Europe’s Sweltering Heat

During the latter part of May, Europe had been experiencing a heat wave rather early in the summer. I read that this past week, Spain was supposed to reach 104 degrees Fahrenheit but I don’t think the country quite reached there.

But still, the continent sweltered last week: Britain, France and Spain all had above average temperatures with people dying in France.

On top of that to make things worse are the “tropical nights” where the nighttime temperatures do not cool down enough to enable the body to recover from the heat. Apparently, Europe has been experiencing a few days of tropical nights.

Start of hurricane season

Tomorrow is the start of hurricane season and I’m worried because FEMA and possibly the weather stations have been gutted. Even though we are expecting a strong El Nino which would mean a lower number of hurricanes forming in the Atlantic/Caribbean, all it takes is one hurricane hit to turn your life upside down.

Just checked the news and yes, both Colorado and NOAA are expecting a below average season. But it takes just one landing…

2025 Season

Last season was extraordinary: there was no landfall. All storms that formed over the Atlantic waters stayed over the waters and headed Northeast.

Also, I think there were some environmental ingredients that that reduced storm formation: dust in the air and presence of wind shear. The water was plenty warm but there was quite a bit of dust and wind shear.

I would love for that to happen again this year. Unfortunately, it looks like the waters (sea surface temperatures) are very warm for the time of year. And the heat content (how far down the heat lies in the water) is also quite high.

One little dismaying feature…

I’m looking at a graphic from AccuWeather and it shows that there is less activity in the Atlantic, especially in the area of storm formation and greater activity in the Pacific, off the shores of southern Mexico and Central America, right where storms from the Pacific side can often traverse and then hit the Caribbean/the Gulf.

So, I have to be aware of storms forming on the Pacific side with the potential to traverse overland into the Gulf. I don’t think that’s normal; normally they move northwest rather then north or northeast.

Side Note

Reporters and researchers don’t talk much about climate change anymore or maybe it is just that I don’t see such news crossing my feed.

But it is probable that climate change is still a future risk for the world. It seems we are still heating up.

But there are at least 2 other long-term risks the world is facing. One concerns the impact of AI on the economy and the job market and the other… I’m not sure what to call it. It’s some kind of insanity pervading the world. Maybe it’s cultural or political or democracy related or income/wealth inequality related.

The people’s mood is definitely worrying.

From now until the election will be intense election propaganda. Texas will be particularly nasty as it is between Ken Paxton and James Talerico.

We’ve already had 4 attempts on the President’s life (although the one on his son’s wedding day was not even close). That is a measure of the insanity out there.

Even the primary results are crazy:

  • Thomas Massie’s primary loss is rather surprising since he is a staunch conservative, and I thought he was pursuing actions that fits in with what his constituents would want. I think his constituents were against the Iran war and wanted the Epstein files to be released. I’m having a hard time with that one. He is doing what they voted him in for.
  • John Cornyn’s primary loss to Ken Paxton was also stunning. I read recently that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor gave support to John Cornyn. John Cornyn may be boring but he has pretty much supported the President and he does not come with ethical baggage. And yet, the primary Republican voters chose the one with ethical baggage. It makes me wonder where they are.

Those two primary results are shocking and may constitute an ugly mood in the nation.

And the data centers in Texas may also be contributing to the ugly mood. One reporter says “something is happening” although he has only anecdotal evidence. Some really red voters out in the rural are so angry about the data centers making life miserable that they are willing to vote Democrats. That is also shocking.

They have to be “flipping mad” to vote out of their comfort zone.

Which makes me think of pitchforks. I am hearing more and more the words “pitchforks” or “French revolution”. That’s scary. To have people say that outright – well in YouTube comments – seem to signal to me that people are getting angrier and angrier.

And the final worrisome element is I’m starting to notice the presence of discussion around potential shortages in June – shortages of groceries or gas, further making life miserable for the average American.

It feels combustible.

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