Axios

An early, unusually intense September heat wave is threatening temperature records from metro San Diego and LA, and up the coast to parts of Oregon, Washington and Idaho.

Threat level: The climate change-worsened extreme heat event is bringing temperatures of 15°F to 20°F above average in the Pacific Northwest and is set to roast the Southwest through Monday.

Texas passed California as the state with the most power-generating capacity from big solar projects, new industry data shows.

Why it matters: Growth of these utility-scale arrays highlights the wider trend that Texas is a lab for almost every aspect of the energy and climate future.

The global average surface temperatures from June through August were the hottest on record, according to the Copernicus Climate Change Service.

Why it matters: The period, which comprises summer in the Northern Hemisphere, brought a spate of extreme heat, wildfires and other extreme events.