Search Results (38)

The Szczecin Lagoon’s shores and its water fluctuations were analyzed. The rates of shore retreat and other threats are presented for the period 2002–2026. This work aims to present shores prone to water and ice-shove erosion and flooding. The spatial distributions of different coasts and their morphologies and geology were examined. Data were obtained through field investigations following the strongest surges, and from secondary sources, including topographic information about the coasts. The hydrometeorological conditions in which erosion is likely to occur were investigated. Events associated with the highest water levels increase in the 21st century, and examples of their impacts on the shores are given. The relationship between sea-level changes and lagoon waters during the largest storm surges in the 21st century was analyzed. During storm surges, the water level (WL) in the lagoon may be 1 m above the mean sea level (AMSL), but run-up in the lagoon may reach up to 2 m AMSL. The length of the eroded coast has increased. An increasing number of small erosive coves are cut off in reed belts and shore sediments. Their annual retreat rate is 0.1–0.2 m. Large sections of the low-lying coast up to 2 m AMSL are prone to flooding during high water levels. The rate of retreat is 0.3–0.7 m/y on most eroded coasts prone to wind and surges. Due to the observed threats, several methods of coastal protection are used. These were analyzed and are presented in spatial terms. Full article

Freezing rain is a high-impact winter weather phenomenon that acts as a major disturbance agent in forest ecosystems, causing canopy damage, stem breakage, tree mortality, and long-term changes in forest structure and functioning. Although ice storms have been studied for decades, research on freezing rain impacts on forests remains fragmented across multiple disciplines, and few studies have attempted an integrated synthesis that simultaneously combines climatological, ecological, and methodological perspectives. In this study, we present a systematic and integrative review of the scientific literature on freezing rain and forests, combining a large-scale bibliometric analysis with an in-depth qualitative synthesis. A total of 241 publications retrieved from the Scopus and Web of Science databases were analyzed following PRISMA guidelines. The bibliometric assessment examined publication trends, geographic distribution, institutional contributions, research domains, and keyword networks. The qualitative review synthesized current knowledge on freezing rain climatology, forest damage mechanisms, species-specific vulnerability, major ice storm events, detection and modeling approaches, and ecological consequences. Results reveal a strong increase in scientific output over the last two decades, dominated by research from North America and northern Europe. Ice accretion intensity emerges as the primary driver of forest damage, while species traits, crown architecture, tree size, stand structure, topography, and exposure strongly modulate damage severity. Freezing rain affects a wide range of forest types worldwide and triggers both immediate structural damage and long-term ecological effects, including altered successional dynamics and reduced forest productivity. Recent methodological advances—including passive remote sensing (e.g., optical satellite data), active remote sensing (e.g., LiDAR), experimental ice storm simulations, reanalysis datasets, and machine learning approaches—have significantly improved detection, monitoring, and forecasting capabilities. Despite these advances, major research gaps remain, particularly regarding long-term ecosystem recovery, trait-based vulnerability, socio-economic impacts, and future freezing rain regimes under climate change. This review highlights freezing rain as an increasingly important but underappreciated forest disturbance and underscores the need for interdisciplinary research and adaptive management strategies in ice-prone regions. Full article

For the last three summers in Canada (2023–2025), and episodically in Siberia over the previous decade and a half, severe consequences from wildfires represent major ecological and societal impacts: the displacement of inhabitants; destruction of buildings, timber and infrastructure; and far-field air pollution. Wildfire occurrence is increasingly supported every summer by persistent surface warming and widespread atmospheric moisture deficits. The two recent major Canadian fire years in 2023 and 2025 show some contrasts: 2023 was dominated by an early June event with preconditioning, whereas 2025 saw repeated single events spanning June to early August, culminating in a significant late-summer event. Events in both years were associated with North Pacific–North American atmospheric blocking regimes. Over the longer term, 2003–2025, normalized June–September wildfire fraction anomalies in the Canadian sector (45–60° N, 150–60° W) show the post-2023 period as having new, clear, record-breaking fire intensities, highlighting wildfires as emerging dominant Arctic–subarctic extremes. Siberia shows an increase after 2010. Although multiple environmental Arctic–subarctic extremes are ongoing—such as sea-ice loss, storms, and glacial ice loss—the impacts from wildfires represent preeminent, growing societal consequences. Full article

The outcomes of the Winter Storm URI in Houston (February 2021) and its impact on awnings highlighted how climate change has altered the load combinations considered in design codes such as ASCE 7-16, introducing new uncertainties due to freezing storm events. Previously unused load categories are now presenting significant challenges, as designers assumed sufficient safety factors would prevent failures. This research investigates the consequences of the storm and offers guidelines for conservative awning design in zero ground snow load zones, emphasizing wind load as the primary design load in regions with no active snow zone. Additionally, an attempt has been made in this research to examine the importance of anchor reliability in concrete structures, particularly under environmental stress such as winter storms. Factors like improper installation, edge distance, and embedment depth significantly affect anchor performance, potentially leading to premature failure modes like concrete breakout, pullout, or rusting from water accumulation. Through field investigations and theoretical analyses, the research evaluates the axial load capacity of anchors, taking into account edge distance, embedment depth, and environmental factors like ice accumulation. The study stresses the need for proper anchor geometry, drainage, and reinforcement to ensure structural safety. By following the proposed recommendations, engineers can mitigate adverse effects and enhance the durability and safety of concrete structures, even under extreme weather conditions. Full article

This study examines the impact of extreme weather events on electrical transmission lines, with a particular focus on high-impact, low-probability (HILP) meteorological conditions. Investigating how these conditions affect transmission lines and the potential effects of power outages is crucial for the reliability and continuity of electrical grids. The study conducts a comprehensive review of the literature on the effects of extreme weather events on electrical grids. Specifically, it categorizes and analyzes faults occurring on transmission lines caused by high-impact, low-probability meteorological conditions such as storms, hurricanes, and ice storms. Identifying and classifying these faults is a fundamental step in enhancing the reliability of power systems. Another focus of the study is examining various strategies to prevent power outages, including probabilistic modeling and resilience enhancement technologies. Solutions such as the development of advanced warning systems, design modifications to enhance the physical resilience of transmission lines, and emergency response plans have the potential to increase the reliability of electrical grids. In conclusion, the findings of this study contribute significantly to understanding the impact of HILP meteorological conditions on electrical transmission lines and identifying measures to enhance the reliability of electrical grids. The results of this study can provide valuable guidance to planners, engineers, and decision-makers in the energy sector. Full article

We investigated the impacts of a rapidly changing hydrometeorological regime on coastal erosion in the shallow, seasonally freezing Sea of Azov from 2000 to 2025. Our comparative approach integrated numerical modeling (SWAN), satellite remote sensing, and long-term field observations at two high-erosion sites: the Northern Site in Taganrog Bay and the Southern Site at the open sea boundary. The results demonstrate that coastal erosion is governed by complex, site-specific interactions rather than direct regional climatic trends. A major regime shift characterized by declining fast ice and increasing storm activity during the extended warm season has amplified coastal vulnerability, particularly after 2010. Despite high long-term average erosion rates at both sites, 1.1 to 1.6 m/year in the north and 1.5 to 1.8 m/year in the south, their annual erosion patterns were largely non-synchronous. The Northern Site is controlled by geological structure and surge phenomena, with peak rates reaching 8.5 m/year, while the Southern Site is governed by storm waves and extreme surges, enduring dynamic loads up to 10.0 tf/m². These results provide complex interaction nature of coastal processes and hydrometeorological components and its response to climate change in periodically freezing sea. These findings are vital for improving vulnerability models and underscore the necessity of site-specific hazard assessments for seasonally freezing coasts under a warming climate. Full article

Tropical cyclone-induced waves (TCWs) are projected to intensify under global warming, with recent evidence suggesting that their growth outpaces the increase in surface winds. Yet, how TCWs differ between coastal and open-ocean environments remains poorly understood. Here, we investigate TCW characteristics during two climatic periods (1979–2000 and 2001–2023) using a coupled analysis of buoy observations and ERA5 reanalysis. Our results reveal a striking contrast: while open-ocean TCWs exhibited a pronounced intensification of up to 19% (~74 cm) over the past four decades, coastal TCWs show only a muted increase of 26 cm (~8%). This discrepancy is primarily linked to weaker wind forcing and a contraction of effective fetch in coastal regions. On a broader scale, global wave heights (GWs) demonstrate strong temporal and regional variability. The 1979–2000 period featured widespread increases exceeding 10 cm per decade, whereas 2001–2023 displayed pronounced regional disparities, with declines in the Pacific and Indian Oceans but increases in the North Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and Arctic. Notably, the Arctic exhibits a significant rise in extreme wave heights, consistent with reduced ice cover and enhanced wind-driven fetch, highlighting critical feedback to global warming. These findings underscore the importance of distinguishing coastal from open-ocean wave responses when assessing future hazards. By revealing the divergent trajectories of TCWs and GWs under climate change, our study provides a refined framework for understanding storm-induced risks and for improving projections of wave-driven coastal impacts. Full article

The southern Baltic Sea is characterized by highly variable weather conditions, particularly in autumn and winter, when storms, strong westerly winds, and temporary sea ice formation disrupt maritime operations. This study presents a climatographic overview and evaluates key hydrometeorological factors that influence the safe and efficient use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as bunkering fuel in the region. The analysis draws on long-term meteorological and hydrological datasets (1971–2020), including satellite observations and in situ measurements. It identifies operational constraints, such as wind speed, wave height, visibility, and ice cover, and assesses their impact on LNG logistics and terminal functionality. Thresholds for safe operations are evaluated in accordance with IMO and ISO safety standards. An ice severity forecast for 2011–2030 was developed using the ECHAM5 global climate model under the A1B emission scenario, indicating potential seasonal risks to LNG operations. While baseline safety criteria are generally met, environmental variability in the region may still cause temporary disruptions. Findings underscore the need for resilient port infrastructure, including anti-icing systems, heated transfer equipment, and real-time environmental monitoring, to ensure operational continuity. Integrating weather forecasting into LNG logistics supports uninterrupted deliveries and contributes to EU goals for energy diversification and emissions reduction. The study concludes that strategic investments in LNG infrastructure—tailored to regional climatic conditions—can enhance energy security in the southern Baltic, provided environmental risks are systematically accounted for in operational planning. Full article

The coastal zone of the Sea of Azov is a dynamic environment influenced by various natural and anthropogenic factors, including wind, wave action, beach material removal, and cultivation on cliff edges. The coastal zone of freezing seas is also influenced by ice cover during winter. This study investigates the dynamics of the Sea of Azov’s coastal zone during winter (2014–2023), focusing on the impacts of waves and ice, to identify the most vulnerable coastal areas. We analyzed high-resolution satellite imagery and employed mathematical modeling to obtain data on ice pile-up, fast ice formation, wind patterns, and storm wave dynamics within the shallow coastal zone. Long-term wind data revealed an increase in maximum wind speeds in December and January, while February and March showed a decrease or no significant trend across most coastal observation stations. Storm waves (significant wave height) during the cold season can reach heights of 3.26 m, contributing to coastal erosion and instability. While the overall ice cover in the Sea of Azov is decreasing, with fast ice rarely exceeding 0.85% of the total sea area, ice pile-up still occurs almost annually, with the eastern part of Taganrog Bay exhibiting the highest probability of these events. Our analysis identified the primary impacts affecting the shallow coastal zone of the Sea of Azov between 2014 and 2023. A map was generated to illustrate these impacts, revealing that nearly the entire coastline is subject to varying degrees of wave and ice impact. Exceptions include the eastern coast, which experiences minimal fast ice and ice pile-up, with average or lower dynamic loads, and the southern coast, where wind–wave action is the dominant factor. Full article

Owing to global climate change or the ever-more frequent human activities in the offshore areas, it is highly probable that an imbalance in the offshore ecosystem has been induced. However, the importance of maintaining and protecting marine ecosystems’ balance cannot be overstated. In recent years, various marine disasters have occurred frequently, such as harmful algal blooms (green tides and red tides), storm surge disasters, wave disasters, sea ice disasters, and tsunami disasters. Additionally, overpopulation of certain marine organisms (particularly marine faunas) has led to marine disasters, threatening both marine ecosystems and human safety. The marine ecological disaster monitoring system in China primarily focuses on monitoring and controlling the outbreak of green tides (mainly caused by outbreaks of some Ulva species) and red tides (mainly caused by outbreaks of some diatom and dinoflagellate species). Currently, there are outbreaks of Cnidaria (Hydrozoa and Scyphozoa organisms; outbreak species are frequently referred to as jellyfish), Annelida (Urechis unicinctus Drasche, 1880), Mollusca (Philine kinglipini S. Tchang, 1934), Arthropoda (Acetes chinensis Hansen, 1919), and Echinodermata (Asteroidea organisms, Ophiuroidea organisms, and Acaudina molpadioides Semper, 1867) in China. They not only cause significant damage to marine fisheries, tourism, coastal industries, and ship navigation but also have profound impacts on marine ecosystems, especially near nuclear power plants, sea bathing beaches, and infrastructures, posing threats to human lives. Therefore, this review provides a detailed introduction to the marine organisms (especially marine fauna species) causing marine biological disasters in China, the current outbreak situations, and the biological backgrounds of these outbreaks. This review also provides an analysis of the causes of these outbreaks. Furthermore, it presents future prospects for marine biological disasters, proposing corresponding measures and advocating for enhanced resource utilization and fundamental research. It is recommended that future efforts focus on improving the monitoring of marine biological disasters and integrating them into the marine ecological disaster monitoring system. The aim of this review is to offer reference information and constructive suggestions for enhancing future monitoring, early warning systems, and prevention efforts related to marine ecological disasters in support of the healthy development and stable operation of marine ecosystems. Full article

Potential impacts of projected long-term climate change toward the end of the 21st century on rainfall and peak intensity of six super-typhoons in the western North Pacific (WNP) are assessed using a cloud-resolving model (CRM) and the pseudo-global warming (PGW) method, under two representative concentration pathway (RCP) emission scenarios of RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Linear long-term trends in June–October are calculated from 38 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 (CMIP5) models from 1981–2000 to 2081–2100, with warmings of about 3 °C in sea surface temperature, 4 °C in air temperature in the lower troposphere, and increases of 20% in moisture in RCP8.5. The changes in RCP4.5 are about half the amounts. For each typhoon, three experiments are carried out: a control run (CTL) using analysis data as initial and boundary conditions (IC/BCs), and two future runs with the trend added to the IC/BCs, one for RCP4.5 and the other for RCP8.5, respectively. Their results are compared for potential impacts of climate change. In future scenarios, all six typhoons produce more rain rather consistently, by around 10% in RCP4.5 and 20% in RCP8.5 inside 200–250 km from the center, with increased variability toward larger radii. Such increases are tested to be highly significant and can be largely explained by the increased moisture and water vapor convergence in future scenarios. However, using this method, the results on peak intensity are mixed and inconsistent, with the majority of cases becoming somewhat weaker in future runs. It is believed that in the procedure to determine the best initial time for CTL, which yielded the strongest TC, often within a few hPa in minimum central sea-level pressure to the best track data, an advantage was introduced to the CTL unintentionally. Once the long-term trends were added in future runs, the environment of the storm was altered and became not as favorable for subsequent intensification. Thus, the PGW approach may have some bias in assessing the peak intensity of such super-typhoon cases, and caution should be practiced. Full article

Typhoon Saola was the ninth typhoon that generated over the Western North Pacific (WNP) in 2023, and it caused severe storm impacts. However, its complex moving track and heavy intensity made it extremely difficult to forecast; therefore, detailed analysis is necessary. In this study, GPM, Himawari-9, and FY-4B satellite data were used to analyze the characteristics of the structure, brightness temperature, and precipitation of the typhoon cloud system. Our results showed that, in the 89 and 183 GHz channels of GPM-1CGMI, the brightness temperature of the typhoon eye was 80–90 K higher than that of the eye wall, and the strong convective areas below 200 K were clearer in these high-frequency channels. GPM-2ADPR estimated heavy rain (over 30 mm/h) area, storm height (5 km), and vertical precipitation rate (30–40 mm/h) more accurately than the GPM-2Aka and GPM-2Aku products. Himawari-9 satellite data showed that the brightness temperature of the eye wall and spiral cloud bands was 180–200 K, the typhoon eye was small and round, and strong convective activities were mostly located in the southwest side of the center. The FY-4B CLP and CLT products showed that, in the mature period of the typhoon, the percentage of supercooled and mixed clouds first stabilized and then rapidly decreased. The trends observed among the three types of ice-phase clouds were characterized by an initial increase, followed by a decrease, and then another increase, with percentages between 10% and 25%, 5% and 15%, and 15% and 30%, respectively. Full article

To investigate the impact of advanced microphysics schemes using single and double moment (WSM6/WDM6) schemes, numerical simulations are conducted using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model for a severe mesoscale convective system (MCS) formed over the Korean Peninsula. Spatial rainfall distribution and pattern correlation linked with the convective system are improved in the WDM6 simulation. During the developing stage of the system, the distribution of total hydrometeors is larger in WDM6 compared to WSM6. Along with the mixing ratio of hydrometeors (cloud, rain, graupel, snow, and ice), the number concentration of cloud and rainwater are also predictable in WDM6. To understand the differences in the vertical representation of cloud hydrometeors between the schemes, rain number concentration (Nr) from WSM6 is also computed using particle density to compare with the Nr readily available in WDM6. Varied vertical distribution and large differences in rain number concentration and rain particle mass is evident between the schemes. Inclusion of the number concentration of rain and cloud, CCN, along with the mixing ratio of different hydrometers has improved the storm morphology in WDM6. Furthermore, the latent heating (LH) profiles of six major phase transformation processes (condensation, evaporation, freezing, melting, deposition, and sublimation) are also computed from microphysical production terms to deeply study the storm vertical structure. The main differences in condensation and evaporation terms are evident between the simulations due to the varied treatment of warm rain processes and the inclusion of CCN activation in WDM6. To investigate cloud–aerosol interactions, numerical simulation is conducted by increasing the CCN (aerosol) concentration in WDM6, which simulated comparatively improved pattern correlation for rainfall simulation along with intense hydrometer distribution. It can be inferred that the change in aerosol increased the LH of evaporation and freezing and affected the warming and cooling processes, cloud vertical distribution, and subsequent rainfall. Relatively, the WDM6 simulated latent heating profile distribution is more consistent with the ERA5 computed moisture source and sink terms due to the improved formulation of warm rain processes. Full article

In cold-climate regions, road salt is used as a deicer for winter road maintenance. The applied road salt melts ice and snow on roads and can be washed off through storm sewer systems into nearby urban streams, harming the freshwater ecosystem. Therefore, aiming to develop a precise and accurate model to determine future chloride concentration in the Credit River in Ontario, Canada, the present work makes use of a “Graph Neural Network”–“Sample and Aggregate” (GNN-SAGE). The proposed GNN-SAGE is compared to other models, including a Deep Neural Network-based transformer (DNN-Transformer) and a benchmarking persistence model for a 6 h forecasting horizon. The proposed GNN-SAGE surpassed both the benchmarking persistence model and the DNN-Transformer model, achieving RMSE and R² values of 51.16 ppb and 0.88, respectively. Additionally, a SHAP analysis provides insight into the variables that influence the model’s forecasting, showing the impact of the spatiotemporal neighboring data from the network and the seasonality variables on the model’s result. The GNN-SAGE model shows potential for use in the real-time forecasting of water quality in urban streams, aiding in the development of regulatory policies to protect vulnerable freshwater ecosystems in urban areas. Full article

New environmental extremes are currently underway and are much greater than those in previous records. These are mostly regional, singular events that are caused by global change/local weather combinations and are larger than the impact of linear temperature increases projected using climate models. These new states cannot easily be assigned probabilities because they often have no historical analogs. Thus, the term super climate extremes is used. Examples are the loss of sea ice and ecosystem reorganization in northern marine Alaska, heatwave extreme in western Canada, and the loss of snow in Greenland. New combined extreme occurrences, which are reported almost daily, lead to a new, higher level of climate change urgency. The loss of sea ice in 2018–2019 was a result of warmer Arctic temperatures and changes in the jet stream. They resulted in a chain of impacts from southerly winds, the northward movement of predatory fish, and the reduction of food security for coastal communities. Record temperatures were measured in southwestern British Columbia following previous drought conditions, a confluence of two storm tracks, and warming through atmospheric subsidence. Greenland’s losses had clear skies and jet stream events. Such new extremes are present indicators of climate change. Their impacts result from the interaction between physical and ecological processes, and they justify the creation of a new climate change category based on super climate extremes. Full article