Weather & Earth Science News

Millions in Nepal facing hunger as climate changes - it doesn't matter the reason, human society today is extremely fragile and, partly because of our high populations levels, simply cannot cope if the climate - especially rainfall - changes. Half the time we struggle even under current climate! Though I suppose in some places changes may prove beneficial? It can't be more drought everywhere! Of course, the whole thing about humans is our adaptivity. Climate changes, we adapt. Simple. Leastways, that's how it used to work. But have we now forgotten how to ......? Some good news for those who argue the MWP was warmer than it is today - a new temperature reconstruction from Indo-pacific warm pool suggests temperatures were, at least, about as warm as today during part of the MWP. This doesn't mean the whole world was warmer, but it is certainly suggestive that current global temperatures are not - yet anyway - anything unusual.

A nice article worth reading by those who still think global warming = everywhere gets warmer and all ice melts: mysterious glaciers that grew when Asia heated up . The story of these seemingly anomalous glaciers underscores the important distinction between the terms “climate change” and “global warming.” “Even when average temperatures are clearly rising regionally or globally, what happens in any given location depends on the exact dynamics of that place,” Rupper said. The findings come from a framework Rupper developed as an alternative to the notion that glaciers form and melt in direct proportion to temperature. Her method is based on the balance of energy between a glacier and a wide range of climate factors, including wind, humidity, precipitation, evaporation and cloudiness. Must admit I hadn't thought about the cloudiness aspect. But basically this is what some of us have been saying for a long time: glacial advance and retreat is not just a matter of temperature. Mean...

Widespread damage after winds whip Victoria Those in the NE may disagree, but elsewhere in the USA the evidence suggests that heatwaves are getting worse - this of course highlights one of the problems with the concept of 'global' warming. It doesn't mean everywhere gets warmer and some place might even get cooler. And the reasons for such changes include far more than just CO2 - which one might think should produce equal warming in all parts (as indeed ought solar or other external forcings). However, temperature is often down to synoptics - weather patterns - and it's changes in these which lead to some places warming more, or less. Or, indeed, seeing changes in rainfall. Or for that matter, in cloud cover (I would hunmbly suggest that synoptics are more important than cosmic rays in determining cloud formation). Question is: do weather patterns change due to CO2? Or because of solar forcing? Variations in ocean currents? Deforestation? urbanisation? Or a...

Hottest August day on record for NSW - hitting 36.8c - but good news for Aussie skiers: there's snow expected in Snowy Mountains over the next few days. Imagine if we hit 30c+ in February here in Britain, with heavy snow in the Cairngorms 2 days later?!!! Even 20c ......! Up in Queensland it was also a hot august day as records fall - hitting 35.4c in Brisbane. And if the heat and snow isn't excitement enough, Melbourne commuters asked to leave as storm nears Train and tram commuters in Melbourne , Australia’s second-most populous city, were advised to leave the city’s business district ahead of a storm expected to bring winds of up to 110 kilometers (68 miles) an hour. Tram commuters were asked to depart by 2:30 p.m. local time and train commuters by 3 p.m. to avoid any possible disruption to services caused by the storm - it's all happening in Oz! Having witnessed the dust clouds from the Sarychev eruption earlier in the summer, I tend to have more...

Taiwan says Typhoon Morakot has claimed 650 lives China drought leaves 5 million short of water Upwards lightning caught on film Greek firefighters battle on 2 fronts as winds begin to ease Hurricane Bill knocks out power, swamps roads in Nova Scotia - Bill is now an 'ex-hurricane' and on its way across the Atlantic, as predicted, to bring a rather wet day for much of the British Isles on Wednesday - needed rain in some parts since after the MetO forecast August would be wetter than average I've so far seen my driest summer month since 2006! Mind, some more northern and western parts have been a tad wetter than Evesham! Unfortunately, before leaving the USA, Bill did contribute to 2 deaths as a hurricane wave sweeps Maine spectators out to sea - resulting in the death of a 7 year old girl - and earlier was blamed for swimmer's death in Florida . Though both deaths looks to have been wholly avoidable.

Seems tropical storms are no respecters of US Presidents - past or present. First Bill Clinton flees holiday isle of Bermuda , and now Hurricane Bill threatens Barack Obama's vacation in Martha's Vineyard . It's also forced New York to close beaches in Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island whilst Oil producers off Canada's east coast brace for for Hurricane Bill . But at least Hurricane Bill weakens on path to Canadian Maritimes - where it's expected on Sunday. Thereafter it still looks like taking a ride on the Jet Stream over to Britain, but current indications are that it won't now bring any particularly wet or windy weather to our shores. Just as well given the rain they've had in the NW this week (whilst the rest of us have been enjoying our barbecues) - with another very wet day on store for Ireland, NW England and Scotland tomorrow. World sets ocean temperature record Next ice age a threat to Olkiluoto nuclear waste repository? In Portugal, heatwa...

First up, and I should have mentioned this before, but if you haven't already noticed, you can follow Hurricane Bill's progress in the satellite image at the top of the page - it's quite prominent at the moment, as it bears down on Bermuda, which is now under storm warning . Latest medium range model output still shows Bill merging with a strong Atlantic depression between Britain and Iceland next Tuesday .... there remains some uncertainty as to how long this system then hangs around. Certainly wet and windy for the NW next week. And if you're heading for Scone on Saturday, I think you're going to need your wellies! Half of India affected by drought Roofs, trees, cars bear brunt of Mid-west storms Clean-up starts after tornadoes hit Mid-west States Heatwave hits France, UK and Italy and the hot weather brings record numbers to Paris Plages Highest ever winter water temperatures recorded off Tasmania Seaside resort broadcasts own weather reports on youtube - qu...