities record highest temperatures in the world…

“Cities in Iraq, Kuwait and Oman topped the list of hottest cities across the world on 18th June, registering temperatures ranging between 49 and 50.4 degrees Celsius.

“The highest temperature, 50.4 degrees Celsius [122.7F], was recorded in the city of Amarah in the Iraqi marshes…”

https://english.alaraby.co.uk/news/middle-eastern-cities-record-highest-world-temperatures


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 a huge help, especially as the cost of living crisis is biting here in the UK.