Latest news with #TropicalCyclone
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Farmers brace for steep produce price hikes after tropical storm devastates crops: 'It's definitely going to take a toll'
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred flooded Australia's southeastern coast from late February to early March — but the nation is just beginning to understand the full extent of the damage to its farmers. Tropical cyclones are the same type of storm as hurricanes and typhoons, just over the South Pacific or Indian Oceans. Storm Alfred was an official cyclone out at sea, but by the time it hit mainland Australia, it had weakened. Yet its heavy rains and high-speed winds still ended up wreaking havoc over New South Wales and Queensland, two of the country's coastal population centers. Farmland was hit especially hard, with farmers in the area reporting $17 million in damages. Crops were lost across orchards of macadamia nut trees, coffee plantations, soybean fields, and common fruits and vegetables, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. "It's definitely going to take a toll, that's for sure," Marty Walsh, who has five farms in the region, told the outlet. The dairy industry was also set back as power outages forced workers to dump thousands of liters of milk. The only farmers who made it out unscathed seem to be rice growers, since rice demands a ton of water, ABC News explained. While the ex-cyclone didn't hit Australia with its full force, it brought more fury than similar storms have in the past. According to the NGO Climate Council, that's no coincidence. Australia's land and sea temperatures have steadily risen in recent years, and so have its surrounding sea levels. The result is that cyclones are packing more punch while also trending further south toward the nation's most populated states, the NGO noted in a press release. "Many homes and infrastructure in southeast Queensland are not built to withstand cyclones and the destructive winds they bring," the statement said. By mid-March, over 63,000 insurance claims had been filed due to the storm's damage. Meanwhile, economists anticipate that the massive losses across agricultural industries will drive everyday grocery prices up, according to Mongabay. What would you do if natural disasters were threatening your home? Move somewhere else Reinforce my home Nothing This is happening already Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Devoting resources to prepare for extreme weather like this can be costly, but as the cyclone showed, without efforts to mitigate the effects of the storm and continued action to bring the planet's warming temperatures back into balance, the impacts can be even more expensive. The New South Wales agriculture ministry is reviewing the damage. Its assessment will help roll out financial support for farmers to get back on track after they lost their livelihood. For a storm this size, primary agricultural producers can get a loan up to $130,000 and a transport subsidy of $15,000, per the ABC. The government may not issue bigger "disaster grants" for ex-cyclone Alfred's impact. However, some state officials are pushing for farmers to receive more cash support, citing what was given during similarly severe flooding in 2022. "I think it has to be a bare minimum of $25,000, that's normally where things start," NSW Nationals leader Dugald Saunders told the ABC. "In 2022, we tripled that and went to $75,000." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
NHC is updating its cone graphic for the 2025 hurricane season
The National Hurricane Center is introducing a slate of updates ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season kickoff on June 1. Forecasters work to improve their forecasting and warning products every year. The updates for the 2025 hurricane season include a depiction of inland tropical storms and hurricane alerts in effect on its 'cone' graphic, the debut of a national rip current risk map for active tropical storms and earlier warnings for potential storms. Here's a breakdown of the NHC's new changes for hurricane season. The NHC says it will continue using its experimental cone graphic, which is frequently referred to as the cone of uncertainty. The graphic is meant to track the probable path of a tropical cyclone's center. The cone is frequently misunderstood, which is one reason the NHC consistently updates the product. Here are this year's changes. New symbols: The cone of uncertainty legend will now contain symbology for areas where a hurricane watch and tropical storm are in effect at the same time, marked by diagonal pink and blue lines. Narrower cone of uncertainty: The size of the tropical cyclone track forecast error cone will be about 3-5% smaller compared to last year. The cone graphic is meant to inform people about the center of a hurricane's probable track. It doesn't reflect the size of the storm, nor does it indicate the full area of its impact. The cone's size is based on how accurate or inaccurate the NHC's forecasts have been over the past five years. The center of the storm tends to stay within the cone for roughly two out of every three forecasts, according to the NHC. It shouldn't be used to determine your storm risk or whether you should evacuate. Instead, you should use it to determine where the center of the storm is likely to go and to see what watches and warnings are in effect. Starting on May 15, the National Weather Service (NWS) will implement some significant changes to its Potential Tropical Cyclone advisory (PTC) system. Extended forecast window: The National Hurricane Center will be able to issue PTC advisories up to 72 hours before anticipated impacts, which is up from the previous 48-hour window. Relaxed warning criteria: The change eliminates the previous requirement that advisories could only be issued for PTCs that required land-based watches or warnings. Due to an increase in surf and rip current fatalities in the United States, the NHC will provide current risk information from distant hurricanes and provide a national rip current risk map. Rip current risk map: To highlight the risk of dangerous conditions, NHC will provide rip current risk information from local National Weather Service and Weather Force Cast Offices in the form of a map. Current day, next day and a composite showing the highest risk over both days will be available for areas along the East and Gulf coasts of the U.S in one page. This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: National Hurricane Center is updating its 'cone' graphic
Scoop
23-04-2025
- Climate
- Scoop
Vanuatu: Families Find Climate-Smart Ways To Grow Crops 18 Months On From Cyclone Devastation
Families in Vanuatu are adopting climate-smart agricultural techniques to improve food security, such as growing climate resistant crops, to prepare for future climate-driven disasters in the wake of devastating Tropical Cyclone Lola 18 months ago. Tropical Cyclone Lola was one of the most powerful off-season storms to strike the Pacific when it made landfall in October 2023 with wind speeds of up to 215 km/h, destroying homes, schools and plantations, claiming the lives of at least four people [2] and affecting about 91,000 people [1]. Recovery efforts were made significantly more challenging when Vanuatu's capital Port Vila was then hit by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in December last year, claiming 14 lives and destroying critical infrastructure. Madleen, 11, said when the cyclone hit, her family's crops were destroyed, leaving them short of food. "It destroyed the food crops. When we came outside, we saw the crops were destroyed. The banana tree was just bearing fruit and it was destroyed. And we didn't have enough food. We were eating rice, but we were almost running short. We were not eating well, we ate just enough. I felt bad." After the cyclone, a shortage of nutritious food put children at risk of hunger as well as diseases like diarrhea, with typically an increase in the number of children hospitalised for diarrhea following cyclones, Save the Children said. Vanuatu is already one of the most climate disaster-prone countries in the world, and scientists say tropical cyclones will become more extreme as the climate crisis worsens. This will disproportionately impact children due to food shortages, disruption to education and psychosocial trauma associated with experiencing disasters. Save the Children, alongside Vanuatu's Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries, and Biosecurity (MALFFB) and local partners, is supporting Madleen and her family through the Tropical Cyclone Lola Recovery Programme, which is helping improve food security and resilience in communities impacted by the cyclone. As a part of the Recovery Programme, over 1,100 households have received climate-resistant [3] seeds from a seedbank. These seeds, for growing watermelon, papaya, Chinese cabbage, tomato, capsicum and cucumber, are proven to perform in Vanuatu's changing climate, with tolerance to high rainfall, drought, pests and disease. Farmers are encouraged to preserve the seeds from crops and sell them back to the seed bank. The programme is also training communities in other climate-smart agricultural techniques such as growing smaller fruit trees that are robust enough to withstand strong cyclone winds. Save the Children has also built a collapsible nursery for plants in Madleen's community that can be taken down when a cyclone is predicted, so saplings and trees can be stored, protected and replanted after it passes. Save the Children Vanuatu Country Director, Polly Banks, said: "In just 18 months, people in Vanuatu have been deeply shaken by a devastating cyclone and a powerful earthquake. "Children have borne the brunt of this, with food taken off their plates, crops destroyed, homes and schools damaged and diseases on the rise. As the climate crisis accelerates, we must work with communities to strengthen their resilience, so children and their families are better equipped to face whatever comes next. "We're working in partnership with the Government of Vanuatu and local partners to help communities build the skills and resources they need to support themselves when future cyclones and disasters strike." Save the Children has been working in in Vanuatu for more than 40 years to make sure children are learning, protected from harm, and grow up healthy and strong. Notes: This project was also supported by the New Zealand Government's Disaster Response Partnership programme. Multimedia content, including video interviews and b-roll can be found here: [1] National Disaster Management Office Vanuatu: Tropical Cyclone Lola: Internationally Deployed Assets (As of 2 November 2023) | OCHA [2] Cyclone Lola deaths caused by inaccessibility to urgent medical care [3] Open-pollinated seeds (OP seeds) produce plants that can reproduce true to type, meaning farmers can save seeds from their harvest and plant them in the next season with similar results. OP varieties used and recommended by the Vanuatu Agriculture Research and Technical Centre are often locally adapted, meaning they've been trialed and selected for their performance in Vanuatu's climate - including tolerance to high rainfall, drought, pests and diseases. These seeds have genetic diversity, allowing plants to better adapt to changing weather patterns. About Save the Children NZ: Save the Children works in 120 countries across the world. The organisation responds to emergencies and works with children and their communities to ensure they survive, learn and are protected. Save the Children NZ currently supports international programmes in Fiji, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Laos, Nepal, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea. Areas of work include child protection, education and literacy, disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation, and alleviating child poverty.
The Guardian
13-03-2025
- Automotive
- The Guardian
Dutton's policy problem, our dangerous big cars obsession, Putin pushes back at ceasefire plan
Good morning. Coalition insiders have a nagging fear that Peter Dutton's insistence that people should stop working from home might make it hard to win back suburban teal seats. That fear is connected to a broader disquiet about their threadbare policy slate, with an election expected to be called very soon. Plus – we have a special report on how Australia's love of huge cars is linked to higher road deaths, Vladimir Putin questions the Ukraine truce plan, the UN calls Israeli attacks on women's health in Gaza 'genocidal', and the unexpected joy of aqua aerobics. Tough talks | Australia's ambassador to the US, Kevin Rudd, has vowed to keep fighting for exemptions from US tariffs, but says Australia has already 'thrown everything' at talks with the Trump administration, which he warns has a 'deep-seated' belief in trade barriers. Farmers fear they could be next in line for trade levies on Australia's $6.2bn in meat exports. And it doesn't look like the tariff train is stopping after Trump threatened a 200% tariff on wine and champagne from EU countries. Shares in Europe and the US fell again on the news. Dutton backfire | Coalition insiders fear Peter Dutton's vow to crack down on working from home policies is not 'fully thought through' and could hamper the drive to win back teal seats in areas where there are many working mothers who enjoy the flexibility of not having to go to the office. This is also the subject of our podcast today. 'Bad politicking' | Labor and the Coalition have been accused by crossbenchers of 'bad politicking' by teaming up to pass tough hate crime laws in the wake of a series of antisemitic incidents, including one revealed this week to be a 'fake terrorism plot'. Star struck | The Australian Electoral Commission is planning on using Elon Musk's Starlink services as backup for transmitting voting results information in the federal election. Premier performance | Queensland premier David Crisafulli has emerged from Tropical Cyclone Alfred with his standing enhanced. His challenge now, our state correspondent argues, is to avoid the policy fights that his attack dog deputy Jarrod Bleijie seems itching to start. Meanwhile, Brisbane council faces criticism for 'heartless' treatment of the homeless. Putin problem | Vladimir Putin has many questions about the proposed US-brokered ceasefire with Ukraine and appeared to set out a series of sweeping conditions before Russia would agree to a truce. Trump, meeting Nato chief Mark Rutte, said he hopes Putin 'will do the right thing'. Follow developments in the conflict live. 'Genocidal attacks' | Israel's systemic attacks on women's healthcare in Gaza amount to 'genocidal acts', and Israeli security forces have used sexual violence as a weapon of war to 'dominate and destroy the Palestinian people', a UN report states. Workers' win | A federal judge has granted a preliminary injunction to reinstate thousands of fired probationary workers at US federal agencies. Follow it all live. Protesters organised by a progressive Jewish group have occupied the lobby of Trump Tower in New York to demand the release of Mahmoud Khalil, the Palestinian student held by US immigration authorities. Screen test | The mayor of Miami Beach is attempting to evict an independent cinema from city-owned property after it screened No Other Land, the Oscar-winning film about Palestinian displacement in the West Bank. Super cells | A study of the genes of Maria Branyas Morera, who died last year aged 117, has concluded that her cells allowed her to essentially feel and behave as if they were 17 years younger. Newsroom edition: does Peter Dutton have a policy problem? Reged Ahmad talks to editor-in-chief Lenore Taylor, head of newsroom Mike Ticher and national news editor Jo Tovey about Peter Dutton's missteps and the Coalition's policy problems and whether they will start to add up in the minds of voters. Sorry your browser does not support audio - but you can download here and listen $ SUVs and large utes have become the most popular vehicles in Australia, accounting for nine out of 10 of the most popular vehicles sold last year. The number of deaths on our roads have been increasing for the past four years and many experts believe there is a direct link between fatalities and car size. Our transport reporter, Elias Visontay, kicks the tyres on this national obsession. Working out with people in their 80s might not sound like the most obvious fun for younger people. But Kate Leaver took the plunge to join an aqua aerobics class and despite not being called Barbara or Margaret she has never looked back. Sign up to Morning Mail Our Australian morning briefing breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion Formula One | The Australian rookie Jack Doohan will get his first drive this weekend with underachievers Alpine but is under immediate pressure to hold on to his place. Women's football | Manchester City striker Vivianne Miedema warns that the women's game has become less inclusive and less welcoming as Mary Fowler's teammate tries to revitalise the team's season. Football | Ange Postecoglou's Spurs must come from behind in the second leg of their Europa League last 16 tie against AZ. You can follow it live here, while Manchester United also have a season-defining test here. The Australian reports the government has made a 'generous' offer on rare minerals to tempt the Trump administration into giving Australia a tariff exemption. The Age details the six suburbs where 17,500 car parking spaces have been lost because of the suburban rail loop. The Adelaide Advertiser talks to South Australians and business owners about the 'crushing' blow of energy price hikes. The Parramatta Eels' first-round thrashing at the hands of Melbourne Storm cost bookies $30m, according to the Telegraph. Economy | Energy ministers meet today to discuss gas supply. New South Wales | State parliament mental health budget estimates amid psychiatrist dispute. Victoria | Nationals leader David Littleproud holds a press conference on crime in Bendigo. Enjoying the Morning Mail? Then you'll love our Afternoon Update newsletter. Sign up here to finish your day with a three-minute snapshot of the day's main news, and complete your daily news roundup. And follow the latest in US politics by signing up for This Week in Trumpland. And finally, here are the Guardian's crosswords to keep you entertained throughout the day. Until tomorrow. 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The Guardian
13-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
David Crisafulli came out of Cyclone Alfred looking like a leader. His real danger lies within the LNP
There was something different about David Crisafulli – even if it wasn't immediately clear what had changed – as the Queensland premier addressed the state about the looming threat from Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Leading through a natural disaster is a rite of passage for a Queensland leader. There's also little anyone can do to prepare. It's a brutal 'learn on the job' experience that requires difficult calls with imperfect information. Handled the right way – with calm and sincerity, the right ratios of strength and compassion – the experience can define a premier. Floundering politicians have walked out of the briefing room at the emergency services complex at Kedron as beloved leaders. Anna Bligh's popularity climbed 35 points after the 2011 Brisbane floods. Her tearful 'we are Queenslanders' address is still talked about by, as she put it then, 'the people they breed tough north of the border'. Crisafulli appears to have a natural effect in these situations that his predecessor, Steven Miles, only found too late in last year's nothing-to-lose election state campaign. Miles's first task as premier was to lead the response to Tropical Cyclone Jasper in north Queensland. There was little to fault in that response, but the lack of emotion or animation meant there was little to remember about it either. As Tropical Cyclone Alfred approached, Crisafulli had a few missteps. His comments that people should stock up on canned food and bottled water might have contributed to some of the panic buying in the early part of last week, when even Heinz and San Pellegrino were stripped from the shelves. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email And the response itself left questions about the state's disaster management. People in Hervey Bay say they were not prepared for flooding that hit the town. Residents near Brisbane's suburban creeks were sent 'emergency alerts' by police about potential flash flooding on Monday morning, several hours after the creek heights had peaked. While the premier's office has sought to portray his approach as a break from Covid-era edicts – a champion of devolved decision-making and personal responsibility – the reality is more nuanced. The government closed the schools on Thursday and then gave those able the green light to reopen on Monday. The idea this is radically different to past approaches is simply untrue. Regardless, Crisafulli is a premier with an enhanced personal brand after Alfred. He has been lauded for having a rare characteristic prized by leaders – the ability to speak with authority and authenticity at the same time. But there was also something else that contributed to the sense that Crisafulli had a strong week. Something that wasn't clear until Wednesday, when parliament resumed, and the premier's sidekick, the deputy premier, Jarrod Bleijie, returned to his hip. Bleijie is becoming increasingly influential in the LNP's first Queensland government in a decade. He is a politician with a compulsive fighting instinct and comes across as brash. In parliament this week, Bleijie stood up and made truck honking noises. The deputy premier also has close control over the LNP's parliamentary strategy, which has at times appeared to focus on gleefully battering political opponents rather than governing with anything resembling maturity. Behind the scenes, moderates say the deputy premier's instincts risk running the government into unnecessary trouble. The partnership between Crisafulli and Bleijie is central to harmony between the LNP's once-warring factions. Crisafulli's closest allies are moderates (though he stays out of much of the internal politicking). Insiders say Bleijie and his allies are instigating policy fights the government would be better advised to avoid. Crisafulli key to re-election in 2028 is to show the public – especially Brisbane voters who have been wary of the LNP since Campbell Newman – a different sort of conservative government. And it has not gone unnoticed, especially within LNP ranks, that Crisafulli has amplified his personal appeal this week with what is being viewed as mature management of the emergency response, with his attack dog mostly absent from his side.
