“Update on the South America heat wave: Both Bolivia and Paraguay had their hottest winter days on records.
“BOLIVIA: 45.0 [113F] Villamontes, winter record tied for the whole Southern Hemisphere; 41.8 Yacuiba; 39.0 Ascension de Guarayos… PARAGUAY: 41.9 Nueva Asuncion National record high for August.”
“The death toll in the forest fire raging in the southern Peruvian department of Apurimac has risen to five…
“The head of the Social Health Insurance (EsSalud) network in Aymaraes province, Augusto Maldonado, told national media that the bodies found by rescue units correspond to a villager identified as Juan Romero Ayquipa, 22, and Daniel Coicca Benítez, 63.”
“Heatwave hits Brazil, record temperatures recorded in winter season.
“Brazil is experiencing a heat wave that’s very unusual for this time of year. Despite being winter in the southern hemisphere, several regions of the country have recorded temperatures of 40°C (104°F) and experts predict temperatures will maintain for the next few days.”
“Southern Africa answers to South America with a brutal winter heat wave.
“RECORDS: 38.9 [102F] Mababe highest reliable temp. ever recorded in Botswana in August; 35.9 Mahalapye; 32.2 Agalega Mauritius National August record again; Records and up to 38C in South Africa, Zambia and Mozambique.”
“Saudi Arabia – Pilgrims and residents in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah scrambled for shelter as violent weather whipped the region — with strong winds nearly blowing them away — on Tuesday evening.
“Red alert was issued in the province and some parts of the Kingdom as the unstable weather conditions were expected to continue today…”
“Some 100,000 people evacuated due to flooding in Pakistan’s Punjab province…
“”The flood waters came a couple of days ago and all our houses were submerged. We walked all the way here on foot with great difficulty,” 29 year-old Kashif Mehmood, who fled with his wife and three children to a relief camp, told AFP on Tuesday.”
“A landslide in north Indian mountains destroyed several buildings on Thursday, the latest in a string of disasters in the Himalayas that have killed scores of people.
“No one was hurt in Thursday’s landslide in the Kullu region of Himachal Pradesh state as residents had been moved out of the area because it was deemed unsafe.”
“August 2023 may turn out to be the driest August month in the past 123 years [ie since records began], a climate expert has told Down To Earth (DTE).
“Between August 1 and August 21, India has recorded rainfall of 115.4 millimetres (mm) and the previous record was held by 2005 when the country received 190.1 mm of rainfall.”
“Nearly 250,000 Sri Lankans have been affected by drinking water shortage due to drought, the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Tuesday.
“The DMC, in its latest report, said the northern and eastern provinces of the country had been the worst-hit areas.”
“The precipitation in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province [China], reached 502.9mm [19.8 inches] in August.
“This was the first time since the local meteorological records that the monthly precipitation exceeded 500mm, reaching 2.5 times the average precipitation in August.”
“China’s rainfall is in the wrong place for hydropower.
“Typhoon Doksuri brought some of the heaviest rain on record to northern China at the end of July and the start of August… But in southern China, which accounts for most of the country’s total hydroelectric generation, the drought that begin in the middle of 2022 has persisted, limiting hydro output and forcing increased reliance on coal.”
“Wednesday became a historic day for Northern Japan. Sapporo saw 36.3C [97.3F], the highest on record. Several schools in Hokkaido were closed due to the heat, likely for the first time in history.
“Hokkaido has been experiencing an unprecedented 35 consecutive days of highs ≧30°C.”
“Greenhouse gases are changing air flow over the Pacific Ocean – raising Australia’s risks of extreme weather…
“Switching between El Niño and La Niña conditions has slowed over the industrial era. That means in the future we could see more of these multi-year La Niña or El Niño type events. So we need to prepare for greater risks of floods, drought and fire.”
“A year on from Marlborough’s state of emergency [New Zealand]: 2022 winter wettest in nearly 100 years.
“Rainfall records have been shattered, with newly released data revealing last winter was the wettest in almost a century for Marlborough – when the region was hit by “eye-watering” damage. Further, the 2022-24 “hydrological year” saw up to 60 per cent more rain in the region than average…”
“An intense marine heatwave has arrived along the Northern and Central California coast, with water temperatures up to 7°F above normal.
“A buoy near the Golden Gate reported a water temperature of 68°F today, 7°F above normal. If warm waters persist, there could be significant impacts on marine life and coastal ecosystems…”
“Four states broke rainfall records because of Tropical Storm Hilary…
“In Nevada, the record more than doubled, to 9.20 inches, while Montana, Idaho and Oregon all got up to an inch more rain compared to the previous records. A tropical cyclone like Hilary’s setting rainfall records in four states is highly unusual…”
“Record heatwave persists in US as 130 million under alerts in 22 states…
“Temperatures above 100F (37.7C) stretched south to states on the Gulf coast, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned in a morning advisory, with “brutal humidity levels” pushing the heat index as high as 120F (48.8C) in some areas.”
“New Orleans on Wednesday tied for the hottest day ever recorded in the city, marking yet another milestone during the dangerous heat wave that forecasters say could stick around into September…
“This has been the summer of breaking heat records in New Orleans, reflecting a global pattern.”
“Omaha breaks record for warmest low temperature Tuesday morning…
“Tuesday morning, Eppley Airfield hit a record warmest low temperature of 80°, smashing the previous record low of 76°… Although warmest record low temperatures aren’t typically making headlines as much as record high temperatures, they are just as important… data shows unusually hot summer nights in the contiguous US surpass the occurrence of unusually hot summer days around the year 2000.”
“Rare ‘fire tornado’ caught on camera as Canada wildfires rage…
“As fire crews battled blazes around Gun Lake in North Pemberton, firefighters were able to capture the rare fire tornado on camera. The footage shared on the BC Wildfire Service’s social media showed a giant plume of smoke swirling past blazing trees alongside the lake.”
“Atlantic Ocean sees record burst of tropical storms.
“The cork holding back the Atlantic Ocean’s tropical storm activity popped off this week, with a record set for the most tropical storms to form so quickly… The Atlantic hurricane season is forecast to be unusually active this year, due to record warm ocean temperatures.”
“Ultra-rare dolphins spotted swimming off the UK coast ‘for the first time ever’[picture is of a dead Risso’s dolphin spotted near Islay a couple of days ago; also unusual]…
“Prof Peter Evans, director of the foundation, said: “We don’t know for certain. I don’t know of another case in UK waters. Striped dolphins are still pretty rare anyway in our waters so a hybrid here would be even rarer.” The foundation said it had no other records and did not know of any other sightings.”
“Is Austria set to break record for longest heatwave?
“…The University of Innsbruck – which has measured weather and temperatures in Austria since 1777 – previously recorded the Tyrol capital’s longest heatwave in 2003… The current heatwave is not expected to end until Saturday. If it lasts that long, it will set a new heatwave record of 14 days.”
“Austria’s fastest melting glacier gives up decades-old corpse…
“Climate change has accelerated the melting of glaciers, with the retreating ice releasing bodies of alpinists it has held for years, sometimes even decades. A guide found the corpse at about 2,900 metres (9,500 feet) on the Schlatenkees glacier in Tyrol province last Friday, police said on Tuesday.”
“French authorities warn people to avoid the Alps during heatwave…
“Local authorities in the Haute-Savoie region, which includes the French side of Mont Blanc, warned there are higher than usual risks of rockfalls and also new crevices opening up on glaciers.”
“The Greek authorities have found 18 burned bodies as wildfires scorch a portion of northeastern mainland Greece.
“The fire brigade said there had been no reports of missing residents, adding the bodies of those found could be immigrants who have recently entered Greece from Turkey.”
“Hundreds of Ships Stuck as Turkish Strait Closed by Wildfires.
“Hundreds of ships were left unable to move between the Black Sea and the Aegean after Turkey closed the Dardanelles Strait to clear the area for planes fighting nearby forest fires. Around 300 vessels were waiting to cross the Dardanelles and Bosphorus straits as of Wednesday afternoon…”
“Türkiye’s usually chilly Bolu sees hottest summer in a century…
“Renowned as a haven for those seeking respite from the heat, Bolu has now fallen victim to an unwelcome drought, the result of scanty precipitation. Forest engineer Barış Bolat remarked, “Once accustomed to regular rainfall during these days, Bolu now confronts an unprecedented wave of scorching temperatures.””
“Weather extremes’ impact on global fruit and vegetable sector…
“We can no longer escape global warming’s effect, something fruit and vegetable growers can attest to as well. All around the world, growers are victims of increasingly frequent drought periods or, the opposite, excessive rain resulting in flooding.”
“Tropical forests face ‘massive leaf death’ from global heating, study finds…
“The photosynthetic machinery in tropical trees begins to fail at about 46.7C on average. The research suggests that forests may be nearing dangerous temperature thresholds sooner than expected.”
“The latest weekly values in the Niño 1+2 region (eastern Pacific) and Niño 3 region (east-central Pacific) are surpassed only by 1997, with records dating back to 1981. All indications are that this El Niño will peak as a strong, canonical event either very late in 2023 or early in 2024.”
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.
“Swiss glaciers under threat again as heat wave drives zero-temperature level to record altitude.
“The Swiss weather service says a heat wave has driven the zero-degree Celsius level to its highest altitude since recordings on it in Switzerland began nearly 70 years ago, a new ominous sign for the country’s vaunted glaciers.”
“Intense heat wave in Europe with 44.5C [112.1F] in Spain and 42.7C in France where 46 more records fell:
“Main all time highs: 42.7 [108.9F] Lapalud; 42.5 Puy St Martin; 36.1 Glandage… Monthly: 41.9 St Laurent,Lagrasse & Argeliers; 40.4 Tiranges; 38.2 St Alban; 37.6 Le Pont de M.; 35 St Sauveur.”
“Tenerife wildfire ‘started deliberately’ as blazes in Greece force evacuations.
“An out-of-control wildfire on Tenerife that has forced thousands to flee was started deliberately, authorities have said, as four more villages in Greece were evacuated in the face of another advancing blaze and more than half of mainland France was on extreme heat alert.”
“Italy is in the grip of its third major heatwave of this summer, as the hottest two-year period on record continues in the country.
“The Ministry of Health said Monday that by mid-week, 17 of Italy’s 27 largest cities will be on “red alert” for heat. A new record of 20 out of 27 cities was set in July.”
“Temperatures reached 37.7C [99.9F] in Botswana (0.1C from reliable August national record, which can fall next days), 37C in Namibia and 36C in South Africa. Next days the heat will further increase and records will be almost unavoidable.”
“MENA Energy Crisis Deepens As Record Breaking Heatwave Sweeps The Region…
“While the region is historically known for its intense summer heat, current heat waves are extreme even for those used to the desert climate, with the heat index topping 150 degrees fahrenheit – nearing the limit for human survival – in many locations.”
“Turkish heatwave makes things difficult for growers…
“”Generally, the whole country is affected by the high temperatures, but especially Southern regions of Turkey are highly affected. The least affected region is the Black Sea region, in the Northern part of the country.””
“City Mayor Sergei Sobyanin confirmed the deaths without saying how many had died, and said authorities were still searching for several missing people. Sunday’s floods, caused by heavy rain, were so rapid people could not escape.”
“Artificial glacier helps mountain village in Kyrgyzstan meet water needs…
“Constructing the artificial glacier began with installing an underground pipeline. In just one week, 55 people manually dug a trench and laid pipes from the mountain spring to the pasture, where their livestock graze. The end of the pipe was then raised 20 meters above the ground.”
“From July 11 to August 19 this year, the national average temperature in China was 23.05C [73.5F], the second highest in history, second only to last year’s 23.1C!
“This is mainly because northern China is very hot this year, making up for the gap in the south.”
“China’s Northern Farmers Brace for More Heavy Rains and Floods.
“”China’s northeastern grain basket is bracing for another deluge of heavy rain, heaping more pain on farmers in the region who have already seen fields flooded and crops damaged by wild weather this month.”
“North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has lashed out at top officials for their “irresponsible” response to flood damage, saying they had “spoiled” the national economy, state media reported on Tuesday.
“Kim inspected a tideland on the west coast on Monday after seawater recently destroyed an embankment with inadequate drainage system, flooding more than 560 hectares of land…”
“Numerous heat records have been broken in Japan, with Tokyo experiencing daytime highs exceeding 35℃(95F) 21 times so far this summer (as of Aug. 20).
“This is nearly four times the summer average and significantly surpasses the previous record of 16 times set last year.”
“Record heat in Thailand. Yesterday 39.5C [103.1F] at Uttaradit is the highest temperature ever recorded in Thailand in August (previous 39.4C Kanchanaburi 13 August 1987).
“Many more monthly records fell in the past 2 days (see list below); Central Thailand rainy season has been very weak.”
“Winter 2022 was the first winter when not a single long POR [period of records] station in the whole Southern Hemisphere beat an all time record of lowest temperature.
“Meteorological Winter 2023 is near ending and so far no long series stations have beaten an all time low and time is running out…”
“I’ve spent 40 years in Antarctic research. Right now it’s facing a climate emergency so we must not put vital science on ice.
“Antarctica’s climate is changing. Record-breaking stored heat is melting ice shelves from underneath, setting off a chain reaction. Without the buttressing of the ice shelves, glaciers flow faster to the sea. In West Antarctica, the Thwaites “doomsday glacier” is melting faster than predicted.”
“A bridge in Chile’s central Maule Region collapsed amid river flooding spurred by heavy rains, video released on August 21 shows.
“Aerial video of the Maule Region released by the Carabineros, Chile’s national police, on Monday shows the Three Arches Bridge (Puente Tres Arcos) partially collapsed into the Ancoa River in Llepo, as well as flooding in nearby areas.”
“Exceptional heat in South America today with 41C in Brazil and 39C in Argentina. Several more monthly records were broken in Brazil:
“41.0 [105.8F] Oeiras; 40.8 Bom Jesus Piaui; 40.4 Alvorada do gurgueia; 40.4 Balsas; 40.4 Floriano etc. Next days it will be even worse with more records coming.”
“A major fire advances in Potrero de los Funes [Argentina].
“The fires do not give truce in San Luis and there are active foci in various parts of the province. One of them is located in Potrero de los Funes, in front of the International Hotel.”
“Yesterday the city of Tarapoto, in the Amazon Region, rose to 38.2C [100.8F], its hottest August day on records, finally beating the August 1963 which was tied earlier this month.”
“Hawaii wildfires: 850 people still missing after blaze ripped through Maui.
“Maui Mayor Richard Bissen said more than 1,200 people have recently been found safe following the wildfires that have killed at least 114 people. US President Joe Biden is set to visit the island following criticism.”
“Canada wildfires: At least 30,000 households in British Columbia told to evacuate.
“About 30,000 households have been ordered to evacuate in Canada’s British Columbia province, where nearly 400 wildfires are raging. Two huge fires in the Shuswap region merged overnight, destroying blocks of houses and other buildings.”
“Dramatic new photos show the devastation in the Coachella Valley of California, as Cathedral City reels from record-breaking rain caused by Tropical Storm Hilary.
“Residents of an assisted living facility were pictured on Monday being rescued by JCB machinery, with many roads left impassable.”
“Hilary continues to deliver flooding rains to parts of southern California. Palmdale has set an all-time daily rainfall record. Mount San Jacinto has received 8.52 inches…
“Death Valley saw its wettest day on record yesterday (2.20”). That’s more than its previous wettest 2 days (1.70”) and wettest 3 days (1.88”).”
“Waco [Texas] poised for ‘driest summer on record’…
“In Waco, there has been no rainfall for a record 50 straight days, since only a trace amount on July 1… “There’s no sign that’s going to change anytime soon … Waco is on track to be [the] driest summer on record,” Bradshaw said.”
“Sweltering temperatures lingered Sunday in a large swath of the central U.S., causing misery from the Gulf of Mexico almost to the Great Lakes.
“Record high temperatures were recorded in Texas and other states. People were told to chug extra water while mowing lawns or exercising outdoors, and to check on neighbors to ensure air-conditioning is available.”
“Global sea surface temperatures continue to reach new records almost daily, today up again to 21.09°C (69.96°F). And this is happening at a time of year when sea surface temperatures are typically lower than their March/April peak.”
“The year of ‘global boiling’ is creating an opportunity for winemakers in Sweden…
“The extended growing season for vineyards in Sweden is now longer by 20 days due to rising temperatures, the AP reported, based on data from the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Average temperatures in Sweden rose by 1°C, or 1.8 °F, from 1961-1990 to 1991-2016 — and are likely to rise a further 2 to 7°C by the end of the century.”
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.
“To all the global 2 meter surface temperature savants and fake bettors, the planet is back in record territory again, with an average yesterday of 16.949°C [62.508F], once again above the modern record of 16.924°C set last year.
“Will we make it to 17.25°C? The climate casino hopes not.”
“Record-high temperatures in the Gulf of St. Lawrence [Canada] affecting animal life, oceanographers say.
“From great white sharks around Quebec’s Îles-de-la-Madeleine to lobsters conquering new territory, oceanographers say the warming of the Gulf of St. Lawrence is having an impact on the creatures that live in its unique ecosystem.”
“Ireland’s fishermen fear species migration as sea temperatures soar…
“Among trends emerging, he added, were more mackerel being caught by the Icelandic fleet, while his members were catching more species like anchovies and sardines, which are typically found in warmer southern waters, prompting “overall concern”.”
“The spooky mass strandings on Welsh beaches as thousands more fish leap out of the sea.
“Thousands of small fish are continuing to leap out of the water onto Welsh beaches. The latest beach to be engulfed by whitebait that had been washed up on the sand is a beach on the Llŷn Peninsula near Abersoch in north Wales.”
“Government to hold crisis meeting as France heads into heatwave…
“Meteorologists have even suggested that France could see its most intense heatwave ever— outstripping 2012’s record — with an average temperature of 27 degrees recorded for multiple days across 30 monitoring stations nationwide.”
“Tenerife wildfire: Thousands flee as firefighters battle ‘out of control’ blaze…
“The blaze has already burned at least 6,425 acres. “This is probably the most complicated blaze we have had on the Canary Islands, if not ever, in at least the last 40 years,” said regional leader Fernando Clavijo.”
“Eastern Mediterranean turning tropical, as warming waters force native species out.
“Temperatures in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Gulf of Eilat are reaching near-record highs this year and peaking much earlier than in previous years, experts say, with the former slowly turning tropical.”
“Istanbul’s European side reaches its critical point of water scarcity.
“The Istanbul Water and Sewage Administration (ISKI) has sounded a clarion call for residents on the European side of the city, urging heightened vigilance in water usage as the metropolis grapples with an acute water scarcity crisis.”
“[Turkey] breaks temperature record as wildfires continue.
“As extreme temperatures continue to spiral globally, heatwaves and wildfires have wreaked havoc throughout several parts of Türkiye, especially in the Central Anatolian province of Eskişehir, where mercury has shot up to a whopping 49.5 degrees [121.f], breaking the country’s all-time heat record [again, I am not 100% sure about this record]…”
“Coral reef in Gulf of Eilat continues to deteriorate.
“Higher sea temperatures, accumulation of pollutants, extreme storms and disease outbreaks threaten the reef corals in the Gulf of Eilat, monitoring by the Environmental Protection Ministry and the Interuniversity Institute for Marine Studies has found.”
“‘Silent threat’: Bahrain to build walls against rising sea.
“…next year, the tiny Gulf state will begin building its coastal defences against sea levels that have begun advancing, by widening beaches, constructing taller sea walls and elevating land. “Bahrain is vulnerable,” Mohamed bin Mubarak bin Daina, Bahrain’s oil and environment minister and special envoy for climate affairs, said in an interview.”
“Himachal Pradesh floods: More rain, less snow are turning Himalayas dangerous.
“Torrential rains and unabated construction are frequently triggering disasters in India’s Himalayan region. But an unusual increase in rainfall is making the terrain even more dangerous.”
“India faces record low August rains, threatening summer crops…
“August rainfall, expected to be the lowest since records began in 1901, could dent yields of summer-sown crops, from rice to soybeans, boosting prices and overall food inflation, which jumped in July to the highest since January 2020.”
“August has already become the wettest in 52 years in Dhaka [Bangladesh] although almost half of the month is still to go…
“On August 17, the monthly cumulative rainfall recorded in Dhaka reached 554mm [21.8 inches] with 71mm rain in the 24 hours until 9:00am on the day, exceeding the maximum August rainfall record of 485mm.”
“Beijing’s record rain… how heavy was the rain that inundated China’s cities? [nice graphic essay]
“…reports in state media from local monitoring stations show rainfall well in excess of the annual average for some villages. In the populous province of Hebei, one weather station recorded 1,003mm [39.5 inches] of rain over three days, an amount normally seen in more than a year and a half.”
“Japan couldn’t miss a record today: Ueda with 38.4C [101.F] broke its record of highest temperature for August. There is no end in sight to this heat wave which might strengthen again in few days.”
“Yesterday the eastern town of Infanta in Luzon, rose to 37.7C [99.9F] breaking its August record of highest temperature and one of its highest temperatures on records for any month.”
“Snake season starts early as unusually high temperatures hit Australia.
“As Australia’s east coast experiences one of its warmest winters on record, snake season appears to have started early. The Australian Reptile Park has issued an “urgent warning” for people to be on the look out for venomous snakes.”
“On 14th August the atoll of Nui, Republic of Tuvalu, Oceania had a Min. temperature of 28.7C [83.7F] which is the highest minimum temperature ever recorded in August in the whole Southern Hemisphere.”
“Pacific island sea levels rising faster than global average, WMO says.
“Sea levels in the South-West Pacific are rising faster than the global average, threatening low-lying islands while heat damages marine ecosystems, the U.N. meteorological agency said on Friday.”
“‘Coral are going to die’: Maui wildfires take toxic toll on marine ecology.
“As the toll from Maui’s catastrophic wildfires continues to climb, experts warn the disaster also poses a grave threat to the coral reefs and delicate ocean ecosystems that surround the devastated town of Lahaina.”
“South America Braces For Power Hike With Incoming El Niño…
“Hydropower is a fundamental source of electricity for many South American countries, with any drop in generation capabilities likely to trigger increased reliance on coal and natural gas, pushing up power prices for both consumers and industry.”
“Peru is with ridiculous heat this “winter” with record after record in all its regions.
“It’s winter (or supposed to be) but in several areas temperatures are full-summer like. Daytime highs at high elevations like 32.0C [89.6F] at Pacaycasa at 2450m asl and 29.7C at Ayacucho at 2740m.”
“Heavy rains lashed La Plata in Argentina, causing flooding that affected streets and houses, disrupting the lives of residents.
“Meanwhile, at Buenos Aires Metropolitan Airport, passengers’ flights were affected by the storm that hit the city and the surrounding area. Authorities are monitoring the situation and coordinating assistance.”
“July 2023 had an average temperature of 27.6C [81.7F] which is +2.9C above the 1991-2020 and was the HOTTEST MONTH IN MEXICAN HISTORYahead of June 2023, the previous month.”
“Florida’s coral at severe risk of bleaching after ‘unprecedented’ heat stress…
““The temperatures have clearly been higher than anything ever recorded before,” said Derek Manzello, coordinator of Noaa’s coral reef watch program. “You hear the word ‘unprecedented’ get thrown around a lot but Florida’s corals have never been exposed to this level of heat stress before.”
“Brutal heat wave coming to central U.S., with excessive heat warning in Texas.
“Dueling heat waves — across Texas and the South, and in the Pacific Northwest to northern Plains — are about to join forces to deliver the hottest stretch of weather this year to the central Plains and parts of the Midwest.”
“Hurricane Hilary heads for US bringing a year’s worth of rain and 145mph winds, forecasters say.
“People in the area, who have been struggling under record-high temperatures this summer, are now bracing for “rare and dangerous flooding”, as California prepares for its first tropical storm in 84 years.”
“Minnesota farmers still assessing damage after hail destroys thousands of acres of crops…
“”Here it’s about as bad as it can get,” said Ryberg. “You take a field that looked like it was going to be average or above average production and now it’s a zero, why that … crop insurance doesn’t make us any money.””
“Canadian wildfire in Kelowna JUMPS lake which emergency services hoped would stop it in its tracks…
“Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from their homes across several sections of Canada after a series of wildfires which threatened to blanket the US in dangerous smog.”
“Canada’s far north speeds up evacuations as fire nears main city…
“Strong winds over the next two days will send the fire, already within just a few kilometers of the city’s perimeter, “in directions we don’t want,” Northwest Territories’ fire information officer Mike Westwick said late Thursday.”
“New study warns against risks of ‘time-traveling pathogens’…
“As the climate warms, scientists have suggested that “time-traveling pathogens” unleashed by thawing Arctic permafrost may pose a risk to modern ecosystems… lead author Giovanni Strona and coauthor Corey Bradshaw said the findings add yet another layer of concern to the risks from an ever-warming climate.”
“Scientists lament Southern Ocean ‘data desert’, just as climate crisis brings frightening changes.
“A chronic shortage of observations of the vast ocean surrounding Antarctica is hindering more accurate forecasts of the consequences of the climate crisis, a meeting of 300 scientists has concluded.”
“Dead trees around the world are shocking scientists[the brilliant Gail Zawacki would not have been surprised, bless her].
““Even people who are really knowledgeable and who have a lot of experience out in the field were surprised to see how fast these forests were going down the drain,” says Henrik Hartmann, an ecophysiologist at the Julius Kühn Institute Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants in Germany…”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“Oceans absorb 90% of the heat from climate change — here’s why record ocean temps are so harmful…
““The warmer ocean that we are seeing now represents a ratcheting up of the climate change signal,” Benjamin Kirtman, professor of atmospheric sciences at the University of Miami, told CNBC. “This is consistent with a continued increase in extreme weather in the climate system, that is more heat waves and marine heat waves, droughts in already dry regions, floods in already wet areas, extreme winds, and fire.””
“Extreme heat wave in the Caribbeans, records are falling everywhere. It’s historic in the US Virgin Islands.
“96F [35.6C] at St Croix on 14 August tied the highest reliable temperature ever recorded in the US Virgin Islands. Today 95F at Charlotte Amalie tied its monthly record.”
“Average Gulf Coast temperatures reach record highs…
“Average temperature data from the Southeast Regional Climate Center from Aug. 1-15 indicated record high temperatures on coastal stations, across an unbroken swath of coast stretching from Matamoros in northeastern Mexico to Miami.”
“Austin hits 40 days in a row of triple-digit heat, unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
“Wednesday is the 40th day in a row of triple-digit heat in Austin. The old record for a triple-digit streak was 27 days, set in 2011. That makes this streak feel less like a new record and more like a new paradigm. But it is not the only major heat record to fall hard.”
“Phoenix’s brutal, record-breaking summer just hit another terrible milestone…
“Phoenix is experiencing its driest start to summer after recording no measurable rainfall Monday, a new record for the latest start to the region’s monsoon in the city. The troubling new milestone is emblematic of a much larger problem in the Southwest, which relies on the monsoon for much of its rain.”
“Heavy rain, hail and damaging winds walloped much of the Eastern Seaboard again on Tuesday after a first round on Monday.
“Golf ball-size hail fell in Georgia and North Carolina. Columbia, South Carolina, reported an 87-mph wind gust, the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane. Mountain areas of North Carolina saw rain falling at a rate of 3-5 inches an hour.”
“On what would seem like a typical late-Summer day in Columbia, SC, multiple records fell including an all-time record dating back 76 years…
“Around 4:30 PM severe storms caused a microburst which produced 88 mph winds at Columbia Metropolitan Airport… This wind gust broke the all-time record for this recording site which dates back to 1947. Amazingly this beats out several high profile severe weather events…”
“Minnesota golf course video goes viral after being decimated by softball size hail storm…
“Oakdale Golf Club in Minnesota, located 80 miles west of downtown Minneapolis, experienced a traumatic hail storm this past weekend. In a video submitted to the NUCLR Golf Twitter account, softball-sized hail blanketed the course and, unfortunately, destroyed many of the greens.”
“‘Real threat to city’: Yellowknife in Canada evacuates as wildfire nears.
“20,000 residents of capital of Northwest Territories ordered to leave after forecast that wildfire 11 miles away could arrive by the weekend… Residents in Yellowknife, the capital and only city in the Northwest Territories, were urged to leave as soon as possible.”
“Maui wildfires death toll rises to 111 as crews search the burn area, many dealing with their own losses.
“About 38% of the burn zone had been searched as of Wednesday afternoon, according to Pelletier. Authorities were hoping to have covered much of the burn scars by the weekend. The search through the ashes of what used to be homes, business and historic landmarks is a difficult one…”
“Non-native grass species blamed for ferocity of Hawaii wildfires…
“A July 2021 report on wildfire prevention by a Maui government commission warned that non-native grasses are making Hawaii more vulnerable to destructive fires, saying their presence, particularly on abandoned sugarcane fields, provides a source of “combustible, rapidly burning fuels” that “needs to be addressed”.”
“Another incredible winter heat wave in South America with temperatures up to 38C [100.4F] in Argentina and Paraguay.
“Tomorrow it will be even hotter with some 40C in Paraguay and Brazil. Can’t be worse than this in winter ? Yes, it can. Next heat wave will be even worse: 41C/42C possible.”
“Update on the Japanese heat wave. Another extraordinary hot day with several records broken of highest minimum temperatures.
“Akita (data since 1882) had its highest Tmin on records with 28.9C / 84F. Stifling humidity and hot nights make the heat unbearable. And there is no end in sight.”
“Authorities in the flood-stricken Primorye region of Russia’s Far East on Tuesday declared a state of emergency to expand relief efforts following an outcry by local residents in affected areas.
“Governor Oleg Kozhemyako promised higher payouts to families whose homes were damaged by tropical storm Khanun, which pummeled the Primorye region last week…”
“Vast swath of northeastern China threatened by flooding as rivers rise above warning levels.
“Crews are standing by to defend homes and farmland across the Songliao Basin north of Beijing, which encompasses more than 1.2 million square kilometers (482,200 square miles). The area includes parts of four provinces and several major cities with a total population of almost 100 million.”
“‘In a sauna’: Hong Kong’s labourers swelter as temperatures rise.
“Dressed in a full-body protective suit, an elderly pest control worker could last no more than 15 minutes spraying pesticide along a Hong Kong pavement before the summer heat became too much.”
“At least 32 dead after landslide at Myanmar jade mine…
“More than 160 people died after heavy rain triggered a landslide in a jade mine in Hpakant in 2020. A similar deadly disaster happened in the same area in 2021.”
“People trapped under a collapsed temple in northern India as heavy rains kill more than 60.
“Heavy rains and landslides have killed more than 60 people in the northern Indian states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, as devastating flooding hits the region during the monsoon season. Most of the deaths happened in Himachal Pradesh…”
“Uttarakhand breaks 72-year rain record, IMD warns of more showers in August…
“Sources said the Dehradun district has received the maximum rain across the state in the last 24 hours with 254 mm [10 inches] of rainfall. The rain, which began on Sunday, continued till Monday morning, breaching the August rainfall mark in the last 72 years.”
“Cardamom prices are spiraling to record levels as severely deficient rainfall wreaks havoc in Idukki district in Kerala [SW India], where most of the country’s cardamom is grown.
“The average prices have doubled to around Rs 2,000 per kg from a couple of months ago. The maximum price for the premium quality has jumped to about Rs 3,000 per kg.”
“Agalega again – with a max. temperature of 32.0C [89.6F] yesterday the tiny island tied the Mauritian national record of highest temperature in August which was set few days ago in the same place.
“Every month since April Agalega Island has broken multiple times the Mauritius national record.”
“Another record: Gillot Airport, Reunion Island, with 28.3C [82.9F] yesterday broke its record of highest temperature in August.
“Now the exact half of the world countries/territories have broken at least 1 monthly record so far this month and we are just at mid month. Unprecedented.”
“Saudi Arabia’s NWC announces $1.3 billion new desalination projects.
“Saudi Arabia’s National Water Co (NWC) has revealed its ambitious infrastructure plan, launching work on 12 major desalination projects valued at over $1.3 billion across strategic areas including Dammam, Al Khobar, Jubail, Al Ahsa, and Qatif.”
“Kenyans look to the foggy heavens for water amid state neglect.
“Fog harvesting has become an increasingly popular innovation, often through word of mouth, in areas where climate change has contributed to water scarcity and where public provision is weak. The method has emerged in different ways across the world, from South Africa to Morocco, and from Peru to India.”
“A quarter of the world’s population is currently exposed to extremely high annual water stress, according to new data from the World Resources Institute.
“The WRI’s Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas found 25 countries are currently suffering from extreme water stress every year – with Bahrain, Cyprus, Kuwait, Lebanon and Oman the worst affected.”
“Residents of Hobyo, Somalia, say drifting sandstorms are burying their homes, schools and shops and threatening the existence of the coastal town. Abdulkadir Zubeyr and Abdulaziz Osman have this story, narrated by Salem Solomon.”
“A Multi-million naira automated farm, Matuuci Farms Limited, located at Agbobo Umuoga Ossomala community in Ogbaru Local Council of Anambra has shut down operations, while about 400 workers were asked to stop work following a flash flood that killed more than 25,000 birds.”
“Water scarcity in Iraq leads to the disappearance of a signature rice.
“Amber rice has long been revered in Iraq for its distinctive fragrance; in the Iraqi dialect, “amber” is used to describe any sweet-smelling aroma… As climate change tightens its grip on Iraq, though, amber rice is the latest casualty. Farmers here are grappling not only with a loss of income, but a way of life.”
“Central/Northern Iraq is living the worst heat wave in its history.Khanaqin has recorded so far 7 consecutive Tmax >50C (highest 52.5C) and 7 Tmins >30.
“Today the MIN temperature was 37.0C [98.6F]. 3 stations today in Iraq had Tmins >37C; Kirkuk had 3 Tmins >37C in 1 week! Insane.”
“Turkey breaks its record for hottest day with 49.5 degrees / 121F[there is still some debate about the temperature’s authenticity, in spite of the official verification; Turkey already broke its August heat record…].
“The record temperature was registered on Tuesday in the central Anatolian province of Eskisehir, Environment Minister Mehmet Ozhaseki wrote on social media platform X, formerly Twitter. The previous record was 49.1 degrees in 2021, he added.”
“South of France: ‘Catastrophic’ wildfires force thousands of residents and holidaymakers to evacuate.
“Hundreds of firefighters have tackled the blaze which broke out between Saint-André, near the Spanish border, and the seaside resort of Argeles-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean coast.”
“A New Powerful Heatwave is Forecast to intensify across Western and Central Europe as we head into the final two weeks of summer 2023; a heat dome engulfs the continent…
“After southern Europe recently beat its all-time records with scorching heat, a new powerful heatwave will intensify this week. Spread into western and central Europe over the weekend, reaching its peak next week.”
“In Italy, retreating Apennine glacier leaves ghost town behind.
“The surrounding nature… is changing fast. The Gran Sasso glacier, one of the southernmost in Europe, lost its status. Between 1999 and 2000, the glacier separated into two smaller parts, and became “glacierets” according to scientific terminology.”
“Flooding on the runway caused cancellations and major delays for passengers at Frankfurt Airport on August 16, local media reported.
“Video filmed by Igor Le Clerc shows long lines of passengers waiting at check-in desks. Passengers can also be seen attempting to sleep inside the airport.”
“Greatest number of hot days in July measured in Lapland.
“July statistics from the Finnish Meteorological Institute (FMI) revealed that Kevo, Utsjoki in Lapland experienced the highest count of hot days that month. Hot temperatures are considered anything over 25C [77F].”
“Frozen Riverbanks May Erode Faster in a Warming Arctic…
“Arctic communities are experiencing rapid physical, chemical, and biological changes in their river systems due to warming air and river water temperatures and thawing permafrost ground.”
“Scientists say deepening Arctic snowpack drives greenhouse gas emissions…
“Human-caused climate change is shortening the snow cover period in the Arctic. But according to new research led by Earth system scientists, some parts of the Arctic are getting deeper snowpack than normal, and that deep snow is driving the thawing of long-frozen permafrost carbon reserves and leading to increased emissions of greenhouse gasses like carbon dioxide and methane.”
“More Arctic sea ice cracks spotted by SDGSAT-1 satellite…
“The case study showed that the lead area [ie area of cracks and fissures] detected by SDGSAT-1 was 1.3 times larger than that observed by MODIS, suggesting that more leads exist in the Arctic Ocean ice than previously observed.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
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“The global average sea surface temperature yesterday was 21.06°C (69.91°F), which sets a new record for the highest recorded global sea surface temperature in the modern era, beating the previous record of 21.05°C set April 1-5 of this year.”
“‘This isn’t normal,’ NASA says in announcing July as hottest month on record…
” July was the hottest month on record in 143 years, as Americans felt “the effects of the climate crisis,” scientists at NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York announced Monday.” …”“Something has changed.”” [Last quote and graph from climatologist, Brian Brettschneider’s Twitter feed].
“Two months ago, I thought I’d do something ridiculous and plot the Super El Niño trend of 2015 forward for Sea Surface Temperatures, see dashed lines in red (2023) and green (2024).
“It turns out that we are largely running above that…”
“Global sea ice hit a record low anomaly yesterday at 4.04M km² below the 1981-2010 mean.
“That’s a deficit greater than the area of India and Pakistan put together of sea ice that isn’t there.The anomaly comes from 2.50M km² of Antarctic deficit and 1.54M km² of Arctic deficit.”
“‘Huge’ coral bleaching unfolding across the Americas prompts fears of global tragedy.
“Corals across several countries are bleaching and dying en masse from unprecedented levels of heat stress, prompting fears that an unfolding tragedy in Central America, North America and the Caribbean could become a global event.”
“Experts closely watching B.C. seabirds as marine heat wave warms up Pacific Ocean.
“Scientists are keeping a close eye on B.C.’s seabird population as a marine heat wave in the Pacific Ocean is expected to cause a mass die-off. “We’ll probably see the effects of this sea surface warming in the next couple of months,” said Remi Torrenta, the B.C. project coordinator for Birds Canada, in an email Friday.”
“Yellowknife declares state of local emergency due to wildfires in Northwest Territories.
“The declaration was passed at an emergency council meeting Monday evening, and the city says in a tweet it will ensure the community “can exercise precautionary practices and acquire the equipment and resources needed to keep Yellowknife safe.””
“Maui residents have criticized the federal response to devastating wildfires which have ruined parts of the Hawaiian island and claim that locals have been left to coordinate parts of the recovery themselves.
“Deliveries of supplies like medication have been held up by bureaucracy, while authorities have also failed to communicate with residents who have been displaced by the fire, it is claimed.”
“Gov. Greg Abbott declares wildfire disaster for three-fourths of Texas.
“The declaration was issued Friday as wildfires continue to spark across the state: The Texas A&M Forest Service, which monitors wildfire conditions, reports that at least 8,500 acres of Texas land have burned since Aug. 1.”
“New Orleans reached 100F for the 4th consecutive day breaking the record of 3 days that was set August 5-7, 2023. It has also reached 100F 9 times this year (old record: 5 days, 1980).”
“The Gulf of Mexico this week is the hottest it’s been at any point in any year on record by a wide margin.
“Weekly averaged Gulf sea surface temperatures have never broken 87°F but this week topped 88°F, an astonishing 1.4°C (2.6°F) above the 1991-2020 average.”
“… the tiny Caribbean island of Saba (Dutch Caribbeans) couldn’t miss the heat party:
“On 10 August the Juancho Yrausquin Int. AP reached 33.5C [92.3F] which ties its highest temperature in history also set on 13 September 2019 and 9 September 2021.”
“South America is living extremely warm anomalies with records falling from Guyana to Peru, Bolivia and Chile.
“Last one was Tarapoto, Peru which tied its monthly record of 37.8C [100F] from the 1963 drought year. A new harsh heat wave will push heat up to 40C in Bolivia, Brazil and Paraguay.”
“A critical railway bridge in Norway has collapsed into a river after a storm caused widespread damage to infrastructure.
“The middle part of the Randklev Bridge in Ringebu, which is crossed by the Dovre line connecting Oslo and Trondheim, slid into the Lågen River on Monday morning.”
“A healthy diet in the UK will be put at risk by climate breakdown as European droughts shrink fresh fruit and vegetable supplies, experts have said.
“Fresh produce from the Mediterranean, upon which the UK is reliant, will become more expensive and harder to obtain as extreme heat causes yields to reduce.”
“‘Completely out of whack’: Winter storms in August have destroyed half of this French farmer’s crops…
“‘We’ve never seen anything like it,’ says a French farmer… Weeks of rainy weather followed by storm Patricia in early August have destroyed crops in northern France. In the town of Sangatte, farmer Bertrand Baey has lost half of his oat crops to unseasonable weather.”
“300,000 residents left without reliable water sources as drought ravages southern France.
“As Europe continues to experience recording breaking heatwaves, southern France has been hit by severe drought… This week, over 300,000 commune inhabitants have had their water supplies disrupted. Some 67 communes are now receiving water by tanker and 18 by bottles.”
“Hotter summers in Alps melt stabilising permafrost.
“…permafrost is the glue that holds the Alpine peaks together. Up high, there is a surprising amount of ice bonding the mountainsides together — if you take this away, the stability of the mountains is hugely compromised. The number of high altitude rock falls has increased…”
“This is the terrifying moment a ‘tsunami of mud’ crashed through an Italian Alpine town, sending people fleeing for their lives.
“Dramatic video shows the churning river of mud forming a huge wave as it burst its banks and slammed into a street following heavy rain in the town of Bardonecchia, near Turin in the Val di Susa valley.”
“The record temperatures in Morocco will delay the tomato and early vegetable season.
“An absolute record temperature was registered in Morocco, on Friday 11th August at 1:33 PM, with 50.4 Celsius [122.7F] degrees recorded in the Souss Massa region… Growers are counting the damage and anticipate a major impact on the season.”
“Firefighters and emergency crews are responding to a wildfire on the outskirts of Tangier that broke out late on Thursday 10 August in the Rmeilat forest. The blaze spread toward homes in the northwest of Tangier on Friday, 11 August.”
“Extreme heat wave in Turkey and Middle East – dozens records were smashed… More came today:
“TURKIYE: 47.6 [117.7F] Kilis; 46.8 Kahramanmaras; 41.4 Karaman; 41.1 Kayseri; 40.9 Konya; and dozens more… SYRIA: Hottest day on records at Aleppo and Hama near 47C! CYPRUS: 38.0 Prodromos all time high tied.”
“Flights grounded at Ben-Gurion [Lod, Israel] as extreme heatwave causes delays…
“The Airports Authority stated that “due to the weather conditions and its effect on technical systems in the control units, and in order to maintain flight safety, it was decided to temporarily cancel the flights landing in the airport.” This may cause delays in landings and takeoffs.”
“Heatwave in Israeli jail: An ‘unbearable’ life for Palestinian prisoners…
“For Palestinian detainees, the hot season is itself a prison within a prison. Israel’s restrictive measures compound the woes of prisoners made to suffer through yearly heatwaves in prisons located in the desert or near hot, humid valleys that make life unbearable, the 51-year-old former detainee told Middle East Eye.”
“Power cuts, heatwave disrupt lives of sick Gazans.
“A heatwave and worsening power cuts in Gaza have left some of those living in the overcrowded Palestinian enclave struggling to breathe. Ismail Nashwan, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, has had to shuttle between his home and hospital since temperatures rose over 38 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit)…”
“Jordan’s agriculture sector withers as heatwave continues.
“The unprecedented heatwave affecting Jordan has resulted in a “skyrocketing” electricity demand and an increase in water demand by 30 per cent, according to the Ministry of Water’s spokesperson, Omar Salameh. However, the agricultural sector suffers the worst consequences, according to the Jordan Valley Farmers Union.”
“Punishing Heatwave Bakes Iraqis in Baghdad This Summer.
“Iraqis in Baghdad are baking in brutal heat as a scorching heatwave regularly pushes the temperature above 50 degrees Celsius during the day. Baghdad resident Mohammed Saddam said he was struggling to cope with the hot weather while out shopping, speaking as he wiped the sweat off his face.”
“‘No more water’: Iraq drought claims lakeside resort.
“Habbaniyah: Iraqi merchant Mohamed has never seen such a grim tourist season: years of drought have shrunken the majestic Lake Habbaniyah, keeping away the holidaymakers who once flocked there during summer.”
“Dozens dead as floods, landslides hit India’s Himalayan region.
“Heavy monsoon rains have triggered floods and landslides in India’s Himalayan region, killing at least 41 people and trapping many others. Days of downpours have washed away vehicles, demolished buildings and destroyed bridges…”
“At least 55 people have been killed and more than a million affected by two weeks of torrential rains causing floods and landslides in southeast Bangladesh, officials said Sunday…
“The rainfall is hard to forecast and varies considerably but scientists say climate change is making the monsoon stronger and more erratic…”
“A mudslide in China’s north-western city of Xi’an has killed 21 people, with six still missing, officials said on Sunday.
“The city’s emergency management authority released an update on the number of casualties from Friday’s disaster as China grappled with unusually high summer rainfall.”
“Global rice markets could come under further strain as the world’s leading rice producer China grapples with heavy rain and flood risks.
““Heavy rain in China’s grain-producing north-eastern region that will reduce yields is likely to put upward pressure on already high global rice prices,” Fitch Ratings said in a recent report.”
“Tornado kills 2, injures 15 in E China’s Jiangsu.
“A tornado killed two people and injured 15 others after hitting Yancheng City in Jiangsu Province on Sunday. Triggered by strong convection weather, the tornado was rated EF2 by experts…”
“”More than 2,000 people, including 405 children, have been evacuated in Primorye,” the Russian Emergency Situations Ministry said on Telegram. The ministry said nearly 5,000 buildings had been flooded in the Primorye region, which borders China and North Korea.”
“Typhoon Lan is projected to hit the Kii Peninsula by Tuesday morningbefore moving through the Osaka-Kyoto area. It’ll be this year’s 1st typhoon to make landfall on mainland Japan.
“Its moisture resulted in a record-breaking 576mm (23inches) of rain in N. Japan’s Iwate in 24hrs.”
“Extreme Australian bushfires pose serious threat to global climate, scientists warn.
“In an article published in Science, researchers from University of New South Wales Canberra and The University of Tasmania have highlighted the global impacts of the Black Summer fires and detailed lessons learned, while emphasizing the urgent need for the global community to better respond to extreme fires.”
“Another record in the Oceanic territory of Wallis and Futuna: 32.4C [90.3F] set early last week in the Futuna Airport broke the monthly record of 32.3C set in 2019.
“So far this month, nearly half of the world countries and territories broke at least one record of high temperature.”
“I was there as the world’s widest glacier [Thwaites] collapsed…
“Thwaites alone contains more than two feet of potential sea-level rise, and were it to wholly disintegrate, it could destabilize much of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, causing global sea levels to jump 10 feet or more. Ten feet would devastate big chunks of New York and Jakarta, Mumbai and Boston, and heaps of smaller, equally important places.”
“Rising methane could be a sign that Earth’s climate is part-way through a ‘termination-level transition’…
“Methane is both a driver and a messenger of climate change. We don’t know why it is now rising so rapidly, but the pattern of growth since late 2006 resembles how methane behaved during great flips in Earth’s climate in the distant past.”
“Young environmental activists prevail in first-of-its-kind climate change trial in Montana…
“Young environmental activists scored what experts described as a ground-breaking legal victory Monday when a Montana judge said state agencies were violating their constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment by allowing fossil fuel development.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
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“HISTORIC Extreme day >50C – Morocco for the first time reliably surpasses 50C [122F]…
“50.2 at Agadir Airport; All time records also: 48.7 Essaouira AP; 48.3 Tiznit; 48.2 Tan Tan; IRAQ: 52.5 Kannaqin monthly record; 50.6 Kirkuk all time high; 49.0 Mossul monthly record.”
“The streets of Marrakesh were bathed in an eerie orange light on Thursday as a sandstorm hit the city, blotting out the sky. Local media reported that one man was killed by a fallen tree during the storm in the Moroccan city’s Medina quarter.”
“A Spanish lagoon has dried up completely for the second year in a row as the holiday hotspot swelters through its third heatwave this year…
“The largest permanent lagoon in southern Spain’s Donana national park has completely dried out for the second summer in a row due to a prolonged drought and the overexploitation of aquifers, the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) said on Thursday.”
“Spain’s eastern city of Valencia set a new temperature record on Thursday as the country baked under its third heatwave of the summer.
““The mercury soared to 46.8C [116.2F] at Valencia airport, shattering the previous record of 43.4C set on July 6th, 1986, state weather agency Aemet said on social media.”
“Spain’s largest glacier in terminal phase: Study…
“Spain’s largest glacier, Aneto, is in a terminal state, according to a recent study by biologists and geographers. The black mucus appearing on the ice surface trap heat, accelerate the melting of the ice, according to the scientists cited by the Spanish daily El Pais on Wednesday.”
“Tropical nights (Tmins >20C were recorded even above 1600m asl) and the station of La Comella (1225m) with a Tmin of 21.4C [70.5F] had the highest Tmin ever recorded in the history of Andorra.”
“Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (İSKİ) General Manager Şafak Başa on Aug. 11 called on Istanbulites to save water.
“Speaking at the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Wastewater, Rainwater and Stream Rehabilitation Investments in Istanbul’s Şile district, Başa said they are experiencing a “catastrophic drought,” ANKA News Agency reported.”
“Cizre in Turkey rose to 48.6C [119.5F] breaking again the national record of highest temperature in August and just 0.5C from Turkish all time high. Iraq, Georgia and Armenia are also sizzling with extreme heat.”
“New research published on Wednesday in Nature suggests that the Horn of Africa is likely to become even drier, not wetter in the future as predicted by most climate models.
“An international team of researchers have found a pre-historic climate tipping point that helps explain the disparity between these model predictions and the intensifying drought conditions in the Horn of Africa.”
“Heatwave takes toll on Yemen’s precious indigenous Arabian horses.
“In Sanaa, the plateau that once provided a refuge from the heat now poses risks for animals. The high altitude and lack of shade make it difficult for animals to cool down in the unbearable summer heat this year, and the dry air can exacerbate respiratory problems.”
“Another record in Agalega Island: With 32.0C [89.6F] it beat again the Mauritius national record of highest temperature of August. That’s after beating those of May, June and July multiple times each one.”
“Endless record heat in Sri Lanka with a new August record pulverized at Ratnapura today with 37.2C [99F].
“Record heat is also in the Philippines (Tmins >29C),Vietnam and Thailand. In just 10 days of August about 1/3 of world countries broke heat records, while only Italy had low records.”
“Five dead, 40,000 evacuated as monsoon floods hit Myanmar…
“Myanmar is hit by heavy rains every year around this time, but extreme weather events have struck around the globe in recent weeks, events scientists say are made worse by climate change. In Bago, northeast of Yangon, some residents evacuated early while others were caught off guard by the rapidly rising water.”
“The residents in Yamunanagar and Ambala [Haryana state] woke up to waterlogging in residential premises with many getting a reminder of the floods that wreaked havoc last month…
“As per the office of Yamunanagar deputy commissioner, Jagadhari tehsil received record-breaking 215 mm [8.5 inches] rain in 24 hours till 8am…”
“No respite from deadly rains and landslides in Uttarakhand [Northern India], 9 more killed in the state.
“Two siblings were killed and a third got injured when the hut they were sleeping in was hit by a landslide in the early hours of Wednesday amid incessant rains in Gaurikund, the base camp of Kedarnath.”
“A flash flood in northwest China on Thursday night killed five villagers who were in the hills rounding up their sheep…
“A group of seven villagers in a rugged part of Gansu province were trying to herd more than 80 sheep when a sudden storm forced them to take shelter in their cars which were parked by a river, local officials told state media.”
“China floods hit rice, corn crops; trigger food inflation worries.
“Floods have damaged corn and rice crops in China’s key northern grain-producing belt, traders and analysts said, with more rain in the forecast as another typhoon approaches, threatening to add to global food inflation pressures.”
“China Faces Early Attack From Crop Pests After Extreme Weather.
“China’s farmers are facing an earlier than expected assault on their crops this year as extreme weather accelerates the spread and growth of destructive diseases and pests such as the dreaded fall armyworm.”
“North Koreans ordered to protect Kim dynasty portraits as Tropical Storm Khanun batters east Asia.
“After battering Japan and South Korea, Tropical Storm Khanun is heading towards North Korea, where citizens have been told they must prioritise safeguarding propaganda portraits of their leaders, according to the country’s official newspaper.”
“The heat has been brutal in Japan this summer. Weeks of stifling heat and humidity have led to a record high for June of 40.2C [104.4F] at Isesaki, followed in July by 41.1C at Kumagaya, the highest ever recorded temperature in Japan. It was also the nation’s overall hottest July on record, and which followed the warmest spring on record.”
“On Thursday, the temperature in Itoigawa of Niigata Prefecture did not drop below 31.4°C/88.5F, making it the highest daily minimum ever recorded in all of Japan.Eight other places recorded among the top 20 highest lows on the same day.”
“Unrelenting Hurricane Dora set to make history by becoming a typhoon [it did]…
“…when it crosses the international date line late Friday, it will become Typhoon Dora and only the second tropical system on record to remain at hurricane strength across the eastern, central and western Pacific basins. Hurricane John, the longest-lasting tropical cyclone on record, previously accomplished the same feat in 1994.”
“As the death toll from the devastating wildfires on the island of Maui, Hawaii climbs to 67, officials believe it could be the deadliest disaster in the state’s history.
“On Friday morning, Hawaii Governor Josh Green said search and recovery efforts were underway for the approximately 1,000 people still unaccounted for.”
“Hawaii’s endangered plant species face a long road to recovery after wildfires…
“Though Hawaii makes up less than 1% of U.S. land, it contains 44% of the country’s endangered and threatened plant life. While some native plants can gradually recover from wildfires of this scale, others will likely be scorched beyond regrowth, experts said.”
“Uruguay Wasn’t Supposed to Run Out of Water… A devastating drought has hit a country that seemed to have abundant fresh water…
“I asked Ramón Méndez, a former national director of energy, what went wrong this time around. He said Uruguay was caught by surprise because its people thought it would never run out of fresh water. After all, it had so much.”
“Intense hail and flooding reported in Magdalena Contreras [Mexico] after heavy rains…
“Through videos shared by users on social networks, it was announced that in some streets of the demarcation there were large currents of water, which affected passers-by and drivers in the area.”
“Is Climate Change Causing More Record-Breaking Hail?
“…It’s easy to assume less ice would be falling from the sky in a warming world, but the connection isn’t quite that simple. Experts say some areas will likely see an increase in hailstorms, along with more potentially damaging hail, even as the global surface warms.”
“Miami has now spent 120 hours at or above a 105°F heat index so far this year… the most in any other entire year was 49 hours (in 2020).
“This summer is not comparable to any other and there’s still lots of it left! …Waters around the Florida Keys and Southeast Florida is between 4°F and 8°F warmer than average for this time of year, and well above the typical seasonal peak.”
“Breadfruit – a staple in the Caribbean – is growing in Florida…
“A breadfruit tree is growing in Loxahatchee Groves. It shouldn’t be there. For untold centuries, the Borneo native has been confined to the warmest, gooiest tropical climates, unable to withstand much below 50 degrees or much above the 25 degrees latitude of the lower Keys.”
“PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order to improve future statewide heat response efforts on Friday. She also declared a state of emergency in regards to this summer’s record temperatures.
“Her announcement came 11 days after the Valley saw 31 consecutive days of 110+ degree weather… The heat state of emergency declaration will also open two new cooling centers on Capitol Mall grounds.”
“In 2021 Washington had the second driest conditions on record, causing the department of ecology to issue a drought emergency for 96% of the state. Then in 2022, there was a nice amount of rain and snow runoff, but it wasn’t enough. Now five watersheds in eastern Washington, including Yakima, are in another drought emergency.”
“BC drought most severe in history, temperatures set to climb again in August.
“32/34 basins in British Columbia are at a level 3/5 drought or higher – 28 are a 4/5 or higher. At a news conference this morning (Thursday), Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness Bowinn Ma said “This level of extreme drought has never been seen in this province before.””
“Ottawa rainfall records teetering already with soggy start to August.
“Even before Thursday’s deluge, Ottawa had already recorded 50.3 millimetres of rain in the first nine days of this month. Thursday’s downpour, which flooded underpasses, neighbourhoods and the Merivale Road Costco, came barely a year after another deluge…”
“Further evacuations are being considered in Norway as flood waters continue to swamp houses and coat cars with mud in the south east of the Nordic country.
“Up to 2,000 people have already been moved away from their homes after days of torrential rain.”
“Cost of living crisis: What impact is climate change having on food inflation and grocery prices? …prices creeping up at the supermarket till is linked more closely to rising temperatures than some may realise. Britain’s era of cheap food is over, economists have told The Telegraph…”
“As the Atlantic hits record temperatures, what does it mean for marine life?
“The removal of a single organism in a food web can have drastic effects on the entire ecosystem. A lack of a predator’s typical food source leads to starvation and extinction. A food web disruption caused by heat waves has been observed before.”
“The desperate race to create a protection zone around the rapidly melting Arctic.
“The ice once protected the Arctic ocean from threats – but as it melts it exposes the sea to fishing, shipping, mining and pollution. Would a marine protected area help secure this fragile ecosystem or is it too late?”
“What Happens in Antarctica, Doesn’t Stay in Antarctica…
“The other fear is that Antarctica stops being our planet’s refrigerator and starts acting more like a radiator. At the moment, Antarctica’s ice reflects a large amount of solar radiation back into space, helping keep the world cool.”
“Strong El Niño Odds Increasing, NOAA Latest Update Says…
“El Niño has an increasing chance of becoming strong, with potential influences on the weather we see through this winter, according to a just-released monthly update from NOAA.”
“‘We’re in serious trouble’: Why a hotter world will be bad for our health…
“As other countries and continents tackle the comparatively new issue of extreme heat, Lee is conscious that lessons from those where it has long been a problem have not yet been learned. “We almost forget about it,” he says of intensely hot periods. “We complain, we suffer. And then this whole thing repeats again next summer.””
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread.
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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.
“The “Earth Energy Imbalance” hit another record high for the 36-month running mean after the June, 2023 number was released by CERES.
“More global sea surface temperature f&%kery:
“What’s going on in the tropics? 
“Update on the South America heat wave: Both Bolivia and Paraguay had their hottest winter days on records.
“The death toll in the forest fire raging in the southern Peruvian department of Apurimac has risen to five…
“Heatwave hits Brazil, record temperatures recorded in winter season.
“Southern Africa answers to South America with a brutal winter heat wave.
“Saudi Arabia – Pilgrims and residents in Saudi Arabia’s holy city of Makkah scrambled for shelter as violent weather whipped the region — with strong winds nearly blowing them away — on Tuesday evening.
“Some 100,000 people evacuated due to flooding in Pakistan’s Punjab province…
“A landslide in north Indian mountains destroyed several buildings on Thursday, the latest in a string of disasters in the Himalayas that have killed scores of people.
“August 2023 may turn out to be the driest August month in the past 123 years [ie since records began], a climate expert has told Down To Earth (DTE).
“Very long heat wave in SE India and Sri Lanka.
“Nearly 250,000 Sri Lankans have been affected by drinking water shortage due to drought, the Sri Lankan Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said on Tuesday.
“The precipitation in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan Province [China], reached 502.9mm [19.8 inches] in August. 
“China’s rainfall is in the wrong place for hydropower.
“Wednesday became a historic day for Northern Japan. Sapporo saw 36.3C [97.3F], the highest on record. Several schools in Hokkaido were closed due to the heat, likely for the first time in history.
“Greenhouse gases are changing air flow over the Pacific Ocean – raising Australia’s risks of extreme weather…
“A year on from Marlborough’s state of emergency [New Zealand]: 2022 winter wettest in nearly 100 years.
“An intense marine heatwave has arrived along the Northern and Central California coast, with water temperatures up to 7°F above normal.
“Four states broke rainfall records because of Tropical Storm Hilary…
“Record heatwave persists in US as 130 million under alerts in 22 states…
“New Orleans on Wednesday tied for the hottest day ever recorded in the city, marking yet another milestone during the dangerous heat wave that forecasters say could stick around into September…
“Omaha breaks record for warmest low temperature Tuesday morning…
“Rare ‘fire tornado’ caught on camera as Canada wildfires rage…
“Atlantic Ocean sees record burst of tropical storms.
“Ultra-rare dolphins spotted swimming off the UK coast ‘for the first time ever’ [picture is of a dead Risso’s dolphin spotted near Islay a couple of days ago; also unusual]…
“Is Austria set to break record for longest heatwave?
“Austria’s fastest melting glacier gives up decades-old corpse…
“French authorities warn people to avoid the Alps during heatwave…
“Historic heat in France with 44.4C [111.9F] at Salindres and 44.2C at Siran, hottest in August in French history.
“Another record warm night in France with crazy Tmin, up to 30.4°C [86.7F] in Menton, only 0.1°C from the highest Tmin ever recorded in the country.
“Historic heat also in SPAIN…
“The Greek authorities have found 18 burned bodies as wildfires scorch a portion of northeastern mainland Greece.
“Hundreds of Ships Stuck as Turkish Strait Closed by Wildfires.
“Türkiye’s usually chilly Bolu sees hottest summer in a century…
“Weather extremes’ impact on global fruit and vegetable sector…
“Tropical forests face ‘massive leaf death’ from global heating, study finds…
“Oceanic El Niño continues to strengthen.
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“We are living through crazy times.
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“To all the global 2 meter surface temperature savants and fake bettors, 
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“Breaking news.
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