Weather Patterns Project Info
WEATHER PATTERNS
Visualizing milestones in climate breakdown
"Initiated in 2011, Weather Patterns is a long-term project recording and marking events in the changing global climate system. This anecdotal archive - functioning as memory - records, encodes, and stores these milestones in an index of incremental change.
Each day I make a single photograph using a consistent set of parameters with location, focal length, aperture and framing - resulting in a sizeable archive of images. At a later date, when I become aware of a new record, I draw on this archive to create these large-scale composite works. While some individual days appear as a milestone most of these emblematic compilations combine many days into a single work, enabling the viewer to see wide swaths of historical records at a glance. Most of the final works take weeks, months or years to complete.
As climate breakdown advances, and records are broken with increasing regularity, the construction of a photo-series that enforced bearing conscious witness to the changes occurring was of particular interest to me. Indeed, there are now so many of these events occurring that it is a difficult task to keep track of them. This on-going diary enables a process of both witness and memorial to the slow violence being imposed on the natural world.
As the earth shifts into an anthropogenic, less hospitable climate, recording and acknowledging even this minuscule slice of geological history - in the transition from what may be humanity's environmental 'Golden Age' - seems a worthy task."
~ D.E.
FAQ
Do you photograph every single day?
Yes, if at all possible, but practically speaking, the demands of life occasionally get in the way of appearing at the same location every day of the year. I thought long and hard about this, as it would have been possible, for instance if I had an assistant cover the days I could not. However, the idea of a single individual bearing witness, being a conscientious observer in this age of distraction, outweighed going in that direction.
Why both global and local records?
Human-imposed geographical borders are of course irrelevant to climate. While most of the works reflect global records, occasionally I was impacted so strongly by a local anomaly here in British Columbia that I was compelled to memorialize it. The heat dome of 2021, the record breaking wildfires of 2017 and 2018 and the 48 temperature records broken on the first day of spring in 2019 are examples.
There are also locations that, while neither global or local to me (such as the Antarctic passing 20C for the first time or the Hawaiian observatory at Mauna Loa recording 400ppm of carbon dioxide for 30 consecutive days), felt of such importance that I was again compelled to make work to remember them.
There is a very slight difference between the earlier works and the later, from 2015 onwards. It appears there are two locations?
Yes. I began this project when living on Cortes Island, British Columbia, in 2011. In 2015 we moved, approximately 265 km (150 miles) south, to Victoria. Happily, continuing the visual consistency of the project to date, the view from Victoria’s waterfront closely resembles that from Cortes - an expanse of sea and sky bisected by a thin strip of mountainous land.
Where do you find your climate information?
Almost all data comes from the monthly climate reports from the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information and their State of the Climate: Global Climate Report. I am also frequently alerted by articles in The Guardian and CBC News.
In some of the images I sometimes see objects in the sea and sky?
Yes, and these are much more apparent in the large-scale prints that when viewed online. When I arrive at the location I immediately set up and make a single photograph. I do not try to manipulate what is happening in front of me - whatever is happening at that moment will appear in the photograph. Shipping, planes, pleasure craft, standup paddle boarders and many others all make an appearance and have added what I feel is an appropriate subtext of human activity in these vast environments.
Related
In exhibition at San José Institute of Contemporary Art.
Big disasters make headlines. But the most dangerous part of climate change is that you barely notice it’s happening.
Eric Holthaus for The Correspondent
August 25, 2020
Remembering...
2021 March, Atmospheric Carbon Levels Reach 50 Percent of Pre-Industrial Levels
2020 September, Hottest Month of September in Recorded History
2020 August, Second Hottest Month of August in Recorded History
2020 July, Second Hottest Month of July in Recorded History
2020 June, Third Hottest Month of June in Recorded History (Tie With June, 2015)
2020 May, Hottest Month of May in Recorded History (Tie With May, 2016)
2020 April, Second Hottest Month of April in Recorded History
2020 March, Second Hottest Month of March in Recorded History
2020 February, Second Hottest Month of February in Recorded History
2020 February 9, Antarctic Registers Temperature Above 20C for the First Time in Recorded History
2020 February 6, Antarctica (Esperanza Base), Hottest Temperature in Recorded History
2020 January, Hottest in Recorded History
2019-2010 Hottest Decade in Recorded History
2019 Second Hottest Year in Recorded History
2019 Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2019 December, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2019 December, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2019 November, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2019 October, Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2015 October)
2019 September, Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2015 September)
2019 August, Second Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2017 and 2015)
2019 August, Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2019 July, Hottest on Record and Hottest Month Overall in Recorded History
2019 July, Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2019 July 25, United Kingdom Germany Belgium Luxembourg Netherlands, Hottest Day in Recorded History
2019 June, Hottest in Recorded History
2019 June, Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History (tie with 2016)
2019 May, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2019 April, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2019 March, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2019 February, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2019 January, Third Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2007)
2018 Fourth Hottest Year in Recorded History
2018 December, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2018 November, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2018 October, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2018 September, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2017)
2018 August, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2018 July, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2018 July, Death Valley USA, Hottest Average Monthly Temperature in Recorded History
2018 June, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2018 May, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2018 April, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2018 March, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2018 February, Seventh Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2018 January, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2017 Third Hottest Year in Recorded History
2017 December, Third Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2016)
2017 November, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2016)
2017 October, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2003)
2017 September, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2017 August, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2017 July, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2017 June, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2017 May, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2017 April, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2017 March, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2017 February, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2017 January, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2017 January, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2016 Hottest Year in Recorded History and 40th Consecutive Year to Surpass the 20th Century Average Temperature
2016 December, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2016 November, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2016 November, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2016 October, Third Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2003)
2016 September, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2016 August, Hottest in Recorded and 16th Consecutive Month of Record High Temperature
2016 July, Hottest in Recorded History
2016 June, Hottest in Recorded History
2016 May, Hottest in Recorded History
2016 April, Hottest in Recorded History
2016 Hottest March in Recorded History and the Highest Monthly Temperature Departure from 20th Century Average Among All 1,635 Months on Record
2016 February, Hottest in Recorded History
2016 Hottest January and Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History
2015 Hottest Year in Recorded History and the largest margin by which an annual temperature record has been broken.
2015 December, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 November, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 October, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 October, Second Hottest Global Ocean Temperature in Recorded History (tie with 2015)
2015 September, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 August, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 July, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 June, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 May, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 April, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2015 March 24, Esperanza Base Antarctica, Hottest Temperature in Recorded History
2015 March, Hottest in Recorded History
2015 February, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2015 January, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2014 Hottest Year in Recorded History
2014 December, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 November, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2014 October, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 September, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 August, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 July, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2014 June, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 May, Hottest in Recorded History
2014 April, Hottest in Recorded History (tie with 2010)
2014 March, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2014 February, Twenty-First Hottest in Recorded History
2014 January, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 Fourth Hottest Year in Recorded History
2013 December, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2013 November, Hottest in Recorded History
2013 October, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2013 September, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 August, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 July, Sixth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 June, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 May, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2013 April, Thirteenth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 March, Tenth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 February, Ninth Hottest in Recorded History
2013 January, Ninth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 Tenth Hottest Year in Recorded History
2012 December, Eighteenth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 November, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 October, Fifth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 September, Hottest in Recorded History
2012 August, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 July, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 June, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 May, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2012 April, Hottest in Recorded History
2012 March, Sixteenth Hottest in Recorded History
2012 February, Twenty-Second Hottest in Recorded History
2012 January, Nineteenth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 Eleventh Hottest Year in Recorded History
2011 December, Tenth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 November, Twelfth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 October, Eighth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 September, Eighth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 August, Eighth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 July, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2011 June, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2011 May, Tenth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 April, Seventh Hottest in Recorded History
2011 March, Thirteenth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 February, Seventeenth Hottest in Recorded History
2011 January, Seventeenth Hottest in Recorded History
2010 Hottest Year in Recorded History
2010 December, Seventeenth Hottest in Recorded History
2010 November, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2010 October, Eighth Hottest in Recorded History
2010 September, Eighth Hottest in Recorded History
2010 August, Third Hottest in Recorded History
2010 July, Second Hottest in Recorded History
2010 June, Hottest in Recorded History
2010 May, Hottest in Recorded History
2010 April, Hottest in Recorded History
2010 March, Hottest in Recorded History
2010 February, Sixth Hottest in Recorded History
2010 January, Fourth Hottest in Recorded History