Spring, Summer, Autumn (or fall), and Winter.

[Sandra]

BREAKING NEWS

Thunderstorms set to batter Britain: Met Office issues amber alert for 'significant' flooding and up to FOUR inches of rain in London and South East.

Parts of southern England are set to be battered by torrential rain on Saturday which could cause 'significant' flooding and a danger to life, the Met Office said. An amber warning for thunderstorms has been issued for between 4am and 11am spanning major towns and cities including London, Brighton, Portsmouth, Chelmsford, St Albans and Cambridge.

[Sandra]

 Earthquake hits Naples 'like a bomb', with people fleeing into the streets as city is rocked by its most powerful tremors in 40 years

The quake measured the same magnitude as an earthquake recorded in the region on March 13, the strongest to hit the region in 40 years.

[Sandra]

Intense thunderstorms and torrential rain could cause flooding and even pose a danger to life, while buildings are at risk of damage due to floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

Issued from 4am to 11am, the warning comes amid fears that up to 4in (100mm) of rainfall could occur in just a few hours - equivalent to more than a month's worth of rain.
It marks the first amber warning issued for the capital in 18 months after Storm Henk battered England and Wales with strong winds in January 2024.

[Sandra]

Raging wildfires have engulfed Turkey outside the country's fourth-largest city - forcing hundreds of residents to flee their homes.

Flames ripped through the forested mountains surrounding Bursa city in northwest Turkey overnight, shining a threatening red glow on the night sky.

It marks the latest city to be hit by deadly blazes this summer - as destinations in Greece and Cyprus have also fallen victim to aggressive wildfires amid unseasonably high temperatures. 

The governor's office in Bursa said more than 1,760 people had been safely evacuated from villages to the northeast as more than 1,100 firefighters battled the flames.

The highway linking Bursa to the capital, Ankara, was closed off as surrounding forests burned.

Orhan Saribal, an opposition parliamentarian for the province, likened the scene to 'an apocalypse'.

Turkey has been hit by dozens of wildfires every day since late June - with Forestry Minister Ibrahim Yamukli revealing fire crews across the country approached 76 separate blazes yesterday alone.

The fires are being ignited by unusually high temperatures, alongside dry conditions and strong winds.

[Sandra]

Europe burns: Tourists flee inferno bearing down on Italian beach while flames rip through Greek holiday islands and Turkey faces wildfire 'apocalypse' amid record 50.5C heatwave

Europe is being ravaged by a wave of wildfires and blistering heat as a dangerous combination of high winds, drought, and soaring temperatures triggers mass evacuations.
Throughout July, scenes of scorched landscapes and sheer panic from Greece to Turkey and Italy.

Terrified beachgoers were seen fleeing by boat from beaches in Italy's Sardinia Island as fires surged inland.
Meanwhile, in Turkey, temperatures hit a national record of 50°C, fanning flames that have already killed dozens of people and forced tens of thousands of residents to run for their lives.

[Sandra]

European forecasters warned that 'hell is coming' with a record breaking heatwave hitting the continent from Tuesday - posing a threat to life.

With days of temperatures climbing to 104F (40C) and above in some cities, forecasters have predicted France may experience the hottest June on record.

The news has struck fear into many who recall the continent's 2003 heatwave which saw 15,000 people die as temperatures reached a peak of 111F (44.1C) in mid august.

France's national forecaster Météo-France has called the temperatures a threat to life and warned that the intense heat may not lull until next week - even during the nights. 

The heatwave is being caused by a 2,000-mile wide plume of hot air dubbed the 'Saharan bubble' which is being blown from Africa by an unusually strong jet stream.

Britain also faces a sweltering week-long heatwave that could see temperatures soar past 86F (30C) following the past two days of widespread downpours and flooding.

Forecasters are predicting sunshine and hot conditions for the next few days in Britain, starting with a muggy high of 80F today before the mercury starts to creep up to 86F by Thursday.

[Sandra]

Scientists discover Earth has two new seasons


Experts have warned that 'haze season' and 'trash season' are now part of Earth's annual climate rhythm, disrupting ecosystems and redefining the calendar.

The new seasons are now recurring every year, driven entirely by human activity and posing serious threats to public health, marine life, and global ecosystems.

Haze season occurs annually across parts of Southeast Asia, when thick smoke blankets the region, causing hazardous air quality and widespread health concerns.

Most of the haze comes from intentionally set fires, massive burn-offs used to clear land for agriculture in countries like Indonesia and Malaysia.

A similar pattern has been found in the US as California's wildfire season, once limited to the hottest months, now begins in spring and extends well into December.

Meanwhile, in Bali, a different kind of season unfolds each year from December to March. As monsoon winds shift, ocean currents carry staggering volumes of plastic waste ashore, burying beaches under piles of garbage.

This 'trash season' has become so consistent that locals can now predict it down to the month.

Similar events have been seen in the Philippines, Thailand, and even along the US East Coast, where the Gulf Stream and other currents push floating debris toward Florida and the Carolinas, especially during summer.
In California, wildfires now start earlier in spring and can burn well into December

To better understand and describe the shifting climate rhythms, the research team analyzed decades of satellite imagery, weather data, and local reports.

They've even introduced a new vocabulary to define the evolving seasonal patterns: extinct seasons, arrhythmic seasons, and syncopated seasons.

The haze season in Southeast Asia typically starts in June and runs through September.

The smoke often drifts across borders, enveloping cities in Singapore, Thailand, and beyond in a toxic cloud that can last for weeks.

The researchers led by the London School of Economics and Political Science said that this 'is caused by the widespread burning of tropical peatlands in regions of Malaysia and Indonesia and is now considered an annual event in equatorial Southeast Asia, impacting the health and livelihoods of millions.'

This season has also been appearing in northern India every winter, as the monsoon season ends and crop burning begins, often intensified locally by Diwali festive burning.

[Red Hedonist Joy]

An entire nation about to sink into the sea.

Islanders of Tuvalu Prepare first Mass Migration because of Sea Level Rise, as ICJ grants them Right to Sue

https://www.juancole.com/2025/07/islanders-migration-because.html

[TeaseMe]

An entire nation about to sink into the sea.

Islanders of Tuvalu Prepare first Mass Migration because of Sea Level Rise, as ICJ grants them Right to Sue

https://www.juancole.com/2025/07/islanders-migration-because.html

Somehow, "Like" doesn't seem to be the proper response...

[Red Hedonist Joy]

BREAKING NEWS: 8.7 Magnitude earthquake in Russia THE LARGEST EARTHQUAKE IN WORLD HISTORY-- The ENTIRE WEST COAST is now on tsunami watch.

[Sandra]

 Terrified British tourists are left behind as their cruise ship flees Hawaii 'tsunami' after biggest earthquake in 14 years triggers panic

A huge 8.8-magnitude earthquake has sent tsunami waves across the world, including Japan and Russia. Waves are also expected to strike the United States, and the US' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported waves of nearly six feet hitting Maui, Hawaii.
As people brace themselves for possible disaster, some holidaymakers have reported cruise ships are leaving without passengers.


 Tsunami panic grips the Pacific: Japan is hit by five-foot tidal wave after biggest earthquake in 14 years caused millions to evacuate -
The world's biggest earthquake in 14 years has plunged Japan, Russia and the entire west coast of America into tsunami watch with fears for millions.


Japan and Philippines downgrade tsunami threat

Both Japan and the Philippines have downgraded the tsunami threat facing their countries.

Tsunami threat to Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, US embassy warns

The US embassy to Papua New Guinea has warned that the country, as well as the Solomon Islands and Vanuatu, are under a tsunami threat alert.

1h ago 12:19
Tsunami waves reach Washington state

Tsunami waves have reached Washington state, the US National Weather Service has said.

The waves triggered by the 8.8 magnitude earthquake first hit the US in Hawaii.

They've also made land in California - we reported on a "rapid and damaging surge" in our 10.49 post.

Now, further up the US western coast, Washington state has been hit as well.

Tide gauges recorded tsunami waves in both La Push and Westport - both west of Seattle on the coast.

NWS Seattle repeated warnings heard elsewhere asking people to keep away from the shore and water for now.

[Sandra]

 Thunderstorms warning is issued for London and the South East with more than two inches of rain set to fall in just two hours

Forecasters say there are risks of sudden flooding, 'difficult driving conditions' and a risk of delays to public transport services.