Even Tropical Storms Can’t Completely Dispel Drought Conditions
Metro Atlanta’s two primary drinking water reservoirs could reach historic low levels soon, as the drought plaguing the Southeast continues to cause problems.
Tropical storms drenched parts of the region, bringing relief to parts of the southernmost portions of the drought-affected region, but at the same time the northern extent of drought grew, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor report this morning.
Click on the map for more details about the drought situation in the United States.
Atlanta’s Water Supply Near Historic Low (via Daily Green)
Reuters – Global warming is affecting North America’s northernmost lake, where algae growth has increased dramatically in the last two centuries, scientists said on Wednesday.
Global warming hits lake in Canada’s Arctic: report (Reuters)
So sad the summer is gone. Come back soon!
Daylight and Darkness Have Equal Time: Equinox Officially Hits at 5:51 a.m. EDT
The birds and butterflies are already migrating, cool nights have eased the heat of summer and a record Arctic summer is already over, as the sea ice once again has begun to reform.
But the official beginning of fall is still a couple days off. The Autumnal equinox, when there is equal time of daylight and darkness, is Sunday, Sept. 23. The official moment is 5:51 a.m. EDT.
For the green set, fall means many things: A chance to enjoy a high point of the local harvest, foremost, and a time to explore the wonders of the outdoors, a close second.
Cultures throughout time have used the cycles of the sun to mark important events. The equinox itself holds less meaning in our modern society, and truly the change that comes to the season happens by degrees over time. But the notion of a balance between light and dark falling on a moment in time is a powerful, and useful, idea to dwell on long after the equinox has given way to the slow march of winter.
Autumnal Equinox, First Day of Fall, is Sunday (via The Daily Green)
Reuters – Arctic sea ice melted to its lowest level ever this week, shattering a record set in 2005 and continuing a trend spurred by human-caused global warming, scientists said on Thursday.
Arctic ice ebbs to record level: scientists (Reuters)
AFP – The chaotic cavalcade of blueish ice tumbling into the sea from the world’s fastest-moving glacier is sounding a daily climate change alarm, say scientists ahead of International Polar Day on Friday.
Greenland’s Jakobshavn glacier sounds climate change alarm (AFP)
AFP – Air pollution hugely increases the size of hail, and thus the amount of damage it can cause to crops and property, according to a study presented Wednesday at the European Conference on Severe Storms.
Air pollution causes bigger, more destructive hail (AFP)
AFP – Climate change has warmed up the Mediterranean Sea and threatens its rich animal and plant life, Italy’s Institute of Marine Research (ICRAM) warned in a new report Tuesday.
Mediterranean’s rich marine life under threat: study (AFP)
“Some days we can definitely tell that the air has come from China,” said Kim Holmen from atop the research station, looking out over the picturesque views of fjords, mountains and glaciers of Spitsbergen Island.
“Most of the particles we see come from Europe and Russia,” Holmen said of measurements gathered from atop Mount Zeppelin,
China’s Air — and Pollution — Shows Up in Norway (Via GreenOptions)
