“‘We are moving in the wrong direction’: New UN report highlights the scale of global climate change. Last year, records for sea level rise, glacier melt, and temperatures were broken, the World Meteorological Agency (WMO) warns in a new report.
“In the State of the Global Climate 2022 report released ahead of Earth Day, the UN agency highlighted the concerning trends marking the progression of climate change.”
“‘Devastating’ melt of Greenland, Antarctic ice sheets found.
“From 1992 to 1996, the two ice sheets—which hold 99% of the world’s freshwater ice—were shrinking by 116 billion tons (105 billion metric tons) a year, two-thirds of it from Antarctica. But from 2017 to 2020, the newest data available, the combined melt soared to 410 billion tons (372 billion metric tons) a year…”
“Wildfire and degradation accelerate northern peatland carbon release…
“We find that wildfire processes reduced carbon uptake in pristine peatlands by 35% and further enhanced emissions from degraded peatlands by 10%. The current small net sink is vulnerable to the interactions of peatland degraded area, burn rate and peat burn severity.”
“There was no snow in the European Alps by the end of summer last year for the first time in recorded history, a report has revealed…
“…the World Meteorological Organisation said some of the starkest changes were in the European Alps, with Switzerland losing 6 per cent of its glacier ice volume between 2021 and last year.”
“Drought conditions not seen in some places since the Renaissance are becoming the continent’s new normal, with perilous knock-on effects for food security and supply chains in the European Union, the world’s third-biggest economy… Europe is a climate change front-runner, warming at twice the rate as other inhabited continents…”
“‘The new normal’: Farmers face drought despair in parched France…
“Southern France is parched. Rivers are running as low as they normally do in mid-summer and 43 areas of the country are already subject to water restrictions. There are severe drought warnings for this summer after a dry winter failed to replenish water supplies drained by last summer’s record breaking heatwaves.”
“This April is on track to become the driest in Spain since records began in 1961, according to worrying weather forecasts[it just had its driest March, too].
“Just five millimetres were accumulated throughout Spain during the first 16 days. The state meteorological agency (Aemet) said this was an “extraordinarily low” figure for this period which represented just 15% of the monthly average, which was 63.5 millimetres.”
“Weather tracker: heat in Spain could smash April temperature record.
“The highest temperature ever recorded in Spain for the month is 37.4C (99.3F) in Murcia on 9 April 2011. Forecasts suggest that on 26 April temperatures will widely reach 35-38C, and Seville may even hit a maximum of 39C. For comparison, the April high in Seville stands at 35.4C…”
“Records of highest temperatures are sprouting allover: Two days ago extreme heat in Central Morocco with the hottest April days on records: 38.2C [100.8F] Kasba Tadla; 37.6C Beni Mallal.
“More records will come in few days with temperatures expected to rise >40C in Morocco and 35C in Spain.”
“6 killed, boy swept away by floods as rainstorm wreaks havoc in Delta [Nigeria]…
“Six persons have reportedly lost their lives in the Oko community of Oshimili South Local Government Area of Delta State following a heavy rain storm on Wednesday night. The victims died when a building collapsed as a result of the strong wind that also uprooted trees.”
“Angola – Thousands of Homes Damaged or Destroyed After Days of Heavy Rain.
“Heavy rain caused damages and flooding in several provinces of Angola from early April 2023. Strong winds were also reported in some areas. As of 21 April, at least 20 people had lost their lives, many of them children. Damage to houses has left hundreds of families homeless.”
“Record day in the Thai capital Bangkok, an extremely muggy city. BKK Metropolis: 40C [104F] monthly record tied (0.1C from all time high); BKK Port:39.3 new monthly record; Laem Chabang: 39.2C monthly record tied.
“Laos: 34.5 Phong Sa Ly (1360m) all time record tied for the 3rd time in a row!”
“Big contrasts in China today: Extreme heat persists in the South with temperatures from 38C to 42C [107.6F] in Yunnan, Hainan and Guangxi provinces, always at record levels and a return of cold and snow more north.
“In Shanxi Province from summer and 30C to winter and snow blizzard in 1 day!”
“N. Korea’s farming preparations hindered by springtime drought.
““Wells are lowering because of the drought, and people have access to tap water maybe three or four days a week at most,” the reporting partner in South Pyongan Province told Daily NK.. He added: “Reservoirs are too low because the drought continues on and on, a state of affairs that has led to problems.””
“Two locations in Japan experienced the hottest April days on record Thursday, with Kahoku reaching a temperature of 30.9℃ (88F), similar to that of July.
“The heat could ease up in some parts of Japan Friday due to the arrival of northerly winds, along with Asian Dust.”
“Eight killed after minibus swept by flash flood in North Sumatra.
“Eight people have died, including three toddlers, after a minibus was swept away by a flash flood while crossing the Sipange River in South Tapanuli, North Sumatra, on Wednesday (April 19) night.”
“Major mine Capricorn Copper will not be fully operational until 2024 after flood damage [N Queensland, Australia].
“One of the country’s major copper-silver mines has announced it will not be fully operational until the first half of 2024 after unprecedented floods ravaged north-west Queensland in March. Capricorn Copper’s mine, 120 kilometres north of Mount Isa, was inundated with 1.5 billion litres of water…”
“Century-old Sydney weather record broken with 184 days of 20C or higher.
“The previous record was a 180-day sequence of 20C or warmer days that ran from 6 November 1913 to 4 May 1914. Ben Domensino, a senior meteorologist with Weatherzone, said the long run without a notable cold spell was “amazing” given it began during the tail end of a La Niña event…”
“Cyclone damage shows New Zealand’s beekeepers are unprepared for climate change.
“Two months after a cyclone swept away thousands of beehives in the fertile fruit bowl of New Zealand’s North Island and left thousands more unreachable, beekeepers are facing a painful and costly recovery that has prompted questions of how they will adapt to the intensifying climate crisis.”
“Paraguay Floods: Families struggle as floods become common.
“In Paraguay, flooding has displaced thousands of families from low-lying riverside communities on the outskirts of capital Asunción. Experts say such disasters are becoming more common due to climate change. Residents say they have little choice but to live on a flood-plain.”
“Several States of Brazil are with record heat like Bahia, Minas Gerais and Espirtu Santo and many April records of heat are falling. The most important yesterday:
“39.6C [103.3F] Aracuai; 39.3C Itaoboim; 38.9C Itaberaba; 38.3C Sao Mateus; 37.4C Linhares… More records are falling today.”
“The numbers are in, and Santa Clara County officials expect it will cost $15.4 million to repair the roads damaged during the recent winter storms that drenched the Bay Area the last several months.
“The estimate has more than doubled since Feb. 7 — the last time the county’s roads and airports department gave a status report on the situation.”
“After the Deluge: California Floods May Taint More Drinking Water.
“For decades, high levels [of Nitrates] have contaminated groundwater basins throughout the state… Now this year’s heavy rains may worsen this widespread contamination as fertilizer from crops and orchards and manure from ranches and dairy farms are flushed into underground water supplies.”
“Saudi company draws unlimited Arizona ground water to grow alfalfa amid drought.
“Farms in western Arizona are growing alfalfa – one of the most water-intensive crops – in an area where there’s a shortage of water. Some farms are foreign-owned and are shipping the crop to Saudi Arabia, where it’s illegal to grow because it takes too much water. It’s a growing controversy that could lead to a reckoning over scarce water supplies…”
“Kansas drought: Spring so far, the driest since Dust Bowl for Wichita…
““Unfortunately, Exceptional Drought persists across generally the southwest half of Kansas. Amazingly since March 1st, Wichita has only recorded 0.30 inches precipitation, which is the driest since 1936,” NWS Wichita tweeted.”
“Fecal bacteria levels have skyrocketed 150 times beyond safe levels in some Florida canals after record flooding last week.
“Fort Lauderdale, just north of Miami, suffered massive flooding after 20 inches of rain left 20,000 without power and closed the city’s airport… Enterococci infections can cause vomiting, diarrhea and infections, such as UTIs, meningitis and wound infections.”
“A Critical Arctic Organism Is Now Infested With Microplastics…
“Melosira arctica forms the foundation of the Arctic Ocean food chain. During the spring and summer, its individual photosynthetic cells grow quickly, absorbing the sun’s energy and forming long chains. These become food for small surface-dwelling critters known as zooplankton, which are in turn eaten by bigger animals, like fish.”
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.
“Temperature records are being shattered in countries across Asia as a brutal April heat wave continues to grip large portions of the continent, with little relief in sight.
“In Southeast Asia, some countries posted their highest ever recorded temperatures this week, while searing heat in the Indian subcontinent has killed more than a dozen people.
“Laos is the latest country to set a new all-time record as Luang Prabang reached 42.7°C (109°F) Tuesday, according to weather historian Maximiliano Herrera.”
“Heatwave driving record power generation [Bangladesh].
“Bangladesh’s power generation increased further, setting a new record on Tuesday with the production reaching 15,626MW at 9pm, as the country swelters through a heatwave… The country recently started importing about 759MW of electricity from Indian Adani Group’s Godda power plant in Jharkhand.”
“In a first, Meghalaya [E India] schools shut due to heatwave.
“After Tripura, Meghalaya has announced the closure of all educational institutions in parts of the State due to a heatwave. This is the first such instance for a State known more for its pleasant weather and ample rain.”
“Have never experienced such a heatwave before: Rasagola makers [Bhubaneswar].
“The rasagola sellers of Pahala along NH-16 between Cuttack and Bhubaneswar have been in the business for decades and after having experienced extreme weather conditions like heatwaves and cyclones in the past, they thought they had seen it all, but nothing could have prepared them for this summer season.”
“With the fire-inflicted devastation in the Western Ghats’ biodiversity hotspot likely to impact the local hydrological cycle, experts say it is important to monitor how the first few monsoons play out in terms of flash floods, metallic pollution, and other fallout.”
“With no minister since October 2022, Nepal’s environmental issues hang in limbo…
““We don’t have anyone to present our demands to and get them addressed,” said Thakur Bhandari, secretary of the Federation of Community Forestry Users, Nepal (Fecofun). Fecofun has been protesting recent amendments to Nepal’s forest laws and regulations.”
“The weather in China today is very intense. Cold wave in the northwest caused a drop of more than 25C and sandstorms.
“Heat wave in the southwest continued, Mengla broke the April record again. Rainstorms poured down the southeast, and Fujian broke records for heavy rains in April.”
“A strong wind and a heavy dust storm are hitting the western part of Mongolia, the country’s meteorology and environmental monitoring agency said Tuesday.
“The wind speed is reaching up to 40 meters per second in the western provinces… the weather agency said, urging the public, especially nomadic herders and drivers, to take extra precautions against possible disasters.”
“Monster Asian Heat Wave like none before. Heat spread to Japan and Koreas with 30C [86F].
“Yongwol in South Korea 30.0C today, more 30C+ tomorrow; In China up to 41.9C in Yunnan and 30/35C in the North; Mengla beat its monthly record with 38.3C; Records are falling all over.”
“Cyclone Ilsa: 11 shipwrecked fishers rescued off WA coast after six days, nine others feared dead.
“Eleven Indonesian fishers have been rescued from a remote island off Western Australia after their vessel was destroyed by Cyclone Ilsa. The men were shipwrecked without food and water for six days…”
“A new study by Mission Australia and Orygen, conducted with the University of Melbourne, found that one in four Australians aged 15 to 19 were “very or extremely concerned” about climate change.
“Nearly two in five of those people also experienced high psychological distress.”
“Colossal iceberg trapped near Antarctica’s ‘Doomsday Glacier’ for 20 years is finally on the move.
“Iceberg B-22A, which first broke off from Antarctica’s Thwaites Glacier in 2002, is finally moving away from the South Pole after being freed from its seafloor tether… Scientists are particularly concerned about B-22A venturing away from Antarctica because it may impact the stability of the Thwaites Glacier.”
“Fires rage in the forests of la Montanita in Honduras, turning trees to ash and blanketing the area in thick smoke. According to the Forest Conservation Institute (ICF), wildfires have resulted in more than 64,000 hectares of burnt forest so far this year.”
“Rapid snowmelt causing significant flooding across northern Plains.
“A sudden spring warm-up is eviscerating the snowpack… The flooding is worst in eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota along the Red River and Interstate 29 corridor. In Mapleton, N.D., just west of Fargo, the Maple River is causing what the National Weather Service describes as major flooding.”
“2 dead in Oklahoma after tornadoes strike three US states.
“…the death toll could possibly climb as crews in the small town of about 600 people continue their search and rescue efforts, Deputy Scott Gibbons at the McClain County Sheriff’s Office added. First responders are also dealing with multiple reports of people trapped inside shelters.”
“‘We feel like nobody cares’: Floods force residents of Fort Lauderdale neighborhood to start over.
“Piles of debris could be seen outside of nearly every home in Fort Lauderdale’s Edgewood neighborhood Tuesday, as cleanup continued from historic floods. The neighborhood… was one of the hardest-hit in Broward County after the torrential storm.”
“Climate change, disease imperil North American bats…
“A report by experts from the U.S., Canada and Mexico said 81 of the continent’s 154 known bat types “are at risk of severe population decline” in the next 15 years. The “state of the bats” report was published by the North American Bat Conservation Alliance…”
“A once-stable glacier in Greenland is now rapidly disappearing…
“Steenstrup Glacier in Greenland has retreated about 5 miles, thinned about 20%, doubled in the amount of ice it discharges into the ocean, and quadrupled in velocity… such a rapid change is so extraordinary among Greenland ice formations that it now places Steenstrup in the top 10% of glaciers that contribute to the entire region’s total ice discharge.”
“Climate change thaws world’s northernmost research station.
“…around the tiny town of Ny-Aalesund, high above the Arctic circle on Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, scientific data is getting harder to access. And sometimes it’s vanishing before scientists can collect it… Last summer was the hottest on record. August temperatures in Ny-Aalesund were on average 5.1C degrees [41.2F], about 0.5C warmer than normal for the month.”
“‘Frightening’: record-busting heat and drought hit Europe in 2022.
“The climate crisis had “frightening” impacts in Europe last year, with heatwaves killing more than 20,000 people and drought withering crops, an EU report has found. Its writers said drought was already baked in for many farmers in 2023.”
“Barcelona is heading for a ‘drought emergency’ as water shortages worsen.
“In the northeast of Spain, Catalonia’s 7.7 million residents are suffering the effects of 32 months of drought. Lack of rainfall is particularly bad in Barcelona where reservoirs are now running dry. Authorities warned on Tuesday that the region is heading for a “drought emergency” in September unless forecasts for rain improve.”
““Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has warned lawmakers that the acute drought afflicting the southern European country will remain one of its leading long-term problems…
“The territorial tensions between regions over water that Sánchez referred to are already being seen in protests over the rerouting of water and disputes between farmers and ecologists.”
“The heat and lack of rain jeopardise Morocco’s agricultural season.
“This week saw a new heat wave… The high temperatures recorded since March in several parts of Morocco, combined with insufficient rainfall, have flooded Moroccan farmers with pessimism, as they anticipate a poor agricultural season to add to last year’s, when the country suffered its worst drought in seven decades.”
“In grim drought, Tunisians ration water in state-ordered ban.
“Tunisians are on the front lines of a battle against an increasingly severe drought, now in its fifth year in the north African country, with the government issuing a sudden order to its population to ration their water usage from April to September.”
“‘No other alternative’: Egypt worries as climate change, dam project threaten Nile water supply…
“About 90% of Egypt’s population lives along the Nile River, with the waterway providing nearly all Egyptians with drinking water. The country is facing an annual water deficit and is estimated to be categorized as water scarce by 2025, according to the United Nations.”
“In South Sudan, a new front line of climate change after historic flooding…
“The water came in the night, rushing into her home. And as it covered everything she owned in her hometown of Niahldiu, Nyathak took her children through the waters to the shore, waiting to be rescued… She said it took her six days to reach dry land — almost 30 miles away in Bentiu.”
“Temperatures rose to 40.1C [104F] at Ngqura and 39.4C at Addo, near Port Elizabeth. More records for April fell from 38.3C at Port Alfred to 37.2C at Coffee Bay. Also 38.1C at Patensie and >38C in Namibia, Angola and Botswana. Exceptional.”
“Madagascar faces ‘catastrophic’ hunger after 3 cyclones.
“Battered by three intense cyclones in the space of a year, southeast Madagascar is experiencing the knock-on effect of those climatic disasters: “catastrophic” hunger in remote, inaccessible areas that is gaining little international attention, humanitarian groups say.”
“[More] Snow and hail in Saudi Arabia blankets Taif region.
“There was more than a flurry of surprise for parts of Saudi Arabia shortly before iftar on Wednesday, as heavy snow and hailstorm hit the Taif region, blanketing streets and delaying traffic. Some motorists stopped to capture what is a rare occurrence for spring in the kingdom, with many posting videos and images on social media.”
“Sugar prices spike to 11-year high and could rise further due to extreme weather…
““In recent weeks, the Asian cane crushing season has started to wind down and we have seen large downward crop revisions in the key producing countries most notably India, Thailand, China and Pakistan,” said Stansfield… the lower production was compounded by a poor European beet crop resulting from reduced acreage and a severe summer drought.”
“New study suggests we’re vastly underestimating megafire methane emissions.
“…the researchers in this new paper used observations taken on the ground and measured the methane and carbon dioxide levels by sun absorption. This is because gases absorb and then emit the sun’s heat energy. This method allowed the researchers to measure a plume from a dangerous series of fires in 2020, without being in harm’s way.”
“El Niño is coming, and ocean temps are already at record highs – that can spell disaster for fish and corals.
“It’s coming. Winds are weakening along the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Heat is building beneath the ocean surface. By July, most forecast models agree that the climate system’s biggest player – El Niño – will return for the first time in nearly four years.”
“TikTok is to start removing videos that deny the existence of climate change [I think, on balance, I’d prefer open dialogue to this kind of arbitrary censorship].
“The popular short-form video app said it was updating its misinformation policy to target any content which “undermines well-established scientific consensus” about global warming.”
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.
“Historic Asia heat breaks hundreds of records, with extremes in Thailand and China.Numerous April heat records were set in China, while Thailand recorded its all-time hottest temperature…
“On Friday, Thailand surpassed 113 degrees Fahrenheit (45 Celsius) for the first time ever, topping out at 114 degrees (45.4 Celsius) in the town of Tak… Several cities in Laos also set all-time heat records in recent days.”
“Culprits behind dense smog in northern Thailand, Laos: corn and wildfires.
“For the past two months, residents across northern Thailand and Laos as well as Shan state in Myanmar have been suffering from the worst smog in years. Thousands have gone to hospitals with respiratory problems.”
“Three killed as freak storm in Thailand capsizes fishing boats.
“A freak storm in southern Thailand capsized a dozen fishing boats and killed at least three people, but more than 100 others who were also at sea have been accounted for, officials said on Monday.”
“The number of large and small forest fires in Korea has increased every year over the past decade. On April 11, A massive wildfire hit the northeastern coastal city of Gangneung, Gangwon Province, destroying about 70 homes and buildings, and burning woodland the size of 530 soccer fields.”
“Monster heat wave in China,the harshest ever in April with 11 provinces >35C [95F], dozens of records smashed including 2 provinces: Zhejiang: 38.2C [100.8F] at Yunhe… Anhui: 37.6C at Lu’an.
“Today, 109 national weather stations [China] have broken the record for the highest temperature in April, and 9 stations have tied the April record, distributed in 12 provinces!”
“Temperature hits 43 degrees Celsius [109.4F] in Bangladesh [this ties the national heat record for April].
“After two weeks of a persistent mild to moderate heatwave in Bangladesh, Pabna’s Ishwardi has recorded a nationwide high of 43 degrees Celsius. Though the temperature has cooled slightly in Dhaka and other areas, it has continued to rise in the Rajshahi Division.”
“After market fires amid heatwave, Bangladesh garment factories alerted to risks of disasters.
“Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association has alerted its members to the risks of fire disasters after several blazes in marketplaces in Dhaka as the capital bakes in a heatwave.”
“Maharashtra: Twelve die of heatstroke at Indian award event…
“The government-sponsored event took place in an open ground under a blazing sun and lasted for several hours… Navi Mumbai – a city close to financial hub Mumbai – where the event was held, recorded a maximum temperature of 38C (100F) on Sunday.”
“Records are falling all over these weeks: Today Mauritius joined the list – 35.3C [95.5F] at Agalega Island is the hottest day ever for any month in the island (previous 35.1C Jan 1994).
“And it’s the highest temperature ever recorded in Mauritius in April (previous 35.0C at Medine in 2019).”
“Landslide in Pakistan buries trucks, kills at least two people.
“A landslide during a thunder and lightning storm on the main road through northwest Pakistan’s Khyber Pass buried more than 20 trucks on Tuesday, killing at least two people, with dozens more feared trapped, officials said.”
“Iraq’s marvels vanishing under sand due to climate change.
“Ancient Iraqi treasures that have withstood the US invasion and later occupation followed by a terrorist war now confront a contemporary threat: being blasted and slowly buried by sandstorms linked to climate change.”
“‘From bad to worse’: drought puts Kenya’s hospitals under pressure…
“Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia are experiencing their worst drought in 40 years, with their sixth consecutive failed rainy season. The number of people in Kenya facing severe hunger is expected to rise to 5.4 million this year…”
“Political and community leaders across the country have expressed fear of a catastrophic drought due to insufficient rainfall this season. Omaheke governor Pio Nganate said his region did not receive good rainfall this year and needs remedial intervention from the government.”
“Firefighting teams in Alicante province [Spain] are tackling a forest fire that broke out in the Montgo mountain region…
“A forest fire was declared at around 4pm this afternoon, Sunday, April 16, in the area of the Montgo mountain on the border between the municipalities of Denia and Javea, near Jesús Pobre in Alicante province.”
“France has raised the alarm about the growing risk of forest fires because of climate change after firefighters tackled the biggest blaze of the year so far.
“The fire, which erupted on Sunday, burned on more than 2,500 acres of woods and scrubland along the Mediterranean coast and spread across the border into north-eastern Spain.”
“Fears for England’s frog and toad population after drought.
“Frog and toad populations in England have been devastated by climate breakdown, conservationists fear, after the drought dried up their breeding ponds last year. Usually at this time of year, ponds are full of jelly-like frog and toadspawn. But conservationists have found the habitats to be bare…”
“Hosepipe ban enforced in parts of Devon and Cornwall as drought declared…
“South West Water says it is still seeing the impact of last year’s exceptionally dry weather and reservoir levels are lower than normal for this time of year. A spokesperson for the water company said it was ‘acting now to protect water resources and the environment, to help rivers and reservoirs to recharge ahead of the summer months’.”
“Farmers under pressure across Ireland due to prolonged wet spell.
““I haven’t one potato sowed yet,” says Wexford farmer Seán Ryan. “We’d normally have them all planted by St Patrick’s Day.” Last month was the wettest March on recordand with downpours continuing into April, ongoing difficult weather conditions are having a massive impact on farmers across the country.”
“This year so far has been D.C.’s warmest on record.
“Now more than a quarter the way through 2023, Washington is experiencing its warmest year on record to this point on the calendar. Temperatures above to well above normal have been relentless, giving way only to occasional and brief bouts of chillier air.”
“Utah’s Great Salt Lake risked disappearing. Unprecedented weather is bringing it back.
“The lake was at a record low before historic snowfall fueled its rise – along with violent runoff that is difficult to control… Only months ago, scientists reported the megadrought water levels in Utah’s Great Salt Lake were at a record low and the body of water risked disappearing after years of drought.”
“The worst-case scenario for drought on the Colorado River…
“The vanishing water, the rising temperatures, and the growing thirst threaten to undo what made the West such an appealing place to live in the first place. With triple-digit summer weather and little water to cool off, life in the Colorado River basin could become untenable for millions…”
“How California’s historic wet winter could make wildfire season even worse.
“…elevated moisture is now fueling an explosion of plant growth unlike anything the state’s seen in years. Whole landscapes are blossoming into so-called “superblooms,” as flowering bushes starved by years of drought make the most of the bounty. Soon, that growth will dry out, transforming buds and blossoms into kindling.”
“Mojave Max [the tortoise] breaks record for latest emergence in 23-year history.
“Temperatures in the Las Vegas Valley may be warming up, but Mojave Max is still missing in action… Katrina Smith, Max’s caregiver and senior zoologist at the Springs Preserve, attributed Max’s delayed debut to unseasonably cold temperatures.”
“‘Without the ice cap, we cannot live’: the Andes community devastated by climate crisis.
“The Quelccaya glacier, high in the mountains of Peru, is shrinking at an alarming rate and the people who live in its shadow are struggling to maintain their livelihoods… As the climate crisis takes hold and the ice cap melts, the lives of Quispe and her community in Phinaya are changing irrevocably.”
“How the record-breaking Tropical Cyclone Ilsa became so strong.
“Tropical cyclones require sea-surface temperatures to be above 26.5 degrees Celsius in order to form. This warm, moist air generates the massive amounts of energy that fuel a cyclone. There also needs to be a relatively low wind shear…”
“Nhulunbuy the ‘wettest location in the world’ yesterday receiving 304mm [12 inches] of rain in afternoon storm [NT, Australia]…
“The remote community of Nhulunbuy in the Northern Territory is drying-out after receiving 304 millimetres of rain yesterday afternoon. It is the town’s second-wettest day on record, behind 437mm recorded in April 1999.”
“Record-breaking rain halts sugarcane planting as regions drenched with 61mm [2.4 inches] in 30 minutes [North Queensland].
“The Bureau of Meteorology recorded 61mm in the 30 minutes to 2:36am at the DAF station at Ayr, south of Townsville. At Ayr, 97mm fell within one hour to 3:17am, while the Townsville suburb of Cluden received the rain early with 74mm within one hour to 12:40am.”
“No date for coal phase out as G7 ministers wrap meeting in Japan.
“Environment and energy ministers from G7 countries wrapped two days of talks in northern Japan on Sunday without acting on Canada’s push to set a timeline for phasing out coal-fired power plants… Last year the global capacity to burn coal for power grew.”
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.
“Unprecedented early heat in Central Asia with insane minimum temperatures up to 28C [82.4F] in Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan after days >40C.
“Today the warmth spread north with 38.1C in Uzbekistan,35.1C in Kazakhstan (33.6C in the highlands at Taraz, record April heat) and 35.0C in Tajikistan.”
“Mumbai records highest rainfall in a day in April, more showers likely today…
“The IMD’s Santacruz observatory recorded 15 mm of rainfall till Thursday morning. Previously, the highest amount of rainfall recorded by this observatory was 7.4 mm on April 22, 1974.”
“Record-Breaking heatwave hits Odisha in April: experts warn of dangerous summer ahead.
“Baripada, a town located in the Mayurbhanj district of Odisha, recently recorded the state’s highest temperature for the season at a scorching 43.5 degrees Celsius [110.3F]. This news has alarmed the residents of the town as well as the entire state, as it signals the onset of a long and potentially deadly summer.”
“Worst April heat wave in Asian history ongoing in more than a dozen countries.
“44.0C [111.2F] in Pakistan,43.5C in India, 43.4C at Lampang in Thailand,0.1C from its all time record, 43.3C in Myanmar,41.7C in Bangladesh, 42C in Central Asia. Also hottest day on records at Sayabouri, Laos.”
“China faces serious task in preventing forest fires this year, as Spring temperatures are higher than usual: authorities.
“China is facing is facing a severe challenge in preventing forest fires this Spring, and China’s long border line with other countries highlights the danger of forest fire in border areas, said the country’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration.”
“Taiwan makes tough decisions as it faces its worst drought in nearly a century.
“Taiwan is facing a serious drought, maybe its worst in almost a century. This drought has depleted reservoirs, cut off farmers from water sources and limited some of the world’s most advanced semiconductor factories… This is the third year in a row that rice farmers in southern Taiwan have not been allowed to plant their crops…”
“Cyclone Ilsa just broke an Australian wind speed record.
“Ilsa smashed into the largely uninhabited Pilbara region… at record-breaking speeds. It has delivered Australia’s highest ten-minute sustained wind speed record at landfall: about 218 kilometres per hour [135.5mph]. The previous record of 194km per hour came from tropical cyclone George in 2007.”
“IMF Says Argentina’s Drought Is Worse Than Expected for Growth…
““The more data we see, the more serious that shock seems to be on the country,” Nigel Chalk, acting director for the Western Hemisphere at the fund, said in an interview on Thursday… the full impact of the drought is yet to be seen. “There’s a lot of uncertainty and it’s moving really fast.””
“The heavy rains pummeling the coasts of Peru since January have left more than 510,000 people in need of humanitarian aid, according to estimates from the National Humanitarian Network. The ensuing floods, landslides and ongoing rains in certain areas are presenting response challenges.”
“A growing water-food deficit powered by climate change is ramping up conflict in densely populated Central American cities prone to violence, according to new research…
“Several cities in the tropical dry belt are known for high rates of homicide and urban violence — and more than a quarter of the population lack the necessary income to buy food.”
“A court in Mexico has eliminated a major financial resource for fighting climate change, raising doubts about how willing the country will be to invest in future environmental initiatives.”
“California’s massive super bloom seen from space following historic, drought-ending rains.
“California has been drenched in color as super blooms of vibrant wildflowers are seen bursting across the landscape from outer space after a winter of torrential rains sated the drought-stricken state.”
“A rapid spring snowmelt after an unusually wet winter is unleashing flooding from the Southwest to the Rockies…
“In Flagstaff, Arizona, neighbors on one street have been working side by side since Tuesday with shovels to stave off floodwaters from their homes… Sandoval County in north-central New Mexico issued an emergency disaster declaration in the wake of severe flooding…”
“Disaster declared in 55 Nebraska counties because of drought…
“98% of the state remains in some level of drought, with more than three-fourths in severe drought or worse, including nearly all of Lancaster County, and nearly one-third in extreme drought or worse.”
“Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency as clean up in Fort Lauderdale begins following devastating storms that caused mass flooding, including at the local airport which was forced to cancel flights.
“The storms dumped two feet of rain in a matter of hours and left travelers stranded through at least 5am Friday and residents calling for help.”
“Historic flooding does little to alleviate Florida drought. Fox News Chief Meteorologist Rick Reichmuth joins FOX Weather to discuss Florida’s historic rainfall and how it has impacted the Florida drought conditions.”
“Incredible and unprecedented heat in NE USA with up to 96F [35.6C] at Hartford, Connecticut.
“This ties its hottest April day on records and it’s the highest temperature ever recorded in the 1st half of April in the whole Northeast. It’s currently the hottest spot in USA (as I am writing).”
“West Milford wildfire scorches hundreds of acres, largest in northern New Jersey since 2010…
“Officials say they faced a serious situation overnight, including embers flying and starting new fires. They said warm temperatures, dry vegetation and dying trees infested with bugs fueled the blaze.”
“Just eight days after an ice storm coated the capital, a 78-year-old daily heat record was broken Thursday in Ottawa…
“The record for April 13 was set in 1945 when the mercury hit 26.7 C. Ottawa’s April 13 average high is around 10 C… [Today’s temp] peaked at 30.2 C [86.4F], less than a degree from Ottawa’s hottest April day on record: 31.1 C in 1990.”
“Another four French villages lost their fresh water supply on Friday, local authorities told AFP, as a winter drought causes disruption and serious concerns about shortages this summer…
“Heavy winter rainfall was seen as particularly important this year to recharge groundwater sources after France and Europe recorded its hottest summer on record in 2022.”
“The drought that has brought water levels in the River Po down over three quarters is already worse than last year’s critical situation, the river’s local authority said Thursday.
“The drought situation in the Po district is not improving, indeed the most up-to-date data are sometimes even worse… The north of Italy is enduring its worst drought in 70 years.”
“Drought will cause crop failures in Spain, farmers warn.
“Drought now affects 60% of the Spanish countryside, with crops like wheat and barley likely to fail entirely in four regions, the main Spanish farmers’ association said on Thursday. Spain’s long-term drought is causing “irreversible losses” to more than 3.5 million hectares of crops…”
“Spain set for ‘scorching’ summer, forecasters say.
“2022 was the hottest Spanish summer since records began and meteorologists are forecasting that Spain will experience another ‘scorching’ summer in 2023 too.”
“Extreme weather including thunderstorms and hail has disrupted daily life in Iraq, Kuwait and Jordan.
“Iraq was hit hardest… In the past three years, the country has reported record summer temperatures that exceeded 50°C [122F] in many areas, as well as insufficient and diminishing rainfall and frequent sand and dust storms.”
“Floods have killed three people in Iran in the last 24 hours, according to the country’s Red Crescent.
“Since Wednesday, six provinces of East Azarbaijan, West Azarbaijan, Ilam, Kordestan, Kermanshah and Lorestan have been in need of rescue services due to heavy rains.”
“Flash droughts ‘becoming new normal amid climate change’… flash droughts can develop into severe droughts within a few weeks.
“Flash droughts have become more frequent because of human-caused climate change and this trend is predicted to accelerate as temperatures continue to rise, according to research.”
“Teenager took his own life after ‘losing hope over climate change’…
“A 19-year-old Greenpeace activist took his own life after “losing hope” over the future of the environment, his family have said. Theo Khelfoune Ferreras, a film student from Walthamstow, north London, was found dead in Brighton’s Wild Park on March 29.”
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.
“Saudi Arabia: Unprecedented hailstorm blocks roads in Al-Baha.
“The city of Al-Baha in western Saudi Arabia has been transformed after a heavy hailstorm hit the region on Monday, dropping as much as one metre of hailstones in some areas…
“The severe weather in the region also included heavy rain and flooding which resulted in road closures.”
“The Jeddah governorate and several other parts of the Makkah province [Saudi] continued witnessing a dust storm, leading to almost no horizontal visibility on the coastal parts of the region on Tuesday.
“Many motorists were forced to discontinue driving due to poor visibility. Jeddah and other parts of the Makkah region had witnessed dust storm on Monday also.”
“Two people have been found dead after torrential rainfall caused flooding in southern Israel, authorities said Tuesday.
“Heavy rains and high winds since Monday have caused rivers to flood near two key north-south highways, while several roads are blocked near the Red Sea resort of Eilat.”
“Pakistan struggles with compounding crises, 6 months after deadly floods.
“Millions of people in Pakistan still lack access to safe drinking water six months after extreme floods devastated the country. The lasting effects of the floods compounded with the extreme economic crisis Pakistan is dealing with, as well as the refugee crisis, have resulted in Pakistan being in sore need of humanitarian aid.”
“Now, 50 more tankers to curb water woes of city [Ranchi, Jharkhand, India].
“…according to the ward councillors, water crisis is intensifying in a number of areas, including Hindpidhi, Ratu Road, Madhukam, Azad Hind Nagar, Harmu, Kishoreganj, and Swarna Jayanti Nagar, and the water tankers provided by RMC are insufficient to meet the demand.”
“Heatwave in India: Delhi govt issues these guidelines for schools amid weather predictions.
“In the wake of heatwave predictions this year by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) in the national capital Delhi, the state government issued guidelines on school preparedness… These guidelines come as summer vacations in Bengal government schools are preponed by three weeks [due to a current heatwave].”
“A wildfire on Khao Tabaek mountain in Thailand’s Nakhon Nayok province, which began on April 10, has spread to a border area of Khao Yai National Park, the park chief Chaiya Huayhongthong has said… Meanwhile, more hotspots were detected in the northern region…”
“The ultraviolet index in Ho Chi Minh City has risen to dangerous levels amid a scorching heat wave. Data from Weather Online, a U.K.-based meteorological services firm, shows the index is expected to climb to the ‘very high’ level of 12 from now until April 19.”
“China Prepares For Another Summer Of Power Shortages [Yunnan has already exceeded 40C/104F]…
“Throughout August last year, China had to extend orders for industries to shut down production as heatwaves and extreme drought in its southwestern regions boosted electricity demand while reducing hydropower production in the largest hydropower-generating province.”
“Cyclone Ilsa rapidly intensifies as it approaches landfall in Western Australia.
“A massive cyclone swirling off Australia’s western coast will likely make landfall as a category 5 storm – the strongest on the national scale – according to the country’s official forecaster… withwind gusts in excess of 285 kilometers per hour (177 miles per hour).”
“Flood-stricken farmers are preparing their properties for another drought despite years of relentless rain [NSW, Australia].
The end of the La Nina weather event was officially declared in September last year, bringing dry spells across the country… “The flood was the biggest flood I’d ever seen in my life,” farmer Scott Brown told A Current Affair.”
“The Australian town where water insecurity is felt more than some communities in Bangladesh.
“Imagine living in a first-world country and being too frightened to drink tap water. This is the reality for Indigenous residents in the north-west New South Wales town of Walgett… After years of drought and water shortages, Walgett relies on water pumped from the Great Artesian Basin, an ancient underground aquifer.”
“People facing tough times as water cuts continue [Fiji].
“Thousands of people living in the Lami-Suva-Nausori corridor continue to feel the full effects of the water disruptions due to low levels at the Waimanu River. Many people have had no water for days, and many have been seen waiting for water trucks with buckets on the roadside late into the night.”
“More records of highest temperature, this time from Vanuatu.
“On 10 April the Bauerfield Int. Airport on Efate Island, which serves the capital Port Vila, rose to 33.8C [92.8F] which beats the April record of 33.5C set on 10 Apr 2009 and was shy of the 34.0C of Lamap Malekula on 19 Apr 2013.”
“Peru has been with weeks of abnormal warmth and dozens of records beaten.
“This month the trend is accelerating due to the coastal Nino and more monthly records fell: 31.5C [88.7F] Camay; 30.8C Fonagro; 29.5C Chaparra; 20.8C Huancavelica (altitude 3676m).”
“Argentina drought starting to hit jobs as govt scrambles to stem revenue losses…
“In February, public revenues tumbled 8.3% year-on-year to 1.6tn pesos (US$7.6bn), mainly due to a 73% drop in export income. To help support farmers and soften the blow on tax revenues, the federal government established a preferential exchange rate, dubbed the “soy dollar”, for shippers and producers to boost grain exports.”
“Streamflow is increasing in Alaskan rivers during both spring and fall seasons, primarily due to increasing air temperatures over the past 60 years, according to new CU Boulder-led research… Indigenous communities use rivers for vital transportation and sustenance, whether frozen in ice or as free-flowing water.”
“California has so much snow that flood danger will last through the year…
“A clearer picture of California’s flood risk is beginning to emerge… The Tulare Lake basin and the San Joaquin River basin remain the areas of top concern, as record-deep snowpack in the southern Sierra Nevada is expected to send a cascade of water down into the San Joaquin Valley as it melts.”
“Runoff from mega snowpack cuts sidewalks into ravines, leaves roadways ‘bubbling’ [Utah].
“Areas up and down the Wasatch Front were seeing flooding on Wednesday morning – most of which was due to debris blocking storm drains and causing Utah’s ample spring runoff to back up. Some neighborhoods had extreme damage…”
“Utah Shatters Snowpack Records, but Its Drought Remains.
“Unprecedented winter storms may provide temporary relief for the state’s water problems… Utah’s snowpack has reached the highest amount ever documented since state records began in the 1930s. Last week, the snow on the ground hit 201 percent of its normal level for this time of year.”
“US considers imposing Colorado River water cuts to western states.
“The federal government on Tuesday laid out options for saving the Colorado River in an effort to prevent it from falling to critically low levels and put an end to months-long negotiations between the seven western states and Indigenous nations that rely on it as a dwindling resource.”
“Early-season heat dome bringing record warmth, fire danger to Lower 48…
“Climate historian Maximiliano Herrera described the episode as “arguably the greatest heat wave in the first half of April in the Lower 48” on record… Records from the heat dome have already been shattered in parts of the West. On Tuesday, Phoenix and Tucson set records at 99 degrees, Las Vegas spiked to 93 degrees, Denver had its earliest 85 degree reading on record…”
“Record-breaking rain in Fort Lauderdale causes flooding, closes airport… As of 11 p.m. Eastern time, area totals ranged from just under 20 inches to a whopping 25.46 in the Shady Banks part of Fort Lauderdale…
“There is no precedent for anywhere close to as much rainfall falling. Only six days in Fort Lauderdale history have logged double-digit rain totals… A rainfall event of this magnitude in Fort Lauderdale has just a 0.1 percent chance of occurring in any year — or was a 1-in-1,000-year rainstorm.”
“The number of tornadoes during the year’s first three months has set a record [US].
“According to the Storm Prediction Center, the preliminary count of tornadoes during January, February and March for 2023 stands at 410 as of Tuesday. This puts it ahead of the previous record-holding year for the same period of 2017 by 12.”
“Insurance woes plague efforts to cut growing wildfire risks [US].
“For centuries if not millenia, people have used controlled fire as a vital tool to curb wildfire risks by preemptively burning dry timber and other fire fodder… But in the United States, spiking insurance costs and wary providers now present an existential threat to such efforts, according to officials and groups trying to promote “good fire.””
“Bubble trouble: Climate change is creating a huge and growing U.S. real estate bubble.
“Homes constructed in flood plains, storm surge zones, regions with declining water availability, and the wildfire-prone West are overvalued by hundreds of billions of dollars, recent studies suggest, creating a housing bubble that puts the U.S. financial system at risk.”
“There are 2 “hot spots” in Europe: SW (Spain) and Northeast. 33.6C [92.5F] at Murcia and historic 27.6C at Barcelona Fabra Observatory, warmest April day ever.
“Unusual warmth in Finland with 18.1C at Rauma-ties the earliest 18C in Finland. 18/20C also in NW Russia and Baltic countries.”
“Speaking at the meeting on Drought Management Plans in the eastern Black Sea, Meriç, Ergene and Marmara Basins, Afire Sever, general director of Water Management, warned that meteorological droughts of varying severity are observed in all basins around the country in terms of soil water storage.”
” A severe drought in North Africa has left Tunisian farmers bracing for a catastrophically poor harvest, imperilling food security in the cash-strapped country. At a time when the global cereals market has been disrupted by the Ukraine war, Tunisia’s domestic grain production has also withered under a lack of rainfall that has killed off crops.”
“South Sudan, the world’s newest country, has been grappling with extreme weather events for almost half of its independent history.
“Devastating floods in South Sudan have displaced millions of people, subsequently worsening the country’s ongoing conflict and food security crisis. The U.N. estimates that around two-thirds of South Sudan’s population of 10 million will not have enough to eat during the lean season in 2023…”
“UN chief urges ‘massive international support’ for drought-hit Somalia.
“Food security experts say life remains “extremely critical” for more than 6 million hungry people in Somalia’s historic drought. The country also faces insecurity as it battles thousands of fighters from al-Qaida’s East Africa affiliate, al-Shabab.”
“Climate models warn of possible ‘super El Niño’ before end of year.
“Climate models around the globe continue to warn of a potential El Niño developing later this year – a pattern of ocean warming in the Pacific that can increase the risk of catastrophic weather events around the globe. Some models are raising the possibility later this year of an extreme, or “super El Niño”…”
“Climate change is fuelling the spread of viral diseases in plants.
“Warmer and wetter weather has increased the spread of plant viruses in the past few decades, and climate change is expected to result in more outbreaks in the future.”
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.
“Remarkably, the eastern equatorial Niño1+2 SST anomaly is already approaching +3°C, a degree of warmth only seen in the strongest El Niño episodes of recent decades.
“On a monthly basis, Niño1+2 exceeded +2.5°C in 1982-83, 1997-98, and July 2015.”
“The changes have been large enough that Peru’s National Meteorology and Hydrology Service (Senamhi) has said the area is now experiencing a coastal El Niño… The unusually warm waters have played a role in energizing intense rainfall onshore, with northern Peru, Ecuador, and parts of western Brazil receiving frequent heavy rains since mid-March.”
“Hundreds of strange blue jelly fish-like creatures are washing up along California shores…
“Strong winds, such as the ones that are linked to recent storms in California, tend to push the cnidarians towards the shores, and when they are stranded on the beach, they tend to disintegrate and die.”
“‘We all want to be home’: California town faces slow recovery after historic flood.
“One month after rushing waters engulfed Pajaro, residents of the central California town are grappling with the next chapter in the unfolding disaster: cleanup has been arduous and slow.”
“Anchorage sets new record for amount of snow on the ground in April.
“…we started the day at 27 inches. But now as we’re recording, we’re up to 31 inches, which is a monthly record. So we’ve never had this much snow on the ground anytime in the month of April, much less, you know, a third of the way through the month.”
“Record warmth in areas with a record snowpack may cause hazardous flooding this week.
“From the West Coast to the Great Lakes, concern is growingabout the significant warmup forecast this week and what impact it will have on the near-record snowpack for many regions… Record highs are possible across the Northern Plains and Midwest this week, as temperatures climb into the 60s and 70s.”
“Inside a historically snowless winter in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
“The winter that wasn’t is all but done in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, except for perhaps a few of the coldest locations in the mountains. If any more snow falls, it probably won’t be enough to change what will go down in history as the least snowy winter on record in many parts of the region.”
“In March 2023, scientists found that the amount of Sargassum floating in the belt was the largest of any March on record… USF researchers estimate that the Sargassum belt in March totaled about 13 million tons, a record amount for this time of year… Since its development in 2011, the Atlantic Sargassum belt seems to be getting larger…”
“Winter and summer weather are adjacent in Europe in this Easter Day:
“Temperatures above 30C / 86F in Spain (33/34C tomorrow) and wintry weather in Italy and the Balkans with persistent below average temperatures which will go on [this] week.”
“‘A plague of locusts’: Barcelona battles port authorities to curb cruise tourists…
“The region is also wrestling with its worst drought in decades, forcing water restrictions and a scramble to clear up to 1.5 tonnes of fish a day from a rapidly dwindling reservoir. “It is completely incomprehensible that we’re suffering our driest year in 100 years but expecting more cruise passengers than ever,” said Sanz.”
“Fresh wave of wildfires scorches Spain’s Asturias.
“Firefighters are dealing with 41 active wildfires in the northern Spanish region of Asturias on Monday, just eight days after a fresh wave of fires devastated the region…. President of Asturias Adrian Barbon told media that authorities will press charges against five individuals suspected of having caused some of the fires…”
“Malaga registers all-time record for temperatures in April.
“It would appear that Summer has arrived two months early in the province of Malaga. According to data from AEMET, the State Meteorological Agency, the weather station at the Costa del Sol-Malaga airport registered an incredible 33.5°C [92.3F] at 4pm this afternoon, Monday, April 10, a historical record-high for the month in Spain.”
“Brutal heat in Northern Chad today with the temperature reaching 46C [114.8F] at Faya Largeau and 45.5C at Bokoro. In Egypt 42.2C in the oasis of Kharga.”
“1,800 people left homeless by flash floods in southern Tanzania…
“Ahmed Abbas, the Mtwara regional commissioner, said the flash floods occurred in the past week after the Ruvuma River overflew following heavy rains upstream. “The flash floods submerged over 150 houses in Maurunga and Kilambo wards in Mtwara district leaving 528 households with 1,800 people homeless,” Abbas said.”
“After being hit by heat last year, wheat crop suffers from excessive, untimely rains this year [India]…
“The impact of the possible crop loss is already seen in the government’s export policies. Ashok K. Meena, Chief of India’s procurement agency, Food Corporation of India (FCI), said in a press conference on March 28 that the wheat export ban would continue…”
“Algae In Raw Water From Upper Ganga Canal Leads To Supply Shortages In Delhi…
“A DJB official said the production and pumping of clear water from the Sonia Vihar water treatment plant has been affected due to the persistent presence of algae and floating material in the canal’s water.”
“India Is Encouraging the Heatwaves That Will Cripple It.
“India might have hoped that its punishing 2022 heatwave season, which pushed the mercury as high as 49.2 degrees Celsius (121 degrees Fahrenheit) in the capital Delhi, would be followed by a breather. It’s not looking that way.”
“Central Asia is about to witness something extraordinary:
“Temperatures in the area between the borders Turkmenistan/Iran/Afghanistan can shoot up to 43C [109.4], marking a world record of high temperatures for that latitude (38N) for this time of the year.Stay tuned.”
” Grassland fires from Mongolia on Monday threatened to spread across the border to China, spurring local Chinese authorities to dispatch teams to intercept them to avert a major blaze, Chinese state media reported…”
“Today temperatures reached 39C in the Southwest and over 28C in the capital Beijing. Next days the heat will increase sharply in central and southern regions with temperatures rising locally above 40C [104F] and beating records.”
“Sandstorm hits Beijing and northern China for the fourth time in a month…
“Images showed the Chinese capital engulfed in a cloud of orange haze on Monday which hung thick in the air into Tuesday, though conditions have begun to ease. Beijing authorities told children and the elderly to stay indoors, and healthy adults were advised to refrain from outdoor activity.”
“China’s Sandstorm Problem Spreads to South Korea and Japan.
“Severe sandstorms that have been plaguing China for more than a month are now spreading to nearby regions, with dust particles affecting air quality from South Korea to Japan… Dry weather has amplified the impact…”
“As summer heat looms, Japan urged to curb impact, emissions.
“Temperatures are rising in Japan and summer is coming fast. Cherry blossoms are blooming sooner than ever before, chiffon-pink that’s traditionally heralded spring for the nation popping up just two weeks into March.”
“Wildfires Triggered By Typhoon-Class Gusty Winds Destroy Over 100 Homes Across South Korea…
“The wildfire broke out on a hill in Gangneung’s Nangok-dong district at around 8.30 a.m. amid the combination of high wind and dry weather warnings issued by the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) for the region earlier, reports Yonhap News Agency.”
“Northern Thailand’s air pollution becoming a tourism issue.
“High pollution levels in Thailand’s northern city of Chiang Mai and surrounding provinces are keeping tourists away and alarming locals… For several weeks last month the city was at the top of air quality information platform IQAir’s global chart on poor air quality, ahead of Lahore, Pakistan and New Delhi, India.”
“Parts of Western Australia need to brace for the arrival of Tropical Cyclone Ilsa amid the potential of it intensifying into a category 5 storm in the next few days.
“Communities along the Kimberley coast have been urged to begin preparations and to monitor conditions and warnings, with a Tropical Cyclone watch issued from Cape Leveque to Broome.”
“For Easter first cold weather in SE Australia, yet the records heat keep falling in the North.
“On Friday Townsville in Queensland had a TMIN of 26.6C,which tied its highest ever in April (period of records, 81 years). Today record high at Alva Beach. Records heat have been falling every day.”
“A scary scene’: Auckland, still recovering from deadly flooding, hit by tornado.
“Auckland, New Zealand’s largest city, has been hit by a tornado, two months after the wider region was devastated by Cyclone Gabrielle and three months after the city was struck by deadly flooding.”
“‘Ice Mermaid’ swims in freezing Antarctic waters – breaking records in the name of climate change.
“…for extreme open water swimmer Bárbara Hernandez, taking to icy cold waters is not only her day job, but her life’s calling. The 38-year-old, from Santiago, Chile, recently made history after being the first person to swim 2.5km in the biting 2°C waters of Antarctica, in February 2023.”
“Swimming pools of the rich driving city water crises, study says.
“The swimming pools, well-watered gardens and clean cars of the rich are driving water crises in cities at least as much as the climate emergency or population growth, according to an analysis… The study used Cape Town in South Africa as a case study…”
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
“With the inundation of so much depressing news, Justin Panopticon presents it in a succinct format that one can quickly go thru and see the big picture of climate and economics/politics to stay current and if a particle topic is of interest one can delve into the details… I try never to miss any of his posts…I am a Patreon of his work.”
– Karina S.
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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.
“‘We are moving in the wrong direction’: New UN report highlights the scale of global climate change. Last year, records for sea level rise, glacier melt, and temperatures were broken, the World Meteorological Agency (WMO) warns in a new report.
“‘Devastating’ melt of Greenland, Antarctic ice sheets found.
“Wildfire and degradation accelerate northern peatland carbon release…
“There was no snow in the European Alps by the end of summer last year for the first time in recorded history, a report has revealed…
“Global Warming Is Already Hitting Europe Hard…
“‘The new normal’: Farmers face drought despair in parched France…
“This April is on track to become the driest in Spain since records began in 1961, according to worrying weather forecasts [it just had its driest March, too].
“Weather tracker: heat in Spain could smash April temperature record.
“Records of highest temperatures are sprouting allover: Two days ago extreme heat in Central Morocco with the hottest April days on records: 38.2C [100.8F] Kasba Tadla; 37.6C Beni Mallal.
“6 killed, boy swept away by floods as rainstorm wreaks havoc in Delta [Nigeria]…
“Angola – Thousands of Homes Damaged or Destroyed After Days of Heavy Rain.
“Record day in the Thai capital Bangkok, an extremely muggy city. BKK Metropolis: 40C [104F] monthly record tied (0.1C from all time high); BKK Port:39.3 new monthly record; Laem Chabang: 39.2C monthly record tied.
“Big contrasts in China today: Extreme heat persists in the South with temperatures from 38C to 42C [107.6F] in Yunnan, Hainan and Guangxi provinces, always at record levels and a return of cold and snow more north.
“N. Korea’s farming preparations hindered by springtime drought.
“Two locations in Japan experienced the hottest April days on record Thursday, with Kahoku reaching a temperature of 30.9℃ (88F), similar to that of July.
“Eight killed after minibus swept by flash flood in North Sumatra.
“Major mine Capricorn Copper will not be fully operational until 2024 after flood damage [N Queensland, Australia].
“Century-old Sydney weather record broken with 184 days of 20C or higher.
“Cyclone damage shows New Zealand’s beekeepers are unprepared for climate change.
“It’s already the second half of autumn, yet incredible but true the Argentine Patagonia is still recording temperatures >30C [86F].
“Paraguay Floods: Families struggle as floods become common.
“Several States of Brazil are with record heat like Bahia, Minas Gerais and Espirtu Santo and many April records of heat are falling. The most important yesterday:
“Record heat widespread in South America, Peru keeps beating records since weeks and the past days weren’t an exception.
“The numbers are in, and Santa Clara County officials expect it will cost $15.4 million to repair the roads damaged during the recent winter storms that drenched the Bay Area the last several months.
“After the Deluge: California Floods May Taint More Drinking Water.
“Lake Tulare in California continues to grow rapidly and is now over 100 square miles in size.
“Saudi company draws unlimited Arizona ground water to grow alfalfa amid drought.
“Kansas drought: Spring so far, the driest since Dust Bowl for Wichita…
“Fecal bacteria levels have skyrocketed 150 times beyond safe levels in some Florida canals after record flooding last week.
“A Critical Arctic Organism Is Now Infested With Microplastics…
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