The climate crisis is happening now

Right now, life-threatening flooding is affecting a large area of ​​the Northeast. The flooding is the result of a slow-moving storm that spent more than a day crossing New York and Connecticut, and is now moving into New England. At least one person has died in New York’s Hudson Valley, thousands of homes are under water and major highways have suffered extensive damage.

The storm also created a major disruption to travel, both air and rail. Most flights to the Newark, New Jersey airport hub were canceled on Sunday, along with many flights in or out of New York and Boston, causing a cascading effect of canceled flights and stranded travelers across the nation. Rainfall totals are expected to match and, in some areas, exceed the flooding that occurred when Tropical Storm Irene made landfall in the Northeast in 2011.

But even as these storms are sweeping streets and ruining homes in New England, a new heat wave is brewing in the country from the Southwest, which is expected to blanket the United States in dangerously hot weather over the next couple of weeks. Meanwhile, those swimming off the Florida coast may soon not have to worry about sharks because the water is getting too warm for the sharks. Or other fish. Or coral. Or anything else.

Rains are continuing to fall in New England on Monday, with some areas already receiving 6 inches or more. The result is wreaking havoc both in more mountainous areas, where cities are often located in narrow valleys that channel water over a large area, and in low-lying areas closer to the coast, where tidal waves of water are putting tests the strength of both dams and bridges.

While those storms destroyed homes and lives in the East, another kind of storm fueled by the heat and humidity it wreaked havoc in the Midwest and Great Plains. The weekend brought hurricane-force winds, severe thunderstorms and damaging hail to many areas. Another cycle of such storms is expected to begin on Monday evening.

For farmers who have previously dealt with flooded fields from localized heavy rains or stunted crops from scorching hot days, these storms ended crops in some areas.

Southeast off the coast of Florida, water temperatures have gone beyond warm bath water to temperatures that are uncomfortable even for swimming. Those concerned about great white sharks or many other predator species might be relieved to know that the waters are well above temperatures those animals can tolerate. However, they are also deadly to corals and many other creatures that live in reef environments. Temperatures have risen in recent years driving many species north as the water temperature rises, but few animals can tolerate temperatures like these.

Cold waters, around 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius), can contain nearly 11 milligrams of dissolved oxygen in every liter. But as the temperature rises, the amount of oxygen the water can hold decreases. At 70 degrees, the carrying capacity drops to less than 9 milligrams per liter. At 90 degrees, the oxygen level is at a point where many organisms suffer and are directly damaged by the heat. Buoys in some areas off Florida are now recording temperatures of 95. That’s a good 10 degrees above what’s tolerable for reef-building corals, many fish, and dolphins.

In addition to that ecological damage, these warm waters are a time bomb, just waiting to impart massive amounts of energy to the first passing hurricane or tropical storm. Earlier in the year, the National Hurricane Center actually forecast a low-to-normal level of storms based on typical response to weather systems in an El Nio year. Now the projected number of storms has been increased, precisely because this reservoir of extremely hot water offers such disaster potential. (Note: No tropical storms are currently forecast for the next few days, so take a breather on that for now.)

Meanwhile, how The Guardian reports, the US is bracing for another record-breaking heat wave. The first victims will be cities in the Southwest, which are fresh out of the latest heat wave but are set to see temperatures that would be freezing were it not the other way around. This is especially true for Arizona going into the week ahead.

The NWS said next week’s temperatures will range between highs of 113 to 118F (45 to 48C) in the lower deserts Wednesday and Thursday. He added that there are pockets of a 5-10% chance of reaching a dangerous 120F (49C).

Meteorologists point out that current weather patterns match those of a 1995 heat wave that brought deadly temperatures above 120 to several Arizona cities.

The National Weather Service warns residents to stay indoors, keep air conditioners on, cancel any outdoor activities, be careful around children and pets, and supervise elderly relatives and neighbors. In this type of weather, fans are likely to be inadequate. Their air is so hot that getting it moving still doesn’t provide enough evaporative cooling.

Meteorologist Jason Farhang predicts the impending heat wave will affect much of the South, from the West Coast to Louisiana. However, the biggest effect could be a California-to-Texas heat dome that will bring 60% to 70% above average temperatures for much of California, Arizona, Utah, Nevada, Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico.

Last week it brought the hottest day in history, followed by the hottest day in history, then the hottest day in history, and then the hottest day in history. Those records could fall again before the end of the month.

And just because we’re not currently breaking that all-time record, doesn’t mean things have cooled off in the last few days. Yesterday’s temperature would have been an all-time record if last Thursday hadn’t pushed the bar so high. This is a hotter Earth than any human has ever seen, not just since before Sumeria was founded, or before agriculture developed, or before any human reached the Americas, or before the first cave painting: it is a temperature associated with an ecosystem that has long since ceased to exist.

It would also have been a world where sea levels were much higher, because that’s also the last time the planet didn’t have ice caps.

Campaign action

We’ve gotten so used to the idea that today is going to be a little warmer than yesterday, that it was a little warmer than the day before, that it was definitely hotter than last year, that many people have jumped straight out of denial about the climate crisis to the dissociation of disasters around. us with what we are doing to the earth’s climate.

• A faded street in New York. This is the climate crisis.

• Thousands of travelers stranded in airports. This is the climate crisis.

• Fishing and coral reefs are dying off the Florida coast. This is the climate crisis.

• Large agricultural areas damaged in ways that can affect food prices. This is the climate crisis.

• And yes, record temperatures in many states are also the climate crisis.

Perhaps the best thing journalists, forecasters and scientists can do right now is stop misunderstanding. Strip away those qualifiers of, Well, we can’t be sure of any single weather event. Stop stalling to avoid saying something that might offend the most narrow-minded viewer.

Of course these events are caused by the climate crisis. Everything has been for years. Everything will be for decades to come. To pretend otherwise is to say that this time may not have been affected by the presence of air. The climate crisis is equally omnipresent. It’s with us every minute, everywhere, during winter and summer. It affects every action and every policy.

And it cannot be fought without embracing the all-encompassing threat it poses to every aspect of our lives, the lives of others, and the survival of creatures and ecosystems across the planet.