Mike Byrne
@drmichaelbyrne.bsky.social
climate scientist | extreme temperatures, atmospheric dynamics, water cycle | Reader @ U. St Andrews, PhD from MIT | he/him | 🇮🇪 in 🏴
https://sites.google.com/view/climate-dynamics-lab
https://sites.google.com/view/climate-dynamics-lab
🚨🌡️🔥🌍🌤️🚨
New paper alert in J. Climate from the Climate Dynamics Lab @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social:
Tropical temperature distributions over a wide range of climates: theory and idealized simulations
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
New paper alert in J. Climate from the Climate Dynamics Lab @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social:
Tropical temperature distributions over a wide range of climates: theory and idealized simulations
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
journals.ametsoc.org
November 4, 2025 at 1:05 PM
🚨🌡️🔥🌍🌤️🚨
New paper alert in J. Climate from the Climate Dynamics Lab @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social:
Tropical temperature distributions over a wide range of climates: theory and idealized simulations
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
New paper alert in J. Climate from the Climate Dynamics Lab @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social:
Tropical temperature distributions over a wide range of climates: theory and idealized simulations
journals.ametsoc.org/view/journal...
Apparently Hurricane Melissa was "engineered" as part of a land-clearing plot to build smart cities in Jamaica 🤔 Here is my attempt, via BBC Verify, to douse this conspiracy nonsense with some science facts: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c9...
Examining deadly Rio clashes between police and notorious gang
Latest updates from the BBC's specialists in fact-checking, verifying video and tackling disinformation.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Apparently Hurricane Melissa was "engineered" as part of a land-clearing plot to build smart cities in Jamaica 🤔 Here is my attempt, via BBC Verify, to douse this conspiracy nonsense with some science facts: www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/c9...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Trends in October temperatures over land areas for the last 50 years...
Data from www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...
Data from www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...
October 23, 2025 at 12:15 PM
Trends in October temperatures over land areas for the last 50 years...
Data from www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...
Data from www.ncei.noaa.gov/products/lan...
Excited to be visiting @universityofleeds.bsky.social today! I will discuss our research on the physics of tropical land in a changing climate, including hot-off-the-server results suggesting a drier future than climate models predict @earthandenvleeds.bsky.social @earthscista.bsky.social
October 22, 2025 at 6:57 AM
Excited to be visiting @universityofleeds.bsky.social today! I will discuss our research on the physics of tropical land in a changing climate, including hot-off-the-server results suggesting a drier future than climate models predict @earthandenvleeds.bsky.social @earthscista.bsky.social
Nice piece in @uk.theconversation.com by Nadir Jeevanjee about early models and their visionary predictions of climate change fingerprints (incl polar amp, land-ocean contrast, strato cooling). Also a timely homage to GFDL, driver of these early predictions 🌍
theconversation.com/5-forecasts-...
theconversation.com/5-forecasts-...
5 forecasts early climate models got right – the evidence is all around you
From rising global temperatures to the fast-warming Arctic, early climate models predicted the changes half a century ago.
theconversation.com
September 19, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Nice piece in @uk.theconversation.com by Nadir Jeevanjee about early models and their visionary predictions of climate change fingerprints (incl polar amp, land-ocean contrast, strato cooling). Also a timely homage to GFDL, driver of these early predictions 🌍
theconversation.com/5-forecasts-...
theconversation.com/5-forecasts-...
We had a fantastic research 'away day' at East Sands in St Andrews, where we discussed the future of extreme temperatures as part of GLOBAL-EX project. A lunchtime swim + cheese toasties on the beach was an added bonus! @erc.europa.eu @ukri.org @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
September 5, 2025 at 8:24 AM
We had a fantastic research 'away day' at East Sands in St Andrews, where we discussed the future of extreme temperatures as part of GLOBAL-EX project. A lunchtime swim + cheese toasties on the beach was an added bonus! @erc.europa.eu @ukri.org @earthscista.bsky.social @uniofstandrews.bsky.social
Reposted by Mike Byrne
“Human health can be seriously affected by high heat and humidity. Such a dramatic increase in the occurrence of these humid-heat events is bringing more societies into challenging, potentially life-threatening, situations.” - Dr. Kate Willett @metoffice.gov.uk
#ClimateEmergency 🥵
#ClimateEmergency 🥵
Global humidity reached record levels in 2024, says latest climate report
The latest report on global climate change highlights the impact of higher global temperatures on the water cycle, with atmospheric water vapour levels reaching record levels during 2024.
www.metoffice.gov.uk
August 17, 2025 at 2:53 PM
“Human health can be seriously affected by high heat and humidity. Such a dramatic increase in the occurrence of these humid-heat events is bringing more societies into challenging, potentially life-threatening, situations.” - Dr. Kate Willett @metoffice.gov.uk
#ClimateEmergency 🥵
#ClimateEmergency 🥵
Scotland is under a wildfire warning 🔥🌡️, fuelled by a very dry spring. I talked to BBC World at One about wildfires in Scotland which involve humans behaving badly, grouse shooting, and more than a hint of climate change. From 27min 25sec: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @earthscista.bsky.social
World at One - Zelensky lands in Berlin for calls with European leaders - BBC Sounds
Leaders discuss Ukraine ahead of US-Russia summit. Plus, Scottish wildfire warning issued.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 15, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Scotland is under a wildfire warning 🔥🌡️, fuelled by a very dry spring. I talked to BBC World at One about wildfires in Scotland which involve humans behaving badly, grouse shooting, and more than a hint of climate change. From 27min 25sec: www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/... @earthscista.bsky.social
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Two new exciting job opportunities at @universityofleeds.bsky.social machine-learning forecasting for West Africa.
ML is revolutionising forecasting, so this is a major opportunity.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
ML is revolutionising forecasting, so this is a major opportunity.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
Job Opportunity at University of Leeds: Research Fellow in African Sub-seasonal Weather Prediction
This role will be based on the university campus, with scope for it to be undertaken in a hybrid manner. We are also open to discussing flexible working arrangements.Are you an atmospheric scientist l...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk
August 15, 2025 at 9:52 AM
Two new exciting job opportunities at @universityofleeds.bsky.social machine-learning forecasting for West Africa.
ML is revolutionising forecasting, so this is a major opportunity.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
ML is revolutionising forecasting, so this is a major opportunity.
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
jobs.leeds.ac.uk/vacancy.aspx...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Worth pointing out that thunderstorms and hail are very much not “unseasonal” in summer as reported here (hail isn’t wintry weather!) but quite dramatic scenes in Dundee and environs today www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Shopping centre evacuated after heavy rain and hail hit Dundee
A Dundee shopping centre is evacuated as water pours in and a road in Aberdeenshire is closed by a mudslide
www.bbc.co.uk
August 14, 2025 at 9:43 PM
Worth pointing out that thunderstorms and hail are very much not “unseasonal” in summer as reported here (hail isn’t wintry weather!) but quite dramatic scenes in Dundee and environs today www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
"The Climate Change Committee, the government’s statutory adviser, has repeatedly highlighted a lack of urgent effort to adapt critical infrastructure, from water, transport and communication networks, to the fabric of our buildings"
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Overheated homes: why UK housing is dangerously unprepared for impact of climate crisis
Building rules have been focused on keeping warm in winter and saving on energy bills, not cooling down
www.theguardian.com
August 11, 2025 at 9:25 AM
"The Climate Change Committee, the government’s statutory adviser, has repeatedly highlighted a lack of urgent effort to adapt critical infrastructure, from water, transport and communication networks, to the fabric of our buildings"
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Deeply honoured that our research has been cited in the new DOE climate report
AI in the DOE report? This ref (p29) is fake:
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
Lee, S., Byrne, M. P., Loikith, P. C., & O’Dell, C. W. (2024). Zonal contrasts of the tropical Pacific climate predicted by a global constraint. Climate Dynamics, 62(1–2), 229–246. doi:10.1007/s00382-023-06741-7
www.realclimate.org/index.php/ar...
RealClimate: The Endangerment of the Endangerment Finding?
RealClimate: The EPA, along with the "Climate Working Group" (CWG) of usual suspects (plus Judith Curry and Ross McKitrick) at DOE, have just put out a document for public comment their attempt to res...
www.realclimate.org
August 4, 2025 at 7:55 AM
Deeply honoured that our research has been cited in the new DOE climate report
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Unprecedented continental drying since 2002 based on satellite data and dominated by high-latitude water losses, intense Central American/European #drought & groundwater depletion: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Consistent with earlier work: doi.org/10.1007/s107...
Consistent with earlier work: doi.org/10.1007/s107...
Unprecedented continental drying, shrinking freshwater availability, and increasing land contributions to sea level rise
Drying continents, extreme drought, and groundwater depletion are shrinking water availability and increasing sea level rise.
doi.org
July 29, 2025 at 8:07 AM
Unprecedented continental drying since 2002 based on satellite data and dominated by high-latitude water losses, intense Central American/European #drought & groundwater depletion: doi.org/10.1126/scia...
Consistent with earlier work: doi.org/10.1007/s107...
Consistent with earlier work: doi.org/10.1007/s107...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
📣 New paper:
💧💧💧 In July 2021 record breaking rainfall hit western Europe, we use ensemble boosting to explore different plausible storylines. These show it could have rained for longer, or over a larger area, or in a different place. Are we prepared?
doi.org/10.1038/s432...
💧💧💧 In July 2021 record breaking rainfall hit western Europe, we use ensemble boosting to explore different plausible storylines. These show it could have rained for longer, or over a larger area, or in a different place. Are we prepared?
doi.org/10.1038/s432...
July 8, 2025 at 10:06 AM
📣 New paper:
💧💧💧 In July 2021 record breaking rainfall hit western Europe, we use ensemble boosting to explore different plausible storylines. These show it could have rained for longer, or over a larger area, or in a different place. Are we prepared?
doi.org/10.1038/s432...
💧💧💧 In July 2021 record breaking rainfall hit western Europe, we use ensemble boosting to explore different plausible storylines. These show it could have rained for longer, or over a larger area, or in a different place. Are we prepared?
doi.org/10.1038/s432...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
The Western Mediterranean has been record warm recently, shown here for the June averages from ERA5.
This much warmth in the Mediterranean may predict a brutally hot summer for Europe.
1/ 🧵🧪🌊
This much warmth in the Mediterranean may predict a brutally hot summer for Europe.
1/ 🧵🧪🌊
July 8, 2025 at 9:31 AM
The Western Mediterranean has been record warm recently, shown here for the June averages from ERA5.
This much warmth in the Mediterranean may predict a brutally hot summer for Europe.
1/ 🧵🧪🌊
This much warmth in the Mediterranean may predict a brutally hot summer for Europe.
1/ 🧵🧪🌊
As the UK prepares for an extended heatwave over coming days, interesting new @natgeosci.nature.com research suggests longer heatwaves as climate warms #climate #heatwave
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Accelerating increase in the duration of heatwaves under global warming - Nature Geoscience
The duration of long heatwaves increases at an accelerating rate with warming such that a large increase in the risk of long-lasting heatwaves results from relatively modest warming, according to an a...
www.nature.com
July 8, 2025 at 9:45 AM
As the UK prepares for an extended heatwave over coming days, interesting new @natgeosci.nature.com research suggests longer heatwaves as climate warms #climate #heatwave
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Mike Byrne
1°C of global warming does NOT mean that heatwaves 'just' get hotter by 1°C.
Over large parts of the UK, global warming means that heatwaves are 3-4°C warmer, with worse consequences for people and ecosystems.
Over large parts of the UK, global warming means that heatwaves are 3-4°C warmer, with worse consequences for people and ecosystems.
July 2, 2025 at 8:32 AM
1°C of global warming does NOT mean that heatwaves 'just' get hotter by 1°C.
Over large parts of the UK, global warming means that heatwaves are 3-4°C warmer, with worse consequences for people and ecosystems.
Over large parts of the UK, global warming means that heatwaves are 3-4°C warmer, with worse consequences for people and ecosystems.
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Western Europe summer high temperatures have increased ~2.6 °C (4.7 °F) during just the last 50 years.
That's in a world with only 1.4 °C of global warming.
That's in a world with only 1.4 °C of global warming.
June 30, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Western Europe summer high temperatures have increased ~2.6 °C (4.7 °F) during just the last 50 years.
That's in a world with only 1.4 °C of global warming.
That's in a world with only 1.4 °C of global warming.
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Some forecast models are showing the potential for record-breaking heat in the UK later in June 🌡️
Ensemble forecasts can help us better understand the extremes of the current climate. @hayleyjfowler.bsky.social, Paul Davies and I wrote about this last year theconversation.com/the-climate-...
Ensemble forecasts can help us better understand the extremes of the current climate. @hayleyjfowler.bsky.social, Paul Davies and I wrote about this last year theconversation.com/the-climate-...
The climate is changing so fast that we haven’t seen how bad extreme weather could get
Record heat, storms and floods reveal new extremes made possible by climate change.
theconversation.com
June 13, 2025 at 1:21 PM
Some forecast models are showing the potential for record-breaking heat in the UK later in June 🌡️
Ensemble forecasts can help us better understand the extremes of the current climate. @hayleyjfowler.bsky.social, Paul Davies and I wrote about this last year theconversation.com/the-climate-...
Ensemble forecasts can help us better understand the extremes of the current climate. @hayleyjfowler.bsky.social, Paul Davies and I wrote about this last year theconversation.com/the-climate-...
Not a bad backdrop for pondering science at the Simons Symposium for Multi-Scale Physics ⚛️ I will be talking today about "Large-scale and local-scale influences on tropical land climate"
www.simonsfoundation.org/event/multi-...
www.simonsfoundation.org/event/multi-...
June 13, 2025 at 6:47 AM
Not a bad backdrop for pondering science at the Simons Symposium for Multi-Scale Physics ⚛️ I will be talking today about "Large-scale and local-scale influences on tropical land climate"
www.simonsfoundation.org/event/multi-...
www.simonsfoundation.org/event/multi-...
Great to be visiting beautiful @ethz.ch for a few days of science! I will be presenting a seminar on elevation-dependent warming followed by examining a PhD on the water cycle in a changing climate 💦🌡️🌤️
June 3, 2025 at 9:19 AM
Great to be visiting beautiful @ethz.ch for a few days of science! I will be presenting a seminar on elevation-dependent warming followed by examining a PhD on the water cycle in a changing climate 💦🌡️🌤️
Reposted by Mike Byrne
New #FATESmodel postdoc in Oslo! Come and join our team :) www.jobbnorge.no/en/available... Postdoctoral Research Fellow in terrestrial carbon cycle modelling (281332) | University of Oslo
Postdoctoral Research Fellow in terrestrial carbon cycle modelling (281332) | University of Oslo
Job title: Postdoctoral Research Fellow in terrestrial carbon cycle modelling (281332), Employer: University of Oslo, Deadline: Friday, August 15, 2025
www.jobbnorge.no
June 2, 2025 at 11:29 AM
New #FATESmodel postdoc in Oslo! Come and join our team :) www.jobbnorge.no/en/available... Postdoctoral Research Fellow in terrestrial carbon cycle modelling (281332) | University of Oslo
Reposted by Mike Byrne
Harvard president receives standing ovation during commencement.
May 29, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Harvard president receives standing ovation during commencement.
Reposted by Mike Byrne
My friend is in charge of the team that wrote the climate change adaptation plan for Switzerland and this is one of the things they expected.
Swiss village almost entirely destroyed after collapse of glacier buries it in mud
One person missing and Blatten devastated after huge cloud of ice and rubble inundates evacuated town
www.theguardian.com
May 29, 2025 at 6:24 AM
My friend is in charge of the team that wrote the climate change adaptation plan for Switzerland and this is one of the things they expected.