update on the pathetic start to colorado's 2013 snowpack

 here is all of colorado

 this is the arkansas river valley

this is a map of all the colorado river basins

and this is a link to the chose any basin map

the last 2 years have certainly showed the wobble.

* Dangerous cold snap hits Midwest, Eastern US [CBS NEWS; Jan 22, 2013]

The National Weather Service says temperatures in the Upper Midwest, Great Lakes and New England regions will fall to 10-15 below zero, with wind chill temperatures as low as 45 degrees below. / NWS

A dangerous cold snap is gripping much of the nation.

Single-digit temperatures are in today's forecast from the Dakotas to New England, with wind chill readings down to about 45 degrees below zero in parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes regions, accounting for some of the coldest temperatures the region has seen in two years.

A variety of winter weather advisories and warnings are in effect for much of Michigan, and downwind of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario.

The coldest wind chill temperatures recorded yesterday were 54 degrees below zero in Grand Marais, Minn., on the north shore of Lake Superior; -44 in International Falls, Minn., and -40 in Minot, N.D.

Meteorologist Mike Augustyniak from CBS Station WCCO in Minneapolis says the brutal cold continues Tuesday - temperatures of nine below zero in Minneapolis-St. Paul, -25 in International Falls. Factor in the wind, Augustyniak said, and wind chills measurements approach 40 below in International Falls, 27 below in Green Bay, Wis., 31 below in Marquette, Wis., and Chicago and Detroit will feel in the teens below zero.

And there's more: Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Buffalo will all feel like 10 to 25 below. Frostbite times there on exposed skin is 10 to 15 minutes.

Another pocket of brutally cold wind is chilling northern New York, northern Vermont and New Hampshire.

* Temperature and Jet stream [18 GMT, Jan 22, 2013]

Special Climate Statement 43 - Extreme January heat. [Australian Bureau of Meteorology; 2013, January 14] 

Large parts of central and southern Australia are currently under the influence of a persistent and widespread heatwave event. This event is ongoing with further significant records likely to be set. Further updates of this statement and associated significant observations will be made as they occur, and a full and comprehensive report on this significant climatic event will be made when the current event ends.

The last four months of 2012 were abnormally hot across Australia, and particularly so for maximum (day-time) temperatures. For September to December (i.e. the last four months of 2012) the average Australian maximum temperature was the highest on record with a national anomaly of +1.61 °C, slightly ahead of the previous record of 1.60 °C set in 2002 (national records go back to 1910). In this context the current heatwave event extends a four month spell of record hot conditions affecting Australia. These hot conditions have been exacerbated by very dry conditions affecting much of Australia since mid 2012 and a delayed start to a weak Australian monsoon.

The start of the current heatwave event traces back to late December 2012, and all states and territories have seen unusually hot temperatures with many site records approached or exceeded across southern and central Australia. A full list of records broken at stations with long records (>30 years) is given below.

The current heatwave event commenced with a build up of extreme heat in the southwest of Western Australia from 25-30 December 2012 as a high in the Bight and a trough near the west coast directed hot easterly winds over the area. Particularly hot conditions were observed on the 30th, with Cape Naturaliste observing 37.7 °C, its hottest December day in 56 years of record.

From 31 December the high pressure system began to shift eastward, bringing well above average temperatures across southern WA between the 30 December and 2 January. Temperatures reached 47.7 °C at Eyre on the 2nd its hottest day in 24 years of record, while Eucla recorded 48.2 °C on the 3rd, its hottest day since records began in 1957.

By 4 January the high pressure system had moved off eastern Australia, with northerly winds directing very hot air into southeast Australia, while southerly winds eased temperatures in WA. Hobart experienced a minimum temperature of 23.4 °C on the 4th (its hottest January night on record), followed by a maximum of 41.8 °C (its hottest maximum temperature on record for any month in 130 years of records) and the highest temperature observed anywhere in southern Tasmania.

The area of intense heat moved northeast on the 5th as the high pressure system, now centred over the Tasman Sea, and a low pressure trough directed hot northerly winds into the Riverina and western NSW. Areas affected recorded temperatures well in excess of 40 °C, with Marree in SA recording 48.4 °C, Yarrawonga in VIC recording 45.7 °C and Hay in NSW recording 47.7 °C, breaking its annual daytime temperature record.

The area of intense heat lingered over eastern SA and the southern half of NSW until 8 January when the high pressure system in the Tasman Sea began to move eastward. On 8 January, north-westerly winds ahead of a cold front extended the influence of the heatwave to the coast of NSW with temperatures reaching 41 °C in Bega, 42.4 °C in Nowra and 42.4 °C at Sydney Observatory Hill.Western Australia saw a second wave of recording breaking heat on 8-10 January as a second high pressure system moved into the Great Australian Bight directing hot easterly winds in to the state. The highest temperature recorded in WA during this event was 49.0 °C at Leonora, breaking Leonora’s previous record of 48.3 °C, set the day before, with temperatures above 45 °C widespread in interior Western Australia.

Following two days of cooler conditions in the southeast of Australia intense heat returned on the 11th of January. This second wave of heat reached its peak on the 12th and 13th in the eastern states, with Moomba Airport in SA recording 49.6 °C on the 12th (the highest of the event thus far and the highest temperature in SA outside of January 1960), 48.6 °C at Wanaaring Post Office in NSW on the 12th and 49.0 °C at Birdsville in QLD on the 13th. On the morning of the 14th Bedouri Police Station in QLD recorded an overnight minimum temperature of 34.1 °C the highest of the event thus far and the hottest in Queensland since 34.4 °C on 5 January 2006.

Unusual Cold in China and Northeast Asia [Earth Observatory; Jan24, 2013]

How Widespread was the Australian Heatwave? [Earth Observatory; Jan23, 2013]

Thank you for your comment about Queensland floods, Lindi Lou.

* Queensland on flood alert [ABC Online; William Rollo reported this story on Saturday, January 26, 2013]

ASHLEY HALL: Many parts of Queensland are on flood alert this weekend, as torrential rain from ex-tropical cyclone Oswald drenches much of the state.
In Brisbane, water is being released from dams to avoid a repeat of the devastating 2011 floods.
Residents around Gladstone are being warned to expect the inundation of their properties
The ABC's William Rollo is in Gladstone.
WILLIAM ROLLO: Yeah the situation' changing pretty quickly actually. A flooding emergency alert has just been issued because a record amount of water is spilling over the Awoonga Dam, which is to the southwest of Gladstone.
The 4.81 metres of water is spilling downstream into the Boyne River, and that's, and there's going to be a 4.2 metre high tide very soon. That could potentially impact hundreds of homes in the suburbs of Boyne Island and Tannum Sands, they're two major residential areas along the Gladstone coast.
Local disaster management crews have described it as an unprecedented situation. Police and SES volunteers are door-knocking homes at the moment, they're urging residents to take higher ground.
They've also opened up the Boyne-Tannum Community Centre for those that need to take refuge. And there's also an emergency alert for people near Callide Creek, near Biloela, to the west of Gladstone, that's because water is being released from the Callide Dam.
Landlines in the area are also down, making communication a little bit tricky. People are using the local ABC Radio station as a bit of a community noticeboard at the moment.
ASHLEY HALL: So Will, there's been an enormous dumping of water. How much rain has hit the city so far?
WILLIAM ROLLO: Since this time yesterday, there's been well over 270 millimetres on Gladstone itself. To the south, in Wallaroo, there's been over 370mls. It's not going to ease up any time soon. Over the next two days, a further 200mls is forecast to fall over the city.
ASHLEY HALL: And it's not looking good in southeast Queensland either. What's the situation there?
WILLIAM ROLLO: No it's not. Emergency Management Queensland are calling on people to stay vigilant with the bad weather. It's expected to hit the southeast later today. Moreton Bay regional council is saying that the storm surges could affect well over 1,000 homes and businesses from Bribie Island to Redcliffe.
ASHLEY HALL: ABC's William Rollo in Gladstone, Queensland
Sam McKee lives in the suburb of Boyne Island, and he's waiting and watching for the worst of the floods to come at high tide.
SAM MCKEE: We're at Boyne Island, standing on the banks of the river near the bridge that links Tannum Sands. The river is about an hour away from high tide and it's still contained within the banks. So we're just watching and waiting, really.
ASHLEY HALL: Watching and waiting. Have you taken any preparations?
SAM MCKEE: Yeah. At five o'clock this morning we received an emergency text from the services followed by a phone call, so we took up some low lying equipment and the kids and the animals and moved them to higher ground.
Now we're just sitting and waiting to see how bad it actually gets.
ASHLEY HALL: What are your expectations?
SAM MCKEE: Well they're claiming a one in 100 level flood. It's still got a way to go yet, but having said that it is an hour til high tide, but all good so far.
ASHLEY HALL: Have you experienced flooding before in this area?
SAM MCKEE: Oh look every summer we get sort of one off events overnight where we get the typical tropical storm, but they normally sort of create flash flooding, whereas this one appears to be possibly a larger event over a wider area.
ASHLEY HALL: Sam McKee at Boyne Island, near Gladstone.

EDITORS NOTE: TRANSCRIPT AND AUDIO FOR THIS STORY FROM THE QUEENSLAND UPDATE OF AM.

* Queensland flooding in pictures - ABC Western Queensland

* Flooding forces rescues from homes, cars in Rockhampton [THE AUSTRALIAN; January 25, 2013]

A RESCUER was swept away saving a teenager from raging floodwaters in Rockhampton, parts of which are under water after the city's wettest day in more than 60 years.

Councillor Bill Ludwig says many of the central Queensland city's streets are flooded and “very destructive winds” are being felt from the low pressure system that once was cyclone Oswald.

The system is currently sitting about 120km west of Mackay and expected to cause flooding in communities further south in coming days.

Mr Ludwig warned the situation in Rockhampton is serious and residents should stay off the streets, after a number of dramatic rescues today and overnight.

“They're saying this is not a cyclone but it's not far off it,” he told ABC News 24.

He said he wasn't game to go outside because the wind had left a large sheet of corrugated iron flapping from a nearby building.

“I haven't seen water like this on our roads. I've come in from a rural location and it was pretty hairy to say the least.”

There have been about 20 swift water rescues in central Queensland overnight and today.

The most dramatic was in the Rockhampton suburb of Frenchville, where a rescuer was washed away after dragging a 14-year-old boy to safety.

He was swept under a nearby bridge but then able to reach safety, the ABC said.

The rescued boy has been taken to hospital as a precaution.

A search is also underway for two fisherman whose boat started taking on water off  Rockhampton overnight.

The skipper of the 38-foot fishing vessel made the call late last night, but bad weather prevented an immediate search and is hampering search efforts today.

Meanwhile, a house in Frenchville in Rockhampton was hit by a large landslide, the Department of Community Safety said.

The house is still standing and no one was injured but debris has been left piled against the first floor of the two-storey house in Archer View Terrace.

There have been many other rescues in the past 12 hours, including that of a man saved from his car after it began filling with water when he tried to drive through floodwaters at Kabra, west of Rockhampton.

The driver was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

More than 70 roads, including major highways, have been cut across the state since Oswald was downgraded after crossing the Cape York Peninsula's west coast on Tuesday.

At Yeppoon, northeast of Rockhampton, more than 10 homes have flooded and people are sandbagging other properties in a bid to save them.

The Bureau of Meteorology said Rockhampton had recorded its wettest day since 1939, with 349mm falling in the 24 hours to 9am (AEST) today, and it's not over yet.

The city is expected to cop at least another 100mm over the next 12 hours but by tomorrow, the heaviest falls should be further south.

At this stage, authorities are not expecting the Fitzroy River to break its banks at Rockhampton but is likely to reach minor flood levels.

At Gladstone, south of Rockhampton, the city's sewage system is overflowing, sending excrement into people's homes.

The local council is using sandbags to try to weigh down manholes to prevent the problem worsening.

“It comes up through manholes and bubbles into properties. It's not pleasant,” Gladstone Mayor Gail Sellers told ABC Radio.

Supermarket giant Coles said supplies to 26 of its 32 stores in far north Queensland had been affected by the torrential rain and flooding.

Stores in Rockhampton and at Yeppoon had also been forced to close.

With rail lines cut, supplies are being trucked from Townsville to Cairns via Charters Towers.

“We ask our customers to be patient and not to panic buy as there are groceries on the way,” Coles managing director Ian McLeod said.

* Dam levels to be cut amid flood 'concern' [JAMIE WALKER From: The Australian January 25, 2013]

LEVELS in Brisbane's flood shield, the Wivenhoe dam, will be reduced as monsoonal rain intensifies across the city, capping a day of chaos caused by former cyclone Oswald.

Premier Campbell Newman said water would be released from Wivenhoe and a satellite dam at Somerset this afternoon as a precautionary measure.

More than 100mm of rain is forecast to deluge Brisbane over the coming 24 hours, after the monsoonal low left over from the cyclone caused flooding high drama in Rockhampton overnight and early today.

Flooding during Rockhampton's wettest day in over 60 years forced a series of dramatic rescues, including that of a teenager pulled from floodwaters that also briefly swept away a man who had dragged him to safety.

Beaches on the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane, were today being pounded by massive seas whipped up the intense weather system.

Allegations that Wivenhoe's managers failed to lower the level of the huge dam early enough prior to the disastrous 2011 flooding of Ipswich and Brisbane, resulting in emergency releases that compounded the crisis, are being pursued by lawyers who have launched a class action on behalf of flood victims.

“We're adopting a precautionary principle here,” Mr Newman said of today's releases from Wivenhoe, Somerset and the smaller North Pine dams.

Mr Newman said the Wivenhoe dam was nowhere near the levels seen before the January 2011 floods.

But he wanted to give the state's southeast the biggest buffer he could to ensure the safety of residents, and the protection of their property.

“I am concerned, but I'm not worried,” the Premier said.

He said that even without the dam drawdowns, he'd been assured that “we have enough in that 1.4 megalitre flood storage compartment to take what's coming”.

But he said Oswald and the low it has become had proven to be an unpredictable weather system, and the drawdowns were about providing additional security and peace of mind.

“Let's make sure we look at what could happen, in the worst case,” Mr Newman said.

Mr Newman said the greatest risk was considered to be urban flooding in the usual low-lying areas close to creeks and stormwater drains.

Asked if he could categorically rule out a repeat of the 2010-11 floods he replied: “Of course, nobody can do that.”

But he said with the capacity available in the dams that was extremely unlikely.

Water Supply Minister Mark McArdle said 41,000 megalitres would be released from Wivenhoe dam over 24 hours from this afternoon.

And 8000 megalitres will be released from North Pine Dam over 11 hours from this afternoon.

“We are giving the biggest buffer we possibly can,” he said.

“Our aim is to protect the people and the property of the southeast corner by making certain the dams are at their most efficient, and best levels, to take inflows.”

The Bureau of Meteorology says the southeast will be lashed by severe weather over the next two days, with rainfalls of 200 to 300mm expected.

There are warnings of potential flash flooding for the southeast, damaging winds and abnormally high tides.

The low is currently swamping communities in central Queensland, causing significant flooding and sparking rescues including in the city of Rockhampton.

The bureau's regional director Rob Webb said the system was expected to remain over land and weaken as it tracks south.

It had been previously feared it might head back out to sea and strengthen into a cyclone again.

“We do expect Saturday and Sunday's morning high tides, from the Fraser Coast south to the border, to approach, if not exceed the highest tide of the year,” Mr Webb told reporters.

Mr Webb said already up to 800mm has fallen in a couple of days in areas from Tully in north Queensland south to Rockhampton.

Ipswich Mayor Paul Pisasale said he was not expecting any widespread flooding in the city, which was hit hard in the 2011 floods.

But he said people in the Bundamba and Woogaroo Creek catchment areas need to remain vigilant and aware of the risk of localised flash flooding.

While some roads may be closed the latest computer modelling indicates there should be only minimal stream rises in the Bremer River between One Mile and the junction of the Brisbane River.

“It is important to note that while significant rainfall is forecast, the dryness of the catchment means we are not expecting any major flooding.” he said in a statement.

Snow-covered deserts are rare, but that’s exactly what the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite observed as it passed over the Taklimakan Desert in western China on January 2, 2013. Snow has covered much of the desert since a storm blew through the area on December 26. The day after the storm, Chinese Central Television (CNTV) reported that the Xinjian Uygyr autonomous region was among the hardest hit.

The Taklimakan is one of the world’s largest—and hottest—sandy deserts. Water flowing into the Tarim Basin has no outlet, so over the years, sediments have steadily accumulated. In parts of the desert, sand can pile up to 300 meters (roughly 1,000 feet) high. The mountains that enclose the sea of sand—the Tien Shan in the north and the Kunlun Shan in the south—were also covered with what appeared to be a significantly thicker layer of snow in January 2013.

Source

Devastating floods strike Queensland, disaster declared

http://rt.com/news/australia-queensland-floods-823/

Floods have wreaked havoc in Bundaberg on Australian’s east coast, causing hundreds of homes to be evacuated. Six tornadoes have already brought about at least one death in the northeastern state of Queensland as authorities declare a disaster.

­An elderly man was found dead following heavy flooding which has devastated the area in the aftermath of ex-tropical cyclone Oswald.

“The damage is absolutely extraordinary – trees have been shredded, leaves thrown everywhere, trees pulled down, power lines pulled down, and a series of serious car accidents,” Jessie Grayson told Australia’s Ten News.

Army helicopters were called in to aid with the unfolding crisis. Eight people have already been airlifted from danger zones. Only one fisherman was found on Sunday morning, after two were reported missing following a skipper's emergency call in the early hours of Thursday morning, saying that the boat was taking on water.

An emergency evacuation warning was issued in Bundaberg, north of Brisbane, after the Burnett River’s banks broke on Sunday afternoon. It is expected to peak at more than 9 meters, topping the levels recorded in the 2010/2011 floods. The town of Gladstone is also preparing for the possibility of major floods, and 400 properties have been evacuated.

Up to 300mm of rainfall is expected in the next 24 hours, and in some areas it may even reach 400mm, according to Queensland weather services manager Richard Wardle. The flooding has blocked more than 70 roads, including major highway since Oswald was downgraded to a storm, after crossing Cape York Peninsula’s west coast on Tuesday.

Destructive wind gusts of up to 120km/h and further tornados are likely, according to the Australian weather bureau.

The State Emergency Service has reportedly received over 300 calls for help in the Queensland region.

The Australasia and South-East Asia region is no stranger to the severe rainfall, and Indonesia has been plagued with sporadic flooding, leaving parts of Jakarta submerged for weeks and, most recently, killing nine on Sumatra Island. Indonesia is taking measures to circumvent their proneness to flooding, such as employing a Hercules plane to carry out cloud seeding measures, which will force approaching clouds to rain at sea before they arrive over the country.

As the floods swamp Indonesia and northeastern Australia, Australia’s south is falling victim to violent bushfires. The Country Fire Authority reported an out-of-control blaze, also on Sunday, which has destroyed 750 hectares of and is heading towards the community of Boho, near Benalla in northeast Victoria. The sparks from the fire is igniting fresh fires 1km ahead of itself.

http://zen-haven.com/ferocious-storm-set-to-explode-in-north-atlantic/

Ferocious Storm Set to Explode in North Atlantic

Some of the most powerful storms on earth form in the North Atlantic Ocean during wintertime, spelling peril for sailors unfortunate enough to encounter them.

For the past few days, the meteorologists at the Ocean Prediction Center (OPC) in College Park, Md., whose job it is to warn vessels of weather hazards, have been highlighting the likelihood of a treacherous storm event that is taking place in the open ocean, to the south of Iceland.

A storm that was rather inoccuous when it affected the U.S. is exploding, through a process known to meteorologists as “bombogenesis,” into a ferocious storm over the North Atlantic. The storm has intensified enough to become stronger than Hurricane Sandy was, as measured by the minimum central air pressure.

Record rainfall in January that swelled rivers

It rained a lot during the month of January and rainfall records were broken. All this is now reflected in the river with a yellow alert for some streams

Météo-France-Bordeaux tells us that the rains in January 2013 broke records. Thus, it usually falls to 88 mm of rain in January Luchon. In 2013, the 209 mm gauge swallowed! The previous record of 186 mm is blown! Also record foot of the Pyrenees Campistrous near Lannemezan with 232 mm in January, a third of which falls in Toulouse in a year! A Francazal, it is 144 mm, three times more than the average, and Blagnac 120 mm, the record in 1955 with 149 mm ...

Vigilance yellow region

The yellow alert for the Ger-Salat section in Comminges in Haute-Garonne, Arize and Lèze from north of the Ariege and the center of the Haute-Garonne rivers Arrats, Gimone , Save and Touch between the Haute-Garonne and the Gers, Gers Baïse and Gélise in the department of Gers. Side Hautes-Pyrenees, Pyrenees-Atlantiques and Landes will be monitored Arros sludge; Adour Upstream, Gave de Pau, the Gave d'Oloron, Season, Nive, Nivelle and Adour way.

Depending on the extent of rainfall, these rivers are likely to cause flooding "moderate."

Source French

Snow you see it, snow you don't: Floods hit Britain as dramatic satellite pictures show how Big Freeze turned into the Big Thaw in a DAY

  

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2269000/What-difference-day...

Rare "tornado" spotted in Bristol Channel as storms hit North Somerset

Snow, hail, heavy rain and thunder – the North Somerset area has experienced it all over the past two weeks.

And now the wild weather has caused a spectacle in the Bristol Channel, with local people capturing a picture of what appears to be a mini tornado in the estuary.

This picture was taken by Sue Hewitt, of Downend, who spotted the event while out walking along the coastal path between Clevedon and Portishead at around 1pm on Sunday.

Mrs Hewitt, 53, a keen walker, said: “The weather was very overcast with dark clouds and it looked like it was going to rain.

“I suddenly noticed what I thought was a tornado about half-way across the channel so quickly took some pictures.

“I could see it spinning around and around and lifting up the sea.

“As it went past me towards the Severn Bridges, it got wider at the bottom and the top of the spout started to disperse so it eventually looked like a large cloud over the sea.

“It only took around five minutes from the time I first spotted it to it dispersing completely.

“The weather was dreadful on Sunday with strong winds and squally showers but I have never seen anything like this.

 Source

Spain's bumper olive years come to bitter end

Spain is by far the biggest producer of olive oil in the world, accounting last year for around 50% of the total production worldwide.

However farmers in southern Spain believe their crop of olives this year is down by as much as 80%, and some think it is inevitable that the price of this increasingly sought-after commodity will rise.

Wherever you drive in Jaen, part of Spain's southern region of Andalucia, there are olive fields, stretching as far as the eye can see.

The province accounts of around half of Spain's total production.

As the olive harvest draws to a close, farmers in Jaen say their crop could be only 20% of what it was last year.

"The rain was noticeable for its absence," says Diego Galindo, vice-president of the San Julian Olive Oil Cooperative in Jaen.

He describes the harvest this year as "really bad".

'Dangerous level'

Industry experts such as Juan Vilar, who has written 14 books about olive oil and teaches a course in olive oil at Jaen University, believe the fall in production could be felt around the world.

"This year, Spain will have only enough production to cover its internal consumption," he says.

Mr Vilar argues that, because Spain normally produces between 40 and 60% of the world's olive oil, there might not be enough this year to meet demand worldwide.

"If this year we don't have enough oil to cover the total consumption worldwide, then the price will increase to a dangerous level," he says.

By "dangerous" he means that there is the risk that consumers might be tempted to opt for cheaper alternatives.

However an expert at Deoleo, one of the biggest olive oil companies in the world, believes the fall in production in Spain this year will not be so marked.

The company's managing director in Spain and Italy, Jose Maria Collantes, estimates that the Spanish olive harvest will be around 50% of what it was last year - and last year was a bumper crop.

"We have had record crops for the three previous years," he says.

He argues that the surplus from recent years will reduce the impact of this year's poor harvest.

"Like in any other market, if you have a shortage of supply the price goes up. However a price increase came in, in late August of 2012, and we don't expect any other price increase for the remainder of this crop."

source- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21144023

UK Weather Chaos: Flooding Forecast as Temperatures Rise [IB Times UK; 26 Jan 2013]

As heavy snowfall forced motorists to spend the night in their cars, forecasters predicted the United Kingdom will next be battered by rain and flooding.

Weather: Big thaw and now flooding warnings [The Star; 26 Jan 2013]

A BLANKET of snow covering South Yorkshire and much of Britain finally gave way to rapid thaw today - but forecasters warn that now brings the risk of floods, writes Graham Walker.

Flooding in East Anglia as snow melts [The Telegraph; 27 Jan 2013]

Floods have affected parts of East Anglia, including Norfolk and Suffolk, as rain falls on ground already saturated by snow.

The Environment Agency issued nearly 400 warnings of possible flooding across England and Wales this morning, with the largest numbers in the Midlands and East Anglia.

Parts of Wales and Norfolk have already suffered floods since a fortnight of snow and ice abruptly gave way to downpours and milder temperatures yesterday, causing fresh disruption on the roads and railways.

Heavy rain came down overnight and into this morning, with an inch falling in Wales, central and south-west England, and the rest of Britain experiencing at least half an inch.

The Met Office issued a yellow rain warning for much of the country, warning that people should be aware that flooding could cause disruption, in particular to travel.

At midday, the Environment Agency had in place 74 flood warnings, 37 of them in the Midlands and 18 in East Anglia, as well 313 less serious flood alerts.

UK weather It's raining, it's thawing: Flooding across Britain as snow melts and storms lash regions [Mirror online; 28 Jan 2013]

Roads were closed, several people were injured in crashes and a canoeist died as heavy rain replaced two weeks of snow and ice

Melting Snow And Downpours Cause Flooding [Sky News; 28 Jan 2013]

Almost 100 flood warnings remain in place across England as rivers continue to swell from heavy rain.

Heavy rains combined with thawing snow are bringing flooding problems to many parts of Britain.

Ice jam causes flooding in Malone [WCAX; 28 Jan 2013]

MALONE, N.Y. -

Martin Lamica has lived on Lower Park Street in Malone for five decades.

"It's never been this bad," he said.

He and his neighbors are used to seeing the Salmon River flood each winter, but residents and emergency officials say this is the worst it has even been. Rarely has the water made it inside homes across the street.

Forecast in West Virginia predicts 71 degrees today plummeting down to 17 degrees on Friday.

* Belarus: Cold Wave - Jan 2013 [ReliefWeb]

Belarus: Extreme winter conditions DREF operation (MDRBY002) [ReliefWeb: 28 Jan 2013]

Download PDF (441.22 KB)

Freezing weather has already killed 4 people in Belarus over the past few days, and temperatures are set to drop even further according to weather forecasts.

The second half of January 2013 has been marked by severe frosts and snowfalls, for which many of Belarus citizens turned to be unprepared. People are being affected by extreme frosts. The current temperatures are below minus 20 degrees Celsius at night and minus 17 degrees during the day.

In Belarus, during the harsh winter period, 1,325 people have been hospitalized with various traumas caused by frostbites. Overall, it is estimated that more than 10,000 people have been affected of hypothermia, and three of them died.

Frosts will go down to reach minus 25 degrees Celsius at night in the period between 25th and 28th January. Northern winds of 6 to 7 m/sec will add to the severe frosty conditions.

Belarus: Extreme winter conditions (as of 25 Jan 2013) [ReliefWeb: 29 Jan 2013]

* Freezing weather [Sacramento Bee: 23 Jan 2013]

http://www.sacbee.com/2013/01/23/5136233/freezing-weather.html?mi_r...

* Picture desk live: the best news pictures of the day [The Guardian (blog): 24 Jan 2013]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/2013/jan/24/picture-desk-live-the-be...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2271147/Nine-people-killed-...

Nine people killed as freak hailstorm rains massive boulders down on Indian villages

• The hail storm covered the entire villages under the snow like blanket
• Destroyed crops, houses and live stock in seven villages
  
• The hailstones started falling from the sky on Tuesday night
  

By Jill Reilly

PUBLISHED: 10:56 GMT, 31 January 2013 | UPDATED: 11:25 GMT, 31 January 2013

Hailstones the size of boulders have rained down on villages in southern India.

At least nine people were killed when the violent weather hit several villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh.

The hailstorm which lasted for almost 20 minutes, destroyed crops, houses and live stock, causing devastating financial implications for residents.

Raining down: People cleaning the streets covered with large boulders of hailstorm Andhra Pradesh, India

Killed: At least nine people died when a violent hailstorm hit several villages of Andhra Pradesh in South India

It was once-in-lifetime experience for people living in seven villages in Chevella, Moinabad and Shankarpally.

The hailstones started falling from the sky on Tuesday night and covered the entire villages under the snow-like blanket.

Some women were seen attempting to sweep up the massive boulders using flimsy brushes more suited to lighter debris.

There were also heavy losses to livestock as huge pieces of ice came crashing through flimsy roofs.

A very troubled time in the Southwest of France

Since 10 January, the successive rainfall events near the Pyrenees, particularly south of the Garonne. This situation is very disturbed due to a large low pressure system extended from the North Atlantic to Central Europe which maintains a system of northwest very wet towards the Pyrenees where clouds gather and give a lot of rain causing many floods of rivers (Nive, Nivelle, Adour, Dordogne).


To 4.75 meter high snow slopes in the Pyrenees

In the mountains, it snowed a lot last Wednesday and Thursday, with accumulations of more than 1 meter in places, Pyrénées-Atlantiques in Haute-Garonne (Aspe Osseau). Above 1800 meters, snow thickness reached 1.50 meters and 3.10 meters measured up to Gavarnie station located 1850 meters. Top ski areas and Cauterêts Gavarnie, total snow depth reached in the areas most exposed to the north wind, nearly 4.50 meters, ie the height of a 2-storey building.

Because of these high accumulations of snow, avalanche danger continues throughout Sunday and part of next week with a very high risk, or maximum (5/5).

The snow is unusual for the season on the whole chain, especially on the Western Pyrenees with snow depths that had not been seen for twenty years.


Rainfall accumulations impressive since January 10

In the valleys,  it has not snowed because temperatures remain relatively mild,  many cities had between 150 and 300 mm pécipitations, from Biarritz to Mont-de-Marsan through Saint-Girons . In a little more than 10 days, the equivalent of more than two months of rain! At the forefront of Socoa  in 15 days the equivalent of six months of rain in Paris was measured

Source in French

Google translation

Source map

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2273174/Incredible-picture-...

Let's get spout of here: Gigantic ocean tornado swirls over the Mediterranean as a tiny yacht bobs on the waves

• Powerful vortex formed over the sea off the coast of Bastia, Corsica
• Rare waterspout tornado lasted around 10 minutes then disappeared
• Formed when layers of cool air blowing over the water cause warm, moist air to sweep up from underneath and form a column of condensation
  

By Kerry Mcdermott

PUBLISHED: 11:11 GMT, 4 February 2013 | UPDATED: 11:28 GMT, 4 February 2013

A yacht bobbing on the Mediterranean is dwarfed by a furious waterspout in this incredible picture.

Holidaymaker Isabelle Filippini had been admiring the calm sea off the coast of the French island of Corsica when the enormous, powerful vortex formed above the surface of the water.

Mrs Filippini, who ran to grab her camera, said witnessing the phenomenon had left her stunned.

Waterspout: The enormous vortex appeared over the sea off the coast of the French island of Corsica

Extreme Weather Destroys Homes, Over 400 Acres of Crops In Tanzania (Feb 4)

Nearly 50 houses were destroyed by strong winds accompanied by heavy rains that rocked Hai District, Kilimanjaro Region.

Close to 100 families have been rendered homeless by the natural disaster, which also destroyed over 400 acres of maize, beans and banana plantations.

The winds accompanied by heavy rains currently pounding Kilimanjaro Region also destroyed a number of bridges, cutting off communication between villages and wards and according to Mr Makunga, the rivers have also swelled and are overflowing, making rescue operations difficult.

The most affected areas so far include the Boma-Ng'ombe Township, which is the district headquarters, Rundugai and Chemka villages. Other parts that suffered the calamity are Kwa-Tito, and Shiri-Mgungani villages in Machame and Weruweru wards as well as Mijongeni village of Machame-Kusini Ward, further south.

The Ward Councillor for Machame-Kusini, Mr Nassib Mdeme, said more than 23 houses have so far been destroyed by the gusts of wind and heavy rains which fell in his ward last weekend. "A total of 255 acres of maize and 177 acres of banana plantations have been destroyed by the winds in this ward alone," said the Machame representative.

Source

http://allafrica.com/stories/201302040067.html

Russia: Moscow endures the snowiest winter in 100 years

The snowfall, which continued in and around the capital until the early hours of Tuesday, brought Moscow's traffic to a virtual standstill. The total length of traffic jams in the city reached 3,500 kilometers (2,175 miles), which is equal to the distance between Moscow and Madrid.

Whirlwind: 70 homes damaged, 6 uninhabitable in Oosterzele (Belgium)

Tuesday, February 5, 2013 at 6:40 p.m.

The tornado in Oosterzele has ultimately damaged 76 homes, six of which have been declared uninhabitable. The Municipality of Oosterzele wants the storm declared as a natural disaster .

International Space Station photograph captures giant 'underwater' wave spread over hundreds of miles in the Caribbean Sea

A stunning new image taken from the International Space Station shows a huge 'underwater' wave moving through the Caribbean.

The giant wave, believed to be hundreds of miles in width, was captured by a photographer on board the space station and appears particularly visually clear thanks to a beam of sunlight being reflected back to the camera at the exact moment the photo was taken.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/international-space-stati...

Exceptional rain in Midi-Pyrénées ( France) in January

A large part of the western region has experienced exceptional rainfall early this year. We even broke records in Auch and Tarbes.

No need to be a meteorologist to have noticed it rained a lot in January. But the numbers of Météo France still teach us that the level of rainfall was exceptional in Midi-Pyrénées. A good thing for groundwater recharge and water supplies this summer. However, this level of rain is always a risk especially with regard to floods and flooding.

 It particularly rained in the south of a line ranging from the Ariège Charentes where averages for  January were exceeded. In contrast, in the rest of France, the phenomenon is reversed with a rainfall deficit and thus the concern for groundwater levels.

In the Hautes-Pyrenees and the Gers , we even broke records of cumulative rainfall. Tarbes, had 258 mm of water for an average of 95 mm in January. A record since 1946! Auch, again not seen since 1985 (date of creation of the weather station) with 163 mm of rain against 58 average. In Aveyron however, less rain than usual.

No record, however, (you can not have everything) on ​​the number of rainy days. In Toulouse, you spent 15 days under your umbrella, 19 days Tarbes and Saint-Girons, 20 days.

Source in French

Source map

MASSIVE POWER OUTAGES AS NORTHEAST BLIZZARD TURNS DEADLY

Source

Pyrenées (France) snow braking records

Snow: "Never seen for thirty years!"

We have never seen so much snowfall in the Pyrenees in such a short time. Cauterets was ranked the snowiest town in the world. And snowfall will continue.

Cauterets, snowiest town in the world? Record calls. It is true that seven feet of snow fell in less than a month on the small Pyrenean village, it is not nothing. The resort even had to be closed for a few days, time for teams to deal with this sudden snow.

"What is surprising is not so much the depth of snow, but the amount that fell in such a short time," says Hervé Mairal whom arrived yesterday in Peyragudes on the eve of the European Cup boardercross, the spokesman of the of the Confederation Pyrenean .

Source in French

MASSIVE SNOW STORM LEAVES DEATH & DESTRUCTION IN IT'S PATH, 700.000 LOSE POWER TO STORM

700,000 lose power to storm. Massive snow storm leaves death, destruction in its path

A record-breaking storm in the Northeast has left 700,000 without power, and killed at least four people. The storm has had Connecticut, Rhode Island and Massachusetts in its grip with snowfall rates up to six inches per hour. Nearly 25 million people are affected.

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Maloy has declared a state of emergency and closed all the roads in the state. Milford, CT has received 38 inches already. “Even snowplows are getting stuck” Stratford, CT Mayor John Harkins told local WTNH television.

Hundreds of cars have been stranded on the Long Island Expressway.

Snowy road conditions lead to a 19-car-pile-up in Cumberland, ME.

High winds associated with the storm, some reaching hurricane force, whipped up high waves. Coastal flood warnings have been in affect for parts of the coastline. U.S. 1A in Massachusetts was closed due to debris washed ashore.

The ocean overflows the sea wall on Winthrop Shore Drive, Feb. 9, in Winthrop, Mass.

People shovel snow as floodwaters flow down Coral Street, Feb. 9, in Winthrop, Mass.

CNN reported the U.S. Postal service suspended service in seven states.

At least 5,000 flights in 60 airports throughout the region have been cancelled. Amtrak crews have been working continuously and some service has been restored to the Northeast Corridor.

The storm surge also caused massive damage all along the shore in southwestern Nova Scotia Saturday. Some of that damage near Cape Sable Island is shown here.

Sources

http://www.disasternews.net/news/article.php?articleid=5411

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/02/09/ns-coast...

Early February Blizzard Buries Northeastern U.S. Earth Observatory; 9 Feb 2013]

A remarkably powerful blizzard brought heavy snow and strong winds to the northeastern portion of the United States on February 9, 2013. A collision of cold air from Canada with moist air from the Gulf of Mexico brought snowfalls that extended from northern New Jersey through Maine. The storm system was a typical winter storm system pattern known as a “nor‘easter”, but the weather conditions were far from typical, with snowfall totals not seen since a record blizzard in 1978. Some of the heaviest snowfalls were recorded in southern Connecticut where totals over 30 inches (90 cm) were reported in several cities, including nearly one meter (38 inches) in Milford, according to the National Weather Service.

The Suomi NPP satellite observed the storm system at around 2:17 pm local time (17:17 UTC) on February 9 as the storm system was sweeping out to sea off Cape Cod, leaving a wake of snow on the ground behind it. The classical spiral pattern in the clouds was centered well off to shore, but storm clouds extended up the entire northeastern coast, while clearing skies over northern New Jersey and southern New York revealed a snow-covered landscape.

Reference

Recent Snowfall and Snow Depth Maps. NOAA/National Weather Service maps. Accessed February 9, 2013.

* Snow in New England [Earth Observatory; 10 Feb 2013]

A powerful winter storm left New Englanders digging out from heavy snow in early February 2013. According to unofficial totals released by the National Weather Service, snowfall totaled up to 33.5 inches (85 centimeters) in Connecticut, 31.0 inches (79 centimeters) in Massachusetts, and 30.4 inches (77 centimeters) in New Hampshire.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this natural-color image on February 10, 2013. Through a partial veil of thin clouds, MODIS could detect snow cover stretching from the East Coast westward past Lake Ontario.

In addition to heavy snowfall, the storm also brought strong winds. Unofficial spotter reports from the National Weather Service listed gusts up to 83 miles (134 kilometers) per hour along the Massachusetts coast.

* Snow across the Northeastern United States [Earth Observatory; 9 Feb 2013]

A nor’easter struck the northeastern United States on February 8–9, 2013, depositing snow across multiple states. After the clouds cleared on February 9, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite captured this natural-color image. Snow blanketed the ground from the East Coast westward past the Great Lakes, and a band of snow stretched southward into West Virginia.

The powerful storm brought not only heavy snow but also strong winds, downing trees and power lines along the U.S. East Coast. Some of the heaviest snowfall occurred in New England, with some areas receiving nearly 3 feet (1 meter) of snow, according to unofficial totals released by the National Weather Service.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2277379/Valentines-Day-Veni...

Valentine's Day in Venice? Take your wellies! City of romance is hit by snow, ice... and one of the highest tides in history

• The 1m 43cm (56ins) tide was the 15th highest in the city's history, according to Italian news reports
  
• Hotel and restaurant owners spent much of the night trying to protect their businesses from the rising waters
• The high tide came after heavy snowfall which blanketed St Mark's Square and the famous gondolas
  
• Venice is regularly hit by high tides at this time of the year and work is underway for new £4billion flood barrier
  

By Becky Evans

PUBLISHED: 11:48 GMT, 12 February 2013 | UPDATED: 13:03 GMT, 12 February 2013

Much of Venice's historic centre was underwater overnight after the city recorded one of its highest ever tides. 

The waters of the Grand Canal rose to 1m 43cm (56ins) and flooded streets, hotels, restaurants and the city's famous churches.

Italian news reports said up to 60 per cent of Venice was flooded as it was hit by its 15th highest tide since records began.

A woman breaks slabs of frozen snow floating on high water in Piazza San Marco, in Venice as the notorious high tide reached a peak of 1m 43cm (56ins)

This morning more than 30 ° C difference between the Jura and the Landes! France

This morning, there is a 32 ° C difference between the highlands and the Doubs Aquitaine coast. The national minimum was measured in La Chaux (25) and Maiche (25) -20.9 ° C, while the mercury has not dropped below 11.1 ° C in Capbreton (40). Between these two extremes, there were frosts east of a line Dieppe - Montpellier, including between the French Riviera and Corsica.

Source in French

Sri Lanka: Heavy rain; Floods and Landslides

Floods and landslides were reported in several parts of the island yesterday with the heavy rain caused by the atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.

The Disaster Management Centre (DMC) said floods were reported in Matale, Ampara, Batticaloa, Killinochchi, Mullaithivu and Vavuniya districts, while a flash flood was experienced in the Kandy district.

Huruluwewa reservoir spill gates open. Picture by Amila Prabath Wanasinghe.

Landslides were reported in Badulla and Matale. The DMC Situation Report said as at yesterday noon, 134,693 people belonging to 45,918 families have been affected due to the inclement weather.

One person in Welimada, Badulla died due to a landslide while another in Thirukkovil, Ampara was injured due to floods.Two hundred seventy three houses were fully damaged while another 1,558 houses have been partially damaged due to inclement weather.

As at yesterday noon, 1,060 people belonging to 292 families were at 24 evacuation centres.

Meanwhile, an Irrigation and Water Resources Management Ministry spokesman said spill gates of many reservoirs had been opened due to rising water levels.

He requested people living in down streams to be extra cautious about the water levels.

Spills gates of Hurulu wewa, Padaviya wewa, Nachchaduwa wewa, Wahalkada wewa and Rajanganaya reservoir in the Anuradhapura district were opened.

In the Hambantota district, four spill gates of Weheragala reservoir were opened.

Ten spill gates of Parakrama Samudraya in Polonnaruwa were opened while seven spill gates of Minneriya reservoir were also opened.

* Sri Lanka again under flood threat [ColomboPage: 15 Feb 2013]

Feb 15, Colombo: Heavy rain showers experienced in most parts of Sri Lanka had resulted in rising water levels in the major reservoirs again, Irrigation Department officials said.

According to the Irrigation Department, the average water storage in irrigation reservoirs is 94 percent of capacity as of yesterday.

Five reservoirs of Mahaweli Development Scheme and 16 irrigation reservoirs were at spill levels by yesterday.

Mahaweli reservoirs Randenigala, Udawalawa, Kandalama, Kala Weva, Rathkinda and Ulhitiya and a number of other irrigation reservoirs in Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, Batticaloa and Hambantota districts are at spill levels.

Major reservoirs Padaviya, Rajanganaya, Nachchaduwa, Minneriya, Parakrama Samudraya, Kavudulla and Lumugamwehera are also spilling.

Thee road from Somawathiya to Suganwila in Polonnaruwa remain closed due to heavy rains inundating the area while the road from Polonnaruwa to Batticaloa is passable, the Disaster Management Center said.

Several areas of the Ampara district are submerged and thousands of acres of paddy fields are under water following the heavy rains experienced throughout the Eastern Province last few days.

The Meteorology Department expects heavy rain falls of about 100mm at some places in the Eastern, Central, Uva and Southern provinces due to a persisting atmospheric disturbance in the vicinity of Sri Lanka.

Coldest village in the world just got even COLDER... weather takes turn for the worse in -71C Russian hamlet

The valley of Oymyakon in northeast Russia is known as the 'Pole of Cold' and with an average January temperature of -50C, it is no wonder the village is the coldest permanently inhabited settlement in the world.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2280650/Oymyakon-coldest-vi...

what is so unusual is that the ice break up in Manitoba doesn't begin until at least April and into May.

http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2013/02/20/manitoba-flood-2013-ice-bre...

Manitoba Flood Fight Begins With Ice-Breaking On Red River

ST. ANDREWS, Man. - Manitoba's annual fight to prevent flooding is underway.

Three amphibious ice-breaking machines have started punching holes in the frozen Red River, in an attempt to ensure the river doesn't back up when the spring thaw begins.

Premier Greg Selinger says the ice is thick and there is a lot of snow on the ground this year, but the soil was very dry in the fall, so that could help reduce the chance of major flooding.

He says the government will issue its first flood forecast of the year next Wednesday.

Manitoba's low-lying, flat river valleys are prone to spring flooding as meltwater comes in from as far away as The Rockies.

The last bad year was in 2011, when thousands of people were evacuated.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2282051/Snow-play-today-Rar...

Snow play today! Rare blizzard halts golf championship in city more used to scorching temperatures

• Snow stopped the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona
• Top seeds Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods hadn't teed off yet
• Settled snow in the host city Tucson is extremely rare

By Steve Nolan

PUBLISHED: 02:04 GMT, 21 February 2013 | UPDATED: 11:50 GMT, 21 February 2013

It may be more associated with sweltering temperatures, arid land and cacti than snow.

But a rare blanket of the white stuff stopped some of the world's most famous golfers teeing off at a major tournament in Tucson, Arizona, yesterday.

Instead of the likes of Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods gracing the greens, snowmen occupied the course at the Ritz Carlton Club in Dove Mountain.

Freak weather: Play was suspended at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona, when heavy snow fell yesterday

Winter wonderland: Spectators make their way off the course during a snow storm yesterday

Freezing conditions: A cactus is seen in the foreground as snow covers the 18th green

http://www.wunderground.com/blog/weatherhistorian/comment.html?entr...

An amazing 515 cm (202.8” or almost 17’) level snow depth was measured at Sukayu Onsen, Aomori on Honshu Island in Japan on February 21st, the deepest snow measured at an official weather site in Japan records. However, much deeper snow has accumulated at uninhabited sites in the Japanese Alps.





Winter and fall images of Sukayu Onsen where the record depth of 515 cm (203”) was just measured. The resort is one of Japan’s most popular hot springs. Top photo taken last December by Nogiuchi and bottom photo from Japanese tourism web site.

Sukayu Onsen is a hot spring resort south of the town of Aomori in Aomori Prefecture, which is the northernmost province of Honshu Island. The onsen (hot spring) is known as the snowiest inhabited site in Japan and rests at an elevation of 890 meters (2,900’) on the slopes of Mt. Kushigamine (in the Hakkoda Mountain complex). The peak rises to a height of 1,585 m (5,230’). Snowfall records began here in 1977 and the average annual snowfall for the period of record 1981-2010 is an amazing 1,764 cm (694.5”). This site is an officially recognized weather station by the Japanese Meteorological Agency (JMA). Thus the average annual snowfall measurement of 1,764 cm (694.5”) makes it the snowiest site in the world for which climate data is available. Even the famous Paradise Ranger Station located at 5,500’ on the slopes of Mt. Rainier, Washington does not equal this (Paradise R.S. average seasonal snowfall is variously reported at 640-680”).



Prior to yesterday, the deepest snow depth at an official site in Japan was 501 cm (197.2”) also measured at Sukayu Onsen in March 2005. However, since the location is at a relatively low altitude the snow cover goes through many melt cycles during an average winter so the depth of snow never approaches the record depth for Paradise Ranger Station which is 367” (932 cm) measured on March 10, 1956. The North American record snow depth was an amazing 451”/37.5’(1,145 cm) recorded at Tamarack, California (located at 7,000’ near the Bear Valley Ski Resort) in March 1911.

There are also places in Japan that regularly see much deeper snow than Sukayu Onsen. These locations are located in the Japanese Alps several hundred miles south of Aomori Prefecture. On February 14, 1927 a world-record snow depth of 1,182 cm (465.4” or 38.8’) was measured at a site located at about 1,200 m (4,000’) on the slopes of Mt. Ibuki in Shiga Prefecture.



As can be seen from this screen shot of today’s snow depths reported from various Japanese ski resorts, snow depths above 500 cm (200”) are fairly common. However, these figures are not officially recognized by JMA (the Japanese Meteorological Agency). Chart from snowjapan.com

The reason the snowfall is so great in the Japanese Alps and other mountain ranges of Honshu Island is because Siberian air blows over the Sea of Japan (which never freezes) and the moisture from the sea is orographically lifted by the mountains creating tremendous snowfalls along the northern and western slopes and shoreline. A ‘lake effect ’snow pattern, so to speak, but on a sea-like scale.

It is estimated that the average seasonal snowfall at the snowiest locations in the Japanese Alps amount to as much as 3,800 cm (1,500”) around the 1,200-1,800 m (4,000-6,000’) level. The snow accumulates so deep here that it is a tourist attraction and a highway that bisects the mountains and is kept plowed year around. A portion of the highway is known as the Yuki-no-Otani Snow Canyon.



It is obvious in this extraordinary photograph that snow depths in Japan regularly exceed the record 515 cm recently measured at Sukayu Onsen. The photo was taken in the famous Yuki-no-Otani Snow Canyon that bisects the Japanese Alps. Photographer not identified, from buzzhunt.com.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-21544991

Athens under water after several hours of rainfall

The floods caused chaos in Athens on Friday morning

Several hours of heavy rain and a thunderstorm in the Greek capital Athens have flooded roads and homes, caused traffic jams and disrupted the train and tram network, officials say.

The deluge inundated basements and forced authorities to close underpasses and a central subway station.

The fire department said it had received at least 600 calls to drain water from houses and businesses.

Many of the city's streets remain ankle-deep in water.

"It was one of the worst thunderstorms we have ever had in the greater Athens area [since 1961]," fire department chief Sotiris Georgakopoulos told NET state television.

At one point the rainfall was so intense that parked cars were swept away by racing waters.

"There are cars immobilised on several Athens highways and we have dispatched tow trucks to clear the roads," senior traffic police officer Dimitris Papanagiotou told NET.

Fire chiefs say that they have about 60 crews tackling the floods which they expect to recede throughout Friday.

No injuries have been reported.

http://www.cnn.com/2013/02/25/us/weather-winter-storm/index.html?hp...

'Truly a historic blizzard,' weather service says

Wichita Sets A New Snowfall Record

February 26, 2013

The recent winter storms will put Wichita in the record book.

The National Weather Service says Wichita has set a record for snowfall in the month of February at 20.6 inches and counting. That breaks the old record of 20.5 inches in 1913.

Wichita remains under a Winter Storm Warning and could see more snow this morning.

Source

Living with Calcutta's record low temperatures

Dressing for the cold has become a major talking point in Calcutta, where the temperatures are the lowest for a century. One piece of cold-weather gear appears to be de rigueur in this city - the monkey hat.

This year the mercury dropped to 9C (48F) - balmy for London or New York in winter, but here it was the coldest day for 100 years.

Source

New Zealand North Island has declared the worst drought in the last...

Trucks have begun moving feed from the South Island to drought-affected farmers in the North Island in need of straw to feed livestock.

Northland, South Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Coromandel and Hawke's Bay are officially declared in drought, while Manawatu and Rangitikei have asked the Government to declare drought zone in their regions.

Earlier this month, Federated Farmers said the hot dry summer had provided perfect harvesting conditions in Canterbury, but despite the drought there seemed to be little interest from the north in the straw. Farmers were considering shredding or burning the excess.

Federated Farmers president Bruce Wills said on Sunday that since then there has been a lot of interest from farmers needing feed and others offering straw.

Trucks had begun the journey to transport feed north and other forms of transport may be used. "We're making enquiries as to whether we can use trains or indeed ships to bring this feed up, if the demand is there."

Federated Farmers said farmers have been sending livestock to the South Island to be killed and processed to reduce their numbers, and that is likely to continue.

Drought 'worst in 70 years'

Auckland climate scientist Jim Salinger says records show the North Island is in the grip of the worst drought in almost 70 years of climate records.

The severity of drought for agriculture is indicated by the potential soil moisture deficit, measured in millimetres of rain required to keep pasture growth going. The higher the deficit, the more severe the soil moisture deficiency.

Dr Salinger said the potential soil moisture deficit was at 362mm at the end of February, breaking the previous record of 361mm in the 1945/46 season.

Other very dry seasons for the North Island were 1997/98 (360mm) and 1972/73 with 347mm.

Chance of rain from cyclone remnants

Meanwhile, the remains of Tropical Cyclone Sandra could bring relief to farmers in some areas in the coming days.

MetService severe weather forecaster Erick Brenstrum said 30 to 40mm of rain could fall in the North Island, but warned there remains a possibility it could bypass the areas worst hit by drought.

Mr Brenstrum said MetService will get a clearer picture of the cyclone's path about the middle of the week. Rain from the cyclone is the only significant fall on the horizon at the moment.

Winter Marches on: Temperatures will fall by 10C in the space of 24 hours... the snow is back again (and it's meant to be spring!)

• Dip will start in Scotland and spread down across the country
• Warning comes after Britain was hotter than Ibiza this past week
• Snow is predicted across the country on Monday
• Motorists urged to take extra caution and not under-estimate weather

Melbourne equals March heat record

Melbourne has equalled its March record for consecutive days of 30 degrees or hotter and on Monday is almost certain to equal the record for all months.

Sunday was the city's seventh consecutive day of 30 degrees or hotter, equalling the March record, set in 1985, 1940 and 1914.

The run of 30-degree heat is virtually guaranteed to extend to eight days on Monday. This will set a new March record and equal the record for any month.

In 157 years of records there have been four previous eight-day runs this hot. There were in 1961, 1951, 1898 and 1890, all in summer.

Source

Record heat in central Tasmania

Launceston is on target to more than double the record for consecutive days above 30 degrees with three more days to go.

Butlers Gorge has also been very warm, experiencing their hottest March week in 42 years of records, averaging 27.8 degrees. This is 11 degrees above the March average.

Source

Where's spring?

-Late winter storm brings flooding, snow and wind to New England-

Parts of New England have received more than a foot of snow , coastal flooding washed away a home in Massachusetts. Commutes have turned into slushy crawls.

Plum Island, a coastal community 40 miles north of Boston, had the greatest damage. High tide and heavy storm surge pushed the sea about 10 feet higher than normal. One two-story beachfront home collapsed on its side. “This was a home that, coming into this morning, had its foundation compromised, there was a crack in it. It was not a surprise at this point,” said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, adding that the state was “watching a number of other houses” along the same coastal road.

From Massachusetts south to New York and Pennsylvania, snow made for slippery commutes. Thousands of home and businesses lack power and schools across new England remain closed.

Some districts, including Boston were criticized for holding classes despite icy sidewalk and poorly plowed road. The National Weather Service reported 13 inches of snow at Logan International Airport, with up to 22 inches in parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut. “This is a heavier-than-projected snowfall which made this morning’s commute if anyone was in it-and I was- a mess,” Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said at a briefing.

Source

Since 1928 not as cold as on 11 March(Holland)

AMSTERDAM -

This late in March it has (almost) never been that cold, especially during the day. Monday, in De Bilt (the national main station)it  is not warmer than minus 1.2 degrees. Only on 11 March 1928 it was even colder, with minus 2.2 degrees. Weather Bureau MeteoConsult said Tuesday that again records were broken.

The amount of snowfall is a peculiarity in this time of the  year, just as the fact that more snowfall is on the way. That the snow does not melt is also quite unique, says Meteo Consult. Snow in March is not very strange, but that it does not melt is special.

If it stays below 0C Tuesday, it is unique, according to the weather bureau. That never happened this late in the season.

source in dutch

SWEDEN HIT BY 'UNUSUALLY LOW' TEMPERATURES

Temperatures in Sweden are ten degrees Celsius colder than usual at this time of year, with experts predicting that the "unusually low" thermometer readings are likely to stick around for the week.

Even though the calendar suggests that it's March, the thermometer is behaving like it's January.

The mercury dropped as low as -20C in Stockholm on Sunday night, and -22C in some parts of Dalarna in central Sweden. While these two areas were among the worst hit, the chill was felt across the whole country.

"Only Munka-Ljunby in north-western Skåne (southern Sweden) recorded higher then zero, but not by much - just 0.2C," wrote Sweden's weather agency SMHI on its website.

Nasa reveals shocking image to show how ice cap is melting.  They say it's because of Earth changes but it is really from Planet X being  in the vicinity.

• Researchers analysed 30-year record of land surface and newly improved satellite data sets
• Also reveal pictures showing receding glaciers and trees where there was once permafrost
• Scientists say growing seasons are now dramatically different

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2291482/How-Northern... 

Record snow beat for 30 years in Ariège (France)

It does not stop snowing in Ariege and the Pyrenees. Record-breaking snow for thirty years in the region according to the center of Météo France Antichan.

Winter 2013 promises to remain in the annals of the Ariege weather. The snow record was beaten for the last thirty years.

According to Jacky Mayer, the center of Météo France Antichan, "we approach eight feet of snow this winter cumulative Guzet at 1400 meters altitude. We are at 8.6 meters to Ax-3 Domaines 1800 meters altitude, "says the meteorologist. Snow depth found at all levels. In the village of L'Hospitalet-près-Andorra, for example, fell nearly 6.5 meters of snow accumulated. Aulus, which is 750 meters, measuring 3.36 meters. It was also a record temperature in Saint-Girons on March 13 with a thermometer -2 ° C. The previous record for March 13 was in 1958 with 0.5 ° C.

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2293273/The-ice-fields-GUER...

The ice fields of GUERNSEY! Record-breaking cold spell sees rare 8ft-high snowdrifts hit what is usually one of the UK's warmest spots

• Freezing conditions led to a heavy frost developing across much of the UK
• Temperatures dropped to -8.7C in some parts of Britain
  
• Met Office warns: 'Nowhere should be surprised if it snows this weekend'

By Anthony Bond

PUBLISHED: 12:46 GMT, 14 March 2013 | UPDATED: 20:19 GMT, 14 March 2013

These incredible pictures show that even the warmest corner of the UK has fallen victim to this week's unseasonably cold weather.

The holiday island of Guernsey was hit with huge 8ft snow drifts, bringing the Channel Island to a complete halt.

They are the worst snow storms to affect the island in decades and follow a week of freezing temperatures across much of Britain.

Wintry: These are the incredible scenes of 8ft snow drifts which wreaked havoc in the holiday isle of Guernsey - the warmest corner of the UK

Deep: The Channel Island has ground to a halt over the past few days following the worst snow storms in decades

Snowy: These pictures were taken by Danielle Stonebridge, 21, of her father Dave, 61

Danielle Stonebridge, 21, took these pictures of her father Dave, 61, waist deep in the snow.

Miss Stonebridge  said: 'I have never seen snow like this before, my dad can remember something like this when he was around 10 years old, but there is just so much of it.

Watch the weather wobble

Last week in Southern Califorina  

Rain, snow, thunderstorms through Southern Calif

LOS ANGELES — A late-season wintry blast rumbled through Southern California on Friday, unleashing snow, rain, hail and lightning bolts as the sun played hide-and-seek in an alternately gray and bright blue sky.

Treacherous conditions forced the California Highway Patrol to close vital Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles for nearly six hours.

Trucks and other vehicles backed up for miles waiting for weather to improve enough for traffic to flow safely over Tejon Pass, which rises to an elevation of more than 4,100 feet in the Tehachapi Mountains.

Los Angeles' backdrop of mountains sported a fresh coat of white well down their slopes.

The National Weather Service said that by late morning, 6 inches to 10 inches of snow had accumulated at elevations above 5,000 feet, with lighter accumulations down to 3,000 feet.

With less than two weeks to go before spring, snowplows, shovels and chains were in demand in mountain communities to the east of Los Angeles, where ski resorts were getting fresh coverage just in time for weekend crowds.

Several school districts, including Julian and Mountain Empire, were closed.

The NWS said the cold low-pressure system was expected to bring low mountain snow, isolated thunderstorms and numerous rain showers through late afternoon, followed by isolated showers east of the region during the night and early Saturday.

Despite traffic accidents and other problems, the precipitation was welcome in unusually dry Southern California. As of Thursday night, the downtown Los Angeles rainfall tally was more than 7 inches below normal for the rain-year that began on July 1.

Forecasters said building high pressure and a light offshore flow of air would bring a warming trend and clear weather to Southern California during the weekend and into the middle of next week.

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This week in Southern California

More warm weather coming to Southern California

Temperatures will be slightly cooler Thursday but inland areas of Southern California could still experience record highs, the National Weather Service said.

Woodland Hills, which hit a record high of 94 on Wednesday, is expected to cool to 91 Thursday. But that could best the record of 89 set on the same date in 1994.

Burbank could also set a record Thursday with an expected high of 88. Wednesday in Burbank, it was 93, breaking the old record of 85 set in 1951.

Dense fog in coastal regions and the San Gabriel Valley, which slowed down commutes Thursday morning, may return again Friday, said Scott Sukup, a NWS meteorologist.

By Friday, inland areas should cool further to the upper 70s and 80s, with temperatures still above normal for the weekend, Sukup said.

In downtown Los Angeles, where it was 85 Wednesday, the high Thursday is expected to be 79, with weekend highs in the mid to upper 70s.

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