Currently — May 11, 2023

May 10, 2023

The weather, currently.

Wildfire smoke from near the northern Canadian Rockies has travelled thousands of miles via the jet stream to the skies over the Northeast United States.

This isn't an unusual occurrence in the era of megafires and dry summers, smoky skies from distant burning forests happens almost every year these days. But it's happening this time much earlier than normal. It's still just early May, and as we reported earlier this week, Alberta has already seen more acres burned in 2023 than all of last year combined.

The dark orange and red sunset colors caused by wildfire smoke is creates a creepy effect apropos of what is happening — weird, unusual weather made worse by climate change.

—Eric Holthaus

 2 large plumes of Wildfire smoke are moving into the eastern U.S. from western Canada. As seen today on the GOES-16 sat loop. #wildfire pic.twitter.com/dUjh2xICWL— Brad Panovich (@wxbrad) May 10, 2023 

What you need to know, currently.

Extreme heat due to rising temperatures will have a disproportionate effect on tribal jails, according to original reporting by Grist.

More than half of those in all tribal facilities could experience temperatures above 90 degrees F at least 50 days each year by the end of the century, unless emissions are significantly reduced, according to a Grist analysis. 10 facilities could experience more than 150 days of this brutal heat.

—Aarohi Sheth

What you can do, currently.

Currently needs your help to improve! We'd like to chat with subscribers about why you like our newsletters, what got you to sign up, and what you might like to see us do differently in the future. If you'd like to chat for 15-20 minutes about Currently with our Director of Product, Bryan, please drop him a note!

Paid members will have a truly premium weather experience. Here's some of what we have planned:

  • Text directly with Eric, our founder, who will personally answer your weather questions and give you a customized forecast on demand.

  • Our first weather app, which will put your daily weather in the context of climate change, no matter where you are, anywhere in the world.

  • Reader-ownership — an experiment in direct democracy so that Currently can remain accountable to our most important stakeholders, you, the readers.

We have SO MANY more exciting features planned, but we can't do this without your direct support. Your paid membership makes Currently possible.