Heaviest Dec. snowfall in Hokkaido in 50 years causes transport chaos

http://asia.nikkei.com/Politics-Economy/Policy-Politics/Heaviest-De...

Nearly 100 airline flights, hundreds of trains cancelled

Yup its 10 degree celcius outside

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2016/12/24/nearly-a-dozen-weather-...

Nearly a dozen weather records could be broken on Boxing Day: Environment Canada

Approximately a dozen weather records could be broken across Southern Ontario on Boxing Day, as a system of low pressure may bring mild temperatures to the region.

Environment Canada is forecasting a high of 10C in Toronto on Monday, which would break the previous record of 9.8 C from 1982, says Arnold Ashton, Environment Canada meteorologist.

Elsewhere in the province, forecasts could be high enough to break Woodstock’s record of 9.4 C from 1875 and Welland’s record of 12.2 C from the same year. Other cities in the Niagara Peninsula and GTA could smash similar records.

The high temperatures come with a system of low pressure from Colorado, which will carry warm, humid air from the Gulf of Mexico up to Southern Ontario.

The warm temperatures will also bring in periods of rain throughout Southern Ontario, and across the GTA.

Is global warming taking the piste? Popular Swiss ski resort is completely shut down after no snow falls for a week and temperatures push 10 DEGREES

• No snow has fallen in the ski resort of Charmey since December 19 leaving the slopes almost completely bare
• 2016 in Switzerland has been registered in the top 10 warmest since records began way back in 1864
• There is no snow forecast for at least a week in Charmey, meaning lifts will remain shut and pistes empty 0
• Warm temperatures in Switzerland in line with the rest of the world as 2016 looks set to be hottest year ever 

A top ski resort in Switzerland has had to close its slopes because there is no snow at all on the pistes. 

No snow has fallen in Charmey since December 19, leaving the mountain completely bereft of skiers with 2016 registering in the top 10 warmest since Swiss records began back in 1864.

With no snow forecast for at least a week, and with the temperature pushing a balmy 10C, it appears the lifts will remain shut well into the New Year. 

The temperature trend in Switzerland is in line with the rest of the world, with 2016 set to be the hottest year on record across the world, the World Meteorological Organization said in November.

A closed ski slope in Charmey, Switzerland on Boxing Day where the resort is closed due to the lack of snow

Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4066670/Is-global-warming-t... 

http://www.thelocal.se/20161227/hurricane-force-winds-as-storm-urd-...

Hurricane-force winds as Storm Urd sweeps through Sweden

Storm Urd hit Malmö on Monday afternoon.

The worst of the dreaded Storm Urd has passed in Sweden, and while the country escaped relatively unscathed from the dreaded Christmas bluster, it still managed to cause flooding and wreak havoc with traffic in some regions.

The Öresund Bridge between Malmö in Sweden and Copenhagen in Denmark reopened to traffic at 2.40am on Tuesday after closing at around 10pm the previous evening. Drivers were however warned to drive carefully and stay below 50 kilometres an hour on the 7.8-kilometre road bridge.

The water level in the strait separating the two countries rose to around 120-150 centimetres above average overnight, but national weather agency SMHI reported it was slowly subsiding in the morning.

SMHI downgraded its class-two weather warnings for southern Sweden to class-one in the far south and said gale-force winds were no longer expected for the rest of the Götaland region.

“The risk of strong gusts was over by around 4am or 5am,” SMHI meteorologist Johan Lundgren told news agency TT.

Several trains were still expected to be cancelled until 3pm on Tuesday on the following routes: Lund-Ystad/Simrishamn, Helsingborg-Simrishamn via Eslöv, Helsingborg-Hässleholm via Åstorp and Kristianstad-Karlskrona. Replacement buses will be in place, said operator Skånetrafiken.

Authorities in all three Scandinavian countries – Sweden, Norway and Denmark – had advised residents ahead of the storm to take precautions, including staying at home during the evening of the 26th and securing loose objects outside. However, the overall damages were not as bad as anticipated.

Fire and rescue services built sandbag barriers around the harbour and football arena in Halmstad, where the sea level was 175 centimetres above normal and residents in the region reported that the river Nissan had burst its banks.

Emergency services in Gothenburg were called out to a number of flooded basements and fallen trees and cars getting stuck on flooded roads were also reported across southern Sweden. 7

One Scandinavian Airlines flight from Reykjavik had to land at Bornholm island after twice being diverted – once from Copenhagen and once after being struck by lightning near Malmö Airport.

https://www.rt.com/usa/371886-blizzard-northern-plains-christmas/

Blizzard, ice cripple Great Plains, leaving thousands without electricity (PHOTO, VIDEO)

In North Dakota, weather conditions and near-zero visibility compelled a no-travel warning, as the National Weather Service said a blizzard warning would remain in effect for much of the state through Monday afternoon.

"It will take many days to get this snow cleared out,"said Jeff Heintz, North Dakota's director of public works.

Power outages have been reported across the region, especially in North and South Dakota, as well as Nebraska, where high winds have reached 70 miles per hour. Nearly 20,000 customers of the South Dakota Rural Electric Association were without power as of Monday afternoon, according to AP.

The North Dakota Transportation Department closed 240 miles of Interstate 94 on Sunday evening while no-travel advisories were issued across the state. In South Dakota, authorities shut down 260 miles of Interstate 90. 

Flight delays and cancellations have occurred at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport in Minnesota and Minot International Airport in North Dakota, as well as airports in Fargo, Hector, and Bismarck, North Dakota.

The National Weather Service in Grand Forks, North Dakota, reported near-zero visibility and wind gusts of up to 45 miles per hour in the eastern region of the state.

As of early Monday morning, Bismarck has received more than 12 inches of snow, according to the National Weather Service, while Underwood, North Dakota, got 18 inches of snow, the Weather Channel reported.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4066264/Uluru-National-Park...

Uluru as you've never seen it: Waterfalls cascade off the iconic rock after a freak outback storm

• A record 232 millimetres of rain drenched Uluru in a single day on Sunday
• It caused the rare sight of water cascading down the side of the rock
• The park was closed on Monday and towns were flooded and evacuated
•  The Weather bureau called in a one-in-50-year rainfall event

Flash flooding closed Uluru and forced a town to evacuate after a record 232 millimetres of rain fell in a single day.

The freak desert storm damaged at least 40 per cent of homes in Kintore, about 520 kilometres west of the red centre, forcing 100 of its 400 residents to flee.

Uluru National Park was shut down at 9am on Monday but visitors revelled in the rare sight of water cascading down the sides of the massive rock the day before.

Scroll down for videos 

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Flash flooding closed Uluru and forced a town to evacuate after a record 232 millimetres of rain fell in a single day with a thick low-lying white cloud obscured the top of the rock

Uluru National Park was shut down at 9am on Monday but visitors revelled in the rare sight of water cascading down the sides of the massive rock the day before

Dozens of waterfalls completely changed its complexion and put on a show for tourists who stayed out in the rain to watch the spectacle.

Photos and video from the base of Uluru showed huge pools forming below the waterfalls that lapped around raised walkways.

A thick low-lying white cloud obscured the top of the rock. 

Dozens of waterfalls completely changed its complexion and put on a show for tourists who stayed out in the rain to watch the spectacle

Water begins to trickle down the side of the massive rock

Photos and video from the base of Uluru showed huge pools forming below the waterfalls that lapped around raised walkways

Park manager Mike Misso said the park was closed due to the risk of flooded roads and the potential for car accidents.

'There's a lot of water coming off the rock and what that does is just channels across the ring road around Uluru, some of those roads there were flooded by about 300 to 400 millimeteres of rain,' he told the ABC.

'[It is] quite spectacular but very hazardous road conditions.'

Rare snowfall in Athens sends vibes of excitment through social media (PHOTOS, VIDEO)

https://www.rt.com/news/372135-greece-athens-rare-snow/

Greeks are in awe following a rare snowfall in their country that blanketed the streets, trees, and houses of the capital.

https://www.rt.com/news/372532-wildfire-valparaiso-chile-evacuation/

Savage wildfire burns 100 homes in Chile, forces evacuations. 

Fire burns a house on a hill, where more than 100 homes were burned due to forest fire but there have been no reports of death, local authorities said in Valparaiso, Chile January 2, 2017. 

Scientists Say 2016 Is Hottest Year Ever Recorded

Source: mercurynews.com

3 January, 2017. Climate scientists are all but assured that 2016 was the hottest year ever recorded. If that sounds familiar, 2014 and 2015 were also the hottest years since record-keeping began in 1880.

"2016 will break the global temperature record that was set in 2015, which broke the record that was set in 2014," climate change scientist Noah S. Diffenbaugh, professor of the Department of Earth System Science at Stanford University, told The Mercury News.

A number of experts and government organizations had already predicted that 2016 was Earth's hottest year in recorded history.

Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced that El Nino drove much of the record warmth during the first two-thirds of 2016, while a weak La Nina cooled the globe down during the past few months. However, the period between January to November of 2016 was the warmest such period on record.

"The average global temperature was 1.69 degrees F above the average of 57.2 degrees, surpassing the record set in 2015 by 0.13 degrees F," the agency stated.

Recent headlines from publications around the world—from Houston, Texas to Singapore—have declared extreme heat. Meanwhile, the Arctic in particular saw "a meteoric rise" in October heat that contributed to the region's record low sea ice extent for the month, which clocked in at 28.5 percent below the 1981-2010 average. Source: ecowatch.com

Record drought in Bolivia drains lakes, threatens capital

A dried farmland is seen during the worst drought in 25 years in El Choro, Bolivia, on December 1, 2016. (David Mercado/Reuters)

4 January, 2017. Lake Poopo, Bolivia's second-largest, has dried up entirely

Last year, the flowering quinoa plants painted Florencio Tola's farmlands in vibrant sepia and ochre tones.

But this season, all that could be seen was the straw colour of dried-out stalks that never germinated amid Bolivia's worst drought in 30 years. Nearby a collection of scrawny cows, with their ribs protruding and flaccid udders, grazed on what little vegetation could be found on the sere ground.

"It's as if I had never sown anything," said Tola, 60, who like thousands of other farmers planted his quinoa in October ahead of the rainy season that usually runs through March.

He and thousands of other farmers in the Bolivian high plains believe they have been hit by a particularly strong weather phenomenon known as El Nino, caused by warming waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean. Crops and livestock were decimated, and reservoirs that supply the capital of La Paz and other cities have dropped to alarming levels. Lake Poopo, Bolivia's second-largest, has dried up entirely.

"The 2015-2016 (El Nino) is one of the strongest in 30 years, although scientists' verdict on its role in the current drought has not been concluded yet," said Dirk Hoffmann, a glacial and climate specialist who directs the Bolivian Mountain Institute, a research and advisory foundation.

Bolivian President Evo Morales has warned that if the rainy season is delayed further, it could deplete food supply next year. In October he approved a $250 million emergency plan to support those affected by the drought by drilling wells to stave off potential water shortages.

Rain, but not enough

Cows graze on arid fields during a severe and prolonged drought on the outskirts of Burguillos in Bolivia's Altiplano. Bolivia's worst drought in 30 years has decimated crops and livestock and evaporated the country's second largest lake. (Juan Karita/The Associated Press)

While there have been isolated heavy rains in recent weeks, they haven't yet been enough to compensate for months of drier than usual weather.

Authorities say reservoir levels are at their lowest level ever. According to Humberto Claure, manager of the Social Public Enterprise for Water and Sanitation, even generous rains will not fill up the five dams that serve La Paz, so the emergency is expected to last through the end of 2017.

The city relies on rain for 80 per cent of its water, and this season has seen just 10 per cent of normal rainfall, according to hydrological scientist Edson Ramirez of the Higher University of San Andres.

In some parts of the capital, water no longer flows through the pipes and people are forced to rely on trucked deliveries. Several weeks ago, La Paz's largest hospital limited surgeries to only the most urgent cases because of low water pressure. Public schools ended the academic cycle early. The popular professional soccer club The Strongest even asked its players to shower at home.

Crop losses

But the drought has hit hardest in the countryside, including the eastern region that is often punished by deluges and flash floods. The Agricultural Chamber of the East reported the loss of nearly 50 per cent of production over the South American winter in that part of the country, equivalent to 448,000 tons of soy, corn and wheat.

Although the South American summer has already begun, fields in the Andean region retain the yellowish hue of autumn. In the eastern lowlands, rice paddies dried out before germination due to the drought, which aggravated pest infestations, according to growers. In the central valleys, you can see skeletons of animals that died looking for watering holes.

Farmers' groups say 30 per cent of the quinoa crop has been lost to the delayed rains.

Often referred to as the "golden grain of the Andes," quinoa cultivation has helped thousands of farmers climb out of poverty after it became widely popular overseas among organic-oriented consumers during the last decade.

Many in Bolivia turned to the crop as prices rose from $11 for roughly 50 kilograms in the early 2000s to as high as $259 at the end of 2014.

That fell last year to $100 per 50 kilograms, but the drought remains the worst enemy of farmers like Tola.

This season, nothing has sprouted on his lands in Caracollo, about 110 miles (180 kilometres) east of La Paz.
"As a teen I went to the city of Oruro to make a living because the countryside didn't allow you to live," Tola said. "But I returned to my family when quinoa got better and had a good price. I improved my little home and built more rooms for my children."

Migration

In many rural villages, farmers' desperation is so great that Roman Catholic saints have been brought out in processions and offerings have been made to the Pachamama, or Mother Earth of indigenous tradition, beseeching her for the rains to arrive.

"Families are beginning to migrate," said Mayor Jaime Mendieta of Pasorapa, a village in the high valleys of central Bolivia. "You see it in the schools. Children are enrolled in neighbouring municipalities where there is water because parents know there will be production there."

Tola said that if it weren't for his cattle, he would have already joined his eldest son, who left for eastern Bolivia to find work as a day labourer. But he hopes to never again have to abandon his home like he did in his youth.

"I wouldn't want to leave my town again," Tola said. Source: cbc.ca

https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/winter-storm-helena-impacts

Winter Storm Helena Pushes East, Killing 2; State of Emergency Declared in Alabama, Georgia

 

The rush was on as millions in the Deep South began preparations Thursday for Helena, a dangerous, deadly winter storm that could cause serious problems across the region over the weekend. 

Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley announced Thursday afternoon that a state of emergency will take effect Friday morning at 7 a.m. CST. The declaration affects all counties in the state, and among the impacts of the state of emergency is the activation of 300 soldiers from the Alabama National Guard to assist mission support teams and command staff. 

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal also declared a state of emergency, which was set to begin at noon on Friday. 

On Thursday, the Georgia Emergency Management Agency warned North Georgia residents to prepare for the winter storm and urged people to have enough food and other supplies on hand to stay in their homes for t.... Several school districts in metro Atlanta will dismiss students early on Friday. 

The Georgia Department of Transportation began working days ahead of the storm to make sure they are ready when wintry weather moves into central and north Georgia, including metro Atlanta, Friday night into Saturday, reports WALB.com. 

"In the metro area, we have 10 5,000-gallon tanker trucks to treat the interstate," GDOT Maintenance Engineer Dale Bradley said. 

Pre-treating roads with brine is a new tactic for GDOT since Winter Storm Leon crippled the city and left drivers stranded on area roads in January 2014. 

"We are trying to pre-treat before the storm, but at the same time close enough to the storm that if it does come in as heavy rain, we don't get a lot of it washed off," Bradley said. 

Into the Carolinas, residents began to stock up on food and other supplies with even bigger snow totals in the forecast. 

http://www.thelocal.dk/20170105/photos-100-year-flood-hits-denmark

IN PHOTOS: 100-year flood hits Denmark

Kolding resident Niels Holflod fights to empty his basement in the early hours on Thursday. Photo: Palle Peter Skov/Scanpix

Water levels in parts of Denmark reached up to 177cm above normal on Thursday morning after a predicted winter storm swept through the nation.

The water rose so high in areas in southern Denmark that the Danish Meteorology Institute (DMI) said that levels reached heights that statistically only come once a century. 

 

“We had 100-year floods in Sønderborg, Bagenkop, Aabenraa, Rødbyhavn, Hesnæs, Rødvig and Køge,” DMI spokesman Frank Nielsen told broadcaster DR early on Thursday. 

 

Emergency workers pump water at Aabenraa Harbour. 

 

The highest recorded levels were in southern Lolland and Jutland, where water topped out at 177 centimetres above normal. In Copenhagen, water rose 87cm while just south of the city in Dragør the water level was 139cm above normal. 

 

DMI said that the waters wouldn’t recede until late morning on Thursday. 

 

 

Despite the so-called 100-year flooding, the storm’s arrival was so well warned in advance that emergency preparations were able to avert major damage. 

 

“It appears as if the different players like emergency services and the police had enough time to be well-prepared so they could fend off the worst problems. They were definitely not caught with their pants down,” Nielsen said. 

 

Emergency preparations in Faaborg on the island of Funen. 

 

Emergency responder Falck said that it only had to respond to nine emergency calls as the waters rose.

 

“There was actually less to do than on a normal night. We have thus far only been called out on nine water-related jobs throughout the whole country,” Falck spokesman Jesper Jakobsen told Ritzau, adding that his company was “surprised” by the quiet night. 

 

“We need to send our compliments to Beredskabsstyrelsen [the Danish Emergency Management Agency, ed.], which did a great job of preventive work,” Jakobsen said. 

 

Boating docks at Sønderborg were underwater on Thursday morning.

 

At the Danish Emergency Management Agency, they in turn gave credit to DMI for its “impressively precise forecasts” that allowed for proper preparation. 

 

While the worst of the flooding came and went without extensive damage, it was replaced by bitter cold on Thursday with daytime highs only expected to peak at -1C. 

 

Christmas night in Moscow was the coldest in the XXI century 

Google translate

7 January, 2017. Christmas Night in Moscow was very frosty since the beginning of winter, the air in the capital has cooled to minus 29.8 degrees, was reported in the Russian Hydrometeorological Center.

"It's so cold in this century in the night of 6 January 7 was not. In the XXI century, 20 degrees of frost on Christmas night marked three times (2002, 2003 and 2015). Last Christmas frosty (minus 20.4 degrees) was observed . in 2015, the most frosty in this century was Christmas 2003, then amplified by the frost to minus 26 degrees, "- said the representative of the weather service.
Even cooler was that night in the suburbs. In Klin air is cooled to minus 32.7 degrees, Volokolamsk - up to 32.2 degrees Celsius.
However, the temperature record for December 7 is not broken. The coldest in the history of meteorological observations Christmas night in Moscow was in 1891, when the air is cooled down to minus 34.8 degrees, the warmest day of January 7 states in 2007, when the maximum temperature reached 3.5 degrees Celsius. Source: tass.ru

http://mashable.com/2017/01/06/california-storms-snow-flooding-atmo...

After six years of coping with the state's worst drought on record, Californians are not used to rain. But they'd better prepare for it, fast, because an onslaught of storms the likes of which the state has not seen in at least a decade is coming quickly.

These storms have tropical connections, and are bringing with them extraordinary amounts of rain and snow, along with strong winds. A dizzying array of storm watches and warnings have been issued across the West, from freezing rain advisories (Oregon) to flash flood watches (California) to winter storm watches and warnings (Rocky Mountains), as the most intense storm approaches for Saturday through Monday. 

These storms, known as "atmospheric rivers" for their extraordinarily narrow channels of eye-popping levels of moisture, and hence copious amounts of rain and mountain snow, could have deadly consequences, officials are warning. 

The National Weather Service is cautioning millions from the San Francisco Bay area to Lake Tahoe to be prepared for potentially historic flooding as the storm systems wreak havoc with streams and rivers. 

Precipitable water forecast for the weekend, with white arrows showing the corridor of the West Coast atmospheric river.

The weekend storm is forecast to dump at least 7 inches of rain in the Bay Area, with up to a foot of rain in some of the hilly areas nearby, while several more feet of snow fall in the highest peaks of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 

Of particular concern is the presence of 4 to 8 feet of new snow that fell this week even at lower elevations in the mountains of northern and central California. 

Photos from ski areas in the Sierras showed a winter wonderland of fresh powder, which many skiers and snowboarders took advantage of before the next storms hit.

The weekend storm is forecast to bring with it a slug of mild air all the way from the tropics, which will turn the heavy, cement-like snow to rain from the surface all the way to 9,000 feet during the height of the storm. This means all but the highest mountain peaks will see rain for part of the event, before temperatures plummet again by Monday.

This raises the specter of snowmelt-induced flooding in areas like Yosemite National Park, the Lake Tahoe region and other parts of the Golden State. 

Here's how meteorologists at the National Weather Service in Reno described the flood dangers this storm poses: 

"It won't take much rainfall to generate flood impacts across the Sierra and western Nevada.Creeks, streams, urban areas and farmland are certainly at risk for flooding late this weekend."

By the time the next storm is over, the highest peaks of California's Sierra Nevada Mountains and parts of the Cascade range will have picked up over 120 to 150 inches of snow in the past seven days, with much more on the way as more storms take aim at the West next week and beyond. 

In fact, computer models show storms with atmospheric river links stacked up one after the other like planes landing at O'Hare Airport during rush hour. 

"The amount of rain over the next 7-10 days will likely be substantial if not historic," according to the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast office in San Francisco.

Large-scale tornado outbreaks increasing in frequency, study finds

7 January, 2017. The frequency of large-scale tornado outbreaks is increasing in the United States, particularly when it comes to the most extreme events, according to research recently published in Science.

The study by researchers including Joel E. Cohen, a visiting scholar at the University of Chicago, finds the increase in tornado outbreaks does not appear to be the result of a warming climate as earlier models suggested. Instead, their findings tie the growth in frequency to trends in the vertical wind shear found in certain supercells—a change not so far associated with a warmer climate.
"What's pushing this rise in extreme outbreaks, during which the vast majority of tornado-related fatalities occur, is far from obvious in the present state of climate science," said Cohen, the Abby Rockefeller Mauzé Professor at Rockefeller University and Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Columbia University, who conducted the research while a visiting scholar in UChicago's Department of Statistics.
Tornado outbreaks are large-scale weather events that last one to three days, featuring several thunderstorms and six or more tornadoes in close succession. In the study, published in the Dec. 16 issue of Science, the researchers used new statistical tools, including extreme value analysis—a branch of statistics dealing with deviations—to analyze observation-based meteorological estimates associated with tornado outbreaks together with National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration datasets.
The researchers estimated that the number of tornadoes in the most extreme outbreak in a five-year interval doubled over the last half-century. This means that in 1965 the worst outbreak expected over five years would have had about 40 tornadoes, while in 2015 the worst outbreak expected over five years would have had about 80 tornadoes.
"Viewing the data on thousands of tornadoes that have been reliably recorded in the United States over the past half-century as a population has permitted us to ask new questions and discover new, important changes in outbreaks of these tornadoes," Cohen said.
To understand the increased frequency in tornado outbreaks, the researchers looked at two factors: convective available potential energy, or CAPE, and storm relative helicity, which is a measure of vertical wind shear.
Earlier studies had projected a warming climate would increase CAPE, creating conditions favorable to a rise in severe thunderstorms—and potentially tornado outbreaks. But Cohen and his colleagues found the increases in outbreaks were driven instead by storm relative helicity, which has not been projected to increase under a warming climate.
"Our study raises new questions about what climate change will do to severe thunderstorms and what is responsible for recent trends," said co-author Michael K. Tippett, an associate professor at Columbia University's Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science. "The fact that we didn't see the presently understood meteorological signature of global warming in changing outbreak statistics for tornadoes leaves two possibilities: Either the recent increases are not due to a warming climate, or a warming climate has implications for tornado activity that we don't understand." Source: phys.org

Boise Declares State of Emergency

http://1035kissfmboise.com/boise-declares-state-of-emergency/?track...

Dec 5, 2017 Yikes!! This winter storm is more significant than we thought.

Boise mayor David Bieter declared the city to be in a state of emergency which would last for seven days according to KTVB.

The state of emergency status can last longer than the seven days, if Bieter decides to extend it. By doing so, Boise is able to bypass the typical methods such as bidding, in order to get the city the supplies it needs.

Currently, there is expected rainfall to hit the city within the next few days which can cause severe flooding. This threat has caused the city to begin contracting with operators of backhoes, dump trucks and other essentials if needed.

In addition to being in a state of emergency, schools have taken Friday off as well.

http://www.telegraaf.nl/buitenland/27390211/__Sneeuw_verrast_Kreta_...

Snow surprised Crete

Snow in the streets of capital Heraklion.

Greece has considerably affected by the wintry weather, with temperatures in the night from Saturday to Sunday in some places fell to 17 degrees below zero. In many places in the country's roads are impassable by the rainfall.

In the northern part of the Aegean Sea, particularly the islands, the Sporades burden of heavy snowfall. On the island of Skopelos fell overnight more than half a meter. Lesbos, one of the largest Greek islands near the Turkish coast, succumbed dozens of tents in a large refugee camp where 5,000 people live under the snow.

Powerful storm causes widespread flooding in Northern California, evacuations in neighboring Nevada

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-california-storm-201701...

The first band of what forecasters predict will be the region's most powerful storm in a decade continued to pummel Northern California on Sunday, causing flooding throughout the region and prompting evacuations in Sonoma County and parts of neighboring Nevada.

https://www.wunderground.com/weather-radar/united-states-regional/n...

https://www.rt.com/news/373006-winter-europe-freezing-cold/

Deadly icy snap sweeps across Europe, authorities struggling to cope (PHOTOS)

A girl walks under snow-covered trees during a snowfall in Istanbul, Turkey, January 7, 2017. 

Europe is beginning to count the cost of the deadly cold snap sweeping across the continent, with the first deaths reported over the weekend.

Social workers in Serbia have been trying to ease the living conditions of migrants living in makeshift shelters enduring the below-freezing temperatures. In the capital Belgrade, hundreds of people, mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, are staying in an abandoned customs warehouse, with local aid groups providing heaters, blankets, clothes and food. 

A man walks in the snow at around minus 26 degrees Celsius (minus 14.8 degrees Fahrenheit) in the village of Jezerc, Kosovo January 8, 2017.

Many people there were sick, though, the aid groups said. “The next few days are critical, and for sure the health condition of these people is worsening,'' Stephane Moissaing, the MSF Head of Mission in Serbia, told AP.  

The country's authorities has also banned river traffic due to ice blockages and strong winds, while emergency measures were announced in some municipalities in the south and southwest. Several villages were blocked by heavy snow, forcing the evacuation of about 100 people there.

A man walks in the centre of Warsaw January 

Two men died of the severe cold in Poland, with the total death toll from sub-zero temperatures reaching 55 since November, according to figures by Polish authorities, as cited by AP. In the country's southern, mountainous regions, temperatures dropped to -30 degrees Celsius (-22 degrees Fahrenheit).

A man removes snow from a car in a suburb of Sofia after heavy snowfall on January 7, 2017. 

In neighboring Bulgaria, police reported the deaths of two men from Iraq, as well as a Somali woman, who succumbed from the cold in the mountains bordering Turkey. Security forces said that the three were apparently trying to reach Europe. Many villages have also been  left without electricity and water.

In Romania, a dozen or so of the country’s major roads remain closed because of heavy snow, and ferry services between Romania and Bulgaria across the Danube have been canceled. Authorities also announced schools would be closed on Monday and Tuesday in many areas, including the capital, Bucharest.

Moving westward, where Italian authorities blamed the extreme weather for eight deaths, one of them a man who was found in the basement of an unused building in Milan, while another was found on a street in Florence near the Arno river.

Trees are covered with ice and snow on top of the Feldberg mountain, in Germany January 8, 2017.

German Federal Police reported picking up 19 migrants – five of them children – at a highway stop in Bavaria, after their driver apparently ditched them, leaving the group stranded in the freezing cold. Elsewhere, across the country, firefighters reported 415 incidents of weather-related accidents over the weekend alone, AP reported.

Even in Turkey, snow has been falling for three days, with Turkish Airlines grounding hundreds of flights.

Vehicles wait for the greenlight of a traffic light during a snowfall in Istanbul, Turkey January 8, 2017. 

However, it appears Muscovites didn't fear the cold, though, with hundreds joining an eight-kilometer bike parade in -27 degrees Celsius (minus 17 Fahrenheit).

Winds of 129mph leave a trail of destruction across Britain cutting power to 4,300 homes, hurling trampolines onto train lines and tearing roofs from buildings - and now the Big Chill is set to strike

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4108474/M62-closed-lorry-BL...

Dramatic footage showed the vehicle pinned on a bank as winds kept the wheels off the ground in Staffordshire.

Some 4,300 homes lost power in the North and Scotland while a lorry blew over on a bridge near Edinburgh.

Trees and walls fell over in Northumberland, with one street in Newcastle city centre shut due to wind damage.

The Met Office said up to eight inches of snow could fall, with much of the country under a weather warning.

A gust of 129mph was recorded on CairnGorm in the Highlands and High Bradfield in South Yorkshire saw 93mph.

The strong winds caused damage across the country overnight, with power cuts in the North East and Scotland.  

About 2,300 homes lost power in Durham, Sunderland, Gateshead and Northumberland because of the gusts.

SNOW HELL in 18 HOURS: Whole of UK to be trapped in -10C freezing DOUBLE VORTEX for a week

http://www.express.co.uk/news/weather/752563/snow-weather-uk-foreca...

TWO colossal swathes of churning, freezing air will close in on Britain over the next 18 hours triggering snow across the whole of the UK and the worst nationwide freeze for six years.

The entire country is on alert for crippling blizzards, Arctic temperatures and snow to grind transport systems to a standstill and knock out power supplies

Latest weather models released today show at least 10cm of snow in London from tomorrow morning while the rest of the country is facing high levels of snow fall.

The Government has issued a raft of weather and health warnings from tomorrow when the first of the snow is forecast to fall.

And this for Belgium:

Crisis on the coast: worst storm in 50 years coming

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=nl&tl=en&js=y&...

Dangerous, potentially destructive ice storm looms for 1,000-mile swath of central US

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/dangerous-potentially-de...

People from Texas to Ohio are bracing for a long-duration ice storm that could turn destructive and cut power to hundreds of thousands from Friday to Sunday.

A shallow layer of cold air in the atmosphere will accompany a storm over the central United States. The storm will produce a swath of freezing rain along a 1,000-mile swath.

As the chilled rain falls on cold surfaces, it will freeze into a glaze of ice.

http://www.9news.com/weather/another-colorado-ski-resort-closes-bec...

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KUSA - It’s a snow report that would inevitably make any powder hound salivate: 20 inches in the last 20 hours, 28 inches in the last 48 and 68 inches in the last week.

It’s a lot of snow – so much snow, in fact, that Monarch Mountain is the second ski resort in two days to say it can’t open due to too much of that white powder.

RELATED: Crested Butte closes because of too much snow

“Monarch Pass is closed all night for avalanche control, preventing Monarch Mountain maintenance, food service and grooming crews from reaching the mountain,” the resort wrote on Facebook Tuesday. “Stay tuned for information on status and conditions for tomorrow, Jan. 11.”

The resort was reopened Wednesday, with another 6 inches of snow. They've gotten 26 inches of new snow in the last 48 hours, putting their mid-mountain base at 87 inches. 

Photos shared on Monarch's Facebook page show heavy drifts of snow at the resort. 

Monarch Mountain joins Crested Butte in having a very, very unique problem.

Crested Butte announced Monday that it would have to close its lifts due to safety concerns arising from too much snow. On Tuesday, they tweeted they were working on getting everything back open. They're now back open with some of the best conditions in years!

Arapahoe Basin also closed on Tuesday and part of the day on Wednesday, but reopened Wednesday afternoon.

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/asiapacific/northern-japan-hit-...

Snow-covered road near Shinshinotsu, Hokkaido. 

http://www.eastbaytimes.com/2017/01/09/california-storms-fill-droug...

California storms add 350 billion gallons to parched reservoirs

Storm Surge Creates Sudden "Tsunami-Like" Water Surge -- Flooding Northeast England; 1 Town under 6 feet of water in minutes

https://www.superstation95.com/index.php/world/2932

A sudden "surge" of water is engulfing parts of north east England right now.  Emergency calls started coming in around 1:00 PM eastern U.S. time today, reporting Walls of water" inundating entire towns!  Here are the emergency reports - unfiltered:

NORTH EAST NOW BEING OVERWHELMED WITH FLOOD WATERS IN THE LAST FEW MINUTES - SURGE IS MOVING SOUTH

FLOOD WATERS OVERWHELMED THE TOWN OF HORNSEA A FEW MINUTES AGO - COASTGUARD REPORTING MANY HOUSES UNDER MORE THAN 6 FEET OF WATER

WATER RUNNING DOWN THE MAIN STREET OF TOWN OF WITHERNSEA, YORKSHIRE - MAJOR EVACUATION IN PROGRESS

CITY OF HULL MARINA NOW FLOODING WITH THE RIVER HULL FLOODING IN TO THE STREETS

UPDATE 1:20 PM EST --

YORKSHIRE, LINCOLNSHIRE, NORFOLK, TYNE AND WEAR, ESSEX, SUFFOLK AND OTHER REGIONS ENACTING EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS

Based on the report immediately above, it now appears that massive areas of England are succumbing to sudden, Tsunami-like flooding in the areas shown on the map below!

SIGNIFICANT FLOODING NOW REPORTED IN WHITBY, YORKSHIRE

Earlier as Whitby began to flood. #stormsurge pic.twitter.com/9ozeerw4Be

— YorkshireCoastRadio (@YorksCoastRadio) January 13, 2017

 UPDATE 1:35 PM EST --

17 Severe Flood Warnings
91 Flood Warnings
72 Flood Alerts

UPDATE 1:41 PM EST --

SKEGNESS BEING WARNED OF IMMINENT FLOODING

Thousands of people living along the east coast of England have been told to leave their homes due to coming severe flooding, while others in towns such as Whitby are already seeing floods.

The Environment Agency has warned of "dangerous waves carrying rocks and a coastal surge" and said the Army is on standby to assist.

More than 4,500 residents in Jaywick, Essex, were told to leave their homes due to a "high risk" properties "could be flooded by sea water up to a depth of three meters" (9 feet).

UPDATE 2:57 PM EST --

WATER RISING HEAVILY IN GRIMSBY - SANDBAG TEAMS NOW ON BOTH SIDES OF THE HUMBER

East Coast & London on high Flood Alert!#Wisbech Tidal #RiverNene
At 9pm UK & 4pm Eastern USA time sea surge will be at its highest!

In Bulgaria, the first time in 60 years frozen Black Sea

Google translate

13 January, 2017. In the district of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea froze for the first time since 1954.

The seaport city of ice was formed, with the result that stood by the court turned into ice sculptures.

In the north-east of the country, in the region of Varna, the ice can be seen along the banks of Varna lake. In this area over the past 100 years the sea froze three times - in 1929, 1942 and 1954, the newspaper "Trud".

Also, almost completely frozen Danube. Navigation on the river, in the anchor stopped at ports rose more than 20 vessels. In the north-eastern parts of the country and in the region of Burgas due to snowdrifts limited traffic, canceled classes in schools.

Last night the air temperature is kept at 20 degrees almost all over the country. Source: rosbalt.ru

frozen Danube: the betrayed fox ice [PHOTOS]

January 14, 2017

http://www.meteoweb.eu/foto/danubio-congelato-la-volpe-tradita-dal-...

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=it&tl=en&js=y&...

Danube River, the poor fox fell into the river and remained frozen

It had no chance a fox who has had the audacity to walk on thin ice layer that covers the Danube near Fridingen, Germany

The ice has broken below its light weight and the animal was paralyzed by the ice that has trapped. A hunter who was near the stock has under his feet and has succeeded in carving and pull out the entire block of ice, including fox.

Aizawl, India records coldest day ever in recorded history!

12 January, 2017. The mercury in Aizawl dipped to a record low of 3.2 degrees Celsius, making it the coldest day in the state ever since the MeT office was setup in the region.

The maximum temperature was recorded at 23.2 degrees Celsius, while the minimum stood at 3.2 degrees Celsius on Thursday, Scientific Officer K Lalrammuana said, adding that 3.2 degrees Celsius was the lowest ever temperature recorded in Aizawl.

"(Thursday's) reading broke the record of minimum temperature of 3.7 degree Celsius recorded on January 24, 2016 while the lowest maximum temperature ever recorded was on January 21, 2016 at 19.9 degree Celsius," Lalrammuana said.

The Regional Meteorological Centre in Guwahati has predicted that the mercury is likely to go down further in the next 48 hours.

The mercury continued falling across most of north India.

Jammu and Kashmir continued to reel under intense cold wave on Friday as both Srinagar and Jammu recorded the season's coldest night so far at minus 6.3 and 3.1 degrees Celsius respectively.

"We are expecting further drop in night temperatures as the weather is likely to remain dry during the next 24 hours (till Saturday)," a Met official said.

Another spell of rain and snow is likely to take place on January 15 and 16, "said the official.

The minimum temperature was minus 12.4 degrees Celsius in Pahalgam and minus 13.6 degrees Celsius in Gulmarg on Friday.

Leh town in the Ladakh region recorded minus 14 degree Celsius as the night's lowest temperature.

Mata Vaishno Devi base camp town of Katra recorded 3.9 degrees Celsius, Batote minus 1.8 degrees Celsius, Bannihal recorded minus 4.3 degrees Celsius and Bhaderwah minus 5.4 degrees Celsius as the night's lowest temperatures. Source: thenortheasttoday.com

ICE AGE Down to -52C: Russians freeze to death as strongest-in-decades winter hits

https://youtu.be/0PeZRKbUSHc

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4132082/Spain-sees-heaviest...

Cancel your winter break! Spain sees its heaviest snowfall for 35 years as temperatures drop as low as MINUS 10C and snow storms sweep across Europe 

• Temperatures have dropped across the mainland, with frost and minus ten degrees in the mountain areas
•  Areas of southern Valencia and northern Alicante have seen up to ten inches (25cm) of snow in 24 hours
• Beaches at numerous coastal resorts have been wiped out by freak snow storms and roads cut off 
• Holiday destinations in Germany, Croatia, Italy, Corsica and Serbia are all feeling the chill after freak cold snap

Brits who headed to Europe this week in search of some winter sun were in for a nasty surprise as a snow storm swept across the continent and Spain experienced its heaviest snowfall in 35 years.

The usually sun-drenched holiday destinations in Germany, Croatia, Italy, Corsica and Serbia are all feeling the chill thanks to the freak cold snap.

People in the 'sunshine island' of Majorca woke up to find a blanket thick snow had left the isle looking more like the mountains of the Alps than the Med.

Snow even fell in the island's capital Palma, which normally enjoys January temperatures of up to 18C. 

Beaches at numerous coastal resorts - where tourists flock to escape the British weather - have been wiped out by freak snow storms. 

Snow on the beaches of Majorca where the freak weather has turned the island into a winter wonderland rather than the expected escape from the British climate

Two snowshoe hikers pass by a snow-covered tree at the Schauinsland mountain in Black Forest in Hofsgrund, southern Germany

A firefighter walks on a snow-covered road in La Porta, on the French Mediterranean island of Corsica

A sculpture of a saint is covered by snow in the village of Rastoke, central Croatia, Wednesday 

A woman scrapes the snow from her car after it was buried in a huge downfall in Amatrice, Italy

Two children play with the snow after freak weather hit in Bunyola, Palma de Majorca, in Spain's Balearics Islands

The unusual weather has caused chaos in Majorca, pictured, and in mainland Spain where roads have been cut off and schools closed

Roads have also been cut off as unusual driving conditions caused chaos, leading to delays of four hours or more.

Schools on the Costa Blanca, home to popular resorts including Torrevieja, Alicante, and Benidorm, were closed this morning because of the heavy snow that had fallen overnight.

The snow is the heaviest that has been seen in Alicante since 1983.  

Spain's Met Office has issued an alert for adverse weather conditions, especially for the southeast peninsular and areas near Castilla-La Mancha and Aragon.

Temperatures have dropped across the mainland, with frost and minus ten degrees in the mountain areas, and areas of southern Valencia and northern Alicante have seen up to ten inches (25cm) of snow in 24 hours.

The unlikely arctic conditions are down to a cold weather system sweeping in from Siberia.

The weather system has already brought bitterly cold conditions to countries including Greece, Serbia, Macedonia and Turkey, putting the lives of thousands of people under threat.

The snow is expected to last until Friday when it will give way to rain instead. 

Meanwhile, in Britain, no snow has fallen, and the UK is predicted to be warmer than parts of Spain, as temperatures rise, bring the country of of its deep freeze. 

In good news for those who opted to stay at home and brave the January weather, an area of high pressure will draw in warmer air from the Atlantic, bringing milder conditions to the UK.

More snow falls across Mediterranean countries

Much of southern Europe is experiencing its second round of snow in just under two weeks.

Thailand – More Rain to Come as Floods Leave 43 Dead, 1.6 Million Affected, 500,000 Homes Damaged

http://floodlist.com/asia/thailand-south-floods-43-dead-january-2017

The number of victims of the flood disaster in southern Thailand continues to rise as the flood situation continues in 6 provinces. However, the Thai Meteorological Department are warning of more heavy rain for the next 6 days.

Death Toll Rises

Thailand’s Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) reported earlier today that 43 people have now died in the flood disaster that has affected 12 provinces in southern Thailand since 01 January 2017.

The Ministry of Interior says that more than 1.6 million people have so far been affected by the floods and that more than 530,000 homes have been damaged by flood water.

Flooding Remains in 6 Provinces

Of the 12 provinces affected, the flood situation continues in the provinces of Nakhon Si Thammarat, Trang, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Surat Thani and Prachuap Khiri Khan.

In Songkhla, authorities said it would take at least 10 days before the district becomes completely dry.

In Nakhon Si Thammarat, DDPM officials visited Pak Ror Bridge and Pak Rawa Sluice Gate to study the possibility of draining floodwaters into Songkhla Lake and the Gulf of Thailand to speed up flood recovery.

However, the flood situation has eased and continues to improve in Yala, Ranong, Narathiwat, Pattani, Krabi and Chumpon, according to the Ministry of Interior. This has allowed clean up operations to begin in some of the flood-hit areas.

Rain that sparked Wednesday flooding expected to linger into Thursday

Unseasonable flooding wreaks havoc on roads

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-weather/article/The-high-water-sp...

Though the calendar says winter, Wednesday arrived bearing all the traits of a soggy late-spring day in south Texas: warm air, swollen clouds, pounding interludes of rain, and flooded roadways that bedeviled motorists and frightened nearby homeowners who have seen it all too many times before.

Forecasters said showers may continue Thursday, with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. But the area may dry out Friday as skies clear and the sun peeks out. Friday night has a 50 percent chance of rain, dipping to 30 percent on Saturday. Sunday is expected to be dry and partly sunny. Temperatures will continue to be mild.

"Periods of unsettled weather will plague the Houston area through midday Thursday," said Melissa Huffman, a weather service meteorologist.

The serious rain began early Wednesday morning. By daybreak, some parts of central Houston were experiencing street flooding, forcing a delayed start to school. While most local bayous stayed within their banks, some drivers ended up in high water, and several freeways had to be closed briefly because of inundated portions. A few motorists had to be rescued when they became trapped by rising waters, but there were no reports of deaths or injuries.

'Hazard of life' here

By coincidence, the sudden storms forced cancelation of a symposium on flooding and storm surge protection for the Houston Ship Channel scheduled for Wednesday night. Two of the organizers of the event, Houston City Council members David Martin and David Robinson, tried to keep a lighthearted tone to discussions of the postponed gathering, at the same time recognizing just how important dealing with periodic flooding has become in the region.

Coldest temperatures in several years recorded around Alaska

18 January, 2017. A statewide cold snap is underway in Alaska. Numerous locations through the central and western Interior recorded temperatures in range of minus 40 to minus 55. The Fairbanks International Airport recorded a temperature of 50 below zero for the first time since Jan. 29, 2012. Ralph M. Calhoun Memorial Airport in Tanana observed a temperature of minus 56.

Southcentral Alaska also experienced bitter cold, with the lowest temperatures recorded since 2012 for many areas. In Anchorage, Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport dropped to minus 13, the coldest temperature recorded in Anchorage since Jan. 29, 2012 when the thermometer dipped to 14 below zero. Many areas of the bowl were even colder, with temperatures dropping as low as 18 below zero in Eagle River and in East Anchorage.

The normal low temperature for Anchorage in late January is around 11 degrees. Biting cold temps were also recorded in the Matanuska and Susitna Valleys, with the Palmer Municipal Airport dipping to below minus 20 for the first time since 2012. Inland areas of the Kenai Peninsula also dropped to well below zero, and Homer dropped below zero for the first time since December 2013.

Residents can stay bundled up — even colder temperatures are on the way for Thursday morning. Temperatures in Anchorage are forecasted to drop between minus 15 and minus 20. The Matanuska and Susitna Valleys will see lows of 25 to 35 below zero. The Kenai-Soldotna area can expect lows of minus 25 to minus 30.

Most areas will continue to see temperatures below zero through Friday morning, before temperatures begin to rise later in the day. By the end of the weekend, temperatures should rise to near normal — and may go above normal by next week Source: ktva.com

Flood disasters more than double across Europe in 35 years

19 January, 2017. Insurance firm research reveals steep increase in flash floods and says rise is in line with climate change

The number of devastating floods that trigger insurance payouts has more than doubled in Europe since 1980, according to new research by Munich Re, the world’s largest reinsurance company.

The firm’s latest data shows there were 30 flood events requiring insurance payouts in Europe last year – up from just 12 in 1980 – and the trend is set to accelerate as warming temperatures drive up atmospheric moisture levels.

Globally, 2016 saw 384 flood disasters, compared with 58 in 1980, although the greater proportional increase probably reflects poorer flood protections and lower building standards in the developing world

Ernst Rauch, the head of Munich Re’s corporate climate centre, said: “Flood events together with wind storm events are the two perils where we have the biggest increase in frequency worldwide. “In Europe, we’ve seen a steep increase in flood events related to severe convective [thunder] storms. The frequency of flash floods has increased much more than river floods since 1980.” Storm intensity had also surged in Europe and abroad, he added.

In the past month alone, 18 people have been killed by unusually intense rainfalls in Thailand, while British government advisers have warned that floods of the sort that devastated large parts of the UK last winter are becoming the new normal.

Munich Re cautions that the trend is a non-linear one, following a pattern that will be significantly determined by manmade greenhouse gas emissions. “Unfortunately this is in line with climate change,” Rauch said. “It is amazing how closely these developments fit with the outcomes of climate models.”

Eight of the 10 deadliest natural catastrophes in Europe since 1980 have taken place in the past 13 years, Munich Re’s data shows, and one of the other two incidents was not weather-related.

Phenomena such as earthquakes are included in the company’s figures, but more than 90% of the natural catastrophes logged since 1980 have been climate-related.

Worryingly, the rate of extreme weather events appears to be increasing around the world, with 750 natural catastrophes last year, compared with an yearly average of 590 in the past decade. The 30-year mean figure was 470 disasters a year.

Since the 1950s, annual precipitation has increased in northern Europe and declined in the Mediterranean, a trend that UN climate scientists expect to increase.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s fifth assessment report also predicted with “high confidence” that northern Europe would see a rise in extreme rainfall in the decades ahead.

“We have very strong evidence that extreme rainfall events are increasing whichever way around you look at it,” said Peter Stott, the head of the Met Office’s climate monitoring and attribution team. “That’s simply a result of the physics of how the atmosphere works.”

For every degree of global warming, the earth’s atmosphere is able to hold about 6% more moisture, increasing the energy available to be fed into thunderstorms, Stott said.

The circulation of weather systems is also affected, with warmer air that has risen in the tropics descending in more northerly latitudes. For northern Europe, the result is wetter winters. In the south, the Mediterranean faces potentially arid conditions, similar to those in north Africa.

“The increase in record-breaking precipitation can only be explained by increasing temperatures caused by climate change,” said Fred Hattermann, a hydrologist and expert on regional climate impacts at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Peter Höppe, the head of Munich Re’s geo-risks research unit, said there were “many indications” that the incidence of storms and persistent weather systems was increasing because of climate change.

Even so, Hattermann’s research has found that soil moisture in Germany – a climatic border zone – has declined by up to 25 litres per square metre in the past 50 years, because of another result of global warming: drier summers. “In central Europe, the vegetation is changing,” he said. “Plants start to grow and flower earlier in the year. They start to suck up water and to transpire it.” EU scientists believe that at least half a million Europeans will be affected by floods every year by 2050, under a “high-end” 4C scenario for global warming that is eerily close to current trends. By 2080, almost a million Europeans could be affected by floods each year if the projection is realised.

Last year, Munich Re estimates that $175bn was lost as a result of natural disasters, $50bn of which was covered by insurance policies. Source: theguardian.com

Spanish tourist towns record first snowfall in decades

Freak Snowfall Brings Winter to Summer in New Zealand (Jan 22)

    

Guests at Cardrona Alpine Resort near Wanaka awoke to a winter wonderland - in the middle of summer.

Light snow began falling on Saturday afternoon, but increased to heavy falls overnight, leaving a 30-centimetre base, Cardrona marketing coordinator Matt McIvor said. The white stuff was still falling on Sunday morning.

In five years at the resort McIvor said he had never seen these conditions in January.

Freak snowfall in January has brought winter to Cardrona Alpine Resort near Wanaka.

    

"It definitely feels like winter up here. This is a powder day."

Some resort guests from Vietnam and China told McIvor they had never seen snow before.

The resort is open for summer activities, including mountain biking, carting, walking and tubing, but the record snowfall would put a stop to those today, McIvor said.

    

"I think they'll be making snowmen today."

The access road to the resort was restricted to four-wheel drive only, McIvor said.

The unusually heavy snowfall also hit The Remarkables ski area, near Queenstown, manager Ross Lawrence said.

"The quantity is not regular, but we did get heavy snow like this in the summer of 2014/15." 

SA weather: Thousands without power after wild storms cross state

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-01-20/thousands-without-power-after...

Thousands of properties are without power in South Australia, with Adelaide being the hardest hit, after a storm front crossed the state last night.

A line of thunderstorms moved across South Australia, dumping heavy rain including 58 millimetres at Leigh Creek, 49mm at Little Para Reservoir, 45mm at Edinburgh and 38mm at Wudinna.

Strong winds were also recorded, with a wind gust of 111 kilometres per hour at Adelaide Airport, while there were also 72 lightning strikes in two hours.

Some traffic lights in the city were not working this morning.

Police were directing traffic at Glynde Corner as thousands of Tour Down Under Challenge riders tested their cardio skills, ahead of the professional race later today.

Trees have fallen on powerlines, cars and houses across the city. Some businesses have not opened because they are without power.

Last night 58,000 customers were in the dark and at 5:30am today, 33,000 properties were still without power.

SA Power Networks spokesman Paul Roberts said many people would be without power for an extended period.

He said the storm had caused widespread issues and crews were working frantically to restore supplies.

"We had 72,000 lightning strikes between 7:00pm and 9:00pm in South Australia, there's been a significant damage to the electricity network, particularly for metropolitan area customers," Mr Roberts said.

He said Adelaide was hardest hit but power had gone off across the Yorke and Eyre peninsulas and in the Mid North.

The storm has been one of many in recent months that has caused electricity issues.

"We're really getting unprecedented weather, people who have been working for 35 years in SA Power Networks say they've never seen this number of storms, this intensity of storms and this frequency of storms," Mr Roberts said.

"It's been crazy since July and I hope people understand it is weather related."

The State Emergency Service's Mike Baker said crews were kept busy after receiving 300 calls for help.

"Trees or tree branches falling onto roads and cars or you know, leaning against roofs, as well as a bit of water sort of damage," Mr Baker said.

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Julie Guerin said the rain would make its way through the Riverland this morning and move into the eastern states.

"Conditions still fairly awful up the top of the hills," she said, just before 7:00am.

"I came down the freeway from Crafers and it was a bit of a pea soup up here ... visibility is very low, the roads very slippery, a lot of debris on the roads.

"So if you are driving through the hills and coming down from there take it very easy."

There is still a severe thunderstorm warning for parts of the North West Pastoral and North East Pastoral districts.

Sahara desert hit by biggest snowfall in living memory

http://metro.co.uk/2017/01/21/sahara-desert-hit-by-biggest-snowfall...

The Sahara desert has experienced the biggest snowfall in living memory after a freak winter storm.

The red sand dunes of Ain Sefra were blaketed in one metre deep snow yesterday.

And the pictures are breathtaking.

The world’s hottest desert saw its first sprinkling in 37 years just before Christmas.

But the snow has been falling steadily and is now waist deep in some parts.

Despite the blast of frost causing transport to come to a standstill, children have been making the most of it by building snowmen and sledding down the sand dunes.

Photographer Sekkouri Kamel, 38, said: ‘It started snowing at around 1.30am this morning and is now one metre deep in some places. It’s absolutely incredible to have so much snow.’

Apart from the sprinkling before Christmas, snow was last seen in Ain Sefra on February 18, 1979, when the snow storm lasted just half an hour.

The area, known as ‘The Gateway to the Desert’ is around 1000 metres above sea level and surrounded by the Atlas Mountains.

At least 18 people have died over the last 48 hours due to tornadoes, as a violent system of storms continues to work its way across the Florida Panhandle and parts of Georgia and Alabama.

At least 14 people died and around two dozen were injured in Georgia from tornadoes early Sunday morning, following four tornado-related deaths that occurred in Mississippi on Saturday morning.

According to the Georgia Emergency Management Agency, three people died in Dougherty County near Albany, seven in Cook County near Adel, and two people died in both Berrien and Brooks counties.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/dead-georgia-tornado-outbreak-continues/st...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4146972/100-flights-Heathro...

Thousands of passengers are left stranded as hundreds of flights are cancelled at Heathrow and City airports with toxic fog covering the UK and temperatures plummeting to -7C

• Dense freezing fog swept over UK overnight as temperatures fell as low as -7.1C and warnings were issued
• Heathrow, Gatwick and London City all face disruption today with passengers urged to check flight status
• Monday morning rush hour commuters are told to take extra care due to reduced visibility and icy roads
• Very high pollution in South East as Government officials warn elderly to avoid strenuous physical activity
• Heavy fog caused travel chaos for thousands of plane passengers in Britain today as dozens of flights were cancelled and temperatures fell below -7C overnight.

More than 100 flights were called off at London Heathrow Airport this morning, dozens more were cancelled at City and Gatwick also faced disruption as dense freezing fog enveloped southern England.

Monday morning rush hour commuters in London and the South East also faced dangerous conditions caused by icy roads and reduced visibility, after the Met Office warned that areas of dense freezing fog could hit journeys.

The coldest place overnight in the UK was Katesbridge in County Down, Northern Ireland, which dropped to -7.1C, while Benson in Oxfordshire saw -6.9C and Northolt in North West London was not far behind with -6.3C. 

Meanwhile hundreds of thousands of rail passengers suffered fresh travel misery today because of yet another strike on Southern Railway and a broken rail affecting South West Trains at Wimbledon in London.

British Airways planes on the tarmac at London Heathrow Airport this morning as dense fog caused travel disruption

Drivers face difficult conditions on the M20 in Kent, as dense fog caused travel disruption across southern England today

CITY AT THE TOP: DELAYS AND CANCELLATIONS AT THE UK AIRPORTS MOST AFFECTED BY FOG TODAY 

		ARRIVALS				DEPARTURES
	AVERAGE DELAY	% FLIGHTS DELAYED	% FLIGHTS CANCELLED		AVERAGE DELAY	% FLIGHTS DELAYED	% FLIGHTS CANCELLED
London City	137 mins	33%	67%		38 mins	21%	64%
London Gatwick	84 mins	83%	0%		42 mins	84%	2%
London Heathrow	63 mins	60%	6%		47 mins	79%	14%
Manchester	24 mins	64%	0%		39 mins	80%	3%
London Stansted	20 mins	60%	0%		55 mins	80%	0%

The UK minimum of -7.1C was colder than Iceland, Russia, Norway and Finland; with Reykjavik down to just 3.6C overnight, -1.9C observed in Moscow -3.3C in Oslo and -0.9C in Helsinki.

The Met Office has issued a severe weather warning for fog until 10.30am over the south coast from Exeter to Dover, which also covers cities in the South East such as London, Oxford, Canterbury and Winchester.

British airports made up five of the top six most delayed airports in the world this morning. Delhi was sandwiched by Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester and City - with the latter being the most delayed airport on earth.

Flights into City had an average delay of more than two hours, with 43 per cent of services delayed and 57 per cent cancelled. Heathrow was the next worst, with an average inbound lag of an hour and 60 per cent delayed.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon was one of those hit by the disruption. She had been due to attend an engagement in London today but was delayed at Glasgow Airport.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4146024/The-Latest-Floods-s...

Avalanche warnings issued and whole neighborhoods are evacuated in fear of mudslides AND wildfires as storms continue to batter California

• Ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada Mountains were closed on Sunday due to a relentless winter storm 
• There is a 'high risk' of avalanche in the region where 140mph winds and four feet of snow are forecast
• Los Angeles is subject to warnings for high surf, flash flooding and high wind due to the brutal weather
• Communities near burn zones in Santa Barbara were evacuated amid growing fears of wildfires 
• Six inches of rain is predicted in the San Francisco area as downpours continue across the western state 

Warnings for avalanches, mudslides and wildfires were issued across various parts of California on Sunday as winter storms continue to batter the state. 

Ski resorts in the Sierra Nevada Mountains were closed under the 'high danger' of avalanche and gale force winds. 

In San Francisco, rivers burst their banks and flood water poured through streets after more than 24 hours of relentless rain. 

Neighborhoods near Santa Barbara were evacuated amid concern for wildfires.

California suffered another day of brutal storms on Sunday. Above, a resident surveys the damage to her home in Duarte where gale force winds battered the region 

In Duarte, California, a mailbox survived the storm which scattered mud and debris across roads 

Rain, snow and heavy winds have been battering the state for two days and are not expected to let up until Monday 

Winds as fast as 140mph were predicted in the Sierra Nevada mountain range where up to four feet of snow is predicted. 

The National Weather Service issued a storm warning in the region to last until Monday night. 

'Snow will continue to fall over the Sierra as an intense storm moves into the region,' it said. 

'Significant amounts of snow are forecast that will make travel dangerous. Only travel in an emergency. If you must travel, keep an extra flashlight, food and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency.' 

Floodwaters swept through mountain communities in the state. Paradise Park in Santa Cruz (above) was flooded by river water 

Rain was expected to continue battering the state until late on Sunday with weather warnings issued until Monday. Above, the hillside community of Paradise Park in Santa Cruz on Sunday afternoon 

Residents in Felton, California, survey the flood damage after a day of heavy rain and strong winds 

In the San Francisco Bay area, heavy rain produced flood water and sparked fear of mudslides. 

A Flash Flood watch was issued to last until Monday. Thunderstorms which began this morning are expected to gather strength throughout the afternoon, the National Weather Service advised. 

In greater Los Angeles, mountain communities were told to expect up to six inches of rain. 

Los Angeles is subject to four separate weather warnings; high surf, high wind, flash flood and flood. 

Hillside communities near Santa Barbara were evacuated yesterday amid fear of wildfires.  

Officials say potential debris flows could restrict access for emergency responders. 

Widespread flooding, mudslides, evacuations as biggest storm in years batters California

http://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/evacuations-ordered-as-...

The third in a series of powerful winter storms unleashed a deluge in Southern California on Sunday, flooding numerous roads and freeways, setting new rainfall records and stranding some in dangerously rising waters.

Coastal areas of Los Angeles County were among the hardest hit, with Long Beach Airport setting a new all-time rainfall record, 3.87 inches

Across the region, several people were rescued from their cars and thousands lost power.

"Today was very intense," said Albright. It's not a normal event.

Since October 1, downtown L.A. has received more than 13 inches of rain -- 216% of normal rainfall for this period, which the National Weather Service said was 6.26 inches.

Storms generate 34-foot wave, a new record for Central California coast

Source: twitter.com

22 January, 2017. The latest storms to hit California have broken records.

According to the National Weather Service, monster surf on Saturday set a new wave height record for the Monterey Bay: 34.12 feet.

The previous record was 32.8 feet, set in 2008.

High surf was also reported across the Central Coast and north of San Francisco.

The powerful surf smashed the remains of a famed concrete ship, the S.S. Palo Alto, in the Monterey Bay town of Aptos. Source: latimes.com

Drenched: How L.A. went from bone-dry to 216% of normal rainfall in...

Sunday’s huge storm — which dumped nearly 4 inches of rain in some areas — is part of a wetter trend that began in the fall. Since Oct. 1, downtown L.A. has received more than 13 inches of rain -- 216% of normal for this period, which the National Weather Service said was 6.26 inches.

It’s a remarkable turnaround.  Source : LA Timeshttp://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/92403525-132.html

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