“The blob” of abnormal conditions boosted Western U.S. ozone levels in 2015

By Hannah Hickey15 February 2017 (University of Washington) – An unusually warm patch of seawater off the West Coast in late 2014 and 2015, nicknamed “the blob,” was part of an offshore pattern that had cascading effects up and down the coast. Its sphere of influence was centered on the marine environment but extended to […]

Global warming saps the Colorado River – Flow could fall 55 percent by 2100

By John Fleck19 February 2017 (inkstain) –  A warming climate is already reducing the flow in the Colorado River, and the future risk is large, with a worst case of the river’s flow being cut in half by the end of the century, according to a new study from a pair of the region’s leading […]

Damage mounts after Australia wildfires and record heat – “To put it simply, conditions are off the old scale. It is without precedent in NSW.”

SYDNEY, 12 February 2017 (AFP) – Australia was counting the cost to property and livestock Monday after firefighters battled weekend blazes in some of the hottest conditions on record. At least 19 homes were destroyed in eastern Australia as emergency teams were sent out to assess the damage after a “catastrophic” weekend saw over 100 […]

Gigantic bats are dying upside down, making Australia’s heatwave look like a horror movie

12 February 2017 (Gizmodo) – If you’ve ever seen Australia’s grey-headed flying fox, you know that they’re absolutely terrifying. With an average wingspan of over 3 feet, these threatened animals are sometimes called megabats. But you haven’t really seen terrifying until you’ve seen the flying fox dying by the hundreds, which is precisely what’s happening […]

Turtle hatchlings dying in extreme heat at Mon Repos beach in Australia

By Jess Lodge 4 January 2017 (ABC News) – Piles of dead turtle hatchlings are lining Queensland’s famous Mon Repos beach amid a heatwave which has pushed the sand’s temperature to a record 75 degrees Celsius. While the majority of hatchlings break free from their nests at night when the sand is cooler, those escaping […]

More than 100 wildfires rage across Chile – Fires have destroyed nearly one million acres

DICHATO, Chile, 31 January 2017 (Associated Press) – Strong winds are continuing to stoke the flames of raging wildfires in Chile, forcing the evacuation of more than 800 families in the coastal town of Dichato. Firefighters and residents fought the fast-spreading blazes on the ground Tuesday, while a Russian supertanker plane and a Brazilian Hercules […]

Worst wildfires on record in Chile have killed 11 people – “The greatest forest disaster in our history”

By Jorge Poblete27 January 2017 (Los Angeles Times) – Chile’s worst ever wildfires threatened the city of Concepcion and the nation’s wine industry Friday, a day after flames destroyed a town about 200 miles south of the nation’s capital. President Michelle Bachelet’s office said the fires had killed 11 people, forced the evacuation of more […]

Weather buoy near North Pole hits melting point – Large area of Arctic 20°C higher than normal on Christmas Eve 2016

By Jason Samenow 22 December 2016 (The Washington Post) – Santa may need water skis instead of a sleigh this year. A weather buoy about 90 miles south of the North Pole registered a temperature at the melting point of 32 degrees (0 Celsius) early Thursday, as a giant storm east of Greenland drew abnormally […]

North Pole temperatures may soar to 50°F above normal – Freakishly warm pole weather likely to peak on Christmas Eve

By Brian Kahn 21 December 2016 (Climate Central) – For the second year in a row, the Arctic is facing a late December heat wave (at least by Arctic winter standards). Temperatures are forecast to soar about 50°F above normal, which would bring them near the freezing point at the North Pole. As isolated data […]

Extreme weather causing record lows in UK butterfly populations

31 October 2016 (New Scientist) – British butterflies could be under threat from increasingly frequent episodes of extreme weather. In fact, heat waves, cold snaps, and heavy rain may have already contributed to reported butterfly population crashes. Researchers analysed data from the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), which contains information on butterfly populations collected from […]

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