#coldblob

Much of Europe is sweating in an exceptional heat wave. But why has heat in Europe increased 4 times more than in other mid-latitude areas? That has been linked to the Atlantic #coldblob in several studies. #AMOC Slide from a talk I'm about the present at London Climate Action Week #LCAW2026.

AMOC? More certain than previously thought https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.adx4298 And Guardian article https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/apr/15/critical-atlantic-current-significantly-more-likely-to-collapse-than-thought Okay. Or not. But what does it mean, regionally, on the way to the OFF state? Do we, us alive today experience any changes in our lifetime? I would say yes. Disclaimer: it's conjecture. and I am no expert in anything. So. From tipping to OFF, it takes 100 to 150 years. What happens during this slowdown phase? I read in another paper that because AMOC slowdown intensifies the #ColdBlob, it also changes how the Lows and Highs over the Atlantic are distributed, which changes the jetstream, which in turn causes more extreme heat events in Europe. More #ExtremeHeat events? How do those affect our biosphere in Europe? Well, I don't know exactly. But IPCC AR6 WG2 has mapped the impact on European plants, insects and mammals if we let global 3.2C become reality. As you can see, 3.2C spells extinction level for European insects – due to heat events and related processes that come with 3.2C. And I believe, a slow-ING #AMOC mimics heat events of such high-emission scenarios. So we, us alive today, will watch our European insects AND soil…! die right in front of our eyes. I think.