“The climate crisis took a catastrophic toll across the globe in 2021.From the Arctic to Louisiana and to China’s Henan province, signs that climate change is already altering our weather were everywhere.
“In the United States, historic flooding trapped and killed residents in submerged basements. In Canada, an entire town was erased by a wildfire fueled by extreme heat. Rain fell at the summit of Greenland…”
“In the Arctic, Sami Reindeer Herders Face Climate Disaster…
““This new snow has no name,” said Lars-Anders Kuhmunen, a reindeer herder from Kiruna… “I don’t know what it is. It is like early tjaevi, which normally comes in March. The winters are warmer now and there is rain, making the ground icy. The snow on top is very bad snow and the reindeer can’t dig for their food.””
“It’s not only Greenland, but also the Arctic Canada with unusually high temperatures.
“Two of the coldest stations in the Northern Hemisphere (at low elevations), Alert and Grise Fiord rose well above 0C. +4.0C [39.2F] at Grise Fiord (76N) – a new December record, +2.3C at Alert (82N) 2nd highest.”
“10 Record-Breaking Moments [US] That Blew Our Meteorologists’ Minds in 2021.
“All-time United States weather records were set for a wide range of extreme weather in 2021, covering everything from temperatures parts of the country have never seen before to astonishing rainfall totals and a hurricane that gave us déjà vu. Here’s a look back…”
“U.S. tornadoes push insurers 2021 bill over $105 bln as climate change impact grows.
“Devastation from tornadoes that slammed parts of the United States this month will push the insurance industry’s 2021 bill for weather-related claims well above the predicted $105 billion… and premiums should rise on worries that climate change will drive more severe weather.”
“Tornado touches down in Florida two weeks after deadly Kentucky, midwest tornadoes.
“Strong storms – including a tornado touch down – tore through Southwest Florida, leaving behind a trail of damage… The National Weather Service confirmed that a tornado did touch down in south Fort Myersat 6:25am…”
“Cities throughout the Southeast and south-central US may experience record heat over the Christmas holiday, according to AccuWeather, including Dallas, Houston and New Orleans.
“A high-pressure system in the Southeast and a spinning storm system over the Rockies two of the culprits for the unseasonably warm forecasts.”
“Chicago snow record: Unseasonably warm temperatures breaks record for latest without measurable snow. The city is at 281 days without measurable snow, the record is 290 days also set in 2012, the weather service says.”
“California Sees Wettest Start to Water Year in 40 Years, Still Not Enough to Cure Concerns Over Drought.
“Some possible hope in California as it battle back from extreme and exceptional drought. And it’s coming in the form of a lot of snow. The National Weather Service says snowpack over the Seirras has increased dramatically in just 7 days.”
“Some parts of the West Coast could see a white Christmas after all, as heavy snow is predicted for areas with higher elevation in the region that could pile up as high as 10 feet.
“The snowy weekend storm is predicted to hit regions in close proximity to sea level, including in Washington and Oregon, as well as the central Sierra Nevada Mountains.”
“It could be the coldest Christmas in recorded history for Vancouver.
“As the Northern Hemisphere marks the first day of winter… The Weather Network says it’s watching for an “extraordinary stretch of frigid weather,” which could result in “the coldest Christmas on record for places like Vancouver.””
“With 13 years of consecutive drought, summer has arrived [in Chile]: The outlook “is not very encouraging”.
“The Meteorological Directorate confirmed that for the next few months the rainfall, already scarce, will be located “below normal ranges.” This year “we have had a third of the rain that we should have in the Metropolitan Region,” the Government warned.”
“Withering Crops Highlight La Nina Fears for Brazil Soy Farmers.
“The impact of the La Nina weather pattern that’s expected to roil global food markets in coming months is already showing up in parts of Brazil, the world’s biggest soybean exporter.”
“Brazil: Deforestation in protected areas up 79% under Bolsonaro.
“A report by the Socioenvironmental Institute (ISA) released Wednesday has shown a 138% increase in degradation in indigenous lands and 130% in Conservation Units, (CUs) compared to three years before President Jair Bolsonaro took office.”
“The floods last week in Navarra [Spain] were preceded by the most extreme rain episode in 50 years…
“…floods “of an extraordinary nature” caused by the flooding of rivers such as the Arga, Bidasoa, Ega or Ebro, which has resulted in two deaths from Sunbilla and Elizondo, which have affected residents of more than 70 municipalities…”
“A sand tornado and storm, caused by strong winds, swept through parts of the Northern Cape [South Africa] on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it looked like a scene out of a Mad Max movie…
“Human activities and global climate change have resulted in an increased frequency of dust/sand storms in various parts of the world.”
“A freak hailstorm left a trail of destruction when it battered Pietermaritzburg [Kwa-Zulu, South Africa] yesterday afternoon.
“Heavy winds accompanied the massive hail stones that pelted the city causing major damage as trees were uprooted, with some falling on power lines and leaving the affected areas without electricity.”
“‘Heading into the worst’: How drought drives conflict in Kenya…
“Esekon is one of an increasing number of pastoralist herders caught in a conflict along Kenya’s border with Uganda and South Sudan over dwindling natural resources, exacerbated by severe drought and hunger ravaging the region.”
“Tents of at least 2,000 Syrians flooded by heavy rains in Idlib.
“Heavy rains that struck northwestern Idlib province for days have flooded thousands of tents in the displacement camps, as those trying to survive continue to face worsening humanitarian conditions.”
“Fed by rain and snowmelt from mountains, this valley nestled among northwestern Afghanistan’s jagged peaks was once fertile. But the climate has changed in the last few decades, locals say, leaving the earth barren and its people struggling to survive.”
“Climate crisis has cost India 5 million hectares of crop in 2021.
“In 2021, extreme weather events wrought yet another distressing year for Indian farmers. Cyclone Tauktae and Cyclone Yaas wreaked havoc in several states in the first few months…”
“One dead, dozens missing after landslide at Myanmar jade mine…
“Last year heavy rainfall triggered a massive landslide in Hpakant – the heart of Myanmar’s jade trade in Kachin state – that killed more than 170 people. Economic pressures due to the COVID-19 pandemic have drawn more migrants to the jade mines…”
“Death toll from Malaysia’s worst flooding in century rises to 37…
“Heavy rains that hit seven regions, including the capital Kuala Lumpur, last Friday and Saturday triggered the worst in the last 100 years floods amid fears that the calamity will recur in the future due to climate change.”
“Jakarta braces for floods as extreme weather strikes region…
“For too long the densely populated capital has been the site of regular flooding… As spells of bad weather pick up in the country and around Southeast Asia, city administrators are bracing for another year-end full of disaster-mitigation efforts.”
“Deaths from dehydration in Philippines amid water, food shortages.
“Two Filipinos who survived the devastation wrought by Typhoon Rai have died of dehydration, according to local media, as people in storm-ravaged areas pleaded for food and water and officials warned of potential looting…”
“Philippine surfing paradise Siargao wiped out by typhoon just as tourists return.
“Resort and bar owners on a Philippine island popular with surfers and tourists were expecting a bumper Christmas holiday after Covid-19 restrictions finally eased. Then Super Typhoon Rai wiped them out.”
“A fire weather warning has been issued for parts of WA as residents across the State brace for a record-breaking festive season heatwave — and a potential tropical cyclone.
“The scorchingly hot conditions are expected to hit Perth on Friday — the first of a string of extremely hot days forecast for areas as far north as Shark Bay down to about Walpole this Christmas.”
“No mountain high enough: study finds plastic in ‘clean’ air.
“From Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench, microplastics are everywhere – even high in the Earth’s troposphere where wind speeds allow them to travel vast distances, a new study has found.”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back after Christmas, on the 27th or 28th with either a ‘Climate’ or ‘Economic’ thread, depending on which news-cycle is most active.
I wish you all a very happy holidays in the meantime!
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 means a lot.
“The Malaysian military used boats Tuesday to distribute food to desperate people trapped in their homes after massive floods, as the death toll rose to 14 with over 70,000 displaced… with reports of people still missing, it is expected to increase…
“Global warming has been linked to worsening floods. Because a warmer atmosphere holds more water…”
“The widespread flooding seen in many states in Malaysia in the last three days was caused by one-in-a-100-year heavy rainfall, a senior official at the country’s Environment and Water Ministry said on Sunday…
“… Sentul station recorded the highest at 363mm [14.3 inches], Gombak (247mm), Jinjang (258mm) and Sungai Bonus Jalan Tun Razak (273mm).”
“The climate crisis is also a water crisis [Bangladesh]…
“The coastal belt of Bangladesh, which is facing the brunt of the climate crisis, has numerous water-related problems. From saline water to frequent cyclones, life of the people residing there is problematic. Too much and too little water is part of their daily struggle.”
“Philippines Typhoon Rai death toll reaches 375 as desperate survivors plead for supplies.
“The Philippine Red Cross reported “complete carnage” in coastal areas after Super Typhoon Rai left homes, hospitals and schools “ripped to shreds”… “Our situation is so desperate,” said Ferry Asuncion, a street vendor in the hard-hit seaside city of Surigao…”
“Perth [WA] Christmas weather: Temperature to hit record-equalling 42C…
“An updated weather forecast from the Bureau of Meteorology is now promising a record-equalling 42C for the big day, with the experts warning it may even push past that mark. The last time it was that hot on December 25 was in 1968.”
“Huge dust storm sweeps north-west Queensland as winds reach more than 100kph.
“The strongest wind gust was 109kph, recorded at The Monument near Urandangi. Ms Kirkup said the region could expect “a lot more dust storms this summer.””
“Tens of thousands are still without power the morning after a ‘mini-tornado’ ripped through Sydney suburbs killing a woman and injuring two as shocking photos show the storm’s trail of destruction.
“More than 25,000 homes remained without power on Monday morning after the storm ripped out power lines, tore homes apart, and blew a trampoline into the ocean.”
“Far North fire: Villagers will spend third night evacuated from swamp blaze [NZ]…
“On Tuesday morning, the fire was burning through a swamp, making fighting it difficult as machinery couldn’t get through the water, Carter said. Only helicopters were able to reach the flames.”
“El Paso [Texas] was “drought-proof.” Climate change is pushing its limits…
“Between January 2020 and August 2021, the southwest US endured a historic drought. Only about 17 inches of rain fell across the region; the 20-year average is 24 inches… “We’re really at the point now where we can start to see these climate-change signals in the real world.””
“The National Weather Service’s (NWS) storm prediction center has described the multiple tornadoes and thunderstorms that struck the Great Plains and upper midwest last week as the result of a rare event called a derecho…
“The December derecho is the first on record, as they are more likely to occur from May through August, and particularly during periods of high heat.”
“Hurricane-force winds that raked the U.S. Plains belt last week appeared to cause varying degrees of damage to a winter wheat crop that was already struggling with dry conditions, Kansas crop observers said.
“Young wheat plants were blown right out of the ground on the hardest-hit fields…”
“A new Tennessee 24-hour rainfall record was set on August 21, 2021 in McEwen, officials confirmed Monday.
“The State Climate Extremes Committee (SCEC) in coordination with the National Weather Service in Nashville and the Tennessee State Climate Office at ETSU confirmed that 20.73 inches of rain fell in 24 hours.”
“Exceptional temperature contrast again the Alpine areas [Europe]: 20th December while some areas of lowlands Italy are still freezing with mist, just above the fog and enhanced with fohn wind,the temperatures are rising abnormally:
“19.2C [66.6F] at Chiavenna (Lombardy) and 17.4C at Acquarossa (Switzerland).”
“Photos: In rare sight, snow falls across Alexandria [Egypt]…
“Social media users shared photos and videos of snow across Alexandria as Egypt endures a cold snap, with some commenting: “Is this Alexandria or Europe?” …The Meteorological Authority uploaded photos on Facebook pictures of snow from the streets of Alexandria…”
“Winter storm ‘Carmel’ wreaks havoc [on Israel] with heavy rains, wind…
“Israel’s most intense storm of the winter wreaked havoc across the country Monday, bringing down trees and electrical poles, sparking fires, bringing widespread flooding, and causing at least one deadly car crash.”
“At least 7 in 10 Somalis live below poverty line as drought rages.
“Nearly one in four people in Somalia are facing acute hunger as drought ravages the conflict-wracked country, following three seasons of poor rains and a fourth on the way, the United Nations warned Monday.”
“Jordan’s ‘serious’ water scarcity requires immediate action — US ambassador.
“The US takes Jordan’s water scarcity “so seriously” as it is a matter of survival for the country and has a direct impact on the country’s three largest industries: Tourism, mining and textiles, which, with no consistent access to water, become imperiled, US Ambassador in Amman Henry T. Wooster told media representatives on Sunday.”
“Himalayan glaciers are melting at an extraordinary rate, research finds.
“Glaciers in the Himalayas are melting at an “exceptional” rate, according to new research that shows the massive ice sheets in the region have shrunk 10 times faster in the past four decades than during the previous seven centuries.”
“It’s getting warmer and warmer in Greenland. The capital Nuuk reached +13c [55.4F]… average high is -3.5°C [25.7°F], followed by Paamiut with +11.1C. Incredible high minimum of +6.9C at Narsarsuaq.
“Today 12 stations in Greenland rose above +8C. These are conditions more typical of a summer day.”
“Climate change could mean some Arctic animals will be more vulnerable to disease spread by insects.
“… the changing climate could have a dramatic impact on the transmission of disease in Arctic wildlife — partly because many disease-causing pathogens are spread by insects, which tend to do better in warmer conditions…”
“Rewilding the Arctic with mammals likely to be ineffective in slowing climate change impact.
“… the research team concludes that [rewilding] would probably not transform the vegetation over large areas and so do little to curtail release of carbon from the Arctic permafrost.”
“Record Rainfall, Floods Across Globe Generate Billions in Economic Damages: Aon…
““The reality of heavier rainfall events and subsequent flooding continues to become more evident on a seemingly monthly basis as new examples of extreme events occur,” said Steve Bowen, managing director and head of Catastrophe Insight for Aon…”
You can read the previous ‘Climate’ thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an ‘Economic’ thread and again on Thursday with a ‘Climate’ thread.
That will probably be the last one before Christmas. I can feel the news-cycle already starting to slow down a little but if any huge stories break I will find time to post them.
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 means a lot.
“At least 12 people have died in flash floods caused by heavy rains overnight in northern and northeastern Iraq, Erbil mayor Nabz Abdulhamid told CNN Friday…
“Iraq has witnessed record-low rainfall this year, but officials have warned about sporadic heavy rainfall, due to climate change.”
“Half of the families living in drought-affected areas of Iraq need humanitarian food aid, the Norwegian Refugee Council said in a study released on Thursday… The NRC said 37 per cent of farmers growing wheat and 30 per cent of those planting barley saw their expected crop yields fall by at least 90 per cent.”
“Unprecedented drought pushes Iran’s southeast to brink.
“A new, grim estimate says Iran’s already underdeveloped Sistan-Baluchistan province will have to brace not only for a worsening water crisis but for ripple effects as well, including severe economic and social repercussions.”
“Typhoon Rai: at least 23 killed in strongest storm to hit Philippines this year.
“At least 23 people have been killed in the strongest typhoon to hit the Philippines this year, officials said, with “alarming” reports of destruction on islands that bore the brunt of the storm.”
“Pilbara could set new Australian temperature record as extreme heatwave grips northern WA.
“WA’s Pilbara region could be heading for an Australian temperature record this weekend as extreme heatwave conditions brew temperatures close to 50 degrees Celsius for some towns… The BOM says the 49.9C December temperature record could be broken.”
“Petorca, the Chilean town that is closing schools due to the drought…
“”It is the first time that we are facing such an extreme and extended measure in time,” says Quiroz. “The outlook is quite uncertain: we do not know if we are going to have water or not, but everything indicates that we will be like this until next year.””
“Brazil coffee crop down 24.4% in 2021 amid drought…
“Conab estimated the country’s arabica coffee crop, which was in an off year of its biennial production cycle, at 31.4 million bags, down 35.5% year-on-year.”
“Brazil wildfires killed an estimated 17 million animals.
“Amid the bleakness of 2020, scientists in Brazil concluded a particularly grim conservation study – attempting to count the animals killed by huge wildfires in the Pantanal wetlands. They estimate that as many as 17 million vertebrates – including reptiles, birds and primates – died.”
“‘Like a nightmare’: major rainstorm floods Santa Cruz homeless community… Devastating images and video captured by photojournalists in California have documented the toll an intense rainstorm – one of the most powerful to hit the state this year – took on a homeless community in the city of Santa Cruz this week.
“The damage caused by the downpour highlighted the risks that unhoused people face during increasingly extreme weather events.”
“‘Devastation’: One month after floods, Sumas [Washington] slow to return to normal.
“Roger De Bruin had a heart attack while rescuing people from the first round of flooding. He doesn’t expect to be in his home for another six to nine months.”
“The wild weather of this December in USA resulted in the first tornado ever recorded in the State of Minnesota in the month of December [at least two now confirmed].
“Evening/night temperatures in parts of NE USA and Southern Ontario, Canada were typical of a summer evening/night.”
“2 dead in Kansas wildfires fueled by windy, dry weather…
“Both men were killed in wildfires that erupted Wednesday in western and central Kansas, fueled by dry conditions and winds up to 90 mph (145 kph). The Kansas Forest Service said 625 square miles (1,620 square kilometers) burned in 11 counties in western Kansas…”
“Kentucky rain turns more tornado survivors out of their homes.
“…on Thursday rain soaked the state, with another downpour forecast for Friday into Saturday afternoon. As Jimmy Galbreath watched, water leaked steadily into his kitchen, finding paths opened by two trees that had smashed into his house during the tornado.”
“Cyclone Carmel is expected to batter Cyprus from late-night Saturday through Monday afternoon with heavy rain, powerful winds… The Civil Defence Department urged people to prepare their homes for extreme weather conditions and flooding.”
“‘All I can think about is the children’s future’: drought devastates Kenya…
“North-east Kenya is well used to spells of drought, but it is experiencing the worst in living memory. As the region’s short rainy season, which starts in October, draws to an end, parts of Wajir have only seen small showers and other areas have had no rain at all for more than a year.”
“Zimbabwe’s climate migration is a sign of what’s to come….
“Years of severe droughts have wiped out all Julius Mutero’s crops. He tried planting maize varieties that mature early, but even they didn’t survive… he watched helplessly as all seven of his cows died… He feels he has no choice but to abandon his home in search of water.”
“Cyclone Idai: Families not at peace with missing loved ones…
“Two years later, survivors of the catastrophe are still struggling to cope with the psychological trauma of dealing with the loss of their loved ones… “We have wounds that are not healing,” said Ishmael Tsangamidzi on the sidelines of a media tour organised by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists.”
“Climate Change Is Making Nights Warmer—and Crops May Never Be the Same…
“Higher night temperatures increase plant respiration rates, potentially reducing the amount of carbon available for filling out the grains, and thus reducing the overall mass of the food produced.”
“Multiple large heatwaves the size of Mongolia occurred at the same time nearly every day during the warm seasons of the 2010s across the Northern Hemisphere, according to a study led by Washington State University researchers.”
“Climate Change an ‘Emerging Threat’ to U.S. Financial Stability, Regulators Say…
“The Financial Stability Oversight Council, a group of top financial regulators led by the Treasury secretary, offered a grim assessment of how the fallout from rising temperatures could spread, hurting property values and saddling insurers, banks and pensions that are associated with the sector with heavy losses.”
“The extremity and duration of the early-summer heat wave in an area typically considered an escape from searing heat and its costly toll placed this firmly atop our list.”
“Chemical Air Pollution Morphs Into Something Even More Toxic, Study Shows.
“Remnants of industrial chemicals in the air can potentially transform into new substances more toxic and persistent than the original pollution, according to a global study published on Wednesday.”
“Conservations warn horseshoe crabs could go to extinct because their blood is being used in Covid vaccines and for drug testing: Up to 30% of the crustaceans have already been killed off in the US.
“Their bright blue blood …has immune cells, known as Limulus polyphemus (LAL), which are sensitive to toxic bacteria and can be used to test vaccines and drugs for dangerous bacterial toxins before products hit the market.”
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 means a lot.
“Historic wind storm slam central U.S., with tornadic storms in Iowa… Winds have gusted to 70 to 100-plus mph. Minnesota and northern Iowa could see their first December tornadoes on record as derecho barrels eastward…
““The Central U.S. has never seen a December storm like this,” tweeted Bill Karins, a meteorologist for MSNBC. “Multi-hazard, life-threatening weather today.”
“…All of this is occurring amid record-setting warmth in the central states, for the third time this month, helping to fuel the intensity of the extreme weather. Both Iowa [78F] and Wisconsin [72F] saw their warmest December weather on record Wednesday afternoon.”
“107 MPH Gust Recorded On Colorado Eastern Plains [Lamar], Almost Category 3 Hurricane Force Wind.
“High winds are slamming Colorado on Wednesday. The National Weather Service office in Pueblo recorded a 107 mph wind gust in Lamar shortly before 9 a.m.”
“Very strong winds spread fires in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Very strong winds in Kansas and the panhandles of Texas and Oklahoma caused wildfires to spread very rapidly Wednesday.”
“Oklahoma City sees warmest, driest December on record. On Wednesday, those conditions intensified the fire dangers. Some Oklahomans wonder if this trend will continue through the winter.”
“The monster tornado that destroyed the town of Mayfield, Kentucky., during last weekend’s deadly outbreak in the Midwest and Southeast may have traversed four states without ever lifting off the ground.”
“Desperate victims of Mayfield tornado burn the wreckage of their own home to stay warm as temperatures drop below freezing…
“The victims of last week’s Mayfield tornadoes, which killed at least 74 across Kentucky, have been left without heat, water or electricity as they burn what’s left of their homes to stay warm in frigid temperatures.”
“Prairie drought drives Canada’s canola, wheat production down more than 35%…
“On the Prairies, 99 per cent of agricultural land is still either “abnormally dry” or in a drought situation, according to the November report from the Canadian Drought Monitor. It’s a sign that climate change is having an immediate impact on Canada’s agriculture system…”
“Unprecedented transportation disruptions caused by floods in British Columbia have sent lumber prices soaring…
“Softwood lumber prices have doubled since mid-November after road and rail links across B.C., which accounts for 16% of North American supply, were washed out by record-breaking rainfall.”
“Rivers of mud flow from wildfire burn scar through California homes after powerful storm…
“Properties in the Silverado Canyon area of Orange County, south of Los Angeles, were inundated with dirt and debris. Mandatory evacuations were ordered along with nearby Williams and Modjeska canyons.”
“Storm wreaks havoc on Tijuana, kills 3, floods migrant camp.
“The Civil Defense Department within the city of Tijuana is reporting three people were killed in a powerful storm that hit the region on Tuesday… The intense rain also flooded a migrant campsite just south of the San Ysidro Port of Entry…”
“Colombia’s Indigenous nomads displaced by violence… Deforestation to make way for illegal drug crops and agriculture have threatened their way of life…
“Violence and illnesses inflicted first by settlers and later by armed groups forced the Nukak from their homes and into voluntary isolation decades ago…
“…turning them into displaced people living in poverty…”
“Barrage of droughts weakens Amazon’s capacity to bounce back, study finds.
“Severe droughts over the past two decades have affected the resilience of the Amazon Rainforest, a new study shows, with stretches of affected forest taking between one and three years to recover their usual growth rate.”
“Argentina is the world’s leading exporter of processed soybeans and the second-largest exporter of corn. Farmers are currently sowing soy and corn for the 2021/22 season. “We are facing a climatic scenario … that poses strong challenges to production,” the Buenos Aires exchange said…””
“Spanish regions are declared a catastrophic zone due to the floods.
“The President of the Spanish Government, Pedro Sánchez, announced this Tuesday that for next Friday the towns affected by the floods generated by the rising of the Ebro river, considered the largest in the European country, will be declared a catastrophic area.”
“300% more rain than usual [in the Spanish Balearics]…
“AEMET, the meteorology agency in Spain has reported that more than 300% the usual rainfall, fell over the Balearics in November. The weather station recoding the most was at the airport in Mahon at 259 litres per square metre, the highest since records began.”
Another wild hailstorm in South Africa: “Citizens of Amatole District residents have very little to cheer about this Christmas, as a devastating wind and hailstorm swept through most of the Amatole region this past Monday.
“The storm left a trail of destruction and devastation from Fort Beaufort right up to Dimbaza and Qonce.”
“Torrential rains accompanied by hailstorms pounded the Midlands capital, Gweru [Zimbabwe] on Tuesday and left a trail of destruction, including destruction of houses.
“Roofs were also blown off at Mtapa Police Station, while several other infrastructure in the city was destroyed.”
“Drought in Lake Chad Region Heightens Conflicts Between Herders And Farmers.
“A drop in the levels of rainfall around Lake Chad in Cameroon has caused waterways to dry up and worsened the conflict between farmers and herders over scarce resources. Anne Nzouankeu reports from Kousseri, on the border with Chad…” [Video]
Satellite images from NASA of disappearing Lake Tuz in Turkey.
“Lake Tuz was once the second-largest lake in Turkey. Flamingos flocked there to feed and nest. People visited to witness the lake’s seasonal color changes and to steep in the mineral rich water, mud, and salt. Now, the lake rarely spans an area much larger than a puddle…”
“A looming humanitarian catastrophe: Millions at risk as drought hits northeast Syria and Iraq.
“The Euphrates has seen historically low levels since the beginning of this year, culminating in a drought hitting Syria’s main agricultural region. The crisis has put more than 12 million people across Syria and Iraq at risk of losing access to water, food, and electricity…”
“The report by the national center for drought and crisis management considers this year to be one of the driest in the past 50 years. Reduction of precipitation, especially snowfall in the country has caused the level of snow cover not to be in a favorable condition compared to last year.”
“National monthly record of highest temperature tied today 14th December in the Republic of Comoros with 35.6C [96.1F], same value recorded in 1960 and 2016 and just 0.4C from the all time record set in November 2017 and 2019.”
“Mass evacuations as super Typhoon Rai slams into Philippines.
“Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes in the Philippines as “one of the world’s strongest storms” of the year made landfall in mid-eastern parts of the island nation.”
“Climate change is intensifying extremes, even in the oceans.
“…there has been little research into [this phenomenon, however]… a wake-up call came in 2011 in the form of a persistent marine heatwave off the west coast of Australia that destroyed the species-rich kelp forests there.”
“Marine heatwave closes Abrolhos Island scallop fishery [Western Australia].
“One of Australia’s most celebrated scallop fisheries, the Abrolhos Islands, will not open next season due to the impact of a marine heatwave that hit the WA coast earlier this year.”
“Australia forecast to have summer of extreme heatwaves and floods…
“The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast an extreme heatwave across northern Western Australia and the Top End in the next week, with severe conditions in Queensland and parts of New South Wales and South Australia.”
“Australia’s mouse plague legacy leaves levies damaged following heavy floods.
“Holes left by mice for tunnels and nests are causing levy banks to leak and sometimes fail following severe weather. In some instances, foxes have been following mice into the tunnels, creating larger holes and amplifying the problem.”
“Alarming population declination of the rare Antarctic South Georgia shag…
“The Signy population has declined by more than a third of its previous size and the Bird Island population has more than halved. South Georgia shags are colonially-nesting seabirds and construct large, pedestal-shaped nests on cliffs.”
“Global Warming Could Sink Mongolia’s “Permafrost Highway”…
“Many of these [infrastructure] problems are the consequence of changing weather conditions caused by climate change… In Khuvsgul province and other parts of the country, the rising global temperature is increasing the size and intensity of floods and melting the permafrost atop which the roads are built.”
“Melting permafrost in Russia’s Arctic regions could release ancient and potentially deadly viruses and bacteria, the government has warned.
“Nikolay Korchunov, a senior Russian diplomat who chairs the Arctic Council… has now established a ‘biosafety’ project to study the risks and possible effects posed by the reemergence of diseases which may have been frozen since at least the last ice age.”
“Ships traveling the thawing Arctic are leaving garbage in their wake, scientists warn.
“Following another year of stark climate impacts in the Arctic, scientists warned Tuesday of a new scourge hitting the region: marine trash… Scientists began noticing the trash bobbing in the icy water or piling up on Alaska Bering Strait-area beaches last year.”
“US study: Record highs, rain and beaver damage in the Arctic…
“The 16th straight health check for the northern polar region spotlighted the first ever rainfall at Greenland summit station, record warm temperatures between October and December 2020, and the new problem of expansion of beavers in the Arctic.”
“November 2021: Earth’s 4th-warmest November on record.
“November 2021 was Earth’s fourth-warmest November since global record-keeping began in 1880, 0.91 degree Celsius (1.64°F) above the 20th-century average…” [Not bad for a La Nina year].
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 means a lot.
“Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier ice shelf could collapse within five years… a large portion of the glacier is about to lose its tenuous grip on the seafloor, and that will dramatically speed up its seaward slide…
“…were the whole thing to fall into the ocean, it would raise sea levels by 65 centimeters, or more than two feet.”
“Antarctic sea ice extent instead isn’t going well: As of 12 December is well below average and below the interdeciles and interquartiles ranges. See maps and charts credit of NSIDC.”
“38C logged in Siberia last year confirmed as record temperature for Arctic…
“The WMO said the temperature, more befitting the Mediterranean than the poles, came during conditions which averaged as much as 10C above normal for much of the summer over Arctic Siberia.”
“Seawall planned for Utqiagvik will help protect the Arctic Alaska city from increasingly extreme storms…
““It’s a losing battle,”said Scott Evans, deputy director of Capital Improvement Program Management at the North Slope Borough. “Every day, we are one step closer to experiencing an event none of us want to. We’re basically rolling the dice.””
“Thanks to heat waves the lower 48 could see warmest December yet.
““It’s time to stop celebrating above normal winter temperatures. Every cold day we can squeeze out of our warming world keeps the planet liveable a little while longer,” said Brian, Brettschneider, a climatologist from Alaska.”
“FEMA chief says powerful storms ‘new normal’ in era of climate change in wake of Kentucky tornado…
“Speaking ahead of a visit to the worst-hit state of Kentucky, Deanne Criswell, the country’s top emergency official, said on Sunday that climate change is “the crisis of our generation”, adding that this year’s storms have been “unprecedented” in scale.”
“The deadly tornados that tore through Kentucky were so powerful that they blew residents’ personal belongings up to 130 miles away, and now people are reuniting devastated families who lost everything – family photos, a VFW card, checks and even pets – with pieces of their lives that turned up in unusual places.
“Midwesterners have taken to social media to locate the owners…”
“118 mph gust recorded in Wyoming; widespread highway closures persist…
“The high winds caused a structure at the Central Wyoming Fairgrounds to collapse on Sunday, leaving metal debris in the road, the Casper Police Department reported.”
“Southern Brazil continues to endure toughest soybean growing conditions.
“The weather forecast for South America is starting to sound like a broken record. Much of the same is expected across Brazil and Argentina as seen the past several weeks: drier across southern Brazil and growing regions of Argentina, but wetter across Central and Southeast Brazil.”
“Ten people have been killed in the floods that have hit Brazil.
“Authorities have said 10 people were killed and some others have gone missing in the floods that have been occurring for the last six days. Similarly, over 20,000 citizens have been displaced by the disasters.”
“Spain’s Zaragoza braces for floods as Ebro river set to break its banks.
“Aragón’s capital and Spain’s fifth most populous city is preparing for the Ebro river that runs through it to overflow on Tuesday, following floods in other parts of Spain in the past days that have claimed two lives.”
“December in Greece has already seen the breaking of two annual records for rainfall and snowfall, the National Observatory of Athens announced on Monday.
“By December 12, the annual rainfall reading at Theodoriana meteorological station, in the northwestern regional unit of Arta, reached 3,425 mm [134.8 inches], exceeding a 15-year record.”
“The driver of a car that was swept away by floods in northern Greece was found dead on Sunday after heavy storms pounded parts of the country on Saturday, causing flooding, police said.”
“Bulgaria: Disaster Situation in 3 Municipalities in Smolyan Region due to Torrential Rains.
“Three municipalities in Smolyan district are in a state of emergency due to cut roads due to rivers overflowing their banks. These are Rudozem, Nedelino and Borino.”
“Another area with an incredibly warm December has been the Black Sea/Caucasus area with frequent Tmaxes above 25C [77F] and even many tropical nights.
“On 12th December the Turkish Black Sea coastal town of Inebolu (Kastamonu province) rose to a summer like 27C [80.6F].”
I reported this hailstorm in the previous thread but it wasn’t clear at the time how lethal it had been: “Deadly hailstorm kills six in Eastern Cape village [South Africa]…
“The nation continues to endure extreme weather conditions and the past weekend saw the residents of Xhongorha and Sigubudwini, villages outside of Mthatha, devastated.”
“Small-holder farmers across [Zimbabwe] have been urged to concentrate on drought-resistant crops due to uncertainties emanating from climate change…
“Makombe said farmers should not rely on statistics and predictions about rains, but should deal with the situation on the ground to ensure food security.”
“Young female dairy farmer in Botswana strives to recover from drought… now worsened by climate change….
“”During the 2019 drought, I lost 85 percent of my dairy cows,” reveals Wright, the 32-year-old owner of a commercial farming business called Lopey Inc.”
“Killed by drought: The deadly toll on Kenyan giraffes captured in devastating photo.
“The photo shows six giraffes lying lifeless in the Sabuli Wildlife Conservancy in Wajir.
“The animals reportedly died after getting stuck in mud as they tried to drink from a nearby reservoir, which had almost dried up. The giraffes were weak from starvation and lack of water…”
“Glacier loss pushing India’s mountain region towards water insecurity.
“The area under snow cover in Himachal Pradesh in 2019-20 was 23,542 sq km, which dropped to 19,183 sq km in 2020-21, a decline of 18.52%… The shrinking of Indian glaciers will impact food and water availability for nearly 13% of the global population.”
“How Bangladesh’s poor are paying the costs of climate damage.
“As climate change disasters and losses surge around the world, the world’s poorest, who can least afford it, are paying the bulk of the costs, making them effectively the world’s “silent financiers” of climate losses and adaptation efforts, researchers say.”
“Shark Bay’s seagrass meadows could die in another major marine heatwave, scientists say…
“With the equivalent of around 400,000 hectares of seafloor colonised by seagrass, the seagrass banks of Shark Bay [Western Australia] are the largest in the world.”
“Tropical Cyclone Ruby has made landfall in New Caledonia – bringing heavy rain and destructive storm force winds that are also affecting New Zealand…
“..the next 36 hours could see some places receive up to 200mm [8 inches] of rainfall – particularly in the Bay of Plenty – and cause localised slips and flooding in both the North and South islands.”
“Killer heatwaves and floods: Climate change worsened 2021 weather extremes.
“Extreme weather events in 2021 shattered records around the globe. Hundreds died in storms and heatwaves. Farmers struggled with drought, and in some cases with locust plagues. Wildfires set new records for carbon emissions, while swallowing forests, towns and homes.”
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 means a lot.
“‘This should all be ice’: the Arctic melt leaving Inuit without food… “This should all be ice,” sighs Ted Irniq, an Inuit outfitter and hunter, gesturing out over Frobisher Bay, Iquluit’s main route to the outside world. Instead, water laps at the shore…
“Beyond the bay lie seal, caribou and polar bear hunting grounds. They have sustained Inuit life in this harsh climate for millennia but have been inaccessible all year. “It’s absolutely scary,” Irniq says.”
“Ocean ‘heatwaves’ are becoming increasingly common even in the frigid Arctic, where these events are more extreme, and possibly more damaging, than those in warmer seas farther south.”
“Fire hastens permafrost collapse in Arctic Alaska.
“While climate change is the primary driver of permafrost degradation in Arctic Alaska, a new analysis of 70 years of data reveals that tundra fires are accelerating that decline, contributing disproportionately to a phenomenon known as “thermokarst,” the abrupt collapse of ice-rich permafrost as a result of thawing.”
“Unusually strong polar vortex brings brutal sub-zero cold to Siberia, Scandinavia and Alaska… Deep freeze in high latitudes has occurred amid record-breaking warmth in parts farther south…
“Historically frigid weather, tens of degrees below zero, has invaded northeast Russia, Scandinavia, Alaska and northern Canada in recent weeks.”
“Record warmth surging through Lower 48 states in two waves.
“As we close in on the official start of winter Dec. 21, there’s little cold to be found across the Lower 48. The first of two surges of warmth has set records across Texas and parts of the South already. Dozens more records are possible Friday and Saturday…”
““Driest November in 90 years”; Over half of North Carolina in ‘severe drought’ as of latest report.
“The latest drought monitor data was released for the state of North Carolina on Thursday and it shows nearly 99% of the state under drought conditions, with half the state in a ‘Severe Drought.’”
“Massive tornadoes across have smashed through parts of Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee…
“In Illinois, an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville has partially collapsed, trapping people inside. In Kentucky, the town of Mayfield has been devastated…”
“Denver finally got its first snowfall of the season on Friday, shattering an 87-year-old record for the city’s latest first snow.
“It wasn’t much: The official measurement at the Denver International Airport was three-tenths of an inch (0.8 centimeters), according to Jim Kalina, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Boulder.”
“4 years ago [Monclova, Mexico] it snowed… and now a heat wave…
“In the middle of December, the municipalities of the Central Region of the State register maximum temperatures of 35 degrees Celsius[95F], despite the fact that on the same date, 4 years ago, a spectacular snowfall was registered in Monclova.”
“More than a hundred homes were burned by a forest fire that spread to the town of Castro on the tourist island of Chiloe, off southern Chile, local officials said on Friday…
“The Chiloe archipelago is located about 1,000 km (600 miles) south of the capital city, Santiago.”
“Floods in southern Bahia [Brazil] leave victims and submerged houses; government decrees emergency. Twenty-four cities in Bahia are in an emergency situation…
“According to the decree, all state agencies must mobilize to support actions to help cities. The decree is valid for 90 days and was published this Friday in the State Official Gazette.”
“Deadly flooding drenches northern Spain… Severe flooding in Spain’s Navarre region submerged cars and houses and killed at least one person on Friday, as heavy rains from storm Barra caused rivers to burst their banks.
“Police said one person in the small village of Sunbilla died on Friday afternoon after a landslide caved in their roof…”
“Rainstorms and hailstorms swept central and southern Italy Thursday as the ‘Immaculate Storm’… continued to pelt the country with wintry weather.
“Heavy hail left streets covered in a white layer in Naples, Rome, and other cities. Torrential rain turned streets into rivers in and around Caserta north of Naples.”
“Heavy storms in Mthatha [Eastern Cape, South Africa] leaves hundreds homeless.
“Heavy ruthless hailstorm terrorizing the community of Sigubudwini and Xhongorha. Scores of homes collapsed to the ground, while the rooftops are ripped off. Hundreds of people were left homeless, one reported dead and scores taken to Nelson Mandela Academic Hospital.”
“This December hasn’t seen anything resembling a winter in the Black Sea and the mild weather will continue at least until mid month. On 10th December the temperature rose again above 25C [77F] at Bartin in Turkey with fohn.
“Expect more warmth moving towards Georgia and Caucasus again.”
“Tornadoes increasingly common in Turkey amid climate crisis.
“Once an unusual weather phenomenon for the country, tornadoes are becoming increasingly common in Turkey. For experts, it is related to worsening fallout from the global climate crisis, which is also behind a string of weather-related disasters across the country.”
“Thousands of families across Iraq continue to be displaced from their homes due to drought, tracking updates on climate-induced displacement released on Thursday show, painting a stark picture of the increasingly dire consequences of climate breakdown.”
“The trend of deforestation in Iran is worrisome, Ali Banagar, head of the forestry scientific association affiliated to the Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands, has said.
“…he said that drought, floods, extreme heat, and cold, sand, and dust storms, as well as climate change, are natural causes of deforestation and reduce the quality of forests.”
“The number of cyclones and stations reporting very heavy and extremely heavy rainfall events have increased ..over North Indian Ocean (Bay of Bengal and Arabian Sea) during the period from 1891 to 2020 indicates that the frequency of “very severe cyclonic storms” has increased in the last few years over the Arabian Sea.”
“Shenzhen [China] faces historical drought with daily water shortage of 1 million cubic meters.
“Shenzhen, China’s first special economic zone in South China’s Guangdong Province, is facing the severest drought since the city was established, local authorities said on Thursday.”
“Heavy winds and flooding hit Indonesia between December 7th and 9th, 2021. Waves up to 5 meters high hit the coastal city of Manado, in North Sulawesi…
“Elsewhere, continued heavy rain caused flooding in areas across Indonesia, including Sabang. Houses were flooded and walls destroyed, forcing residents to leave their homes.”
“Severe storms hit south-east Queensland after floods claim lives of two women…
“Over 350,000 lightning strikes were recorded overnight, during a severe storm that hit Brisbane and surrounding regions. The nearby town of Samford received 61mm [2.4 inches] in just one hour.”
“Frosts, heatwaves and wildfires: the climate crisis is hitting the wine industry hard…
“Grapes are among the most sensitive crops to climate changes…. Premium grapes for high end wine, in particular, flourish in a very narrow range of weather conditions.”
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 means a lot.
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“The climate crisis took a catastrophic toll across the globe in 2021. From the Arctic to Louisiana and to China’s Henan province, signs that climate change is already altering our weather were everywhere.
“In the Arctic, Sami Reindeer Herders Face Climate Disaster…
“It’s not only Greenland, but also the Arctic Canada with unusually high temperatures.
“10 Record-Breaking Moments [US] That Blew Our Meteorologists’ Minds in 2021.
“U.S. tornadoes push insurers 2021 bill over $105 bln as climate change impact grows.
“Tornado touches down in Florida two weeks after deadly Kentucky, midwest tornadoes.
“Cities throughout the Southeast and south-central US may experience record heat over the Christmas holiday, according to AccuWeather, including Dallas, Houston and New Orleans.
“Drought-stricken Las Vegas proposes grass ban for new homes.
“California Sees Wettest Start to Water Year in 40 Years, Still Not Enough to Cure Concerns Over Drought.
“Some parts of the West Coast could see a white Christmas after all, as heavy snow is predicted for areas with higher elevation in the region that could pile up as high as 10 feet.
“It could be the coldest Christmas in recorded history for Vancouver.
“With 13 years of consecutive drought, summer has arrived [in Chile]: The outlook “is not very encouraging”.
“Withering Crops Highlight La Nina Fears for Brazil Soy Farmers.
“Brazil: Deforestation in protected areas up 79% under Bolsonaro.
“The floods last week in Navarra [Spain] were preceded by the most extreme rain episode in 50 years…
“A sand tornado and storm, caused by strong winds, swept through parts of the Northern Cape [South Africa] on Tuesday and Wednesday, and it looked like a scene out of a Mad Max movie…
“A freak hailstorm left a trail of destruction when it battered Pietermaritzburg [Kwa-Zulu, South Africa] yesterday afternoon.
“‘Heading into the worst’: How drought drives conflict in Kenya…
“Tents of at least 2,000 Syrians flooded by heavy rains in Idlib.
“Record warm spell in Central Asia, especially in Turkmenistan where the temperature rose to just a notch below 30C [86F]:
“Changing climate parches Afghanistan, exacerbating poverty.
“Climate crisis has cost India 5 million hectares of crop in 2021.
“One dead, dozens missing after landslide at Myanmar jade mine…
“Death toll from Malaysia’s worst flooding in century rises to 37…
“Jakarta braces for floods as extreme weather strikes region…
“Deaths from dehydration in Philippines amid water, food shortages.
“Philippine surfing paradise Siargao wiped out by typhoon just as tourists return.
“A fire weather warning has been issued for parts of WA as residents across the State brace for a record-breaking festive season heatwave — and a potential tropical cyclone.
“No mountain high enough: study finds plastic in ‘clean’ air.
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Another wild hailstorm in South Africa:
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Satellite images from NASA of disappearing Lake Tuz in Turkey.
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I reported this hailstorm in the previous thread but it wasn’t clear at the time how lethal it had been
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