The Weather Thread 2023

[steviewevie]

15 minutes ago, DeanoL said:

I totally believe in climate change, and without it this wouldn't have happened, but am curious: is this the new normal? Or is this proper freak weather, once every ten years sort of thing? 

Like, were it not for climate chance, the peak would have been lower, and a freak super-hot few days wouldn't have been this bad. But is this the new freak weather top-end, or is this just normal now?

It's a freak event...but events like this are probably going to become less freaky. So, this still could have happened in the past, but temperatures would likely have maxed at mid 30s. Next time it will be mid 40s. Average temperatures will increase too, and I guess there could be some more instability in weather patterns because all sorts of knock on reasons from increasing temperatures globally. I think climate scientists are kind of surprised we're hitting these max temperatures already, which doesn't bode well.

[moogster]

5 minutes ago, steviewevie said:

It's a freak event...but events like this are probably going to become less freaky.

Exactly, instead of being a one in ten years thing, it will be every three years or something like that. 

[gooner1990]

1 hour ago, blutarsky said:

We have three vehicles [looks guilty] and all are diesel [looks guiltier]. 

11 year old campervan, 11 year old estate and a 20 year old hatchback. Would love to upgrade to EV but they are way out of our price range for the time being. Fully intend to run the hatchback until it dies. MOT next month - fingers crossed it'll be fine. 

One redeeming factor for us is we have really quite low mileage. The hatchback does <3,000 miles a year. 

My car is only just over 5 years old and has done about 40,000 miles...I could probably keep it until the ban comes in 2030 and run it into the ground, but I think I'll want to make the switch prior to that....I wonder if buying diesel at the pumps will actually become a bit of a problem by then?

[fred quimby]

4 hours ago, moogster said:

My mother, a full on fake news climate change denier, says "who cares because anyway in 500 million years the earth won't exist".  I have to say that leaves me speechless... 
And she buys bottled water because the tap water isn't good. (spoiler: it is really good)

She even has that wrong, it is around 5 billion years when the sun will engulf the earth. Life long gone by then of course

[fred quimby]

4 hours ago, moogster said:

Yes but on the other hand, isn't it better to use the car until it's really dead instead of using resources for a new one? Someone somewhere must have done the climate karma maths. 

There was a radio programme on it somewhere.

What I remember is that it takes 6 years ( hope I remembered that correct) to be carbon natural on the making a new electric car.

Radio 4 programme called sliced bread had it on

[moogster]

1 minute ago, fred quimby said:

She even has that wrong, it is around 5 billion years when the sun will engulf the earth. Life long gone by then of course

It's not like I can even try to counterargument 😉

There's a very appropriate French expression there (my mother being French and all). Après moi, le déluge. After me, the flood. WIkipedia tells me that expression is from the 18th century but it is unfortunately very appropriate for climate change deniers. 
"I don't care if I get a few extra beach days and my grand grand kids will have to live underground" type of thing...

[moogster]

1 minute ago, fred quimby said:

There was a radio programme on it somewhere.

What I remember is that it takes 6 years ( hope I remembered that correct) to be carbon natural on the making a new electric car.

Radio 4 programme called sliced bread had it on

Interesting, thanks!

[gigpusher]

26 minutes ago, moogster said:

It's not like I can even try to counterargument 😉

There's a very appropriate French expression there (my mother being French and all). Après moi, le déluge. After me, the flood. WIkipedia tells me that expression is from the 18th century but it is unfortunately very appropriate for climate change deniers. 
"I don't care if I get a few extra beach days and my grand grand kids will have to live underground" type of thing...

Yep that's very much the problem. It's the issue that every successive government keeps pushing down the road for someone else to deal with. 

Most of us are guilty of not taking it seriously enough and the only way it will be taken seriously enough is legislation. It seems a shame that at a time when we seriously need international cooperation for dealing with this, that a lot of countries are opting for more isolationist policies like Brexit. 

[gooner1990]

3 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Yep that's very much the problem. It's the issue that every successive government keeps pushing down the road for someone else to deal with. 

Most of us are guilty of not taking it seriously enough and the only way it will be taken seriously enough is legislation. It seems a shame that at a time when we seriously need international cooperation for dealing with this, that a lot of countries are opting for more isolationist policies like Brexit. 

Me and my gf were speculating what could be brought in......flying seemed an obvious one to restrict....no of planes in the air at any given time? No of flights someone can take inside a year?

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, gigpusher said:

Yep that's very much the problem. It's the issue that every successive government keeps pushing down the road for someone else to deal with. 

Most of us are guilty of not taking it seriously enough and the only way it will be taken seriously enough is legislation. It seems a shame that at a time when we seriously need international cooperation for dealing with this, that a lot of countries are opting for more isolationist policies like Brexit. 

Also the problem with our form of government is that whichever party is in power only thinks as far ahead as the next election. I'm not sure what we do about that, though. I wouldn't want to be stuck with them any longer than that.

It was still roasting in my flat this morning but finally started cooling down by around 11. Guess just retained heat from the last two days even though we pretty successfully kept it cooler than outside for the duration. I really l hope the thunderstorms in the forecast come to pass.

 

[moogster]

3 minutes ago, gooner1990 said:

Me and my gf were speculating what could be brought in......flying seemed an obvious one to restrict....no of planes in the air at any given time? No of flights someone can take inside a year?

My previous employer, a VERY large corporation, is all about being green. I was part of a large project, where we were expected to fly... twice a month! Then it became three times a month. Ridiculous. I could navigate Heathrow with my eyes closed.

(I left and my current corporate employer seems to be taking the green thing in a much more serious manner).

It took Covid to review the need for that much in person interaction. This should just not be allowed but then the very rich and powerful will find excuses/workarounds. Companies should just include the number of flights their employees take a year. How often the corporate jet was in the air. Publish their travel policy.

Waiting for the storm, humidity got up though so I am starting to melt.

 

[fred quimby]

18 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Also the problem with our form of government is that whichever party is in power only thinks as far ahead as the next election. I'm not sure what we do about that, though. I wouldn't want to be stuck with them any longer than that.

 

 

A people's parliament. Not easy to work mind but could be thought about. People choosen at random. Heard a program on it and very interesting,  as they are not elected they do not have that issue politicans do and can think long term.

[gigpusher]

23 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Also the problem with our form of government is that whichever party is in power only thinks as far ahead as the next election. I'm not sure what we do about that, though. I wouldn't want to be stuck with them any longer than that.

It was still roasting in my flat this morning but finally started cooling down by around 11. Guess just retained heat from the last two days even though we pretty successfully kept it cooler than outside for the duration. I really l hope the thunderstorms in the forecast come to pass.

 

Yep it's the problem with things like education policy as well. Change primary education for the better and wait 12-16 years to see the benefits. 

[Zoo Music Girl]

2 minutes ago, fred quimby said:

A people's parliament. Not easy to work mind but could be thought about. People choosen at random. Heard a program on it and very interesting,  as they are not elected they do not have that issue politicans do and can think long term.

Interesting. I also think a move towards more coalition style governments could help with things like climate change but who knows?

[fred quimby]

36 minutes ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Interesting. I also think a move towards more coalition style governments could help with things like climate change but who knows?

On BBC sounds look up - thought cage. One called parliament by lottery 

[steviewevie]

1 hour ago, Zoo Music Girl said:

Interesting. I also think a move towards more coalition style governments could help with things like climate change but who knows?

maybe. Hopefully. But how high a priority is it amongst the public? Hardly gets a mention in election debates...maybe it will if we keep getting extreme weather events. I think we need to ditch democracy and just put the Green Party in charge. Or a computer.

[Zoo Music Girl]

Where is the rain I was promised 😐

[DeanoL]

2 hours ago, gooner1990 said:

Me and my gf were speculating what could be brought in......flying seemed an obvious one to restrict....no of planes in the air at any given time? No of flights someone can take inside a year?

You could go the whole hog with a carbon-credits system. It'd just be extremely intrusive. Problem with anything else is there's always a big enough group of people that'll feel it's unfair.

Why should a vegan couple with no kids and no intention of doing so who drive an electric car and have solar panels not be allowed to fly four times a year, etc.

So it'll end up being an economic thing instead. Flight costs will go up or be taxed more, meat the same. Poor will suffer the most. That's how we handle everything here, though I doubt there's the desire to do it any other way.

[Suprefan]

5 hours ago, DeanoL said:

I totally believe in climate change, and without it this wouldn't have happened, but am curious: is this the new normal? Or is this proper freak weather, once every ten years sort of thing? 

Like, were it not for climate chance, the peak would have been lower, and a freak super-hot few days wouldn't have been this bad. But is this the new freak weather top-end, or is this just normal now?

It will be the new normal sooner than you think. There will likely be new peaks eventually. Everyone needs to start preparing for this now so next time its bearable.  ( said everyone years ago but didnt take it seriously ) The previous hottest day was 3 years ago and then hottest on average wasnt til 2006. All the records now are within the last few years with stuff from 30 years ago being pushed out. 

[steviewevie]

 

[Rufus Gwertigan]

The fridges are up and running at my Aldi. I was able to get my bacon fix and all is good in the world. I survived the heatwave of 2022 and I claim my t shirt 

[Alvoram]

We’ve had our first rain this morning!!! The air is cold it’s only 18c and will only reach 21c all day! It’s so refreshing! 

No need to water the lawn this morning, and it may actually be safe to mow it (it needs it) with more showers forecast!!! 

Edited July 21, 2022 by Alvoram

[steviewevie]

Like autumn here.

[efcfanwirral]

18 hours ago, Suprefan said:

It will be the new normal sooner than you think. There will likely be new peaks eventually. Everyone needs to start preparing for this now so next time its bearable.  ( said everyone years ago but didnt take it seriously ) The previous hottest day was 3 years ago and then hottest on average wasnt til 2006. All the records now are within the last few years with stuff from 30 years ago being pushed out. 

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of talk about preparation/adaptation, its all about prevention (of something that's already happening).

I guess preparing in terms of carrying on when it happens means more energy so I think the answer next time will be to just cancel all the trains in advance for the day, not have refrigerated foods in supermarkets and leave the food in the proper storage units, more "stay at home" messaging etc. Can't really see any other options. 

[steviewevie]

7 hours ago, efcfanwirral said:

There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of talk about preparation/adaptation, its all about prevention (of something that's already happening).

I guess preparing in terms of carrying on when it happens means more energy so I think the answer next time will be to just cancel all the trains in advance for the day, not have refrigerated foods in supermarkets and leave the food in the proper storage units, more "stay at home" messaging etc. Can't really see any other options. 

I mean...yes definitely need to prepare...need to prepare for extremes...floods, heatwaves, droughts, famine, geopolitical and local instability, mass movement of people etc. For adaption maybe means rethinking town/city planning, white roofs, more greenery, more trees, more shade etc.  And at same time we need to invest to stop things getting worse, investing in renewables/nuclear, home/office insulation and more efficient heating/AC technologies, limit flying, stop use of fossil fuels. But, all of it costs, loads of money needs investing. And we are restricted by short term thinking driven by democracies, autocratic nationalist narcissist w*nk like Putin, populism everywhere and just loads and loads of dumbarse social media bollocks. So fuck all will happen. And the whole climate thing will probably end up being part of the culture war anyway, and the deniers will win, because their arguments are easy.

Hopefully some aliens will land and save us.