Yale Climate Connections

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Extreme weather could threaten half of U.S. drinking water systems. Flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, and rising seas can damage water infrastructure and disrupt treatment and supply. Learn more through the following link:

Rain gardens and trees are helping Pittsburgh reduce flooding. ‘Green’ infrastructure can help control stormwater and prevent polluted wastewater from overflowing into rivers and streams. Learn more through the following link: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/rain...

As mentioned in the last newsletter from @climateconnections.bsky.social - if you are concerned about the environment and you aren’t following them, you should be #Climate #Auspol

Heat killed over 50,000 people in Europe in summer 2026, making it deadliest on record

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Yale Climate Connections spoke with Dr. Cynthia Mahoney, a retired California internist and nephrologist, about how climate change affects our health, why data centers have galvanized action, and what readers can do leading into Election Day. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/voti...

Houses of worship in New York City prepare for growing climate threats Free climate-readiness audits are helping religious organizations identify ways to buttress their buildings for extreme heat, flooding, and other dangers. Learn more through the following link:

As extreme heat intensifies in the Pacific Northwest, Washington has expanded protections for renters who want to air-condition their homes.

Winds and waves from Josephine brought a storm surge in excess of two feet to North Carolina’s Outer Banks, causing extensive damage to the road connecting the islands to the mainland, NC-12. The road is now closed, and emergency ferry service will be implemented.

A post on the Atlantic weather (including a king tide outlook for early next week), Vance in the Pacific, and a weekend cyclone expected to form in the Bay of Bengal and hit India next week, from bhensonweather.bsky.social, @irenesans.bsky.social and myself:

‼️DOUBLE BANGER ALERT‼️ Also wrote about the effects of this year's El Niño-charged drought in Panama for @climateconnections.bsky.social! Also available in Spanish! yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/as-e...

Why New Jersey is buying flood-prone homes The state’s Blue Acres program helps people move out of areas at high risk of flooding and converts their former properties to open space. Learn more through the following link:

Coeur d’Alene Tribe works to restore native prairie A nearly $1 million grant is helping restore remnant Palouse prairie and reestablish native plants on tribal land. Learn more through the following link:

California under siege: expect very wet atmospheric rivers and record-high coastal water levels this winter, courtesy of climate change and El Niño. I quote the excellent work by @weatherwest.bsky.social. Cautionary note: a strong El Niño does not guarantee heavy rains, as we saw in 2015-16.

Hawaii imports almost 90% of its food, so if a climate disaster or fuel shortage disrupts shipping, the islands are vulnerable to food shortages. But it was not always this way. In the past, Hawaiians grew and harvested a wide range of foods – including fish from specially designed coastal ponds.

Yale Climate Connections spoke with Edgar Villanueva, Decolonizing Wealth Project’s founder and CEO, about his work, why he believes traditional philanthropy is broken, and how community-led funds like the Indigenous Earth Fund can make a difference. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/indi...

My latest for @climateconnections.bsky.social

Fitness influencers make the case for plant-based protein Advocates say eating more plants could benefit athletes’ health while also reducing the climate impact of their diets. People who are serious about working out and bulking up are often looking for ways to eat more protein.

The best climate change documentary I've ever reviewed — Weather Under Fire — needs donations to get completed. Check out my review and please contribute to the 501c3 charity to get this great film to the finish line: donate.mazloweb.com/donate/the-w... yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/weat...

The El Niño alert in May warns for drier conditions on the Azuero Peninsula and a 10-20% reduction in rainfall during the region’s typically wet season. As the months drag on, ranchers are seeing the effects. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/as-e...

Today's newsletter covers a stunning moment from this week when Rep. Andy Harris tried to blame high diesel prices on environmental regulations ... but got interrupted when his constituents burst into laughter. Get in on the conversation: yaleclimateconnections.org/newsletters/

Only about half of U.S. teens can correctly identify the causes of climate change More than 80% of young people in the U.S. say they are worried about climate change. Learn more through the following link: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/only...

The usual story for tropical cyclones in 2026: Lots going on the Pacific, but the Atlantic is quiet: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/hurr...

Monterey Bay area in California is investing in climate change resiliency and training a workforce Colleges and universities in the area are teaching people skills like habitat restoration and piloting drones to monitor coastal changes. Learn more in the following link:

En una entrevista con YCC, el autor 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗛𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗺𝗮𝗻 propone replantear la comunicación climática para llegar a nuevas audiencias y promover soluciones que beneficien directamente a nuestras comunidades. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/hay-...

She had unexplained blood pressure fluctuations and bouts of pneumonia. It took years to learn why Today, Tami McGraw runs a Facebook support group for others with her condition. For years, North Carolina resident Tami McGraw struggled with unexplained medical problems.

What happens when climate despair turns into action? A 10-step support program helps people acknowledge the severity of climate change, sit with uncertainty, and build the resilience to make a difference. Read more on the following link: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/what...

In this interview, @amywestervelt.bsky.social talks us through the origins of PR with appearances by Big Oil, Citizens United, and more: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/the-...

In honor of Indigenous Peoples' Day, check out the stories we've reported with individuals and tribes that are taking climate action via this @flipboard.com storyboard: flipboard.com/@yaleclimate...

You don’t want to miss this interview with Amy Westervelt: Amy Westervelt is a climate reporter and author of ‘Brought to You By: How Corporations Warped the Truth, Public, and Broke Democracy’. She also founded the podcast Drilled, conducted a years-long and worldwide investigation into what might

A 5% increase in hurricane winds yields about a 50% increase in damage: Hurricane damage increases exponentially with an increase in wind speed. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/how-...

Inspired by the Menominee Tribe and Reservation in Wisconsin, the game tasks players to respond to floods, fires, droughts, and other extreme weather events. Who says learning about climate change can’t be fun? yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/boar...

After landfall, Hurricane Isaias will continue to produce hazards, including flash flooding, gusty winds, and severe thunderstorms within its rainbands, with numerous tornadoes also possible. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/cate...

El Huracán Isaías amenaza la costa del Golfo de México con fuertes vientos, inundaciones y tornados. Podría tocar tierra hoy como un huracán mayor de Categoría 3, o posiblemente como Categoría 2, dependiendo de la rapidez con que se produzca el debilitamiento previsto.

With a Hurricane Warning for Isaias on the Gulf Coast, along with a Tropical Storm Watch on the West Coast for Rachel, it’s the first time the National Hurricane Center has issued watches/warnings simultaneously for both coasts. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/cate...

In the Central U.S., some temperature records set during the Dust Bowl were broken in September yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/sept...

A sign of things to come the next 8+ months, I bet: NOAA said "Record-high temperatures encompassed 16.7% of the Earth’s land and ocean surfaces—the largest spatial footprint for any month since records began in January 1951. This value surpassed the previous record of 14.2%, set back in May 2024."

My latest for @climateconnections.bsky.social 🤖🗳️👀

Three landfalls in one weekend! Fri night: —Hurricane Isaias, central U.S. Gulf Coast Sat night: —TS Simon (MX), near Puerto Vallarta, possibly as a Cat 4 —Rachel (MX), N Baja Calif as tropical storm The scoop from @drjeffmasters.bsky.social and me: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/hurr...

Isaias could peak as a Cat 3 on approach to the Gulf Coast, though significant weakening is expected in the few hours before landfall and/or just after landfall. Weakening would limit wind damage, but storm surge damage will be significant regardless. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/hurr...

A life-threatening storm surge is expected from the Mouth of the Mississippi River to Suwannee, Florida. Residents in the warning area should follow advice given by local officials and evacuate immediately if told to do so.

“We get flooded every year.” - Juneau resident Malachi Thorington

Isaias is expected to make landfall as a hurricane Friday night or early Saturday, but the storm will likely be accelerating and expanding as it approaches. People well east of the landfall location may experience deteriorating weather Friday afternoon: yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/stre...

A steadily intensifying #Isaias is expected to become the Atlantic's first hurricane of 2026. Meanwhile, ex-Hurricane Rachel is likely to bring damaging surf and heavy rains to the California/Mexico border region this weekend, and TD-20-E may hit Mexico as Cat 2 Hurricane Simon this weekend.

Isaias is forecast to begin impacting the northern Gulf Coast by Friday afternoon with damaging winds, flooding rains, and deadly storm surge. TODAY is the time to make your preparations. www.noaa.gov/isaias

In non-hurricane news, our Editor-in-Chief Sara Peach is gathering with other climate reporters in Montana to talk about how to get more climate stories in the news. The meeting was organized by the Institute for Journalism and Natural Resources.

Stay tuned to our extreme weather page if you're in the path of Tropical Storm Isaias. We'll have the latest updates plus resources for how to prepare: yaleclimateconnections.org/climate-chan...

People living with the tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome struggle to figure out which foods are safe to eat. This bill aims to change that:

Now is the ideal time for central U.S. Gulf Coast residents to review their hurricane plans, keep a close eye on official NHC advisories, and consider what they’ll need to do if tropical storm or hurricane watches are issued. yaleclimateconnections.org/2026/10/odds...