Currently in Portland — September 28, 2023: Watch for wind and soggy soil

The weather, currently.

More rain is coming on Thursday, but total rainfall will be a bit lower, no more than a 10th of an inch. We’ve still got breezes kicking up into wind, too. The National Weather Service is warning of downed tree branches, thanks to this combination of wind and moisture, so keep an eye out on the roads. And although it’s a little late in the season, take a look at any trees hanging over your house that need to be addressed before any more strain (like wind and snow) can land on them.

— Stella Harris

What you need to know, currently.

James Hansen, the climate scientist whose 1988 testimony to Congress first made global warming an issue of national concern, has a new warning: Global warming is accelerating.

We’ve all seen the scary charts and maps of this summer of climate extremes. According to data from the first three weeks of September, it’s on track to be the most anomalously warm month we’ve ever measured as a species.

No climate scientist can honestly say they predicted this much warming this quickly, which is why all of us have been reduced to jaw-agape tweeting and comparing notes to figure out what’s happening.

Hansen believes he has narrowed it down to a change in the reflectiveness of clouds, one of the least-known parts of the climate system. Clouds are affected by all sorts of things, including particulate matter and aerosols from the burning of fossil fuels. What’s clear is that the Earth’s Energy Imbalance (EEI) is increasing. The Earth system has little choice but to warm at a faster rate.

“We predict at least a 50 percent increase of the post-2010 global warming rate, compared to the 1970-2010 rate of 0.18°C/decade. This is a partial payment in return for the Faustian bargain that humanity made when it chose to build its economies on fossil fuel energy.”

According to Hansen’s calculations, he concludes "it is now almost certain that the 12-month running mean temperature will exceed 1.5°C by May 2024 or earlier."

We are in a climate emergency.

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

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One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support existing networks: