1 February 2019
“High impact weather” has gripped much of the world so far this year, the UN weather agency, WMO, reported on Friday, with “dangerous and extreme cold in North America, record high heat and wildfires in Australia, heavy rains in parts of South America, and heavy snow on the Alps and Himalayas.
The WMO assessment of January’s weather, published on Friday, describes it as “a month
of extremes”, with large parts of North America gripped by bitterly cold temperatures,
caused by the influence of the Polar Vortex.
In southern Minnesota, reports the UN weather agency, the wind chill factor pushed readings
In southern Minnesota, reports the UN weather agency, the wind chill factor pushed readings
down to minus 65°F (-53.9°C) on 30 January. The national low temperature record was
measured at minus 56 °F (-48.9°C).
“Disturbances in the jet stream and the intrusion of warmer mid-latitude air masses can
“Disturbances in the jet stream and the intrusion of warmer mid-latitude air masses can
alter the structure and the dynamics of the Polar Vortex, sending Arctic air south into
middle latitudes and bringing warmer air into the Arctic. This is not a new phenomenon,
although there is increasing research into how it is being impacted by climate change”, the
agency said.
But climate sceptics should be careful before equating the frigid conditions, with a rejection
But climate sceptics should be careful before equating the frigid conditions, with a rejection
of the inexorable rise in global temperatures due to global warming, or rising carbon
dioxide emissions: “The cold weather in the eastern United States certainly does not
“In general, and at global level, there has been a decline in new cold temperature records as a
result of global warming. But frigid temperatures and snow will continue to be part of our typical weather patterns in the northern hemisphere winter. We need to distinguish between short-term
daily weather and long-term climate’, he added.
While The eastern US and parts of Canada are seeing record-breaking cold temperatures,
While The eastern US and parts of Canada are seeing record-breaking cold temperatures,
Alaska and large parts of the Arctic have been warmer than average.
During January, severe winter storms also hit the eastern Mediterranean and parts of the Middle
During January, severe winter storms also hit the eastern Mediterranean and parts of the Middle
East, severely affecting vulnerable populations lacking adequate shelter, including refugees.
A cold front in the third week of January that swept south through the Arabian Peninsula,
A cold front in the third week of January that swept south through the Arabian Peninsula,
bringing a widespread dust storm from Egypt to Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Iran and the
United Arab Emirates, also brought heavy rain and precipitation to Pakistan and northwest
India, reports WMO.
Record Alpine snow
Parts of the European Alps saw record snowfalls earlier in January. In Hochfilzen in the
Tirol region of Austria, more than 451 centimetres of snow fell in the first 15 days, an
event statistically only expected once a century. On Friday, staff at the UN Office in Geneva
were advised to leave early due to major whiteout conditions.
The German weather service or Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD, also issued a number of
The German weather service or Deutscher Wetterdienst, DWD, also issued a number of
top-level snow and winter weather warnings. Climate projections show that winter
precipitation in Germany is expected to be more intense this winter.
The Indian Meteorological Department issued warnings on 21 January of heavy or very
The Indian Meteorological Department issued warnings on 21 January of heavy or very
heavy rain and snow for Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, prompting warnings
of avalanches amid an intense cold front.
Australia, warmest January on record
Meanwhile, down under, Australia had its warmest January on record, according to its
Bureau of Meteorology. The month saw a new series of heatwaves unprecedented in their
scale and duration, said the UN weather agency. Overall rainfall was 38% below average
for January.
Australia saw an unusual extended period of heatwaves which began in early December
Australia saw an unusual extended period of heatwaves which began in early December
2018 and continued into January 2019. The city of Adelaide reached a new record high
of 46.6°C on 24 January.
Australia's annual mean temperature has warmed by just over 1 °C since 1910, and summer
Australia's annual mean temperature has warmed by just over 1 °C since 1910, and summer
has warmed by a similar amount. Australia's annual warming trend is consistent with that
observed for the globe, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
Heatwaves are becoming more intense, extended and frequent as a result of climate change
Heatwaves are becoming more intense, extended and frequent as a result of climate change
and this trend is expected to continue.
South America: more record heat, rain, flooding
Elsewhere in the southern hemisphere, heat records tumbled in Chile. A weather station in
the capital Santiago set a new record of 38.3°C on 26 January. In other parts of central Chile, temperatures topped 40°C.
Argentina has also been gripped by a heatwave, prompting a number of alerts about high
Argentina has also been gripped by a heatwave, prompting a number of alerts about high
temperatures. Northeast Argentina, and the adjacent parts of Paraguay, Uruguay and Brazil
have been hit with extensive flooding, with well above the long-term expected average rainfall.
On January 8, the Argentine city of Resistencia recorded 224mm of rainfall, settin a new
On January 8, the Argentine city of Resistencia recorded 224mm of rainfall, settin a new
24-hour rainfall record, much higher than the previous highest of 206mm, recorded in
January 1994, according to the national meteorological service, SMN Argentina.
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