All articles tagged with #extreme weather
Scientists warn that rising global temperatures are amplifying extreme climate events—heat waves, droughts, floods and wildfires—creating bigger, more frequent shocks worldwide. The AP piece highlights concerns from leading researchers who say without rapid mitigation and adaptation, society will face increasingly severe disruptions.
A new heat dome is forecast to strengthen from Thursday to Saturday, likely becoming the strongest on the planet and bringing record-high temperatures to the Intermountain West, southern Plains and Texas, continuing the season’s pattern of extreme heat.
Record heat is causing pavement blowouts and railway distortions across America’s transportation network, with July tied to or breaking heat records. In response, officials are considering heat-mmitigation approaches like reflective white coatings and updated construction standards to reduce heat absorption and prevent future infrastructure failures.
A weekend forecast points to the planet’s strongest heat dome hovering over the United States, centered in the South, delivering extreme heat and humidity to more than 100 million people and likely lingering into early next week.
National Weather Service confirms three EF-1 tornadoes from Tuesday’s Chicago-area derecho, with damage in southern Cook and eastern Will counties and in northeast Will County; two tornadoes crossed into northwest Indiana (St. John and Munster). The fast-moving system produced near-100 mph winds, caused widespread damage, and left hundreds of thousands without power across northern Illinois and northwest Indiana, prompting sheltering actions at venues like Navy Pier.
Smoke from weekend wildfires in British Columbia drifted into the United States, producing hazy skies from the Northwest toward the Midwest and Northeast. BC reported 11 new fires and a state of emergency near Summerland, with the Bald Range Fire burning over 33,000 acres; forecasters warn the haze may intensify and linger into Thursday as air quality remains poor in parts of the West.
Spokane’s fast-spreading wildfires, driven by hotter, drier conditions, illustrate a broader rise in extreme Western fire seasons; scientists say climate change amplifies fire risk, turning urban areas into conflagrations and stressing firefighting resources, while authorities and residents seek policies and defenses to curb future disasters.
ECMWF models project a record-strength El Niño peaking this December, potentially pushing temperatures more than 4°C above average and already surpassing prior events in the Pacific; NOAA data shows unusually warm Niño-3.4 conditions and record subsurface heat. The forecasted strength could intensify global heat and extreme weather, and the UN World Food Programme warns it may push tens of millions more people into acute food insecurity by 2027, though such extreme forecasts are unprecedented and not yet validated by historical ensembles.
Photos and maps show the Old Trails Fire pushing beyond areas deemed low-hazard in Spokane, Washington, burning homes and forcing evacuations, illustrating how wildfire risk boundaries can lag behind the evolving danger.
A Geophysical Research Letters study, with 98% confidence, finds global warming has accelerated since 2015, rising about 0.63°F per decade compared with 0.36°F per decade from 1970–2015. If this pace continues, the 1.5°C Paris limit could be breached before 2030, risking climate tipping points such as ocean circulation breakdown, permafrost thaw, and coral reef loss, and leading to more extreme weather; meeting zero CO2 emissions is needed to stop warming, but current politics may allow the pace to continue unless major polluters—especially the U.S.—act decisively.
Authorities in Spokane arrested 37-year-old Aaron F. Farinacci on first-degree arson charges in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of three wildfires burning thousands of acres; he was spotted near the fire’s start with matches and a lighter when the incident unfolded.
Antarctica’s Concordia research station logged −84.1°C (−119.4°F) on July 18, the coldest temperature recorded anywhere on Earth in years, underscoring the extreme cold that can occur even as global warming advances and Antarctic conditions remain highly variable; the record fits into a pattern of unusually cold spells at Concordia and the potential for even lower readings in East Antarctica, illustrating that one extreme cold event does not negate broader climate trends.
South Korea logged a new all-time high of 42.5C in Yangsan amid a multi-day heatwave, with more than 20 localities under emergency alerts and officials urging people to stop outdoor activities and seek air-conditioned spaces or cooling centers. The heat forced the cancelation of a Changwon baseball game, underscoring how extreme temperatures are disrupting daily life. Experts say heatwaves are intensifying due to climate change, with El Niño returning this year likely to amplify the conditions.
South Korea registered its hottest day on record, with Yangsan hitting 42.5°C as a multi-day heatwave grips the country; emergency heatwave alerts cover more than 20 localities, and the Korea Meteorological Administration notes the annual number of heatwave days has more than doubled in recent years. The record comes amid a global pattern of extreme heat linked to climate change, with heat warnings across Japan, wildfires in Europe and North Africa, and dangerous heat in parts of the United States.
Activists organized across at least 20 states during congressional recess to pressure lawmakers to keep climate policy on the agenda, arguing that public concern remains high and that talking about climate can boost support rather than alienate voters, challenging the idea of ‘climate hushing.’