U.S. meteorologists say an El Nino has formed. That's the natural warming of parts of the Pacific that changes weather around the globe. It is likely to a major factor in extreme and deadly weather across the planet for the next year or so. The one announced Thursday is expected to rival the record and costly 1997-98 El Nino. It is usually strongest in the wintertime, and it makes it incredibly likely that 2027 will set a record for the hottest year globally. The United Nations secretary-general says El Niño conditions will pour fuel on the fire of a warming world.
A new report from the United Nations weather agency gives a three-out-of-four chance that the next five years will average more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial temperatures. That's the international safety limit set in 2015. There's an even higher chance — 86% — that one of the next five years will smash the global heat record set in 2024 and next year looks like a leading contender. So expect more extreme weather. The next five winters in the Arctic are predicted to be nearly 3 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the last five years. Meteorologists also forecast an Amazon drought that may spark wildfires.
A spring heat wave is scorching parts of Western Europe, breaking temperature records and triggering government warnings. A temperature of 95 Fahrenheit was recorded in London on Tuesday. On Monday, London hit 95.2 F, smashing the previous record of 91.4 F set in 1922 and 1944. France is also seeing record temperatures, with temperatures reaching 97°F. Several drownings have been reported in Britain and France as people try to cool down. Experts say unpredictable and extreme weather is becoming more frequent. The U.K. Health Security Agency issued an amber health alert, warning of potential health risks, especially for older people.
Global warming extinctions usually have people picturing the last polar bears or other furry critters disappearing. But the world of plants also will be decimated by climate change, and they're often overlooked. One new study Thursday says tens of thousands of plant species will likely go extinct as warmer temperatures and shifting rain patterns ruin their habitats. A second study looks at what the world loses when flowering plants blink out of existence. In many cases, it's not just not just one species that is lost, but a giant chunk of the evolutionary tree of life.
Wildfires used to die down and even stop at night with cooler temperatures and increased humidity. But a study released Friday says climate change is making burning weather more around the clock in North America because night is becoming warmer and drier. Canadian fire scientists say potential burning hours for fires have increased 36% in the last 50 years. California now has about 550 more fire-friendly hours a year than it did in the 1970s. North American summer nights are warming faster than days, evening relief is evaporating for forests and that means the area of land burned is soaring.
