China Air Pollution Affects Global Weather

ENVIRONMENTAL HOLOCAUST
TOXIC ATMOSPHERE
DEADLY AIR POLLUTION
INTENSE STORMS
GLOBAL IMPACT
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Asian air pollution intensifies Pacific storms: Study

Air pollution in China and other Asian countries is affecting weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere, as well as other parts of the globe, especially during winter, according to a study.

The particulate matter in the air are carried towards the north Pacific where they interact with water droplets in the air, causing the formation of denser clouds that result in more intense storms above the ocean, say researchers.

“Since the Pacific storm track is an important component in the global general circulation, the impacts of Asian pollution on the storm track tend to affect the weather patterns of other parts of the world during the wintertime, especially a downstream region [of the storm track] like North America,” said Dr Yuan Wang, the lead author.

“The impacts of Asian pollution on the storm track tend to affect the weather patterns of other parts of the world […] the effects are quite dramatic. The pollution results in thicker and taller clouds and heavier precipitation,” said Wang.

The impact of pollution on the weather pattern intensifies in the winter.

The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Convection depth in MMF and CAM for PD and PI over the northwest Pacific. Wang et al. PNAS

Abstract

Assessing the effects of anthropogenic aerosols on Pacific storm track using a multiscale global climate model

Atmospheric aerosols affect weather and global general circulation by modifying cloud and precipitation processes, but the magnitude of cloud adjustment by aerosols remains poorly quantified and represents the largest uncertainty in estimated forcing of climate change. Here we assess the effects of anthropogenic aerosols on the Pacific storm track, using a multiscale global aerosol–climate model (GCM). Simulations of two aerosol scenarios corresponding to the present day and preindustrial conditions reveal long-range transport of anthropogenic aerosols across the north Pacific and large resulting changes in the aerosol optical depth, cloud droplet number concentration, and cloud and ice water paths. Shortwave and longwave cloud radiative forcing at the top of atmosphere are changed by −2.5 and +1.3 W m−2, respectively, by emission changes from preindustrial to present day, and an increased cloud top height indicates invigorated midlatitude cyclones. The overall increased precipitation and poleward heat transport reflect intensification of the Pacific storm track by anthropogenic aerosols. Hence, this work provides, for the first time to the authors’ knowledge, a global perspective of the effects of Asian pollution outflows from GCMs. Furthermore, our results suggest that the multiscale modeling framework is essential in producing the aerosol invigoration effect of deep convective clouds on a global scale.

What about the US and EU Shares of Air Pollution, Dr Wang?

Interestingly, the report doesn’t say much about the air pollution created by the U.S. and EU.

Related Links

• Besotted by Beijing April 14, 2014
• Red Alert as Hazardous Smog Fills N China’s Shenyang March 27, 2014
• 7 Million People Killed by Air Pollution in 2012 March 25, 2014
• Killing Life in Beijing March 26, 2014

• EU Capitals Rivaling Beijing Air Pollution March 16, 2014
• Chinese Cities Unfit for Living March 8, 2014
• You’ve Created a World Unfit for Living February 28, 2014
• Apocalyptic Smog Covers 10 Percent of China February 25, 2014
• Hazardous Smog Continues Choking N China  February 24, 2014
• Beijing 398  February 23, 2014
• Derisory “Yellow Alert” as Brown Smog Bears on Beijing February 21, 2014
• Smog and Mirrors in Beijing February 16, 2014

For earlier posts on Beijing AQI, search blog content.

It won’t get any better, before it gets a lot worse!

The Elusive and the Surreal in China

Heavy smog continued to choke northeast China, forcing the closure of schools, highways, rail and bus services, airports…

Harbin city bus terminal 8:00am Tuesday, October 22, 2013. [Original Title: “Heavy smog envelops NE China’s cities for 4th day”] Photo credit: dbw.cn/ via Xinhua. More images…

Related Links

• Major City Shuts Down in China Smog Emergency  October 21, 2013

Smog Forces China’s Expressways Closures

North China shrouded in choking smog; dozens of expressways closed

Most parts of north China Sunday were shrouded in smog forcing authorities to shut down dozens of expressways in many provinces, and hindering the return of holidaymakers near the end of Chinese “golden week.”

Choking smog has enveloped the region for 5 days so far, with no sign of abating.

“In Beijing, heavy smog lasted into the second day Sunday and visibility was under 1,000 meters,” said a report.

“In the foggiest industrial city of Anshan, visibility was under 50 meters in some areas and many travelers were forced to postpone their trips.”

Authorities have so far closed down “six inter-provincial expressways, including roads linking the capital with Harbin in the northeast, Shanghai in the east, as well as Tianjin and Hebei,” and scores of expressways in several other provinces, said the report.

Original caption: Vehicles move slowly on the Sutong Bridge of the Shenyang-Haikou Highway (from south to north), east China’s Jiangsu Province, Oct. 1, 2013. Influenced by heavy fog, sections of highways in east China’s Shandong and Jiangsu Provinces won’t open to traffic until 10 a.m on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Zhu Jipeng). More images…

Related Links

• Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’ October 4, 2013

China’s Dangerous Air Pollution Extends to Japan

Beijing AQI: ‘Very Unhealthy’ Again

Tick clouds of smog from China rolled across southern Japan, as sandstorms reduced visibility forcing many flight cancellations in airports  across the region starting Sunday March 10, reports said.

• The sandstorm is believed to have contributed to unseasonably high temperatures across the Japan. Tokyo reported a high of 25.3ºC — the highest ever recorded for March since record-keeping began in 1876, NHK said.

Beijing PM-2.5 level, Tuesday 12 March 2013 @22:00. Source: Insdio

AQI Chart

AQI for other cities across China

Related Links

• Thousands of Dead Pigs Dumped in Shanghai River March 11, 2013
• China Shrouded in Sand, Dust and PM March 10, 2013

Major winter storm is wreaking havoc across Europe

Heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures forced the closure of Frankfurt International Airport, Europe’s third-largest, as hundreds of flights across other European airports were cancelled.

• The Eurostar high-speed train service between London and Paris was also suspended due to heavy snow in France and Belgium.
• “All Eurostar services are currently disrupted and are subject to severe delays,” said a statement on Eurostar’s website. “Our advice to passengers is not to travel today and not to come to our stations.”

• Freezing temperatures follow the unusually warm spell last week that saw temperatures up to 20ºC (68 degrees Fahrenheit) in some parts of Germany.

Major outbreak of Hand-foot-mouth (HFM) disease  in Vietnam

HFM,  a contagious viral disease, targets mostly infants and children. The disease has affected more than 10,000 people in Vietnam the first two months of this year, said the Vietnamese Ministry of Health.

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March 12, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,096 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,096 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Beijing Buried in Smog – Again!

Beijing and other Chinese provinces entombed in dense smog: Round 6

Chinese capital Beijing and many other large cities across the country were enveloped in dense smog Sunday for the 6th time in as many weeks.

Where are you going today? Dense smog chokes Neihuang County of Anyang City in central China’s Henan Province, Feb. 17, 2013. (Xinhua/Liu Xiaokun). Image may be subject to copyright. More images…

Hazardous smog again shrouded Beijing and neighboring provinces today, disrupting flights and halting highway traffic, officials said.

The visibility at Beijing Capital International Airport fell to 5 – 10 meters earlier today,  said a report.

The Beijing municipal traffic authorities were forced to shut down large sections of expressways linking to Kaifeng, Harbin, Shanghai and Tianjin.

Dense smog also enveloped the  provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shandong and Tianjin as well as NW China’s Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region in the south today.

“The air quality index reached 500, or extreme pollution, in five monitoring sites at 8 a.m. in Shijiazhuang, the provincial capital of Hebei,” said the report.

Recent Smog Links

• Dense Smog Continues Choking Much of China February 1, 2013
• Beijing Buried in Heavy Smog – Take 4 January 29, 2013
• Heavy Smog Entombs Beijing Again   January 23, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing January 14, 2013
• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China January 12, 2013

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February 17, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,119 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,119 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID PLANETARY DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Dense Smog Continues Choking Much of China

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,135 Days Left 

[February 1, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,135 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 …

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Entombed in smog:  Capital Beijing, 7 major cities and at least 6 populous provinces

Large parts of China major cities and populous provinces continued choking in hazardous smog, as air pollution warnings remained in effect on Thursday, said a report.

The worst affects areas are the capital Beijing, Tianjin municipality, Shijiazhuang, Jinan, Shanghai, Shenyang and Harbin cities, with heavy smog also reported in Hebei, Henan, Shandong, Liaoning and Jiangsu provinces.

• The visibility has dropped significantly, forcing the authorities to cancel flights and shut down expressways.
  

• “[China] is experiencing for the first time smog of such magnitude, spanning from the north all the way to the Yangtze River Delta and the Pearl River Delta,” said vice president for Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences.

China Smog Links

• Beijing Buried in Heavy Smog – Take 4 January 29, 2013
• Heavy Smog Entombs Beijing Again   January 23, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing January 14, 2013
• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China January 12, 2013

United States

Deadly storms move to U.S. Northeast

High wind generated by the 1,000-mile long storm system, stretching from New Orleans to Buffalo, cut power to hundreds of thousands of customers  in the northeast.

• Torrential rains have triggered flash floods in several areas throughout the northeast.

• Georgia declared a state of emergency in Bartow and Gordon counties, after an EF-3 tornado destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes, killing at least 1 person and injuring 17 others, some of them critically.
  • The worst affected town was southwestern Georgia town of Adairsville.

ADAIRSVILLE TORNADO

A SUPERCELL THUNDERSTORM THAT TRACKED ACROSS NORTHWEST BARTOW AND CENTRAL GORDON
COUNTIES FROM APPROXIMATELY 1115 AM TO 1155 AM ON WEDNESDAY… JANUARY 30 2013.

RATING:                 HIGH END EF-3 (136 TO 165 MPH)
ESTIMATED PEAK WIND:    160 MPH
PATH LENGTH /STATUTE/:  21.8 MILES
PATH WIDTH /MAXIMUM/:   900 YARDS
FATALITIES:             1
INJURIES:               17 /9 IN BARTOW…8 IN GORDON/ (NWS)

• Pulaski County declares state of emergency, evacuations ordered

NWS has confirmed the following tornadoes and straight-line winds in Kentucky:

• EF-1 tornado in Orange County at 1:47am
• EF-0 tornado in Meade County at 4:05am
• EF-0 tornado in Harrison County, IN and Jefferson County, KY at  4:17am
• EF-2 tornado in Warren County
• Tornado in Barren County
• EF-0 tornado in Marion County at 5:42am

Australia

Disaster declared in NSW

The Premier of NSW and the Prime Minister of Australia have jointly declared the council areas of Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Kyogle, Lismore, Nambucca, Richmond Valley, and Tweed as natural disaster areas.declare the council areas of Ballina, Bellingen, Byron, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, Kyogle, Lismore, Nambucca, Richmond Valley, and Tweed as natural disaster areas due to losses and damage caused by flooding.

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Beijing Buried in Heavy Smog – Take 4

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,138 Days Left 

[January 29, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,138 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 …

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Beijingers choking by ‘worst fog ever’

Round 4 of heavy smog in less than 4 weeks, described by Beijingers as the ‘worst fog ever,’ enveloped the Chinese capital on Monday, worsening on Tuesday, and severely affecting visibility in large portions of the city, Xinhua reported.

The pea soup fog reduced visibility in downtown Beijing to such extent that office workers could no longer see the building tops.

Putrid air has caused a surge in respiratory illnesses, especially among children and the elderly, the report said.

A pediatric hospital in downtown Beijing has treated a record 9,000 children this month, mostly flu, pneumonia, tracheitis, bronchitis and asthma patients.

Air quality in Beijing on Tuesday hit 517 on an index maintained by the U.S. Embassy in the Chinese capital, which described the pollution as “Beyond Index,” said Reuters.

• The choking smog enveloped several cities, covering a total area of 1.3 million square kilometers Tuesday, said the Ministry of Environmental Protection (MEP).
  

 

 

Related Links

• Heavy Smog Entombs Beijing Again   January 23, 2013
• Breathtaking Beijing January 14, 2013
• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China January 12, 2013

Egypt could collapse if political crisis continues

Egypt’s army chief warned today that the state could collapse should the current political turmoils continue.

• At least 60 people have been killed in the past 4 days as protesters across much of Egypt battle the police.
• “The continuation of the conflict between the different political forces and their differences over how the country should be run could lead to the collapse of the state and threaten future generations,” said the army chief, who is also the country’s defense minister.
• “The military is Egypt’s most powerful institution and was the de facto ruler since a 1952 coup by army officers seized power and later toppled the monarchy,” said a report.

• Hell would freeze over before Egyptians are allowed to have a functioning democracy!

Australian floods force evacuation of thousands in 2 states

• Burnett River burst its banks, flooding at least 2,000 homes in Bundaberg, Queensland.
  • The river was expected to peak above 9.6m, some 1.5m above the 2010 flood level.
  • “Those flood levels will be one of the highest levels recorded for the whole of the Bundaberg and Burnett region,” said Queensland Police Minister.
  • About 8,000 people have been displaced across the flooded city.

• The storm cell moved south triggering extreme rain in parts of New South Wales, prompting the forced evacuation of at least 2,500 residents in the city of Grafton, as rising water threatened the levees.

Related Links

• Final Eviction Notice to Australians? January 28, 2013

Heavy Smog Entombs Beijing Again

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,144 Days Left 

[January 23, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,144 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 …

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

 ‘Progress’ to absurdity: From the Great Wall to heavy smog

The air pollution in Beijing Municipality rose to hazardous levels again on Wednesday, as heavy smog blanketed the city.

• “At 3 p.m., air quality indices at most monitoring stations in the city proper ranged from 311 to 400, a serious level, according to statistics from the Beijing Municipal Environmental Monitoring Center.” said a report.

Smog envelopes Beijing, the Chinese capital, January 22, 2013.  (Xinhua/Wang Shen). More images…

Beijing meteorological observatory issued a yellow alert for heavy fog on Tuesday.

Beijing: The Forbidden City was  shrouded on Jan. 23, 2013. “The air quality hit the level of serious pollution in Beijing on Wednesday, as smog blanketed the city. (Xinhua/Wang Shen)”.

Related Links

• Breathtaking Beijing January 14, 2013
• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China January 12, 2013

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

Breathtaking Beijing

Earth dwellers fast running out of excuses!

Beijing’s PM2.5 particulate density exceed 900 micrograms per cubic meter over the weekend, nearly 40 times the World Health Organization’s “safe” daily limit, prompting the municipal government to issue a warning for air pollution.

• “Real-time monitoring data shows the air quality index was as high as 500 in most parts of the city, with some above 900. The smog is expected to last another three days, as weather conditions are preventing the pollutants from dispersing. The public are advised to stay indoors and to avoid strenuous exercise.” CNTV said.
  

• Beijing hospitals have reported increases of about 30% in the number of patients with respiratory problems in the past few days.

• Beijing has a minimum population of more than 20 million and at least 5.2 million vehicles.

Heavy smog shrouds Beijing for a 3rd day. Photo shows Central Business District in Beijing on January 13 as dense fog in  China’s east and central regions caused serious air pollution. The smog is expected to last until at least Wednesday. (Xinhua/Liu Changlong)

At least half of 74 Chinese cities monitored for air quality showed severe pollution over the weekend.

Related Links

• Hazardous Air Warnings in Beijing as Landslide Kills Dozens in SW China Posted January 12, 2013

Beijing Entombed in Smog

Hundreds of flights canceled or delayed at Beijing Capital International Airport, as hazardous smog buries Beijing

Thick fog worsened by air pollution has again buried Beijing forcing  the closure of dozens of highways and cancellation of hundreds of flights.

Disaster Calendar 2011 – December 5

[December 5, 2011]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,563 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Beijing, China. Thick fog worsened by air pollution has again entombed  Beijing forcing the closure of dozens of highways and cancellation of hundreds of flights.
• “As of 2 p.m. Monday, 207 inbound and outbound flights were canceled at Beijing Capital International Airport, while 126 were delayed for at least one hour,” a report said.
• “Readings by the U.S. Embassy, which measures inhalable particles of 2.5 microns, have described the pollution for days as ‘hazardous’,” according to Reuters.
  
• “On Sunday night, the U.S. Embassy’s index topped its ceiling of 500, and it was 356 on Monday afternoon, a reading that was still considered ‘dangerous’.”
• According to the municipal environmental monitoring center, Beijing’s air pollution index (API) was between 150 and 170 on Monday, a level regarded as ‘moderate’ by Chinese standards, Xinhua reported.
  
• Highways in the provinces of Shandong and Hebei, and Tianjin municipality, have also been closed due to poor visibility, the report said.

Lianhua Bridge in downtown Beijing, China, [14:00? ] Dec. 5, 2011. (Xinhua/Fu Chunrong). More photos …

• China is World No. 1 CO2 Polluter; the US follows closely. [See Report]
• China’s Air Pollution Deadliest in World. [See Report ]
• Pollution kills 750,000 [2.5million] people in China every year. [See Report]
• According to the World bank statistics, China has 16 of the 20 most polluted cities on earth!

Other Global Incidents

• Peru. The Peruvian President, a former army officer, has declared a state of emergency following mass rallies against a major mining project in Cajamarca region, northern Peru.
• The protests, which began 11 days ago, have led to violent clashes between police and demonstrators, leaving dozens of people injured.
• The project plans to divert water from four lakes high in the Andes to reservoirs used for gold-mining .
• The local peasants and local officials in Cajamarca oppose the project due to water shortages in the region, as well as the fear of pollution associated with mining gold.
  
• A drought since late summer has affected the region (population: ~ quarter of a million), which is Peru’s main dairy and livestock hub, forcing water rationing since August.
  
• The Conga gold mine project, worth 4.8 billion dollars, is operated by the US-based Newmont Mining.
  
• The mine sits more than 4,200 meters high in the Andes, about 1,000km north of the capital Lima.
  

Related Links

• HK’s Air Pollution Claims 600 Lives
• Energy Dinosaurs Fight for 2nd Place
• China determined to go all the way!

• World Without Superpowers a Better Place?
• China haze, temperature inversion, poor air quality
• China Under Siege

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities  (EDRO Forecast)
• 2011 Much More Disastrous: FIRE-EARTH Forecast
• Global Disasters in 2011 Could Impact 1/3 to 1/2 of the Human Population  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)
• Back to the Primordial Future
• Mass Die-offs  (FIRE-EARTH Forecast)

• 2010 Disaster Calendar 
• 2011 Disaster Calendar