The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😉
Main Topic: U.S. and Canadian Heatwave Amoco to Peak Today
Dear Diary. It’s interesting but worrisome that we have seen two similar upper air patterns that are in association with historic heatwaves across the Pacific Northwest in the last three years. Today Heatwave Amoco will peak after briefly attaining CAT3 status. Back in June 2021 we saw this pattern leading to CAT5 Heatwave Alpha, which killed hundreds of people from Oregon northward into British Columbia. That year I named heatwaves using the Greek alphabet:

Thankfully, extremely high 500 millibar heights for May won’t last too long. Note that our hear dome got only up to 591 decameters today while that of CAT5 Heatwave Alpha was about 598 decameters. Meteorologically, that’s quite a difference:

By Thursday our unfriendly heat dome will have collapsed, bit it will remain well above average temperature wise across the West:

West toasty all week. Think melting snow pack.
— Jake Reyna (@iJakeReyna) May 14, 2023
Sun, Tue, Thur, Sat.
I've seen this show, snow in the mountains, wildfires at lower elevations send ash to higher elevations, melting snow 🤨
This is normal in a warming world. pic.twitter.com/1TtdHn89HD
7-day forecast 21.05.2023
— 🇺🇦 Christopher Cartwright 🇺🇦 (@ClimatChristo) May 14, 2023
The big bonus of #TarSands is the ability to provide endless bliss to #Canada 🤣🤣#Arctic will also be on fire, it seems
But it has happened before, and elsewhere🤣
#ClimateCrisis #ClimateEmergency #ClimateChange pic.twitter.com/AJSzHPRFol
In all seriousness, naming heatwaves this year after oil companies should highlight how they have contributed to the severity of these killing phenomena:
Here is my criteria for naming #heatwaves this year after oil companies in the U.S. We already have western CAT3 #Heatwave #Amoco, which will peak this Sunday. https://t.co/UbIzRWxXvf @MichaelEMann pic.twitter.com/5TgLWG03Qd
— Guy Walton (@climateguyw) May 14, 2023
Today (5/14) will be the most blistering day this week from the far western U.S. northward into Canada from newly coined CAT3 #Heatwave #Amoco (using fossil fuel companies names in 2023). Today might be the warmest May day in the history of most of Canada. @MichaelEMann @KHayhoe pic.twitter.com/zLAFHnVd7h
— Guy Walton (@climateguyw) May 14, 2023
One reason that this heatwave gets a name is because of associated Canadian wildfires, lifting the thing go my dangerous, major CAT3 status:
As of Friday, wildfires forced evacuations from four First Nations in Alberta, as well as one Métis settlement. A dozen more First Nations were on watch for wildfire threat, and have been taking "pre-emptive measures,"https://t.co/C6f7lsbkl1 pic.twitter.com/xGL6NV3nNS
— Jake Reyna (@iJakeReyna) May 14, 2023
Wildfires in Canada Burn Close to One Million Acres: https://t.co/HaEXAmrR7l @smithsonian #ClimateShiftIndex
— Climate Central (@ClimateCentral) May 14, 2023
In the space below I will be listing today’s records from Heatwave Amoco recorded later this Sunday.
▶️Heat wave continues: 17 temperature records broken across B.C. https://t.co/JeeuDmeBBA
— Climate Change World Media Newshub 24/7 (@GNewshub) May 14, 2023
Lytton hit 35.9C (97F). This was unbelievable heat for the first half of May.
— Don Sutherland (@DonSuth89069583) May 15, 2023
Historic heat also in #Canada.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 15, 2023
Among the several monthly records broken today the most important
Alberta
32.1C Manning
British Columbia
35.8C Cultus lake
35.0C Pemberton tied
33.3C Campbell River
31.9C Comox
30.7C Victoria Gonzalez
28.3C Tofino
Even hotter tomorrow https://t.co/c8f2O2sesU
Some record high temperatures in the Pacific Northwest. #orwx #wawx pic.twitter.com/xmx7St4gy3
— Don Sutherland (@DonSuth89069583) May 15, 2023
Here's a look at the record high temperatures set today around western Washington as of 6:26 PM. #WAwx pic.twitter.com/8hIeGnjRg2
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 15, 2023
Corrected: RER. We moved Eugene back to Oregon. pic.twitter.com/4fTahcnbuq
— NWS Portland (@NWSPortland) May 14, 2023
HNX issues Record Event Report (RER) at May 15, 00:33 UTC …RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE TIED IN BAKERSFIELD TODAY… https://t.co/lUlYX5nFnx
— NWS Record Event Reports (@iembot_rer) May 15, 2023
Today is a remarkable day in the Pacific Northwest. North Bend, OR has reached 95F toppling the prior monthly mark of 94F, which was set on May 13, 1939. That's only the 6th 95F or above reading on record there. Portland achieved only its second May heatwave on record. #orwx pic.twitter.com/IWm8YQM6sl
— Don Sutherland (@DonSuth89069583) May 14, 2023
On the frozen edges of Hudson Bay, something remarkable just happened.
— Thomas Reis (@peakaustria) May 14, 2023
A weather station smashed its monthly heat record by nearly 7°C. Even in a warming world, this magnitude of record-break is enormous.
The previous record for May was 14.5°C (26 May 2001). 21.2°C recorded on… https://t.co/A99xRwLcaL pic.twitter.com/rNLAfzGHcO
Among the very warm temperatures recorded yesterday in British Columbia (max 34.1°C in Lytton), the most remarkable is 27.7°C in #Tofino (14°C above average), only 0.5°C below its monthly record set in 2005 (but at the end of the month). Much hotter today… #BCstorm #BCheat pic.twitter.com/6AT3Cd56pN
— Thierry Goose (@ThierryGooseBC) May 14, 2023
#Portland had a low temperature of 62F. That tied May 14, 1997 for the earliest 60F or above low temperature. It also tied the record highest minimum temperature for May. That record was set on May 28, 1983 and tied on May 31, 1986 and May 17, 2008. #orwx
— Don Sutherland (@DonSuth89069583) May 14, 2023
Extraordinary heat in US NW coast with records of temperatures broken.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 14, 2023
Even in places with extremely oceanic climates , temperatures soared as high as 95F/35C like in Tillamook.
Hottest May day on records at Hoquiam wqith 88F, few weeks after beating its April record. pic.twitter.com/8wEqQHYLgD
Extraordinary in Canada,something hardly ever seen anywhere in the world:
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 14, 2023
Arviat,NU rose to an incredible 21.2C, +7C above the previous May record and 17C above the April record!
Lupin 20.0C also destroyed the May record.
Further South 34C at Lytton but that's just starting…. pic.twitter.com/fpglGcbG9y
Feels like summer! Here are the high temps as of 7 PM today. Lots of 80s and 90s. Even warmer tomorrow as we add a few more degrees. ♨️
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 14, 2023
Records broken:
Sea Tac 86 (prev 85 – 2018)
Olympia 89 (prev 88 – 1973)
Quillayute 90 (prev 80 – 1975)
Hoquiam 89 (prev 88 – 1973) #WAwx pic.twitter.com/WI1tGBhHrd
Feels like summer! Here are the high temps as of 7 PM today. Lots of 80s and 90s. Even warmer tomorrow as we add a few more degrees. ♨️
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) May 14, 2023
Records broken:
Sea Tac 86 (prev 85 – 2018)
Olympia 89 (prev 88 – 1973)
Quillayute 90 (prev 80 – 1975)
Hoquiam 89 (prev 88 – 1973) #WAwx pic.twitter.com/WI1tGBhHrd
More:
“The population is less acclimatized versus later in the summer. If these same conditions were experienced later in the year, they are unlikely to have as large of an effect on human health” https://t.co/zxXdSFwszz
— Green News Report (@GreenNewsReport) May 14, 2023
How Mother's Day weekend heat wave in Pacific Northwest could affect retailers | Latest Weather Clips | FOX Weather https://t.co/TPJrVBUd5R #FoxWeather @Meteomatics
— Paul Walsh (@PaulEWalsh) May 14, 2023
JAN issues Record Event Report (RER) at May 14, 4:30 PM CDT …RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE TIED AT JACKSON TODAY… https://t.co/7Hhbyc59vR
— NWS Record Event Reports (@iembot_rer) May 14, 2023
Here are some more “ET’s” recorded from around the planet the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Today in Europe as expected temperatures rose above 25C in the Baltic countries (warmer tomorrow) and to 32C in Greece
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 14, 2023
It will be very hot next days in Eastern Mediterranean (above 35C in Turkey and Cyprus) while extremely negative anomalies will persist in Central Mediterranean pic.twitter.com/eDI4wXye3m
More abnormal warmth in Antarctica
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 14, 2023
+8.4C at San Martin Base,an Argentine Base located in the Peninsula and 7.6C at Esperanza, where the snow depth is now 15cm ,down from 40cm few days ago.
It's almost winter in Antarctica but locally we are observing snow melting. pic.twitter.com/IK1agt5KhL
Some More April 2023 Climatology:
Temperatures in April 2023…
— Zack Labe (@ZLabe) May 14, 2023
🟥 – warmer than average
🟦 – colder than average
The average global air temperature was…
+1.00°C above 1951-1980 baseline
+1.11°C above 1921-1950 baseline
+1.27°C above 1880-1920 baseline
Data code/info: https://t.co/DXbFxLL9w4 pic.twitter.com/BnpHXjl9ZQ
Here are the latest notes about Cyclone Mocha:
A humanitarian crisis looms in Myanmar as Mocha makes landfall as a category 4 storm with 155 mph winds, after peaking at category 5 strength with 175 mph winds–the strongest cyclone on record in the North Indian Ocean. My Sunday post:https://t.co/n6AcDCBbkQ pic.twitter.com/zlYdBFhEsi
— Jeff Masters (@DrJeffMasters) May 14, 2023
#Mocha has made landfall as a Cat 4 on the higher side of the tidal cycle (~5Z low tide and ~11Z high tide, per @DrJeffMasters). Tidal range is about 3.3 ft, so perhaps an extra 0.5-1.0 feet at landfall vs the tidal average….which only adds to this horrific situation. https://t.co/opwnsAY3c2
— Bob Henson (@bhensonweather) May 14, 2023
#Cyclone #MOCHA made landfall in #Myanmar. Satellite images suggest it unraveled as it neared coast—but this weakening probably didn't help much. As we've seen in past intense storms (like Hurricane KATRINA), weakening just before impact doesn't seem to mitigate storm surge much. pic.twitter.com/2HPtVAfxpP
— Josh Morgerman (@iCyclone) May 14, 2023
#CycloneMocha is now battering #Myanmar with torrential rains.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) May 14, 2023
No data is coming from Sittwe,but other stations experienced a dramatic max. temperatures drop such as:
Monywa 43.0C ▶️ 22.9C
Bagan/Nyaung U 43.0C ▶️ 23.0C
Falam 34.0C (1372m,record hottest day ) ▶️ 15.0C https://t.co/TIUkyDM0gH
Thousands of people hunkered down Sunday in monasteries, and schools, seeking shelter from Mocha that slammed into the coast of Myanmar, tearing the roofs off buildings and killing at least three people. Cyclone Mocha made landfall Sunday afternoon near Sittwe Winds: 130 mph. pic.twitter.com/Jj6rHyyAvO
— James Wilson (@tornadokid3) May 14, 2023
Satellite loop of Extremely Severe Cyclonic Storm #Mocha making landfall just N of #Sittwe, #Myanmar between 1230 & 1430 IST. Land interaction will rapidly weaken the storm but flooding rains will remain a concern in NW Myanmar, E #Bangladesh & NE #India into Monday. pic.twitter.com/5P1VEtMaPX
— Jason Nicholls 💙 (@jnmet) May 14, 2023
Cyclone Mocha, before landfall https://t.co/z2zaJYo5O1 pic.twitter.com/IfY46UlHUp
— Roxy Koll ⛈ (@RockSea) May 14, 2023
Up to 4°C cooling in sea surface temperatures over the central Bay of Bengal, in response to #CycloneMocha
— Roxy Koll ⛈ (@RockSea) May 14, 2023
1/ https://t.co/5Y21NvgKEg pic.twitter.com/Gq6ezsP3Ai
Here is more climate and weather news from Sunday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)
If you're a mom (or a dad, a grandparent or an aunty or an uncle or anyone who loves the kids in their life), you're the perfect person to care about climate change and advocate for climate action. #mothersday https://t.co/tvFJJEniEW
— The Real Prof. Katharine Hayhoe (@KHayhoe) May 14, 2023
Climate scientists now face targeted abuse on this platform in what appears to be coordinated efforts to make climate doubts & denial appear more prevalent than they actually are.
— Ed Hawkins (@ed_hawkins) May 14, 2023
Views from @ProfMarkMaslin @dougmcneall @richardabetts @FrediOtto & myselfhttps://t.co/9W7RsExNKH
“We are more likely to destroy this planet way before we are technologically advanced enough to abandon it, a blessing for neighboring solar systems who would be next in line to become recipients of our appetite for destruction”#ClimateCrisis #future https://t.co/tg60oOrPnJ
— George Tsakraklides (@99blackbaloons) May 14, 2023
On May 12, 2023, the temperature of the World sea surface (between 60°S and 60°N) was 20.9°C, much higher than it was in 2022 on that day (2022: orange line, 2023: black line).
— Sam Carana (@SamCarana) May 14, 2023
Will there be Arctic sea ice left in September 2023? https://t.co/f9l2ozodX5 pic.twitter.com/QHwRjEtHMt
Why We’re Sleepwalking Into the Age of Extinction by @umairh https://t.co/AcyuOPz8y7
— Julian Cribb (@JulianCribb) May 14, 2023
#MondayMorning Reading: “What that Fort Lauderdale event speaks to is how pressing the need is.” #ClimateChange Forces a Rethinking of Mammoth #Everglades Restoration Plan https://t.co/agFQ9NO8hu
— Silicon Valley North (@CCLSVN) May 15, 2023
"We’re not counting the $175 million for emergency flood response and recovery… since it mostly won’t address long term needs for flood risk reduction. This funding …is over half of the additional $290 million allocated … in the May Revise Budget." https://t.co/yXvmuKrwTm
— Deirdre Des Jardins 🦡 💧💨 (@flowinguphill) May 14, 2023
German heat pump sales grow by 111% in first quarter https://t.co/ruVl1OLH6E – and steeply growing demand in the years to come: https://t.co/YM9raj7t4v
— Christian Breyer (@ChristianOnRE) May 14, 2023
Good morning with good news: Polysilicon prices keep falling, whether manufactured in China or outside it. They're recently down about 7% to 20%. Cheaper solar is ahead. This is good climate and energy news for all but those opposed to renewables. https://t.co/V8JS85xPEg pic.twitter.com/mmohFNVns2
— John Raymond Hanger (@johnrhanger) May 13, 2023
Last year, the world built more new #solarpower than every other power source COMBINED. It's now growing fast enough to displace #fossilfuels from the entire global economy before 2050.
— ꜱᴄɪᴇɴᴄᴇ ɴᴏᴛ ᴅᴏɢᴍᴀ™ ☮️🖖🏿🔬🌱 🇨🇦 (@ScienceNotDogma) May 13, 2023
Cheap solar is our best hope for rapidly mitigating #climatechange.https://t.co/BDrgq9h9YW
If you're in the Vancouver area, join me next Saturday. Be sure to register, as seating is very limited. If you're not in the area, no worries – you can join the livestream! I always use @polleverywhere so you can engage & ask questions too. https://t.co/VWp9jf3PcE
— The Real Prof. Katharine Hayhoe (@KHayhoe) May 14, 2023
Climate change first 'went viral' exactly 70 years ago…
— Marc Hudson (@marcsrhudson) May 12, 2023
My latest piece in The Conversationhttps://t.co/LQrPpDymHi
From our archives: Two long-forgotten 1960s oil industry climate studies warned of "severe" damage from burning fossil fuels.
— Yale Environment 360 (@YaleE360) May 15, 2023
The papers, which predate Exxon’s extensive 1970s climate research, are now playing a key role in lawsuits against oil majors.https://t.co/7YTbgz6kIj
"Gianforte signs bill banning state agencies from analyzing climate impacts"
— Prof. Steve Austin (@postcarbonsteve) May 13, 2023
these assholes know just how bad it is, that's why they dont want any analysishttps://t.co/JrIhKVdgXi via @MTFreePress
Aruba is on the cusp of becoming the world’s second country to constitutionally recognize the “rights of nature.”https://t.co/acGIqo2jmW
— Inside Climate News (@insideclimate) May 14, 2023
#MothersDay Reading: Getting Things done. In the work to mitigate the #ClimateCrisis, Our Accomplishments | Citizens' Climate Lobby https://t.co/eHPnrwOb7X
— Silicon Valley North (@CCLSVN) May 14, 2023
Judith Curry in her own words:https://t.co/PKDKwSSoWG#ClimateDenial #Disinformation
— Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) May 14, 2023
Leading the way#Renewables account for 74% of new U.S. capacity
— Prof. Peter Strachan (@ProfStrachan) May 14, 2023
"The recent growth in new #Solar and #Wind generating capacity 'significantly surpasses' that which had been forecast"#EnergyTransition #SustainableEnergy #USAhttps://t.co/kWwovpiKlo pic.twitter.com/xqj4GFUrj6
Driverless EVs Still Working Out Bugs in San Francisco https://t.co/sE8hxwLRHN https://t.co/kG3YePDxBN
— Peter Sinclair (@PeterWSinclair) May 15, 2023
Global #MothersDay "Mothers Rebellion"! Demands climate action across six continents.
— Antonia Juhasz (@AntoniaJuhasz) May 14, 2023
All photos c/o @ExtinctionR https://t.co/yXO3mxm6lc pic.twitter.com/c8p2MN24HC
The time to act on reducing our dependence on oil is now. We need to prioritize renewable energy sources to combat climate change and protect our planet for future generations.@vanessa_vash @GretaThunberg pic.twitter.com/JnWqcaPUEP
— Rise Up Movement Togo (@riseupmovt_togo) May 14, 2023
THIS. COULD. BE. US.
— Mobility For Who? (@MobilityForWho) May 14, 2023
But Linda next door needs her SUV to go buy bananas, so she’s ready to fight so it doesn’t happen. https://t.co/vXw6R97PK9
And from the Weather Department:
Remember when y'all said that May of 2023 was canceled??? pic.twitter.com/m8GiJCO1De
— Michael Cromer (@MichaelCromerWX) May 14, 2023
Early studies suggest 30% to 40% more ticks are out this year compared to dry years, and this season is likely to last much longer than usual. Forests in Marin, Sonoma and Mendocino counties are hot spots. But ticks can be found all across California.https://t.co/8ZsFL1i26J
— KQED Science (@KQEDscience) May 14, 2023
Recently named cyclone #Fabien is a rare May southern Hemisphere TC, siting at an insane 4 degrees south. This is roughly equivalent to a early December system in the Atlantic, quite anomalous, especially given it could potentially reach major hurricane equivalent status. pic.twitter.com/BUcA0sHjZ5
— Ben Cohen (@BenCohenTC) May 15, 2023
La prévision CMRS Réunion de 12UTC prévoit maintenant que la tempête tropicale 🌀#FABIEN pourrait atteindre le stade de cyclone tropical intense (CTI, vents >= 90kt) en milieu de semaine. Ce serait inédit sur le bassin pour une mi-mai (possible CTI le plus tardif…). pic.twitter.com/jXmwUso4uw
— Etienne Kapikian (@EKMeteo) May 14, 2023
EPS has shown same bias as GEFS, though not as pronounced. Note how the -VP cell over the W. Pac strengthens and expands toward SE Asia while the -VP cell over S. Central Pac. doesn't strengthen as much. Meanwhile +VP S. of India expand into E. Africa: https://t.co/ZGQZmLMXPv pic.twitter.com/R8S68X3HYN
— Yaakov Cantor (@yconsor) May 14, 2023
The Southern Annular Mode (SAM) index just reached its highest value since September 2018. A strongly positive SAM increases the likelihood of rain in eastern Australia, and makes rain and snow less likely in southern Australia. pic.twitter.com/kTvrMCLL3K
— Ben Domensino (@Ben_Domensino) May 15, 2023
Here is another look at the rope-like waterspout over Lake Moultrie as seen from Bonneau. Pic by Chris Timmons. #scwx @NWSCharlestonSC pic.twitter.com/ARrugo76YJ
— Shea Gibson (@SheaGibsonWx) May 15, 2023
More notes on other science and the beauty of Earth and this universe:
Who made you the star you are today? Mention them to give them cosmic #MothersDay flowers. 🌹
— NASA (@NASA) May 14, 2023
The Rosette Nebula, about 5,000 light-years from Earth, is a region in space where stars are formed. This image by the Spitzer Space Telescope shows the stellar nursery in infrared. pic.twitter.com/Dw89TLCS4s
A stunning reminder that the ocean is the largest living space on our planet. 🌊💙
— Heidi Cullen (@HeidiCullen) May 14, 2023
The ocean provides priceless climate services, taking up over 90% of the excess heat and nearly 25% of the annual human CO2 emissions. #scicomm pic.twitter.com/NWToTj4hWF
These moments show you nature through a different lens.
— Travlerz (@Travlerz2) May 8, 2023
Good day on Bishops Hill in Warwickshire today. 8 – 10 Small Blues seen, along with 4-5 female Holly Blues – all laying eggs. Grizzled Skipper; Brimstone; Orange Tip; Large White and a pair of sparring Green Hairstreaks late in the afternoon. pic.twitter.com/EUPgUKk9sQ
— Ian Surman (@ian_surman) May 14, 2023