Another European Ski Resort Falls To Global Warming

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

Vanishing glaciers on Germany’s highest mountain resulted in demolition of another Alpine ski lift.

Europe is losing hundreds more to global warming.

German ski resort demolished

“The glaciers in Bavaria will inevitably melt away, as they can no longer survive in the face of climate change,“.

A ski slope on Zugspitze mountain has been dismantled because the glacier beneath it melted away

Global warming is reshaping the Alps in a number of ways as the region heats about four times faster than the rest of the planet. Among the most economically painful is the closing of ski runs and entire results. The latest high profile loss is a ski slope down the Schneeferner glacier on the Zugspitze mountain, which has been demolished as the glacier beneath it disappeared for good. The life has been in operation for 50 years. The peak of Zugspitze is 9,700 ft. high, located in the Wetterstein massif along Germany’s border with Austria.

HUNDREDS OF EUROPEAN RESORTS CLOSING OR THREATENED BY CLIMATE CHANGE

Across Europe and especially in France, warming temperatures are forcing ski resorts to close permanently or abandon traditional operations, with 186 resorts in France closing the in the past several years. Up to 98% of European resorts face severe snow shortages. While many are filling in with artificial snow, there is a limit to that process, which also uses huge amounts of energy. 

Related: What is a GLOF?

Related: What is a GLOF

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods (GLOF) are not new, but the incidents of these startling events are ramping up as mountain glaciers melt. Several recent incidents have had catastrophic results in Alpine regions around the world.

As glaciers melt at a frenetic pace, new lakes back up behind newly ice dams in the Andes, Alps and Himalayas. When these dams break, massive torrents rush downstream, often in a cataclysmic flood. These floods have become more common as global warming causes rapid melting of glaciers around the world.

Link Here.

Global Warming update map for Spring 2026

Update: 2026 Early Spring Climate Events

Summary of extreme and catastrophic global warming events including record floods, wildfires and droughts, plus alarming trends that are not likely to reverse for thousands of years. Link here.

Pakistan’s Hopper Glacier is shrinking rapidly due to climate change. Photo: Mohd Farooq Azam/ICIMOD

Related: Himalayas’ glacier loss threatens water supplies for 2 billion

Accelerating glacial retreat in the Himalayas over the past decades is threatening over 2 billion people in the region who depend on meltwater from the “water tower of Asia” for their daily needs. Glaciers in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region have been losing ice at twice the rate since 2000, with smaller glaciers shrinking more rapidly than larger ones. New research shows this is not a a future problem, it’s a now problem. 

Late Winter Global Warming Highlights

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

Arizona breaks all time March heat record for US

Martinez Lake, Arizona reached 110°F degrees  on Thursday, breaking a record for the highest March temperature recorded in the United States. The record-setting temperature was recorded as a winter heat wave scorched the Southwest, according to the National Weather Service. 

The previous record of 108 degrees had been set in Rio Grande City, Texas, in 1954. North Shore, California matched the temperature. 

Globally, heat records are also falling in South America and the Middle East.

record low maximum sea ice

New Arctic Sea Ice “Low Maximum Extent” ushers in Spring

Yet another new record daily low was set for Arctic sea-ice extent, over 50,000 km² below the previous record daily low, previously set on March 17, 2017.

The low maximum is not a contradiction. It means: 

  • In winter, the Arctic ice pack expands its area
  • Satellites measure the maximum extent each season, usually in March
  • The reference to low maximum extent means total area continues to shrink year to year.

The 2025 Arctic daily sea ice maximum extent reached a record low of 5.53 million square miles) on March 22, 2025 the lowest in 47 years of satellite records. 2026 is about same, or slightly less.

Extreme storm delivers 135 MPH winds, 62 in. rainfall and major devastation in Hawaii 

Hawaiians are just beginning to recover from a historic storm in early March that shattered decades-old rainfall records and left a trail of destruction from Hanalei to Kihei to Hilo.

From 135 mph wind gusts on Hawaii Island to 62 inches of rainfall on Maui, a recent Kona low system brought weather conditions usually reserved for major hurricanes to the state. 

Alongside immense flooding, the storm brought destructive winds. The Hawaii Mesonet station on Hawaii Island recorded a maximum wind gust of 135.4 mph. Winds were briefly sustained at speeds equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane, averaging 105 MPH over a 15-minute period.

Maui was hit the hardest, with peak rainfall totals reaching 62 inches in localized regions. 

A similar Kona Low system is heading towards Hawaii on March 19, bringing additional rain and gusty winds to the island.

Hawaii storm devastation

Global deforestation increases

Deforestation continues to increase globally, driven by agriculture and illegal logging

According to the FAO, from 2015 to 2025, the planet lost an average of 10.9 million hectares of forest per year. The highest rates of deforestation are  in Africa and South America, where forests are burned out to be replaced by crops and pastures for cattle..

The Amazon in particular experienced a significant surge in losses, with a 110% increase in some areas between 2023 and 2024. Deforestation also spiked in the Brazilian Cerrado, Bolivia, and Indonesia.

Many nations have made pledges to help slow the destruction, but few have done anything but talk.

Kenya flood death toll rises to 71 as forecasters warn of renewed heavy rainfall

At least 71 people have died in flood-related incidents across Kenya since March 6, 2026, with Nairobi the hardest-hit area, as the Kenya Meteorological Department issued a Heavy Rainfall Advisory on March 18, warning that rainfall will intensify again across most parts of the country through March 24.

Flash floods had begun affecting the region since March 6–7, when overnight rainfall caused the Nairobi River to burst its banks.

Currently, a total of 36 fatalities have been confirmed in Nairobi, 19 in the Eastern Province, 8 in the Rift Valley, 4 in Nyanza, 3 in Coast, and 1 in the Central Province. Most of the fatalities were caused by the overflow of the Nairobi and Ngong Rivers.

At least 2 622 people have been displaced and sheltered, and several homes and roads have been destroyed; damage to power lines and water infrastructure has also been reported.

71 dead in March 2026 floods Kenya Floods

Italy Floods 2026

More Intense rain events hit southern Italy 

Severe weather triggered flooding and landslides across parts of southern Italy, with the worst impacts reported in Calabria, particularly in the province of Cosenza. Intense rainfall exceeding 200 mm in just 24–36 hours overwhelmed rivers including the Trionto River and Fiumarella River, leading to rapid flooding across urban areas. Towns such as Crosia, Corigliano-Rossano, and nearby coastal communities experienced landslides, submerged roads, and evacuations as unstable hillsides collapsed under saturated conditions. Emergency services responded to over 100 incidents, while dozens of residents were evacuated from high-risk zones. Authorities warn that ongoing soil instability and elevated river levels may continue to pose risks, even after rainfall decreases, highlighting the growing impact of extreme weather across southern Italy..

Flash floods in Tripoli continue pattern of lethal weather events

Heavy rain and strong winds caused flooding across the Libyan capital of Tripoli. The National Meteorological Centre warned residents in western regions, particularly in Tripoli and surrounding areas, to remain indoors overnight into Tuesday morning as severe weather continues. Emergency services said they had received distress calls from motorists stranded on several roads, including parts of the capital’s ring roads, after rising rainwater levels left vehicles trapped.

A teenager was electrocuted and killed by a downed power line while attempting to rescue people trapped in floodwaters in Tripoli’s Tajoura district overnight.

Upwards of 10,000 people were killed by floods in Sept. 2023.

Tripoli floods

 

Of Note:

  • A Super El Nino looks increasingly likely for the middle of the year. This cyclical pattern drives higher temperatures and extreme weather. 
  • “Extreme weather has wiped out cereal production equivalent to more than a tenth of England’s arable land, raising alarm over the growing threat to UK food security.
  • Heat records continue to fall in the Middle East as March high temperatures: reach 105.1F and lows hover at 85F. These temperatures are typical of May-June.
  • “Analysis of satellite data by Down To Earth (DTE) shows that over the past decade forest fires in high-elevation areas in the western Himalayas have quadrupled.“

350 evacuated in Norway due to wildfires

The fire, which broke out near residential areas, prompted authorities to take urgent safety measures and evacuate the population. The large-scale fire began on the afternoon of 17 March in a forested area on one of the islands where the city is located.

Due to the immediate threat to private homes, approximately 350 residents of the area were forced to leave their homes. 

This event reflects the under the radar trend toward rapidly increasing wildfire events in the Arctic.

350 Evacuated in Norway fires

 

 

Jellyfish shut down two French nuclear plants

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

Jellyfish bloom shuts down 2 nuclear plants in France

Warming oceans driving jellyfish into new habitats

It’s not science fiction and it’s not an isolated incident.

In August and September 2025, massive swarms of jellyfish caused significant disruptions at two of France’s largest nuclear power plants, Gravelines and Paluel, by clogging their cooling water intake systems.

A “massive and unpredictable” swarm of jellyfish entered the Gavelines water pumping station filters, leading to the automatic shutdown of four of the plant’s six reactors. With the other two units already down for maintenance, the entire site was temporarily nonoperational.

Less than a month later, jellyfish clogged filters at the Paluel plant in Normandy forcing shutdown of one reactor and reducing the output of another by a total of 2.4 gigawatts.

CLARIFICATION: You may encounter overwrought descriptions of these events using the term “angry jellyfish,” but these primitive marine lifeforms have neither brains, nor to the best of our knowledge, emotions. 

Global Warming one of several human driven causes (But the j-fist aren’t actually angry)

As with most climate driven environmental tragedies, the causes of global jellyfish blooms are multiple and interlocking. The one common factor is humans.

  • Climate Change: Warmer ocean temperatures speed up jellyfish reproduction and increase plankton populations, their primary food source.
  • Overfishing: The removal of natural predators like tuna and sea turtles allows jellyfish populations to grow unchecked.
  • Invasive Species: Cargo ships can transport invasive jellyfish species, such as the 
    Asian Moon jellyfish , into new environments via ballast tanks.

Jellyfish invasions increasingly shut down nuclear plants

Jellyfish blooms moving north

Jellyfish incursions at other nuclear plants.

  • Sweden: In 2013, a swarm paralyzed a reactor at the Oskarshamn plant for three days.
  • Scotland: The  Torness nuclear plant 2011 | 2021.
  • Philippines: 1999 Massive blackout 
  • Other Locations: Shutdowns or disruptions have been reported at coastal plants in Japan, Israel, and the United States..

 

Causes of global sea level rise may surprise you

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

Accelerating sea level rise: melting land ice also changes ocean chemistry

Accelerating land ice melt is also changing ocean chemistry

25% 

The massive Greenland ice cap is shrinking an by average of 30 million tons an hour – which is 20% more than was previously thought. This additional source of freshwater pouring into the North Atlantic contributes to the slowing of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), a dire state of affairs for Europe’s climate. This alters salinity, which affects the system that powers the global water conveyor (explained below).

More on AMOC slowdown and other tipping points.

Ice loss from Antarctica continues to accelerate and is now estimated at 150 Gigatons per year. This is a sevenfold increase since the 80’s and adds an additional .5 mm per year to sea levels.  

Globally, mountain glaciers have been losing mass rapidly and contribute around 0.2 to 0.4 mm per year to sea-level rise.

SURPRISE!

Groundwater depletion is rapidly moving water to oceans, and under the radar source of sea level rise 

25% 

THE THIRD CAUSE IS UNKNOWN TO MOST PEOPLE.

Groundwater depletion from irrigation and other human activities is a major though often overlooked, contributor to sea level rise, adding new freshwater to oceans that was previously stored on land. A relatively recent discover, this category of water transfer to the oceans may now equal or exceed melting glaciers and ice sheets. This human activity is causing a global shift in the water cycle, which is virtually never a good thing for humans.

More Here

Over pumping aquifers raises sea levels

Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion

Thermal expansion of the ocean contributes more to sea level rise than melting polar ice

50%

About half of current sea level rise is attributable to ocean thermal expansion. When seawater warms, it expands, and takes up more volume, significantly contributing to sea-level rise. as oceans absorb over 90% of Earth’s trapped heat from greenhouse gases, causing water molecules to spread out, leading to rising coastal waters. This process accounts for about half of global sea-level rise, with warmer temperatures increasing the total volume (not the amount of water, but rather the space the water takes up) of water in the planetary ocean, impacting coastal areas and ecosystems worldwide.

Gulf steam (AMOC) slowdown

Greenland and the slowing AMOC

GREENLAND AND THE AMOC

The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is weakening,  This slowdown, driven by Greenland ice melt and increased freshwater in the North Atlantic, threatens to cause severe weather shifts, including rapid European cooling, enhanced Atlantic sea-level rise, and intense drought.

When examined independently, the accelerating melt rate of the Greenland Ice Sheets and the slowing of the AMOC are alarming in a fairly obvious way. There are trillions of tons of fresh water ice atop the Greenland land mass. As it continues to melt at ever increasing rates, it will add to ocean volume and sea level rise. The AMOC (Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation), which includes the Gulf Stream, carries warm tropical water to the North Atlantic, which moderates the temperatures of Northern Europe. The slowing of this ocean stream will fundamentally alter the climate of Europe. 

LESS HEAT MOVING NORTH TO WARM EUROPE

The relationship between these two systems is based on the fact that the AMOC is driven by water salinity. When the waters cool in the northern reaches, they sink to the bottom, which creates the overturning effect. That powers the current. When huge quantities of fresh water  are dumped into the salt water ocean, the salinity changes and the power of the overturning system is diminished.  

A weakened AMOC is also likely to compromise the northern Amazonia rain forest and bring warmer waters to Antarctica, hastening the coastal ice shelves collapse. 

 

Italy’s “Lovers’ Arch” collapse is a sad global warming allegory

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Italy’s Lovers’ Arch Collapsed On Valentine’s Day

ICONIC AND IRONIC

A famous limestone rock formation known as “Lovers’ Arch” (Faraglioni di Sant’Andrea) collapsed into the Adriatic Sea on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 2026. The popular tourist destination had been pounded in the past couple of months by unrelenting storms, including Cyclone Harry in January. Another week of high winds and rough waters finished it off.

 

YES, IT REALLY IS GLOBAL WARMING
As with most effects of global warming, there are multiple causes for the poetic end of this particularly compelling tourist attraction.  he Mediterranean region has reported its hottest years on record for the past three years, resulting in warming seas are supercharging the atmosphere and fueling extreme events. While the collapse of the Lovers’ Arch was inevitable, climate change has hastened the event by decades.

The Arch has been the source of legend and myth for thousands of years. Local residents believed sirens lived in the hidden grottos and also that giants tossing the limestone blocks around for fun, creating the dramatic formations. Because giants get bored too.

This phenomenon is becoming impossible to ignore as coastal regions around the world deal with a rise in sea levels that is now significantly more rapid than predicted. 

.

Lovers' arch destroyed by global warming

Lovers' Arch collapses into the Mediterranean

OBX Cottages crashing into the sea in 2025

Climate change is causing accelerated beach erosion and rising sea levels on the Outer Banks (OBX), leading to multiple, accelerating oceanfront home collapses, particularly in villages like Rodanthe and Buxton on Hatteras Island. Since 2020, over 25+ homes have fallen into the Atlantic, driven by stronger storms, intensified coastal erosion, and a shrinking shoreline. 

 

  • Collapsing Homes: Since 2020, numerous homes have collapsed, with a surge in incidents during late 2025 and early 2026.
  • Erosion and Sea Level Rise: The shoreline is rapidly narrowing, bringing oceanfront homes closer to the water and making them vulnerable to high tides and storms.
  • Affected Areas: Rodanthe, Buxton, and other parts of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore are experiencing the most acute issues.
  • Environmental Damage: Collapsed homes release debris, including septic tanks, insulation, and wood, into the ocean and along miles of beaches.
  • Infrastructure Risks: Coastal storms and rising sea levels threaten not just homes, but critical infrastructure on the barrier islands.
  • Insurance and Future: Homeowners face immense difficulty securing insurance, leading to concerns about the long-term viability of some locations. 

Despite these risks, the desire for oceanfront views continues to drive demand, with some research suggesting that subsidies for beach nourishment and rebuilding encourage continued development in high-risk areas. 

More OBX cottages collapse into the ocean as seas rise and storms get worse

Coastal erosion in Yorkshire

England’s slow retreat as land and infrastructure falls into the sea

Dramatic events in multiple UK coastal locations are evidence of accelerating erosion driven by global warming.  Recent major incidents in 2026, including at Stonebarrow and in Devon, have forced closures, caused landslips, and damaged infrastructure.
Key Aspects of UK Coastal Collapse (2025-2026),
  • Active Collapses: In February 2026, large cliff collapses and mudslides occurred at Stonebarrow on the Jurassic Coast, forcing the closure of the South West Coast Path. Similar incidents occurred on Crimdon beach.
  • Regional Damage: Winter storms (Goretti, Ingrid, Chandra) in early 2026 caused “absolute havoc” to the 630-mile South West Coast Path, with repairs costing over 
    . Significant damage was reported in Cornwall and Devon, including the A379 road.

 

  • Long-term Threats: Up to 80,000 homes in England are at risk of falling into the sea by 2100 due to accelerated erosion.

Santa Cruz collapse

Santa Cruz wharf takes the plunge

The iconic wharf at Santa Cruz was smashed into the ocean by an onslaught of massive waves during a violent Pacific storm. An “atmospheric river” generated swells of 30 to 40 feet, with some sets reaching 60 feet, that slammed into the already damaged south end of the pier. Approximately 150 to 180 feet of the wharf’s end fell into the ocean. This section included a restroom, the Dolphin restaurant, and construction equipment from an ongoing $4 million restoration project.

Three workers (a project manager and two engineers) were tossed into the water when the structure gave way. Two were rescued by lifeguards on jet skis, and one managed to swim to safety; no serious injuries were reported.

Alexandria continues to loose buildings to the sea

Building collapses have jumped from one per year to approximately 40 per year over the last decade. Rising seas push saltwater into foundations, eroding them “from the bottom up” and threatening over 7,000 structures.

Seas reclaiming Alexandria

 

Global Warming Crisis 2025 Events & Trends

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  A Bellwhether Year

In 2025, legendary global warming pioneer James Hansen issued his final warning. Even as record catastrophes whiplashed vast swathes of the planet with epic floods, wildfires, extreme weather, drought and heat waves, very few paid attention. In the current geopolitical environment, there is little hope for progress.

(See mitigation vs adaption here).

Link to current catastrophe reports for Winter 2026

The UN has accepted that the 1.5°C (2.7°F) threshold has been permanently breached | Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide levels rose to a new level of 427 PPM as the rate of growth has tripled since 1960 | Record losses: the US marked $101 billion in extreme climate event losses in 2025 | Two more Florida coral species were categorized as extinct in 2025 | The Arab region is heating twice as fast as the rest of the planet as 122°F becomes common. | Global methane emissions continued their upward trend, driven by industrial and agricultural sources | US Electricity emissions rose for the second straight year as coal-fired electricity generation rose 12% and energy demand outpaced renewable growth. The global mean sea-level rise rate since 1900 is the fastest rate over the last four millennia. | The world’s oceans absorbed an additional 23 zettajoules’ worth of heat in 2025, the most in any year since modern measurements began in the 1960s. a significant increase over 2024 | Changes to ocean circulation are reducing iron content, cutting phytoplankton’s ability to photosynthesise, ultimately decreasing the food-supply for animals like krill, whales and seals. | The North Pacific Ocean surface warmed 2X as much over the past 15 years than it did over the preceding 156 years, an increase in warming rate of >2000% | Global warming has created a new arid zone in northeastern Brazil, the country’s first official desert. | The oceans are being slimed with toxic seaweed as sea waters warm | Growing deposits of algae on the Greenland ice sheet have created a new feedback loop as the red and brown organic blooms curtail reflectivity and directly melt ice below.

Global warming 2025 events

Climate Disaster Events

 

Record heat waves caused massive mortality, especially in Europe and South Asia. Temperatures reached a previously unheard of 122°F in Europe as  tens of thousands died. 

Record floods and landslides smashed virtually every continent, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions. Particularly horrific events took place in Mexico, Pakistan and Texas. 

Dubai registered a high temperature of 140°F.

The most powerful Atlantic storm of all time devastated Jamaica with 185 MPH winds.

Apocalyptic wildfires in Los Angeles were bookended with record flooding in December. Much of southern Europe burned, including Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.

A huge chunk of mountainside in the Swiss Alps broke off in mid-May, ice, mud and rock down the mountain, burying the village of Blatten.

The US Environmental Protection Agency continued to remove references to human-caused global warming from its websites.

An Alaska megastorm resulted in mass evacuations and the the largest airlift in Alaska history. 1600 were evacuated.

A massive dirt storm struck Chicago and Central Illinois, a freak weather event driven by drought.

Mosquitos were recorded in Iceland for the first time.

The world’s oceans absorbed an additional 23 zettajoules’ worth of heat in 2025, the most in any year since modern measurements began in the 1960s and a significant increase over 2024.

Tropical Cyclone Senyar, which killed 1,482 people in Indonesia, Thailand, and Myanmar.

Sea level accelerating globally

Long Term Trends

 

Cyclones increasingly display rapid intensification as seas continue to warm.

Global coral bleaching event became the most extensive on record, affecting 84% of reefs worldwide.

The slowdown of the AMOC (Gulf Stream) is accelerating, with dire ramifications for Europe.

Rapid decline of the Greenland ice sheet affects significantly more than sea level rise.

Ocean Heat Content (OHC) in 2025 continues its long-term upward trend, with oceans absorbing over 90% of global warming heat.

Record-low maximum Arctic sea-ice extent was recorded in March 2025,

Global methane emissions continued their upward trend, driven by industrial and agricultural sources, with developing regions fueling growth.

Climate upheaval continues to threaten luxury foods, especially cocoa, wine and coffee. In addition to temperature, excess humidity and unreliable rainfall are factors.

Rapid sea level rise now actively threatens large coastal cities globally, including China, New York, Manilla, Jakarta, Miami and the OBX.

Mass European tree die off: Vast swathes of Germany’s trees have been destroyed by droughts and infestations, reflecting a greater trend across Europe.

Ankara, Turkey has joined the ranks of global capitals on the verge of running out of drinking water. Ongoing crisis affects Cape Town, Mexico City, Jakarta, Kabul, Bangalore, Beijing, Cairo and São Paulo. 

Rapid permafrost (tundra) thaw causes infrastructure collapse, massive methane and virus release, mega slumps and crater blowouts and Arctic Rivers flowing orange with newly released toxins. 

Tipping Points/Feedback

 

Atmospheric water vapor: Warmer air holds more water vapor, a GHG which amplifies warming, which increases water vapor. Repeat.

Polar ice reflectivity decline (albedo) effect. Less ice bounces less heat back into space, heating ocean waters faster, which melts more ice. Repeat.

Permafrost carbon feedback: as frozen soils thaw CO₂ and methane from long-stored organic matter causing more warming, causing more thawing. Repeat.

Forest dieback from heat and drought: Fewer trees means less CO₂ absorbed; fires release CO₂ increasing atmospheric levels increasing warming. Repeat

West Antarctica Ice shelves are falling apart at unprecedented rates. These formations “hold back” trillions of tons of land ice on the southern continent, enough to raise sea levels several meters.

Growing deposits of algae on the Greenland ice sheet have created a new feedback loop as red and brown organic blooms curtail reflectivity and directly melt ice below.

Three causes of global sea level rise

Melting land ice sheets change ocean chemistry

25% The massive Greenland ice cap is shrinking an average of 30 million tons an hour – which is 20% more than was previously thought. This additional source of freshwater pouring into the North Atlantic contributes to the slowing of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC), a dire state of affairs for Europe. 

Ice loss from Antarctica continues to accelerate over and is now estimated at 150 Gigatons per years. This is a sevenfold increase since the 80’s and adds an additional .5 mm per year to sea levels.  

Globally, mountain glaciers have been losing mass rapidly and contribute around 0.2 to 0.4 mm per year to sea-level rise.

Groundwater depletion and transfer to oceans 

25% Groundwater depletion from irrigation and other human activities is a major though often overlooked, contributor to sea level rise, adding new freshwater to oceans that was previously stored on land. A relatively recent discover, this category of water transfer to the oceans may now equal or exceed melting glaciers and ice sheets. This human activity is causing a global shift in the water cycle, which is virtually never a good thing for humans.

More here.

Sea levels are rising due to thermal expansion

Thermal expansion more than melting polar ice

50% About half of current sea level rise is attributable to ocean thermal expansion. When seawater warms, it expands, and takes up more volume, significantly contributing to sea-level rise. as oceans absorb over 90% of Earth’s trapped heat from greenhouse gases, causing water molecules to spread out, leading to rising coastal waters. This process accounts for about half of the global sea-level rise, with warmer temperatures increasing the water’s volume, impacting coastal areas and ecosystems worldwide

The ice goeth, man

Glacial Lake Outburst Floods mountain villages

A glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF) takes place when water stored in a lake that formed from melting glacier ice suddenly bursts through its natural dam (often made of loose moraine sediments or ice), violently releasing unthinkable volumes of water and debris downstream. These cataclysmic floods  are increasing in frequency in many alpine ecosystems around the planet.

Blatten Switzerland mountainside collapse

Mountainsides collapse as frozen ice “glue” thaws

A huge chunk of mountain in the Swiss Alps broke off in mid-May, dumping a deadly mash of ice, mud and rock down the mountain, burying most the village of Blatten. This increasingly common phenomenon is what happens when the ice particles that hole mountains begins to melt.  Permafrost in Alpine locations and also in the Arctic is no longer so “perma,” causing accelerated destabilization of tundra and mountainsides.

Permafrost collapse causes all kinds of problems, such as megaslumps and methane release

Permafrost thaw unleashes shocking consequences

The rapid thaw of permafrost is one of the most powerful feedbacks, linked with several obvious and not so obvious effects on the global climate. The most alarming scenario is the release of gigatons of Methane (CH4) into the atmosphere from beneath the once frozen surface. Methane is far more powerful than CO2 (Carbon Dioxide). 

Notable 2025 Events

Chicago dust storm toxic event May 2025

Massive Chicago dirt storm was a toxic event

A massive wall of dust and dirt particles enshrouded the city of Chicago in mid-May, causing ground stops at O’Hare and Midway and bringing the region of 10 million residents to a halt. Driven by 60 MPH winds, the violent storm brought near-zero visibility to highways and wrecked crops and agricultural infrastructure. 

More here.

Nepal is increasingly threatened by GLOF events as three major floods took place in 2025

Lethal Glacial Outburst Flood devastated Nepal 

A sudden glacial outburst flood (GLOF) in Rasuwagadhi, Nepal swept away the Nepal–China Friendship Bridge, hydropower installations, and cross-border trade goods; several deaths and missing persons were reported. It was one of three that occurred in the region.

Himalayan glaciers are shrinking rapidly due to warming — increasing residual lake formation and water volumes behind natural dams. The phenomenon increasingly affects daily life Alpine regions around the planet. More here.

 

Climate whiplash in Australia as floods follow on fires

Australia’s Great Ocean Road, famous for its scenic coastal views, was closed after more flash floods triggered by a storm hit the state of Victoria. Aerial footage showed vehicles swept out to sea by floodwaters and caravan parks inundated.

The Victoria State Emergency Service issued an emergency flash flood warning for Wye River, Kennett River, Cumberland River, Lorne and surrounding areas, and urged people to take shelter.

 

 

Chicago dust storm toxic event May 2025

Report shows Alaska rivers flowing orange with poison

A massive wall of dust and dirt particles enshrouded the city of Chicago in mid-May, causing ground stops at O’Hare and Midway and bringing the region of 10 million residents to a halt. Driven by 60 MPH winds, the violent storm brought near-zero visibility to highways and wrecked crops and agricultural infrastructure. 

More here.

Nepal is increasingly threatened by GLOF events as three major floods took place in 2025

Historic Southeast Asian floods kill thousands

Rescue teams and volunteers have been struggling to assist millions of people affected by floods and landslides in parts of Asia, as the official death toll from the ongoing climate-fueled disaster has climbed to more than 1,750 people in the worst-affected countries of Indonesia, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

In Indonesia, at least 908 people were confirmed dead and 410 were still missing, according to the latest data on Saturday.

Debris from the collapsed house at 23001 G A Kohler Court on Friday, Sept. 20, 2024.

16 more OBX cottages crash into the ocean

Since 2020, 27 oceanfront homes have collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. In Buxton, five fell in one day. That’s because the ocean is rising and storms are getting more extreme.

In spite of predictions by scientists, Outer Banks communities such as Buxton are spending millions putting the sand back. But it won’t stay there. It will never stay there.

Global Warming Events and Trends Fall 2025

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

$101 Billion: First Six Months of 2025 Set New Record for Climate Damages in USA: 

Between January and June 2025, a total of 14 extreme weather events led to losses of $101.4 billion.

Extreme weather events cost $40 Billion

South Africa hitting springtime temps of 109ºF

  South Africa heat record of 109F

Scientists in Switzerland say 1.5C climate change goal is out of reach | Midway through Northern autumn, Summer heat in Spain continues into mid-autumn with 95F temps | More and more research supports the slowing and disruption of the Gulf Stream, bad news for Europe | Hurricane Melissa intensified to a Cat 5 in just hours, another example of a new type of typhoon  | Continuing acidification of the ocean is threatening the existence of sharks as the seas absorb more and more CO2 | As global warming continues to impact cocoa yields, candy companies are learning how to fake it| As Hurricane Melissa approached Jamaica, it was measuring a minimum pressure of 901 millibars —lower than Hurricane Katrina’s peak low pressure of 902 mb and the lowest pressure ever recorded in a hurricane this late in the year. 

Florida Coral species collapse into extinctio

TWO FLORIDA CORAL SPECIES DRIVEN TO EXTINCTION BY HEAT

Marine heat has sent two more coral species in Florida waters spiraling into functional extinction. Even before a 2023 marine heat wave, staghorn and elkhorn corals had been dwindling, with periodic declines accelerated by loss of herbivore species, disease and repeated bleaching. Well beyond it’s natural beauty, coral is essential to the Florida tourist economy and to regional marine life. This event is part of a global collapse of corals, another sign of the general sickness of the oceans and the planet.

Alaska Typhoon Halong destroys villages

ALASKA MEGA STORM DRIVES 1600 OUT OF THEIR HOMES

 

The largest airlift in Alaska history evacuated 1,600 people after a massive storm caused widespread destruction and left 2,000 displaced. Strong winds and flooding destroyed homes in communities including Kipnuk, Bethel, and Nome. The storm was the “remnants of Typhoon Halong, which had already devastated parts of China and the Philippines. The storm inundated low-lying area of tundra, home remote and inaccessible communities. It is unlikely the refugees will be able to return home anytime soon.

Hurricane Melissa Cat 5

HURRICANE MELISSA DEVASTATES JAMAICA AND MOVES ON

 

A record breaking monster storm is trashing the Caribbean with 185 MPH winds, bringing power outages and infrastructure damage to Jamaica. The storm is the most powerful Atlantic hurricane to make landfall. It moved on to Cuba as a Cat 3, cutting off 140.000 people trapped by rapidly rising river levels.

Wind speeds measured 70 mph on Saturday as the storm formed in the Atlantic basin. Just 24 hours later, however, they had jumped to Monday and Tuesday until reaching 185 mph.

Mosquitos in Iceland are another indication of the rapid migration of many animals and plants toward cooler habitats

MOSQUITOS INVADE ICELAND, LEADING MASSIVE SPECIES MIGRATION NORTH

It may not be predicted in the Book of Revelation, but the migration of the tropical insect into the Arctic regions is bad news. A large number of species are moving toward the poles as warming accelerates. New species moving into new ecospheres often wreak havoc when they compete with exisiting species. The Arctic is warming about four times faster than the rest of the planet. 

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The Mediterranean island of Cyprus is running of water

CYPRUS JOINS THE CLUB OF NATIONS RUNNING OUT OF WATER.

 

Cyprus is facing a rapidly worsening water crisis as reservoir levels drop to critical lows that threaten drinking water supplies and could devastate the agricultural sector.

The prolonged drought has caused authorities to warn farmers against planting new crops without securing alternative water sources for 2026. Water rationing is expected.  

Tigris River drought threatens region

“ENVIRONMENTAL GENOCIDE” FOR IRAQ’S TIGRIS RIVER

 

As with most environmental catastrophe’s Iraq’s Tigris River is facing an existential crisis brought about by a combination human dumbassery and global warming. The extended drought is a product of climate whiplash with shortages exacerbated by upstream dam construction in Turkey. 

The iconic Tigris and Euphrates watersheds are considered the cradle of civilization even as severely declining flow has  increased pollution, fish mortality and environmental security. 

 

US rivers warming at a record rate

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

$101 Billion: First Six Months of 2025 Set New Record for Global Warming Damages:

Heat waves in rivers

Rivers Are Warming Up and Losing Oxygen - Eos

New data from over 1,000 rivers shows extreme waterway heating events last twice as long as they do atmospherically

New study shows US rivers warming at a record rate

The first in-depth study of river heat waves shows that inland marine heat waves are quickly getting which are worse as the planet heats up

A new 40 year Penn State analysis of nearly 1,500 rivers found that the frequency, intensity and duration of heat waves is increasing in streams, rivers and creeks around the US. Among the more immediate effects is the threat to trout, salmon and other species that are adapted to cooler temperatures. Heat decreases the amount of dissolved oxygen in water. Meanwhile, cold-water species often see their metabolism rise in warmer waters, meaning there’s less oxygen available.

The new analysis was published in the peer-reviewed journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The authors found that human-caused climate change is the primary driver of the trend, as snowpack dwindles and streams flow more slowly.

Other human factors such as dams and hard surface infrastructure also drive water temperatures higher. 

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As global warming accelerates, hundreds of species of flora and fauna are moving North into new biomes. Some are obvious, some are not. In Canada, the pernicious kochia was previously confined to the southern prairies, but now it’s now rapidly spreading.

Invasive Weed Canada

As global warming accelerates, hundreds of species of flora and fauna are moving North into new biomes. Some are obvious, some are not. In Canada, the pernicious kochia was previously confined to the southern prairies, but is now rapidly spreading.

Japan set a new all time heat record for the country with a high of 107F in September, but this is not an aberrant event these days. From June to August, the Japan Meteorological Agency reported temperatures were on average 4.5 F degrees higher than normal, a pattern unequaled in 150 years.

107.2ºF Japan Record Heat

Summer 2025 was the hottest ever recorded in Japan, with the nationwide average 4ºF hotter than average since records began in 1898. The central city of Isesaki set a new national record high of 107.2F August 5, 2025.

Pacific Blob returns to stay

Hot Marine Blob Is Back To Stay

A massive heat wave continued to grow the off the Pacific coast. Water temperatures several degrees above normal now span thousands of miles across the marine region.  Beyond disrupting the ocean’s food web and fisheries, the “Blob” alters weather on land. 

Massive Mexico Floods Kill 100s

Hundreds have died and more remain missing after a week of cataclysmic downpours triggered severe flooding and landslides across several Mexican states. Overflowing rivers swept through entire villages, triggered landslides and swept away roads and bridges..

Epic global climate disasters of Summer 2025

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

Pioneer climate scientist James Hansen has just issued his final warning: climate collapse is far worse and moving far faster than most Americans understand.

Global map climate scenarios summer 2025

THE SUMMER OF 2025 HAS COST EUROPE OVER $50 BILLION IN GLOBAL WARMING DISASTERS

Catastrophic floods in Texas, New York, New Jersey, Korea, Venezuela, China, India, South Africa, Pakistan, West Virginia, Burundi, Congo, Romania | Killer Heat and Wildfires in Balkans, France, Portugal, Spain, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Evacuations in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Megafire and Fire clouds in Grand Canyon and Utah. More Alpine landslides, Killer Algae onslaught fouling AU coasts, relentless floods in Pakistan displace millions.

Monroe Canyon Fire generating fire clouds

 Events

FLOODS/LANDSLIDES: Pakistan (1300), India (1,300), Texas (135), DR Congo (100), Romania (3), Latvia, New Jersey/NY (2), North Carolina, China, Nepal, Korea, UK, Venezuela, Nigeria, Australia.

A man helps a woman after her car is stranded in waist-deep water. Globally rains are being more extreme due to impacts of climate change.

WILDFIRES (1 million Hectares in Europe): Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Spain, Portugal, California, Romania, France, Turkey, Texas, Malaysia, Brazil, Afghanistan, East Africa, Iran, Gran Chaco. In the western US, “fire clouds” produced mini climates. Read more.

In this photo provided by Lin Chao, 'fire clouds' form near the Bright Angel Trailhead at the South Rim in the Grand Canyon, Ariz., Sunday, July 27, 2025. (Lin Chao via AP)

RECORD HEATWAVES: The summers of 2023, 2024 and 2025 were the three hottest on record. The number of lethal heat waves continues to increase. Climate change likely tripled the number of heat-related deaths in European cities. All time records in Japan. Portugal 115F. 

INVASIVE TOXIC ALGAE (AU): Since March, a deadly 2,000 sq mi invasion of toxic algae has fouled Australia’s southern coast killing tens of thousands of marine animals and creating an unprecedented ecological disaster.

ANOTHER GLACIER “FUNERAL” Nepal’s Yala glacier has shrunk 66% over five decades, causing researchers to movie their base camp. In 2019, a ceremony was held for the OkjökullGlacier in Iceland. Yala has another decade.

RECORD PACIFIC WARM BLOB  The giant pool of record warm ocean water in the north Pacific Ocean is currently showing temperatures averaging 68°F, a  degree warmer than the previous record set 12 years ago. 

LETHAL GLACIAL OUTBURST FLOOD NEPAL: Another GLOF hit the Himalayan country of Nepal, sweeping away hydropower plants, bridges and other critical infrastructure, killing dozens. Also in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  

MASSIVE TOXIC DUST STORM HITS CHICAGO  A near apocalyptic soil and sand storm developed in central Illinois and moved quickly north to choke the Chicago metropolitan area. Visibility dropped to 0 and winds gusted over 60 mph within the worst of the dust storm. More context here.

photo of a massive wall of orange dust clouds moving down an empty road lined with tall streetlights, heading straight toward the camera

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Atmospheric Methane 2025 has spike as permafrost thaws and new sources of CH4 are found.

Trends

SEA LEVELS: In addition to melting land ice and ocean volume heat expansion, rapid aquifer depletion also contributes about 20% as most extracted groundwater ends up in the ocean. Read more here.

GLACIAL OUTBURST FLOODS INCREASE GLOBALLY: A GLOF occurs in Alpine regions when a rapidly melting glacier creates a high altitude lake behind a moraine dam. When the dam breaks, everything downstream is swept away. 

EXTENDED DROUGHT:  Arizona, San Carlos Reservoir, Italy, Spain, Australia. Madagascar, southern and eastern Africa, Amazon Basin. Since the beginning of the 21st century, the frequency and intensity of drought events have increased on all continents. Megadrought persists in the US West, with major consequences yet to come.

ANTARCTICA TRANSFORMATION SPEED UP The Southern Pole and environs is undergoing abrupt and alarming changes.

  • Sea ice is shrinking rapidly
  • Floating glaciers known as ice shelves are melting faster
  • Trillions of tons of land based ice sheets are approaching tipping points
  • Vital ocean currents are slowing down.

These changes are suddenly accelerating and amplifying individual effects. 

ANTARCTIC SEAL POPULATION DOWN 50%: Seal population continues precipitous decline as sea ice disappears. Read more.

CO2 RELENTLESS RISE: As the Trumpies prepare to shut down the world’s preeminent atmospheric carbon measurement station at Mauna Loa, the greenhouse gas of record has climbed past 428 PPM. It first crossed 365 in 2002.

OCEAN TEMPERATURE: Global sea surface temperatures have remained at near-record levels in 2025 following a record-shattering jump in 2023 and 2024.

RETREAT OF GLACIERS AND MORE GLOF: Glaciers are collapsing virtually everywhere around the world. Poorly understood is that they provide fresh water for billions of people in Asia and South America. 

DOUBLING OF MAJOR US DUST STORMS Arizona, California, Texas and Kansas have experienced more than 100 dangerous storms in ten years, double the previous count. Bare cropland and rising temperatures are contributing factors. 

The Atlantic Sargassum Belt | Earth.Org

STINKY SARGASSUM BELT NOW STRETCHES 6000 MILES: While Sargassum seaweed plumes are not new, the floating monster now known as Great Atlantic Sargassum Belt (GASB) is. Driven by warming waters and industrial scale ag nutrients, the brown smelly belt stretches from Africa to the Gulf of Mexico.

Climate tipping points

Science

TIPPING POINTS: Irreversible feedback loops virtually assure that we are already well past the point of no return. Review major feedback factors here. 

1.5°C (2.7F)  “THRESHOLD” IN THE REARVIEW: 2025 will be the second year running global temperatures have exceeded the arbitrary limit beyond which humanity dare not go. 

A graph showing human-caused and observed global warming from 1860 to 2025. Both lines curve sharply upward after 1980.

NEW SOURCE OF SEA LEVEL RISE: In addition to melting land ice and ocean volume heat expansion, the rapid depletion of groundwater also contributes about 20% as most ends up in the ocean. Read more here.

AOMC NOW SLOWING: The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is now weaker than at any other time in the past 1,000 years. The global current moderates temperatures globally and includes the Gulf Stream. 

CLIMATE WHIPLASH IS AUSTRALIA’S FUTURE A new scientific risk assessment affirms that Australia is undergoing extreme climate events more frequently and often simultaneously. Extreme recurring temperatures of up to 123°F (winter highs of 107°F)  trigger fast moving bushfires, followed immediately by catastrophic floods. Coastal sea level rise is already threatening millions.

GLOBAL INCREASE IN DROUGHTS ALSO BRINGS MORE FLOODS. Extended drought hardens and depletes soils, decreasing the ability of the ground to absorb water. When billions of gallons arrive at once, the deluge swallows everything.

AMAZON TIPPING POINT Global warming has moved the Amazon rainforest to a danger threshold in which the region emits more carbon than it absorbs. 

METHANE SPIKE: Atmospheric Methane again reached record-high concentrations. Methane is about 80 times more potent than CO2 over 20 years. Read what happens when the permafrost thaws here.

ICE SHELVES LAST CRITICAL DEFENSE: There is land ice such as that making up most of Antarctica and Greenland, there is sea ice and there are hybrid formations called ice shelves. The latter “hold back” the trillions of tons of ice behind them. They are rapidly falling apart, melting from warming waters below.

HOW RISING TEMPERATURES DRIVE DROUGHT AND EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS : As global temperatures rise, evaporation from land increases, drying plants and soil; simultaneously, water vapor significantly increases in the atmosphere, super charging storms. 

 

Heat-Driven Toxic Algae Ecological Nightmare in Australia

Posted on by rapidclimatechange_tfkjps

2000 sq mi algae bloom devastates South Australia coast 

A near apocalyptic toxic algal bloom has been killing mass quantities of marine life on South Australia’s west coast for six months, with no end in sight even as summer in the southern hemisphere ends. Scientists say that there is little hope of abatement without a change of the conditions that have continued the incursion for six months. The stinky onslaught, lethal for a wide range of marine life, has fouled miles of metropolitan beaches with daily patrols cleaning the carcasses of dead fish and rays.

Researchers say the bloom is caused by an ongoing marine heatwave, a phenomenon likely to become more common with global heating. An additional contributing factor was catastrophic 2023  flooding from the  Murray-Darling Basin which carried massive amounts of that agricultural nutrients that the Karenia mikimotoi organisms. 

“We don’t see it stopping anytime soon.”  coordinator of parks and biodiversity, Tyron Bennett.

 

Toxic algae bloom south Australia

abc.net.au/news/2025-07-...

biodiversitycouncil.org....

35,000 dead marine animals 

Mortality hotspots include broad swathes from Grange to West Beach, as crews routinely collect 100 – 450 lbs of dead fish and other organisms daily. 

 

 

Hundreds of species are dying on a daily basis as volunteers clean up beaches

Sharks, rays, fish, crustaceans, octopuses, leafy sea dragons, and polychaete worms are among the animals fouling the beaches as the algae deprives them of oxygen. Karenia mikimotoi damages marine life by destroying gill structures, suffocating creatures, attacking red blood cells, and inducing neurological harm.

  • Scientists describe it as one of the worst marine die-offs in decades, particularly impacting ecologically and economically vital zones like the Coorong wetland and also surfing and swimming beaches.