Understanding how humans influence extreme precipitation is important for interpreting climate events today and for preparing cities and protective infrastructure for the changing world ahead.
Category: extreme weather
Was Global Warming The Cause of the Great Northwest Heatwave? Science Says No.
The evidence for a predominantly natural origin of the high temperatures records of last week is compelling, with global warming marginally increasing the peak temperatures by perhaps a few degrees.…
New Podcast: Global Warming and the Northwest Heatwave, Plus the Weekend Forecast
Reposted from the Cliff Mass Weather Blog New Podcast: Global Warming and the Northwest Heatwave, Plus the Weekend Forecast The severe heatwave this week has been on everyone’s mind, for…
The Big Heat Post Mortem and the Next Few Days
Reposted from The Cliff Mass Weather Blog It’s over. Throughout the region, all-time temperature records have been broken, if not smashed. Just to name a few: SeaTac hit 108F,…
Climate Change, Extreme Weather, and Electric System Reliability
In assessing the risk from extreme weather events, I advise clients to develop an understanding of the entire historical record of events impacting the locale, as well as any relevant…
Even More Extreme: Extraordinary Record Highs Followed by Perhaps the Most Rapid Cooling in Northwest (US) History
The latest model runs, all at very high resolution, show even more profound extremes than previously predicted. And the end of the event will be extraordinary, with temperatures falling by…
Update 3 on Northwest US Heat Wave Predictions
As we get closer to the big heat event, powerful new forecasting tools are becoming available. Tools that provide a higher resolution and more nuanced view of the extreme heatwave…
Update 2 on Northwest US Heat Wave Predictions
Surface temperatures will get above 112F over and near the western slopes of the Cascades. Large portions of western Oregon and Washington away from the water will be above 104F.
Update on Northwest US Heat Wave Predictions
If this forecast verifies virtually every major observing location in the western WA and Oregon interior will achieve their all-time temperature record. And several of these locations have observations that…
Landmark study casts doubt on controversial theory linking melting Arctic to severe winter weather
Every time severe winter weather strikes the United States or Europe, reporters are fond of saying that global warming may be to blame. The paradox goes like this: As Arctic…
France declares ‘calamité agricole’ after record cold
Farmers across France will receive government support after the agriculture minister acknowledged the damage the cold had wreaked on crops; with the cold snap set to continue across the country.…
Record Breaking Rain Claims Don’t Stand Up To Scrutiny
However, the fact that England & Wales are not seeing the same increases totally discredits the theory that a warmer atmosphere is driving heavier rain. Instead we need to look…
Hotel in Austin Texas sends letter to trapped guests: “we are out of food” – “use glowsticks for lighting”!
As we previously reported on the ice-storm Texas frozen wind power – outages ensue, electricity now at unheard of $9000 per megawatt-hour I have friends in Texas that are reporting…
Claim: Climate change is making extreme cold much less likely, despite the UK plummeting to -23°C
Extreme cold, a heatwave, a deluge, and another cold snap: the succession of different extremes raises questions about climate variability and climate change.
Claim: Atmospheric river storms can drive costly flooding – and climate change is making them stronger
Atmospheric rivers are long, narrow bands of moisture in the atmosphere that extend from the tropics to higher latitudes. These rivers in the sky can transport 15 times the volume…
The Stratosphere Has Warmed Profoundly This Month. What are the Implications?
As we will discuss, such stratospheric warmings are sometimes associated with distortions and alterations of the winds and temperatures in the lower atmosphere, resulting in anomalous weather from heat waves…
Coldest Northern Hemisphere temperature, first recorded by UW, officially confirmed
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MADISON Research News MADISON, Wis. — Nearly 30 years after recording a temperature of minus 93.2 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 69.6 Celsius) in Greenland, the measurement has been verified…
Extreme precipitation events have always occurred, but are they changing?
As we cope with these events, questions invariably arise about what role climate change may have played. Has a particular extreme been made worse because of our changing climate? How…
Derecho Iowa Corn Damage Imaged By Satellite
The August 10, 2020 derecho event caused an estimated 40 million acres of nearly-mature corn crop to be significantly damaged or destroyed, mainly in Iowa, but also in portions of…
California Wildfires and the Lightning Siege: How Unusual Is It?
California is burning and smoke has covered the northern half of the state and is spreading across the U.S. Most of the fires were started by a huge “lightning siege”…
Brazil “Megaflash” lightning sets world record.
The UN’s weather agency announced Thursday the longest lightning bolt on record—a single flash in Brazil on October 31, 2018 that cut the sky across more than 700 kilometers.
What is a derecho? An atmospheric scientist explains these rare but dangerous storm systems
Russ Schumacher, Colorado State University Thunderstorms are common across North America, especially in warm weather months. About 10% of them become severe, meaning they produce hail 1 inch or greater…
Michigan Dam Failures and Climate Change
Guest News Brief by Kip Hansen — 23 May 2020 In keeping with the NY Times’ Editorial Narrative on climate change (“every story is a climate story”), Henry Fountain…
Lightning ‘superbolts’ form over oceans from November to February
University of Washington The lightning season in the Southeastern U.S. is almost finished for this year, but the peak season for the most powerful strokes of lightning won’t begin until…
