Up to 12 inches of rain hit within the span of just a few hours on Tuesday.

“It’s not a rain pour, it was like a dam burst,” said Emiliano García-Page, regional government president of nearby Castile-La-Mancha. “People were calling [emergency numbers] crying, asking for help and it was almost impossible to reach them.”

The scene was like something out of a dystopian horror film, with inaccessible highways, suspended trains, and courthouses used as temporary morgues. Tons of vehicles piled on one another from the raging stormwater rushing them down roads.

“Unfortunately, there are dead people inside some vehicles,” said Spain’s transport minister Óscar Puente.

The terrifying conditions have left thousands trapped or blocked on the highway, according to Spanish state news agency EFE. Many residents sought shelter on the roofs of their homes as water flooded their first floors, while others were forced to evacuate to emergency shelters.

“It was agonizing,” one resident told TVE. “We stayed on the roof until 4 a.m. We didn’t have water, we were cold. Finally, the helicopter arrived … Everything is destroyed, but at least we are here to tell [the story].”

Others were separated from family members, still waiting to hear whether they were alive and safe. According to NBC News, the Spanish government deployed over 1,000 soldiers to help with rescues. The death toll will likely continue to rise as authorities make more discoveries.

The post Shocking Flash Floods Turned Spain’s Streets Into Rivers, Killing 95 People appeared first on VICE.

While the collapse of the AMOC was once considered “low probability,” the likelihood of it happening is increasing. In fact, it’s becoming so concerning to oceanographers that 44 of them, from various countries, wrote and published a call to action, warning that the risk of the AMOC reaching a disastrous tipping point is “greatly underestimated” and will have “devastating and irreversible impacts.”

Stefan Rahmstorf, an oceanographer who runs the Earth system analysis department at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research in Germany, told LiveScience that the AMOC “really plays a very major role, and if it were to collapse, “there would be many impacts.”

“The most immediate one that people probably already know about is the cooling around the northern Atlantic, which is already there in the form of the cold blob,” Rahmstorf said. “It’s also in the air temperature around that region, it’s the only part of the world that has not warmed, but has been getting colder, in the last 100 years.”

He added that there would be more of a temperature contrast across Europe, which could lead to extreme weather events and impact ocean carbon dioxide uptake.

“We’d see the whole Northern Hemisphere cool compared to what it would be with just global warming [acting alone],” Rahmstorf explained. “In the Southern Hemisphere, greenhouse warming would get worse. There would be a shift in the tropical rainfall belts … You would also get flooding from tropical rainfalls shifting to places where people and infrastructure are not used to it.”

One of the 44 scientists who penned the open letter, the University of Copenhagen’s Peter Ditlevsen, added that this “can have very serious consequences for Earth’s climate by changing how heat and precipitation are distributed globally.” 

“While a cooling Europe may seem less severe as the globe as a whole becomes much warmer and heat waves occur more frequently,” he said, “this shutdown will contribute to an increased warming of the tropics, where rising temperatures have already given rise to challenging living conditions.”

Some of the more specific impacts this could have include rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and severe ecological and agricultural changes. 

In the call-to-action letter, experts wrote: “Even with a medium likelihood of occurrence, given that the outcome would be catastrophic and impacting the entire world for centuries to come, we believe more needs to be done to minimize this risk.”

The post 44 Scientists Just Warned Us About a Catastrophic Ocean Current Collapse appeared first on VICE.

While the mysterious objects might not be cause for concern, experts don’t know enough about them to make any promises. In fact, the Canadian Coast Guard ended up briefly roping off portions of the North Atlantic isle so officials could investigate.

“It’s the first time I’ve ever seen anything like it, and I’ve lived right here in Placentia Bay my whole life,” said David McGrath, 67, who was one of the individuals who first spotted the strange blobs. 

Apparently, these strange things range in size, with some as large as a plate. They’re also sticky, and some people claim they smell like paint.

“It had a texture similar to not-fully-cooked dough or foam,” said Philip Grace, a beachcomber who discovered a blob with his wife. He attempted to pry one apart, which is how he learned its texture was similar to touton dough. 

Grace shared photos of the blobs to a Facebook group called Beachcombers of Newfoundland and Labrador, asking others for their input.

Tons of beachcombers joked in the comments section of the post, stating the blobs could be whale sperm, alien poo, or—my personal favorite—Swiss cheese. 

According to The New York Times, environmental officers and scientists from Environment and Climate Change Canada collected samples of the blobs and conducted “several aerial, underwater, and manual surveys of the beaches and shorelines.”

“At this time, neither the substance nor its source has been identified,” the agency said after its testing. However, there are some indications that they might be plant-based. 

“There is no one telltale piece of information that’s going to slam-dunk this,” added Christopher Reddy, a senior scientist in marine chemistry and geochemistry at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

In the meantime, officials urged beachgoers to practice caution when coming into contact with these mysterious blobs.

“If something came to my lab that was a complete unknown, I would have to treat it with a certain cautiousness,” Reddy said.

The post Weird White Blobs Washed Up on Canada’s Beaches, Confusing Scientists appeared first on VICE.

The strange sight is not unheard of. Back in 2020, after Hurricane Delta, AccuWeather explained the cause of the odd hue.

Typically, the sky appears blue due to a process called Rayleigh scattering. The sun emits light that’s all the colors of the rainbow, which are each on a different wavelength. As that light hits air molecules, the colors scatter. The most-scattered color is blue because of its shorter wavelength.

“At sunset, the angle of the sun in the horizon yields more atmosphere and aerosols for which the light can be scattered [and create different colors],” meteorologist Brett Rossio said.

Meanwhile, when it comes to the purple hue, Rossio explained, “It’s largely because there is an increased amount of particulates in the air due to significant vapor concentrations from a storm.”

“You occasionally can get a pink hue in the sky, especially near sunset, that is superimposed with a dark blue sky above,” Rossio added. “If you have the right angle, especially in the evening hours, the pink hue that is superimposed with the dark blue sky produces a purple.”

Rossio noted that the phenomenon can occur at anytime, not just during a storm like Hurricane Milton. The added moisture from such a storm, however, helps create the right conditions to see a purple sky.

Cleanup efforts for Hurricane Milton are now underway. As rescues continue, bridges in Tampa Bay have reopened, and the city’s airport plans to resume activity on Friday.

The post Why the Sky Turned Purple During Hurricane Milton appeared first on VICE.

The scale of the fires is immense, with more than 100,000 acres affected between the two.

Evacuations have been ordered across Sheridan County and west of Dubois. The heat and dry, windy conditions have fueled the spread of these wildfires. U.S. Highway 14, one of the main roads across the state, has shut down between Dayton and Burgess Junction. 

Gov. Mark Gordon issued an emergency transport order to protect livestock and the significant agriculture industry in the area. This order eases restrictions on cargo size and extends driving hours, both of which can help speed up transportation to safer areas. The state also received a USDA Disaster Declaration, which will assist in agriculture recovery from the wildfire damages.  

Wyoming has already dealt with historical levels of wildfires this year. One of the biggest on record occurred earlier in late summer, when the House Draw Fire burned 175,000 acres, causing losses over $25 million.  

Elk Fire

The Elk Fire in Wyoming is reaching historical levels. It has become the largest fire in the Bighorn National Forest’s 100-year recorded history. It has reached 73,000 acres and is said to be 10% contained, according to the latest update. 

In the early going, crews were focused on playing defense to attempt to limit its spread, but the unusual weather conditions and its expanded growth have forced a more offensive approach over recent days. 

The cause of the fire is said to be a lightning bolt that struck on Sept. 27. 

In an update on Monday morning, it was said that 680 personnel were in the area to fight the Elk Fire. Two homes have been destroyed, according to KTVQ. 

Pack Trail Fire 

The Pack Trail Fire is the smaller of the two wildfires, but it is still causing considerable damage. It has spread across more than 54,000 acres and is 60% contained. 

This wildfire was also a result of a lightning bolt that struck on Sept. 15. What made this one grow in intensity was that it eventually linked up with another wildfire in Fish Creek, accelerating the two smaller disturbances into a major issue. 

The Pack Trail Fire has 563 personnel at its disposal. 

The post In Wyoming, 1,000 Firefighters Are Fighting 2 Wildfires appeared first on VICE.

The turtle maternity ward of the Mediterranean

Greece, specifically the island of Zakynthos, has an “unprecedented number of sea turtle nests along its shores, with figures surpassing 10,000—an increase from the 21st-century average of 6,000,” according to the Greek City Times. 

Zakynthos, home to Laganas Bay, is known as the largest loggerhead turtle maternity ward in the Mediterranean. Loggerheads are the most common sea turtle in the region, and Zakynthos has exceptionally high nesting densities, with reports of one nest for every 50 square centimeters of sand in some areas. These are long-term homes, too: Loggerheads may migrate over 12,000 kilometers back to their nesting beaches every few years.

Turtle conservation in Greece

“Throughout the 2000s, islands like Crete experienced annual nesting declines of around 6%,” said Aliki Panagopoulou, research coordinator for Archelon, the Sea Turtle Protection Society of Greece. “Today, the dramatic rise in nesting numbers is a testament to the effectiveness of our long-term strategies.”

Sea turtles have long lifespans, often exceeding 50 years—so survival at birth can be quite impactful. Over the past few decades, researchers have been using radio transmitters to tag and track hatchlings, ensuring more of them reach the sea. Greek City Times reported that many turtles marked at birth have also been returning to Zakynthos to nest up to 25 years later.

The recent surge in sea turtle nesting activity highlights the success of Greece’s conservation efforts and the importance of ongoing protective measures to support sea turtle populations. With constant surveillance and monitoring of sea turtle hatchlings, conservation teams can identify and mitigate threats, such as ghost crabs and seagulls.

This is certainly a positive trend—but it’s one that must be maintained through consistent action.

The post Sea Turtle Nests Hit Record Numbers in Greece, Thrilling Conservationists appeared first on VICE.

As of Tuesday morning, here’s what we know about Milton’s projected path and surge.

The current state of Hurricane Milton

Yesterday, Hurricane Milton strengthened into a Category 5 storm with sustained winds up to 180 mph.

The storm has become such a monster that one meteorologist lost his composure on air, becoming emotional while explaining just how devastating he believes it will be.

“This is just horrific,” he said, trying to collect himself while fighting back tears. He then explained that the storm is gaining strength in the Gulf of Mexico, where “the seas are just so incredibly, incredibly hot,” and attributed its severity to global warming.

Earlier this morning, Hurricane Milton weakened to a Category 4 with sustained winds at 145 mph—still extremely powerful and catastrophic. Some models predict Milton will weaken to a strong Category 3 before landfall, though there are doubts about how much weakening will actually occur.

In any case, the National Hurricane Center fully expects Milton to remain an “extremely dangerous hurricane through landfall in Florida.”

Hurricane Milton’s projected landfall and storm surge

Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida sometime Wednesday night. Though it might lose some of its strength by then, its impact will still be unbelievably disastrous, with a predicted 10-15 feet tidal surge in the Tampa Bay area.

“Milton has the potential to be one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” said John Cangialosi, a specialist with the National Hurricane Center. He expects the storm to bring damaging winds and heavy rainfall, with storm surges being “life-threatening” to those who refuse to evacuate.

The worst storm to hit Tampa Bay since 1921 

Tampa Bay hasn’t been directly hit by a hurricane of this force since 1921 when the 1921 Tampa/Tarpon Springs Hurricane devastated the community with a storm surge of up to 11 feet.  

Many meteorologists ascribe Milton’s power to the Gulf of Mexico’s warm waters, which are only fueling the storm. Though it weakened a bit earlier this morning, Hurricane Milton remains a major threat to the Gulf Coast. 

Evacuations clogging highways in Florida

Residents in evacuation areas and surrounding locations are attempting to flee to safer grounds, causing congested highways with bumper-to-bumper traffic. Tampa Bay and adjacent areas are the most impacted by mass evacuations.

According to Gov. Ron DeSantis, the state has already helped evacuate over 200 healthcare facilities in the region. DeSantis also urged Florida residents in the hurricane’s path to evacuate before Milton makes landfall on Wednesday. 

“There’s no guarantee what the weather’s going to be like starting Wednesday morning,” DeSantis said at a briefing. “You may have a window where it may be safe, but you may not. So use today as your day to finalize and execute the plan that is going to protect you and your family.”

Florida’s Hurricane Milton evacuation map is here.

Jane Castor, mayor of Tampa, warned that while Hurricane Helene was a wake-up call for the community, Milton will be “literally catastrophic.” 

“I can say, without any dramatization whatsoever, if you choose to stay in one of those evacuation areas, you’re going to die,” Castor told CNN.

The post Tampa Braces for Hurricane Milton. Experts Say It’s Unlike Anything Since 1921. appeared first on VICE.

Hurricane Milton is now Category 5

Less than 48 hours after forming, Milton just became a Category 5 hurricane, the most powerful hurricane classification, with maximum sustained winds over 157 mph. That’s more powerful than Hurricane Helene when it made landfall. 

The latest update from the National Hurricane Center indicates the likelihood of hurricane-force winds, increased risk of life-threatening storm surges, and heavy rainfall—many of which the state just experienced with Hurricane Helene.

“Everything about this is just a monster of a storm,” said meteorologist Katie Garner. “The pressure dropping—with the slow speeds—gives this storm the ability to gain strength quite quickly.”

Garner also predicts much more rain, with some areas expecting at least 7 inches, on top of the already flooded portions of Florida from Helene. This could lead to more uprooted trees, more power outages, and even more catastrophic flooding.

“It’s going to be devastating,” Garner said.

expected to make landfall Wednesday

Tropical storm conditions could reach South Florida and the Keys by early Wednesday. Then, Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall along Florida’s densely populated Gulf Coast, likely between Tampa and Fort Myers, on Wednesday afternoon or evening. 

The state is already bracing for its impact and preparing for mass evacuations. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency for 51 out of Florida’s 67 counties. Though widespread evacuation orders have not yet been issued yet, people have been urged to leave rather than wait.

hurricane Milton could spare the Carolinas

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Florida’s Gulf Coast is still recovering, its streets clogged with sand and debris. The state has a death toll of at least 25 people, many of which were drownings.

Thankfully, other southeastern states that were gravely affected by Hurricane Helene—including the Carolinas—might be spared by Milton as it continues out to the Atlantic Ocean. But depending on its path, its storm surge might still impact states along the southeast coast. 

The post Hurricane Milton Hits Category 5, Florida Evacuations Expected appeared first on VICE.

The study examined the long-term mortality impacts of tropical storms in the United States, using 500 storms between 1930 and 2015. On average, each tropical storm resulted in an additional 7,000 to 11,000 deaths over the 15 years that followed.

This long-term death toll is much higher than the average of 24 direct deaths caused by hurricanes, according to federal statistics.

This study involved many intricacies, but one way it determined a link between a storm and a death years later was by using “typical mortality patterns” and “isolating anomalies” that would only be associated with the storm.

They found that storms disrupt medical care for chronic conditions, cause financial stress from losses, have psychological effects leading to substance abuse or other medical concerns, and erode the local government’s capacity for essential services.

For instance, the stress from the destruction of family photos and personal belongings could bring on any number of medical concerns that otherwise would have never been an issue for a person. A dementia patient could lose their all-important routine. To pay for uninsured damages, people tap into their retirement funds sooner, hurting their future selves and potentially shortening their lifespan. 

Coverage of Helene’s aftermath will fall out of the news cycle in a matter of weeks, and it’s for people to believe the storm is behind us. A study like this, though, really highlights how moving on for the people directly affected isn’t as easy as making some repairs, cleaning up the street, and receiving some thoughts and prayers. 

Storms are deadly in the moment, and for years after they come and go. 

The post Hurricane Helene’s Death Toll Will Keep Rising for Over a Decade, Study Says appeared first on VICE.

Researchers say it isn’t doing too well. Suddenly, “doomsday” doesn’t seem like it’s ominous enough.

Scientists from the International Thwaites Glacier Collaboration, who have been studying the Doomsday Glacier extensively for the past six years, revealed that its bedrock is sitting below sea level and sloping inward, exposing more ice to warm ocean water which is accelerating its melting process. 

Projections say that the Doomsday Glacier and the Antarctic Ice Sheet’s collapse could occur within the next 200 years. Sure, not your problem, right? Well, your children and their children and their children would be very fucked. And possibly even you, depending on how quickly the acceleration occurs.

The only tiny silver lining in the report is that the Doomsday Glacier’s melting isn’t happening as quickly as was once theorized. But it’s still pretty dire. The researchers fear that the damage may already be done and that the glacier is already on an irreversible path to global catastrophe, even if the world rapidly ditches fossil fuels within the next few years.

Should the Doomsday Glacier and the Antarctic Ice Sheet break apart, coastal cities around the world will suddenly find themselves in a world of shit. New York, Miami, Galveston, New Orleans, and every other city and town that touches an ocean will be affected. If you think that doesn’t affect you at all because you live in an inland area, I guess you don’t quite grasp the larger ramifications of mass climate change migrations into your inland regions from people fleeing an ecological disaster that could have been prevented.

The post Florida-Sized ‘Doomsday Glacier’ Is Retreating Faster and Faster appeared first on VICE.