Red Alert Board 5 - 2026
Hi all,
This is where I will post my wild weather reports and general climate change information that I hear about for 2026. Sources are shown where known.
6 Jan 2026 - Confirmation that 2025 was the hottest and sunniest year for the UK since records began in 1884. Average temperatures reached 10.09 °C.
Source: Government figures.
10. Jan - Folkestone, UK - The concrete seafront promenade was destroyed in a storm when large waves washed away its foundations and scattered them along the beachfront.
Source: YouTube.
23 Jan - Sicily, Italy, was hit by a large wave, causing flooding in the town, due to a storm surge. A train was derailed, and beach roads were washed away.
Source: YouTube.
24 Jan - Please see my Thoughts On the Earth.org special email regarding Donald Trump's first year.
https://tearsfromthefront.blogspot.com/2026/01/thoughts-on-earthorg-special-message.html
Written by Earth.org Editor-In-Chief, Martina Igini. Copyright (C) 2026.
This catalogue, in part, lists some of the things he has done while in office.
Please contact Ms Igini at Earth.org for any further information.
Source: Earth.org Copyright (C) 2026.
26 Jan - Miskeny, Sicily, A mountainside plateau was cut off when part of its top gave way, burying the only road leading to the summit, causing a mile-long landslide. It dropped about 150 feet into the lower area. The sandy ground was saturated after the storm passed through the area. Over 500 residents have had to be evacuated. There are fears of more landslides to come on the plateau.
Source: YouTube.
There was extreme heat in Australia, rising to 49 °C in some parts. Elizabeth reached 45.6 °C, 48.6 °C at Wudinna, and 49.5 °C at Ceduna. There is a danger of fire breaking out in the very dry bush. Overnight temperatures average 30 °C. It has been the hottest day in Australia since 1999. They applied special tactics at the zoo to help keep the animals cool; ice blocks and showers were used in their cages.
Source: 9 News Australia.
27 Jan - Cairhbridge, County Down, N.Ireland - 10 cm of rain fell in 24 hours, with 81 mph winds. In Fermannah, one woman was put in the hospital when a tree fell on her car. Power cuts in Belfast, flooding in Dublin. More is expected in the coming days. Flooding also occurred in the Somerset levels and Cornwall.
28 Jan - White Barrow, Dartmoor, UK - 105 mm of rain fell due to Storm Chandra. A lorry driver was swept away in the flood and died. 5 giant 1000 litre per second pumps have been put into action to remove water from the moors.
31 Jan - Louisiana, USA - There was a snowstorm on Interstate 40, the biggest in years. Power lines are down, and 125,000 people are without power.
5 Feb - Perthshire in Scotland has had the wettest January in the last 100 years; four times the normal amount of rain has drenched the population. (IC - "They must have developed webbed feet by now").
Source: YouTube - The Scottish Detectorist.
Piedmont, Italy, has had large snowfalls, 4 feet in Monte Servierno, among the upper slopes. There is a Grade 4 avalanche warning; it is -22 °C. and 70 km/h winds are blowing. Alpine rescue issued a red alert. 1.5 metres of snow have fallen in just 3 days.
14 Feb - Lake Powell, Colorado, USA - It has been suffering a catastrophic drought for the last 20 years. It's lost a depth of 36 feet over 2024. The loss is accelerating. 142 above "Dead Pool" level, where the Colorado River does not flow at all. 10% of all vegetables are at risk. Upper basin states and lower basin states are suing each other. Can it be reversed through wet years? A climate disaster that keeps getting worse. Plans to evacuate cities are now being drawn up.
The river Trent in Leicestershire has overflowed its banks in places; more rain and snow are forecast.
Cosensa, Italy - An embankment on the Crati river gave way and is flooding the area, including housing and agriculture. A road has been completely destroyed. The river rose over 40 cm in an hour. 10 people have been cut off and will need to be rescued.
Piedmont, Italy - They have had large snowfalls. 4 feet in Monte Srevino's upper slopes. Grade 4 avalanche warnings. -22c, flooding in places.70 km/h winds.1.5 metres in 3 days.
17 Feb - Oklahoma, America - Three separate wildfires are raging, 145,000 acres destroyed. Four firefighters were injured.
21 Feb - New York, USA - Blizzard was expected to bring at least 30 inches of snowfall.
1 March - Inverness, Scotland - Scottish engineers have built a tidal system that generates free power for Inverness.
SOURCE: University of Edinburgh/ Orbital Marine Power.
8 March - Iceland is expecting another volcanic eruption in the near future. Scientists state that the magma chamber is at its maximum level so far. Earthquakes have been occurring by the Barrabunga crater, but it is possible that it could be tectonic plates moving. For further information, go to the Iceland weather pages.
Naples - Italy - Carbon Dioxide levels continue to rise, coming from vents beneath the houses in Naples. Roads have been destroyed, sea water boiling in places - this is being monitored by the coastguard. Ground swelling in the area has stopped, which could be a bad sign, not a good one, meaning that it is now at breaking point. Campi Flegrà and Mount Vesuvius now have a direct magma connection, scientists have confirmed.
I have said it before, and I will say it again. If you live in Naples. GET OUT NOW.
THE GOVERNMENT MUST EVACUATE NAPLES IMMEDIATELY.
25 April - Lake Mead, USA. The Hoover Dam has stopped being able to generate hydro-power as the water level has dropped too low to support it. Los Angeles is in stage 4 water management mode. Crop losses are expected to be around $7 Billion. This has been caused by a long drought and too much overuse of water resources. This year, the winter meltwater dispersed into the soils before it reached the waterways.
8th May - Franklin, USA - A tornado has struck this community, causing devastation over a wide area. There was little visible warning, as the tornado was obscured by a rainstorm that hid its familiar funnel shape. People hid in barns or storm shelters, and others in the church. Houses and churches were hit; some were flattened or had roofs ripped off. At least one bell tower was ripped off the roof.
Scientists report that Africa is being ripped apart by plate tectonics, one along Ethiopia and the east coast and one down the central axis. The eastern one is predicted to form another sea, but it will take quite a while to form.
10 May - Cooga Basin, South Africa - Flooding in river areas. Roads have been washed away. Severe rainstorms have caused landslides.
11th May - Rio Grande, USA - The Elephant Butte dam is at 12% capacity of its normal flow rate.
25th May - London, UK - Broke a new temperature record for May,34.8' C. It is not even summer yet.
30th May - An Youtube excerpt from "WE SAW WHAT AI DATA CENTRES DONT WANT YOU TO SEE"
There are over 300 AI Data centres in Texas, with another 100 planned to be constructed in the future. The Texas Starlink AI Data Centre currently uses up to 10 fossil-fuel gas turbines to power it, with 50 more planned for the expansion phase. An 80-gigawatt power station would be able to power 60 % of the homes in Texas, but it will power just one of the Data centers.
These gas-fired power plants emit nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide, with particulate matter in the size of 2.5 micrometres, which is detrimental to people's health. No public consultation took place before construction began, or since. It will be at least 2028 before any data centres are connected to any renewable energy sources. The power stations are operating under a temporary power licence. Legislation and oversight is currently lagging ten years behind.
(The Trump administration has hobbled regulators from being able to do their job. - Insert Ivor Cogdell)
Drone footage taken from nearby properties shows some of the turbines glowing with the heat generated. They raise the local thermal footprint by two degrees centigrade, adding to the overall heat island in the locality. This does not include the temperatures and cooling needed for the actual graphics cards on the PC motherboards. It should be in a closed loop, but no system is perfect. Water usage in the area could rise by 9%. This is at a time of critical drought in the State of Texas and beyond.
To see the full YouTube episode, click the link below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p426fSlYH4
SOURCE: PBS Terra and Floodlight news.
Host / Story Editor - Joe Hanson .Ph.D.
Writer / Story Producer Editor - Mimi Schifman
Creative Director - David Schulte
Cinematographer - April Kirby
Editor / Animator - Steven Simone
Producer Evan Simon
Producer Thomas Fernandes
Executive producer Amanda Fox
Coordinating producer (PBS North Carolina) : Nicole Eure
Executive Producer (PBS North Carolina) : Rachel Raney
Executive in charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming (PBS) Gabrielle Ewing
Assistant Director of Programming (PBS): Mike Martin
Fact checker: Sruthi S. Balakrishnan, Ph.D.
Stock Video/images: Shutterstock, Storyblocks, Motion ~Array Artists.
Music: APM, Artist.
A PBS North Carolina and Spotsen production in collaboration with Floodlight for PBS Digital Studios. (C) 2026 PBS. All Rights Reserved.
More to come.
Regards,
Ivor Cogdell Copyright (c) 2026 to Webpage, individual sources are shown, where known.