Showing posts with label extrem weather. Show all posts

Wednesday, 7 October 2020

Ozone hole in Antarctica one of the largest and deepest in recent years

And in the Arctic

Sunday, 26 July 2020

50C heat in Baghdad

Iraqis struggle with heat as temperatures near 50C

Rudaw,

23 July, 2020

BAGHDAD, Iraq — Iraqis swelter under a heatwave as temperatures soar to more than 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) amid a lack of electricity.

Shoppers and passersby in one of Baghdad's shopping districts are braving the heat with makeshift sprinkler systems and fans.

Temperatures in central and southern Iraq soared to more than 49 degrees Celsius (120 degrees Fahrenheit) this week.

Iraqis say they are struggling to cope with the heat amid the lack of electricity in the country.

"I work in this market and come here to cool down using these water sprinklers. After work, I go home where water and electricity services are not available, that's how it is in Iraq," says Baghdad resident Abu Mustafa.

Power outages in Baghdad have increased amid the soaring heat and the demand for ice and power generators is on the rise.

The price of a block of ice, usually sold for around 2,000 Iraqi dinars ($2), is increasing in the capital.

Iraqis have suffered from power shortages for decades as the infrastructure suffered from neglect brought on by wars and UN trade sanctions under Saddam Hussein.

Billions of dollars have been spent trying to fix the power grid since the 2003 invasion, but many Iraqis, mainly Baghdad residents, still only receive an estimated 12 hours of power per day.

Saturday, 27 July 2019

Major ice losses are almost certain over the next week

Many thanks to Nicholas Humphrey.

Major Arctic Sea Ice Losses and Greenland Ice Sheet Melt Near Certain Next 7 Days

Patreon,

26 July, 2019

Accelerated melting of both the Arctic sea ice and Greenland Ice Sheet is near-certain the next several days as a very powerful high pressure system sets up over the Arctic Ocean. This will allow for days of clear, sunny weather over the Arctic Ocean and much of Greenland with temperatures above freezing over not only the Arctic Ocean but over the interior of the Ice Sheet. In fact, temperatures will be above freezing not only during the day, but also during the still short nights for many areas of Greenland.

High temperatures Friday (today) over Greenland and the Arctic. Also see the hot weather over Scandinavia.

Tuesday Forecast Highs over Greenland.

Tuesday Night Forecast Lows.

Wednesday Forecast Highs.

High surface temperature anomalies forecast over Greenland much of next week. Tuesday morning will see average Greenland anomalies +6.3 C above pre-industrial climatology. I adjusted the anomaly shown below (which is based on 1981-2010 climate) by +1.8 C.

Initially a small cyclone will bring rain and interior freezing precipitation to the central east coast and east-central Greenland. This, followed by anomalous warmth may focus much of the surface melt from the the eastern half of the ice sheet next week. Shown below total accumulated precipitation through 7 am CDT Monday. Most of this precipitation is expected over the weekend.

Here is the Tuesday and Wednesday forecast normalized 500 millibar height anomalies (shows how anomalous the high pressure system in the middle atmosphere). Very anomalously strong high centered over the Greenland Sea.

The very anomalously strong surface high pressure system forecast Sunday. The surface air flow will be favorable for sea ice melting and breaking up to be transported into the Barents Sea and also blow offshore from the north shore of Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago.

In a normal climate, this break from offshore winds wouldn't be an issue because of thick, multi-year ice...but such ice has become largely extinct, causing very thin ice to break up off the north shore of Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago.

Below is a polar-orbiter image of Greenland on July 24th. Note the break up of ice on the northeast coast, well as around the Canadian Archipelago closer to the Beaufort Sea farther west.

Close up of the north Greenland break up. Offshore winds the next week will make further break up from the coast more likely.

Close-up of the break up of ice along the Canadian islands in the middle and the Beaufort Sea on the left of the image. Also notice the cracks in the sea ice sheet over the open ocean above to the right of the islands. Northwest Greenland is in the bottom right corner.

Estimated sea ice thickness...most of the ice near and along the north coast of Greenland and the Canadian Archipelago is only 2-2.5 meters thick, with isolated areas up to 3 meter thick ice only right up against the shorelines. Much of the rest of the ice around the Arctic Ocean is only 0.5-1 meter thick. All of this ice appears easily prone to break up.

The current sea ice extent and concentration vs. the 1981-2010 climatological extent. Dramatic.

Greenland Ice Sheet Surface Melt Extent

Abrupt climate change is leading to the ongoing destruction of the sea ice and Greenland Ice sheet. The loss of sea ice is accelerating Arctic warming causing major jet stream disturbances (including intense heatwaves and wildfires in the mid-latitudes and Arctic), increased wave action and coastal erosion from cyclones, and rapidly melting permafrost which is releasing carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide. The heatwaves over Greenland are and will accelerate sea level rise.

For daily updates on the state of the global cryosphere, see this Updating Page.

---Meteorologist Nick Humphrey

Tuesday, 5 March 2019

The latest from the Victoria fires

Update on the Victoria fires

At the moment it looks as if some rain may be helping the fight against the fires in Victoria.

Once again the reported (or forecast winds), at 14 km/hour seem unremarkable.

Here is reporting from last night.

IN THE MEDIA

What is it about the media?!

I went to bed last night with the most alarming reports but this morning when I perused the Australian media for updates and could find - NOTHING

News.com.au

Australia's national broadcaster, the ABC

The Australian Guardian - 'progressive' which prides itself on covering climate change and the environment

Scrolling down....

This alarming headline on Facebook...

Turned into this headline. There were only two paragraphs devoted to this revelation.

'It was like raining ash': Homes lost as bushfires rip through Victoria

"The Bunyip fire is worse than one that burned in the same spot on Black Saturday," Country Fire Authority assistant chief officer Trevor Owen said.

"Whilst it damaged some property [in 2009] it was a very narrow finger compared to what we're facing with this fire, because this fire has been growing," Mr Owen told a community meeting in Pakenham.

Read about the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires HERE

Do we really have to turn to the UK's tabloid, the Daily Mail to get this reflected in the article.

'Paint your phone number on the horse': Residents get chilling advice on surviving Victorian bushfires - as authorities warn the inferno is worse than the Black Saturday blazes that killed 173

Vic Emergency said its too late to leave on Sunday as four major fire closed in
Properties in Victoria's east have been razed to the ground by bushfire
Lightning first sparked the fires, which have since covered 4663 hectares
Owners were told to mark horses so they could be found after fleeing the fire

DailyMail,

3 March, 2019

Firefighters have warned that the inferno raging through east Victoria could be worse than the Black Saturday bushfires almost a decade ago.

Lightning sparked the fires in Bunyip State Park, about 65km east of Melbourne, on Friday night.

Authorities initially thought the fires could be maintained, but then four separate blazes merged into one, burning out of control and resulting in evacuation orders for more than 20 suburbs.

At least five homes have been destroyed as the out-of-control blaze continues to threaten residents.

Vic Emergency issued a dire emergency warning at 7pm on Sunday for suburbs located between Bunyip and Tonimbuk, from the south to the north, and Tynong North to Labertouche, from the east to the west.

'You are in danger and need to act immediately to survive. The safest option is to take shelter indoors immediately,' the warning said.

'It is too late to leave. Leaving now would be deadly.'

Earlier on Sunday, residents in Bunyip, Budgeree, Dargo and Licola were forced to flee their homes as the fire continued to close in.

Country Fire Authority Assistant Chief Officer Trevor Owen said the fire is more dangerous than 2009's Black Saturday bushfires, which killed 173 people and were also sparked by a lightning strike.

'It's not a matter of if or may for further property damages that we might see today, it's a matter of we will,' he said.

'Under those very strong conditions experienced on that day (in 2009), it travelled neatly, whilst it damaged some property it was a very narrow finger compared to what we're facing with this fire, because this fire has been growing,' Mr Owen told a community meeting in Pakenham today.

The owner of Jinks Creek Winery on Tonimbuk Road, Andrew Clarke, told the Herald Sun he found out his property was lost while watching the news in a nearby cafe.

'We've lost our livelihood, we've lost horses, we've lost our whole vineyard, we've lost our whole cellar door,' he said.

'Everything we've worked for our entire life, it's all gone in a couple of hours.

'It's surreal. I'm too scared to go back to look at it.'

Tina Forte, from Tonimbuk, about 70 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, is fearful her home, which has belonged to her family since the 1800s, has burned to the ground.

'I'm just really worried about the animals because we just had to run yesterday,' she told reporters on Sunday.

'We don't sleep, we don't care about our house we care about our livestock,' she said.

A former Country Fire Authority volunteer has posted a desperate plea to Facebook about how to help horses amid the blaze.

If it's too late to evacuate, the post tells residents to turn off their electric fences and strip the horse.

'Strip them down to nothing, no halter, no rugs, no fly mask, Nothing!' the post shared by Animals Voice Equine and Canine Therapy said.

'We do not want the metal to burn or anything to get attached or caught.'

'Purple spray or horse make up or your makeup even! paint your phone number onto the horse.'

The advice also urges horse owners to cut the their tail so it doesn't touch the ground.

'Open all gates but first! Move them to a paddock with the shortest amount of grass,' the post continues.

'Horses are not dumb, don't keep them trapped, allow them to run from fire.'

The advice has been shared almost 4000 times and some said they followed similar instructions during the 2009 Black Saturday fires.

Kiery-Anne Clissold, from Longwarry North, said it was the right decision to leave.

'You could see flames hundreds of feet high across the whole ridge and it'd just woosh up and the flames were reaching for the sky,' she said of the Bunyip blaze.

Other residents have made the difficult decision to stay behind as the fire closes in.

Steven Clarke, from Garfield, about 70 kilometres south-east of Melbourne, watched the fire from his property and has decided to stay the night despite an increase in wind.

He said the sun was blocked by smoke all day on Saturday.

The owner of Jinks Creek Winery on Tonimbuk Road, Andrew Clarke, said he found out his property (pictured) was lost while watching the news in a nearby cafe

Frank Gibbons, the owner of Robin Hood Inn, in Drouin West, said he was fully booked out as people flocked for accommodation after fleeing fires.

'Last night we had pretty much all the rooms booked ... I reckon they might be sleeping on the bloody pool tables tonight,' he said on Sunday.

Mr Gibbons, who survived the Black Saturday bushfires, said: 'I never thought I'd have to do this again,' as he hosed down the pub.

Premier Daniel Andrews urged residents to follow warnings from authorities at a press conference alongside Emergency Management Commissioner Andrew Crisp.

At least five homes have been destroyed (pictured) as a result of the fires this weekend

'Don't put yourself in harm's way and potentially add to the already considerable workload our firefighters have,' he said.

There are about 19 fires still burning across the entire state of Victoria and about 4663 hectares of bushland has been burnt.

The hot and windy conditions are expected to linger until Wednesday.

The Bureau of Meteorology's senior forecaster Tom Delamotte said the conditions could get the best of those fighting the fires.

'This means that if we have fires in the landscape, they could challenge firefighters,' he said.

'This is the hottest start to autumn in 30 years, following the hottest summer on record.'

A total fire ban is in place.

Thursday, 29 November 2018

Abrupt climate change on steroids in Australia

More than 10,000 flee “catastrophic” bushfires in northern Australia as flash floods from historic rains kill two in Sydney – “This is unprecedented, uncharted”

Desdemona Despair

,28 November, 2018

By Jonathan Pearlman

28 November 2018

SYDNEY, Australia (The Telegraph) – Authorities ordered more than 10,000 people to flee from “catastrophic” wildfires moving across north-east Australia, as heavy rains in the south-east caused flooding that left at least two people dead.

In the state of Queensland, a heatwave and strong winds fuelled a massive fire that destroyed homes and led to the evacuation of all 8,000 residents from the town of Gracemere, the first time this has happened in its 150-year history.

The fire was threatening the larger town of Rockhampton, which is about five miles away and has about 80,000 residents.

The Bureau of Meteorology declared a catastrophic fire danger in the region, the first time such a level has been applied in Queensland.

"[This is] unprecedented, uncharted, but we have a plan,” said Annastacia Palaszczuk, the state’s premier. […]

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services said aerial tankers had released water on the blaze near Gracemere and helped to “suppress” it.

"However, that cannot operate through the night, and in some of those areas it's actually too dangerous to have crews in those areas," said Katarina Carroll, the head of the agency.

“We have never, ever in this state been in this situation before.” […]

Aerial view of bushfires in Queensland, Australia, 28 November 2018. Photo: EPA

As the fires continued, residents in Sydney, about 900 miles south, were cleaning up after a violent storm that caused flash flooding and turned roads into rivers. The city centre received a month’s worth of rain in two hours. […]

During the two hours of heaviest downpour, parts of the city received as much as six inches of rain.

"For that intensity and that duration, that’s the sort of rainfall you’d expect to occur about once every 100 years for that particular site," said Ann Farrell, from the Bureau of Meteorology. [more]

Thousands flee 'catastrophic' bushfires in northern Australia as flash floodskill two in Sydney

By Eric Leister

28 November 2018

(AccuWeather) – Torrential rainfall brought a month’s worth of rainfall to parts of Sydney in only two hours on Wednesday, resulting in widespread flooding.

Meanwhile, bushfires continue to ravage parts of Queensland, where months of drought has turned the region into a tinderbox.

These sharp contrasts in the weather are just the latest extreme weather events to affect Australia.

Damaging winds, a blinding dust storm and heavy mountain snow have already been recorded earlier this month in eastern Australia.

Torrential downpours in Sydney brought the city to a standstill on Wednesday and resulted in at least two deaths, according to the BBC. […]

Rainfall totaled 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) around the city, with most of the rain falling within a two-hour period.

The Australia Bureau of Meteorology reported that it was the wettest November day in Sydney since 1984. […]

There is a stark contrast in the weather farther north across Queensland. Months of drought have left the region extremely susceptible to wildfires.

Strong winds associated with the storm that impacted Sydney and an ongoing heat wave has helped to fuel more than 130 bushfires across the state.

The fire danger level in the state has risen to “catastrophic” for the first time in history and prompted the evacuation of thousands of people, the BBC reported. [more]

Sydney flooding, Queensland bushfires continue streak of extreme weatheracross Australia

Monster dust storms; torrential rains; worst drought in living memory; deadly wildfires; bats falling dead from trees: Summer in Aus

Photo businessinsider.com.au

the Big Wobble,

28 November, 2018

Spare a thought for the Aussies just a week after a monster dust storm measuring 500 kilometres (310 miles) blanketed Australia's southeast after suffering one of the worst droughts in living memory, one month's rain fell yesterday in a couple of hours that drenched Sydney causing severe flooding but missed the drought area, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology said it was the region's wettest November day since 1984.

"The intensity of yesterdays rainfall was phenomenal - 91mm fell in 90 minutes," forecaster Rob Taggart told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

The storm centred on coastal parts of New South Wales (NSW) but was reported to have missed many inland regions affected by drought.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Guardian claims Mandatory evacuations of thousands of residents of Gracemere in Queensland were underway on Thursday evening as a wildfire approached homes in catastrophic fire conditions.

Despite the extreme danger, some residents were refusing to leave and businesses were still trading in the central Queensland community.

Further south, a massive bushfire that has destroyed homes and sent 1,500 people fleeing continued to rage in Queensland’s Deepwater region, though most people had managed to escape.

For the third straight year, extreme heat in Australia is causing bats to fall out of trees dead in alarming numbers.

According to The Cairns Post, temperatures higher than 40 deg C, 104+ deg F, have killed hundreds of flying foxes, who just fall to the floor dead or dying from the extreme heat.

The extreme weather has been taking a toll on the Far North’s flying foxes, who are dropping by the dozen from trees — and causing a potential public health risk.
Wildlife carers say they are struggling with the overwhelming numbers of bats becoming affected by heat stress in colonies in Cairns, Edmonton, Gordonvale, and Townsville.