Wednesday, January 28News That Matters

Climate Actions

Andhra Pradesh Welcomes Early Monsoon After Six-Year Wait

Andhra Pradesh Welcomes Early Monsoon After Six-Year Wait

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
In a rare and promising turn for agriculture, the southwest monsoon has swept into Andhra Pradesh nine days ahead of schedule, marking the earliest onset in the past six years. The seasonal rains, typically expected around June 4, reached Kavali this week and are set to cover the entire state within the next three days, offering a much-needed boost for the upcoming kharif cropping season. Meteorological officials confirmed that weather conditions remain favorable for the swift progression of the monsoon across both coastal Andhra and the Rayalaseema region, where the monsoon traditionally makes its initial landfall in the state. The early arrival of the rains is an auspicious sign for our farmers and the rural economy. It raises hopes for a strong agricultural yield and stable ground...
Anti-Environmentalism Is Surging — But Built on Contradictions It Can’t Escape

Anti-Environmentalism Is Surging — But Built on Contradictions It Can’t Escape

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
Though gaining political clout in the West, the movement’s internal paradoxes and global shifts are weakening its foundation. Across much of the Western world a wave of anti-environmentalism is rising challenging climate targets, attacking conservation measures, and reshaping politics in the US, UK, and Europe. Yet, behind the slogans and campaign rhetoric lies a movement riddled with contradictions. At its core anti-environmentalism is a rejection of environmental policies and climate activism. But its messages are often inconsistent, even self-defeating. In one breath, leaders denounce climate science and defund environmental protections. In the next, they proclaim themselves lovers of “clean air” and “beautiful nature.” Take Donald Trump. During his presidency, he rolled back k...
Torrential rain floods New South Wales: Regional towns brace for worsening emergency

Torrential rain floods New South Wales: Regional towns brace for worsening emergency

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Heavy rainfall continues to batter the Hunter and Mid North Coast regions of New South Wales, causing widespread flooding and prompting urgent warnings across affected areas. Rivers have burst their banks and are spilling across floodplains, putting entire communities under flood watch. As the rain tracks further south, more regions are bracing for potential devastation. This unfolding weather disaster highlights how susceptible rural catchments and regional populations are to extreme rainfall events, especially in the wake of similar flooding earlier this year in western Queensland. The crisis serves as a crucial reminder of the different challenges faced by rural Australia compared to its urban centres during such emergencies. Rural regions face unique vulnerabilities The Mid No...
Forests Flip from Climate Heroes to Carbon Villains as Wildfires Rise

Forests Flip from Climate Heroes to Carbon Villains as Wildfires Rise

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Fact Check
Forests long hailed as nature’s best defense against climate change are fast becoming major climate threats. A new policy brief released by the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health (UNU-INWEH) warns that wildfires are transforming boreal, Amazonian, and Australian forests into powerful carbon emitters undermining global climate targets and exposing critical flaws in current forest-based carbon offset policies. Titled Beyond Planting Trees Taking Advantage of Satellite Observations to Improve Forest Carbon Management and Wildfire Prevention, the report urges a radical rethink of global carbon sequestration strategies. It reveals how climate change, rising temperatures, and droughts are altering forests so profoundly that planting trees alone may actually ...
UK Records Driest Spring in Over a Century Amid Growing Drought Risk

UK Records Driest Spring in Over a Century Amid Growing Drought Risk

Breaking News, Climate Actions
In yet another sign of escalating climate volatility, the United Kingdom is experiencing its driest spring in more than 100 years. The Met Office has confirmed that this spring’s average rainfall stands at just 80 mm far below the usual seasonal average of 229 mm marking the country’s lowest precipitation for the season in over a century. Rainfall Plummets to Historic Lows The dry spell gripping Britain has seen vast areas of the country go without meaningful rain for extended periods. Notably, regions including Greater London, Hampshire, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, and Yorkshire have recorded 20 consecutive dry days. While some parts of Wales and southwest England received adequate rainfall earlier in March, most of the UK has seen sharp deficits since then. For comparison, s...
AI Weather Models Struggle with ‘Gray Swan’ Events, UChicago Study Finds

AI Weather Models Struggle with ‘Gray Swan’ Events, UChicago Study Finds

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Idea & Innovations, Tech
Neural networks excel at day-to-day forecasting—but falter when facing rare, extreme weather As the world increasingly relies on artificial intelligence for weather prediction, a new study led by the University of Chicago has uncovered a critical limitation: neural networks fail to anticipate so-called “gray swan” weather events rare but devastating occurrences that may not appear in the historical data used to train these AI systems. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on May 21, the study reveals that although AI models offer fast and energy efficient forecasts, they struggle to predict unprecedented weather phenomena such as 200-year floods, record-breaking heat waves, or catastrophic hurricanes. What Are Gray Swan Events? Unlike typical day-to-d...
Early Monsoon Hits Kerala, Triggers Torrential Rains and Heatwaves Across India

Early Monsoon Hits Kerala, Triggers Torrential Rains and Heatwaves Across India

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment
The Southwest Monsoon arrived early over Kerala on May 24, unsettling India’s seasonal weather balance with simultaneous floods and heatwaves across various regions. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) confirmed that this early onset nearly a week ahead of the typical June 1 schedule will usher in prolonged rainfall along the western coast while much of northern India remains trapped in oppressive heat. Torrential Rain Forecast Along the Western Coast With the monsoon now active, heavy to very heavy rainfall is expected to drench Kerala, Karnataka, coastal Maharashtra, and Goa over the coming week. The IMD has warned of extremely heavy downpours in isolated areas, especially during the weekends. This surge in rainfall is attributed to a depression currently brewing over the Eas...
Greater Horn of Africa Braces for Above Normal June–September Rainfall

Greater Horn of Africa Braces for Above Normal June–September Rainfall

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
A new regional climate outlook warns of an above-normal rainy season across much of the Greater Horn of Africa from June to September 2025, raising hopes for improved agricultural output while spotlighting risks of flooding and disease outbreaks. Issued during the 70th Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum (GHACOF), the forecast anticipates wetter-than-average conditions across key parts of Ethiopia, Sudan, South Sudan, Uganda, Kenya, and Djibouti. The forecast was released by the IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), in collaboration with WMO and national meteorological agencies. Key Rainfall Highlights The seasonal forecast projects a 55% chance of above-normal rainfall in: Central Sudan Eastern South Sudan Northern and southwestern Ethio...
Australia Reels from Deadly Floods: 5 Dead, Thousands Displaced in Southeast

Australia Reels from Deadly Floods: 5 Dead, Thousands Displaced in Southeast

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
Australia southeast is facing a grim aftermath after torrential rains triggered devastating floods, killing five people and damaging over 10,000 properties. The New South Wales mid-north coast has been hardest hit with entire towns isolated, homes destroyed and livestock lost to surging floodwaters. Emergency services remain on high alert, conducting rescues and damage assessments as floodwaters slowly recede. Over 50 rescues were carried out overnight with many residents still sheltering in evacuation centers. The latest confirmed fatality was an elderly man discovered at a flooded property near Taree. Government Mobilizes National Response Prime Minister Anthony Albanese expressed condolences to the families of those lost and pledged full federal support. In a post on X (for...
NOAA Forecasts Active 2025 Hurricane Season: 13–19 Named Storms Expected

NOAA Forecasts Active 2025 Hurricane Season: 13–19 Named Storms Expected

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters
U.S. meteorologists are warning of a potentially busy Atlantic hurricane season for 2025, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicting 13 to 19 named storms 6 to 10 of which could intensify into hurricanes. The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and runs through November 30. This above-normal forecast is based on two critical climate indicators: warmer-than-average Atlantic sea surface temperatures and the current neutral phase of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). These conditions tip the scales toward a more active season though experts stress that forecasting does not equate to guarantees. Warmer Waters and ENSO Fuel Storm Formation Hurricanes feed off warm ocean waters, and current sea surface temperatures are above the 3...