“Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records, experts say…
““We’ve run out of time because change takes time,” said Sarah Perkins-Kirkpatrick, a climatologist at Australia’s University of New South Wales…
“High land temperatures have been matched by those on the sea, with warming intensified by an El Nino event and other factors. Global average sea surface temperatures hit 21C in late March and have remained at record levels…”
“On 25 days in June all these records were simultaneously broken! Record high surface air temperatures… Record high global Sea surface Temperatures… Record low global sea ice…. And things are about to get MUCH worse. We better stop quarrelling and prepare.”
“Hottest year on record? The five charts showing unprecedented global warmth… 2023 is outpacing previous years – and there’s a looming El Nino…
“2023… already looks like this could be the world’s warmest year on record. Ice coverage at the poles is shrinking to near-record lows, and oceans are warming at rapid rates.”
“…So far the nascent El Niño seems on track to be a moderate to strong event, on the basis of how much warming has been observed in the waters of the east-central tropical Pacific. “I think this one is going to be pretty big,” says Mickey Glantz, a social scientist at the University of Colorado Boulder who studies the impacts of El Niño.”
“Meltwater is hydro-fracking Greenland’s ice sheet through millions of hairline cracks – destabilizing its internal structure…
“A moulin is forming right in front of me on the Greenland ice sheet. Only this really shouldn’t be happening here – current scientific understanding doesn’t accommodate this reality.”
“Yesterday 32.3C [90.1F] at Ennadai Lake was not only the station hottest day in climatic history (60 years of data) but also 0.2C from the Nunavut highest temperature ever recorded in June. More record warmth today.”
“‘It burns wild and free up there’: Canada fires force US crews to shift strategy…
““It is nothing like what we have in California,” said Mueller, now back in the US after leading an American team of federal wildland firefighters to tag in on one of the 2,765 fires that have erupted in Canada this year. “The trees are like little matchsticks – and just as flammable.””
“Millions face a relentless summer of smoke that won’t end anytime soon…
“The latest disruptions made it all the more clear: Record-setting, out-of-control Canadian wildfires will not be put out any time soon, meaning more Americans than ever face continuing threats of dangerously poor air quality this summer.”
“First the Smoke. Then the Bugs… New Yorkers, already alarmed about smoky skies, have been complaining about swarms of insects that appear to be aphids.
“It’s been described as a plague and a sign of the end times, turning New York City into the “Bug Apple.””
“A hail-battered June adds to billions in U.S. storm damage this year…
“Time and again this spring, and especially during June, a relentlessly locked-in-place weather pattern has driven intense severe thunderstorms from the High Plains across the South and Midwest.”
“Flash flooding on Thursday caused some issues in Denver. The Mile High City saw a combination of heavy rain and hailin areas like LoDo and neighborhoods like Sloan’s Lake, where sidewalks got flooded.
“The sudden storm also sent people scrambling at Elitch Gardens. People at the amusement park took cover where they could.”
“New record: It’s been 291 days without a 100-degree high in Las Vegas…
“The official measuring station at Harry Reid International Airport topped out at 97 degrees Monday. Setting a new record, Las Vegas has failed to reach 100 degrees for 291 straight days, according to the National Weather Service.”
“Emergency room visits surge, Texans die amid dangerous heat wave.
“… in one particularly harrowing incident, a 14-year-old boy and his stepfather, 31, died after hiking in Big Bend National Park last Friday. The stepfather died after crashing his car as he raced to get help after the boy lost consciousness on the trail.”
“Extreme heat persists for millions of Americans, with more to come. Texas, the Southeast and the Mississippi Valley continue to endure extreme heat, with California bracing for severe temperatures…
“In places large and small, Americans took what measures they could to escape the heat — or at least to mitigate the risks that already have led to numerous deaths, left power grids stressed and prompted hundreds of emergency room visits for heat-related illnesses.”
“Peru: Cordillera Blanca’s melting glaciers threaten towns in valley.
“In the past 20 years, Peru’s glaciers have lost a third of their surface area due to climate change. The phenomenon is particularly noticeable in the Cordillera Blanca, a majestic mountain range located north of Lima.”
“Expanding large-scale agriculture is escalating flooding in the largest South American breadbasket.
“Driven by soaring international demand, extensive areas of grasslands, and forests across South American plains have rapidly been converted to the production of annual crops, such as soybean and maize. This agricultural expansion has been taking place at a staggering rate of 2.1 million hectares a year.”
“Amazon facing ‘urgent’ crime crisis after gutting of protections, says drugs tsar.
“The Brazilian government’s drug policy chief has admitted that the rapid advance of drug factions into the Amazon rainforest has produced a “a very difficult situation” in the region, as a UN report warned that flourishing organized crime groups were driving a boom in environmental devastation.”
“Hottest June on record for Ireland as average temperatures of 16+°C [60.8F] break 83-year-old record.
“Met Éireann has announced that June 2023 will be recorded as the hottest June on record. Provisional data shows that Ireland has experienced its first June with 16+°C average temperatures, exceeding the previous June record which held for 83 years. June 2023 is set to be more than half a degree higher than June 1940.”
“Water scarcity critical in more areas of Scotland despite rainfall…
“Scots were urged this month to use water more responsibly amid fears that shortages could become more widespread. Sepa previously forecast that 28 out of 83 areas would be put on the highest warning level by the end of June if there was no recovery of river levels.”
“Teams on stand-by to pump England’s rivers with oxygen amid fears of fish deaths due to hot weather.
“The Environment Agency (EA) says it has recorded “hundreds of fish kill incidents” already this year – with drops in oxygen levels in rivers and canals blamed… It comes after a hot spell in June – expected by the Met Office to be the warmest on record.”
“Before the flood: how much longer will the Thames Barrier protect London?
“The colossal flood defence has been in use since 1982 – but as sea levels rise, it will need upgrading much sooner than expected… That decision – whether to build a new barrier or upgrade the existing one – will wait until 2040… Critics are concerned this timescale is too slow…”
“June 2023 was one of France’s hottest and stormiest on record.
“…June 2023 has been something of a weather paradox, the experts have said. It’s expected temperatures will be, on average, 2.5C higher than seasonal norms, but without any heatwaves. Only June 2003 – the start of a deadly summer in which 15,000 excess deaths linked to heat were recorded – has been, on average, warmer…”
“According to data provided by the institute to CNN Portugal, the buoys of Leixões, Sines and Faro registered average temperatures well above the historical averages, collected by the Hydrographic Institute between 2000 and 2020, but also above the averages obtained in 2021 and 2022.”
“Seven people have died and at least another seven are missing in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal after the southeastern province was hit by heavy rain and a tornado, local authorities said on Friday.
“Powerful winds and rainfall damaged roads and flooded houses and sewer systems, followed by a tornado that struck north of the port city of Durban on Tuesday.”
“Middle East Heat is not weakening, just the opposite. Always impressive temperatures at high elevations in Iran highlands (with some world records beaten too).Today 47.2C [117F] at Khor at 920m asl.
“Night minimum temperatures are locally >30C even above 1500m asl. Really brutal.”
“A 2021 study on the ‘Changing status of tropical cyclones in the North Indian Ocean’, found that the frequency, duration and intensity of cyclones in the Arabian Sea have increased significantly. There has been a 52% increase in the number of cyclones in the Arabian Sea, while ‘very severe cyclones’ have increased by 150%.”
“Locust timebomb looms in Afghanistan after insects lay billions of eggs in cropland…
“Although the locusts have caused significant damage this year, limiting food supplies in some areas, the worst scenarios have largely been avoided. But the insects have left billions of eggs buried in the ground in a region known for being Afghanistan’s breadbasket.”
“8,000 pilgrims stranded on Badrinath highway after massive landslide.
“In Uttarakhand [N India], 8,000 pilgrims are stranded on Badrinath National Highway due to a landslide at Village Chhinka due to heavy rains last night. At the same time, about 100 meters of the highway has been damaged and washed away. Vehicles queued up on both sides of the highway. There is a jam of about six kilometres here.”
“Torrential rains bring Patna to its knees; lightning kills 13 in Bihar
“Weather extremes are plaguing Patna, the capital of Bihar [E India], as heavy rains in the last few days have blanketed many localities and roads with sheets of water. Water-logging is an ubiquitous problem while patients and even doctors faced problems as water entered NMCH Hospital. About 13 people were struck dead by lightning…”
“Intense rains lashed a scenic area in China’s southern Hunan province on Friday, unleashing flooding that swept away cars, engulfed farmland and prompted evacuations and rescues of stranded people…
“Rains have pounded the Xiangxi area in Hunan since Thursday, with 314.5 mm [12.4 inches] of precipitation soaking Baojing County by 2 p.m., shattering a local record, state-backed media reported.”
“Endless record heat in Siberia where records have been broken by hundreds since several weeks.
“Temperatures well above 35C [95F] again north of 60N in the Far East Russia and new monthly record set at Korkodon (lat 64N )with 35.7C. The heat will just get worse.”
“South Korea shoppers buy up sea salt before Japan’s Fukushima water dump.
“South Korean shoppers are snapping up sea salt and other items as worry grows about their safety with Japan due to dump more than 1 million metric tons of treated radioactive water from a wrecked nuclear power plant into the sea.”
“Tuvalu [yet] again! Nearly every single day the small Pacific country is beating its record: Yesterday the capital Funafuti rose further to 34.6C [94.3F], beating once again the national record of highest temperature for June.”
“Climate, environmental change puts 90% of world’s marine food at risk, study says.
“More than 90% of the world’s marine food supplies are at risk from environmental changes such as rising temperatures and pollution, with top producers like China, Norway and the United States facing the biggest threat, new research showed on Monday.”
“The mosquito era: As the world warms, these insects are thriving – and bringing disease.
“Rising temperatures allow mosquitoes to grow faster and live longer. Whereas before they would die out during harsh winters in many places, now they have a greater shot at surviving and more time to build up their populations. Heat also speeds up the time it takes for a parasite or virus to mature inside a mosquito.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back on Monday with an “Economic” thread.
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“Earth’s Jet Streams Look as Chaotic as a Van Gogh Right Now, And That’s a Big Problem.
“The currents of air that wrap around our planet are becoming unrecognizable to climate scientists. Some have even compared the chaotic pattern of the jet streams to a Van Gogh painting.
“The southern part of the jet stream over North America has completely broken apart and is currently trapped in a vicious revolution that has triggered an off-the-chart heatwave.”
“NOAA model shows record marine heat waves — and predicts more.
“Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say marine heat waves are on track to affect an unprecedented swath of the world’s oceans this year. NOAA’s experimental forecast system found that “half of the global ocean may experience marine heatwave conditions by the end of summer.””
“The Atlantification of the Arctic Ocean Is Underway…
“The Arctic Ocean is warming quickly—the Fram Strait is nearly 2 °C warmer than it was in 1900. But Atlantification is about more than rising temperatures: it’s a process that is reshaping the physical and chemical conditions of the Arctic Ocean.”
“Hotter, faster fires: can Canada preserve its threatened wildlife?
“…As the blazes press into the summer months, biologists are increasingly concerned that threatened and endangered species could be pushed further to the brink as hotter, faster fires reshape the landscape.”
“Heatwave in south and wildfire smoke in north buffet US from both sides…
“Chicago and Detroit both had the most unhealthy air in the world for several hours on Tuesday evening, CNN reported, as smoke drifts from record Canadian wildfires. More than 80 million people, largely from the midwest to the east coast, are under air quality alerts.”
“Farmers in the nation’s heartland are dealing with a severe drought that has the potential to lead to the smallest wheat crop since the 1960s, according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Through NASA modeling and measurements, an estimated two-thirds of Kansas’ wheat crop has faced extreme or exceptional drought conditions.”
“Baseball-Sized Hail Smashing Into Panels At 150 MPH Destroys Scottsbluff Solar Farm.
“Baseball-sized hail took out a solar farm in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, on Friday. The hail shattered most of the panels on the 5.2-megawatt solar project, sparing an odd panel like missing teeth in a white smile.”
“‘Mormon crickets’ are invading parts of Colorado.
“First came the miller moths. Now, another insect is invading Colorado… Mormon crickets are marching in massive numbers across much of the northwestern part of the state… some local scientists suspect the recent record rainfall is to blame, the Colorado Sun reports.”
“Heat ‘dome of doom’ hovers over Texas and Mexico.
“The heat that has set records across Texas and Mexico will be spreading across the central and southern US in coming days, pushing extremes as far north as the state of Illinois… On Monday afternoon, electricity demand in Texas set a new record. The strain highlights how global warming stresses infrastructure that was built for the climate of another age.”
“Deadly heat has killed at least 112 in Mexico since March.
“The Mexican state of Nuevo León was hardest hit, with 64 deaths confirmed, according to the report. Dozens of deaths were also reported across Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Oaxaca, Quintana Roo, Sonora, and Campeche.”
“Never ending record heat in the Dominican Republic, under heat waves for months.
“Today The santo Domingo Airport Las Americas beat its record of hottest June day again with 35.9C [96.6F], 0.1C above the record set earlier this month. There is no end in sight to this record heat.”
“Chile’s bee colonies devastated by floods after fires.
“Extreme weather events in Chile, including major recent floods and wildfires earlier this year, are devastating colonies of the humble bee, a key pollinator for crops of avocados and almonds in one of the global south’s key food producing countries.”
“Summer in winter in South America. Today it was the 4th consecutive day >32C in Northern Argentina and >34C [93.2F] in Paraguay with temperatures near record levels.
“Temperature also reached 36.6C at VIllamontes in Bolivia. The heat will take a break and come back even stronger in July.”
“Salty, gritty tap water has residents of Uruguay’s capital fuming as drought empties reservoir.
“Residents of Uruguay’s capital are increasingly exasperated after two months of salty-tasting tap water that has damaged water heaters, boosted demand for bottled water and reportedly caused stomach ailments.”
“June 2023 is on track to be the hottest June on record [UK] in a series which goes back to 1884…
“The Met Office’s Mike Kendon said: “With only a few days of near-average temperatures forecast for the remainder of the month, overall this June will turn out to be provisionally the hottest June on record for the UK for both mean and average maximum temperature.”
“UK missing climate targets on nearly every front, say government’s advisers…
“Fewer homes were insulated last year under the government-backed scheme than the year before, despite soaring energy bills and a cost of living crisis. There is little progress on transport emissions, no coherent programme for behaviour change, and still no decision on hydrogen for home heating.”
“Risk of mosquito-borne diseases rises in EU as heatwaves, flooding increase.
“As a result of climate change, Europe is facing a massive increase of disease-carrying mosquitoes in countries that were previously not affected, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) warned on Wednesday (28 June).”
“Millions of irradiated mosquitoes to save Europe from dengue invasion…
“Cyprus is releasing millions of mosquitoes that have been zapped with radiation and made infertile in a bid to stop the spread of dengue and other potentially deadly diseases across Europe… The species, called Aedes aegypti but also known as the Yellow Fever mosquito, first established itself in Cyprus last year.”
“The city of Seville, Spain, has declared its second-ever named heat wave as much of the country swelters under blistering conditions. “Yago” earned the city’s most severe heat wave ranking, a Category 3, as temperatures soared above 111 degrees Fahrenheit [44C]on Monday.”
“Torrential rain in KZN claims lives and homes. Footage captured on Tuesday night near Westridge Stadium in Durban showed taxis floating in a river of water…
“The storm that hit large parts of Durban on Tuesday has so far claimed the lives of two people, left several injured and caused mudslides and damage to homes, roads, bridges and water infrastructure.”
“After power outages during heatwave, Energy Ministry to study climate change effects [Israel]
“The Energy Ministry’s director general announced Monday that following heatwave-related power cuts affecting some 260,000 Israelis earlier this month, he was ordering an immediate examination of the effects of climate change on electricity supply.”
“‘How would you survive?’: Desperation grows in Iraq water crisis.
“Habbaniyah Lake, once a sprawling body of water spanning 140sq km (55sq miles) with a capacity of 3.3 billion cubic metres (4.2 billion cubic yards), is rapidly shrinking as a devastating water crisis unfolds around it. The land is cracked, the sun stings and locals are struggling to cope.”
“Eastern Iran is also living the harshest heat wave in its history with weeks of relentless record heat.
“Today record high temperatures for June were broken in more stations; most important was Yazd (1237m) with 44.1C [111.4F]. Esfahan (1550m) was 42.0C, 0.1C from the record set in 2022!”
“Acute Water Shortages in Kerman as Iran Enters Summer Heat.
“Residents of Kerman are facing severe water shortages as temperatures in the southern city are already exceeding 45C [113F]. Despite efforts to address the issue, including the construction of new wells to provide drinking water to the Kerman residents, areas inside and outside the city have suffered either complete water cutoffs or a significant drop in water pressure in recent days.”
“‘Washed away’: Pakistan’s melting glaciers threatens millions with dangerous flooding.
“The Shounter Valley in Pakistan held Kashmir, is often described as ‘heaven on earth’. It is renowned for its majestic mountains, waterfalls, lakes and glaciers. But now the adverse effects of climate change are increasingly evident in these breathtaking landscapes.”
“Warming causes more extreme rain, not snow, over mountains. Scientists say that’s a problem…
“A warming world is transforming some major snowfalls into extreme rain over mountains instead, somehow worsening both dangerous flooding like the type that devastated Pakistan last year as well as long-term water shortages, a new study found.”
“Rise in deaths during India heatwave sparks fears for future.
“At a cremation ground on the banks of the Ganges in Ballia, a district in India’s northern state of Uttar Pradesh, head priest Pappu Pandey counts the cost of extreme weather in the area. As a vicious combination of extreme heat and punishing humidity blanketed the region before the arrival of the seasonal monsoon, the area filled with funeral pyres.”
“There isn’t enough water or food: Cyclone Mocha survivors struggle as Myanmar cuts off aid…
“On May 14, Cyclone Mocha brought lashing rain and winds of 195 kilometres per hour… destroying buildings and turning streets into rivers. Last week, Human Rights Watch said that the junta’s aid blockages hindered every aspect of the cyclone response and turned an extreme weather event into a man-made catastrophe.”
“Four people have died and three others are missing after landslides hit a county in China’s southwestern Sichuan province, leading authorities to evacuate more than 900 people…
“China is experiencing extreme weather patterns, with heavy rainfall in southern regions and record-breaking temperatures in the north including in the capital, Beijing.”
“Effects of heatwave continue in Asia as it braces for El Nino.
“The heatwave that began in April in Asia, with record temperatures in countries such as China, India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Vietnam, continues to affect several parts of the continent, which braces for the possible effects of El Nino. The meteorological service at Beijing expects high temperatures this weekand has urged all residents to avoid outdoor activities especially around midday when the sun is hottest.”
“Endless record heat in Siberia where hundreds of records have been falling nearly every day since 2 months.
“Today new records for June were broken in several stations, the most important: 35.6C [96.1F] Ust Judoma; 35.2C Nelkan. Temperatures will increase further next days into July.”
“Woman goes missing as torrential rain hammers country [South Korea]…
“Korea’s southwestern regions were particularly battered… with the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) pointing out that 283.8 millimeters (11 inches) of rain fell on Gwangju in the 11-hour period from Tuesday midnight. The average amount of rainfall in the southern regions during the monsoon season, which normally lasts for a month, is 348.6 millimeters.”
“More summer warmth in this Australian winter. Queensland keeps beating records of high temperatures and today more records fell: 32.0C [89.6F] Emerald; 32.8C Blackall.
“Next day Northern Territory will be with an unusual cold spell and snow could fall in some mountain peaks. Very rare.”
“Record-breaking winter heat to ease as ‘unusual’ widespread rainfall predicted for Queensland…
“The unseasonal wet weather comes after record-breaking winter maximums in some parts of Queensland. Mr Clark said a number of maximum temperature records had been broken through central, west, and north-west Queensland over the past few days.”
“Tuvalu again! Every day is a new record in Oceania. With 34.2C [93.6F] the capital Funafuti tied the record of the hottest day in June which was set earlier this month.
“Record heat also in Samoa at Faleolo Airport (but full max. wasn’t released).”
“The massive f&%kery in the Antarctic continues on, with the anomaly chart more anomalous than ever…
“Now at a record 4.78σ below the 1991-2010 mean, or if you were betting on this, you’d get odds of roughly 1-in-1,150,000 that this happened merely by chance.
“Antarctic sea life under threat as talks on protected areas fail.
“Talks to create new marine protected areas (MPAs) in the Antarctic have once again failed, despite warnings from scientists that tougher conservation measures are urgently needed to help protect the fragile ecosystem from climate change and overfishing.”
You can read the previous “Climate” threadhere. 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.
“Global Sea Surface Temperature Anomaly keeps rapidly breaking new records.
“We need to seriously consider the possibility that this warming spike will be worse than the 1997 and 2015 Super El Niños. This will turn into record atmospheric heat soon.”
“Global sea ice levels are quite a large departure in our satellite record for this time of year. This is particularly related to (ongoing) record low Antarctic sea ice conditions in June.
“More global sea ice graphics available at https://zacklabe.com/global-sea-ice.”
“Canada has officially marked its worst wildfire season on record, with smoke from the blazes crossing the Atlantic Ocean and reaching western Europe on Monday.
“Canada has had a dramatic start to wildfire season, with at least 18,688,691 acres already charred across the country. Wildfire activity in Canada typically peaks from June to August, leaving more than half of the peak season still to come.”
“Canada’s explosive wildfires have damaged a forest carbon offset project.
“Canada’s explosive wildfire season has already pumped millions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Some of that carbon is coming from vegetation burned at a carbon offset project, highlighting the fragility of a tool the world is relying on to fight catastrophic climate change.”
“This is an absolutely insane statistic – more area burned in [Quebec] in 25 DAYS than the last 20 YEARS.
“Quebec burned area last 20 years : 1.121Mha… Quebec burned area last 25 days: 1.128 Mha. Let that sinks in… (Burned area within the intensive protection zone).”
“Montreal has worst air of any major city as wildfires rage.
“”It’s really like a fog, except it’s smoke from the forest fires. It’s really hard to breathe, and it stings the eyes a bit too,” said 18-year-old Fauve Lepage Vallee, lamenting that a festival she was due to attend had been cancelled.”
“US Supreme Court Rules Against Navajo Nation in Water Rights Case.
“The largest Native American reservation in the United States has lost a key legal battle with the Biden administration over its access to a critical waterway. The Navajo Nation had argued that the federal government is legally obligated to address the tribe’s water needs from the drought-stricken Colorado River…”
“At least three people have been killed after severe storms hit the US states of Indiana and Arkansas, local authorities said, as several tornadoes touched down in some areas. The tornadoes were reported on Sunday afternoon…”
“Why Texas Could Be As Hot As The Sahara Desert This Week…
“Many cities in Texas have experienced multiple days in a row of record-breaking triple digit heat, as Weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Erdman articulated above. Del Rio, for example, broke a daily high-temperature record for an eighth straight day on June 25th.”
“115-degree heat index prompts one Florida sheriff to ask criminals to postpone crimes…
““Folks … due to the extreme heat, we are asking anyone thinking of conducting criminal activity to hold off,” the Hardee County Sheriff’s Office wrote Sunday, June 25, on Facebook. “It is straight up H-O-T and humid. Criminal activity in this kind of heat is next level henchmen status, and also very dangerous for everyone involved.””
“Why the heat index matters more than the temperature in a heat wave.
“… the climate crisis is expected to increase exposure to dangerous heat index levels by 50% to 100% in much of the tropics and by up to 10 times across much of the globe, according to a 2022 study published in the journal Nature.”
“Intensifying Rains Pose Hidden Flood Risks Across the U.S.
“…calculations suggest that one in nine residents of the lower 48 states, largely in populous regions including the Mid-Atlantic and the Texas Gulf Coast, is at significant risk of downpours that deliver at least 50 percent more rain per hour than local pipes, channels and culverts might be designed to drain.”
“An increase in sea levels and temperatures is resulting in rare sightings of mammals turning up on Irish coastlines more common.
“The latest discovery of a dead juvenile humpback whale on a Co Mayo beach comes from the recent news about such species expanding their range to Irish northwest waters.”
“Freak hailstorm wreaks havoc in Wexford [Ireland].
“There were scenes of flooding along the quay and on some of the approach roads to the town and a severe fall of hailstones during a thunder and lightening storm left some areas of the town resembling the depths of winter.”
“Extremely hot day in Spain with temperature up to 44.4C [111.9F] at el Granado in Andalusia. One of the hottest June days in Spain.
“France also had its share of heat: Marseille Observatory Palais Longchamp rose to 38.0C and broke its monthly record which was still belonging to 1935!”
“With Record Heat and Drought-Stricken Woods, Spain’s Catalonia Faces Perfect Wildfire Conditions…
“Spain suffered the biggest losses from wildfires of any European Union country last year amid a record-hot 2022. Four people, including one firefighter, died in blazes that consumed 306,000 hectares. And with Spain sweltering under a record-hot spring, it is again leading the continent in 2023 with 66,000 hectares turned to ashes.”
“Flooding hits Ivory Coast cocoa mid crop, could hinder next main crop.
“More heavy rain could hinder the start of the next main crop as it would knock flowers from trees… “It is not good here, showers come one after the other. Farmers can no longer go to the fields because rivers have broken their banks and there is flooding,” said Arsene Kouao.”
“Following days of torrential rains, floods have taken over many communities in Ondo State [Nigeria], prompting a visit to the areas by the acting governor of the state, Lucky Aiyedatiwa.
“In Irese in Ifedore Local Government Area, one of the affected communities, floods have made the major road to the town impassable. The road is the only tarred one in the community.”
“The Erbil governor on Sunday declared drought in the province for the second year in a row due to lack of precipitation [Kurdistan].
“Governor Omed Khoshnaw announced the condition at a press conference in Erbil after he had a meeting with the province’s water authorities to discuss ways to tackle the issue.”
“More exceptional heat in Middle East: Yesterday Fahud in Oman reached a record of 50.5C [122.9], the second country to hit 50C in 2023.
“Iran with world record or near record high temperatures at high elevations: Bam 940m TMIN 35.8C; Kerman 1748m 41.6C (about 42C at 1800m is world record).”
“Pakistan: 20 killed in rain-related incidents in Punjab province.
“At least 20 people have died in rain-related accidents across Punjab while 112 were rescued, in the past 24 hours, reported Dawn. Farooq Ahmed, a spokesperson for the provincial emergency services, released a statement blaming the fatalities on electricity, drowning, and lightning.”
“More exceptional heat at high elevations. This time in Ladakh, NW India.
“At Chushot Yogma located at 3200m asl, the temperature reached a staggering 36.4C [97.5F], which is 0.2C from the world record of highest temperature above 3000m asl.”
“Monsoon is becoming more erratic with time: experts…
“On Saturday, the monsoon arrived in Delhi and Mumbai on the same date – the usual arrival time for these cities is nearly a fortnight apart – marking the first time in more than 60 years this has happened. Experts said the phenomenon is one of several instances that highlight that monsoon’s behaviour is getting more and more erratic every passing year…”
“Floods galore in 14 years: ‘Calamity coming’ no more, it’s already there in Karnataka.
“Over the last 14 years, the Malnad, coastal regions and the four major river basins of the state have witnessed floods in nine years and landslides in 13 years, resulting in huge loss to life and property… This apart, 80 per cent of the state’s geographical area was affected by drought for 15 of the last 22 years.”
“Himachal flash floods | Hundreds of commuters stranded as Chandigarh-Manali national highway blocked.
“Hundreds of commuters were stranded in Himachal Pradesh’s Mandi district as the Chandigarh-Manali national highway was blocked following flash floods and landslides, officials said on Monday (June 26).”
“Heavy floods hit Yingde city… High-power pumps have been working every minute to help pump water in the streets and major venues where floods have been hitting the hardest in the Yingde city in the northern part of Guangdong province, China, since Saturday…
“The city recorded a precipitation of more than 335 millimeters [13.2 inches] on Friday, a record high for a single day in the city’s history.”
“Cattle, farmland short of water in northern China…
“Chinese capital Beijing topped 40 degrees Celsius(104F) on Saturday for a record third day, as rare high temperatures for June grilled an area the size of California in northern China… Southwestern Yunnan, which has already endured months of drought since last year, is also facing water shortages, according to the Xinhua report.”
“Freak weather soaks Australian outback, dumping months of rain in two days…
““The ocean hasn’t cooled [around Australia] as much as we thought it would,”Al-Ansari said. “It’s definitely something that we did not foresee.” …Rainfall totals may approach 100mm in some parts of central Australia, triggering flood watches…”
“Solomon Islands did it again. Yesterday 25th June the Honiara Int. Airport rose to 35.1C [95.2F] which is the highest temperature ever recorded in the country in June.
“Solomon Islands have never recorded a cooler than average month after September 2015 and most months beat heat records.”
“New report warns of concerning link between plastic usage and extreme flooding.
“An accumulation of plastic pollution has left urban communities worldwide more vulnerable to the heavy rains and floods driven by climate change, which acts like steroids for the weather. Plastic waste accumulates in cities’ drainage systems…”
“920 million people could face conflict over the world’s rivers by 2050: what our study found in Africa…
“Although cooperation historically prevails over conflict and large-scale violent international conflicts haven’t happened so far, tensions over water have long existed. They are also rising in several river basins.”
“The year-on-year decline of tropical primary forest accelerated in 2022, despite a pledge by 145 countries the previous year to halt deforestation by 2030, according to the report published on Tuesday by the University of Maryland and the World Resources Institute’s Global Forest Watch.”
“Flash drought is simply the rapid onset or intensification of drought. It is set in motion by lower-than-normal rates of precipitation, accompanied by abnormally high temperatures, winds, and radiation. Together, these changes in weather can rapidly alter the local climate.”
“Renewables growth did not dent fossil fuel dominance in 2022, report says.
“Global energy demand rose 1% last year and record renewables growth did nothing to shift the dominance of fossil fuels, which still accounted for 82% of supply, the industry’s Statistical Review of World Energy report said on Monday.”
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.
“China has issued a red alert for heat – the highest in its colour-coded alert system – for northern parts of the country after Beijing recorded its hottest-ever June day…
“The temperature in the capital was hovering at about 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit), after reaching a June record of 41.1C (106F) on Thursday [its second highest temp ever].”
“For the first time, Beijing and Tianjin experienced 40C [104F] for two consecutive days [and almost certainly will for a third today]! Qixia/Pingdu, which are close to the sea, experienced the first 40C in history.
“Several stations have broken [all-time] historical records, heat wave will expand to Northeast China tomorrow!”
“Exceptional heat in Mongolia. Temperatures reached record levels at 39.8C [103.6F] at Khovsgol (995m asl). 39.7C also at Sainshand, record beaten also at Bayandelger with 37.5C.
“Not only daytime but nights are also scorching in the highlands: Min. temperature was 27.1C at Khangbod at 1109m.”
“Nearly half a million people in northeast India have been affected by severe flooding after heavy rains battered the region, turning roads into rivers and submerging entire villages.
“More than 495,000 people spread across 22 districts in the state of Assam have been impacted by floodwaters, its disaster management authority said in a statement Thursday.”
“19 dead, thousands seek shelter in South Asia monsoon floods.
“Floods are common and cause widespread devastation during the treacherous monsoon season, but experts say climate change is increasing their frequency, ferocity and unpredictability.The toll from flooding and landslides last weekend in Nepal had risen to 14 by Friday…”
“From Indonesia to Vietnam, El Nino fans fears of fires and drought.
“Sweltering heat spreading through Southeast Asia in recent weeks heralds the return of El Nino, with governments across the region bracing to fight everything from water shortages to forest fires and clouds of choking haze as the weather pattern strengthens.”
“To see how smoke affects endangered orangutans, we studied their voices during and after massive Indonesian wildfires…
“…although they were eating more and moving less, we found… that they were still burning stored fat – a sign that they somehow were using up more energy. We hypothesized that the cause might be inflammation – the swelling, fever, pain and fatigue that human and animal bodies experience in response to infection or injury.”
“Chile official warns of ‘worst front in a decade’ after floods, evacuations.
“Days of heavy rainfall have swollen Chile’s rivers causing floods that blocked off roads and prompted evacuations… Climate change drives increasingly extreme weather.The Chilean rains come just a few months after a period of wildfires amid a severe drought that destroyed hundreds of homes and left dozens of people dead.”
“Sweating in winter? Northern Argentina and Paraguay (and adjacent areas of Bolivia and Brazil) are about to experience a record breaking warmth for June:
“Temperatures in Argentine Chaco is expected to reach 32C/34C and in Paraguay 36C/37C next days (Sat-Tue).”
“Texas heat wave is so bad, meteorologists are apologizing for it.
“A brutal Texas heat wave is now entering its third week for some places and shows no signs of slowing down. If anything, it could expand north and east and get worse over the next week. The expected intensity and longevity of the heat has forecasters concerned about dangerous and deadly consequences and even apologizing for it.”
“Record-breaking winds detected during Wednesday night’s storm, stronger than Hurricane Ike[Houston, Texas].
“Wind gusts of 97 mph were reported at Bush Intercontinental Airport at 9:04 p.m. Wednesday. Until then, the strongest winds recorded at the location were 82 mph during Hurricane Ike, according to the National Weather Service.”
“This month is now the wettest June on record in Denver with more thunderstorms on the way…
“The rain on Wednesday was enough to push the total for the month over 5 inches which is record for June. With 9 days to go, Denver has now measured 5.19 inches of rain in June. The previous record for the entire month was 4.96 inches from 141 years ago in 1882.”
“Sacramento is building smoke shelters to act as safe spaces from wildfires.
“You’ve heard of storm shelters for tornadoes and hurricanes, but now, Sacramento is stepping up its game by creating smoke shelters for another type of natural disaster: severe wildfires. During wildfire season, the Sacramento region can have some of the worst air quality on the planet, and smoke is becoming a growing concern in California as officials plan for climate change.”
“A warming climate has melted three glaciers on Mount Rainier, the tallest volcano in the lower 48 states — more evidence of the rapid worldwide decline of mountain ice.
“The total mass of glacier ice on Mount Rainier, southeast of Seattle, is less than half what it was in 1896, according to estimates from a National Park Service report published this month.”
“A tornado struck the largest coal mine in the US while workers were in the midst of a shift change Friday in northeast Wyoming, injuring at least 8 people, officials said.
“The tornado hit the North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Campbell County at around 6:20 p.m. MT Friday, according to county government spokesperson Leslie Perkins.”
“US honeybees suffer second deadliest season on record.
“The US’s honeybee hives just staggered through the second highest death rate on record, with beekeepers losing nearly half of their managed colonies, an annual bee survey found… Honeybees are crucial to the food supply, pollinating more than 100 of the crops we eat, including nuts, vegetables, berries, citruses and melons.”
“Canada was an extreme global hotspot in an extremely hot May…
“Although NOAA ranked the month as only the 11th warmest across the contiguous United States, due to this extreme heat across Canada, it was still the hottest month of May for the entire continent of North America.”
“=NEW MONTHLY RECORD= Yesterday’s minimum of 19.7°C [67.5F] held at Wabush YWK [Labrador, Canada], setting a new record for warmest daily low temperature ever recorded during June.
“Previous record: 17.9°C (June 30, 2014). Records since 1961.”
“Bermuda’s June rainfall far above average, could hit record.
“This month is already more than twice as wet as the average June… The unusually wet weather this month comes after record-setting rainfall last month, when 12.39in of rain was recorded, surpassing the previous record of 11.7in set in 1997.”
“This is the first time since 1968 there have been two active Atlantic storms in June, according to a tweet by Phil Klotzbach, a hurricane researcher at Colorado State University. It’s also the first time on record that two storms have formed in this part of the ocean in June.”
“The sudden warming of Britain’s seas will tear through ocean life like a wildfire.
” As water temperatures reach an all-time high, the direct effect on wildlife – from seagrass to oysters and fish – will be devastating, the way “wildfires take out huge areas of forest”, as one scientist says.”
“Britain Saw A Record Wildfire Season in 2022. It Still Hasn’t Raised Its Game.
“Even as Britain prepares to bake again this weekend, the country is not geared up any better for wildfires than it was last year which saw a record number of fire incidents and forced dozens to flee their homes. Wildfires are becoming unsettlingly more common in the UK…”
“Europe’s Firefighters Strained as Climate Change Fans Wildfires…
“While the European Union announced a doubling of its aerial firefighting fleet for this season to 24 airplanes and four helicopters, that’s not enough, according to unions from 15 countries affiliated to the European Public Service Unions. More personnel, training and protective equipment are needed…”
“Severe storms brought heavy rains and damaging winds to several states in Germany on Thursday, as the German Weather Service (DWD) warned of a heightened risk of tornados, storms and extreme hail after weeks of warm weather.
“The service said the movement of a patch of low pressure — and the presence of muggy and hot subtropical air — would cause the atypical conditions for the country.”
“Wheelie bins and motorbikes have been washed down the streets of Spain as a brutal storm and flash flooding lashed parts of the country…
“In Spain nearly 30 emergency calls were made and some families were trapped in their homes because of flooding… The Argos River, which starts in Caravaca de la Cruz and runs through Cehegin before joining the Segura River, burst its banks at several points.”
“In Iran, some are chasing the last drops of water.
“Summer has come to Sistan and Baluchistan province, an impoverished fragment of chapped earth and shimmering heat in Iran’s southeast corner, and all people there can talk about is how to get water. For weeks now, taps in cities like Zahedan have yielded nothing but a salty, weakening trickle.”
“This is why Antarctica and AMOC experts are paying special attention to the current extreme anomalous low Antarctic Sea ice extent, especially in this area.”
“Rapidly degrading state of Antarctic spotlighted in climate action exhibition.
“Photographs of snow-capped land marred with large patches of red and green algae due to rising surface temperatures are among some of the images and descriptions of the rapidly declining state of the Antarctic that are showcased at a new climate action exhibition.”
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.
“Global average sea and air temperatures are spiking in 2023, before El Niño has fully arrived. We should be very concerned.
“Recent spikes in ocean heat content and average global air temperature have left climate scientists across the world scrambling to find the cause… It is now clear that Earth’s climate system is way out of kilter and we should be very concerned.”
“El Niño May Break a Record and Reshape Weather around the Globe. El Niño has arrived, bringing potentially major effects on weather around the world, such as drought and flooding, and possibly setting a new record for the hottest year…
“Adding to the likelihood of a record year with the current El Niño is the fact that the global average ocean temperature was already setting records before the event was declared, L’Heureux says. “That’s pretty bonkers,” she adds.”
“Wow! “The Australian Bureau of Meteorology has had both the most extreme and most accurate forecasts of the developing El Niño. But this forecast, just released, is so extreme it’s hard to believe I’m seeing it.
“3.0°C by October; 3.2°C by November… Wow! …the previous record high super El Niño peaked at 2.6°C in Nov/Dec of 2015.”
“Global Sea Surface Temperature anomaly with El Niño just getting started…
“In this graph the past three years are highlighted. More recent years are a lighter shade of blue for the rest of the years, from 1982 to 2019. Data can be downloaded here at Climate Reanalyzer.”
“‘Unprecedented’ ocean heat wave could linger through fall.
“An intense marine heat wave that has fueled record-warm sea surface temperatures in the world’s oceans in recent months could linger well into the fall, according to an experimental forecast produced by scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”
“This is getting to be utterly unbelievable… the North Atlantic SSTs have just set a new record anomaly on June 20, beating the previous one from June 10.
“At an average temperature of 23.24°C, that’s 1.11°C above the 1991-2020 mean, or +3.87 standard deviations. 1-in-18,650.”
“‘The Atlantic is … on fire’: Hot ocean fuels early hurricane season…
““This year shows us the potential of climate change,” Berardelli said. “When you take climate change and then on top of it you add natural factors that just happen to line up to create warm temperatures, you’re reaching extremes you’ve never reached in modern history.’”
“4 Hurricane Season Oddities We’ve Seen So Far In 2023.
“Hurricane season in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins is still in its early stages, but we’ve already seen multiple oddities that go against the norm… Atlantic’s First Storm Was In January… Tropical Storm Arlene Takes A Backward Path In The Gulf… Bret Forms In An Unusual Place For June…”
“Sea temperatures in Cornwall are currently at unprecedented levels for the time of year…
“…where it gets extraordinary is from 2018 to 2022 the average sea temperature in Cornwall rose from 14C to 15C for June. Sea Temperature Info is currently recording Cornish seas at an average of between 17.1C and 17.2C.”
“Parts of Dublin and Kerry were hit with severe flooding on Tuesday.
“In Killarney a huge thunderstorm and heavy rainfall this afternoon has resulted in heavy flooding and power outages in Killarney – the third Kerry town to experience major floods in the past days… Dublin City Council said their teams were in the Crumlin area where an “extremely intense” 12mm of rain fell within a five-minute period.”
“Desperate firefighters appeal for help as wildfires rip through hundreds of acres of Welsh countryside.
“The continuing epidemic of summer wildfires in Wales has forced two fire services to put out appeals to the public to understand the impact deliberately-lit blazes is having. Firefighters said lives were being put at risk and the countryside destroyed by the fires.”
“Volvic on front line of France’s new water fears.
“The public fountains in Volvic, the home of one of the world’s most famous mineral waters, have been turned off. Just down the road from the bottling factory at the foot of the old volcanic hills of central France, streams once powerful enough to drive flour mills are drying up and villages are under a hosepipe ban.”
“To save Alpine glaciers, Swiss team monitors the escalating melt.
“With the glaciers now dwindling at an alarming rate because of human-caused climate change, team members of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology monitor what’s left in an attempt to slow their demise… At the Rhone Glacier, one of the biggest in the Alps, workers prepare huge sheets to cover the ice like blankets in a bid to shield it from the warmth of the summer months.”
“Hotter Than Ever: Canary Islands Hottest Spring Since [records began in] 1961 Leads To Drought Concern As Scorching Summer Begins.
“Spring 2023… has been dry and extremely warm throughout The Canary Islands, off the coast of West Africa, hotter than ever with the highest temps on record… On March 30th, the hottest March day since 1961 was recorded on the Canary Islands…”
“The recent floods in the Western Cape province of South Africa have left two people killed and could cause up to one billion rand (about $54.5 million) damage to local agriculture.
“The Western Cape government said on Tuesday that the initial flood damage assessment is estimated to be between 750 million and one billion rand for the province’s agricultural sector, according to local media.”
“Northern Kenya Drought Displaces Millions of People.
“According to UNICEF, over 4 million people in Kenya face severe food insecurity. VOA’s Omary Kaseko visited a family impacted by five seasons of severe drought in the north.”
“Morgues full and hospitals overwhelmed as India’s heatwave death toll hits 170.
“Officials are investigating the deaths and how many were directly caused by the soaring temperatures. A searing heatwave has swept through two of the most populous states in India, hospitalising hundreds and killing nearly 170 people.”
“Assam Floods: Nearly 120,000 People In 20 Districts Affected.
“According to the reports of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), following torrential rains in Assam, other neighbouring states and the neighbouring country Bhutan, the water levels of several rivers are flowing above the danger level mark and inundated new areas.”
“A state of emergency has been declared in Uruguay as the water crisis continues to increase due to a drought that has been going on for months.
“Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou told a press conference that they declared a state of emergency to make “legal processes faster and easier” to mitigate the ongoing water crisis, according to a report by Peoples Dispatch.”
“Floods in southern Brazil force evacuation, ravage agricultural sector.
“Rain-triggered floods that hit Rio Grande do Sul state in southern Brazil have been receding at an extremely slow pace, jeopardizing people’s livelihoods and disrupting agricultural harvest.”
“Record heat again in French Guyana. It didn’t miss a month.
“This time it was at St Georges de l’ Oyapock, near the Brazilian border: 35.0C [95F] recorded yesterday is a new record of highest temperature for June.”
“Panama Canal imposes further restrictions due to severe drought.
“Due to a severe drought, the Panama Canal has been imposing increasingly strict measures. The waterway’s draft will be reduced by approximately 2 meters starting next month, with authorities warning that daily transits may have to be reduced by up to 25% to save water.”
“More insane heat in Mexico: in world climatic history perhaps only Chinese 2022 summer heat wave stands at this level.
“Today Monclova with 46.3C [115.3F] beat its all time record again; Hottest day in history for Chihuahua with 41.8C; The heat is spreading to Sonora where will see 50C [122F].”
“A searing heat wave has pushed temperatures to record highs in recent days in several cities in South and West Texas, prompting health advisories and pleas for energy conservation.
“Readings in Laredo, Del Rio, San Angelo and Junction were the highest ever recorded, according to the National Weather Service. Corpus Christi logged an unprecedented 125-degree heat index [51.7C]…”
“Tornado in Texas’s Matador leaves at least three dead.
“At least three people were killed and a dozen buildings damaged in a tornado that hit the northern Texas town of Matador on Wednesday, the New York Times reported. The damage prompted a search for people who might have been injured or trapped by debris, the report added, citing authorities.”
“Golf ball-sized hail pelted Louis Tomlinson fans at Colorado’s iconic Red Rocks venue Wednesday night, injuring nearly 100 of the concertgoers, according to officials and video from the scene…
“The injured suffered broken bones and lacerations, according to the rescue service said. “Tonight was the scariest night of my life,” an attendee, Nicole, wrote on Twitter.”
“Toxic algal blooms are killing hundreds of sea lions and dolphins along the coast of California’s southern beaches.
“More than 1,000 marine animals have become sick or died in June, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Experts say algal blooms pose a seasonal issue, but climate change may be worsening the problem.”
“In 2023, North America and South America experienced their warmest Mays on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration… Earth’s ocean surface temperatures also set a record high for the second consecutive month…”
“Snow in June? Freak weather wreaks havoc on Jasper [Alberta, Canada]…
“Jasperites woke up to the white stuff coming down hard on Monday as a freak snowstorm created an unusual start to the week of the Summer Solstice… Two tour buses that tried to drive up Maligne Lake Road where a little more than a metre of snow had landed. They got stuck…”
““Insane”, “Astonishing” Jet Stream Leaves Scientists “At a Loss” for Words.
“”When I look at this jet stream the word insane comes to mind. It’s even more astonishing when you consider it’s mid June! This configuration, likely enhanced by climate heating, is fueling a record heat dome so extreme that even experts are astonished!””
“Humankind’s failure to stop emitting greenhouse gases might result in a new Antarctica, one completely different from the continent that we know today. And researchers have no way of knowing how close to this new world we have come. “With tipping points, you never know whether you’ve come past one,” Fretwell said…”
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.
“Marine heatwaves ‘catastrophic’ for ocean life, say scientists…
“The North Sea is currently experiencing one of the most extreme heatwaves on Earth, being 4-5C higher than its usual temperature for this time of year…
“The North Atlantic is also experiencing record high temperatures for this time of year.”
“An “unheard of” marine heatwave off the coasts of the UK and Ireland poses a serious threat to species, scientists have warned.
“Sea temperatures, particularly off the north-east coast of England and the west of Ireland, are several degrees above normal, smashing records for late spring and early summer.”
“Global Oceans are severely hotter than we have ever observed since records began. There are several ocean heat waves. El Niño = danger for Galapagos marine life.
“Boiling Tropical Atlantic = early hurricanes. Cat 5 marine heatwave in UK!”
“Storm Bret – latest: Caribbean on alert for potential hurricane as season’s first major named storm builds.
““Environmental conditions appear conducive for strengthening over the next few days, with a much warmer than normal ocean in the depression’s path, along with plentiful mid-level moisture and light shear,” the US National Hurricane Centre said.”
“Last month was one for the record books in Binghamton and the Southern Tier [NY].
“In fact, in more than 70 years of keeping rainfall numbers, the National Weather Service Office in Binghamton had never recorded a drier May than May 2023.”
“Fire to floods: Edson [Alberta, Canada] declares local state of emergency due to massive rainfall.
““We asked for rain and boy, did we get it. Way too much and if it wants to stop now, I’m thinking we would be very happy about that,” Edson Mayor Kevin Zahara said Monday afternoon.”
“Donnie Creek wildfire in northeast B.C. now the largest recorded in province’s history.
“It was sparked on May 12 by lightning, according to the B.C. Wildfire Service (BCWS), and covers an area of 5,343.88 square kilometres as of 10 a.m. PT on Sunday. It is still not responding to suppression efforts and remains out of control, according to the BCWS.”
“Canada’s fires are getting fiercer – and rebuilding is becoming a challenge…
“This year’s spring wildfire season has been the worst on record in Canada, with more than 5m hectares of land burned – a figure higher than the entire 2016, 2019, 2020 and 2022 seasons combined.”
“Slime mold invades Colorado lawns after record rainfall.
“With all the rain in Colorado recently, you may be noticing something unusual growing on your grass or in your garden. Associate Curator of Mycology at Denver Botanic Gardens Andrew Wilson believes it’s slime mold.”
“People in the South are storm weary.I’ve heard it from friends and family in my home state of Louisiana, where storms have hit exceptionally hard, and the damage extends much further.
“Six tornadoes were reported in Mississippi alone in the last 24 hours, and strong storms are still in progress right now. Tornadoes have been reported in the South every day during the last week, and more could occur in the next few days.”
“Brutal heat in Mexico: All time highest temperatures were obliterated again.
“The most important records today include: 46.2C [115.2F] Monclova 615m asl; 45.7C Torreon 1123m asl; 45.0C Nuevo Laredo (tie); And many others. Next days we can approach 50C both in the NE and NW (Sonora).”
“If Mexican Plateau is sizzling with blistering dry heat, the coasts are under a terrible humid heat 24/7:
“Chetumal, Quintana Roo State, has recorded 6 consecutive Tmins above 29C [84.2F]! The last 5 Tmins are all the 5 highest in its climatic history. Nothing like this had ever seen.”
“South-east Australia is shivering through some of its coldest temperatures in years, with brisk winds pushing the morning chill factor even lower.
“Sydney experienced its coldest June morning on record on Monday, with a minimum temperature of 1.8C, according to Miriam Bradbury, a senior meteorologist at the Bureau of Meteorology.”
“Another record day in Korean Peninsula, where historic heat waves have swept the area every single month of the year.
“Today the most important records of hottest June day in climatic history were set at Chunggang in North Korea with 36.6C [97.9F] and at Jeogeup in South Korea with 34.9C.”
“Temperatures hit near 45C [113F] again in Xinjiang with the hot air expected to move East and hit the capital Beijing where temperatures are expected to rise to 40C. Mongolia is also expected to hit near 40C above 1000m asl.”
“China struggles in half-century fight against desertification…
“Concerns have mounted about whether China is entering a new more active period for dust storms, with experts saying changing environmental and climate factors such as stronger winds and rising temperatures may contribute to a resurgence of more frequent and fiercer sandstorms in the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitter.”
“At least two people were killed and 26 others went missing as floods and landslides triggered by monsoon rains wreaked havoc in eastern Nepal, officials said on Sunday.
“Weather forecasters have warned heavy rains would continue in Nepal in the coming days, and issued alerts over rising water levels in rivers.”
“India heatwave: Nearly 170 dead as northern states swelter amid soaring temperatures…
“Most of the heat-related deaths have been in Uttar Pradesh (119), with the rest in neighbouring Bihar state (47). While northern India is known for sweltering heat in the summer months, temperatures over the past week have been consistently above average, with highs reported of 43.5C (110F).”
“Heat Waves [in India] Are Unleashing a Deadly but Overlooked Pollutant.
“…scientists are increasingly raising the alarm about surface ozone. It’s a secondary pollutant that isn’t released from any source, forming naturally when oxides of nitrogen and volatile organic compounds—such as benzene, which is found in gasoline, or methane—react under high heat and sunlight.”
“Himalayan Glacier Loss Speeding Up, New Report Finds.
“Glaciers in the region melted faster between 2010 and 2019 than in the previous decade. “Things are just happening so fast,” one researcher said… Nearly two billion people who live in more than a dozen countries within the mountain region or in the river valleys downstream depend on melting ice and snow for their water supply.”
“Cyclone Biporjoy: Devastation in Rajasthan as dam and canal breaks down.
“…the most danger is hovering over the city of Sanchore. Efforts are being made to evacuate the entire city as soon as the information about the breach of the dam is received on Saturday night. The Meteorological Department has issued an alert for heavy rains in many districts even today.”
“Iran and Afghanistan are going head to head over control of the supply of a crucial resource that’s shrinking by the day: water… The situation risks destabilizing an already poor and water-deprived part of Iran, where serious protests against the government have taken place in recent years.”
“The town of Zabul, near the Afghan border, rose to 49.8C [121.6F], which is the highest temperature in its climatic history. This is just the beginning – we are gonna witness an extreme heat wave spreading all over Asia with records obliterated by dozens.”
“More records from Southern Africa: Yesterday the French territory of Mayotte, an island in the Indian ocean, rose to 31.7C [89.1F] in its Airport which is a new record for the month of June (POR 75 years).
“Record heat has been relentless for months in the area.”
“On 16th June Chad tied the record of its highest reliable temperature in climatic history with 48C [118.4F] at Faya Largeau in the North. The record had just been set last month.”
“Portugal braces for heatwave lasting “several weeks”…
“This is not so much a heatwave, as a relentless roasting. Bizarrely, the week began in the north and central areas with some rain, which may continue into tomorrow. But this is the week when summer officially starts, and thus Portugal will simply have to get on with it.”
“Flamingos forced to find new habitat as Spain drought dries up wetlands.
“From October 2022 to April 2023, the country’s rainfall was 24 per cent below the average for this period of the year. Spain has been suffering a prolonged drought and flamingos are the latest victims.”
“Europe Keeps Breaking Heat Records as Fastest-Warming Continent.
“Europe had the warmest summer on record last year, contributing to thousands of deaths, marine heat waves and extreme weather, an analysis has found. The continent warmed to 2.3C above the pre-industrial average in 2022…”
“German Weather Service Declares First Heat Warning of the Season…
“Weather forecaster Deutscher Wetterdienst extended a heat warning to most of Germany on Monday… Europe is bracing for another summer of extreme weather and parched conditions as changes in the climate become increasingly intense.”
“Estonian rescue workers tackle 37 landscape and forest fires at weekend.
“Rescue workers in Lääne-Viru, Ida-Viru and Harju counties were busy on Sunday, after being called to extinguish several large-scale fires at the same time… “Wiith the week ahead also set to bring temperatures of up to 31C [88F] and little chance of rain, the risk of more fires is set to increase in the coming days.”
“I temporarily added another figure of Antarctic sea ice, which will be updated at https://zacklabe.com/antarctic-sea-ice-extentconcentration/ while the record anomaly continues…
“This graph better shows that while sea ice is growing (Austral winter), it’s growing much slower than average. The deviation is huge… it is currently a record low for this time of year…”
“Unique Antarctic ecosystem under threat from climate change…
“The team has found the ice covering the lakes in the area is rapidly thinning, with a knock-on effect for the ancient tower-like microbes that live in them… The result is more carbon creating bubbles and pushing the microbes to the surface, where they release that carbon into the atmosphere.”
You can read the previous “Climate” thread here. I’ll be back tomorrow with an “Economic” thread.
If you found value in this content, please help me continue this work by becoming a patron of my work via Patreon. And if you are already a subscriber or have donated – thank you! It is an enormous help as the cost-of-living crisis ratchets up here in the UK.
“As far as I know, your work is unique in pulling together stories from all over the world. Very sobering but a better and more complete view. Terrific and necessary work. Thank you!” – Simon
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Weekday updates on both climate change and the global economy. Stay current with what’s happening around the world with a quick scan of top news.
“Climate nears point of no return as land, sea temperatures break records, experts say…
“F*cking climate chaos.
“Hottest year on record? The five charts showing unprecedented global warmth… 2023 is outpacing previous years – and there’s a looming El Nino…
“El Niño is here — how bad will it be?
“It finally happened, breaking 5 sigma, the same statistical threshold physicists used to prove the existence of the Higgs boson.
“Meltwater is hydro-fracking Greenland’s ice sheet through millions of hairline cracks – destabilizing its internal structure…
“Historic heat in Canada again:
“‘It burns wild and free up there’: Canada fires force US crews to shift strategy…
“Millions face a relentless summer of smoke that won’t end anytime soon…
“First the Smoke. Then the Bugs… New Yorkers, already alarmed about smoky skies, have been complaining about swarms of insects that appear to be aphids.
“A hail-battered June adds to billions in U.S. storm damage this year…
“Flash flooding on Thursday caused some issues in Denver. The Mile High City saw a combination of heavy rain and hail in areas like LoDo and neighborhoods like Sloan’s Lake, where sidewalks got flooded.
“New record: It’s been 291 days without a 100-degree high in Las Vegas…
“Emergency room visits surge, Texans die amid dangerous heat wave.
“Extreme heat persists for millions of Americans, with more to come. Texas, the Southeast and the Mississippi Valley continue to endure extreme heat, with California bracing for severe temperatures…
“Peru: Cordillera Blanca’s melting glaciers threaten towns in valley.
“Expanding large-scale agriculture is escalating flooding in the largest South American breadbasket.
“Amazon facing ‘urgent’ crime crisis after gutting of protections, says drugs tsar.
“Hottest June on record for Ireland as average temperatures of 16+°C [60.8F] break 83-year-old record.
“Water scarcity critical in more areas of Scotland despite rainfall…
“Teams on stand-by to pump England’s rivers with oxygen amid fears of fish deaths due to hot weather.
“Before the flood: how much longer will the Thames Barrier protect London?
“June 2023 was one of France’s hottest and stormiest on record.
“Portugal again! Record heat wave in Algarve. Today Faro rose to an exceptional 38.9C [102F], destroying its record of the hottest June day on record.
“Record Portugal sea temperatures…
“Seven people have died and at least another seven are missing in South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal after the southeastern province was hit by heavy rain and a tornado, local authorities said on Friday.
“Middle East Heat is not weakening, just the opposite. Always impressive temperatures at high elevations in Iran highlands (with some world records beaten too). Today 47.2C [117F] at Khor at 920m asl.
“Brace for more cyclones as Arabian Sea heats up…
“Locust timebomb looms in Afghanistan after insects lay billions of eggs in cropland…
“8,000 pilgrims stranded on Badrinath highway after massive landslide.
“Torrential rains bring Patna to its knees; lightning kills 13 in Bihar
“Intense rains lashed a scenic area in China’s southern Hunan province on Friday, unleashing flooding that swept away cars, engulfed farmland and prompted evacuations and rescues of stranded people…
“More records in China: Stifling hot and humid night at Shanghai (POR >100 years) and hottest June night on records with a Tmin of 29.8C [85.6F].
“Endless record heat in Siberia where records have been broken by hundreds since several weeks.
“South Korea shoppers buy up sea salt before Japan’s Fukushima water dump.
“Absolutely incredible heat wave in Hokkaido, Japan, helped by sea temperatures 6C [10.8F] above average:
“Climate, environmental change puts 90% of world’s marine food at risk, study says.
“The mosquito era: As the world warms, these insects are thriving – and bringing disease.
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June surface air temperatures will be highest on record.
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“Important point in the talk from Prof Matt England:
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