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Colorado Faces Severe Drought, Denver Water Implements Restrictions

Colorado Faces Severe Drought, Denver Water Implements Restrictions

Colorado is currently experiencing significant drought conditions, with nearly 90% of the state under drought or abnormal dryness as of early September. Denver Water, a major utility, reported its lowest April-through-July streamflow in 110 years, reaching only 22% of normal levels. Reservoir storage is also considerably below average, standing at 71% full at the end of August, compared to a historical average of 93% for that period. In response to these critical conditions, Denver Water has declared a Stage 1 drought, which includes mandatory outdoor watering restrictions. Customers are required to adhere to assigned watering schedules and permitted hours through September 30. Furthermore, starting October 1, 2026, lawn watering and irrigation will be prohibited, though hand watering for trees, shrubs, gardens, and other plants will still be allowed when necessary. The utility aims to achieve an overall water use reduction of 20%.
The Augusta ChronicleThe Augusta Chronicle
Why Georgia’s fall foliage is arriving later each year | Exclusive

Why Georgia’s fall foliage is arriving later each year | Exclusive

Warmer temperatures are delaying Georgia's fall foliage, causing less vibrant colors and unpredictable timing.
Sarasota Herald-TribuneSarasota Herald-Tribune
Why Florida’s drought is threatening more than lawns

Why Florida’s drought is threatening more than lawns

2026 has been a historic year for severe drought in Florida, and local counties have been greatly affected. What this means for clean water access.
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Arctic Sea Ice Melt Season Length Stabilizes After Decades of Lengthening

Arctic Sea Ice Melt Season Length Stabilizes After Decades of Lengthening

A new NASA-led study indicates that the Arctic sea ice melt season, which had been dramatically lengthening for decades, has unexpectedly stabilized since around 2010. While the melt season is currently about 40 days longer than it was in 1979, most of this increase occurred before 2010. Since then, the average length of the melt season has remained relatively unchanged, despite year-to-year fluctuations. Researchers analyzed satellite observations from 1979 to 2023 to track the timing of spring melt and autumn refreeze. The study found that the lengthening trend was primarily driven by sea ice freezing later in the year, rather than melting earlier in the spring. Linette Boisvert, an ice scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center and co-author of the study, noted that the decline in sea ice thickness and extent observed in the 2000s appears to have paused for now.
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European Children to Face Double the Extreme Fire Weather Days Compared to Grandparents

European Children to Face Double the Extreme Fire Weather Days Compared to Grandparents

A new study published in the journal Environmental Research Letters indicates that children born in Europe today will experience nearly double the number of extreme fire weather days compared to their grandparents, an 84% increase. Specifically, a child born in Europe in 2025 is projected to live through more than three additional years of extreme fire weather. The Mediterranean region is expected to see the largest increases, with individuals born in 2025 potentially facing up to 2.5 times the exposure to extreme fire weather than those born in 1950, equating to over five additional years. This projection is based on a scenario where global warming increases by 2.6°C above pre-industrial temperatures by 2100, aligning with current global climate and energy policies. Europe is currently the fastest-warming continent, with temperatures rising by approximately 0.56°C per decade since the mid-1990s, more than double the global average. This summer alone, wildfires burned over 668,000 hectares across the E.U.,...
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New York State Enhances Flood Prediction and Water Supply Management Systems

New York State Enhances Flood Prediction and Water Supply Management Systems

New York State is upgrading its statewide system, FloodSafe NY, to improve the prediction and understanding of flooding, aiming to reduce associated risks for communities. This initiative is a partnership between the state’s Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), designed to establish a first-in-the-nation statewide hydrologic monitoring network. The program will modernize the existing streamgage network by upgrading current stations with camera technology, backup data transmission, and two-way telemetry. Additionally, new streamgages will be placed in high-priority flood warning locations, and virtual streamgages will be deployed in data-sparse areas. Governor Kathy Hochul stated that these improvements will help communities save lives and reduce property damage by anticipating flood risks earlier and enabling smarter infrastructure decisions. DEC Commissioner Amanda Lefton emphasized that FloodSafe NY will produce more accurate flood warnings. The program is...
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Rocky Mountain Community Radio Hosts Statewide Call-In Show on Colorado River Crisis

Rocky Mountain Community Radio Hosts Statewide Call-In Show on Colorado River Crisis

Rocky Mountain Community Radio recently hosted a special statewide call-in show to discuss the ongoing crisis of the Colorado River. The program, broadcast live on September 17, 2026, across multiple public radio stations including Aspen Public Radio, KDNK, KBUT, KSUT, KVNF, KGNU, and KHEN, focused on the severe drought conditions and new federal regulations that are leading to significant water cuts for Lower Basin states. A key aspect of the discussion was to explore the potential impacts of these changes on Upper Basin states, particularly Colorado. The show featured expert guests, including Shannon Mullane, a reporter specializing in Colorado River and water issues for The Colorado Sun; Jim Lochhead, former CEO of Denver Water and a long-serving representative for Colorado on interstate Colorado River operations; and Allie Mazurek, the engagement climatologist with the Colorado Climate Center. The program was co-hosted by Rocky Mountain Community Radio rural climate reporter Caroline Llanes and Luke Ru...
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Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

Global Oceans Experience 100 Days of Record Heat, Amplified by El Niño

The global ocean has recorded 100 consecutive days of unprecedented high average sea surface temperatures between June 2 and September 10. Data from the Climate Reanalyzer, overseen by the University of Maine’s Climate Change Institute, indicates that on each of these days, sea surface temperatures surpassed those recorded on the same date in any year since 1982. One of the highest readings occurred on August 22, reaching 21.10° Celsius (69.98° Fahrenheit), according to the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service, with the Climate Reanalyzer reporting an even higher average of 21.18° C (70.12° F) between August 22 and 27. Experts, including Zachary Labe, a climate scientist at the U.S.-based nonprofit Climate Central, attribute this long-term trend to human-induced climate change, with over 90% of excess heat from burning fossil fuels being absorbed by the ocean. The current El Niño weather pattern, which began in June and is predicted by NOAA to be 'very strong,' is further amplifying this warm...
1Weather1Weather
12.5 Trillion Tons of Ice Melted Since 1979

12.5 Trillion Tons of Ice Melted Since 1979

A new study published in the journal Scientific Data reveals that Earth has lost approximately 12.5 trillion tons of ice from Greenland and Antarctica since 1979. This amount of ice melt is equivalent to covering the entire continental United States with a 5-foot layer of ice. The research highlights that the majority of the melting is caused by warmer ocean waters eroding the ice sheets from below and the sides, rather than by rising air temperatures. The study, conducted by an international team of polar scientists, utilized data from 45 independent surveys and 27 satellites, including those from NASA and the European Space Agency. The findings indicate that ice sheet melting has accelerated significantly since the 2010s, contributing to a global sea level rise of about one inch over the past 47 years.
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London Faces Severe Overheating Risk, Threatening Over a Million Homes and Critical Infrastructure

London Faces Severe Overheating Risk, Threatening Over a Million Homes and Critical Infrastructure

London is confronting significant overheating risks, with over a million homes, 300 care homes, and 1,300 schools identified as vulnerable. This issue was brought to the forefront by unprecedented heatwaves in July 2022, which highlighted the urgent need for enhanced climate resilience measures. Mete Çoban, the Deputy Mayor of London for Environment and Energy, emphasized that no region globally is adequately prepared for the intensity of recent heatwaves. The 'Heat Ready London' plan, launched in June, aims to address these challenges by providing a framework of short, medium, and long-term actions for local authorities. The plan followed the London Climate Resilience Review and Operation Helios, which stress-tested the capital's emergency response to extreme heat. The findings indicate that without intervention, the cumulative cost to London could reach £36 billion annually by the 2050s.
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Cambridge Selects Ecosistema Urbano to Design 'Cool Spots' Addressing Extreme Heat

Cambridge Selects Ecosistema Urbano to Design 'Cool Spots' Addressing Extreme Heat

The City of Cambridge has chosen Ecosistema Urbano, an international urban design and architecture studio co-founded by Belinda Tato, to develop a new series of temporary shade structures. This initiative, known as 'Cool Spots,' is part of Cambridge's Participatory Budgeting program, which aims to mitigate the disproportionate impacts of extreme heat by creating comfortable, accessible, and inviting public spaces. Belinda Tato, an associate professor in practice of landscape architecture at the Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), previously installed a temporary vertical garden called Polinature on the GSD campus. This prototype demonstrated a low-cost, low-tech method for enhancing climate comfort in urban settings. Ecosistema Urbano was selected from 44 applicants after a competitive process, with five finalist teams interviewed by a panel comprising city staff, design professionals, and community members. The studio's approach integrates architecture, urban design, environmental strategies, and pub...
1Weather1Weather
Melting Arctic Ice Threatens Alaskan Communities

Melting Arctic Ice Threatens Alaskan Communities

The Arctic region is experiencing rapid ice melt due to climate change, with significant impacts on coastal communities in Alaska. Rising sea levels, driven by melting permafrost and disappearing ice, are putting some areas at risk of becoming uninhabitable within the next decade. This phenomenon is forcing residents in affected regions to consider relocation, effectively making them climate refugees. The situation underscores the urgent need for global action to address climate change and its cascading effects on vulnerable populations.