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: Extensive Dangerous Heat Dome Will Build Over South America for Another Week
Dear Diary. Spring has sprung across South America, but unfortunately it has already leaped forward into a dangerously hot summer for many. A culprit heat dome has already built over southern Brazil and is quite extensive:
This anomalous heat dome, which I contend is made stronger by our long-term use of carbon pollution, will build into this weekend, peaking as indicated by meteorological models on Sunday:
Here are some recent reports of eye-opening records coming from South America as compiled by Maximiliano Herrera:
South America heat Wave
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 17, 2023
After their hottest days in history,the PARAGUAY cities of Asuncion (city center) and San Pedro had their hottest nights:
Tmin 30.0C for both.
And what about FRENCH GUIANA ? Did it take a break from heat records ? Never!
37C St Georges all time high tied https://t.co/BSMT8YzXJw
After the record heat with 46.5C, the heat is slowing a bit in Paraguay and Bolivia (but will come back in the weekend with more 45C+), but there is no relief in the Brazilian states of Mato Grosso/do Sul: Today Cuiaba is having its 29th day >40C and will record 42/43C all week. https://t.co/0Gz7uU1RPy
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 18, 2023
Not a single passes without heat records in #Bolivia and today wasn't the exception:
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 19, 2023
40.4C San Joaquin hottest day in climatic history
39.6C Magdalena hottest October day
More heat is expected all the week.
This record heat has been ongoing for months in the whole country. pic.twitter.com/nhtyJCR1O5
Another record day in the Guyanas and Caribbeans yesterday,historic:
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 18, 2023
FRENCH GUIANA
36.2C Cayenne Airport all time record
GUYANA
37.0C New Amsterdam all time record tied (it was set in few weeks ago)
GRENADA
34.0C Point Salines AP all time record tied
More records are coming pic.twitter.com/Q7FZU9u76g
Any temperatures well above average will stress all people across much of South America, agriculture, and most importantly, the Amazon rainforest. Fires burning the forest this year from more drought will only hurt our “lungs of the Earth” more. Stay tuned here on that.
Scientists have long warned about increasing drought in the Amazon region due to fossil-fuel caused climate change & deforestation. There is a growing risk of passing a tipping point due to amplifying feedback: less forest -> less rain -> less forest.https://t.co/fIL3Bze0l3
— Prof. Stefan Rahmstorf 🌏 🦣 (@rahmstorf) October 19, 2023
Heatwaves and drought are gripping large parts of the Amazon basin, with impacts from #Brazil down to #Paraguay.
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) October 18, 2023
This is fuelling wildfires, harming air quality.
📷 transport of carbon monoxide over S. America.
Via @CopernicusECMWF and @PlatformAdam #StateofClimate pic.twitter.com/u4HOozlCsP
Wow. That is concerning. Brazil's July-Sep rainfall has dropped ~40% in just 4 to 5 decades. https://t.co/1pN7rHyz06
— Jeff Berardelli (@WeatherProf) October 19, 2023
A historic drought in the Amazon is putting the lives of hundreds of thousands, especially Indigenous People and traditional communities, at serious risk.
— Greenpeace International (@Greenpeace) October 18, 2023
Learn about how @GreenpeaceBR is taking action ➡️ https://t.co/OclbrI3zrc pic.twitter.com/UV1TBTMPfp
For decades we have assumed that the two great rainforests, the Amazon and the Congo, would be able to absorb carbon, CO2 and methane, buying humanity time to deal with #ClimateChange . But both forests are undergoing ecological collapse due to human factors + rising heat. https://t.co/k9ssOUZStD
— Laurie Garrett (@Laurie_Garrett) October 19, 2023
I’ll have an update in this heatwave early next week.
Here are some other “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:
Extreme anomalies in Western USA, NW Mexico and also Canada
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 19, 2023
Yesterday 105F/40.6C again in California at Ogilby 6SSW. Today we can expect 105F again SW USA, mid 80s in Colorado,25C/77F in Canada and again 44C/112F in Mexico and more
Exceptional and persistent heat for late October pic.twitter.com/QIG2ihuCOE
First -30°C of the season in #Canada 🇨🇦 today with -30.2°C recorded in Eureka, Nunavut. It's the earliest -30°C at the station since 2017.
— Thierry Goose (@ThierryGooseBC) October 19, 2023
It's still *very* warm across Canada but a the first cold snap of this fall is coming next week. pic.twitter.com/vSp0w1N3mN
After flirting with the first -50C of the season (-49.5C on 15 October),the Greenland Summit Camp,at an altitude of 3200m asl,warmed sharply to -12.8C,well above average.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 18, 2023
Last year the first -50C was reached very late.
But exceptionally it can be reached as early as September. pic.twitter.com/QYEQFIgJib
Typhoon #Sanba barealy missed Hainan Island and it's moving west with more torrential rains expected in Vietnam.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 19, 2023
The city of Hue had over 600mm in the past days with more rain coming.
Further North, strong subsidences and very high temperatures up to 36.4C at Yuanyang in Yunnan https://t.co/xSGYMgbzTk
Here is some more brand-new September 2023 climatology:
September 2023 in #India had an average temperature of 28.23C which is +0.91C above the 1981-2020 normal (about +0.7C vs 1991-2020) and was the HOTTEST SEPTEMBER ON RECORDS ahead of 2020.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 19, 2023
It was wetter than average in Central india and very dry in the NE.
Graph and map by IMD. pic.twitter.com/4bwwBDFKIP
September 2023 in the Dominican Republic had an average temperature of 29.0C and was by far the HOTTEST SEPTEMBER on records.
— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) October 19, 2023
This follows the hottest June,July (and hottest month overall) and August.
Rainfalls were 24% below average (see graph and table courtesy of Onamet). pic.twitter.com/vO6vJQucG7
Here is More Climate and Weather News from Thursday:
(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.)
Well the 12-month running mean global temperature is quickly headed off toward new heights… 📈
— Zack Labe (@ZLabe) October 19, 2023
+ More climate indicator visualizations: https://t.co/53ZaRhYqC0 pic.twitter.com/ewsS148Tfy
"When Facts Don’t Matter: The Climate Case" by@PAbeywardena for @Forbes: https://t.co/TPxZmGPqeq
— Prof Michael E. Mann (@MichaelEMann) October 18, 2023
This is the Million Dollar Question 🙋♂️ and there are many factors from less anthropogenic Sulfur to less Sea Spray to less Algae Snort. Maybe most surprisingly, editors are on the political theatre 🎭 trained, the have no clue how to communicate. https://t.co/mv89DZdbvk pic.twitter.com/4rUdI5Ybc1
— Thomas Reis (@peakaustria) October 19, 2023
NEW: With nearly $3.5B, we’re supporting 58 projects across 44 states for electric grid resilience + reliability.
— Secretary Jennifer Granholm (@SecGranholm) October 18, 2023
This is the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability + affordability. pic.twitter.com/7VBBIGmCNk
For my first as an @TheAtlantic staffer, I wrote about insurance. While the insurance industry drops homeowners' coverage in climate-addled places, it's still heavily investing in and insuring fossil fuel buildouts, sometimes in those same places: https://t.co/ni3uamhAVo
— Zoë Schlanger (@zoeschlanger) October 18, 2023
One critical question around climate tipping elements is the type of threshold behavior – do global temperatures need to only temporarily pass a critical level, or do they have to stay there for centuries. Thankfully for Greenland it seems to be the latter https://t.co/M52d3YG80A
— Zeke Hausfather (@hausfath) October 19, 2023
#ClimateAction Quote of the Day
— Allan Margolin (@AllanMargolin) October 19, 2023
'We have ambitious climate action goals, and we’re looking for innovative solutions to help us sequester carbon and improve quality of life.' @MayorLeirion Gaylor Bairdhttps://t.co/B9NucvLhJR@GeraldKutney @SusanBranagan11 @DrSmith1966 @mcdirk pic.twitter.com/EhllxrT2Uh
Temperature changes from 1850 – 2021. Notice a pattern?
— Mike Hudema (@MikeHudema) October 19, 2023
We're in a #climatecrisis. There is no planet B. #actress #ClimateEmergency #climate #energy #renewables #nature #GreenNewDeal pic.twitter.com/6voSvbDszI
"The elites have no intention of transition. We have to take direct action. We have to reclaim the power and that is what we are doing today…" @GretaThunberg #ClimateEmergency
— Sophie Gabrielle (@CodeRedEarth) October 19, 2023
Know the truth of "no intention of transition." The rest is propaganda. pic.twitter.com/cENMpyEJZC
Greta Thunberg joins second climate protest in London this week https://t.co/uSa5cIKsfc
— Guardian Environment (@guardianeco) October 19, 2023
Today’s News on Sustainable, Traditional Polluting Energy from Fossil Fuel, and the Green Revolution:
These new LNG plants will be 20x as bad for the climate as the Willow Oil boondoggle Biden approved this year; it's a chance for him to recoup some climate credibilityhttps://t.co/fG44aJFqd5
— Bill McKibben (@billmckibben) October 18, 2023
In a recent discussion with @jrockstrom he explains why we need "to phase out fossil fuels … as fast as we ever can".
— Kevin Anderson (@KevinClimate) October 19, 2023
Full interview for @Clim8Uncensored at: https://t.co/yJIAV8e7rR
Other "Climate Uncensored" videos & blogs at: https://t.co/gAU2vyRwau pic.twitter.com/j2hwAj24Ve
It is perfectly possible to build high speed trains in UK, all that’s lacking is will. Choice was never between HS2 + trees but between small (but v quantified) damage for single rail project vs huge but unquantified damage of piecemeal road expansion. https://t.co/7JSTo8ltn7
— Fiona Harvey (@fionaharvey) October 19, 2023
Britain has long been a leader in cutting emissions, but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is now carrying out a stunning reversal of climate policies.
— Yale Environment 360 (@YaleE360) October 19, 2023
Business leaders have joined environmentalists in condemning the moves.https://t.co/Ba6MAxcTeI
The White House is putting together a program under existing powers to bring young people into low-carbon energy and climate resilience jobs. @alneuhauser reports on the unveiling from climate week 👇 pic.twitter.com/xXZaA3rXVE
— Axios (@axios) September 21, 2023
NEW: With nearly $3.5B, we’re supporting 58 projects across 44 states for electric grid resilience + reliability.
— Secretary Jennifer Granholm (@SecGranholm) October 18, 2023
This is the largest-ever direct investment in critical grid infrastructure, supporting projects that will harden systems, improve energy reliability + affordability. pic.twitter.com/7VBBIGmCNk
More from the Weather Department:
We've issued our annual bulletin on the incidence and hazards of sand and dust storms and their impacts on society. It also takes a look at how #climatechange may potentially increase sand and dust storm hotspots.
— World Meteorological Organization (@WMO) October 19, 2023
🔗https://t.co/8Tf0RV2IhM pic.twitter.com/ZtihYlMP54
Wow, 2 months' worth of rain coming to the North East of England over the next 24-hour period. Get ready for major flooding from #StormBabet pic.twitter.com/sZlS9KrBUu
— Peter Dynes (@PGDynes) October 18, 2023
Our Thursday tropical update on Cat 4 Hurricane Norma threatening Baja Mexico, and Tropical Storm Tammy threatening the Lesser Antilles:https://t.co/fXjfqYgGpA
— Jeff Masters (@DrJeffMasters) October 19, 2023
Norma on its way to Major 'Cane status: pic.twitter.com/jcO5C86Vef
— Jim Cantore (@JimCantore) October 18, 2023
How did El Niño get its name? Believe it or not, the origins date back hundreds of years: https://t.co/dPZRtvmmti
— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) October 19, 2023
Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu*k pic.twitter.com/Y58ahiMAXb
— Brian Brettschneider (@Climatologist49) October 19, 2023
More on the Environment:
About 80% of plastic in the waste stream ends up in landfills or accumulates in our environment.♻️
— Secretary Jennifer Granholm (@SecGranholm) October 19, 2023
Excited about the technology our team at @ORNL has developed to convert mixed plastic waste into useful chemicals—offering a new method to eliminate more global plastic waste. https://t.co/UBJI7ofOdS
More on Other Science and the Beauty of Earth and this Universe:
The dream is to be able to have a fiber that can go in a human body to do a local radiation treatment … because the whole accelerator can fit inside you.”https://t.co/NdR1PwkINE
— Science News (@ScienceNews) October 19, 2023
Wow! Size does matter! The Valles Marineris canyon on Mars really dwarfs our own Grand Canyon. #Mars https://t.co/MpNVLhWnJu
— USGS (@USGS) October 19, 2023
Full sequence of the annular solar eclipse at Shiprock, New Mexico.
— Alex Spahn 🌋🌪️☄️ (@spahn711) October 19, 2023
This was a dream composition of mine. So much time, energy, and money went into making it happen. I'm forever grateful to the Navajo for letting me shoot it from sacred ground. An experience I'll never forget. pic.twitter.com/NlmVnQeUFG
I think a lot of spring plants are giving it another go after some got zapped in May https://t.co/1TTZcVEoj7
— Eric Fisher (@ericfisher) October 19, 2023