Super-charged Hurricane Season Predicted

Super-charged Hurricane Season Predicted

Two key factors, the return of La Nina and historically warm water across the Atlantic Ocean, are expected to come together later this summer causing growing concern for a blockbuster hurricane season. The current El Nino pattern is forecast to transition to a La Nina pattern during the second half of the hurricane season. La Nina patterns generally lead to more tropical storm and hurricane activity in the Atlantic due to reduced wind shear, or disruptive winds high in the atmosphere. Atlantic Ocean water temperatures are historically high, with water temperatures at the same level that is typically expected mid-July currently taking place. Water temperatures in the main development region were 65% higher in January than the next closest year, indicating that the waters are exceptionally warm and likely only to get warmer into the summer months.

Brian Lada, AccuWeather

Panama Canal Drought Scrambles Globalization

Climate change has opened up new shipping routes near the North Pole, but could be pushing the Panama Canal out as of one of the most critical routes of global trade. In what should be Panama’s rainy season, an epic drought has brought the level of Gatun Lake - the freshwater reservoir that feeds the locks needed to move ships through the canal - to new lows. This passage handles about 5% of global maritime trade, including nearly half the containers shipped from ports in Northeast Asia to the eastern United States. Long queues of idle ships have resulted, snarling the supply chain in agriculture and energy industries. The Panamanian government is looking to engineer a solution and save the canal which generates more than $3.3 billion in tolls each year, a major contributor to the local economy. If drought continues and a solution is not found, shipping companies may be forced to find alternative routes.

Editorial Board, Washington Post

Chicago Sues Oil Companies for Role in Climate Crisis

Chicago recently joined a growing list of U.S. cities and states suing fossil fuel companies for allegedly deceiving the public about the climate crisis. The lawsuit targets major oil companies such as BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, Phillips 66, and Shell, alleging they intentionally misled the public about the impact of their products despite longstanding knowledge of climate dangers of oil and gas. Additionally, Chicago is accusing the companies of contributing to climate devastation throughout the city, including shoreline erosion, susceptibility to flooding, and dangerously hot summer temperatures. One example cited was from the summer of 1995 when more than 700 citizens died during an oppressive four-day heatwave with poor air quality.

Betsy Reed, The Guardian

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