49 h. ago Marine heatwave found to have engulfed area of ocean five times the size of Australia

World Meteorological Organization report says record heat in 2024 was driven by climate crisis and intersected with extreme weather eventsAlmost 40 million sq kilometres of ocean around south-east Asia and the Pacific – an area five times the size of Australia – was engulfed in a marine heatwave in 2024, a World Meteorological Organization (WMO) report has revealed.WMO scientists said the record heat – on land and in the ocean – was mostly driven by the climate crisis and coincided with a string of extreme weather events, from deadly landslides in the Philippines to floods in Australia and rapid glacier loss in Indonesia. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Voices: Intense weather events are here to stay – it’s up to us how intense they get

We have a chance now to not only batten down the hatches but save millions from being swept away by flooding – but we must accept that the reality of dealing with climate change will be boring and steady rather than glamorous and immediate, writes Chris Wright

Politics

9 d. ago Sun blotted out as sky above Greek islands turn orange after two earthquakes hit

A cloud of Saharan dust hung above the Greek island of Crete over the weekend, causing an eerie hue to fall over Heraklion and Chania. The weather event is called Calima

Events

2 w. ago The Guardian view on the BBC World Service: a boon to the UK, as well as audiences elsewhere | Editorial

Britain would benefit from pledging more sustained and committed support in this age of disinformation and global turmoilTwo years ago, BBC Arabic radio left the airwaves after decades. Soon afterwards, Russia’s Sputnik service began broadcasting on the frequency left vacant in Lebanon. That detail illuminates a larger picture. China, Russia and others see global-facing media as central to their global ambitions and are investing accordingly – pumping out propaganda to muddle or drown out objective, independently minded journalism. These outlets are state-controlled as well as state-owned.Meanwhile, conspiracy theories and disinformation proliferate online, attacks on press freedom intensify and the Trump administration is dismantling media organisations including Voice of America and Radio Free Asia (RFA), which have been essential sources of information for audiences under repressive regimes. Official Chinese media were gleeful at what RFA’s president, Bay Fang, cal...

Events

2 w. ago Renfrewshire Council carries out 'extensive tree works' across cemeteries after Storm Eowyn

Weather event saw strong winds cause severe disruption in January, with clearance and survey works required in cemeteries.

Events

2 w. ago Met Office transfers to new supercomputer to boost UK forecast accuracy

Extreme weather events can also be predicted with greater accuracy using the new technology.

Politics

3 w. ago 'All kinds of nutty about climate.' New York's Rochester draws residents fleeing extreme weather

One of America’s first boomtowns and a former manufacturing hub, Rochester, New York, has captured the eye of some looking to escape extreme weather events

Society

3 w. ago Antihistamines, masks and showers: how to manage seasonal allergies

With pollen season in full swing, here is what to know about allergy treatments and when to seek medical helpAllergy season is always rough, and it has only been getting worse.Warming global temperatures and an increasing number of extreme weather events have made the pollen season in North America 20 days longer than it was in 1990, according to one 2021 study. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago 'Dust devil' rips through UK city as rare weather event caught on camera

One man said he thought towering cloud of dust was a tornado as streets were suddenly cast in darkness.

Events

4 w. ago ‘If I had to choose, I’d prefer the earthquake’: the 2015 disaster left Nepal in ruins, now record rains wreak fresh havoc

Despite attempts to build resilience by improving infrastructure and first response, extreme weather events and US aid cuts have left many feeling vulnerableWhen the monsoon rains came last September, they swept away most of the village of Panauti, in the foothills of the Nepali Himalayas. The Roshi River overflowed after the unprecedented rainfall, triggering landslides and destroying most of the roads and bridges.Peering through the thick blanket of relentless rain “felt like waiting for morning to arrive so we could see the world again”, says Bishnu Humagain. “We lost everything – our home, our agriculture, and all of our belongings.” Continue reading...

Events