What a difference a year makes: As Britain endures its coldest March since 1963,  just 12 months ago we were basking in sunniest March since 1929 

As our pictures show, then sunseekers flocked to beaches, and even northern Scotland enjoyed temperatures exceeding 22C.

Yesterday it peaked at 2C amid the snow. Whatever will the climate deal us next?

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2298255/UK-weather-What-dif...

Big freeze to grip Britain until the end of April say forecasters after jet stream which brings us mild air dips down to Africa

• Jet stream has been pushed to unusually southerly location
• Band of high pressure has stopped the belt of wind from moving
• Jet stream cannot push in milder weather conditions from the west
  
• Bitterly cold conditions expected to remain throughout April

Snowstorm spares Chicago, may be the last of unusual winter

The snowstorm that buried central and southern Illinois on Sunday only skirted Chicago as it headed east - carrying with it maybe the last of an unusual winter that it seemed would never end. The storm dropped 17 inches of snow in Springfield, demolishing the old record of 2.4 inches for March 24 set in 1947. The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign canceled Monday classes because students had trouble getting back to campus after spring break, according to the National Weather Service. Roads remained hazardous south of Chicago, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation. Stretches of interstates 55, 57 and 70 were reported covered in ice or snow through central Illinois. In the Chicago area, snowfall totals were more in the 1- to 3-inch range, National Weather Service meteorologist Amy Seeley said.

"We've got temperatures in the mid-50s for Saturday and Sunday. That's not so bad," said Seeley, who indicated there was a chance for rain Saturday night and Sunday as well. The Chicago Weather Center said the weekend storm is likely the last significant storm of a winter that saved its punch for February and March instead of December and January. With temperatures expected to rise into the 50s by the weekend, the string of consecutive days of below-normal temperatures may come to an end. The long-term forecast may be a little less positive: temperatures below average and precipitation above average over the next eight to 14 days, WGN-TV meteorologist Tim McGill said. But things are looking up for mid-April, with the possibility of some temperatures above normal. According to the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center, the Chicago area should see above-normal temperatures for April, May and June, Seeley said. The average for April is 48.9 degrees. Above-normal precipitation is also expected, she said.

Source

White Easter: Germany Faces Coldest March Since 1883

Complaining about the weather has reached epidemic proportions in northern Germany this "spring." And with good reason. With Easter just around the corner, meteorologists are telling us this could end up being the coldest March in Berlin and its surroundings since records began in the 1880s.

Source

March set to be coldest in UK since 1962

Mean temperature for the month so far is 2.5C (36.5F) – three degrees below long-term average

The coldest March in the UK was in 1962, at 1.9C (35.4F), followed by 1947, 2.2C (35.9F), 1937, 2.4C (36.3F), and 1916 and 1917, 2.5C (36.5F).

Source

Coldest Easter since 1964 (The Netherlands)

In 1964 the maximum temperature was on Easter Sunday at 3.9 degrees above zero

March 2013 is in the top 10 coldest months ever in March. The average temperature is 2.6 degrees, normally it would be in March averaged 6.2 degrees should be. Especially the latter part of March is cold.

source in dutch

Lambs get woolly jumpers to survive -10°C Easter

SHIVERING sheep are being given woolly jumpers to help them survive as Britain faces its coldest Easter on record — with temperatures of -10°C.

Farmers were still digging livestock out of snow drifts yesterday and fear at least 10,000 sheep may have died.

The current icy blast has struck in the middle of lambing season, putting newborns at even greater risk.

Huge spring tide floods south bank of the Thames

Plans for traditional Easter egg hunts and family walks will have to be put on hold tomorrow as the UK prepares itself for yet another chilly day.

The elusive spring weather will once again be eclipsed by low temperatures, although forecasters predict that the sun will make an appearance.

After what is thought to be the coldest March in decades, the Bank Holiday weekend will also be accompanied by temperatures up to four degrees lower than the seasonal average.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2301473/UK-weather-Youre-go...

Spring: Where has it gone?

This week, violent easterly winds and drifting snow made a mockery of spring, and battered the most resilient living things in Britain.

A "wreck" of more than 500 puffins occurred on eastern Scotland, the biggest mass fatality since 1947. Welsh mountain sheep, and other equally hardy breeds, have been smothered by Easter snowdrifts on high ground from Snowdonia to the Isle of Man that recall the gruesome winter of 1963. And a week of digging into 35ft snowdrifts in search of lambing ewes has brought tears to the eyes of the hardiest farmers

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/30/spring-where-has-...

Weather: Coldest Easter and no respite in sight

Published on Monday 1 April 2013 00:00

SCOTLAND endured the coldest Easter Day on record yesterday – with –12.5C recorded on Royal Deeside.

The temperature shattered the previous record of –9.8C on Easter Monday 1986.

And weathermen warn that high pressure sitting to the north of the UK will continue to bring cold conditions until next weekend.

The honour of the record-breaking low fell to Braemar between Saturday night and Sunday morning. It followed another freezing night on Friday, when –11C (12F) was recorded in the same area.

Lying snow and light winds were blamed for creating the ice-box conditions.

Overall, this March has been provisionally declared the coldest in 50 years. A spokesman for the Met Office in Aberdeen said: ”Frost and low temperatures are not uncommon at this time of the year. What is unique about this Easter is this extreme low temperature recorded on Sunday morning – it’s unique.”

Families heading out for a walk on Easter Day experienced some of the chilliest conditions for years, though daytime temperatures are predicted to rise into April.

Towns and cities across Scotland were last night down to –3C and –4C (25-27F).

The Met Office spokesman added: “You could say things are fairly settled – remaining cold and frosty at night, but with things warming up during the day. There will be the odd snow flurry on the east coast, but, effectively, high pressure is guaranteeing no change for the forseeable future.”

Thousands of families jetted off for sunnier climes last Thursday and Friday, but many would have found the surprise Easter weather extended into Europe’s traditional hot-spots, forecasters also warned.

Source

Driest First Quarter of Year on Record for Much of California

There was no ‘miracle March’ for rain lovers in California this year following an exceptionally dry January and February. The dry weather continued through March resulting in the driest first three months of the year on record for San Francisco and other sites across the state.

San Francisco received a March total of .96” with half this amount falling on the last day of the month (Sunday March 31st). This brought the 3-month total (since January 1st) to 2.30”, just 19% of normal (normal amount for the period is 12.22”) and is thus the driest such period since precipitation records began in the fall of 1849. The previous driest Jan-March period was in 1851 when 3.20” was measured. The next (now 3rd) driest was during the great drought of 1975-1977 when only 3.31” was recorded in Jan-March 1976. It is quite astonishing to see the huge margin between this year’s driest ever Jan-March (2.30”) and the previous such record of 3.20” in 1851: a full 30%, and this for a site with 163 years of record.

Across the Bay from San Francisco, Oakland was even drier (it missed, for instance, the isolated rain cell that dropped heavy rain (.48”) on San Francisco yesterday. The January-March total for Oakland has been a meager 1.30” (JAN: .29”, FEB: .52”, MAR: .49”). The monthly totals in San Francisco were JAN: .49”, FEB: .85”, MAR: .96”. Oakland’s normal Jan-March rainfall is 12.60” so this year is running just 10% of normal at this time.

Here are some of the three-month totals (January-March 2013) for other sites in the San Francisco Bay Area and northern California (listed from north to south):

Source

Statewide snowpack at half of normal levels

 With the statewide snowpack at only 52% of the norm for this time of year, state and federal water managers are expecting below-normal spring runoff and falling reservoir levels.

The last three months in California have been the driest of any January-through-March period on record, going back to 1895.

It has been a winter of extremes in the state, beginning with an unusually wet November and December and ending with a string of parched months.

Storage in the state’s two largest reservoirs, Shasta Lake and Lake Oroville, is a bit above normal for the date, thanks to the big storms in the Northern Sierra that turned the final three months of last year into the 10th-wettest on record for that region.

But that cushion is expected to disappear in the coming months. Although no one is declaring drought, the state last week cut projected water deliveries to Southern California.

Read more: http://fox5sandiego.com/2013/03/29/statewide-snowpack-at-half-of-no...

Buenos Aires Inundated By Record Rainfall (Apr 2)

Argentina's capital was hit Tuesday by the heaviest rains in more than a century, causing floods that claimed at least six lives and left pockets of the city without electricity.

About 350,000 residents were affected by a storm that dumped up to 185 millimeters (7.3 inches) in 7 hours in the early hours of the morning, Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri said in a news conference.

The city is struggling to prepare for additional problems and has deployed hundreds of emergency workers due to weather forecasts calling for more rain, the mayor said.

At least six people likely died due to flooding, Alberto Crescenti, the head of the national health service, SAME, told reporters. One of the fatalities included a subway worker who was electrocuted when he entered a flooded station the capital, according to the subway workers union.

Local news stations showed cars covered up to their roofs in water, flooded homes and offices, and emergency workers crossing some of the hardest hit areas in inflatable boats.

Residents tried to clear storm drains plugged by garbage and other detritus. As night set in, some angry residents in areas still without electricity took to banging pots and pans as a form of protest.

The storm would have caused even more chaos had it not been for two back to back public holidays—Easter and Veterans Day—that have kept government offices and many businesses closed since last Thursday.

Power was cut in seven of some of the heaviest-populated neighborhoods of the city due to the risk of electrocution.

Sources

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323611604578398924249...

http://photos.mercurynews.com/2013/04/02/photos-flooding-in-buenos-...

Drought now covers almost 99 percent of Texas

More than 98 percent of Texas is in some level of abnormal dryness as spring arrives, conditions that could set drought records and lead to severe water restrictions in some regions of the state.

The weekly U.S. Drought Monitor report released Thursday by the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Neb., showed increases in Texas in each of the five levels of drought. Only 1.4 percent of the state is not in drought, compared with 3.6 percent a week ago.

Nearly 11 percent of Texas is in "exceptional" drought, the most severe level, up from 9.9 percent a week ago. Three months ago, 95.4 percent of the state was in drought.

Tarrant County is mostly in the "severe" drought category except for a sliver along the Johnson County border, which is in "extreme" drought. Neighboring counties including Johnson, Hood, Somervell and Bosque are entirely in "extreme" drought.

Conditions statewide are now only slightly better than they were six months into the 2011 drought, the worst one-year dry spell in Texas' history, said state climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon. Conditions have steadily worsened because five of the past six months have had lower than average rainfall, he said.

Soil moisture is low statewide, and reservoirs and aquifers have not fully recharged since 2011, Nielsen-Gammon added.

"Depending on how much rain we get in the spring or summer, we may be facing more water restrictions in some parts of the state, maybe some that haven't been used before," he said.

The Edwards Aquifer, the primary water source for San Antonio, is one of several basins affected by the drought. The aquifer is nearing historically low levels, and Nielsen-Gammon said authorities fear they will have to place the most severe restrictions ever on residents in the city, one of the nation's 10 largest metropolitan areas.

Several lakes, rivers and streams also remain unusually dry. A Central Texas water authority recently cut off irrigation waters from rice farmers for the second year in a row after several Central Texas reservoirs failed to refill.

Some parts of the state could break drought records set over a seven-year stretch in the 1950s -- a dry spell so severe all water planning in Texas is based on those conditions.

"Officially, we're still in the same drought since 2011," Nielsen-Gammon said. "There's never been a time when even half the state has been out of drought so this is the third year of drought, and if it lasts through the summer, it will be the second worst drought on record."

Based on current forecasts, that is a real possibility.

Meteorologists, including Nielsen-Gammon, say outlooks show below normal rainfall during the spring -- generally the rainy season for chunks of the state -- and warm temperatures through the summer.

Drought killing century-old native trees

 Downpours with enough grunt to cause flooding are needed to reverse dry soil conditions that are already killing off century-old native trees, a climate scientist says.

Jim Salinger says 70-100mm of rain is needed over a week to redress the driest soil conditions since records began 70 years ago in Northland, Auckland, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Wairarapa and Westland.

Already, native trees including rimu - some over 100 years old - were starting to die out in Auckland.

Masterton's soil moisture was near Auckland's, meaning natives there were also at risk.

With no serious rain on the horizon, there was little that could be done for native trees and shrubs in the face of these conditions.

''It's going to rain over the next couple of weeks but that will be it for the next while.''

The 70-100mm of rain needed could cause flooding if it arrived over a short period but would not if it fell steadily over a week.

He has used a measure of soil dryness called potential evapotranspiration deficits (PED), which measures water going into the soil from rain, against that leaving through run-off, evaporation, and use by plants.

''Until there is an extended spell of rainfall during April in these drought effected areas it is probable farmers will continue to struggle to maintain adequate home grown feed supplies for stock. Producers will face extended difficulties in maintaining production on their land," Dr Salinger said.

Anything with a PED rating over 500 was extreme.

Between July last year and March this year, Masterton recorded 554, Palmerston North 432, Taupo 467, Auckland 560, and Tauranga 601.

Wellington Airport had a PED rating of 509, the third driest since records began there in 1960. At Kelburn, the rating was 346, which was above average and not unusual, Dr Salinger said.

Source  

Floodwaters in Spain

A man looks at floodwaters surrounding his home in Puente Duero, Spain on April 1, 2013. Spain suffered its wettest March since 1947, according to information released by the Spanish meteorological agency AEMET.

Source

March, extremely wet, with  more than triple rainfall

Precipitation

The month of March has been extremely wet in most of Spain, so that the average monthly rainfall nationwide reached the value of 157 mm., Which exceeds three times the normal value of the month is 46 mm. (Period: 1971-2000). Attempts have been the wettest March in Spain as a whole throughout the series started in 1947, exceeding 20 mm. as of March 1947, which had been so far the highest average precipitation.

As shown on the map attached in March accumulated rainfall exceeded 300% of the average in Spain, except for the regions of the northern peninsula, as well as the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic and Canary Islands part. Only small areas of the southeast peninsula and southern Balearic March rainfall did not reach normal values. Because of these heavy and persistent rainfall in March, there has been the fact that in many observatories scattered communities of Asturias, Castilla y Leon, Madrid, La Rioja, Castilla La Mancha and Extremadura Andalusia has been the month wettest March of the corresponding series, having surpassed himself in many seasons the previous maximum number of precipitation days in this month. As an example we can highlight data observatory Jaén, where there have been throughout the month to 247.4 mm. , Which is more than double the previous maximum value of the series (begun in 1985) corresponding to 2001 with 121.3 mm and Ciudad Real, where there have been 157.8 mm compared to the previous maximum of 104 , 7 mm in 1975, all on a series begun in 1971.

Source Spanish

Another low temperature record falls in Hawaii

A third low temperature record has fallen as cold north winds bring unseasonably cool temperatures to the islands.

Wednesday's low temperature of 59 degrees at the Lihue Airport broke a record low temperature set in 1956 of 60 degrees for this date.

It's the third low temperature record to fall in the last couple of days.

The temperature at Honolulu International Airport dropped to 61 degrees Tuesday morning, below the date's previous record of 62 degrees set in 2002.

The lowest temperature ever recorded in Honolulu is 52 degrees, marked on Jan. 20, 1969. Coincidentally, the coldest temperature ever recorded in Lihue — 50 degrees — falls on the same date.

It's also cold on Hawaii island, where thousands are gathering this week for the annual Merrie Monarch Festival celebrating hula and Hawaiian culture.

Temperatures dipped to 58 degrees at Hilo Airport Tuesday morning, lower than the previous record of 60 degrees set in 1953.

Hilo hit an all-time-low of 53 degrees on Feb. 21, 1962.

National Weather Service forecasters say things should start to change Thursday as warmer trade winds return. But the winds are still light, so expect another night of long-sleeve and sweater weather this evening as temperatures dip into the 50s and low 60s.

Trade winds could also bring a few showers to the usual windward and mauka areas

Source

 Tasmania in March 2013: exceptionally warm

March 2013 was the warmest recorded in Tasmania, with an unprecedented run of hot days to start, almost no cold weather, and another warm burst in the final week (before a cool final day). There was some heavy rain in the central north.

Prolonged heatwave ensures Tasmania's warmest March

A prolonged heatwave affected Tasmania and the rest of southeast Australia between 2 and 13 March, helping create the warmest March ever recorded in Tasmania. Many sites had their highest March mean temperature on record or their highest for many years. In several cases the March record was set in 2010, with 1974 and 1971 also very warm for Tasmania. Averaged across the state, the mean temperature was a March record of 15.7 °C, which is 2.2 °C above normal and 0.3 °C warmer than the previous record from 1974. The state average maximum temperature was a March record of 21.0 (2.9 °C above normal and 0.9 °C above the previous record from 1974), and minimum temperatures were the 3rd-warmest for March at 10.3 °C (1.6 °C above normal).

A near-stationary high over the Tasman Sea directed warm air across the state from the 2nd to the 13th, and coincided with exceptionally high sea surface temperatures. The heatwave was characterised by prolonged sequences of days and nights above threshold temperatures, and was accompanied by high humidity and generally light winds. Launceston reached 30 °C on 8 consecutive days from the 5th to the 12th, double the previous record for such a warm spell (28 to 31 January 2009). Lake St Clair and Sheffield both had an unprecedented 9 consecutive days reaching 25 °C, whilst Hobart Airport and Orford had 7 consecutive nights above 15 °C. With the heatwave affecting Victoria and SA as well, a Special Climate Statement was prepared.

Record warm days

The heatwave included several particularly warm days; the hottest day was the 12th with 37.4 °C at Bushy Park, and 37.3 °C at Grove. Some sites (including Launceston) had their highest March temperature on record, either on the 7th or the 12th. Although the second half of the month was not as warm as the first half, the 27th saw an approaching cold front push temperatures into the 30s at many sites. The 32.8 °C at Bushy Park that day was within a whisker of the highest late-season temperature ever recorded in Tasmania (33.0 °C at Scamander on 27 March 1990), whilst Launceston (30.0 °C), Strathgordon (28.5 °C) and Lake Leake (27.0 °C) were among sites that had their highest late-season maximum.

The warm weather at the start of the month, and a shortage of cold weather, meant almost all sites had their highest March mean daily maximum temperature on record (the main exceptions were on the east and south coasts, where 2010 was warmer). Many sites broke their previous records by a wide margin, and in several cases were more than 3 °C above the March average.

There was some cold weather: on the 16th and 17th temperatures in the low to mid-teens were common, some snow fell on the highest peaks, and Mount Wellington reached just 5.3 °C. For most sites the coolest day was the 31st in the wake of a cold front.

Record warm nights

Overnight temperatures were also persistently high through the first part of the month, peaking on the 12th or 13th when some sites (including Hobart, Bicheno and Devonport) had their warmest March night on record. With little in the way of cold nights it was not surprising that many sites had their highest March mean daily minimum temperature on record.

The coldest morning for most places was the 17th (when Mount Wellington fell to -1.7 °C and Liawenee and Mount Read also dropped below zero), or at the very start of the month: Liawenee dipped to -1.4 °C on the 1st.

Source

It seems they are giving up trying to explain all the weather anomalies (in this article at least) and are just reporting what they observe, which makes no sense unless you take into account the presence of Planet X aka Nibiru and the resulting wobble.

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Two-Year City Snowfall Hits Record Low

Despite the mild winter, snowpack levels in Northwest Montana are the best in the state, but the seasonal outlook is still uncerta

By Dillon Tabish, 04-07-13

While most of Montana and the continental U.S. experience worsening drought conditions, this corner of the state is exhibiting a stark contrast in weather patterns.

Separate meteorological reports released recently show the mountains in Northwest Montana benefitted from winter snowfall more than anywhere else in the state this year, while the valley floor in Kalispell broke a 120-year-old record for its lack of snow.

Through April 1, snowpack levels in the mountain ranges of the Flathead and Kootenai river basins were at the 30-year median, ranking better than anywhere else in Montana, according to the latest survey data from the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

SNOTEL sensors planted at different mountain elevations, ranging between 5,000 and 7,500 feet, showed the snow accumulation in the Flathead is at 98 percent of average, according to Brian Domonkos, NRCS water supply specialist.

Specifically, the North Fork Flathead River watershed is at 103 percent of average; the Middle Fork is at 107 percent and the South Fork is at 103 percent. Areas throughout the Swan Range and Kootenai basin show similar levels that are average or slightly above average.

“The Flathead’s got it pretty good right now,” Domonkos said. “Especially with respect to what’s going on in the rest of the state where the levels are 80 to 90 percent of average.”

Yet, in sharp contrast, the lower elevation in the city of Kalispell has received the lowest amount of total snowfall the last two winters since records were first kept in 1893, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The weather station at Glacier Park International Airport reported 48.4 inches of overall snow the previous two winters. The winters of 1940-41, which held the previous low, produced 49.2 inches.

This year’s seasonal snowfall from October through March was 17.1 inches in Kalispell, which is almost 30 inches below average. The city’s average snowfall is 45.7 inches.

“It was a pretty gentle, benign winter. There wasn’t a whole lot going on, particularly in the valleys,” said Marty Whitmore, NWS meteorologist in Missoula. “Temperatures were on the mild side at times. The mountains themselves aren’t doing too bad. But it’s not really a huge year for snow in the mountains either.”

As one example, total snowfall accumulation at Whitefish Mountain Resort this season was tied for the second lowest since measurements were first kept in 2005. As of April 1, resort officials reported Big Mountain received 256 inches of snow this season, the same amount as in 2005. In 2010, the resort reported 170 inches. Last winter produced 301 inches on Big Mountain.

High temperatures appear to be the primary culprit.

Western Montana has not been hit with a full-blown arctic front in two years, Whitmore said. Cold fronts regularly bring blizzard conditions and long periods of cold temperatures that produce snowfall and maintain typical winter conditions.

The temperature in Missoula has not dropped below zero since Feb. 25, 2011, according to the NWS. This is the city’s second longest stretch on record, and will likely surpass the all-time mark because there has never been a subzero day in Missoula between April and October, the NWS noted.

Last month was also warmer and drier than usual in Kalispell. The average temperature in March was 36.2 degrees. The historical average is 35.4.

The temperature in Kalispell on April 1 reached 67 degrees, two degrees shy of the city’s record set in 1900.

Weather, like temperature and rainfall, will largely determine the sudden impact of runoff and what summer eventually looks like in terms of fire danger, according to both Domonkos and Whitmore.

Snow in the mountains typically begins melting in April at the lower elevations and consistent runoff occurs by May.

Water supply conditions will likely end up below average for most of the West’s rivers, according to the NWS. But early forecasts show spring and summer streamflow could remain normal in Western Montana. Flathead Lake is currently at 106 percent of the average streamflow, Domonkos said.

Other states are already bracing for the coming months and a possible sequel to last year’s historic fire season.

The Pacific Northwest could see below-normal temperatures but drier-than-normal conditions from now until July, according to the spring outlook report released recently by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The report adds that areas in the U.S. that are plagued by drought could experience above-average temperatures and little moisture relief.

Last year marked Montana’s worst wildfire season in more than 100 years. More than 2,100 fires scorched 1.14 million acres statewide, according to the Northern Rockies Coordination Center. It was the most land consumed in a single year since the infamous Big Burn of 1910.

The U.S. as a whole endured one of the worst fire seasons on record in 2012. Wildfires burned more than 9 million acres nationwide, surpassing that mark for only the third time on record, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Only 2006 and 2007 had more acreage burned.

http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/springs_pivotal_tran...  

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/04/09/sk-sask...

 More record lows and wild weather swings

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Lubbock temperatures hit April record low

When the senior public relations major from The Colony looked outside Wednesday morning and saw snow, the first thing she did was go back to bed.

When she woke up to go to class, however, Taryn Beadles saw the sun shining.

“I looked on the balcony and the whole ground was covered in snow,” she said. “I was like, this is unbelievable. I definitely didn’t want to go to class today, so I hopped back on the couch and snuggled up, but when I left to go to class, it was sunny.”

Charles Aldrich, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lubbock, said the city hit a record low of 22 degrees, while the previous low was 26 degrees.

The low temperature, he said, was unusual for Lubbock, but the freeze was not.

Lubbock typically experiences its last freeze April 9, so the snow was one day late, Aldrich said.

“The degree of the temperature itself, how cold it was, was fairly uncommon,” he said, “especially considering it was a record. But, to get a cold front, that’s not too uncommon this time of year.”

The upper-level low brought air to the South Plains from the arctic region, including northern Canada and Alaska, which also have been experiencing below-average temperatures, Aldrich said.

The ice and snow created by the cold front made for hazardous driving conditions in Lubbock on Wednesday morning, he said.

Between 7 a.m. and 10 a.m., 113 car accidents were reported, Lubbock Police Department Sgt. Jonathan Stewart said.

While the accidents reported involved only minor injuries, he said the number was abnormally high for a typical day, and the wrecks could be attributed to the weather.

Two accidents occurred on Texas Tech’s campus on the Ninth Street bridge, Stephen Hinkle, Tech Police Department administrative captain, said.

Both accidents involved cars sliding off the road and hitting the guardrail.

LPD, he said, responded to a five-car pile up on I-27, a pile up on Loop 289, and a pile up on Marsha Sharp Freeway.

The reason for the lack of car accidents on Tech’s campus, Hinkle said is because the physical plant began salting the roads early in the morning.

Drivers, he said, need to slow down and be cautious when on the road.

Greg Howard, a freshman advertising major from Houston, said seeing the snow in April was a culture shock, and drivers in Lubbock need to be careful.

“I like the snow,” he said, “but I feel like more people should be informed on how to drive better in the snow rather than be uninformed.”

On Tuesday, the high temperature was 81 degrees, Aldrich said.

With Wednesday’s high temperature reaching the upper 40s and becoming sunny after the low of 22 degrees with snow, Howard said predicting how to dress is a challenge.

“Here, you have to wear two different outfits throughout the day,” he said, “because the first half of the day will be cold and then the second half will be warm, so you go through clothes pretty quick.”

Aldrich said he believes Lubbock did not win The Weather Channel’s Toughest Weather City title because of the fast-changing temperatures.

“I think it’d be mainly the dust storms and the amount of severe weather that Lubbock can get is what got Lubbock into the toughest weather city in the U.S.,” he said.

Whether the sun is shining or the temperature is freezing, Beadles said loving Lubbock is the key to liking its weather.

“One of my friends embraces it and said that she is happy the city won, but for me, I’m just ready to get out of here,” she said. “I think you really have to love Lubbock to love the weather in it.”

Source  

Denver weather sets record low temperature

 Denver tied a record low temperature on Wednesday, as the mercury dipped to a paltry 6 degrees.

The reading broke the low mark for April 10, 7 degrees set in 1959.

After several inches of snowfall on Tuesday, the cold will stick around Wednesday in Denver. Weather forecasters predict a 10 percent chance for additional snow.

The National Weather Service forecast calls for the high temperature in Denver on Wednesday to reach 28 degrees.

"The average highs for this date are near 60s," said Bob Kleyla, a meteorologist with weather service. "If we only get to 28, that's 30 degrees below normal."

Wednesday night into Thursday, the low temperature is expected to dip to 18 degrees.

A warming trend is on tap for the rest of the week, according to the weather service.

"Saturday, we should be back up to near normal," Kleyla said.

Roads in the Denver metro area are wet, with patches of ice and snowpack in some spots. Main roads have been cleared, but side streets could be tricky.

The Colorado Department of Transportation reopened an eastbound stretch of Interstate 70 to the Kansas border around 5 a.m. after closing it overnight.

Denver International Airport has all runways clear and open Wednesday, after canceling 495 flights on Tuesday. The FAA is not reporting any major delays at DIA Wednesday morning, and officials said they did not expect to need to put full deicing operations in place.

Source

 More wild weather swings

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Record Cold In March 2013

Last March, we were smashing records with highs in the 80s and enjoying sunshine. This March couldn't have been more different. With gray skies and cold temps, you might expect surplus moisture. But the lack of rain wasn't the only surprise.

More than a foot of snow blanketed Sisseton last month and while most of it's gone now, it was still the coldest March on record. The average temperature for the month was 18 degrees. That ‘s more than ten degrees below normal.

Last March was the warmest on record. 

It was a similar situation in Watertown, where the average temperature was nearly 24 degrees colder than a year earlier. 

Pierre picked up nearly three feet of snow this winter but March didn't add to the stockpiles with just 15-hundredths of an inch. That is more than an inch less than usual. 

Aberdeen actually got more moisture last March, but lost much of it to evaporation. 

While Sioux Falls received half its normal moisture, we fell seven inches behind on snowfall.
And while we were cold, perhaps the lack of snow helped temperatures.  Though Sioux Falls was more than five degrees cooler than average, it wasn't quite enough to crack the top ten coldest Marches on record.

Source

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/04/11/sk-roof...

It's been an unusual year for snow accumulation in Saskatchewan, normally we don't get heavy wet snow or high humidity, but we've had plenty of the white stuff this year.  Residents have been cautioned to move the snow off their roofs to prevent collapse as the spring thaw takes place.

Hockey rink roof collapses in Bredenbury, Saskatchewan.

CBC News

Posted: Apr 11, 2013 1:21 PM CST

Last Updated: Apr 11, 2013 3:54 PM CST

The roof of the rink in Bredenbury collapsed under the weight of snow. (Supplied to CBC)

It's a common story in Saskatchewan this year — heavy snow destroying buildings.

The only hockey rink in the town of Bredenbury is the latest victim. The roof of the rink collapsed on Wednesday night. Bredenbury is about 40 kilometres southeast of Yorkton.

The exact cause of the roof collapse is still unknown, but heavy snow was a factor.

Kim Varga, the town's administrator, said she is just relieved no one was injured.

"Everyone is sad and sort of in shock," Varga said. "Everybody is just devastated and people are thankful that nobody got hurt and nobody was around."

Terry Hall, Bredenbury's rink manager, said the arena was host to about 50 hockey games every winter. It was also used by several hockey teams from surrounding communities.

More heavy rain on way will worsen flooding

“ The brutal drought that gripped southern Wisconsin in 2012 will be a distant memory by the time a series of storms drenching the area end in snow on Friday, with more storms possible Sunday through Tuesday, according to forecasters.

The weather-related woe replacing the drought is flooding: the counties of Rock, Green, Jefferson, Lafayette and Sauk are under flood warnings, and all other counties in south-central Wisconsin are under a flood watch through Friday at noon.

The rivers causing the flood warnings are the Crawfish in Jefferson County, the Baraboo in Sauk County, the Rock in Jefferson and Rock counties, the east branch of the Pecatonica in Lafayette County, the Pecatonica in Green County, the Sugar in Rock and Green counties. as well as the Fox in Lake and Kenosha counties, the Milwaukee on Ozaukee County, and the Sheboygan in Sheboygan County.

Officially, a record 1.46 inches of rain fell at the Dane County Regional Airport in Madison on Tuesday, boosting Madison’s 2013 precipitation total (rain plus snow converted to liquid) to 9.76 inches, 3.92 inches above normal.”

Source

Took the measure of the rising Sun this morning at 7:22 am while driving dead East. It was clearly North of dead East by an estimated 15-20 degrees. Checking Skymap after getting home, it should have been 8 degrees to the South!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2310131/Dubai-Timbuktu-No-I...

Dubai? Timbuktu? No, Inverness... Now Britain is hit by sandstorms

• Inverness Airport suffered delays as sandstorms whip across the tarmac
• Parts of the North East were hit were also hit with strong winds
• Met Office forecasters say the temperature is 6C warmer than usual
• Baltic eastern winds which brought the cold snap have finally relented
• The Atlantic Jetstream has brought warmer temperatures to the UK
• Temperature hit 17.6C on the Lincolnshire coast on Tuesday
  
• Temperatures in central and southern England up to 18C on Wednesday

By Steve Nolan

PUBLISHED: 20:47 GMT, 16 April 2013 | UPDATED: 22:44 GMT, 16 April 2013

Forecasters announced that the Baltic eastern winds responsible for the harsh winter had finally given way to the warmer Atlantic Jet stream today, although people from parts of Scotland and the North East would have found this hard to believe.

Fierce sandstorms left Inverness Airport looking more like Dubai as a fine red haze descended and disrupted flights, while walkers were caught out in South Tyneside as strong gusts tore through the coastal towns.

The rest of the country enjoyed temperatures rising to 6C higher than the average for April, making today one of the warmest days of the year.

Flights were disrupted today at Inverness Airport in Scotland after the Highlands were hit by a sandstorm

Sandstorm: A walker in South Shields, south Tyneside shields her face from the wind today as heavy gusts catch the sand

Blowy: Heavy winds have shifted some of the sand onto the path in front of these two walkers in South Shields

FRANCE

Record Heat: 30 C yesterday in Lomné

It is in the baronies it was the hottest, yesterday. But in Tarbes, was grazed with a record 28 degrees. The previous dates back to April 26, 1947 (30 °). The heat did not spare the mountains: 27 ° recorded in Saint-Lary. But it will not last.

It was like the middle of August, yesterday, as temperatures were like summer.

Within 48 hours, you lose 20 C

Radical change today with the arrival of a disturbance causing a cloudy and wet weather. In the end, we lose 15 °. But we are not yet out of the woods. For the most gloomy day, the winter is announced Friday. With snow at low altitudes up to 900 m will result in a net cooling: with not more than 10 °. In short, prepare warm clothes. Because in 48 hours, you lose 20 °. Saturday, it is expected to fairly cool temperatures, ranging between 2 and 4. Sunday (phew!) return of the sun with milder values ​​between 15 ° and 17 °.

Source in French

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2013/04/19/ontario-poss...

Tornado confirmed in Ontario community

Storm struck Thursday evening near Shelburne, Ont.

CBC News

Posted: Apr 19, 2013 6:19 AM ET

Last Updated: Apr 19, 2013 3:23 PM ET

Possible tornado in Shelburne, Ont.1:36

Environment Canada has confirmed that it was a tornado that touched down Thursday afternoon in the community of Shelburne, about 100 kilometres northwest of Toronto.

A large indoor riding arena near Shelburne, Ont., was sheared into pieces that were strewn more than a kilometre away.

CBC's Trevor Dunn reported on Friday morning that a sudden burst of rain and high winds arrived at about 5:30 p.m. ET Thursday and tore apart a large indoor horse-riding barn near Highway 10, just northwest of Shelburne.

"On one side of the highway, just a single wall of the barn is left standing," Dunn reported. "On the other side of the highway, the rest of that barn — torn and wrinkled sheet metal and shattered wooded trusses — is all strewn across an open field, some pieces are as far as a kilometre away.”

Horses 'started to run around like crazy'

Dunn spoke with John Purdie, owner of the barn destroyed in the storm.

“We had a really strange sky coming in," said Purdie. "The horses in the field started to run around like crazy, so my wife went out to bring those horses in. Within about three minutes of that there was driving rain here, you couldn’t even see the road.

"The rain was coming sideways. There was a loud boom it turns out it was the indoor riding arena, which was built in 2000. It’s 100 feet by 70 [30 metres by 20]. It took it out of there like it was a twig."

In the town of East Gwillimbury, meanwhile, police said about 20 hydro poles were knocked down on Woodbine Ave., located between Green Lane and Davis Drive.

No one was hurt but about 200 people lost power.

OPP Const. Paul Nancekevill said the damage is consistent with a tornado touchdown.

“It looks definitely like a possible tornado when you have buildings ripped apart and roofs taken off, that’s some pretty severe winds.”

Environment Canada issued a special weather statement for Toronto on Friday, warning that a strong cold front will arrive bringing showers, thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 80 km/h.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312821/Scotland-Sandstorm-...

Believe it or not, this is no beautiful sandy beach - it's a farmer's field! Crop of barley ruined by tons of sand blown across land

• Scotland battered again by second round of sandstorms devastating crops
  
• Farmer Cameron MacIver in Moray says the sand is so high 'the only thing showing is top of fences'

PUBLISHED: 08:19 GMT, 22 April 2013 | UPDATED: 19:17 GMT, 22 April 2013

Scotland was hit by a second bout of freak sandstorms today, causing an estimated £50,000 damage to crops.

Farmers in Elgin, Moray, had just spent a week clearing up after freak winds created 4ft high sand drifts on Tuesday when more gales swept in, whipping up further sandstorms and devastating crops.

Barley farmer Cameron MacIver said: 'There's parts around my farm where the only thing showing above the sand is the top bit of the fence.'

Freak weather: Farmer Cameron MacIver, from Forres in Moray, walking on one of his sand covered barley fields

Strong winds: Local farmers in Moray like Mr MacIver had just finished clearing up from last week's sandstorms when another hit the lowlands today

Tropical: Cameron MacIver contemplates the long clear-up on one of his sand-covered barley fields

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/04/22/sk-cold...

It's been a record-cold spring so far in many Saskatchewan communities. On April 11, Regina's Wascana Park was still snowbound. (CBC)

Record-shattering April cold and snow stun Rockies, north central U.S.

Posted by Jason Samenow on April 23, 2013 at 4:03 pm

The scene in Boulder, Colorado this afternoon (Bob Henson)

Parts of the eastern Rockies, Dakotas and Minnesota have endured an unforgettably wintry April. Multiple bouts of heavy snow have crushed April and all-time records in some locations, and the cold has been unforgiving.

The brutal weather has taken its toll on  residents, who are desperate for spring.

“Irritation. Anger. Incredulity. Shock. I hope I get to acceptance,” wrote Minneapolis Star Tribune meteorologist Paul Douglas, on the eve of forecasting another round of plowable snow for the Twin Cities.

Minneapolis picked up 4 inches Monday night, but heavier amounts fell to the northeast, where April snow totals have been historic.

Source   

Records fall in Bay Area heat wave

A surge of warm weather from the Central Valley broke high-temperature records across the Bay Area on Monday. San Francisco International Airport reached 83 degrees just before 2 p.m., surpassing by 1 degree the record for the date set in 1981. Oakland International Airport reported a high of 85 degrees at 3 p.m., breaking a record of 82 set in 1966. The warm weather is expected to continue Tuesday, with cooler weather and a return of fog expected on Wednesday.

http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Records-fall-in-Bay-Area-heat...

Blending of the seasons, a definite YES

Yesterday in the south of France we were sweating it was HOT, 29C. Today however, sweater and jacket were needed as it was only 11C, which comes to a difference of 18C within 24 hours!

Predicting the weather is becoming allmost impossible
as can be read in the following article translated with google (original in french )

Notice the last sentences it can go both ways.

Yes ofcourse all depends on the wobble!!!

From Wednesday, the reliability of the forecast is much more limited, and two options clash. One would strengthen the British anticyclone, with the persistence of a very cool time for the season, but then clouds gain ground on the northern two-thirds. Mediterranean always remain rather depressed.

The other option would be contrary to the Mediterranean cold drop gaining ground. Under these conditions, showers and thunderstorms would eventually be generalized to all of our regions. In contrast, the temperature level would be more acceptable to the season, with neighboring maximum of 17-22 ° C.

Notice the picture added on the site, guess yesterday we were pushed down so we had the temps from Greece, while today we are being pushed up so temps have dropped

From summer to winter in 24 hours

France

And all this has been smoothly, no way this is smooth!! Note  "Last element to be added" guess they should have mentioned the wobble for then yes it would have been normal

I have lived here for 11 years now never ever have I a seen such an abrupt change in temp within 24 hours

The fact alone of them mentioning this should make us wonder

After a day of sun and summer Thursday with high temperatures in the north, above 25 ° C, the day on Friday returned to a low gray sky, accompanied by a sharp drop in temperature.

This is especially the neighboring regions of the Channel which had a sharp decline: in Deauville, we went from 25 ° C Thursday afternoon just 9 ° C 24 hours later ... Same for Lille, Dinard, Cherbourg, Lille and Paris ...


Many heat records Thursday afternoon

In Rouen, Lille, Deauville, Dinard or even Caen, record heat for April 25 were recorded. I must say that the temperatures recorded Thursday afternoon were already higher than average maximum temperatures in the middle of the summer for the cities mentioned ...

In Paris, we still fell 17 ° C Thursday morning with the sun and with the orientation of the north wind and the arrival of the mass of cold air descending from the British Isles, it was down to 10 ° C to 16 hours ...

Thus, in 24 hours, we passed from summer to winter, with temperatures near-record low ...

This sudden change in the weather in the north has not been accompanied by extreme events (storms) as might have been feared .... All this is done smoothly ... Last element to be added, this type of change is not unusual for this time of year, between seasons (spring and fall) is conducive to sudden temperature changes on a relatively short time (24 hours).

Source in French

From Texas to North Dakota, heavy spring rains continue to trigger flash floods and turn streets into rivers.  (Apr 28)

Comment by Wayne wilson 35 minutes agoDelete Comment

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2013/04/29/sk-radi...

This winter, Saskatchewan and other prairie provinces have experienced higher than usual snow levels.

Radisson, Maidstone, Borden declare emergencies over flooding

CBC News

Posted: Apr 29, 2013 4:03 PM CST

Last Updated: Apr 29, 2013 6:06 PM CST

The Saskatchewan communities of Radisson and Maidstone have declared states of emergency as residents work to cope with flooding.

In Radisson, officials said Monday they can't prevent the west side of town from flooding. However, they have been working to keep floodwaters away from Main Street.

David Summers, a town councillor, said the community expects to be under a flood watch for about a week.

They are watching closely what happens in nearby Speers.

"Reports from Speers, where the melting comes from [or] most of it, they haven't even started melting hardly," Summers said. "So that's about six feet of snow out there."

People in Radisson have been setting out sandbags for several days.

Earlier on Monday, Maidstone declared a state of emergency as water has been running over the Yellowhead Highway there for the last couple of days.

Connie McCulloch said about 24 homes have been damaged by flooding.

Melting snow in nearby fields poured into the town on the weekend and town crews and volunteers have been building drainage ditches and berms.

"A few people have had to evacuate their home because of the flood water that they've received," she said. "But overall most people are able to still be in their homes and [have] been pumping water out of their basement and stuff."

McCulloch said they have been doing everything they can, to keep water away and move it out of the community.

"We have used all kinds of water cannons, pumps and drainage ditches and berms and everything we can possibly do to try to move the water out of town," she said.

Borden also experiencing flooding

Also on Monday, the town of Borden, Sask., declared a state of emergency at 1 p.m.

Local officials said melt water is moving rapidly and is rising up on one side of the highway through town.

The volume of water was too much for culverts to divert and people have been putting down sandbags all day.

SPAIN'S SPRING SNOW:  UNSEASONAL WEATHER BLOCK ROADS

29 April 2013 Last updated at 12:45 GMT

Spain has been struck by unseasonal weather which has seen snow falling across the country.

Extreme weather warnings are in place in 18 provinces, with small roads blocked as temperatures continue to hover around freezing.

Hello all, as a follow up to the cracks in the ice of the Beaufort Sea in Northern Canada that definitely show the Earth Wobble, here is a picture I took from a plane on April 28th 2013 of the cracks in the ice. I thought it was incredible, it is something else to view this with your own eyes and thought people here would appreciate the backup for the wonderful work many on here have done bringing it to our attention:

Article:  

  

    

Snow depths on April 23, 2013. CREDIT: NOAA                                           View full size image

              

Spring has gotten off to a colder- and snowier-than-average start in parts of the United States, particularly in the eastern Rockies and Upper Midwest.

Duluth, Minn., for example, has seen 51 inches (130 centimeters) of snow this April. That's not only the most snow the town has seen in any April — breaking the old mark of 31.6 inches (80 cm) — but the most snow the town has received in any month, ever, according to government records. As of Monday (April 22), a total of 995 snowfall records have also been broken so far this month, according to AccuWeather. Over the same time period last year, 195 snowfall records had been broken.

More than 91 percent of the upper Midwest also has snow on the ground as of today (April 24), meteorologist Jason Samenow wrote at the Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog. "Snow cover in the previous 10 years on this date hasn't even come close to reaching this extent (ranging from 19 percent to much lower)," he wrote.

So why has spring failed to take hold? Blame the jet stream.

The record snow and below-average cold is due to a trough or dip in the jet stream, which has brought blasts of freezing air as far south as the Mexican border, said Jeff Weber, a scientist with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo.

Whence the snow?

This dip in the jet stream has also brought moisture from the Pacific to the Eastern Rockies. Boulder, Colo., for example, saw 47 inches (119 cm) of snow in April, breaking the old record of 44 inches (112 cm).

From the dip, the jet stream then swoops up to the north toward Minnesota, bringing new moisture with it from the Gulf of Mexico, Weber said. That has made for snowy conditions throughout the region.

This persistent trough has largely stayed in place during much of April, due in part to a stubborn mass of warm air over Greenland and the North Atlantic, Weber said. A similar system was also responsible for the record cold seen in March throughout much of the Eastern United States.

This mass of air has blocked the normal eastward progression of the jet stream, which normally brings warm air from the south and west into the central United States. Instead, this "buckled" jet stream has been stuck in place, bathing the Rockies and Upper Midwest in cold, and often moist, air, Weber said.

Warming up

But now, the mass of warm air over the North Atlantic is finally dissipating, and higher temperatures are expected by this weekend from Colorado to Minnesota, Weber said. While temperatures have recently dipped into the single digits (below 10 degrees Fahrenheit, or minus 12 degrees Celsius), they should reach above 80 F (27 C) by the weekend throughout much of this region, he said. [6 Signs that Spring Has Sprung]

This will lead to a lot of melted snow, which could cause some of the worst flooding ever seen in the Upper Midwest, Weber said.

The persistent cold has helped tamped down severe weather and tornadoes, which thrive on the interaction of warm, moist air with cold, dry air, Weber said. However, he expects to see a lot more severe weather and tornadoes in the near future, particularly in the Southeast. 

Email Douglas Main or follow him @Douglas_Main. Follow us @OAPlanet, Facebook or  Google+. Original article on LiveScience's OurAmazingPlanet.

FIRST "HEAT WAVE" OF YEAR ALREADY GRIPPING BALKANS

Temperatures in excess of 30 degrees centigrade have been reported in Serbia, Croatia, Macedonia, Bosnia, and Albania, while citizens are advised not to stay in the sun for prolonged periods of time.

"This is certainly one of the hottest April since measurements are being taken," Nedeljko Todorović of Serbia's Hydro-Meteorological Service (RHMZ) said. 

He noted that the hottest day so far was April 30, 2003, when the temperature in Belgrade reached the high of 32.5 degrees. 

This Tuesday, the temperature in the Serbian capital city was 32 degrees. 

Hi Ancient Ally & Nancy...  Here's an article on MSN that backs up exactly what you are saying (& going through).  Earth Wobble; check! 

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/01/17996931-heavy-snow-belt...

Heavy snow belts Rockies and Plains; Texas city to see 67-degree temperature drop

Current SFSU jet stream map for N. America showing a 180-degree directional change.

SNOWSTORM STILL PLUMMELING WISCONSIN

Heavy snow continues to fall this afternoon in parts of northern Wisconsin, with Rice Lake already reporting 17 inches on the ground.

The heaviest snow had moved east of Hayward at noon but was still falling in Park Falls, Ironwood and Ashland.

The Wisconsin Department of Transportation earlier advised no travel because of heavy snow on U.S. Highway 53 between Spooner and Gordon; U.S. Highway 63 from Spooner to Hayward; and state Highway 70 from Stone Lake to Siren.

Other highways are reported to be snow-covered, including U.S. Highway 2 east of Iron River.

The unusual May snowstorm moved just south and east of the Twin Ports but hovered over southeastern Minnesota, north-central Wisconsin and into Washburn, Bayfield, Ashland and Iron Counties where up to 14 inches fell overnight.

In southeastern Minnesota, where more than a foot fell through morning, traffic was snarled in some areas and electricity was out and heavy snow n limbs broke powerlines. Parts of Red Wing and Owatonna reported power was still out at mid-morning.

An unusually dry pool of cool air just north of Minnesota kept all of the snow out of Northeastern Minnesota. The forecast for Duluth and Superior now calls for just cloudy and cool, with a chance of light snow or rain Friday. Conditions should gradually improve over the weekend with temperatures back in the 60s by Monday.

Snowfall totals as of 10 a.m., according to the National Weather Service, include:

• Rice Lake, Wis. 17 inches
• Hayward (8 miles south) — 16 inches
• Owatonna, Minn. 15.5 inches
• Ellsworth, Wis. — 14 inches
• Red Wing, Minn. — 13 inches
• Washburn — 12 inches
• Cumberland, Wis. — 12 inches
• Ashland — 10 inches
• Albert Lea, Minn. — 10 inches
• La Pointe — 8.7 inches
• Shell Lake — 8 inches
• Iron River — 4 inches
• Solon Springs — 2 inches

May 3, 2013,

Switzerland devastated by bad weather, 500mm of rain in the last week! Landslides and flooding, photos

http://www.meteoweb.eu/2013/05/svizzera-devastata-dal-maltempo-500m...

Traduced by google

'literally burst from the bad weather in Switzerland that before, last weekend, had torrential rainstorms, and for three consecutive days, and then in the first two days of May was hit by severe thunderstorms that yesterday afternoon caused flooding and hailstorms. In the most affected areas have fallen 500mm of rain in the last week, with landslides, mudslides and flooding. Violent storms have lashed the area of ​​Lake Geneva, and many animals of various farms have drowned. Also this afternoon, meteorologists expect more severe storms, and the situation will not improve in the coming days.

Updated: 02 Ma

http://www.thelocal.ch/page/view/hail-and-heavy-rain-hit-parts-of-s...
Insurers vet millions in Swiss hailstorm claims
Hail caused millions of francs’ worth of damage and flash flooding occurred in parts of Western Switzerland as stormy weather swept across much of the country on Thursday evening.

Video of the Tornado in: Italy, Emilia Romagna Region, at: 14:00 GMT, 11 injured, several houses destroyed, fields and crops also affected.

Shocking cold and snow in central U.S., first May snow on record in Arkansas

The third day of a brutal snap of wintry weather – in May – is shattering records in the central U.S.  After the biggest snows ever observed in the month of May in Iowa, Minnes... Thursday, Arkansas experienced its first May snowflakes in history today.

The National Weather Service in Little Rock broke the news about the historic flakes with a tweet noting snow and/or sleet had been reported at 3 airports in the northwest part of the state.

Northwest Arkansas wasn’t the only location experiencing a historic snowfall. Kansas City experienced its first accumulating May snow (0.5 inches) since 1907 and as much as 6 inches fell in Missouri. Thursday afternoon’s Royals home game was called off due to a wintry mix of precipitation that changed to snow in the evening.

Here are some other notable snowfall records from the central U.S. from Thursday and today:

* Tulsa, Oklahoma experienced its latest spring snow on record
* Rochester, Minnesota’s 14.0 inches of snow Thursday was more than 3 times the combined total of all May snow (4.3 inches) since 1886 and its 4th snowiest day on record in any month.
* Eau Claire, Wisconsin’s 8.7 inches and Des Moines Iowa’s 3.4 inches Thursday were the greatest May snow totals on record for those cities.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/05...  

Drought-stricken Panama orders power rationing, closes schools [Reuters; 7 May 2013]

May 7 (Reuters) - Panama on Tuesday ordered government offices and private businesses to slash their power consumption and temporarily closed schools in response to a drought that has sapped the country's hydroelectric energy supply.

Opening hours for government offices will be reduced, while supermarkets, bars, cinemas, restaurants, casinos and other night spots would have to close between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. from Monday to Thursday, according to a statement from the president's office.

Private businesses in the tropical Central American nation will also be forced to cut air-conditioning use by four hours a day, beginning Wednesday. It's unclear how long the rationing will last, though government officials say they would reconsider on Sunday how soon they could re-open schools.

Panama, one of Latin America's fastest-growing economies, uses hydroelectric power to generate 60 percent of its electricity.

But reservoirs are now low after months without rain.

The Panama Canal, which transports about five percent of world trade, is unaffected by the power rationing because it produces its own energy, a spokeswoman said.

The drought has killed hundreds of cattle, damaged crops, and caused some $200 million in losses in Panama. The government on Tuesday declared a drought emergency in four provinces, representing about a third of the nation's territory. (Reporting by Lomi Kriel; Editing by Paul Simao)

Massive Ice Bank Demolishes Homes on Manitoba Lake (May 10)
One minute, cottage owners on the southern shore of Manitoba’s Dauphin Lake were cooking on their barbecues, admiring the views across the still-frozen ice.

The next minute, that ice was rumbling up the shore like a giant nine-metre-high bulldozer, tearing apart their decks, then slicing through some homes and tipping others on their sides.

“The whole thing happened in about ten minutes,” said Clayton Watts, the deputy reeve of the Rural Municipality of Ochre River.

“We had people barbecueing on their decks. They turned around to go inside to get something, they came back out and their decks were ripping apart,” he added.

“It was like a freight train coming through, they say.”

A state of emergency has been declared in this rural municipality near Winnipeg after the giant wall of ice destroyed 12 homes on Friday. About 20 homes on three streets were damaged, and many were destroyed.

Strong winds pushed ice on Dauphin Lake onto homes and cottages on Ochre Beach, a summer community about 200 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg.

“Fortunately, nobody was hurt,” Deputy Reeve Clayton Watts said. “There was extensive damage, though.”

Some homes were completely destroyed. Others, like the one belonging to Donna Billows, were filled up when the charging ice flow pushed though doors and windows.

“I happened to look out the window and saw the ice just coming, just moving so quickly,” Billows told CTV News.

Billows, who was sitting down for dinner with her husband at the time, said she had little time to react.

“He said ‘Grab your purse, grab whatever you can. Get the keys. We’ve got to get out of here,’” Billows said.

Her home was packed with ice.

The community has rallied around Billows and others affected by the disaster.

“There were people working here that I didn’t even know who they were,” Billows said. “They just came in and said “What can we do?”

But just two years after dealing with floods that caused extensive damage in the community, Billows has had enough.

“Really, I don’t think I want to live here anymore,” she said.

Dennis Stykalo’s vacation home, which his family has owned for 38 years, was completely destroyed.

“Ice has come on this property historically over the years but never this close or of this magnitude,” he said.

Sources

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/huge-wall-of-ice-on-manitoba-lake-demo...

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/05/11/owners-pick-through-remains...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/05/10/mb-ochre-ri...