Australia is experiencing a climate paradox with severe flooding in New South Wales (NSW) and drought conditions in South Australia, Western Victoria, Tasmania, and Western Australia. In NSW, the Hunter River Basin faced unprecedented flooding, with Taree airport recording 491 mm of rain in 72 hours, affecting up to 10,000 properties and resulting in five deaths. Experts highlight the growing influence of climate change on regional rainfall patterns, noting an increase in the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events.
Climate change disrupts the water cycle, contributing to extreme weather events. Australia has warmed by 1.51°C since 1910, with most warming since 1950. A warmer atmosphere leads to increased evaporation, intensifying droughts, while also holding more water vapor, resulting in heavier downpours and flash flooding. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere reached a record value in 2024, about 5% above the 1991-2020 average.
In early May 2025, Utqiaġvik, Alaska, is experiencing an exceptionally long period of daylight, with the Sun remaining above the horizon from May 10 to August 2—a total of 84 days. Despite the calendar indicating spring, the landscape retains a winter appearance, with sea ice along the coastline and snow covering the land. Winds have picked up material from riverbeds, streaking it across the snow. The tundra receives about 4.1 inches (105 mm) of annual precipitation, mostly in the summer.
The Arctic tundra around Utqiaġvik transforms from spring to summer during this prolonged daylight period. The terrain features thermokarst lakes, formed because only the surface of the soil thaws in summer, preventing deep percolation of melted snow and ice due to the permafrost below.