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Graphic: John McCann/M&G

Trapped in an extreme world

The real Slim Shady of the M&G newsroom is surprised to find even Trump is just imitating – or so his younger colleagues reckon

The South African agricultural sector is on solid ground for now and we shouldn’t be worried — but we should be vigilant.

La Niña may bring favourable weather, boosting optimism about food security in Southern Africa

The weather event is predicted to bring above-normal rainfall in January before easing up, but the northeast may remain dry

The first-of-its-kind balloon is predicted to bridge the gap in atmospheric data between the West and the continent

Weather balloons will soar over Africa to track hurricanes and improve agriculture

The first-of-its-kind balloon is predicted to bridge the gap in atmospheric data between the West and the continent

Informal settlements have been particularly badly affected by the latest storms and flooding. (File photo by Brenton Geach/Gallo Images via Getty Images)

Flooding, damage as storms batter Cape Town

Informal settlements around the city, and the township of Khayelitsha, have been severely affected

Flooding in Ethembeni informal settlement, Khayelitsha, on the Cape Flats. Photo: Brenton Geach/Gallo Images

South Africa needs to be better prepared for flooding

Last year floods battered KwaZulu-Natal and this week the Western Cape saw immense damage

The Western Cape is by far the province that benefits most from Agoa trade. Photo: Mujahid Safodien/AFP

South Africa’s agricultural sector is likely to have an unusual period of three consecutive favourable seasons

But higher international commodity prices will keep input costs elevated for the livestock and poultry sector

Too hot to handle: Boys play on a submerged structure at Daraganj Ghat, one of the flooded banks of the Ganges River in Allahabad, India. (Sanjay Kanojia/AFP)

Will we weather the extreme weather?

South Africa recently had minus degree temperatures and the Middle East topped 50°C — and it’s all of our own making

The destruction of wetlands and forests — and a warmer climate — will lead to more severe flooding in South Africa and around the world. (David Harrison)

Warm world: Floods are our future

New research says the potential destruction of climate change has been gravely underestimated

Dhesigen Naidoo, Chief Executive of the Water Research Commission

Increasing our resilience to extreme weather and climate events

The purpose of the forum is to generate demystified and interpreted weather and climate information to assess the options and possible remedies

Access to quality water is a fundamental human right

Water Sector Advisory Panel on Weather and Climate

Working together to restore human dignity through universal access to water and sanitation

Mashaba: The City has committed to introducing measures to correct weaknesses within our operations which we hope will increase compliance.

Mashaba concludes investigation into Jo’burg storm

On December 30 last year, a violent storm caused extensive damage to some 1 326 properties

The Jukskei River flooded its banks on November 10 2016

​Cities need a concrete plan for flash floods

Inadequate infrastructure and clogged storm water drains are costing lives as extreme weather patterns become more frequent.

A boy cools off in a public fountain in Rio de Janeiro

World records are now being broken year after year, but this is nothing to celebrate

No, it’s not the Olympics, it’s the weather. July 2016 is the hottest month in recorded history and people are responsible this unnatural phenomenon.

Earth’s climate having a ‘complete blowout’

Nasa – which uses its satellites to observe climate change – has said this year will probably be the hottest on record.

Can you take the weather with you?

The technology for forecasting the weather has been getting more and more local in recent years. Now it’s personal, writes Arthur Goldstuck.

Weather information can now be gathered even in remote areas.

Portable weather stations to fill data gaps

A simple tool could give meteorologists access to the world’s information deserts, enabling data collection from large areas of the developing world.

When the sun ‘coughs’ it can wreak havoc with the world’s communication systems.

Hermanus, the eye of the sunstorm

Scientists in the Western Cape town watch more than whales – they have a flair for space weather too.

New York covered in what residents are calling ‘ThunderSnow’. (Twitter)

Seven pictures from New York’s #ThunderSnow

New Yorkers share pictures of the unseasonable weather as temperatures plummet below zero across all 50 states in the US.

Damaging storms are hitting the country more often as summer temperatures rise.

Insurers seek shelter from the storms

Insurance claims and payouts are soaring as havoc wreaked by climate change in the form of violent storms, rain and hail continues to increase.

The extent of Arctic sea ice

UN finds global temperatures continue to soar

The United Nations says that 13 of the 14 warmest years on record have occured since the turn of the new millennium.