Currently in Philadelphia — October 6, 2023: Back to your regularly scheduled fall weather

The weather, currently.

It really did feel like summer again for a minute there, but the heat is on its way out, and this weekend looks like a quick slide back into that crisp fall weather. Today will hit 77°F, with temperatures dropping into the 60s over the weekend and early next week. Thunderstorms look like likely tonight as well as tomorrow morning, with some heavy winds in the mix. But things should clear up by Sunday, so that should be a good day for Fall Activities™ like apple picking.

— Abe Musselman

What you need to know, currently.

New data show that September was largest monthly climate anomaly ever observed globally.

The bright red bar at the right side of the graph below is a shocking summation of this year’s extraordinary climate extremes: September 2023 was 0.5°C warmer than any other September in history — a margin that surpasses all of the combined warming of the past 20+ years. It was so unusually hot that climate scientists were left speechless.

Floods, fires, heat waves, droughts — this year has already featured disasters on a massive scale, and the growing El Niño is likely to compound those disasters in the months to come.

We are in a climate emergency — and each of us are already part of the team that can build a better future.

But I get it. This kind of news is so difficult to hear and decide what to do with. Each of us are only one person, and sometimes it feels completely overwhelming to watch the world literally spiral out of control.

Our sister publication, The Phoenix, has some advice for how to navigate your emotions, join with others, and take meaningful action.

— Eric Holthaus

What you can do, currently.

Currently Sponsorships are short messages we co-write with you to plug your org, event, or climate-friendly business with Currently subscribers. It’s a chance to boost your visibility with Currently — one of the world’s largest daily climate newsletters — and support independent climate journalism, all at the same time. Starting at just $105.

One of my favorite organizations, Mutual Aid Disaster Relief, serves as a hub of mutual aid efforts focused on climate action in emergencies — like hurricane season. Find mutual aid network near you and join, or donate to support existing networks: