Climate change drives record-breaking heat in Iceland and Greenland challenging cold adapted ecosystems and societies

On May 15, #Egilsstaðir Airport recorded 26.6°C, breaking the previous record for #Iceland’s highest May temperature, while regions of the country saw temperatures more than 10°C above average (Icelandic Met Office, 2025). The #Ittoqqortoormiit station in #Greenland saw temperatures reach 14.3°C on May 19, which is more than 13°C above the May average daily maximum temperature of 0.8°C (#DMI, 2025).

These high temperatures were caused by a steady flow of warm air from the south, caused by a high-pressure system near the #Faroe Islands and a low-pressure system south of #CapeFarewell. This #weather setup lasted for about nine days, bringing unusually warm weather to the area. While similar patterns have happened before, this #heatwave stood out because it came so early in the year and lasted for so long.

While few impacts have been reported, numerous studies demonstrate that unusually high temperatures early in the year can have significant impacts on local ecosystems. These #ecosystems, adapted to very cold climates, are sensitive to temperature shifts, and disruptions to their delicate balance can lead to consequences not only for the ecosystems themselves, but also for the communities that depend on them.

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-drives-record-breaking-heat-in-iceland-and-greenland-challenging-cold-adapted-ecosystems-and-societies/

#WeatherAttribution
#ClimateScience

#ClimateChange increased the likelihood of wildfire disaster in highly exposed Los Angeles area

Coastal Southern #California is an environment highly prone to catastrophic #wildfires. The destructiveness of a fire thus also strongly depends not only on the #weather conditions but also on whether land use and fire management strategies take these characteristics into account. The #PalisadesFire occurred in an officially designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, while the #EatonFire was only partly within such an area. This means fire risk has always been very high and building regulations require at least 200 ft of vegetation management around structures within the designated Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones. Post-fire assessments will check compliance with these requirements.
Looking at weather observations, in today’s climate with 1.3°C #GlobalWarming relative to preindustrial, the extreme Fire Weather Index (#FWI) conditions that drove the #LA fires are expected to occur on average once in 17 years. Compared to a 1.3°C cooler climate this is an increase in likelihood of about 35% and an increase in the intensity of the FWI of about 6%. This trend is however not linear, with high FWI conditions increasing faster in recent decades.

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-increased-the-likelihood-of-wildfire-disaster-in-highly-exposed-los-angeles-area/

Climate change key driver of extreme drought in water scarce Sicily and Sardinia

#Sicily and #Sardinia, the two largest Italian islands, important centres of #agriculture and #tourism have suffered from exceptionally low rainfall and very high temperatures over the last 12 months, culminating in extreme #drought conditions from May 2024 onwards.

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-key-driver-of-extreme-drought-in-water-scarce-sicily-and-sardinia/

#WeatherAttribution
#ClimateCrisis, man made
#Italy

Extreme Sahel heatwave that hit highly vulnerable population at the end of Ramadan would not have occurred without climate change

At the end of March and the beginning of April 2024 a region across the #Sahel and West #Africa experienced extreme #heat, with maximum temperatures in the Sahel reaching more than 45°C and minimum temperatures of 32°C in Burkina Faso (#BurkinaFaso Meteorological Agency). #Kayes in Mali recorded 48.5°C on 3 April.

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/extreme-sahel-heatwave-that-hit-highly-vulnerable-population-at-the-end-of-ramadan-would-not-have-occurred-without-climate-change/

Compounding natural hazards and high vulnerability led to severe impacts from Horn of Africa flooding exacerbated by #ClimateChange and Indian Ocean Dipole

After years of drought the short rainy season (Oct. to December, OND) in the #HornOfAfrica brought exceptionally heavy rains, particularly in November, leading to severe #flooding in the South of #Ethiopia, Eastern #Kenya and many regions in southern and central #Somalia.

https://www.worldweatherattribution.org/climate-change-indian-ocean-dipole-compounding-natural-hazards-and-high-vulnerability-increased-severity-of-flooding-in-the-horn-of-africa/