The Stream, January 1: 2013 Was a Year of Extreme Weather

Extreme Weather
Some of the biggest water stories of 2013 involved extreme weather, including the “Himalayan Tsunami” in India, a record-breaking typhoon in the Philippines, and powerful floods and droughts from Canada to Brazil. This photo slideshow published by the Guardian captures some of the most intense weather of the year.

Extreme weather events are likely to grow more common and more intense by 2100 due to climate change, with water-related stresses expected to increase the most, Nature reported. Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, explains why his research team’s set of groundbreaking climate models are important for understanding how climate changes will interact with each other and human society.

Technology
In a bid to make water supply systems more efficient, an Israeli company is bringing together large amounts of data from water meters and sensors to help water utilities identify leaks and repair them faster, Forbes reported. The company’s service is already being used by Thames Water in London, and could make its way to the United States in 2014.

Water was one of the top risks identified by private companies in 2013, with many companies expecting water stress or scarcity to affect their operations within the next five years, Water World reported. As a result, efforts to improve industrial water efficiency and recycle as much industrial water as possible are increasing around the globe.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.

Codi Kozacek

A news correspondent for Circle of Blue based out of Hawaii. She writes The Stream, Circle of Blue’s daily digest of international water news trends. Her interests include food security, ecology and the Great Lakes.
Contact Codi Kozacek