“Venezuela Bids Farewell to Last Glacier, Wrapped in Plastic…
““A couple of dying hectares is all that remains of the nearly 1,000 hectares of glaciers that Venezuela had in the Sierra Nevada de Mérida at the beginning of the 20th century. They are the first victims of global warming.” — Julio César Centeno.”
“‘Worst Natural Disaster’: State of Emergency Declared After Heavy Rain in Northern Argentina.
“A state of emergency was declared in northern Argentinian city of Corrientes after more than 300 mm [12 inches] of rain fell on Sunday, March 3, in what local officials described as “the worst natural disaster” to hit the city.”
“Flooded houses, floating cars and desperate neighbors after intense rain in a few minutes in Montevideo [Uruguay].
“A storm that raged over the weekend for an hour in Montevideo caused between 45 and 60 millimeters of water to fall in the Uruguayan capital. The intensity of the rain generated heavy flooding in the city, which recorded unusual images with the streets overflowing and cars and containers floating.”
“New lawsuit blames fallen power pole for starting Smokehouse Creek Fire; state investigation continues [Texas].
“Melanie McQuiddy filed the lawsuit late Friday against Xcel Energy; its subsidiary Southwestern Public Service Company; and Osmose Utilities Services, a contractor headquartered in Georgia that inspects wood utility poles.”
“Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recovery.
“Growth in homeowners insurance rates here outpaced the rest of the nation last year, straining Texans’ ability to pay. In Texas, those without insurance are also more likely to be those who have a harder time recovering from disaster…”
“‘Tumblemageddon’: thousands of tumbleweeds roll into Utah towns.
“Towns in Utah have been inundated with tumbleweeds that have blocked roads, surrounded houses and buried cars after a strong storm… The weeds formed piles up to three metres high (10 feet), in some places. Similar scenes unfolded in Eagle Mountain, further to the south.”
“Here’s a wild stat: An astonishing 23% of the Contiguous U.S. was at least 5°F above normal for the entire Meteorological Winter 2023-2024. Only 1% was below normal.”
“Minneapolis soars to 74 degrees as more record warm air swarms Midwest…
“Multiple locations from Kansas to Michigan witnessed their warmest day so early in the calendar year on Sunday as highs soared into the 70s and 80s. Minneapolis hit 74 degrees, which is a typical high over Memorial Day weekend.”
“North America’s Great Lakes, Earth’s largest freshwater store, record ‘historically low’ ice levels…
““As of February 11, total ice coverage across all lakes measured a mere 2.7 per cent. Lakes Erie and Ontario are basically at—or tied with—their respective historic lows for this time of year, making both essentially ice-free,” a note on the website of the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) dated March 1, stated.”
“The North Atlantic Ocean reached 365 days of continuous record high temperatures!
“Thank you to the journalists who have accurately reported on this! E.g: Scientists warn Earth warming faster than expected — due to reduction in ship pollution.” [Leon Simons]
“The 171st February is now in the books in NOAA’s ERSST database… in the North Atlantic, it was significantly warmer than any other February, warmer than any other March, and even warmer than all-but-three recent Aprils.” [Brian McNoldy]
“Record-Smashing Heat in the World’s Oceans, Explained…
“What’s next for ocean temperatures? If ocean surface temperatures remain as high as they are now, accelerated atmospheric warming is possible, according to Joel Hirschi, associate head of marine systems modeling at the UK’s National Oceanography Centre.”
“Climate Change and Military Power: Hunting for Submarines in the Warming Ocean…
“Through ocean-acoustic simulations, we estimate the effect of climate change on the detection range of enemy submarines in the North Atlantic and in the Western Pacific. Our results show that, in most areas, the range of detection through underwater acoustics is contracting due to climate change.”
“Seaweed ‘spreading across Arctic Ocean due to climate change’, according to new research.
“Scientists say that global warming is having a divisive effect in the Arctic Ocean with species such as seaweed boosted by the extra sunlight while other marine life suffers from the additional exposure.”
“Wettest February on record leads to poor month for retail [UK].
“February’s poor weather particularly impacted non-food sales, which fell 2.5 per cent over the previous three months. This compared to an increase of 8.1 per cent the year before. Toy sales were one of the few areas to get an increase as parents tried to keep their kids occupied inside.”
“Towns in Germany evacuated and dykes reinforced after heavy rain triggers flooding.
“Rivers and streams overflowed when fresh downpours fell on already-soaked ground in the north and east of the country. Firefighters and volunteers have reinforced dykes against the rising floodwaters.”
“Extreme weather in Italy and France brings avalanches, floods and landslides…
“Thunderstorms and winds of more than 60mph (100km/h) triggered landslides in the Liguria region on Italy’s north-west coast. A tornado struck off the port city of Savona, and waves of more than four metres were recorded in Capo Mele.”
“Some places in Europe didn’t just record their warmest February on record…. They went on to beat their warmest MARCH temperature levels… Wiener Neustadt in the east of Austria was so warm that temperature of February 2024 exceeded the warmest MARCH record (data here since 1949).”
“This yearʼs winter became the third in the ranking of the warmest winters in Kyiv since 1881. The average air temperature during the winter was 0.3 °C, which is 2.8 °C higher than the climatic norm…
“Due to much warmer than usual weather, the meteorological spring arrived earlier than the calendar dates — on January 24.”
“A rare “fire tornado” ripped through a village in Far East Russia’s Primorye region over the weekend, media reported on Monday, as unseasonably warm weather, dry grass and strong winds continued to feed wildfires throughout the region.
“Video shared on social media showed the whirlwind of black smoke approaching a building…”
“World’s largest soda lake in Turkey shrinks due to drought, extreme evaporation.
“The water level in Lake Van, the world’s largest soda lake, has been dramatically decreasing due to reduced rainfall and increased evaporation. This decline has been adversely impacting all ports surrounding the lake, affecting the local economy.”
“Greece has recorded the hottest winter on record, raising fears of another summer of devastating wildfires.
“From December to February, the average peak temperature was 11.3 degrees Celsius (52.3 Farenheit), 1.8 degrees above the average top winter temperatures from 1960-2024, soaring as much as 7-8 degrees higher in some parts of northern Greece…”
“A tourist hotspot that set a record for heat in Europe has declared a state of emergency.
“The Italian island of Sicily is grappling with severe drought after a lack of winter rainfall, with inhabitants having to stock up on drinking water. The island, which set a European heat record in 2021 at 48.8 degrees Celsius (119 degrees Fahrenheit), has declared a state of emergency.”
“Spain braces for wildfires as beef farmers battle red tape…
“Last spring, in an unprecedented conflagration there, nearly 300 wildfires leapt across motorways, forcing the evacuation of hundreds of residents and reaching the edge of regional capital Oviedo. The authorities blamed many of the fires on farmers.”
“Morocco Will Need More Wheat Imports as Another Drought Looms.
“The North African country — often cited among the most vulnerable to climate change in the Mediterranean basin — suffered from a lack of rain during autumn, according to Comader Chairman Rachid Benali. The wheat crop will be “a lot less” than last year’s 4 million tons…”
“Scores of smallholding subsistence farmers face miles of withering crop fields in many parts of sub-Saharan Africa. Government subsidies can help only so much as solutions prove slow to implement.”
“Records all over, every day… These are the most extreme days in world climatic history: Record heat in the Republic of Congo: 38.5C [101.3F] at Impfondo tied its monthly record.
“Thousands of records have fallen in just 3 days all over the tropics. And it’s nothing to what it’s coming.”
“March just started but hundreds of records are falling all over the tropics in all Continents: In KENYA Today Mombasa with a min of 27.6C [81.7F] had its warmest night on record.
“Malindi was even hotter: minimum temperature of 28.0C.”
“Despite Gaza tensions, Jordan asks Israel to extend water deal by a year…
“Israel’s energy ministry is reportedly considering not to extend the agreement over Amman’s repeated denunciation of Israel due to the war on Gaza. In return for extending the deal, Israel had reportedly asked Jordan to tone down criticism of Israel and incitement against it from Jordanian officials.”
“Dozens killed, hundreds stranded as rain and landslides paralyse parts of country… [Pakistan]
“According to the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, the death toll from torrential rain and snowfall in KP reached 35 today. Besides, 43 people sustained injuries in separate rain-related incidents.”
“Record of hottest March day in the Lankan port of Habantota today with 36.0C [96.8F].
“Previous record was 35.3C set on 23 March 1902 (122 years ago). Habantota had already broken the February record and the previous was also set in 1902. Curious things happen in climatology…”
“Why is Bengaluru [India] staring at a severe water shortage?
“Households in Bengaluru, dependent on water supply from the Cauvery river or water tankers, are preparing for the situation to worsen as the city stares at a severe summer… K.C. Deepika and K.V. Aditya Bharadwaj report on the worries of the people at a time of drought.”
“Winter drought threatens livelihoods in Himalayas amid lack of snow.
“This winter, the Himalayan region on the Indian side experienced record high temperatures and an unprecedented drought… Meteorologists say temperatures in recent months have been up to eight degrees above normal.”
“Forest fires rage in several northern provinces [Thailand] as air quality deteriorates.
“Forest fires are still raging in Thailand’s northern provinces, sending thick smoke into the atmosphere, as Forest Department and Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation firefighters try to control them.”
“Japan expert calls 2nd warmest winter on record ‘quite abnormal’.
“The Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) announced that the average temperature this winter, between December 2023 and February 2024, was 1.27 degrees Celsius higher than normal, the second warmest on record since statistics began in 1898, following the 2020 season…”
“Exclusive: EU wants fossil fuel sector to help pay to combat climate change, draft shows…
“This year’s U.N. climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November, are the deadline for countries to agree a new goal of how much wealthy, industrialised nations should pay poorer ones to adjust to the most severe impacts of a hotter world.”
“Fury after Exxon chief says public to blame for climate failures…
““The dirty secret nobody talks about is how much all this is going to cost and who’s willing to pay for it,” he told Fortune last week. “The people who are generating those emissions need to be aware of and pay the price for generating those emissions. That is ultimately how you solve the problem.””
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!
“At least 2 dead as largest wildfire in state history tears through Texas Panhandle: ‘Utter devastation’… The Smokehouse Creek Fire is now the largest blaze in Texas history.
“An estimated 400 to 500 structures have been destroyed amid the fires, according to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who described the “utter devastation” in the Panhandle region.”
“Buffett sounds wildfire alarm as utilities industry enters new era…
“Utilities have long been dependable motors of Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate… But the billionaire is now casting doubt on the business… “Berkshire can sustain financial surprises but we will not knowingly throw good money after bad,” Buffett wrote in his annual letter to shareholders last week.”
“US spends billions on roads rather than public transport in ‘climate time bomb’…
“Since the passage of the enormous $1.2tn bipartisan infrastructure law in 2021, hailed by Biden as a generational effort to upgrade the US’s crumbling bridges, roads, ports and public transit, money has overwhelmingly poured into the maintenance and widening of roads…”
“This Winter Was the Warmest on Record for US Lower 48, AccuWeather Says.
“The contiguous US just experienced its warmest winter on record, a development fueled by climate change and El Niño, according to commercial forecaster AccuWeather Inc.”
“‘Devastating’ floods leads to evacuations, street closures in Sussex, New Brunswick [NE Canada].
“Streets are closed and some residents have been evacuated from their homes in the New Brunswick town of Sussex on Thursday, as heavy rains have led to significant flooding in the area… about 190 millimetres [7.5 inches] of rainfall was measured at the Town’s Works Garage on Leonard Drive.”
“Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: ‘Much more widespread than we thought’…
“A young researcher from the University of Copenhagen has discovered high concentrations of the powerful greenhouse gas in meltwater from three Canadian mountain glaciers, where it was not thought to exist—adding new unknowns to the understanding of methane emissions from Earth’s glaciated regions.”
“Svalbard seed vault welcomes baobab, hairy eggplant and African rice…
“Nine depositors – from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cameroon, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, and Zambia – are sending their seeds for safekeeping for the first time. Some more popular crops deposited this time are beans, barley, cowpea, maize, rice, millet, and sorghum.”
“North Sami, a language spoken in the Arctic, has more than 300 words for snow and a special word for “frightened reindeer”. Can it survive in a warmer world? …Pieski says one endangered Sami word is jiekŋaguolli. It refers to salmon in the spring, immediately after the ice on the river breaks up. According to him, there’s no need to use that word anymore.”
“British farmers are facing thousands in costs as areas of England saw record levels of rain and warm temperatures for February.
“Last month was the warmest February on record for England and Wales, as well as the wettest on record for southern England, according to provisional figures from the Met Office.”
“34 Injured in Catastrophic 15-Vehicle M23 Pile-Up Amid Hailstorm Near Gatwick [UK]…
“Roger Williams, a driver caught in the incident, described the crash site as the “worst pile-up” he had witnessed, highlighting the dangerous road conditions caused by the weather. The stormy conditions reportedly made the highway akin to an ‘ice rink,’ exacerbating the severity of the crash.”
“Landslides and torrential rain have prompted the mayor of one beautiful French city to ask the government to declare a state of emergency.
“Nice mayor, Christian Estrosi, has written to France’s minister of the interior, Gerald Darmanin, asking for the status following heavy rain which caused damage to buildings and roads in some of the city’s districts.”
“The average monthly temperature of 6.5°C was the warmest since records began to be logged at the Météolux observation station in Findel in 1947, the agency said in a report. The previous highest average temperature for February was 5.9°C in 1990.”
“‘It makes me so sad’: church re-emerges from reservoir as Spain faces droughts…
“Struck by a drought that has dried the reservoir to 1% of its capacity, the remains of the village [Sant Romà de Sau] have come back into view. Crumbling stone structures now sit on cracked soil among ashen plants.”
“Warmest February ends record breaking winter [Gibraltar]…
“Last month was the warmest February on record, bringing an end to a record-breaking winter in terms of high temperatures, the Gibraltar Met Office has confirmed. The Met Office described how the continuous warm days and mild nights have resulted in February 2024 being, on average, the warmest February on record…”
“Tunisia Raises Drinking Water Prices by Up to 16% due to Drought.
“After years of drought, average rainfall has increased in recent months but government officials said this week that Tunisian dams have only reached 35% of their stock capacity. The North African country last year imposed a quota system for drinking water and a ban on its use in agriculture.”
“ABSOLUTELY INSANE EVENT IN AFRICA. Thousands of records brutalized every day from North to South for weeks.
“Exceptional records: 44.6C [112.3F] in CHAD at Bokoro; 44.5C Am Timam, 43.9C Ndjamena, 43.5C in CAMEROON. RECORDS HIGH MINIMUMS. 30.0C Mango and Dapaon TOGO. Unprecedented.”
“Given the 3 hours gap in Chad data, the sparsely populated area and no data because the war in SUDAN, we can easily state today it’s the hottest winter day ever recorded anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
“Sadly, the hottest spots >45C [113F] are in war zones.”
“After Eldoret, Mombasa and Malindi, today Garissa (just south of the equator) had its hottest night in its climatic history for any month with a minimum temperature of 27.9C [82.2F].”
“Kenya’s had unusually hot weather – an expert unpacks what could be causing it…
“…because of climate change, average global temperatures are rising. The temperatures last year were the highest on record. So the relatively high temperatures that we normally experience during this season (December-January-February) may be considerably higher.”
“Zambia declares national emergency as drought devastates food and electricity supply…
“Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema declared the country’s debilitating drought a national disaster and emergency on Thursday. He said it has devastated food production and electricity generation as the nation battles to recover from a recent deadly cholera outbreak.”
“Water Starved Megapolis Mumbai Plans $500 Million Purifier.
“India’s financial hub Mumbai will build a new 41.2 billion rupee (about $500 million) treatment plant… Most of India’s big cities face water shortage and resort to supply cuts, especially during the summer months… Unprecedented heat waves may further exacerbate the shortages.”
“Heavy snow kills nine in Afghanistan as extreme weather blocks key highways.
“The extreme weather destroyed residential houses and livestock… Several highways have been hit by snowfall and storms, resulting in blockades of traffic movement until cleared… Afghanistan is also reeling from a mass deportation drive from Pakistan in October and November last year…”
“Over 2 million livestock dead due to extreme weather [Mongolia]…
“The United Nations has highlighted the gravity of this year’s ‘dzud’ (a slow-onset disaster, resulting in gradual livestock mortality over time due to a prolonged combination of malnutrition and cold stress), a phenomenon resulting in massive livestock losses, with 70% of the country currently experiencing these conditions…”
“Endless heat all over THAILAND: 40C [104F] again. Records beaten from North to South.
“38.8 Lamphun; 38.5 Mae Hong Son. Incredible Phuket 38.4 again, almost every single day of the month it got above the previous record. Thailand has pulverized thousands of records non-stop in the past 11 months.”
“Australia sweats through third-hottest summer on record with hot and dry autumn predicted…
“Mean temperatures, which average out daytime and night-time readings, were 1.62C above the bureau’s 1961-1990 yardstick. Only the 2018-19 and 2019-20 summers were warmer, meaning Australia’s three hottest seasons have occurred in the past six years.”
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT OCEANIA-AUSTRALIA. TUVALU Hottest March night in history with Tmin 29.2C [84.6F] at Funafutu.
“AUSTRALIA Dozens of records of high Tmins + March record of Tmax at Lord Howe Island (see below); INDONESIA High Tmin records destroyed including 27.5C Semarang.”
“Aerial surveys of Great Barrier Reef ordered as flights show extensive coral bleaching.
“The Great Barrier Reef’s management authority is preparing to carry out aerial surveys across the entire length of the marine park after helicopter flights confirmed extensive coral bleaching across the southern section of the world’s biggest coral reef.”
“RECORD – PARAGUAY just broke its national record of its highest temperature in March with 43.3C [update 43.5C] at Nueva Asuncion.
“March has just started and hundreds of records are falling all over the world from Oceania to Asia to Africa to South America. It’s nothing to what it’s coming.”
“Amazon savannization and climate change are projected to increase dry season length and temperature extremes over Brazil…
“The combined effects of land use change and global warming resulted in a mean annual rainfall reduction of 44% and a dry season length increase of 69%, when averaged over the Amazon basin, relative to the control run.”
“Several streams overflowed, causing muddy water to flow down streets and flood homes. According to local media, the storm has left communities isolated and crops destroyed… more than fifty families lost their homes.”
“The mayor of Cobija, a city in the north of Bolivia, has declared the area a disaster zone because of heavy rain.
“Local authorities say thousands of people have been displaced with homes and businesses damaged in the flooding. It comes following days of torrential downpours. As of Wednesday, rains in Bolivia had left 42 people dead and affected 31,000 families, according to the country’s Civil Defence.”
“The world likely notched its warmest February on record, as spring-like conditions caused flowers to bloom early from Japan to Mexico, left ski slopes bald of snow in Europe and pushed temperatures to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) in Texas.
“While data has not been finalised, three scientists told Reuters that February is on track to have the highest global average temperature ever recorded for that month…”
“The current climate event known as El Niño is likely to supercharge global heating and deliver record-breaking temperatures from the Amazon to Alaska in 2024, analysis has found.
“Coastal areas of India by the Bay of Bengal and by the South China Sea, as well as the Philippines and the Caribbean, are also likely to experience unprecedented heat in the period to June…”
“We need to learn to live in this +1.5°C climate. And prepare for a lot more warming in the pipeline.
“Because after decades of warnings, the only emissions that are being reduced are those that were hiding much of the warming. Monthly Temperature anomalies from pre-industrial [in graph]”
“U.N. delegates on Thursday withdrew a motion calling for more research into technologies that aim to fight climate change by reflecting the sun’s rays back into space, amid concerns about health and environmental risks.”
“Climate change: Scientists explore ‘injecting ice’ to reduce water vapor and cool Earth…
“According to a study published in Science Advances, researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA plan to inject ice high up in the air so that water vapour in the upper atmosphere would get a bit drier and that could counteract a small amount of the human-caused warmth.”
“Why The Insurance Industry Must Wake Up To The Harsh Reality Of Climate Change…
“….the financial consequences of the physical risks of climate change remain underestimated within the system. This is partly because they fall within the unspoken assumptions of how individual financial actors will behave in a catastrophe. For example, banks consider physical sources of risk to be insurable and make the assumption that insurance companies will cover the losses when they materialise.”
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!
“One of the world’s biggest cities [Mexico City] may be just months away from running out of water.
“Alejandro Gomez has been without proper running water for more than three months. Sometimes it comes on for an hour or two, but only a small trickle, barely enough to fill a couple of buckets. Then nothing for many days.”
“The last sugar mill in Texas shuts down because of ongoing water issues with Mexico…
““For over 30 years, farmers in South Texas have been battling with Mexico’s failure to comply with the provisions of the 1944 Water Treaty between the U.S. and Mexico,” the company said in a statement.”
“Climate change is throwing the water cycle into chaos across the U.S…
“In 2023, extreme precipitation, likely supercharged by climate change, hammered nearly every corner of the United States. For every degree of warming in Fahrenheit, the atmosphere can hold about 3%-4% more moisture.”
“Soaring temperatures could shatter over 300 records to close out February [US]…
“An unseasonable warmup continues to spread throughout most of the U.S. this week, with high temperatures from Texas to the Midwest feeling more like May than the end of meteorological winter.”
“65 degrees: Monday is warmest February day on record in the Twin Cities.
“Monday is now the warmest February day on record in the Twin Cities. The temperature hit 65 degrees at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport Monday afternoon at about 4:30 p.m. The previous record is 64 degrees set way back in 1896.”
“Emergency declared in two Nebraska counties due to large wildfire…
“According to a release from the Nebraska Emergency Management Agency on Monday evening, local officials declared the emergency and requested state assistance. Multiple evacuations were ordered throughout the day and numerous roads remain closed in the counties.”
“Fruit and grain farmers are braced for a bad summer [Canada]…
“From Thunder Bay, Ont., to Vancouver, B.C., much of Western Canada is suffering a drought and many regions are seeing lower-than-normal precipitation. Extreme temperature swings have also hit some areas hard…”
“I hope I got this wrong, but it seems that the AMOC is already reaching close to the -0.75 PW reduction in heat transported Northward associated with its tipping point (dashed black line)!”
“UK on track for wettest February on record with Met Office forecasting more downpours and temperature drop…
“It’s been a washout for much of the country so far the month, with flooding and flood warnings across England and Wales. More than 120mm of rain had reportedly fallen on the UK in the first quarter of February already.”
“Rare dragonfly spreads its wings from Norfolk and Suffolk.
“A once-rare type of dragonfly may have been aided by climate change, the Broads Authority has said. The Norfolk Hawker went extinct from the Cambridgeshire Fens in 1893 and, prior to 2013, its breeding sites were in the east of Norfolk and Suffolk.”
“Climate change may cause crisis amid important insect populations, researchers say…
“Scientists estimate that 40% of insect species are in decline, and a third are endangered. Habitat loss, the use of pesticides and climate change are threatening insects of all shapes and sizes, including the not-so-glamorous dung beetle.”
“Spring already? February 2024 will be the warmest on record [Netherlands]…
“The average temperature at the Bilt weather station near Hilversum, where weather records are set, will be between 8.1° and 8.3° this month, NOS weather forecasters say, and that is twice the average temperature in a “normal” February.”
“Public transport workers join climate activists for week of strikes across Germany…
“One of Europe’s largest trade unions, Verdi, which represents the majority of public transport workers in Germany, is collaborating with the youth-led Fridays for Future in what the organisations themselves admit is an unusual partnership, but one born out of recognition of their overlapping goals.”
“Europe’s ski resorts facing halt amid potentially hottest February ever…
“Stark images from resorts in the likes of France, Austria and Bosnia show huge swathes of mountains almost entirely bare. It’s a striking contrast to how they usually look in mid-to-late February – typically the peak season for winter sports.”
“In Belgrade Tmax 20.5°C, it will remain warm by the end of month. It seems likely that Belgrade will have record warmest February and winter since 1888. This February will be first winter month with double digit mean temperature in Belgrade.”
“Record again in BELARUS and UKRAINE. Pinsk had a MIN. temperature of +8.4C [47.1F] beating again the February highest min.
“Vilnius LITHUANIA min 6.2C, tomorrow even more. Uzhhorod UKRAINE MIN. 9.0C. One month of unstoppable record warmth in Europe since the first to the last day.”
“Tenerife to call drought emergency as Spain struggles with water shortages…
“Following similar announcements made by Andalusian and Catalan authorities, the Canary island of Tenerife faces water shortages this summer due to one of its “driest winters in recent history”. The Cabildo government of Tenerife will declare a “hydraulic emergency” on the island on Friday March 1st…”
“Long lasting drought led to crop failures in the Maghreb…
“In particular, well-below-average crop biomass accumulation was observed in most of the main cereal-growing regions of Morocco and the north-western and central regions of Algeria, and a marked delay in winter crop sowing was recorded in Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya.”
“Exceptional heat all over AFRICA: dozens of records were smashed from North to South. TOGO MIN. 30.0 [86F] at Dapaon Hottest February night on record for Togo. 44C in Eswatini (ex Swaziland), record at Hoespruit in SOUTH AFRICA with 41.8C.”
“Heatwave threatens South Africa’s summer grain harvest…
““The excessive heat across South Africa currently is a significant concern for the farming sector. The 2023/24 summer crop season started on favourable footing. We received widespread rains, which was unusual in an El Niño season,” Sihlobo wrote.”
“Record heat again in Southern Africa: Livingstone, Zambia second largest city, destroyed its February heat record with 39.4C [102.9F].
“The heat will just get worse and beat dozens of records next days and straight away in March. No heat wave that long has ever happened in the region.”
“Riyadh to host first international sand and dust storm conference next week…
“The forum, organized by the World Meteorological Organization’s Sand and Dust Storm Warning Regional Center, is expected to draw wide international participation and aims to address the growing global challenge posed by dust and sand storms.”
“Hotter, thirstier, hungry: The Middle East in a 1.5C warmer world…
“Iraq: Towards unbearable heat… Like in Jordan, water stress is a major issue in Iraq, but more worrisome yet are the rising temperatures in summer, which could make parts of the country unlivable altogether.”
“China’s record-breaking cold wave prompts fears over vegetable crops…
“Over 400 weather stations in China broke the lowest daily high-temperature record for late February, according to preliminary data shared by Jim Yang, a meteorologist with the Chinese Meteorological Association.”
“Chiang Mai forests ravaged by wildfires [Thailand].
“The blazes, which began about a week ago, erupting almost simultaneously in Hot, Chomg Thong, and Mae Cham districts, continue to burn uncontrolled and have primarily affected the Ob Luang National Park. The fires have been especially visible at night…”
“RECORD HEAT IN OCEANIA/ASIA. VIETNAM had its warmest February night on record with 28.2 [82.8F] MIN. temperature at Phu Quoc 27.6C also at Phan Thiet.
“In INDONESIA dozens of records including: 28.2 Neira; 27.8 Renai; 27.3 Batan… It’s expected near 100% of Indonesia will break records in March.”
“A DAY FOR HISTORY. Dozens records of hottest nights were swept away all over Oceania and Asia today. PHILIPPINES had its hottest February night on record with TMIN 27.8C [82F] at San Jose.”
“Victoria fires: more than 30,000 evacuations urged ahead of Wednesday’s bushfire risk [Australia]
“More than 30,000 Victorians have been urged to leave their homes ahead of what authorities fear could be the worst fire day for the state in four years, with temperatures forecast to reach the mid 40s in some areas.”
“Accumulated heat stress (Degree Heating Weeks) on the southern Great Barrier Reef is approaching record levels – a month earlier than peak levels in earlier years.
“(The black trajectory, bottom left of the graph). A high risk of severe coral bleaching….”
“Scientists confirm first cases of bird flu on mainland Antarctica…
“Previous outbreaks in South Africa, Chile and Argentina have shown that penguins are susceptible to the virus. Since H5N1 arrived in South America, more than 500,000 seabirds have died of the disease, with penguins, pelicans and boobies among the most heavily affected.”
“Barriers Against Antarctic Ice Melt Disappearing At The Double.
“Undersea anchors of ice that help prevent Antarctica’s land ice from slipping into the ocean are shrinking at more than twice the rate compared with 50 years ago, research shows. More than a third of these frozen moorings, known as pinning points, have decreased in size since the turn of the century…”
“80-mile-long [Thwaites] Doomsday Glacier in Antarctica started melting in 1940s…
“This finding correlates with the thinning of Pine Island Glacier, which began in the 1940s. “What is especially important about our study is that this change is not random nor specific to one glacier. It is part of a larger context of a changing climate…” said Rachel Clark, corresponding author of this new study.”
“Sad news: the Thwaites sea ice tongue has disintegrated, confirmed by satellite imagery. When the clouds cleared enough, the collapse was visible. That part of the eastern shelf melange has been in danger from warming ocean currents and winds.”
“Locals at the mouth of the Amazon River get a salty taste of climate change…
“Climate change, coupled with man-made actions in the Bailique Archipelago, a group of islands at the mouth of the Amazon River in the Brazilian Amazon, has changed the water cycle and made life increasingly arduous over the past four years.”
“Modern anthropogenic drought in Central Brazil unprecedented during last 700 years…
“Here we present a set of geochemical proxies in speleothems from a well-ventilated cave located in central-eastern Brazil which shows that the evaporative demand is no longer being met by precipitation, leading to a hydrological deficit. A marked change in the hydrologic balance in central-eastern Brazil, caused by a severe warming trend, can be identified, starting in the 1970s.”
“Bolivia: Mudslide sweeps away neighbourhoods after record rainfall…
“Heavy rainfall caused a mudslide to sweep away neighbourhoods in the town of Colcha K, in southeastern Bolivia, a desert region where usually rainfall is low.”
“Record heat continues unabated all over SOUTH AMERICA.
“Extremely hot in Colombia, Guyanas and still record heat also in BRAZIL. Yesterday Cuiaba tied its record of highest temperature in February with 38.2C [100.8F] after beating those of all previous months since mid 2023.”
“A total of 194 countries/territories out of 239 with meteorological stations have broken monthly records of high temperatures so far this month and some more are expected to join.
“No other month came close. This was unthinkable before mid 2023.”
“Buried Nuclear Waste From the Cold War Could Resurface as Ice Sheets Melt…
“A federal report by the Government Accountability Office published last month examines what’s left of that nuclear contamination, not only in the Pacific but also in Greenland and Spain. The authors conclude that climate change could disturb nuclear waste left in Greenland and the Marshall Islands.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Climate graphic of the week: huge ice loss risks Antarctica’s ‘destabilisation’… Melting season was more than a month longer than usual in parts of the continent…
“Sea temperatures have been exceptionally high across the world since last March, while surface air temperatures have remained far higher than normal in many areas of Antarctica, averaging 5C above the 1981-2010 average in some parts for the melting season.”
“Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could release radon, a radioactive gas that has the potential to cause cancer, scientists have warned…
“The review suggests that permafrost degradation has the potential to allow radon to migrate into homes and workplaces, the researchers, led by Jian Cui of the Harbin Natural Resources Comprehensive Investigation Center of the China Geological Survey, wrote.”
“Why is there so much methane in the atmosphere right now?
“According to the report, the main reason is that more methane has been released from wetland areas such as bogs, shallow ponds, and lakes in tropical regions. And as it gets warmer, more is released… Another reason for the increase in methane emissions is that permafrost has begun to thaw in the north.”
“With around a week of February still to go, the rainfall in Peterborough [England] has smashed previous records…
“In January, The Peterborough Telegraph reported how the wet weather throughout the start of the winter was impacting farmers across the region – and since then, the rain has hardly stopped. So perhaps it will be no surprise to hear that February has broken weather records in our city.”
“‘Our yields are going to be appalling’: one of wettest winters in decades hits England’s farms.
“Speak to farmers across the country and you will hear similar stories of how one of the wettest winters in decades has ruined thousands of acres of crops and put farms under tremendous financial pressure. Few regions have been spared.”
“Record again yesterday in the Swiss town of Chur: With a minimum temperature of +10.0C [50F] in 24 hours the Alpine town had its warmest February night on record, beating the record set 2 weeks ago.
“Data since 1887. Chur has beaten several heat records in the past months.”
“Switzerland calls on UN to explore possibility of solar geoengineering.
“The Swiss proposal, submitted to the United Nations environment assembly that begins next week in Nairobi, focuses on solar radiation modification (SRM). This is a technique that aims to mimic the effect of a large volcanic eruption…”
“Flooded Greek lake a warning to European farmers battling climate change…
“”I could never have imagined I would have to board a boat to get to see my land,” said Evangelinos as he drifted by his sodden trees. “Work of a lifetime ruined, gone in three, four days of rain.” The situation has fuelled anger among farmers…”
“New EU Report: Morocco Faces Deepening Drought Crisis.
“As the country enters its sixth straight year of drought, a new report singles out Morocco as an area of “severe concern;” the water crisis threatens economic and food security with no end in sight… Cities have been forced to ban using potable water for activities like cleaning roads and watering parks.”
“Strong Winds, Dust Storms Expected in Several Moroccan Regions…
“The directorate issued a similar alert earlier this month for several Moroccan regions, including the northern city of Tangier which witnessed strong winds, causing considerable property damage.”
“Record heat never ends in SOUTH AFRICA, Namibia and Botswana. Yesterday another avalanche of monthly records:
“41.7 [107.1F] Kimberley; 40.0 Gariep Dam; 39.8 Welkom; 39.5 Aliwal; 38.7 Fauresmith; 38.5 Knellpoortdam; 36.3 Jamestown… There is no end in sight to this brutal heat wave…”
“East Africa is losing its glaciers at astonishing speed, all on Kilimanjaro retreating…
“Tropical glaciers are important indicators of climate variability and climate change. While Prinz and Molg (2020) concluded that more than 80 per cent of the East African glacier area had disappeared by 2010, “the new estimates for the early 2020s showed that more than 90 per cent of the modern glacier extent is gone”.”
“Japan’s early bloom of cherry blossoms sparks concerns amid record heat.
“Japan usually sees the peak cherry blossom season in March and April when the streets of its major cities are adorned by beautiful pink and white flowers, attracting millions of visitors… But videos from Kawazu… show the flowers were in full bloom by mid-February.”
“Exceptional heat in Asia with 2 more February national records broken today.
“37.7°C [99.9F] Yujing, Taiwan, 1.4°C above the previous national record set… last year and above the reliable March national record! 32.3°C Lau Fau Shan, Hong Kong, record broken 2 days in a row.”
“Endless record heat in SE Asia. 3 capitals today had their hottest February night on records: Tmins 28.2 [82.8F] Jakarta, 28 Bangkok and 26 Vientiane.”
“‘First of its kind’ tornado sweeps through West Java, Indonesia.
“The unexpected appearance of a tornado in Nanjung Mekar Village, West Java, Indonesia, has spurred urgent research efforts as meteorologists ponder this unprecedented weather phenomenon. The tornado, which ravaged hundreds of houses on Wednesday, February 21, took both residents and experts by surprise…”
“Malaysia’s Battle Against Flames: Sabah Faces Alarming Spike in Fire Incidents Amidst Heatwave…
“This month alone, the Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department reported a staggering increase to 277 fires, a significant leap from the 76 incidents recorded just the month prior. The bulk of these fires, ranging from bush and weed blazes to forest, garden, and farm fires, paints a grim picture of the environmental and health hazards facing the region.”
“49 DEGREES AGAIN – TOTAL insanity in AUSTRALIA: 49.1C [120.4F] at Emu Creek yesterday is:
“1) Latest 49C in Southern Hemisphere history 2) SIXTH consecutive max >47C at the station: it ties the most in Australian Hemisphere climatic history.”
“‘Stuck in recovery mode’: far north Queensland still waiting to rebuild after ex-Cyclone Jasper.
“The federal MP for Leichhardt said some remote communities in his electorate remained practically cut off. “Nobody could have imagined the devastation, communities were completely wiped out,” he said. “Cape Tribulation pretty much relies 100% on tourists. But the roads are still very unstable so they’ve got no visitors.”
“Climate change is fanning the flames of NZ’s wildfire future. Port Hills is only the beginning…
“Our research integrating detailed climate simulations with daily observations reveals a stark forecast: an uptick in both the frequency and intensity of wildfires, particularly in the inland areas of the South Island.”
“Record heat in the ARGENTINA town of San Carlos de Bariloche, better known for its winter holiday resorts.
“With a minimum temperature of 17.1C [62.8F], it broke its all time highest minimum temperature on record, few weeks after having its hottest day in climatic history.”
“8 People Die in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro State as Rain Causes Landslides, Floods…
“The state government warned that there was still a high possibility of more floods and landslides in 10 cities, including in Rio de Janeiro city. Local media reported several cases of desperate residents working as improvised rescue teams in an attempt to save lives.”
“Megafires are spreading in the Amazon — and they are here to stay.
“Wildfires consuming more than 100 square kilometers (38 square miles) of tropical rainforest shouldn’t happen, yet they are becoming more and more frequent… Scientists say the rainforest is becoming increasingly flammable… fire is now spreading faster and higher…”
“40.6C [105.6F] at Bagua Chica is an all time record for the area and the highest temperature ever recorded in February in Peru. Also 40.3C at Jaen, 39.4C at Chiriaco and 38.2C at Armango.”
“Record after record in South America. In GUYANA the Georgetown Timehri Int. Airport beat again its record of the hottest February day on record with 34.8C [94.6F].
“Since June 2023, not a single day has passed without a broken record of highest temperature in South America.”
“Forest Fires Engulf Agua Volcano’s Slopes, Guatemala Battles the Blaze…
“The fire, which started on Wednesday, has devastated the vegetation on the upper part of the 3,766-meter-high volcano, located about 30 km southwest of Guatemala City. Firefighting brigades and military personnel are combating the blaze, supported by two helicopters that are dropping water on the flames.”
“Insane heat wave in MEXICO. Records were brutalized with huge margins all over the highlands:
“36.2 [97.1F] Chipalcingo 1270m; 36 Hujuapan de Leon; 34.2 Morelia; 34.2 Ciudad Guzman; 32.5 Gunajuato 2000m… Temperatures reach 30C at 2500m asl! It should only happen between April and June.”
“Mexican delays deepen [Rio Grande’s] water crisis, forcing agriculture casualties…
“While Mother Nature has delivered horrific, but cyclical, blows to agriculture forecasts, Valley farmers have had to contend with another factor that has contributed to their inability to irrigate their fields — unreliable water deliveries from Mexico.”
“Record low winter snow cover may boost spring fire danger [Minnesota].
“The winter of 2023-2024 not only has been record warm but we’ve also see very low snowfall and snow cover. The lack of snow cover could lead to increased spring fire potential… Duluth has averaged just seven-tenths of an inch of snow depth this month compared to a normal February snow depth of 15.1 inches!”
“February to end with record-smashing warmth in Midwest, Eastern U.S…
“Another major pulse of record-setting warmth is predicted for the end of February from the Upper Midwest to the East Coast, as the “lost winter” for much of the region charges on. Temperatures are predicted to rise at least 20 to 40 degrees above average…”
“It’s not just rising sea levels – the land major [East Coast] cities are built on is actually sinking, NASA images show.
“Rising sea levels are threatening the East Coast of the U.S., but that’s not the only thing to worry about, according to NASA. Images shared by the space agency on Tuesday show the coast is actually sinking — including the land that holds major cities such as New York and Baltimore.”
“Cholera: An overlooked outcome of climate change…
“We have seen repeatedly in different countries and communities climate-related intense tropical storms, heavy rains and flooding which damage or destroy water and sanitation infrastructure and cause untreated sewage to spill into clean water sources, and triggering cholera outbreaks.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread. Many thanks to Kali for covering so ably in my absence.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
‘Like the flip of a switch, it’s gone’: has the ecosystem of the UK’s largest lake collapsed?
Lough Neagh’s flies were seen as a nuisance. Now their sudden disappearance is a startling omen for a lake that supplies 40% of Northern Ireland’s water
How global warming is reshaping winter life in Canada
The impacts of this mild winter were felt across the country and touched all aspects of winter culture. From melting ice castles at Québec’s winter carnival, to a dismal lack of snow at many Western Canada ski resorts, seemingly no part of Canada was unaffected. But the change that will likely be felt most keenly by many Canadians is the loss of a reliable outdoor skating season.
It’s the middle of winter, and more than 100 wildfires are still smouldering [Canada]
There are still 92 active fires in British Columbia and another 54 in Alberta — holdovers from last year — according to the latest figures from the Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre. Others are also active in the Northwest Territories, experts said.
Fires that simmer below the surface in winter are sometimes called “zombie fires” or “overwintering fires.”
Often, they are visible to the naked eye only by small plumes of smoke that billow into the winter sky.
*Florida man shakes fist at ocean* Don’t make me extend my axis!
The North Atlantic sea surface temperature is now up to an unbelievable 4.34 standard deviations above the recent 1991-2020 baseline climatology. Relative to that, the current anomaly is a 1-in-142,000-year event!
California battered by mudslides and flooding during three-day storm
The storm triggered several landslides throughout the state
Much of California was on flood watch on Monday and Tuesday as some regions approach ten inches of total rainfall while bracing for floods and landslides. Road blockages, landslides and toppled trees have already been reported in and around Los Angeles. Many parts of California are already saturated from the heavy rain after a storm earlier this month caused hundreds of landslides so far.
Costa Rica Issues Travel Warning With Heatwave And Extreme UV Rays Expected
Experts in Costa Rica have warned residents and visitors to take precautions against an impending heatwave expected to hit the country over the next couple of months. According to a recent statement from the National Meteorological Institute (IMN), Costa Rica will experience elevated temperatures and intense ultraviolet (UV) radiation between March and April.
Tunisian wheat farmer Hasan Chetoui is seeking inspiration from the deep past as he tries to adapt to drought caused by climate change, sowing old wheat varieties that he hopes will produce crops throughout the year.
Chetoui does not believe his experiment with alternative types of wheat is likely to work everywhere, but he thinks it may help him cope after years of scant rains and heatwaves that destroyed much of his crop last year.
Amid Heat and Hot Temperatures, Nigerian Farmers Face Climate Crisis
Nigerian farmers face climate change crisis, with heat and hot temperatures wreaking havoc on crop yields and agricultural sustainability. From extreme heatwaves to less rainfall, farmers are resorting to innovative measures to protect their harvests.
Iraq’s Looming Crisis: Battling Water Pollution Amidst Drought and Dams
At the core of this unfolding disaster lies an outdated and overburdened sewage network, struggling to cope with the demands of a growing population. Water treatment facilities, where they exist, teeter on the brink of collapse, overwhelmed by the sheer volume of contaminants. This predicament is compounded by a lack of rigorous regulatory oversight, allowing pollution to fester visibly. In Iraq, a country where clean drinking water is a scarce commodity for half its population, the stakes could not be higher.
The Kashmir region [India] and parts of Jammu witnessed an unprecedented surge in temperatures during January 2024, marking it as the warmest January in recorded history.
These alarming temperature spikes have raised concerns about the long-term impact on the region’s ecology, agriculture, and overall climate patterns. The unusual warmth challenges the region’s resilience to climate change, urging authorities and communities to adopt sustainable practices
The Atlantic Ocean currents are getting very unstable and are close to a tipping point of no return. That is what a new study shows, with the ocean currents nearing a critical point, likely induced by the increased fresh water from the melting ice and the effects of changing ocean currents already being felt.
Near record wind speeds resulted in multiple international flights over the weekend exceeding 800 miles per hour — far faster than the 500 mph to 600 mph speeds at which commercial flights usually travel.
The impact of a changing climate is causing stronger winds within the jet stream, a narrow band of wind that flows west to east, experts say. While that can help give a tailwind to aircraft flying east, there are also downsides, such as more turbulence — and stronger headwinds for flights heading west.
“Depending on what direction you’re going, having a great tail wind is nice,” Shem Malmquist, a professor of aeronautics at Florida Tech University and a Boeing 777 captain, told CBS MoneyWatch. He noted that he recently flew on an international flight that hit 822 miles per hour, also thanks to the jet stream.
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on tomorrow with an “Economy” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
16.8C Kurilsk today it destroyed its monthly record by 7C ! (previous record 9.8) and it’s the highest temperature ever recorded in winter in all Asian Russia.
This is one of the most insane events ever seen in world climatic history
The largest temperature difference in China’s meteorological records! Today, China observed a temperature of -52.3C/38C, (-61/100F) and the temperature difference across China was as high as 90.3C!
… It’s a world record of hugest daily spread in any country if we discount Alaska which is generally not included in those statistics coz it’s physically separated and not bordering the lower 48 states. Previous was 20 January 1954 in USA -56 +32 Roger Pass/Laredo
Wetlands, the most extensive natural methane sources on Earth, are contributing significantly to atmospheric warming, with methane being around 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide.
A study led by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) has revealed a concerning trend. Methane emissions from the Boreal-Arctic wetlands have surged by approximately nine percent since 2002.
This month is on pace to become the warmest February ever recorded in Chicago
There’s a good chance the rest of the month will have highs in the 40s and 50s, which would bring the total number of days where temperatures reach or exceed 40 degrees to 27 days
Chicago is sinking. From melting glaciers to underground hotspots, global warming could threaten the city’s elegant skyscrapers and breathtaking lakefront, climate scientists say.
Of course, this Midwestern metropolis is far from alone in suffering the scourge of subsidence. Venice, Jakarta, New York and cities along the US East Coast are all sinking too…According to a recent study by Northwestern University, there’s a “silent hazard” beneath the streets: subsurface heat islands that deform the ground. Northwestern researcher Alessandro Rotta Loria says it’s the first study to quantify the effect of “underground climate change” on urban infrastructure, which threatens cities around the world, especially those built near water.
Nearly the entire population of California is under flood alerts Tuesday as the latest round of rainfall soaks the state, prompting road closures, evacuation warnings and some water rescues. In Los Angeles, which faces significant flood threats, part of the city is close to seeing its wettest February ever recorded.
Hundreds of towns and villages in Bolivia have been put under alert as torrential rains continue to wreak havoc in the South American country.
Officials say 33 people have died since November due to the rains, which have triggered landslides and caused rivers to burst their banks. The death toll is eight times higher than in the same period last year. Officials are carefully monitoring a number of dams which they fear could overflow.
Record High February Temperatures Hit Northern Japan’s ‘Cold Areas’, Prompting Snowmelt and Flood Warnings
Temperatures rose across Japan as warm air flowed in from the south, with daytime highs hitting a record for February at many locations in northern Japan, the weather agency said.
Malaysia Grapples with Intense Heatwave: El Nino Fuels Record Temperatures Across Northern States
An intense heatwave, driven by El Nino, grips Malaysia, pushing temperatures to near-record highs. With states like Perlis, Kedah, and Penang suffering, health authorities warn citizens of heat stroke risks and emphasize the importance of resource conservation.
Imagine stepping outside to a world where the air feels like a blast furnace, where the relentless sun scorches everything in its path to a crisp. This is not a scene from a dystopian novel but the reality for the residents of Carnarvon, Western Australia, who recently experienced a heatwave that catapulted the town into the global spotlight as the hottest place on Earth this year. With temperatures soaring to a nearly unimaginable 49.9C, the small Australian town not only shattered its own heat records but also sent a stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis gripping our planet.
Alberta’s Brutal Water Reckoning: Scientists who studied the region’s arid past warned this drought was coming. Thirst for growth won out.
“To a water expert, looking ahead is like the view from a locomotive, 10 seconds before the train wreck.” — The late scientist David Schindler on Alberta’s looming crisis
Alberta’s water reckoning has begun in earnest. Snowpack accumulations in the Oldman River basin, the Bow River basin and the North Saskatchewan River basin range from 33 to 62 per cent below normal. A reduced snowpack means less summer water for the fish and all water drinkers.
Droughts have the potential to increase the spread of HIV for women living in rural parts of Africa, researchers at the University of Bristol have found.
In the study, published today in AIDS and Behavior, findings imply that drought triggers behavioural changes as people struggle to battle poverty and food insecurity through activities such as transactional sex.
Due to climate change, droughts are likely to become increasingly common in the future, which could lead to higher instances of HIV transmission.
Norfolk and Suffolk [UK] may be experiencing the wettest February since records began nearly 180 years ago.
Heavy rains and storm conditions across the region this month are leading experts to believe it could be in with a strong chance of beating records that date back to 1836.
Dan Holley, a meteorologist and weather forecaster for the eastern regions, said: “February is, climatologically, our third driest month of the year with on average 43mm of rain.
Is There a Place for Hydropower in a Warming World?
The IPCC acknowledged that unceasing droughts impact stream flow and that climate change is unpredictably worsening matters. Yet its climate experts still contended that hydropower could be a crucial part of the world’s energy transition, arguing that an electric dam will produce seemingly endless energy.
Climate change, extreme weather & conflict exacerbate global food crisis
In the past year, international agencies worldwide have continued to sound an alarm over surges in food insecurity that are plunging millions of people into extreme hunger, malnutrition and threats to their overall health. The U.N.’s World Food Program (WFP) calls it “a hunger crisis of unprecedented proportions.”
France’s camping season grows longer thanks to climate change
Tourists are braving the great outdoors even in midwinter as global warming alters holiday habits…The two-week February break is traditionally the busiest period of the year for ski resorts, but with many hit by a lack of snow, some tourists are heading to the Mediterranean coast instead.
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economy” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
– Karina S.
Search
About This Site
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.
“Venezuela Bids Farewell to Last Glacier, Wrapped in Plastic…
“February 2024 in French Guiana was exceptionally warm. Particularly crazy St Laurent du Moroni, it broke the previous monthly record 16 times!
“EXTRAORDINARY EVENT IN PARAGUAY. 44.4c [111.9F] Luis Argana destroyed for the 3rd time in a row the national monthly record.
“‘Worst Natural Disaster’: State of Emergency Declared After Heavy Rain in Northern Argentina.
“Flooded houses, floating cars and desperate neighbors after intense rain in a few minutes in Montevideo [Uruguay].
“New lawsuit blames fallen power pole for starting Smokehouse Creek Fire; state investigation continues [Texas].
“Many homes burned in the Texas wildfires weren’t insured, creating a steep path to recovery.
“‘Tumblemageddon’: thousands of tumbleweeds roll into Utah towns.
“Minneapolis soars to 74 degrees as more record warm air swarms Midwest…
“North America’s Great Lakes, Earth’s largest freshwater store, record ‘historically low’ ice levels…
“The North Atlantic Ocean reached 365 days of continuous record high temperatures!
“Record-Smashing Heat in the World’s Oceans, Explained…
“Climate Change and Military Power: Hunting for Submarines in the Warming Ocean…
“Seaweed ‘spreading across Arctic Ocean due to climate change’, according to new research.
“Wettest February on record leads to poor month for retail [UK].
“Towns in Germany evacuated and dykes reinforced after heavy rain triggers flooding.
“Extreme weather in Italy and France brings avalanches, floods and landslides…
“Truly outlandish.
“This yearʼs winter became the third in the ranking of the warmest winters in Kyiv since 1881. The average air temperature during the winter was 0.3 °C, which is 2.8 °C higher than the climatic norm…
“A rare “fire tornado” ripped through a village in Far East Russia’s Primorye region over the weekend, media reported on Monday, as unseasonably warm weather, dry grass and strong winds continued to feed wildfires throughout the region.
“World’s largest soda lake in Turkey shrinks due to drought, extreme evaporation.
“Greece has recorded the hottest winter on record, raising fears of another summer of devastating wildfires.
“A tourist hotspot that set a record for heat in Europe has declared a state of emergency.
“Spain braces for wildfires as beef farmers battle red tape…
“Morocco Will Need More Wheat Imports as Another Drought Looms.
“More drought across sub-Saharan Africa.
“Records all over, every day… These are the most extreme days in world climatic history: Record heat in the Republic of Congo: 38.5C [101.3F] at Impfondo tied its monthly record.
“March just started but hundreds of records are falling all over the tropics in all Continents: In KENYA Today Mombasa with a min of 27.6C [81.7F] had its warmest night on record.
“Despite Gaza tensions, Jordan asks Israel to extend water deal by a year…
“Dozens killed, hundreds stranded as rain and landslides paralyse parts of country… [Pakistan]
“Record of hottest March day in the Lankan port of Habantota today with 36.0C [96.8F].
“Why is Bengaluru [India] staring at a severe water shortage?
“Winter drought threatens livelihoods in Himalayas amid lack of snow.
“Forest fires rage in several northern provinces [Thailand] as air quality deteriorates.
“Japan expert calls 2nd warmest winter on record ‘quite abnormal’.
“More record heat in OCEANIA. 
“Exclusive: EU wants fossil fuel sector to help pay to combat climate change, draft shows…
“Fury after Exxon chief says public to blame for climate failures…
“Buffett sounds wildfire alarm as utilities industry enters new era…
“US spends billions on roads rather than public transport in ‘climate time bomb’…
“This Winter Was the Warmest on Record for US Lower 48, AccuWeather Says.
“After destroying records in the Great Lakes area at Chicago, Detroit, Windsor, the warm air moved Northeast.
“‘Devastating’ floods leads to evacuations, street closures in Sussex, New Brunswick [NE Canada].
“Surprising methane discovery in Yukon glaciers: ‘Much more widespread than we thought’…
“Svalbard seed vault welcomes baobab, hairy eggplant and African rice…
“How climate change is altering Sami language.
“British farmers are facing thousands in costs as areas of England saw record levels of rain and warm temperatures for February.
“34 Injured in Catastrophic 15-Vehicle M23 Pile-Up Amid Hailstorm Near Gatwick [UK]…
“Landslides and torrential rain have prompted the mayor of one beautiful French city to ask the government to declare a state of emergency.
“February was Luxembourg’s hottest on record.
“Historic month in Europe, it started and it ends with record heat.
“‘It makes me so sad’: church re-emerges from reservoir as Spain faces droughts…
“Warmest February ends record breaking winter [Gibraltar]…
“Tunisia Raises Drinking Water Prices by Up to 16% due to Drought.
“ABSOLUTELY INSANE EVENT IN AFRICA. Thousands of records brutalized every day from North to South for weeks.
“Given the 3 hours gap in Chad data, the sparsely populated area and no data because the war in SUDAN, we can easily state today it’s the hottest winter day ever recorded anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
“More record heat in KENYA.
“Kenya’s had unusually hot weather – an expert unpacks what could be causing it…
“Zambia declares national emergency as drought devastates food and electricity supply…
“Water Starved Megapolis Mumbai Plans $500 Million Purifier.
“Heavy snow kills nine in Afghanistan as extreme weather blocks key highways.
“Over 2 million livestock dead due to extreme weather [Mongolia]…
“Endless heat all over THAILAND: 40C [104F] again. Records beaten from North to South.
“Australia sweats through third-hottest summer on record with hot and dry autumn predicted…
“EXTRAORDINARY HEAT OCEANIA-AUSTRALIA. TUVALU Hottest March night in history with Tmin 29.2C [84.6F] at Funafutu.
“Aerial surveys of Great Barrier Reef ordered as flights show extensive coral bleaching.
“Among dozens of thousands of heat record around the World, a monthly cold record was reached on February 29 in Concordia, Antarctica.
“RECORD – PARAGUAY just broke its national record of its highest temperature in March with 43.3C [update 43.5C] at Nueva Asuncion.
“Amazon savannization and climate change are projected to increase dry season length and temperature extremes over Brazil…
“Heavy rains bring flash floods to northern Peru.
“The mayor of Cobija, a city in the north of Bolivia, has declared the area a disaster zone because of heavy rain.
“MEXICO still boiling: 43C [109.4F] in Ciudad Altamirano and Jesus Maria.
“The world likely notched its warmest February on record, as spring-like conditions caused flowers to bloom early from Japan to Mexico, left ski slopes bald of snow in Europe and pushed temperatures to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) in Texas.
“The current climate event known as El Niño is likely to supercharge global heating and deliver record-breaking temperatures from the Amazon to Alaska in 2024, analysis has found.
“We need to learn to live in this +1.5°C climate. And prepare for a lot more warming in the pipeline.
“Safety fears stall U.N. bid to examine sun-blocking climate change tech.
“Climate change: Scientists explore ‘injecting ice’ to reduce water vapor and cool Earth…
“Why The Insurance Industry Must Wake Up To The Harsh Reality Of Climate Change…
“One of the world’s biggest cities [Mexico City] may be just months away from running out of water.
“The last sugar mill in Texas shuts down because of ongoing water issues with Mexico…
“Climate change is throwing the water cycle into chaos across the U.S…
“Soaring temperatures could shatter over 300 records to close out February [US]…
“65 degrees: Monday is warmest February day on record in the Twin Cities.
“Emergency declared in two Nebraska counties due to large wildfire…
“Fruit and grain farmers are braced for a bad summer [Canada]…
“I hope I got this wrong, but it seems that the AMOC is already reaching close to the -0.75 PW reduction in heat transported Northward associated with its tipping point (dashed black line)!”
“UK on track for wettest February on record with Met Office forecasting more downpours and temperature drop…
“Rare dragonfly spreads its wings from Norfolk and Suffolk.
“Climate change may cause crisis amid important insect populations, researchers say…
“Spring already? February 2024 will be the warmest on record [Netherlands]…
“Public transport workers join climate activists for week of strikes across Germany…
“Europe’s ski resorts facing halt amid potentially hottest February ever…
“Up to 21°C [70F] today in Serbia!
“Record again in BELARUS and UKRAINE. Pinsk had a MIN. temperature of +8.4C [47.1F] beating again the February highest min. 
“Tenerife to call drought emergency as Spain struggles with water shortages…
“Long lasting drought led to crop failures in the Maghreb…
“Heatwave threatens South Africa’s summer grain harvest…
“Record heat again in Southern Africa: Livingstone, Zambia second largest city, destroyed its February heat record with 39.4C [102.9F].
“HISTORIC. Insane MIN temp 28.7C [83.7F] at Male MALDIVES destroyed the highest February min ever recorded in MALDIVES. 28.4 also at Hanimadhoo.
“Riyadh to host first international sand and dust storm conference next week…
“Hotter, thirstier, hungry: The Middle East in a 1.5C warmer world…
“China’s record-breaking cold wave prompts fears over vegetable crops…
“RECORD SE ASIA – 39.5 [103.1F] Luang Prabang LAOS NATIONAL RECORD FOR FEBRUARY TIED.
“Chiang Mai forests ravaged by wildfires [Thailand].
“THAILAND is living the most extreme any country has ever lived: 11 months of endless record heat every day.
“RECORD HEAT IN OCEANIA/ASIA. VIETNAM had its warmest February night on record with 28.2 [82.8F] MIN. temperature at Phu Quoc 27.6C also at Phan Thiet.
“Victoria fires: more than 30,000 evacuations urged ahead of Wednesday’s bushfire risk [Australia]
“Accumulated heat stress (Degree Heating Weeks) on the southern Great Barrier Reef is approaching record levels – a month earlier than peak levels in earlier years.
“Scientists confirm first cases of bird flu on mainland Antarctica…
“Barriers Against Antarctic Ice Melt Disappearing At The Double.
“80-mile-long [Thwaites] Doomsday Glacier in Antarctica started melting in 1940s…
“Thwaites’s sea ice tongue disintegrates…
“Locals at the mouth of the Amazon River get a salty taste of climate change…
“Modern anthropogenic drought in Central Brazil unprecedented during last 700 years…
“Bolivia: Mudslide sweeps away neighbourhoods after record rainfall…
“Record heat continues unabated all over SOUTH AMERICA.
“A total of 194 countries/territories out of 239 with meteorological stations have broken monthly records of high temperatures so far this month and some more are expected to join.
“Global sea surface temperatures are once again in record territory, yesterday at 21.11°C, a temperature not seen in any year prior to 2024.
“Buried Nuclear Waste From the Cold War Could Resurface as Ice Sheets Melt…
“Climate graphic of the week: huge ice loss risks Antarctica’s ‘destabilisation’… Melting season was more than a month longer than usual in parts of the continent…
“Thawing permafrost in the Arctic could release radon, a radioactive gas that has the potential to cause cancer, scientists have warned…
“Why is there so much methane in the atmosphere right now?
“Unbelievable: the North Atlantic sea surface temperature is now 4.5 standard deviations above the recent 1991-2020 climatological mean… 
“With around a week of February still to go, the rainfall in Peterborough [England] has smashed previous records…
“‘Our yields are going to be appalling’: one of wettest winters in decades hits England’s farms.
“Record again yesterday in the Swiss town of Chur: With a minimum temperature of +10.0C [50F] in 24 hours the Alpine town had its warmest February night on record, beating the record set 2 weeks ago.
“Switzerland calls on UN to explore possibility of solar geoengineering.
“Flooded Greek lake a warning to European farmers battling climate change…
“New EU Report: Morocco Faces Deepening Drought Crisis.
“Strong Winds, Dust Storms Expected in Several Moroccan Regions…
“Record heat never ends in SOUTH AFRICA, Namibia and Botswana. Yesterday another avalanche of monthly records:
“East Africa is losing its glaciers at astonishing speed, all on Kilimanjaro retreating…
“Tanzanian coastal city of Dar es Salaam is living an unbearable heatwave: Nights have been sticky and extremely hot for weeks.
“Snow and ice covered on the Shanghai Tower in Pudong of Shanghai, China (23.02.2024).
“Japan’s early bloom of cherry blossoms sparks concerns amid record heat.
“Exceptional heat in Asia with 2 more February national records broken today.
“‘First of its kind’ tornado sweeps through West Java, Indonesia.
“Malaysia’s Battle Against Flames: Sabah Faces Alarming Spike in Fire Incidents Amidst Heatwave…
“49 DEGREES AGAIN – TOTAL insanity in AUSTRALIA: 49.1C [120.4F] at Emu Creek yesterday is:
“‘Stuck in recovery mode’: far north Queensland still waiting to rebuild after ex-Cyclone Jasper.
“Climate change is fanning the flames of NZ’s wildfire future. Port Hills is only the beginning…
“Record heat in the ARGENTINA town of San Carlos de Bariloche, better known for its winter holiday resorts.
“8 People Die in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro State as Rain Causes Landslides, Floods…
“Megafires are spreading in the Amazon — and they are here to stay.
“HISTORIC HEAT WAVE IN PERU.
“Record after record in South America. In GUYANA the Georgetown Timehri Int. Airport beat again its record of the hottest February day on record with 34.8C [94.6F].
“Incredible feat at La Esperanza, HONDURAS. It recorded the lowest and the highest February temperature in 68 years on the same day!
“Forest Fires Engulf Agua Volcano’s Slopes, Guatemala Battles the Blaze…
“Insane heat wave in MEXICO. Records were brutalized with huge margins all over the highlands:
“Mexican delays deepen [Rio Grande’s] water crisis, forcing agriculture casualties…
“Record low winter snow cover may boost spring fire danger [Minnesota].
“February to end with record-smashing warmth in Midwest, Eastern U.S…
“I have heard approximately 10^4 people say that our (very likely) record warm winter in the Lower 48 is a result of the strong El Nino. 
“It’s not just rising sea levels – the land major [East Coast] cities are built on is actually sinking, NASA images show.
“Cholera: An overlooked outcome of climate change…
‘Like the flip of a switch, it’s gone’: has the ecosystem of the UK’s largest lake collapsed?
How global warming is reshaping winter life in Canada
It’s the middle of winter, and more than 100 wildfires are still smouldering [Canada]
*Florida man shakes fist at ocean* Don’t make me extend my axis!
Portland [Maine] experiences driest February since 1987 as rainfall hits record low
California battered by mudslides and flooding during three-day storm
Costa Rica Issues Travel Warning With Heatwave And Extreme UV Rays Expected
Relentless record heat in Central America 
Climate shelters and shipping in water: Barcelona looks for ‘exceptional solutions’ to drought
Spain isn’t the only country suffering as southern Europe’s water supplies run low.
Tunisian wheat farmer Hasan Chetoui is seeking inspiration from the deep past as he tries to adapt to drought caused by climate change, sowing old wheat varieties that he hopes will produce crops throughout the year.
Amid Heat and Hot Temperatures, Nigerian Farmers Face Climate Crisis
Iraq’s Looming Crisis: Battling Water Pollution Amidst Drought and Dams
The Kashmir region [India] and parts of Jammu witnessed an unprecedented surge in temperatures during January 2024, marking it as the warmest January in recorded history. 
The Atlantic Ocean currents are getting very unstable and are close to a tipping point of no return. That is what a new study shows, with the ocean currents nearing a critical point, likely induced by the increased fresh water from the melting ice and the effects of changing ocean currents already being felt.
Near record wind speeds resulted in multiple international flights over the weekend exceeding 800 miles per hour — far faster than the 500 mph to 600 mph speeds at which commercial flights usually travel.
HISTORIC EVENT rewrites world climatic history
The largest temperature difference in China’s meteorological records! Today, China observed a temperature of -52.3C/38C, (-61/100F) and the temperature difference across China was as high as 90.3C!
‘More unzipping of the landscape’: Arctic permafrost could crumble into rivers, unleashing devastating feedback loop
Wetlands, the most extensive natural methane sources on Earth, are contributing significantly to atmospheric warming, with methane being around 30 times more potent than carbon dioxide. 
This month is on pace to become the warmest February ever recorded in Chicago
Chicago is sinking. From melting glaciers to underground hotspots, global warming could threaten the city’s elegant skyscrapers and breathtaking lakefront, climate scientists say.
Nearly the entire population of California is under flood alerts Tuesday as the latest round of rainfall soaks the state, prompting road closures, evacuation warnings and some water rescues. In Los Angeles, which faces significant flood threats, part of the city is close to seeing its wettest February ever recorded.
Hundreds of towns and villages in Bolivia have been put under alert as torrential rains continue to wreak havoc in the South American country.
Record High February Temperatures Hit Northern Japan’s ‘Cold Areas’, Prompting Snowmelt and Flood Warnings
Malaysia Grapples with Intense Heatwave: El Nino Fuels Record Temperatures Across Northern States
Imagine stepping outside to a world where the air feels like a blast furnace, where the relentless sun scorches everything in its path to a crisp. This is not a scene from a dystopian novel but the reality for the residents of Carnarvon, Western Australia, who recently experienced a heatwave that catapulted the town into the global spotlight as the hottest place on Earth this year. With temperatures soaring to a nearly unimaginable 49.9C, the small Australian town not only shattered its own heat records but also sent a stark reminder of the escalating climate crisis gripping our planet.
WA [Western Australia] heatwave: Perth breaks records with seven February days above 40C
Alberta’s Brutal Water Reckoning: Scientists who studied the region’s arid past warned this drought was coming. Thirst for growth won out.
Droughts have the potential to increase the spread of HIV for women living in rural parts of Africa, researchers at the University of Bristol have found.
Natural gas prices plunge as US set for warmest winter on record
Plan to capture, ship and bury power station’s CO2
Norfolk and Suffolk [UK] may be experiencing the wettest February since records began nearly 180 years ago. 
Is There a Place for Hydropower in a Warming World?
Climate change, extreme weather & conflict exacerbate global food crisis
[The “good news” section (LOL)]