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The Star
2 days ago
- Climate
- The Star
Highways baking at 70 deg Celsius signal a red-hot summer from China to the US
SOUTH-EAST ASIA (Bloomberg): In northern China, road surfaces have soared to 158 Ferenheit (70 degrees Celsius). In California's Central Valley, temperatures are reaching into the triple digits Fahrenheit. Across much of Spain, the mercury has risen so high that it's prompting warnings for tourists. Weeks before the official start of the Northern Hemisphere's summer, signs are emerging that the coming months will be blistering in North America, Europe and Asia. There's even a chance that the season could shatter global high-temperature records, said Daniel Swain, a climatologist at the University of California, Los Angeles. The scorching conditions threaten to tax power grids, wilt crops and send energy prices soaring across three continents. Hot, dry weather is also elevating the risk of wildfires, with blazes already erupting in Alberta, the epicenter of Canada's oil industry. The human and economic consequences are dire: Extreme heat is expected to inflict about US$200 billion in annual losses in the US alone by 2030, a number that will more than double by 2050, according to one estimate. All three northern continents face sweltering temperatures fueled by climate change - particularly the western and central US and Canada, as well as western and northern Europe, Swain said. Because a warmer atmosphere holds more moisture, these regions will also see areas of intense rain and flooding, he said. "I'd expect to see further instances of extreme to record-shattering downpours and flood events in regions prone to heavy precipitation during the warm season,' Swain said. In the Atlantic, the heat is raising ocean temperatures, boosting the odds of an unusually active hurricane season. The absence of El Niño, a warming of the equatorial Pacific that can cause storm-wrecking wind conditions across the Atlantic, also means more hurricanes and tropical storms may develop and grow in the Atlantic and Caribbean, including oil- and gas-producing areas along the US Gulf Coast. From 1980 to 2024, tropical storms and hurricanes caused more than $1.5 trillion worth of damage and killed at least 7,211 people in the US, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. Due to kinks in the summer jet stream, there is a rising chance of derechos - wide arcs of severe thunderstorms that can travel hundreds of miles and cause billions of dollars in damage - across the Midwest and northern Plains, said Paul Pastelok, lead US long-range forecaster at AccuWeather Inc. This turmoil across the continent may also leave the Gulf Coast, particularly Texas, vulnerable to more hurricane strikes. The sizzling weather will increase energy demand. About 89 million people across three grids spanning parts of the central US are at elevated risk of power supply shortfalls this summer, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corp. Power prices across the grid stretching from Chicago to the Mid-Atlantic are likely to rise with sustained heat because of low coal stockpiles, Bank of America analysts led by Francisco Blanch wrote in a note to clients. New England power is also vulnerable to spikes, the analysts said. US natural gas price gains have been muted so far despite the prospect of hot weather and rising exports of the power-plant fuel to Europe and Asia. But the chances of gas reaching $4.60 per million British thermal units this year - a jump of more than 30% from current levels - are rising as the heat could limit stockpile increases, leaving the market primed for a rally before winter heating demand kicks in, according to analysts with RBC Capital markets led by Christopher Louney. Extreme heat also threatens to wither crops and shrivel rivers, raising food prices as the cost of goods and services remains elevated. Drought has been intensifying in areas of the US where soy, corn or wheat is grown. If the parched conditions persist, water levels on the Mississippi River could drop, roiling barge traffic that's crucial to transporting crops across the country. Dry Europe Across Europe, the world's fastest-warming continent, little rainfall and early drying has set the stage for intense heat waves, droughts and dangerous wildfire conditions, commercial meteorologists and government forecasters say. Forecast models favor high-pressure weather patterns emerging and enduring this summer, similar to ones that plagued the continent during the first few months of the year. Those patterns suppressed wind speeds and cloud cover, leading to low wind generation and record solar power in Europe - a scenario likely to repeat this summer, according to Atmospheric G2. The high pressure is also likely to block North Atlantic ocean moisture, boosting the risk of heat waves and worsening drought, said Andrew Pedrini, a meteorologist with the weather analytics firm. "I personally fear that we will hear a lot about extremes this summer,' he said. In Portugal and Spain last week, one of the hottest air masses in more than three decades pushed in from Africa, sending temperatures above 100F. The heat comes after an April 28 blackout left the Iberian Peninsula without electricity for hours, hitting public transport, telecommunications systems and other services. With high pressure isolating regions from the cooling effect of moist westerly winds, temperatures in central and southern Europe could climb especially high. While that pattern is expected to reduce the chances of rain, rising heat could supercharge storms that do manage to form with torrential rain and damaging hail. Though water levels on the Rhine River have improved after rains in recent weeks, a recurrence of drought could upend a crucial trade route and send barge rates soaring. Long-term forecast models show conditions could support heavy rain in western Norway and the northern UK from June through August, according to data from Europe's Copernicus satellite program. Asia Outlook In Asia, Japan will likely have a warmer-than-normal summer, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. South-East Asia will also be hotter than average, the Asean Specialised Meteorological Centre said. China, with the exception of some far northern areas, is expected to bake this June as well, the China Meteorological Administration said. Drought in the northern part of the country has hit the wheat crop during a key growth period, threatening output of a staple food grain just as Beijing remains entangled in a trade war with the US, a major agricultural products supplier. Though rains are forecast in the region, providing some relief to the parched farm fields, the quick swing from dry to wet raises the risk of floods, landslides and crop damage. Already, intense heat in parts of China has sent asphalt temperatures surging. The National Energy Administration expects peak electricity demand to be about 100 gigawatts higher this summer than last year, the equivalent of needing to turn on all the power plants in the UK at once. Across the Northern Hemisphere, the extreme heat is a reflection of how much warmer the Earth is compared with a few decades ago, Swain said. Since 1959, Europe in particular, but parts of the Pacific Northwest, northeastern Canada, as well as parts of Mexico, Africa and the Middle East have seen a marked increase in summer heat. "An increase in heat extremes is the most obvious symptom of climate change,' said Karen McKinnon, a professor who studies the statistics behind climate change at UCLA. "Even seemingly small changes in temperatures of a few degrees can make summers feel substantially more extreme.' --With assistance from Dan Murtaugh, Naureen S Malik and Hallie Gu. -- ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Pittsburgh has been cloudier than normal this month. Here's how many sunny days there were.
If you're thinking Pittsburgh hasn't gotten much sun this month, you'd be right. Over an entire year, Pittsburgh averages 59 clear or mostly clear days, 103 partly cloudy days and 203 cloudy or mostly cloudy days, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information. With the average number of cloudy days outnumbering the clear days, it's no surprise that Pittsburghers try to take advantage of the few clear days we get. While most look forward to bright late spring and summer days, this month has not really offered much of that. (Photo: KDKA Weather Center) This May has been cloudier than normal Through May 29, Pittsburgh has seen 18 cloudy or mostly cloudy days, nine partly cloudy days and only two mostly sunny or completely sunny days. Note two days of climate data on the calendar from May 13 and 14 are missing, but looking at past hourly observations, we can clearly infer that May 13 and 14 leaned mostly cloudy to cloudy. While Pittsburgh is certainly used to being a cloudy city, this month has been cloudier than average. Normally, May averages 17 cloudy or mostly cloudy days, nine partly cloudy days, and five mostly sunny or sunny days. It is likely that May 30 and 31 will be counted as mostly cloudy or cloudy, pushing the total number of cloudy days for May 2025 to 20, which is above normal for Pittsburgh. (Photo: KDKA Weather Center) Why is Pittsburgh so cloudy? Western Pennsylvania is one of the cloudiest regions in the country due to the geography of the region. Being downwind the Great Lakes means that clouds are more likely to form, especially during the fall and winter months when cold air blows over relatively warm lake waters, creating instability, lift and cloud formation. Moisture rising upslope the hilly terrain and westward facing sides of the Laurel Highlands also contributes to cloud development. Finally, big areas of low pressure often like to settle just north of Pittsburgh over the Great Lakes up toward Hudson Bay in Canada, which keeps unsettled weather in our region for longer periods of time. Being far removed from the Rockies and Desert Southwest prevents us from getting longer intrusions of dry air which help states to our west see a greater number of clear days on average.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
The Staggering Price Of US Hurricanes Since 2016: Over $800 Billion
The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season is beginning, following the costliest nine-year siege of hurricanes and tropical storms in the U.S. that claimed over 4,000 lives. - Beginning with Hurricane Matthew in 2016 and ending with Hurricane Milton in 2024, a siege of 29 tropical storms and hurricanes over nine years caused at least $1 billion in damage in the U.S., according to statistics compiled by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. - The total damage in the U.S. from these 29 storms was estimated at $820 billion, the costliest nine-year stretch for tropical cyclones in the U.S. dating to 1980. That's more than the 2023 gross domestic product of Poland. - These 29 storms claimed 4,026 lives in the U.S. from elements directly related to each storm's flooding and winds. The large majority of those deaths were in Puerto Rico from 2017's Hurricane Maria (2,981), though two recent hurricanes - Helene (219 killed) and Ian (152 killed) - also claimed over 100 lives each. (MORE: Helene, Milton Among Most Recent Hurricane Names Retired) - In that same nine-year stretch, six of the 10 costliest U.S. hurricanes have occurred. - Three of those - Ida ($85 billion), Ian ($120 billion) and Helene ($79 billion) - have occurred in the past four years. The other three - Harvey ($160 billion), Irma ($64 billion) and Maria ($115 billion) each occurred in 2017. - NOAA's database lists 67 U.S. billion-dollar-plus tropical storms and hurricanes since 1980. - But these events don't happen every year. Before 2016, the U.S. went three straight years without a billion-dollar tropical storm or hurricane following Superstorm Sandy. There were also two-year stretches without these particularly costly storms after the 2008 and historic 2005 hurricane seasons. (MORE: When Was The Last 'Quiet' Hurricane Season?) - Outlooks from Colorado State University, The Weather Company/Atmospheric G2 and NOAA are each calling for a more active than average 2025 hurricane season, but not as active as 2024. - "Since 1950, 23% of all North Atlantic hurricanes have made landfall in the U.S.," wrote Todd Crawford, Vice President of Meteorology at Atmospheric G2 in an earlier outlook. NOAA's Hurricane Research Division calculated an average of about one hurricane made landfall in the U.S. each year, based on data from 1851 through 2022. - Crawford's team noted long-range computer models suggest the pattern of winds aloft that guide hurricanes could steer them more toward the U.S. again in 2025. - It's too soon to tell whether that pattern will be in place while a hurricane is out there this season. For now, the AG2/TWC team is forecasting three hurricanes to make a U.S. landfall in 2025, two less than did so during the destructive 2024 hurricane season. Now – not in the days before a hurricane strikes – is a good time to refresh or develop a plan. That includes knowing if you live in an evacuation zone, assembling a disaster kit at home, making your home as resilient as possible, checking on your insurance policy and making an inventory of your belongings. Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on Bluesky, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How does hail form? How big can it get? What to know when severe weather strikes in Nashville
When severe weather strikes in Tennessee, hail can pose a significant threat. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, strong surface winds can make hail fall at an angle or even sideways, causing damage to houses, cars, and potentially injuring people and animals. In some cases, hail can be deadly to livestock and people. Here's everything to know. Hail is formed when raindrops are carried upward by thunderstorm updrafts into extremely cold areas of the atmosphere, causing them to freeze. Hailstones then grow cold by colliding with liquid water drops that freeze onto the hailstone's surface, according to the agency. If the water freezes immediately when colliding with the hailstone, cloudy ice will form as air bubbles become trapped in the newly formed ice. "However, if the water freezes slowly, the air bubbles can escape and the new ice will be clear," writes the administration online. "The hail falls when the thunderstorm's updraft can no longer support the weight of the hailstone, which can occur if the stone becomes large enough or the updraft weakens." Hail falls when it gets too heavy for the thunderstorm's updraft to hold it up, and gravity pulls it down. Smaller hailstones can be blown away by horizontal winds, so larger hail usually falls closer to the updraft, writes the administration. The speed at which hail falls depends on its size, air friction, wind conditions, and how much it melts. Small hailstones (less than 1 inch) fall at 9-25 mph. Medium hailstones (1-1.75 inches) fall at 25-40 mph. Large hailstones (2-4 inches) fall at 44-72 mph. There is some uncertainty in these speeds due to variations in hailstone shape, melting and environmental conditions. Very large hailstones (over 4 inches) can fall at over 100 mph. While Florida experiences the most thunderstorms, Nebraska, Colorado and Wyoming typically see the most hailstorms. The region where these three states meet, known as "hail alley," averages seven to nine hail days annually. As for the Nashville area, according to data from the National Centers for Environmental Information, 240 hail events were reported in Davidson County between Jan. 1, 1974 - Dec. 31, 2024. The recorded hail sizes range from 0.75 inches to 4.5 inches in diameter. No deaths or injuries from hail were reported within that time frame. The largest hailstone, measuring 4.50 inches, fell during a thunderstorm on June 4, 1985. According to a Storm Data Publication from June 1985, hailstones ranging from baseball to grapefruit size fell in the Nashville area, causing damage to numerous vehicles and buildings. The largest hailstone ever recovered in the U.S. was discovered in Vivian, South Dakota, on June 23, 2010, according to the administration. The hailstone had a diameter of 8 inches, a circumference of 18.62 inches and weighed 1 pound 15 ounces. Hail size is typically estimated by comparing it to familiar objects. Most hailstorms contain a variety of hailstone sizes, but only the largest ones pose a significant threat to people caught outside. Pea: 1/4 inch diameter Mothball: 1/2 inch diameter Penny: 3/4 inch diameter Nickel: 7/8 inch Quarter: 1 inch (quarter-sized hail or larger is considered severe) Ping-pong ball: 1 1/2 inch Golf ball: 1 3/4 inches Tennis ball: 2 1/2 inches Baseball: 2 3/4 inches Tea cup: 3 inches Softball: 4 inches Grapefruit: 4 1/2 inches Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for The Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: How big can hail get? What Tennesseans need to know about it
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
April 2025 marks second warmest month globally, NOAA
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – It was a gray and damp day, but there has been some sunshine and warm temperatures this month. Globally, April 2025 was another record warm month. According to NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information, the April 2025 temperature was 2.2 degrees higher than the 20th-century average. This made it the second warmest April in NOAA's 176-year record. Hurricane season is just a month away. Are you prepared? The warmest April on record occurred last year, April 2024. And the ten warmest Aprils on record have all occurred since 2010, with nine of them occurring since 2016. Western Massachusetts had some warm temperatures last month. On April 19th, the temperature got up to 89 degrees. Some temperatures also reached up around 90 degrees this month. The 22News Storm Team is tracking some warmer temperatures on the way as we head into the weekend. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
