* Opposites Attract [Earth Observatory; 14 December, 2013]

* While Most of U.S. Froze, Parts of Alaska Set Record Highs. [Climate Central; 10 December, 2013; By Andrew Freedman]

While the continental U.S. has been shivering from coast-to-coast with temperatures dropping as low as minus-40°F (minus-40°C) amid one of the most severe early December cold snaps in several years, one state bucked the trend in an historic way. The same contorted jet stream pattern that brought the brutal cold to the lower 48 states pushed a pulse of milder-than-average air into Alaska, where some spots recorded temperatures unheard of for December.

Map showing temperature anomalies in the atmosphere, including notes showing the unusually warm air over Alaska (red area) and cold air from Canada to the U.S. (dark blue area). 

Credit: Modified from Tropicaltidbits.com via WeatherUnderground.

Along Alaska's northern coastline, which lies above the Arctic Circle, the warmest December temperatures on record in at least 70 years occurred this past week. At the airport in Deadhorse, which serves the oil production hub of Prudhoe Bay, the temperature hit 39°F (3.9°C) on December 7, the highest December temperature on record there since at least 1968, said Rick Thoman of the National Weather Service (NWS) in Fairbanks in an interview. Even more notable, perhaps, was the fact that it was raining, rather than snowing. Rain there is unusual so late in the year.

Previously, the highest December temperature recorded at any of the two climate observation sites that have served Prudhoe Bay over the years was 35°F (1.7°C), set on Dec. 31, 1973, according to Chris Burt, a blogger at WeatherUnderground.

Thoman said it’s possible, but not likely, that other climate stations in that area — such as data collected at now defunct Cold War-era early warning radar stations — recorded slightly milder December temperatures when they were operating in the 1950s and 1960s.

December high temperature records were also set or tied at Barter Island AFB, which is a tiny airport located on a sliver of land along Alaska’s wind-whipped North Slope region, and in the small village of Wainwright, another Arctic shore location. Barter Island reached 37°F (2.8°C), which tied its record last set in 1973, and Wainright hit 32°F (0°C), beating the old record of 30°F (minus-1.1°C) last set in 2006.

Some weather stations located along the Dalton Highway south of Prudhoe Bay saw temperatures climb into the 40s, Thoman said.

Other noteworthy Alaska records included a December record high of 54°F (12.2°C) in King Salmon, which is situated along Bristol Bay in southwest Alaska. That broke the previous record of 51°F (10.6°C), and records there date back to World War II. Daily high temperature records were also set at Kotzebue, Bettles, and Cold Bay, Alaska, among other locations, Thoman said.

The first nine days of December ran 22.2°F (minus-5.4°C) above average in Barrow, and 18.5°F (minus-7.5°C) above average in Kotzebue, according to NWS data.

A strong ridge of high pressure was the main cause of the record warmth in Alaska. The high shunted the jet stream, which is a high speed current of winds in the upper atmosphere, to the north of the state, while simultaneously displacing cold, Arctic air southward into Canada and the continental U.S.

Thoman said such weather patterns are not uncommon during the winter months, although the extreme nature of this one was. “This kind of thing does happen with some frequency in the cold season,” Thoman said. “You get these amplified patterns, and the cold air’s gotta go somewhere, so you build up the ridge somewhere over the Gulf of Alaska . . . pump warm air into Alaska, and on the east side of that high, that cold air is going to come plunging south.”

The small northern Alaska community of Wainwright, pictured during the summer. 

Credit: Wikimedia Commons.

In recent years, studies have shown an association between extremely wavy or “amplified” jet stream patterns, with large ridges and troughs, and Arctic sea ice melt and snow cover decline during the spring and summer months. It's an active area of research, but there’s no doubt that climate change has been having profound impacts in Alaska and other areas of the Arctic region.

The 2012 Arctic Report Card depicted a region undergoing rapid and pervasive changes related to manmade global warming, including the ramifications from plummeting spring and summer sea ice cover, melting permafrost, a rapid loss of spring snow cover, and various other climate change impacts. The 2013 edition of the Report Card, published by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, will be released on Thursday.

Recent news reports from Alaska show that increasingly mild fall seasons and erratic weather patterns have had significant effects on local communities.

For example, In Wainwright, changes in weather patterns have diminished the opportunities for subsistence hunters to safely hunt whales and caribou during the fall harvest season, according to a new study published in the journal Arctic.

Alaskans have also seen a precipitous decline in the Western Arctic Caribou Herd, which is thought to be a result, at least in part, of an increase in fall freezing rain events. A colder atmosphere used to produce more snow events, but ice storms have become more common along the caribou’s migration routes, which is helping to thin the herd, according to reporting by the Alaska Dispatch.

Although the long-term forecast calls for continued warming during the next several decades, in the near term, the high pressure area over Alaska is weakening, allowing colder air and snowier weather to return to the Frontier State, Thoman said.

The upcoming weather pattern will be “A big change from what we’ve had, that’s for sure,” Thoman said.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2524565/Balmy-December-temp...

What winter? Balmy December temperatures means apples and raspberries are ready to eat

• Gardener finds lilies, raspberries, garlic and apples growing in Bristol
• Temperatures have reached highs which are typical of April's weather
• But Britain is set to be hit by a storm on Christmas Day, says forecaster
  
• Flooding and power cuts in southern England today after heavy rain
  

By Hugo Gye

PUBLISHED: 11:29 GMT, 16 December 2013 | UPDATED: 14:33 GMT, 16 December 2013

Mild December weather has led to the premature growth of raspberries, apples and other fruit which have been 'tricked' into thinking that it is already spring.

Temperatures in the South of England were forecast to reach 14C (57F) today - typical weather for April.

However, the unseasonal conditions are unlikely to last, according to forecasters who have predicted a Christmas Day storm.

Mild: The relatively warm weather has encouraged raspberry bushes to grow fruit several months early; horticulturalist Steve England is pictured with a plant he found in Stoke Park, Bristol

Unusual: The plant was apparently 'tricked' into thinking that it was already spring

Gardener Steve England was leading a wildlife walk through a park in Bristol when he saw several plants growing which should still be dormant for the winter.

He was surprised to see wild garlic, apples and lilies all apparently thriving, but it was when he saw the raspberries that he realised how unusual the situation was.

 

'We all had a single refreshing and tasty out-of-season raspberry and went home full of the joys of spring,' he said.

'The trees are also completely laden with apples - I've never seen anything like it.'...

Snowfall unprecedented in Saudi Arabia: the whitewashed desert around Tabuk [PHOTO-SHOCK] Tuesday, December 17, 2013

In recent days, an exceptional cold snap and snow has hit Europe first south / east, then across the Middle East and eventually even Saudi Arabia, with exceptional snowfall unprecedented in human memory: between 11 and 12 13 December, the snow has reached large areas of desert Arab country par excellence, especially in the region of Tabuk, an area from the typical desert climate where the average fall in December less than 10mm of rain with highs always outweigh the + 25 ° C.
arabiasaudi1002 But this time it rained so plentiful, with flooding and flooding in the desert, and heavy snow on the hills. We are in the land of Maydan and Dedan, mentioned in the Bible, where a group of dedicated local meteorology (yes, there are even there!) Have created a truly exceptional report, saying he was "thrilled" to have met on their way also some experts local meteorology, which had penetrated inland areas to observe the rare snowfall. As we can see in the pictures, the accumulations are locally abundant, even greater than 10cm, as well as very large. He has not treated by isolated snow showers grainy, but of real storms with temperatures below zero.
Here are the extraordinary images (video first, then the gallery with all the great photos):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zJoQZJUlrTo

http://translate.google.com.ar/translate?sl=it&tl=en&js=n&a...

Who Stopped the Rain? 2013 Driest Year On Record in San Francisco

There hasn't been a year like this in San Francisco since 1946 -- which was a deluge by comparison.

That was the last time so little rain fell in the city by the Bay, according to the National Weather Service.

In 1946, 8.79 inches of rain fell during the calendar year -- and this year, as of this week? Not even half as much: 3.38 inches of rain has fallen on San Francisco International Airport since January.

We're parched..

MORE: California Lawmakers Call for Drought Declaration

December is typically among the wettest months: on average 4.03 inches of rain fall during the last month of the year, or more than the city has seen to date in 2013.

By mid-December, 18.37 inches fall, on the way to 20.65 inches annually on average, according to AccuWeather.com.

Storms follow the Pacific jet stream, which has been aiming at northern Canada rather than the Bay Area, according to metereologists.

There may be rain on Thursday, but only for a short time. After that, it's dry, dry dry up until 2014.

http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/San-Francisco-Driest-Year-On-R...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2525993/What-happened-Siber...

What has happened to Siberia? Russian region famous for being cold experiences freak warm weather in December for first time in living memory

• In some parts of the normally-frozen region there is barely any snow at all
• Temperatures often fall to as low as between -30C and -40C in December
• But in some regions they are hovering well above freezing and it's raining 
  

PUBLISHED: 20:45 GMT, 18 December 2013 | UPDATED: 22:59 GMT, 18 December 2013

It is famous for being one of the coldest, most inhospitable places on earth.

But after weeks of the warmest winter weather in living memory there's something peculiarly absent in many parts of Siberia this December - snow.

At this time of year the harsh east Russian region is normally covered in a thick layer of the white stuff with temperatures plummeting to as low as -40C.

Feeling the heat: A bridge near the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk this week on what appears to be more like a bright Spring day rather than freezing Russian winter

Unusual: Many Siberian locals say the lack of December snow is unprecedented in living memory

But in recent weeks many areas have seen daytime temperatures hovering well above zero and even more unusually long spells of heavy rain.

While Siberia remains slightly colder than western Europe, most locals say they have never experienced a December so warm.

Fyodor Olifirenko, 83, from Novosibirsk, the most northerly city in the world, told the Siberian Times: 'I do not remember such a warm December.

'In 1963 there was some thaw on December 24-25, it was raining a bit. But by morning all was frozen and after that started strong frosts.'

'But such weather - when it is constantly raining in the middle of December - I see this for the first time'.

In the city of Tomsk, where it normally averages around -15C at this time of year, the forecast next week predicts long spells of sunshine and relatively balmy temperatures of between -1C and -5C.

By comparison, the average December day time temperature in London is only slightly higher at around 6C.

A group of Tomsk locals made the most of the sunshine by stripping down to their swimming gear to pose for pictures.

Freak Snowfall in Vietnam Strands Drivers, Damages Crops (Dec 20)

Snowfall in Sa Pa town in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai, which began Sunday, has caused serious damage to farms.

According to the town’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, 100 hectares of chayote and another 100 hectares of flowers were destroyed, and all vegetables and other crops were buried by snow.

Heavy snowfall also led to constant traffic congestion on Highway 4D connecting Lai Chau and Lao Cai provinces. More than 50 cars were unable to continue driving, as of noon Monday.

Local authorities reported that some 5,000 people flocked to Sa Pa to watch the snow, adding to the traffic congestion.

The province has quickly mobilized workers and rescuers to remove snow and assure that travel remains safe.

The Nui Xe Station said that it began snowing at around 9am yesterday, Dec 15.

It said that at a height of over 1,900m above sea level, temperatures had dipped to as low as minus two degrees Celsius, forming icy sheets 10-20cm thick.

Average temperature in Sa Pa remained low yesterday at about minus one degree Celsius, with constant heavy smog and drizzle.

Earlier, on Thursday, the province experienced heavy downpours of 30-50cm, and temperatures in Sa Pa dropped then to 5-7 degrees Celsius.

According to the Lao Cai Hydro-meteorological Forecasting Centre, another cold spell is expected to hit the province in the coming days.

The centre has also warned of strong winds, whirlwinds and hail storms that could threaten the lives and properties of residents.

Meanwhile, northern Viet Nam as a whole has experienced intense cold weather with temperatures ranging between 17 and 11 degrees Celsius. The temperature has dropped to below 10 degrees Celsius in a few mountainous areas, weather experts have said.

The National Centre for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting yesterday echoed provincial warnings that mountainous areas in the north should be prepared for the possibility of tornadoes, hailstorms and strong winds.

Sources

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/548019/vietnam-snowfall-damages-farms

http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/travel/91675/tourists-flock-to-see...

http://asiancorrespondent.com/117316/northern-vietnam-hit-by-freak-...

http://world.time.com/2013/12/17/freak-snowfall-hits-vietnam/

Record-Breaking Warmth Across the Eastern U.S. (Dec 21)

Temperature records were smashed by a freak heat wave across the eastern United States at the start of winter in the northern hemisphere.

Previous highs for this time of year were shattered by as many as 10 degrees from the Gulf Coast up into New England.

Sources

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/12...

http://www.wtop.com/?nid=4

http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/weather/warm-weather-breaks-rec...

25 December 2013

30 killed as worst floods in 90 years hit Brazil

Nearly 50,000 people flee their homes as thousands of homes are destroyed and many neighborhoods left without electricity. 

At least 30 people lost their lives in floods and landslides caused by heavy rains in Brazil which President Dilma Rousseff described as the worst floods to hit the country in the last 90 years.

Rousseff visited on Tuesday flood-hit areas in the southeast states of Minas Gerais and Espirito Santo, where she pledged millions of dollars in aid to supply necessities and rebuilt the zone.

According to the president, the government has already sent foods and medical equipment by ground and air to the area.

Espirito Santo Governor Renato Casagrande said that nearly 50,000 people fled their homes. Thousands of homes were destroyed, the transportation system was paralyzed, and many neighborhoods were left without electricity.

Casagrande expressed fear that the number of victims could rise as communication with some flood-hit areas was not in place.

http://www.worldbulletin.net/?aType=haber&ArticleID=125643

New Mexico marks year of weather extremes.

It seemed there was no end in sight after three years without any meaningful snow or summer rain. In 2013, New Mexico's drought had become what climate experts and water managers were calling unprecedented.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/mexico-marks-weather-extremes-1730437...

Asheville shatters rainfall record in 2013

“ASHEVILLE — The year started wet, and then it just kept raining. And rained some more.

The soggy weather pushed Asheville to a yearly rainfall record in 2013, far outpacing the old mark set 40 years ago. Along the way, area residents were forced to deal with flooding, land slides, washed out roads and crop failures.

Meteorologists can’t point to any specific global weather pattern as the cause, said William Angel, a meteorologist with the National Climatic Data Center in Asheville.

“It was just a persistent wet pattern,” Angel said. “We’ve had very efficient rain producers. The storm systems were able to tap moisture from the Pacific, the Gulf and the Atlantic.”

Many of the systems, including the one that dumped heavy rain on the mountains Sunday, were slow-moving, he said, which allowed rainfall totals to climb dramatically.

Since Jan. 1, Asheville has recorded 74.22 inches of rain, a whopping 29.49 inches above normal. This year’s total easily eclipses the old record of 64.91 inches set in 1973.”

“We are beating the old extreme by almost 10 inches,” Angel said. “It is significant.”

http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20131226/NEWS/312260017/Ashevi...

Google Maps

Pakistan - record cold wave

Men and woman sitting around fire to warm their hands in Hyderabad as they avoid the coldness of the weather. ONLINE PHOTO by Nadeem Khawer

ISLAMABAD/QUETTA: Almost the entire country was in the grip of a cold wave on Monday, with a number of cities and towns struck by temperatures ranging between -17C and -21C. The federal capital went through its most uncomfortable day in 46 years as the mercury plunged to three below Celsius.

And even Karachi, known for its mild winters, was not far behind, recording a minimum temperature of six degrees Celsius. The city is likely to face more cold on Tuesday and Wednesday.

A minimum temperature of -2.8C in Islamabad had been recorded in 1984, but the lowest temperature recorded in the city is -3.9C in 1967.

Officials said that the wave was the fallout of extreme cold weather conditions in Europe as cold winds coming from there dry up after crossing the Central Asian region.

These cold and dry winds are also delaying the winter rains as the strong currents push the warm, moist winds rising from the Arabian Sea.

“These systems coming from the northwest last up to five or six days,” Meteorological Department Director Dr Mohammad Hanif said. The Met Office forecast very cold and dry weather for Tuesday in most of the country, with cloudy conditions along with rain and light snowfall over the hills at places across a swathe stretching from Gilgit-Baltistan to Lahore and Sargodha divisions.

“But these are not the regular winter rains. They will only bring light rain because these clouds are part of the westerly wave that has separated from the European system and has reached up to Kashmir,” Dr Hanif said.

The winter rains are likely to begin after mid-January, which will be followed by the Siberian cold wave that brings very cold winds to the whole country.

The lowest temperature recorded on Monday was -15C in Kalat. It was -13C in Quetta, -12C in Skardu, -10C in Parachinar, -7C in Astore, Gupis, -6C in Malamjabba, Drosh and Murree and -5C in Gilgit.

It was the 14th day of a wave of very cold weather in northern Balochistan and Quetta. Meteorological department officials said they had recorded the lowest minimum temperature of -21C at Harboi hill station in Kalat, -17C in Ziarat, Khanozai, Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakari and Darra Kozak and -13C in Pishin and Mastung.

Pipelines burst after water froze and diesel in the fuel tanks of vehicles also froze.

Water overflowed from the sewerage system and froze on the roads. A layer of ice also formed around the walls of water tanks.

The suspension of gas supply and very low pressure increased the hardships of the people and the prices of coal, wood and kerosene skyrocketed.

Harboi, at 8,000-foot altitude, is rich with reserves of juniper forests and wildlife, including leopard, mountain wild goat Markhor, ibex, wolf, fox and wild rabbit. People of the area were forced to leave for warmer places, leaving some men to guard their homes. “People living in Harboi have dug trenches and lit juniper wood to save themselves from the extremely cold weather,” Mehboob Shahwani, a local, said.

He said gas supply to Kalat town was suspended. “Timber is being sold at Rs400 per 40kg and LPG gas at Rs220 per kg, which are unaffordable for the poor,” he said.

An All Parties Action Committee of Kalat called for immediate restoration of gas supply.

The situation in Ziarat, Khanozai, Qila Saifullah, Muslim Bagh, Toba Achakzai, Toba Kakari, Zhob and other areas was also worsening.

Ziarat was facing shortage of gas supply.

Roads and offices in Quetta wore a deserted look. The Met Office said the temperature there might drop to -15C. People of Sariab area blocked the Quetta-Sibi highway in protest against suspension of gas supply.

“Our children and elderly are falling sick because the SSGC has suspended supply to our area that has a large population,” Abdul Rashid told Dawn.

Source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1077459/record-cold-wave-grips-parts-of-co...

December temperatures for Pakistan (Islamabad) should be :

5C (41F) to 18C (64F)

Source: http://www.holiday-weather.com/islamabad/averages/december/

* Floods in Southeast Brazil [Earth Observatory; 30 December, 2013]

Widespread floods are plaguing at least three states in southeastern Brazil. Heavy rains lasted throughout December 2013 in Minas Gerais, Bahia, and Espirito Santo, causing floods and mudslides. December rainfall in Espirito Santo has already reached 714 millimeters (28.11 inches), an all-time record monthly rainfall, according to weather blogger Christopher Burt. As of December 30, at least 45 people had died and an estimated 70,000 people were evacuated. Others were left isolated after the collapse of hundreds of kilometers of roads, said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired the top image of floods along the Doce River in Espirito Santo on December 30, 2013. The lower image, from December 27, 2012, offers a contrasting view of normal conditions for the season. Floods are evident in the muddy, tan water that stretches for kilometers along the coast and in the swollen reservoirs north of the river. The Cotaxé River is also flooded, and brown smudges along the lower edge of the image indicate flooding around Vitória, the state capital, which is just out of the scene. The floods are sending plumes of sediment into the Atlantic Ocean.

* Heat wave in Argentina, flooding in Brazil. [Weather Underground; 30 December, 2013]

An intense and prolonged heat wave has enveloped northern Argentina for the past two weeks causing serious power outages and social unrest (this December may go down as the hottest month on record in Buenos Aires--since 1856) while heavy rainfall in southeastern Brazil has resulted in floods that have killed at least 44 so far.

Heat Wave in Argentina

For Buenos Aires, this month is set to be the warmest December on record and perhaps even the warmest single month on record with an average temperature so far of 26.6°C (79.9°F) at the Observatorio site. The previous warmest December was that of 1994 with a 25.5°C (77.9°F) average and the warmest month on record was January 1989 with a 26.6°C (79.9°F) average. Temperature records in Buenos Aires go back to 1856. The city has seen temperatures above 30°C (86°F) everyday since December 13th and over 33°C (91.4°F) since December 22nd. The temperature peaked at 39.0°C (102.2°F) on December 27th (the hottest temperature on record for Buenos Aires is 43.3°C/109.9°F on January 29, 1957 and the average December high is 28.1°C/82.6°F).

Climate data for Buenos Aires for December. With an average temperature of 26.°C (79.9°F) so far, it is possible that this has been the warmest month on record for the city. OGIMET.

The heat wave has prompted the Mayor of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, to declare a state of emergency because of power and water shortages, and the city administration has been ordered to take a day off today (Monday December 30th) to conserve electricity. At least three deaths have so far been attributed to the heat. The heat wave is forecast to break by Wednesday (at least in the Buenos Aires region).

In the northwestern interior of Argentina temperatures over 45°C (113°F) have been observed, with a peak reading of 45.5°C (113.9°F) at Chamical, La Rioja State on December 26th. This is just 1.8°C (3.2°F) shy of the hottest reliably measured temperature in South American history (which was a reading of 47.3°C/117.1°F at Campo Gallo on October 16, 1936—other higher readings such as the oft cited 48.9°C/120°F at Rivadavia on November 12, 1905-were made with questionable instrumentation). The nearby city of Santiago Del Estero has measured 40°C (104°F) or more everyday since December 21st.

The climate table for Santiago Del Estero for the month of December. All but five days of the month have reached 35°C (95°F) or higher. OGIMET.

Flooding in Brazil

According to press reports, torrential rain in Espirito Santo State and Minas Gerais States (north of Rio de Janeiro) has resulted in flash floods and mudslides that have claimed the lives of at least 44. Another 61,000 have been forced to evacuate their homes. Local civil defense officials claimed “the rains to be the worst in 90 years”. Heavy rains have been plaguing portions of Brazil since October and in early December a storm killed 16 and destroyed 200 homes in the city of Lajedinho in Bahia State. This month some exceptional rainfall has fallen. Capelinha, Minas Gerais state has accumulated 930 mm (36.61") of precipitation so far. Aimores, also in Minas Gerais State, has recorded an astonishing 831 mm (32.72") which is 71% of what they normally receive in a year.

The swollen Doce River has overflowed its banks in Vitoria, the capital of Espirito Santo State, flooding portions of the city. So far this December an all-time record monthly rainfall of 714 mm (28.11") has fallen besting the previous wettest month on record of 663 mm (26.10") in November 2008. Precipitation records go back to 1923 here. Photo AFP.

* Heatwave kills seven in Argentina [BBC News; 31 December, 2013]

Meteorologists say some of the highest temperatures have been recorded since records began

A heatwave affecting Argentina has left at least seven people dead - most of them elderly - in the past week, officials say.

The heat has been compounded by power cuts, which have prevented many people from using air conditioning.

In Santiago del Estero and other northern provinces temperatures have soared to over 45C (113F).

Meteorologists say it has been the worst heatwave in the region since records began in 1906.

The victims of the extreme weather lived in Santiago del Estero, located 1,100km (680 miles) north of Buenos Aires.

Hundreds of people in the province have required medical help and doctors have warned people to stay indoors during the hottest hours.

Tyres on fire

Argentina's ageing power grid has been struggling to keep up with increased demand for air-conditioning.

Ice cream parlours and other businesses have lost their stocks due to the power cuts

Authorities are blaming the energy shortages on the hot weather. But the opposition accuses the government of mismanaging the crisis.

Many people are protesting about the lack of services, says the BBC's Irene Caselli in Buenos Aires. Some parts of the city have been without power for two weeks.

Residents have set fire to rubbish bags and tyres on the roads, causing traffic jams as many left the capital for the new year festivities.

Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri, a former ally of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, said private energy suppliers could not take all the blame.

"The main responsibility is with the federal government," he said. "The government must make sure there is an investment programme, which has not happened in the last decade."

Polar Vortex Brings Dangerous Cold Temperatures To Midwest

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The coldest, most dangerous blast of polar air in decades gripped the Midwest and pushed toward the East and South on Monday, closing schools and day care centers, grounding flights and forcing people to pull their hoods and scarves tight to protect exposed skin from nearly instant frostbite.

Many across the nation's midsection went into virtual hibernation, while others dared to venture out in temperatures that plunged well below zero.

"I'm going to try to make it two blocks without turning into crying man," said Brooks Grace, who was out to do some banking and shopping in downtown Minneapolis, where temperatures reached 23 below with wind chills of minus 48. "It's not cold — it's painful."

The mercury also dropped into negative territory in Milwaukee, St. Louis and Chicago, which set a record for the date at minus 16. Wind chills across the region were 40 below and colder. Records also fell in Oklahoma, Texas and Indiana.

Forecasters said some 187 million people in all could feel the effects of the "polar vortex" by the time it spread across the country on Monday night and Tuesday.

Record lows were possible in the East and South, with highs in the single digits expected Tuesday in Georgia and Alabama. Subzero wind chills were forecast up and down the coast, including minus 10 in Atlanta and minus 12 in Baltimore.

From the Dakotas to Maryland, schools and day care centers shut down.

"You definitely know when you are not wearing your thermal undergarments," said Staci Kalthoff, who raises cattle with her husband on a 260-acre farm in Albany, Minn., where the temperature hovered around 24 below zero and winds made it feel like minus 46. "You have to dress really, really warm and come in more often and thaw out everything."

Even with this nostril-freezing cold, the family still prefers winter over summer.

"You can always put on more layers," she said. "When it gets hot, you can only take off so much."

For a big swath of the Midwest, the subzero cold moved in behind another winter wallop: more than a foot of snow and high winds that made traveling treacherous. Several deaths since Saturday were blamed on the snow, ice and cold, including a 1-year-old boy who was in a car that went out of control and collided with a snowplow Monday in Missouri and three fatal accidents in Michigan.

It took authorities in southern Illinois using 10-ton military vehicles known as "wreckers" until early Monday to clear all the chain-reaction accidents caused when several semis jackknifed along snowy interstates. The crash stranded about 375 vehicles, but there were no fatalities or injuries, largely because motorists either stayed with their cars or were rescued and taken to nearby warming centers, said Jonathon Monken, director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency. Others got stuck in the snowdrifts, including the Southern Illinois University men's basketball team, which had to spend the night in a church.

In the eastern United States, temperatures in the 40s and 50s Monday helped melt piles of snow from a storm last week, raising the risk that roads would freeze over as the cold air moved in Monday night, said Bob Oravec from the Weather Prediction Center in College Park, Md. The snap was set to be dramatic — Springfield, Mass., enjoyed 56 degrees Monday morning but faced an overnight low of 6.

More than 3,700 flights were canceled by late Monday afternoon, following a weekend of travel disruption across the U.S. Airline officials said de-icing fluid was freezing, fuel was pumping sluggishly, and ramp workers were having difficulty loading and unloading luggage. JetBlue Airways stopped all scheduled flights to and from New York and Boston on Monday. Southwest ground to a halt in Chicago earlier in the day, but by the evening, flights resumed in "a trickle," a spokesman said.

Authorities in Indiana and Kentucky — where temperatures dropped into the single digits and below, with wind chills in the minus 20s and worse — warned people not to leave their homes unless they needed to go someplace safer.

The company that operates the power grid supplying energy to more than 61 million people in parts of the Mid-Atlantic, Midwest and South asked Monday night that users conserve electricity because of the cold, especially in the morning and mid-afternoon.

Meanwhile, utility crews worked to restore power to more than 40,000 Indiana customers affected by the weekend storm and cautioned that some people could be in the cold and dark for days.

Ronald G. Smith Sr. took shelter at an Indianapolis Red Cross after waking up the previous night with the power out and his cat, Sweet Pea, agitated.

"The screen door blew open and woke me up, and it was cold and dark. I got dressed and I was scared, thinking, 'What am I going to do? My cat knew something was wrong. He was jumping all over the place," Smith said.

Officials in Chicago and other cities checked on the homeless and shut-ins for fear they might freeze to death on the street or in their homes.

Between a heater that barely worked and his drafty windows, Jeffery Davis decided he would be better off sitting in a downtown Chicago doughnut shop for three hours Monday until it was time to go to work.

He threw on two pairs of pants, two T-shirts, "at least three jackets," two hats, a pair of gloves, the "thickest socks you'd probably ever find" and boots, and trudged to the train stop in his South Side neighborhood that took him to within a few blocks of the library where he works.

"I never remember it ever being this cold," said Davis, 51. "I'm flabbergasted."

Only a few hardy souls braved the cold on the Nicollet Mall in Minneapolis, normally a busy pedestrian area. Many people downtown used the extensive heated skyway system, where it is warm enough to walk around in office attire.

Nearly all stores on the skyway were open as usual. Jersey Devil Pizza & Wings was not.

"Apologies ... We are East Coast wimps. Too cold! Stay safe, see you Tuesday," read a sign taped to the door.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/06/polar-vortex-dangerous-col...

FREEZING NORTH,BURNING SOUTH

Australia adds new colour to temperature maps as heat soars

EARTH WOBBLE ANYONE

Polar vortex over US brings abnormally mild weather to Scandinavia

The freezing polar vortex that has gripped the US has extended an abnormally mild winter in Scandinavia and disrupted the seasonal patterns of flora and fauna.

The weather system that brought snow, ice and record low temperatures to many parts of the United States this week left Iceland, Greenland and Scandinavia much warmer than normal.

On the back of a generally mild winter, there have been reports of bears emerging early from hibernation in Finland, changes in the behaviour of migratory birds off the coast of Sweden and plants appearing earlier than normal in Norway.

Scandinavia and Russia's cold weather during the winter comes from a high-pressure system that keeps warmer, more humid air and low-pressure systems with wind and rain from coming up from the Atlantic Ocean.

The weakening of the jetstream that holds this in place has allowed cold air to spill further south into much of the United States and Canada, while bringing above-average temperatures to parts of Europe.

The knock-on effects of the vortex follow one of the mildest Decembers in a century in Nordic countries. Ketil Isaksen, a scientist at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute, said the country had been 4.2C above the mean temperature for December with parts of Oslo and south-eastern Norway experiencing the third warmest December on record. "It was very unusual to see no snow in large areas where it is normal in December. Only in the mountains and certain parts of Norway could you find snow."

Much of the precipitation in lowland and populated areas had fallen as rain instead of snow, he said. "In general it was a very wet December. Large parts of Norway had up to three times as much rain as normal and the country as a whole had 180% more than average."

Finland too has seen heavy rain, with flooding in western coastal areas and the majority of Finland's lakes containing record volumes of water. Temperatures exceeded their normal seasonal average by 4-5C nationwide, with Helsinki and southern Finland recording the mildest second half of December in 30 years.

Temperatures in parts of Sweden have fluctuated greatly, at Nikkaluokta falling from 4.7C on 3 December to -40.8C on 9 December, then rising two days later to 7.7C. Many locations measured their warmest December temperatures on record. "In the north, winter has arrived, but in the south it's autumn according to the meteorological definition," the Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute said.

The rainy weather in Finland has reportedly disrupted the winter slumbers of many bears, bringing them out of hibernation early. Heavy rains and high waters may have invaded some dens, forcing the animals to seek new shelter.

Prof Jon Swenson of the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, leader of the Scandinavian bear project, said he was worried about the indirect effects of the warmer weather. "If you go down into southern Europe, it's warmer, and there are some bears that don't hibernate.

"It doesn't seem to be harmful not to hibernate," he said. "What we are afraid of is that it means there will be more thawing periods … this really stresses the berry-producing plants. This can cause some mortality, and can have a very adverse effect on berry production. And that's what the bears survive on in the autumn, and what they use to get them through the winter. So the results of this mild weather won't be seen for some time."

Last week, the local Norwegian newspaper Sunnmørsposten published reader photographs of daffodils emerging as early as 14 December as well as crocuses, daisies, dandelions and honeysuckle.

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Norway chief executive, Nina Jensen, said she was "cautious about drawing conclusions from one mild winter into specific changes in nature", but there were signals that changes were happening.

"We are definitely seeing plants like bluebells flowering that wouldn't come out until spring, and birds singing that wouldn't normally be at this time of year. There are quite obvious changes in the growth season, plant growth and migratory bird routes and timing. The flip side of this warmer winter is that we will also have an increasing threat of harmful introduced organisms, such as the wild boar or ticks that thrive in warmer temperatures."

Pål Hermansen, a wildlife photographer based in Oslo, said: "It's the smaller things where you see it most, especially butterflies and other insects. The combination of 'proper winters' with lots of snow, alternating with winters like this one, makes everything very unstable. In the 30 years I've been working we've seen butterfly populations reduce by 80-90%. We're now seeing mosquitos and ticks during the winter, which is unheard of. Ticks are spreading much further north than they ever were before."

Stephen Menzie, an ornithologist working at Falsterbo Bird Observatory – a migration point in south-west Sweden – said it was "certainly true" that milder weather this year had played a part in delaying the southbound migration of many species.

"We had one day in November when we ringed over 800 birds, compared to the same period last year when we struggled to catch double figures on most days."

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/jan/10/polar-vortex-us-...

http://www.sott.net/category/4-Earth-Changes

Norway: The sea froze so fast that killed thousands of fish instantly

Posted: 14 Jan 2014

Air temperature (7.8 degrees Celsius) in Lovund Island (Norway) in combination with a strong wind immediately frozen sea water, trapping and killing thousands of fish.

Some locals say they've never seen a phenomenon of such magnitude. However, Aril Slotte, Head of Fish, Institute of Marine Research in Norway, said in statements to the local radio 'NRK' which is not uncommon, for example, sardines are much closer to the shore when they are followed by predators and sometimes become trapped by low tide in areas like where this oddity occurred.

http://translate.google.com.ar/translate?sl=es&tl=en&js=n&a...

MAP

Vertical jet stream over N. America today.

Source

'Possibly hundreds of thousands of acres of land will go fallow' in California

https://www.commondreams.org/headline/2014/01/14-5#.UtY8dUmsvXY.twi...

A major and unyielding drought in California is causing concern in the nation's "food basket," as farmers there say the U.S. food supply could be hit hard if the conditions in their state don't rapidly improve, Al Jazeera America reports Tuesday.

"This is the driest year in 100 years,” grower Joe Del Bosque told Al Jazeera, expressing concern that the hundreds of workers he employs for each year's harvest could be without a job this season.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 2013 was the driest on record for most areas of California, "smashing previous record dry years" across the state, including regions where approximately half the fruits, vegetables and nuts in the U.S. are grown.

Those conditions have not relented as 2014 begins with most of the state experiencing official 'severe' or 'extreme drought' conditions.

And as Al Jazeera reports, reservoirs, which store water that flows from the snow pack in the Sierra Nevada mountains, are at less than 50 percent capacity—20 percent below average for this time of year.

* All Dry on the Western Front [Earth Observatory; 18 January, 2014]

2013 was a dry year for California, but it has nothing on 2014 so far. January is on track to be California’s driest on record, and since the state receives half of its precipitation between December and February, it appears that the 2013-2014 water year could be the driest on record too. With that possibility in view, California governor, Edmund Brown declared a state of emergency on January 17, urging Californians to conserve water.

From brown landscapes to the bare mountains, California is clearly dry in this view from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite, taken on January 18, 2014. The lower image, taken on January 18, 2013, contrasts last year’s drought conditions with the extreme conditions currently in place.

The most striking difference between the two years is the amount of snow cover on mountains. The Sierra Nevada range has very little snow, and Coast Range and Cascade Mountains are almost completely snow free. California gets a third of its water supply from mountain snow, but with warm, dry weather, little snow has accumulated. In January 2014, the snowpack was between 10 and 30 percent of normal. Since much of the snow pack can come from just a few events, one or two big storms could make a significant difference. The widespread snow in 2013 may be from one such event, since snow covers not only the mountains, but also the basins and ranges of Nevada to the east. By spring of 2013, the Sierra Nevada snowpack would be well below average, contributing to the worsening drought.

Less striking at first glance, but just as telling is the condition of the vegetation west of the Sierra Nevada. In 2013—a year into the drought—the central valley was green with growing crops. The coastal hills were also green from winter rain. In 2014, everything west of the forested mountains is brown. Even irrigated agriculture in the center of the state appears to be limited compared to 2013. Viewing the images with the image comparison tool makes it easier to see the difference in vegetation from last year to this year.

Under such conditions, California may be prone to water shortages, crop loss and the loss of farm jobs, and increased wildfires, warned the emergency proclamation.

Extreme Chill in the Eastern US continues,  unusually mild in the West.  Wobble pattern anomalies are very noticeable.  GFS shows the Polar Wobble pattern going completely whack.  Worst cold ever for some regions.

GFS Ensemble 500mb anomaly (left) and spaghetti (right) forecast for 6 days out.

Brutal cold returns to Midwest for extended stay

http://news.yahoo.com/brutal-cold-returns-midwest-extended-stay-172...

CHICAGO (AP) — A persistent weather pattern driving bitterly cold air south out of the Arctic will cause temperatures from Minnesota to Kentucky to plummet Monday, turning this winter into one of the coldest on record in some areas.

For about 2½ days, actual temperatures will range from the teens to below zero, and the wind chills will be even colder, minus 43 in Minneapolis, minus 23 in Milwaukee and Chicago, minus 14 in Kansas City, Mo., and minus 3 in Louisville.

In fact, the National Weather Service says most of the Midwest will feel far colder than Monday's expected high in the nation's northernmost city, Barrow, Alaska — minus 4.

National Weather Service Meteorologist Scott Blair stopped short of calling the latest round of cold part of the polar vortex, which are winds that circulate around the North Pole.

"There's really nothing abnormal about the air that's coming into the area," he said. "It's just been a very persistent pattern" of cold air.

He said it's an amplified pattern of the jet stream, and cold air is filtering in behind a large trough of low pressure. He explained further: "Troughs are typically associated with unstable or unsettled weather, and, at this time of the year, much colder air."

In the Chicago area, residents were bracing for a historic deep freeze. Monday's high was expected to be minus 4 degrees, and it could get as low as negative 17 downtown, with wind chills as low as 40 below. Such temperatures are expected to hold into Tuesday.

If Chicago makes it to 60 hours below zero, it will be the longest stretch since 1983, when it was below zero for 98 hours, and the third longest in 80 years.

Chicago Public Schools called off Monday's classes for its nearly 400,000 students a day in advance, as did suburban districts. Earlier this month, when it was below zero for 36 straight hours, CPS closed for two days.

North Dakota and South Dakota residents dealt with dangerous cold Sunday and wind gusts that reached up to 60 mph. The high winds led to blowing snow that made it nearly impossible to travel in some parts.

"This is definitely the most widespread event we've had this year," said weather service meteorologist Adam Jones in Grand Forks, N.D.

Snow and high winds in Indiana led officials there to restrict vehicle traffic or recommend only essential travel in more than half of the state's counties. And Iowa officials said the combination of snow and high winds would make traveling dangerous; forecasters there called for wind chills to be as low as 40 below zero on Monday.

In Michigan, snow on the roads and deep subfreezing temperatures contributed to multiple crashes Sunday that forced expressway closings. And on Saturday night, two people were killed in Grand Haven Township in western Michigan because of similar weather conditions, authorities said.

Alex Alfidi, manager at Leo's Coney Island restaurant in the Detroit suburb of Birmingham, said the extreme winter weather is hurting his business.

"We slowed down big time," Alfidi, 39, said, noting that while he's been getting some carryout business, the casual walk-in customers have been staying away.

He also said it's hard for him and his employees to get to and from work in the snow, ice and cold. Sometimes, the 24-hour restaurant is operating with just him and a waitress.

Alfidi said he has seen some challenging winters in 15 years in Michigan, but none as bad as the current winter.

"This is the biggest one," he said.

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/wxstory.php?site=unr

This link is updated 1-2x a day, so after 27 Jan it may be different.

This is exactly what we have been experiencing in South Dakota for the past month. This is actually a mild swing back and forth compared to two weeks ago when we went from -5F to 51F then 48F then back to 12F the next day. It is hard for the body to adjust to this! Too cold, too warm... it has been like this since December 2013!

In addition, it has been continually WINDY for almost 3 weeks. We have had high wind warnings in place EVERY DAY somewhere in the upper Midwest since the first week of January 2014.

This is the weather for Custer, SD for the month of January 2014: (notice the range for the normal high and low below)

I've never been a fan of roller coasters... and this is only the beginning.

The wettest January in 100 YEARS: Britain soaked by double the normal rainfall - and another deluge is due this weekend

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2548592/Southern-England-en...

• Parts of southern England have seen the wettest January since records began more than a century ago in 1910
• Large area from East Devon to Kent and inland across parts of Midlands has already seen twice the average rainfall
• Snowflakes fall on Birmingham and across much of the West Midlands, with more predicted for Friday
• Soldiers sent to Somerset Levels to bring relief to villages which have seen most significant flooding for 20 years
• Further heavy rain expected in the area and the Met Office warns of significant downfalls tomorrow and Saturday
• Up to an inch of rain could fall across Somerset Levels throughout Saturday, with strong winds of up to 60mph
• On Friday morning there were 43 Environment Agency flood warnings in place, and 162 less serious flood alerts
• High tides of at least 40ft expected on Friday evening in Cardiff and Weston-Super-Mare with 31ft set to hit Liverpool

* Winter Heat Swamps Alaska [Earth Observatory; 4 February, 2014]

While much of the continental United States endured several cold snaps in January 2014, record-breaking warmth gripped Alaska. Spring-like conditions set rivers rising and avalanches tumbling.

This map depicts land surface temperature anomalies in Alaska for January 23–30, 2014. Based on data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite, the map shows how 2014 temperatures compared to the 2001–2010 average for the same week. Areas with warmer than average temperatures are shown in red; near-normal temperatures are white; and areas that were cooler than the base period are blue. Gray indicates oceans or areas where clouds blocked the satellite from collecting usable data.

A persistent ridge of high pressure off the Pacific Coast fueled the warm spell, shunting warm air and rainstorms to Alaska instead of California, where they normally end up. The last half of January was one of the warmest winter periods in Alaska’s history, with temperatures as much as 40°F (22°C) above normal on some days in the central and western portions of the state, according to Weather Underground’s Christopher Bart. The all-time warmest January temperature ever observed in Alaska was tied on January 27 when the temperature peaked at 62°F (16.7°C) at Port Alsworth. Numerous other locations—including Nome, Denali Park Headquarters, Palmer, Homer, Alyseka, Seward, Talkeetna, and Kotzebue—all set January records.

The combination of heat and rain has caused Alaska’s rivers to swell and brighten with sediment, creating satellite views reminiscent of spring and summer runoff. On January 25, 2014, the Aqua satellite collected this image of sediment flowing into the Gulf of Alaska from numerous rivers along the state’s southeastern coast.

All of the heat, moisture, and melting snow has elevated the risk of avalanches. A series of extremely large avalanches in late January sent snow and debris crashing onto the Richardson Highway, blocking the road and cutting the port town of Valdez off from highway access. The avalanches dumped a mound of snow 100 feet (30 meters) tall and up to 1,500 feet (460 meters) long on the highway.

* Weather Underground (2014, January 27) Record Warmth in Alaska Contrasts Cold Wave in Eastern U.S. Accessed February 3, 2014.

Weather: According to the forecast, winter will not come

France

January in Haute-Garonne is in the top 5 hottest since 1922 and also one of the wettest. We had two times more water than usual at the beginning of the year. Weather and France announces mild temperatures until April. Winter will not come!

There are no more seasons. If you believe the forecasts of Météo-France, not only do we not have winter, but the cold, the true, will not come. "All the models agree, apart from English, explains Pascal Boureau forecaster engineer. They exude a reliable overall trend shows that the months of February, March and April are expected to experience high temperatures between 10 and 15 degrees with lower rainfall and the Autan wind from the south. The end of winter is clearly at odds with the past year. "

Computers say there will be no cold wave by spring. "Already January has been exceptional with only two days of frost and even at -0.2 ° C for the lowest temperature, said Pascal Boureau, while on average it is nine days."

Source

* 4 February 2014: Europe – Severe Weather [Relief Web; 4 February, 2014]

* Download PDF (669.92 KB)

Situation

• In the last few days severe weather conditions (snow, low temperatures, rains, winds, high waves, storm surge) have hit several parts of Europe, causing damage, power outages and transportation problems.

• A new low pressure system has formed over the Atlantic and is moving towards Ireland and UK, it may reach these countries on 5 February. Strong winds, rains, waves, storm surge may affect parts of UK and Ireland, as well as parts of northern Spain, western Portugal and western France. (JRC Storm Surge calculations for 5 February, using as input ECMWF wind and pressure data, as of 4 Feb 00:00 UTC, are shown in the map)

* 5 February 2014: South America – Severe Weather, Volcano [Relief Web; 5 February, 2014]

Download PDF (509.93 KB)

Argentina:

 Heavy rainfall resulted in house collapses and a significant number of others severely affected, in the municipality of San Pedro, Buenos Aires province. The main highway Rosario-Buenos Aires was interrupted, and so were many other roads. In the next 48h, rain and thunderstorms may still affect most of the province. (ECHO,SMN)

Bolivia:

 Heavy rainfall and consequent floods and river overflows have affected a total of 37 600 families in all nine departments of Bolivia and killed 31 people countrywide. Worst affected are the departments of Beni, Cochabamba, La Paz and Chuquisaca.
As of 4 February, evacuations were ongoing in three municipalities in Beni and two in La Paz. Rainfall will continue affecting the country for the next 72h. (ECHO, SENAMHI)

Peru:

 Heavy rainfall caused river overflows, floods and landslides in southern Peru. In the department of Madre de Dios, several districts in the provinces of Tambopata, Manu and Tahuamanu have declared a State of Emergency, since 3 000 people have lost their houses to the floods. Shelters are being established, in order to continue evacuations. Heavy rainfall is forecasted to continue, which pose further risk of river overflowing. In the departments Cuzco, Puno, Apurimac and Pasco, several houses have collapsed due to landslides triggered by rain and roads have become impassable, affecting thousands of people. (ECHO, SENAMHI)

Ecuador:

 Tungurahua volcano continues its eruptive process, forcing the authorities to raise the Alert level to Orange for the provinces of Tungurahua and Chimborazo, on 1 February. On 4 February, the volcano emitted ash columns which reached 3km in height. On 3 February, agricultural assistance was delivered by the Ministry of Agruculture. (National Civil Protection, Local Media)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2553989/Slovenia-buried-FOU...

Slovenia buried under FOUR INCHES of black ice as freak blizzard leaves 100,000 people without power and does €66million damage

• Ice storm has caused €66million damage to Slovenian infrastructure
• 35,000 households left without electricity as pylons buckle in the freeze
• 500,000 hectares of forest are thought to have been severely damaged
• Towns and villages cut off as roads and train lines become impassable
  

By Tom Gardner

PUBLISHED: 17:20 GMT, 7 February 2014 | UPDATED: 19:19 GMT, 7 February 2014

Swathes of Slovenia have been entombed in a four-inch thick layer of ice after Eastern Europe was hit by a freak blizzard.

Pylons buckled under the extraordinary weather conditions, leaving more than 35,000 households - up to 100,000 people - without power.

The damage is expected to reach €66million. But authorities are not yet able to reach more remote parts of the country which have been cut off as the transport network failed. 

+12

Frozen: A traffic island and road signs are buried beneath four inches of ice after an historic blizzard hit eastern Europe

+12

Blackout: Towns and villages across Slovenia suffered power cuts as the electric grid began to collapse in the face of the historic blizzard

Rain brought in on a warm weather front collided with freezing air hanging over much of the country, causing the water droplets to turn to rock hard ice the moment they landed. 

Anything which come into contact with the rain was soon covered in a thick layer of impenetrable ice.

Extreme weather chaser Marko Korosec took photographs of damage wreaked by the terrifying natural phenomenon.

Mr Korosec, 32, said cars, buildings, bridges, roads, trees, road signs and powerlines disappeared in the storm's icy aftermath.

Arctic now the warmest it has been in 44,000 years, research finds

by ClickGreen staff. Published Tue 21 Jan 2014 15:51, Last updated: 2014-01-21

Arctic melt reveals 44,000 year-old moss

    

              When the temperature rises on Baffin Island, in the Canadian high Arctic, ancient Polytrichum mosses, trapped beneath the ice for thousands of years, are exposed. Using radiocarbon dating, new research has calculated the age of relic moss samples that have been exposed by modern Arctic warming.
Since the moss samples would have been destroyed by erosion had they been previously exposed, the authors suggest that the temperatures in the Arctic now must be warmer than during any sustained period since the mosses were originally buried.
The researchers collected 365 samples of recently exposed biological material from 110 different locations, cutting a 1000 kilometer long transect across Baffin Island, with samples representing a range of altitudes.
From their samples the authors obtained 145 viable measurements through radiocarbon dating. They found that most of their samples date from the past 5000 years, when a period of strong cooling overtook the Arctic. However, the authors also found even older samples which were buried from 24,000 to 44,000 years ago.
The records suggest that in general, the eastern Canadian Arctic is warmer now than in any century in the past 5000 years, and in some places, modern temperatures are unprecedented in at least the past 44,000 years. The observations, the authors suggest, show that modern Arctic warming far exceeds the bounds of historical natural variability.
“The great time these plants have been entombed in ice, and their current exposure, is the first direct evidence that present summer warmth in the Eastern Canadian Arctic now exceeds the peak warmth there in the Early Holocene era”, said Gifford Miller, from the University of Colorado.
“Our findings add additional evidence to the growing consensus that anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases have now resulted in unprecedented recent summer warmth that is well outside the range of that attributable to natural climate variability.”

http://www.clickgreen.org.uk/research/data/124103-arctic-now-the-wa...

The bears in russia  and california know something is wrong! When will the people of the world ?

Warm winter keeps Russian bears from sleeping

Two months of warm European winter in Russia keep bears awake. Source: Dmitry Tretyakov / RIA Novosti

For almost two months now, Russia has been experiencing unseasonably warm weather. This quirk of nature has come as an unpleasant surprise to animals living in the wild: bears and hedgehogs have not been hibernating.

Rabbits turned white back in the autumn, meaning that for almost two months, they have been easy targets for hunters and predators. Honeysuckle is flowering for the third time this year.

Meanwhile, Russian biologists have been trying to make sense of this freak of nature.

“For hunters it’s tough at the moment, but for wild animals life is good,” said Yevgeniy Yeskov, a professor at the Russian State Agrarian University. “Until now, people carrying weapons would lie in wait as their prey looked for food, but now there’s no need for animals to go anywhere near humans, because there’s plenty of food in the forest.”

This winter hedgehogs have not been hibernating. Source: Alamy / Legion Media

The ungulates have currently got the best deal in the forest – they’re still nibbling on green grass. But rabbits have turned white and are now easy prey.

“Until the first snows arrived, hares were easy prey for hunters, but we don’t have any data confirming that lots of them have died,” Yeskov said. “Animals are, after all, like humans: the less energy they have to expend to keep themselves warm, the bolder and cheerier they are.”

Russian bears searching remote villages for food

Birds are also affected. “It’s not just the ducks that live in towns, but also the ones that live in the wild, that have chosen not to take flight. After all, for wildfowl, the signal for them to head for warmer climes is when rivers and lakes freeze over. But if there’s no ice, there’s no reason to fly away,” Yeskov said.

Bears will hibernate as soon as there’s snowfall. Hibernation is their number two priority, while food is number one. If there’s plenty of food, there’s no reason for bears to sleep.

“Some people I know say they’ve seen bears walking through the forest in December and in January. But as soon as the first real snow arrives, they’ll definitely settle down. It’s the same for hedgehogs. How long they hibernate depends on how much food they’ve had. If a hedgehog hasn’t had enough to eat and wakes up early, it will definitely freeze. This year, there are certainly no fears of that happening in European Russia,” Yeskov said.

As for the botanists, they’re not observing anything preternatural. They believe this is not the first time there have been such warm winters. On the other hand, it’s interesting for specialists like them, accustomed to all sorts of surprises, to see plants flowering for the third time in the space of a year.

“This year honeysuckle has flowered three times,” said Andrey Tsitsilin, who runs the botanical garden at VILAR, the All-Russian Medicinal and Scented Plants Research Institute.

Read more about animals 

“Mixed yellow-white flowers look rather elegant against a backdrop of fresh snow. Honeysuckle blossomed first in May, as usual, then it flowered for a second time in late October, and now it’s showing off its delights for the third time. That’s never happened before.”

Apparently, honeysuckle does not freeze and die if the frost comes while it’s blossoming.

“It might be that its berries will be smaller than usual. But overall, a lot will depend on the cold weather, which we’re expecting to arrive after 19 January. If the temperature plummets to minus 20 or 30, there might not be any fruit. We’re seeing lilacs with swollen buds, but they might also disappear. It’s a good thing that we’re not seeing this with stone fruits, such as cherries and plums. They’re very sensitive to cold weather,” Tsitsilin said.

First published in Russian in Moskovskiy Komsomolets.

http://rbth.ru/society/2014/01/15/warm_winter_keeps_russian_bears_f...

 

Weirdly warm, dry winters spur black bears to halt hibernating, start eating

By Carma Hassan and Greg Botelho, CNN

January 23, 2014

(CNN) -- They barely slept.

That's the case for an unusual number of black bears in western Nevada, where an abnormally warm and dry winter has spurred them to halt their hibernation and head out for food.

"They may be sleeping under a deck or under a house in a crawlspace, and they will emerge when it is a garbage day and raid some garbage cans and then go back to a sleep for a while," explains Chris Healy, a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Wildlife.

Mother Nature can take credit for these bears' abbreviated slumber. Whereas parts of the Midwest and Northeast are now buried in snow and shivering in cold, that's not the case in many communities around Lake Tahoe and elsewhere.

The National Weather Service's forecast for Incline Village, Nevada, for instance, calls for high temperatures heading to or well past 50 degrees for the next week at least, with nary of snow flurry in sight.

What's with this weather? Hot is cold and cold is hot

It's not just Nevada: Nearby Northern California is also seeing an abnormal number of black bears, with CNN affiliate KXTV showing images taken from Yosemite National Park and Lake Tahoe's Heavenly Ski Resort.

Healy said "a disastrous winter" -- adding "we need the snow" -- and relatively mild temperatures have thrown off some black bears that live in more settled areas, where they can readily access human garbage.

"We documented this and, in the past 15 years, it occurs sporadically," the spokesman said. "A lot of it is dictated by the weather conditions."

Even in a typical winter, black bears don't hibernate completely as some might think, usually taking a few weeks for their metabolism and body temperature to wind down. They will occasionally wake up, roam a bit, but won't eat, drink, urinate or defecate, according to SierraWild.gov, a cooperative website of the federal U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management that covers the Sierra Nevada mountain range, including Lake Tahoe).

Bears in this range typically "den" between mid-December into March or the beginning of April, SierraWild.gov notes. This is less than the seven and a half months for some black bears that live in colder climes, but still well beyond what's being seen in parts of Nevada.

In the past, "lighter winters" have been correlated to "bigger bears that live among humans in Incline Village in the Lake Tahoe basin," notes Healy.

But it's not like every black bear is cutting short hibernation and heading out on the town.

Healy notes, "Bears in the backcountry -- truly wild bears -- don't partake in this."

"They eat nuts and berries and things that are not found in nature right now," he said, in contrast to the relatively ever-present trash rummaged through by other bears. "So they wouldn't wake up to eat, they wouldn't find anything."

It has also been "unusually warm" this winter in much of Alaska.

But state wildlife official Riley Woodford said that bears coming out of hibernation early hasn't been an issue there yet.

That's because the winter started off, around November, normally. Even though it's warmed up, the bears climbed up to 1,000 feet to den in snowy and icy spots that's cold enough to keep them in, he says.

Still, the state Department of Fish and Game admits that, hibernating or not, the weather has been weird. It's not even forecast to go below freezing -- even at night -- in Juneau for at least a week. And last week, it was even raining 3,000 feet above sea level in one ski resort around the Alaskan capital, Woodford recalls.

Historic California drought forces rancher to thin herd of horses

http://edition.cnn.com/2014/01/22/us/bears-stop-hibernating/

Sierra's bears wide-awake during warm winter

Sierra residents startled as animals forage for food

 January 20, 2014

 

A bear and a cub cross a road in Yosemite National Park in August, a sight being repeated during the warm winter. Photo: Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

The black bears of the high Sierra are normally curled up in caves in January, enjoying long winter naps.

But with winter conditions hardly wintry this year, some bears are finding little reason to hibernate and are instead traipsing around like it's the middle of August.

Mountain residents and visitors have been startled by unexpected encounters with the giants, and wildlife managers from Lake Tahoe to Yosemite National Park are cautioning folks about bear activity. Increased interaction between man and beast can lead to problems.

This month, skiers at Heavenly Mountain Resort in South Lake Tahoe were stopped in their tracks by a bear scampering across a ski slope, a scene that was caught on video and spread across the Internet. Fortunately, the bear scurried off without incident.

On the north side of the lake, a 260-pound male bear broke into several cars last month and at least one home. He was deemed a threat to public safety, prompting wildlife managers to put the animal down. An Incline Village woman was given Nevada's first written warning for feeding the bear, authorities said.

The effects of the mild winter go further than bears, biologists say. All kinds of critters act differently during drought times, particularly if the dry weather extends through spring and causes food and water shortages, which can push animals beyond their normal range in search of sustenance.

Continuing to forage

For now, though, it's the bears drawing attention.

"In this weather, you're going to see more of them," said Chris Healy with the Nevada Department of Wildlife. "They're totally content to hibernate, but if the food's available, they'll get up and eat."

Black bears are not what many biologists call "true" hibernators. Unlike other animals, such as marmots, chipmunks and ground squirrels - whose dwindling body temperature forces them to retreat into a warm winter sleep - the larger, well-insulated bears hunker down only when food is hard to come by, biologists say.

In the Sierra, that means bears generally slumber between December and March. But with little snow bogging them down this year, many are continuing to forage. And some are falling back on their bad summer habit of seeking out the easy pickings of human trash.

While a small percentage of bears in the Lake Tahoe area have switched permanently to hibernation-free winters and scavenge residential neighborhoods year-round, counts of scavenging bears rise during dry years, according to wildlife managers.

"If we got 5 or 6 feet of snow up at the lake like we're all praying for, we'd be ecstatic because the bears would stay hunkered down," Healy said, "plus we'd have water for next summer."

Farther south, officials at Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks also report more bear activity. Yosemite officials say they're not noticing the volume of bears they see in the summer - when the animals famously pillage cars and campgrounds - but there have been sightings, which are relatively uncommon this time of year.

Food chain may be at risk

Wildlife managers, meanwhile, are enforcing regulations more typical of July and August: Don't feed the bears, don't leave food in your vehicle, and secure your trash. The harm in breaking the rules, they say, is that bears become accustomed to humans, which increases the chance of a perilous exchange between an animal and a person.

This winter ranks among California's driest, and the parched spell follows two low-precipitation winters. As of last week, snowpack in the Sierra measured just 17 percent of normal.

The mild conditions mean more bears are awake than usual, and wildlife managers worry the problem is just beginning. Should the dry weather continue, it could upset the Sierra food chain - for example, limiting the amount of berries or insects for bears to feed on - and force the hungry animals into town.

"A drought basically dries up the natural food availability and dries up the water sources, and you get them not only wandering farther, but often coming to urban areas to fulfill their daily needs," explained Jason Holley, wildlife biologist supervisor for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. "We've seen upticks in drought years. We could be looking at that in the spring."

The same can be said of other critters: deer, coyotes, bobcats.

"A drought will affect basically all wildlife," Holley said. "They'll either walk or fly far enough to find what they need."

http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/Sierra-s-bears-wide-awake-dur...

In Rome, far away from the center ever so hot in 1782: here are the official data of the Collegio Romano

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

In 232 years, that 'since in 1782 the Meteorological Observatory of the Collegio Romano, the more' old city ', the temperatures are recorded in the capital, he had never encountered such a hot in the second week of February in Rome. "It 'record today in Rome where they were recorded 20.6 ° C, the temperature more' hot 232 years in the second week of February. - Says the president of the Association Bernacca and for years head of the Observatory Franca Mangianti -. The previous record was in 1892 when in Rome were recorded 19.9 degrees. " Even the minimum temperatures are above the average of 5/6 degrees. High rate of moisture 'in Rome this morning at 7 am was 88% at 10 and 75%.

http://translate.google.com/translate?sl=it&tl=en&js=n&...

http://www.meteoweb.eu/2014/02/a-roma-centro-mai-cosi-caldo-dal-lon...

Bizarre "River of Sky" Clouds Over Atlanta (Feb 25)

Highly unusual clouds appeared over Atlanta skies this morning.

Meteorologist Chesley McNeil said the clouds are very rare in the southeast, but more common in the midwest.

He also says there's debate over what causes the phenomenon.

Scientists agree it's a meeting of two fronts, but are split on whether it's caused by a cold/warm front or a dry/moist front. 

The Royal Meteorological Society is documenting their appearance to see if they deserve a separate cloud classification.

If that happens, it would be the first new cloud classification since 1951.

Sources

http://www.13wmaz.com/story/weather/2014/02/25/rare-river-of-the-sk...

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/photos-bizarre-beautiful...

What a difference one week makes (seasons are blending!):

All temps are in degrees Fahrenheit - be sure to note the last column in the table below

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=unr&story...

Spectacular Warmth - Some Records Broken

Spectacular warmth was felt across northeast Wyoming and western South Dakota today (March 9, 2014). Records were set in Rapid City, Fort Meade, and near Interior.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 73 DEGREES WAS SET AT RAPID CITY AIRPORT SD TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 73 SET IN 2012.
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 72 DEGREES WAS SET AT EAST RAPID CITY SD TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 71 SET IN 2012.
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 71 DEGREES WAS SET AT FORT MEADE SD TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 70 SET IN 2012.
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 73 DEGREES WAS SET AT INTERIOR 3 NE SD TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 71 SET IN 2012.

Temperatures today were stunningly warmer than temperatures one week ago. Thermometers read 67 to 97 degrees warmer than lows March 2, 2014!

Lake Michigan Ice Cover Reaches Record Coverage!

http://www.crh.noaa.gov/news/display_cmsstory.php?wfo=mkx&story...

This last stretch of cold weather during late February into the first week of March caused ice concentration on Lake Michigan to rapidly increase. The Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) in Ann Arbor Michigan measures the ice concentration on the Great Lakes daily.  On March 8th, the ice concentration on Lake Michigan was measured at 93.29%.  This sets a new record ice cover on Lake Michigan.  The previous record was 93.1% set in 1977.   The period of record dates back to 1973.

The below graph shows the rapid increase in ice concentration since late February.

The below graphic prepared by GLERL estimates the ice thickness in centimeters on Lake Michigan.  Most of the ice to the east of southeast Wisconsin ranged from 18 to 36 cm thick or about 7 to 14 inches.

The total ice cover on the Great Lakes from March 8th was estimated to be over 90% as depicted by the below graphic from GLERL.  The record ice cover for the Great Lakes is 94.7% set in 1979.  The lowest on record is 9.5% in 2002.

Massive Sand Storms Barrel Across Southwest U.S. (Mar 11)

Sandstorm over Amarillo, Texas on March 11.

NASA’s Terra satellite spied these streams of dust blowing south across Colorado, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico on March 11, 2014. The dust is streaming south out of Colorado and Kansas into Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico. (Look for the streamers of pale, sand-colored stuff south of the big cloud bank.)

As a cold front blew across parts of the High Plains on Tuesday, winds kicked up a huge and intense dust storm.

With winds gusting to nearly 60 miles per hour, visibility in southwestern Kansas was reduced to zero, according to the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies. CIMSS also describes a pilot report of severe turbulence at 45,000 feet in the region, possibly the result of the passing cold front.

On the ground, a towering wall of dust known as a haboob rushed across a vast swath of the High Plains, enveloping towns and cities in a brown pall.

Source

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/imageo/2014/03/13/high-plains-hab...

14.03.14. Freak of nature: Hail storm dumps 3ft of ice on East African nation of Eritrea
http://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/464881/Freak-of-nature-Hail-sto...

Coldest December-March Period in Chicago History

THE IMPRESSIVE COLD THIS PAST WINTER CONTINUED DURING
MARCH...WITH A MONTHLY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE OF ONLY 31.7 DEGREES
FOR THE MONTH. THIS RANKS AS THE 19TH COLDEST MARCH ON RECORD IN
CHICAGO. HOWEVER...OF EVEN MORE INTEREST IS THE FACT THAT WITH THE
ABNORMALLY COLD MARCH ACROSS THE AREA...THIS MADE THE AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE FOR THE DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH PERIOD IN CHICAGO 22.0
DEGREES...WHICH IS THE COLDEST SUCH PERIOD ON RECORD FOR CHICAGO
DATING BACK TO 1872!

ROCKFORD:

THE DECEMBER THROUGH MARCH AVERAGE
TEMPERATURE FOR ROCKFORD WAS 18.4 DEGREES. THIS RANKS AS THE 2ND
COLDEST SUCH PERIOD ON RECORD IN ROCKFORD DATING BACK TO 1906!

source

April snow in Moscow: weather continues to surprise

Photo: RIA Novosti

The weather does not cease to surprise: the European part of Russia is still taking actions to recover from the consequences of an unprecedented April snowfall; the Far East began fighting against forest fires; and Siberia is preparing for the opening of its great rivers. What weather surprises are in store for us this spring? Meteorologists told the Voice of Russia about anomalies and forecasts.

An abnormally warm February and March in the European part of Russia was replaced by April snowstorms. The heaviest snowfall in the past 130 years, which occurred in Moscow on the first day of April, turned the already spring town into a Blizzard Kingdom in just a few hours. Internet users immediately called this unusual phenomenon the main April Fool’s joke.

The unusually warm weather has set in Siberia. The air warmed up to +22 degrees. The abnormal April temperature has already caused forest fires. Dozens of hectares of taiga forest in the South of Siberia and the Far East are already enveloped in fire, chief of the Roshydromet Situation Centre, Yuri Varakin told the Voice of Russia.

"As for forest fires, the season has already started almost a month earlier, if compared to the last year and the year before last. This especially concerns the Far East and Primorsky Krai. And an immediate forecast for April says that we have increased fire hazard in the Trans-Baikal and Baikal regions, because the abnormally warm weather has set there now, and the snow melts quickly."

The early spring has also caused early floating of ice on Russian rivers. According to meteorologists, the situation is quite favourable: the winter was dry, and floods should not be expected. The majority of rivers in the European territory of Russia are at the floodplain level. All indicators suggest that there is no threat of flooding of settlements, leading specialist of the Phobos weather center, Elena Volosyuk says.

"In general, heavy rains are not expected this spring. It is obvious that in the European part of the country, floodings will be lower than in previous years, and than last year, when snowfalls were observed until the end of April and a number of regions of the European part of Russia led the pack in terms of snow storage. This year, the situation is quite different. But in Siberia, floodings, I think, will be at the level typical for this region. Opening of rivers has already begun. Ice blasting aimed at improving the ice cover situation is in progress on some rivers. So, in terms of flood, there should be no incidents."

Experts are closely monitoring the flood situation in the Far East, which suffered from the worst flood in the last 100 years last summer. Opening of ice on the Amur has already started, and it is almost a week ahead of schedule. The water level is expected to be up to the normal level. However, experts encourage local authorities to be ready for any developments of emergency situations, because the weather has repeatedly proven its unpredictability.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_04_05/April-snow-in-Moscow-weather-co...

Bizarre Cloud Engulfs Spanish Coastline (Apr 9)

A mysterious dense cloud has appeared over the entire coastline of Alicante in Spain.

The Hotel Castilla Alicante confirmed that locals have no idea what has caused the cloud saying, "dense cloud took over the entire coastline of the city of Alicante, causing some confusion among residents and tourists".

Source

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/alicante-apocalyptic-cloud-...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-2600562/Video-showing-hug...

Two articles about the strong wind

1) Tehuano Winds [Earth Observatory; 8 April, 2014]

Cool air often follows storm systems passing through North America in the winter and early spring. In some cases, the cool air surges as far south as Mexico, where it encounters the Sierra Madre Oriental Mountains, a long chain oriented roughly parallel to Mexico’s Atlantic coast. The mountains behave like a wall, funneling winds to the south until they reach Chivela Pass, a gap in the range on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec.

At the gap, pressure differences between cool, dry air from the north and warm, moist air from the south cause winds to rush toward the Pacific Ocean. Northerlies that last for more than a day are known as Tehuano winds. Such winds can be extremely strong, reaching gale or even hurricane force on the Beaufort wind scale.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on the Aqua satellite captured this image on April 8, 2014, when Tehuano winds carried dust over the Gulf of Tehuantepec. A thin arc cloud marked the leading edge of this pulse of wind.

Read this blog post from the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CMISS) to learn more about the event and to see a sequence of images showing the wind front fanning outward over time.

-- [Tehuano: http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Tehuano]--

A Spanish term frequently used to denote a burst of strong offshore (southward) wind, lasting a day or more, that blows from the Gulf of Mexico across the Gulf of Tehuantepec.

Tehuano events are associated with winter surges of cold air that spread southward from the United States across the Gulf of Mexico behind strong weather fronts. Tehuanos produce much local cooling of the gulf waters and frequently cause anticyclonic warm-core ocean eddies to form and propagate west-southwestward near 12°–14°N. 

2) Wildfire Burns Valparaiso, Chile [Earth Observatory; 13 April, 2014]

High winds propelled a wildfire through parts of Valparaiso, Chile, on April 13, 2014. It quickly became the largest fire in the history of this port city. The fire started in a forested area on April 12 and eventually reached wooden homes built on steep hills around the city. According to news reports, at least 12 people died, 2,000 homes were destroyed, and about 10,000 people evacuated as the fire moved through a section of the historic city.

The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite acquired this image of the fire at 11:10 am local time (14:10 UTC) on April 13. Fire detections are outlined in red in the forest south of the city, which is pale gray. A long plume of smoke stretches northwest over the Pacific Ocean, a clear indication that winds were strong and blowing the flames toward the city.

Valparaiso is the third largest city in Chile, with a population of more than 280,000 people. It was established in 1536 and developed into an important international seaport in the 19th century. The city is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

-- largest fire in the history of this port city --

http://www.mercuriovalpo.cl/impresa/2014/04/14/full/2/

-- NPR News (2014, April 14) For second night, Valparaiso fire spreads misery in Chile --

China’s Great Wall of Dust [Earth Observatory: 23 April, 2014]

A wall of dust was barreling across northern China on April 23, 2014, when the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) acquired these images from NASA’s Aqua and Terra satellites. The top image was taken at 12:35 p.m. local time, and the lower image is from 2:20 p.m. Turn on the image comparison tool to see how far the dust advanced in the two hours between images.

Dust storms are common in the deserts of northern China, but they peak during the spring when large storms and weather fronts move in from Siberia. In this case, a very large front appears to be pushing east across Asia, kicking up dust ahead of it. On the ground, the dust brought visibility down to less than 50 meters (160 feet), veiling parts of northwest China in yellow haze.

The winds and resulting dust are widespread, since a dense airborne dust plume is visible under the clouds throughout the scene. The large storm also extended to the Taklimakan Desert (immediately southwest of the area shown here) on April 23 and April 24.

See also;

"Day or night? Massive sandstorm plunges China into red mist" of lonne's comment in Red Dust effects

Flash floods kill more than 100 in north Afghanistan [Relief Web: 25 April, 2014]

Afghanistan Flash Floods Situation Report No. 1 as of 2300h (local time) on 25 April 2014

Download PDF (914.26 KB)

Situation Overview

Heavy rainfall, which started on 24 April, has sparked flash floods in 23 districts, across six provinces, of the Northern Region of Afghanistan. Provincial authorities report that 123 people have been killed and more are still missing.

As assessments are underway to determine the full extent of the damage caused, as well as the humanitarian needs of the affected population, it is still too early to get a full picture of the scale of the flooding. Initial reports indicate that Jawzjan province is the worst affected in the region, where 80 people have reportedly been killed and some 6,000 people have been displaced. The provinces of Faryab, Sar-e-Pul, Balkh, Samangan and Takhar have also been affected to a lesser degree.

The Afghan Government’s Provincial Disaster Management Committees (PDMC) are leading the coordination of the response within their affected provinces, with support from humanitarian agencies. Limited access to some of the more heavily affected areas remains a key challenge.

Priority needs at present include clean drinking water, medical supplies, food, non-food items and shelter.

Just days before Easter, in Romania it snowed like it was Christmas. Snow cover 10 cm in Predeal

Just days before Easter , on April 14, it snowed like at Christmas. – road workers were out working just like in a regular month of winter !

Romania was under code yellow alert for snow and rain in 12 districts in the country !

Everyone hoped the snow would pass quickly, but on Friday it began snowing again, dumping 10 cm of snow on Predeal .

Tourist : “I got winter in the mountains, we came to leave for the summer so I am not prepared for winter, I had to change the tires.

Tourist: "I've got two days of rain and sunny spring and summer and then two days yesterday and today two authentic winter days.

Worried for trees already in bloom and cultures that have sprung up in the garden

In Step Tihuta , which links Transylvania and Moldavia , snow removal machinery worked almost as hard as in full winter . Snow measured 10 inches , and the wind blew hard. Temperatures dropped to 0 degrees on Friday, and people made ​​fires in their stoves . I am worried for the animals, but also for trees already in bloom and cultures that have sprung up in the garden.

The landscape looked like the middle of December.

source

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&a...

Winter comes again suddenly for Russia’s Urals

Russia’s Urals region has been hit with freak winter weather, with severe snowstorms causing massive traffic jams, flight delays, power blackouts and school closures.

Just when everybody in the cities of Ekaterinburg and Chelyabinsk thought they had waved winter good-bye and was anticipating greener spring weather, blizzards dragging the region back to winter.

Winter struck the region hard, with precipitation twice the monthly average coming as a shock to already burgeoning grass and trees.

Urals meteorologists have said the last time the region was struck by a snowfall of such severity in springtime was 123 years ago. They’ve found an April 26, 1891 issue of “Ekaterinburg Week” magazine that reported how the region witnessed “even more snow fallen than throughout the whole winter”.

source

Heatwave higher than usual for this time of year making life miserable accross Bangladesh

A heatwave that has been blazing across Bangladesh, making life miserable all around, will continue at least for two more days, the Met office says.

On Sunday, the mercury shot to 40 degrees Celsius in Rangamati, the highest temperature of the season - six notches higher than the normal reading of 34 degrees for this time of the year.

Capital Dhaka recorded a temperature of 38.5 degrees in the day.

The weather office declares heatwave conditions when the maximum temperature rises five degrees above normal to either touch or cross 40.

Senior Met officer Sanaul Haq Mandal said the high levels of humidity made the heat unbearable. On Sunday, Dhaka recorded 77 percent humidity. .....

Source

U.S., record rainfall in New York ever so much since 1882 [PHOTOS and VIDEO]

Friday, May 2, 2014,

New York City has set a new record weather: April 30th marked the record rain fall after the floods of 23 September 1882. Wednesday you are in fact recorded 126.2 mm of rain in Central Park (September 23, 1882 were recorded 210.3 mm, according to data from the National Weather Service), while the total figure reported in April 2014 to 199.3 mm.

The April 30 millimeters fell were more numerous than those who fell during Hurricane Irene or Sandy.

http://www.meteoweb.eu/2014/05/usa-pioggia-record-a-new-york-mai-co...

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=auto&tl=en&a...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gslxuatM6H4

http://english.ahram.org.eg/NewsContent/1/64/100801/Egypt/Politics-...

A massive sandstorm cloud rolls over Aswan governorate, Egypt, Wednesday, May 7, 2014 (Photo: Mohammed Rawy)

A severe sandstorm in Aswan in southern Egypt led to a boat accident and damage to a local museum on Wednesday.

A touristic Nile boat sank amid the unusually severe storm, leaving one South African passenger missing. Six other tourists, including one other South African, three Australians, and one Pole, as well as three Egyptians, were rescued from the boat

The Crocodile Museum in the southern city of Kom Ombo also suffered damage when its roof collapsed after the fierce sandstorm hit the governorate.

The Crocodile Museum, inaugurated in 2012, exhibits a collection of mummified crocodiles found in Ancient Egypt, alongside tablets and statutes of ancient Egyptian crocodile deity Sobek.

Officials from the antiquities ministry said that none of the artifacts had been damaged but that the museum would be closed to visitors until a technical committee could inspect the site.

Egypt is currently witnessing unstable weather conditions, including rainstorms and floods in Sinai and along the Red Sea coast.

According to Egypt's Meteorological Authority, the unstable weather conditions will continue for another two days.