The Global Warming thread.

[Ulysses]

Well, you all must know that BLM is just MLB backwards.

I suppose it can sometimes depend on who's keeping score.

[Vrede too]

From burgers to chocolate to beer: How climate change will affect what we eat

Wine
"Over the next century, the area suitable for premium wine grape production is likely to shrink and shift."

Beer
"Depending on the severity of drought and rising temperatures, barley yields are forecast to decline anywhere from 3 to 17 percent annually. As a result, the Chinese and American researchers concluded, beer prices could double in some parts of the world by the end of the century."

Coffee and chocolate
Threatened "due to rising temperatures and drought."

Meat
“We don’t want to tell people what to eat,” Hans-Otto Pörtner, an ecologist who co-chairs the IPCC’s working group on impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, told Nature. “But it would indeed be beneficial, for both climate and human health, if people in many rich countries consumed less meat, and if politics would create appropriate incentives to that effect.”

So far, the effects are that we will be healthier , but less happy .

Wheat and corn
"Weather patterns resulting in drought or widespread flooding that can overlap with the growing season for corn are projected to reduce yields by 20 to 40 percent over the decade spanning 2046-2055, a study released in April concluded."

Ut-oh.

Almonds
"California, which is currently in the grip of a mega-drought, is the world's leading producer of almonds, growing roughly 80 percent of the global supply.

... as temperatures continue to rise, almond trees could thrive in states like Oregon and Washington.

Pet food
More insect protein ... for humans, too!

They kind of gloss over the part where American diets will be slow to change and millions of Africans starve.

[Vrede too]

Climate change tipping points are upon us, draft U.N. report warns: 'The worst is yet to come'

A draft report by the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warns that unless drastic and immediate action is taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions and keep global temperatures from rising further, life on earth is poised for a catastrophic reckoning.

The 4,000-page draft, a copy of which was obtained by Agence France-Presse, states that mankind may have already missed its opportunity to keep the climate from passing a series of thresholds that will further spur the warming of the planet.

“Life on Earth can recover from a drastic climate shift by evolving into new species and creating new ecosystems,” the report says. “Humans cannot.”

The thresholds, or feedback loops, include the melting of permafrost, which in turn releases methane gas into the atmosphere. This further amplifies the greenhouse gas effect, pushing temperatures even higher. As a result of the melting of the polar ice caps and loss of sea ice, the earth absorbs far more of the sun’s ultraviolet radiation and heat, which further contributes to ice melt.

“I’m not optimistic. It’s not just because of those feedbacks, it’s because we’ve already put so much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, and that carbon dioxide lasts a very long time,” Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at the Woodwell Climate Research Center, told Yahoo News. “A molecule of carbon dioxide, on average, lasts about 100 years in the atmosphere. So we haven’t yet felt the impacts of the carbon dioxide that we’ve already put in the atmosphere. Even not thinking about feedbacks, we’ve already got a lot more climate change built into the system just because it takes a while for the climate system to adjust itself to this new level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. All the feedback that [happens is] just making that response even bigger than it would be otherwise.” ...

[Vrede too]

Hottest temperatures the Pacific Northwest has ever recorded are likely this weekend

... Why it matters: The heat wave will affect a region where many people lack central air conditioning, raising the likelihood for public health impacts. In addition, power demand is likely to spike at a time when hydropower resources are running relatively low due to drier than average conditions....

I mostly did not have AC in MT. It would sometimes get plenty hot in the day but always cool at night. I would throw open the windows, then shut them tight in the morning. It usually worked well.

For Lady O:

Details: In Seattle, where the average high temperature for this time of year is in the low-to-mid 70s, the National Weather Service (NWS) is predicting a high of 97°F on Sunday, which would break the record for the hottest temperature on record there during the month of June.

* The Weather Service stated that Sea-Tac Airport has a 75% chance of exceeding 95°F on Saturday, and an 85°F chance of exceeding 95°F on Sunday.

* The heat will be most intense in inland areas of Washington and Oregon, away from any cooling influences of the Pacific Ocean. There, temperatures are forecast to soar to between 100°F and 114°F on Saturday and Sunday, and remain extremely hot through much of next week....

Ugh, San Diego may be nicer. Or not:

California Faces New Round of Record Heat This Weekend

Yellowstone is losing its snow as the climate warms, and that means widespread problems for water and wildlife

When you picture Yellowstone National Park and its neighbor, Grand Teton, the snowcapped peaks and Old Faithful Geyser almost certainly come to mind. Climate change threatens all of these iconic scenes, and its impact reaches far beyond the parks’ borders.

A new assessment of climate change in the two national parks and surrounding forests and ranchland warns of the potential for significant changes as the region continues to heat up.

Since 1950, average temperatures in the Greater Yellowstone Area have risen 2.3 degrees Fahrenheit (1.3 C), and potentially more importantly, the region has lost a quarter of its annual snowfall. With the region projected to warm 5-6 F by 2061-2080, compared with the average from 1986-2005, and by as much as 10-11 F by the end of the century, the high country around Yellowstone is poised to lose its snow altogether.

The loss of snow there has repercussions for a vast range of ecosystems and wildlife, as well as cities and farms downstream that rely on rivers that start in these mountains.

Broad impact on wildlife and ecosystems

The Greater Yellowstone Area comprises 22 million acres in northwest Wyoming and portions of Montana and Idaho. In addition to geysers and hot springs, it’s home to the southernmost range of grizzly bear populations in North America and some of the longest intact wildlife migrations, including the seasonal traverses of elk, pronghorn, mule deer and bison.

The area also represents the one point where the three major river basins of the western U.S. converge. The rivers of the Snake-Columbia basin, Green-Colorado basin, and Missouri River Basin all begin as snow on the Continental Divide as it weaves across Yellowstone’s peaks and plateaus.

How climate change alters the Greater Yellowstone Area is, therefore, a question with implications far beyond the impact on Yellowstone’s declining cutthroat trout population and disruptions to the food supplies critical for the region’s recovering grizzly population. By altering the water supply, it also shapes the fate of major Western reservoirs and their dependent cities and farms hundreds of miles downstream....

[O Really]

Ugh, San Diego may be nicer. Or not:

Depends on where in SD County you are: https://www.google.com/search?
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/ocean ... ast/337180

Yeah, Lady O is aghast at the Seattle weather. A lot of people without A/C, too.

[Ulysses]

Depends on where in SD County you are: https://www.google.com/search?
https://www.accuweather.com/en/us/ocean ... ast/337180

Yeah, Lady O is aghast at the Seattle weather. A lot of people without A/C, too.

It's been relatively nice down here in the SF Bay Area. But I hear tell the heat wave hitting Oregon and Washington might move south. Might get up to 76F next Wednesday.

[Vrede too]

Pacific Northwest heat wave peaks Monday with temperatures 50 degrees above average

Lots of shocking facts in the article, but this stands out to me:

... * Canada is also seeing extreme heat, with the country's June high-temperature record tied on Saturday and smashed on Sunday at Lytton in British Columbia by nearly 3°F, with a high of 116°F. This was broken again Monday, with the same location recording 117.5°F.

Of note: To put this into perspective, this means that a location in British Columbia, not known as an extremely hot province in June, equaled Las Vegas' all-time hottest temperature....

[O Really]

Lytton BC is sorta like the US Needles or International Falls - generally considered to be frequently a flag bearer of extreme. But as noted, that was an all time ever record for heat anywhere in Canada, ever. It was almost 100F in Banff, where usually this time of year would barely make it to 70.

[Vrede too]

Lytton BC is sorta like the US Needles or International Falls - generally considered to be frequently a flag bearer of extreme. But as noted, that was an all time ever record for heat anywhere in Canada, ever. It was almost 100F in Banff, where usually this time of year would barely make it to 70.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/least-233-de ... 03452.html

... Why it matters: The heatwave in the Pacific Northwest has shattered records and alarmed scientists. In Lytton, British Columbia the temperature soared to 121°F on Tuesday, conditions which, in North America, are usually reserved for the desert Southwest.

The big picture: The record-breaking temperatures scorching the Pacific Northwest have translated to a markedly higher death rate than usual in British Columbia.

* "The last five days in British Columbia have seen an unprecedented number of deaths reported to the BC Coroners Service. Between Friday and 1 p.m. today, at least 486 sudden and unexpected deaths have been reported to our agency," Lapointe noted.

* The 486 deaths represent a "195% increase over the approximately 165 deaths that would normally occur in the province over a five-day period," she added.

Of note: Although not all of these deaths can be attributed to the heatwave in the Pacific Northwest, Lapointe said the extreme weather is likely responsible for the surge in numbers.

... To put the heat into context, the all-time high temperature record in Las Vegas, Nevada stands at 117 degrees. British Columbia shattered that this week.

Missoula is 100°, Humidity: 13%, low 66°, 90s for a week. Yuck! I would be dying in my AC-less places.

[Vrede too]

More Lytton news:

Heatwave in Canada sparks wildfires and sends rate of ‘sudden deaths’ soaring


Lytton is ablaze in the hot weather - BC Wildfire Service/AFP via Getty Image

... At 6pm on Wednesday evening, Lytton’s 250 inhabitants were told by the mayor, Jan Polderman, to evacuate to the nearby community of Boston Bar as flames tore through the village.

"It's dire. The whole town is on fire," Mr Polderman told CBC News. "It took, like, a whole 15 minutes from the first sign of smoke to, all of a sudden, there being fire everywhere."

... Such is the heat that, despite the region experiencing lower than average rainfall, rapidly melting snow and glaciers have caused British Columbia’s two major rivers, the Upper Fraser and the Chilcotin, to burst their banks. Flood warnings are in place across the province’s interior.

There have also been reports of buckled roads, melting power cables and car windows cracking across British Columbia and the US states of Oregon and Washington....

[GoCubsGo]

Interesting article on the history and current issues in Chicago with some good interactive pics.

The climate crisis haunts Chicago’s future. A Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake

[Vrede too]

1 Billion Sea Creatures Cooked To Death In Canada In Record Pacific Northwest Heat Wave

Another extreme heat wave in West threatens all-time highs

[Vrede too]

Also,

Like in 'Postapocalyptic Movies': Heat Wave Killed Marine Wildlife en Masse

Dead mussels and clams coated rocks in the Pacific Northwest, their shells gaping open as if they had been boiled. Sea stars were baked to death. Sockeye salmon swam sluggishly in an overheated Washington river, prompting wildlife officials to truck them to cooler areas.

The combination of extraordinary heat and drought that hit the Western United States and Canada over the past two weeks has killed hundreds of millions of marine animals and continues to threaten untold species in freshwater, according to a preliminary estimate and interviews with scientists.

... Factoring in the other creatures that live in the mussel beds and on the shore — barnacles, hermit crabs and other crustaceans, various worms, tiny sea cucumbers — puts the deaths at easily over 1 billion, he said.

... Scientists have only begun to consider the domino effects. One concern is whether the sea ducks, which feast on mussels in the winter before migrating to their summer breeding grounds in the Arctic, will have enough food to survive the journey....

“We are already at critical temperatures three weeks before the most serious heating occurs,” said Don Chapman, a retired fisheries biologist who specialized in salmon and steelhead trout, talking about conditions along the Snake River in Washington, where four dams are the subject of long-standing controversy. “I think we’re headed for disaster.”

The plight of the salmon illustrates a broader danger facing all kinds of species as climate change worsens. Many animals were already struggling to survive because of human activity degrading their habitats. Throw in extreme heat and drought, and their odds of survival diminish.

As an emergency measure, workers with the Idaho Fish and Game agency have begun capturing a variety of endangered sockeye salmon at the Lower Granite dam, putting them into a truck and driving them to hatcheries as a stopgap measure to decide what to do next. (Idaho game officials first tried trucking the adult fish during a heat wave in 2015. It has been done for juvenile salmon on a variety of runs for a variety of reasons.)

In California’s central valley, Jonathan Ambrose, a biologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said he wished he could do something similar. The chinook salmon he monitors historically spawned in the mountains. But since the Shasta Dam was built more than three-quarters of a century ago, they have adapted by breeding just in front of the mammoth structure, which they cannot cross. The critical problem this year is that the water there is expected to grow too warm for the eggs and juveniles. Previous efforts to secure state or federal funding to transport them past the dam have failed.

“We’re looking at maybe 90% mortality, maybe even higher this year,” Ambrose said.

Elsewhere in California, for the first time since the state built the Iron Gate Fish Hatchery on the Klamath River in 1962 to make up for lost spawning habitat, state biologists will not release the young salmon they have nurtured back into the wild, because they would likely die. Instead, they are spreading 1 million young salmon among other area hatcheries that could host them until conditions improve.

“I want to find the positives, and there are some, but it’s pretty overwhelming right now,” said Harley, the University of British Columbia marine biologist. “Because if we become too depressed or too overwhelmed, we won’t keep trying. And we need to keep trying.”

[Vrede too]

Interesting article on the history and current issues in Chicago with some good interactive pics.

The climate crisis haunts Chicago’s future. A Battle Between a Great City and a Great Lake

A different lake, Lake Foul is in crisis. George Hayduke would be thrilled, though heartsick at the reason why.

‘Climate change has become real’: extreme weather sinks prime US tourism site

Too hot right now, but this winter and likely winters hence will be a time to see fantastic canyons that no one has seen for over half a century.

[GoCubsGo]

Irony. Record lows out west, record highs in the Great Lakes, record temps in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic complete with algae blooms killing fish going along with hurricanes.

Humans sure do know how to eff up a planet.

[Vrede too]

Irony. Record lows out west, record highs in the Great Lakes, record temps in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic complete with algae blooms killing fish going along with hurricanes.

Humans sure do know how to eff up a planet.

I thought the West had mostly been seeing 'heat dome' record highs, along with drought. Has it been getting cold, too?

[O Really]

No cold anywhere we've been.

[GoCubsGo]

Irony. Record lows out west, record highs in the Great Lakes, record temps in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic complete with algae blooms killing fish going along with hurricanes.

Humans sure do know how to eff up a planet.

I thought the West had mostly been seeing 'heat dome' record highs, along with drought. Has it been getting cold, too?

Sorry, I was talking about water levels and water temperatures.

[Vrede too]

Irony. Record lows out west, record highs in the Great Lakes, record temps in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic complete with algae blooms killing fish going along with hurricanes.

Humans sure do know how to eff up a planet.

I thought the West had mostly been seeing 'heat dome' record highs, along with drought. Has it been getting cold, too?

Sorry, I was talking about water levels and water temperatures.

Aren't water temperatures high out west? I think they're having to sell sushi as cooked fish.

[GoCubsGo]

Irony. Record lows out west, record highs in the Great Lakes, record temps in the Gulf of Mexico and Atlantic complete with algae blooms killing fish going along with hurricanes.

Humans sure do know how to eff up a planet.

I thought the West had mostly been seeing 'heat dome' record highs, along with drought. Has it been getting cold, too?

Sorry, I was talking about water levels and water temperatures.

Aren't water temperatures high out west? I think they're having to sell sushi as cooked fish.

Oh yeah, the salmon are poaching themselves, the big problem is all the dill has wilted.