Wild Weather, the Wobble Effect

by Sevan Makaracı

Mar 3, 2020

 

 

Weather:

Weather Wobble

Jet Stream tornados

Siberian Freeze Weather Wobble

Wild weather , [2]

Wobble Clouds

Hurricane development

Violent Push

Weather & ocean currents

Europe Weather

Tides and Whirlpools:

Storm Clash whirlpools

Lurch of earth

Tides , [2]

Whirlpools

Wobble Sloshing

 

"We warned at the start of ZetaTalk, in 1995, that unpredictable weather extremes, switching about from drought to deluge, would occur and increase on a lineal basis up until the pole shift. Where this occurred steadily, it has only recently become undeniable. ZetaTalk, and only ZetaTalk, warned of these weather changes, at that early date. Our early warnings spoke to the issue of global heating from the core outward, hardly Global Warming, a surface or atmospheric issue, but caused by consternation in the core. Affected by the approach of Planet X, which was by then starting to zoom rapidly toward the inner solar system for its periodic passage, the core was churning, melting the permafrost and glaciers and riling up volcanoes. When the passage did not occur as expected in 2003 because Planet X had stalled in the inner solar system, we explained the increasing weather irregularities in the context of the global wobble that had ensued - weather wobbles where the Earth is suddenly forced under air masses, churning them. This evolved by 2005 into a looping jet stream, loops breaking away and turning like a tornado to affect the air masses underneath. Meanwhile, on Planet Earth, droughts had become more intractable and deluges positively frightening, temperature swings bringing snow in summer in the tropics and searing heat in Artic regions, with the violence of storms increasing in number and ferocity."

ZETATALK

 

From the ZetaTalk Chat Q&A for February 4, 2012:

 

The wobble seems to have changed, as the temperature in Europe suddenly plunged after being like an early Spring, Alaska has its coldest temps ever while the US and much of Canada is having an extremely mild winter. India went from fatal cold spell to balmy again. Has the Earth changed position vs a vs Planet X to cause this? [and from another] Bitter cold records broken in Alaska - all time coldest record nearly broken, but Murphy's Law intervenes [Jan 30] http://wattsupwiththat.com/2012/01/30/bitter-cold-records-broken-in-alaska Jim River, AK closed in on the all time record coldest temperature of -80°F set in 1971, which is not only the Alaska all-time record, but the record for the entire United States. Unfortunately, it seems the battery died in the weather station just at the critical moment. While the continental USA has a mild winter and has set a number of high temperature records in the last week and pundits ponder whether they will be blaming the dreaded "global warming" for those temperatures, Alaska and Canada have been suffering through some of the coldest temperatures on record during the last week.

There has been no change in the wobble pattern, the wobble has merely become more severe. Nancy noted a Figure 8 format when the Earth wobble first became noticeable, in early 2005, after Planet X moved into the inner solar system at the end of 2003. The Figure 8 shifted along to the east a bit on the globe between 2005 and 2009, (the last time Nancy took its measure) as Planet X came closer to the Earth, encountering the magnetic N Pole with a violent push earlier in the day. But the pattern of the Figure 8 remained essentially the same. So what changed recently that the weather patterns became noticeably different in late January, 2012?

The N Pole is pushed away when it comes over the horizon, when the noon Sun is centered over the Pacific. This regularly puts Alaska under colder air, with less sunlight, and thus the historically low temps there this January, 2012 as the wobble has gotten stronger. But by the time the Sun is positioned over India, the N Pole has swung during the Figure 8 so the globe tilts, and this tilt is visible in the weather maps from Asia. The tilt has forced the globe under the hot air closer to the Equator, warming the land along a discernable tilt demarcation line.

The next loop of the Figure 8 swings the globe so that the N Pole moves in the other direction, putting the globe again at a tilt but this time in the other direction. This tilt is discernable in weather maps of Europe, again along a diagonal line. Depending upon air pressure and temperature differences, the weather on either side of this diagonal line may be suddenly warm or suddenly cold. The tilt and diagonal line lingers to affect much of the US and Canada, but the Figure 8 changes at this point to be an up and down motion, pulling the geographic N Pole south so the US is experiencing a warmer than expected winter under a stronger Sun. Then the cycle repeats, with the magnetic N Pole of Earth pushed violently away again as the Sun is positioned over the Pacific.

 

From the ZetaTalk Chat Q&A for April 6, 2013:

 

Would the Zetas be able to let us know what is causing the early break-up of the Arctic Ice, the ice seems to have taken on a swirling pattern at the same time, would this be wobble related? [and from another] http://www.vancouversun.com/news/national/Canada+Arctic+cracks+spectacular+event/8185609/story.html The ice in Canada’s western Arctic ripped open in a massive “fracturing event” this spring that spread like a wave across 1,000 kilometres of the Beaufort Sea. Huge leads of water – some more than 500 kilometres long and as much as 70 kilometres across – opened up from Alaska to Canada’s Arctic islands as the massive ice sheet cracked as it was pushed around by strong winds and currents. It took just seven days for the fractures to progress across the entire area from west to east. [and from another] http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=80752&src=iotdrss A high-pressure weather system was parked over the region, producing warmer temperatures and winds that flowed in a southwesterly direction. That fueled the Beaufort Gyre, a wind-driven ocean current that flows clockwise. The gyre was the key force pulling pieces of ice west past Point Barrow, the northern nub of Alaska that protrudes into the Beaufort Sea.


The Figure 8 formed by the N Pole during the daily Earth wobble has shifted somewhat to the East, due to Planet X positioned more to the right of the Earth during its approach. This was anticipated, and well described in ZetaTalk, the Earth crowding to the left in the cup to escape the approach of Planet X, so the angle between these two planets would change slightly. This shift of the Figure 8 to the East is due to the push against the Earth’s magnetic N Pole occurring sooner each day than prior. Thus instead of occurring when the Sun is high over the Pacific, over New Zealand, it is now occurring when the Sun is high over Alaska. All the wobble points have shifted eastward accordingly.

This has brought a lingering Winter to the western US, and a changed sloshing pattern to the Arctic waters. Instead of Pacific waters being pushed through the Bering Straits into the Arctic when the polar push occurs, the wobble is swinging the Arctic to the right, and then later to the left, creating a circular motion in the waters trapped in the Arctic. Since the Earth rotates counterclockwise, the motion also takes this path. This is yet another piece of evidence that the establishment is hard pressed to explain. They are attempting to ascribe this to high pressure and wind, all of which are not new to the Arctic, but this circular early breakup of ice in the Arctic is new.

Load Previous Comments

  • Juan F Martinez

    The Great Lakes Have Been Filled to the Brim for Months and It Could Spell Trouble This Winter   By Linda Lam 23 hours ago weather.com

    https://weather.com/safety/winter/news/2019-12-11-near-record-high-...

    At a Glance

    • Water levels on the Great Lakes remain at near-record high values as of early December.
    • Coastal erosion and lakeshore flooding concerns are increased this winter due to the higher water levels.
    • Excessive precipitation caused the Great Lakes to experience record-high water levels this year.

    Near-record high water levels on the Great Lakes could increase the threat of coastal erosion and lakeshore flooding this winter.

    The average water level for the lakes during November was within half a foot of record levels on Lake Superior as well as Lake Michigan and Lake Huron. Lake Erie and Lake Ontario were just over half a foot below their record level for this time of year.

    The water levels for all the lakes are expected to remain above average through at least February even though lake levels generally decreased in November and typically continue to do so into winter.

    Lakes Superior, Michigan and Huron may also remain close to record levels over the next couple of months, according to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. How high the actual water level reaches depends on weather variations.

    There is an increased potential of severe coastal impacts including shoreline erosion, lakeshore flooding and coastal damages over the next few weeks and possibly throughout the winter because of the observed higher water levels, the International Lake Superior Board of Control noted. The risk will be greater during periods of strong winds and high waves.

    Winter is usually an active time of year. Strong low pressure systems move through the Great Lakes region during this time. These powerful storms combined with higher water levels increase the chances for issues along the lakeshores like coastal erosion and flooding.

    (MORE: Where Winter Has Started Strong)

    There doesn't have to be a strong storm moving through the area for there to be problems. Portions of Lake Ontario are under a lakeshore flood warning midweek due to the combination of high water levels and high waves as a cold front pushes through.
    Why Are Water Levels So High?

    The Great Lakes set several monthly records for highest levels during the May through August period and lakes Erie and Ontario set all-time records this summer.

    The reason for the record-high levels this year in the Great Lakes? Excessive precipitation in the region.

    Above-average precipitation has plagued the Midwest for most of this year. The dominant pattern featured a parade of storms that dumped heavy snow and rain in the central U.S. since late last winter.

    Chicago, Green Bay and Muskegon, Michigan, have all experienced their wettest year-to-date on record as of Dec. 8, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center. Most locations in the Midwest have seen a top-10 wettest year-to-date.

    All this precipitation eventually flows into rivers and lakes, including the Great Lakes. As a result, the wetter-than-average trend in the central U.S. this year has kept Great Lakes water levels high.

    Dec 12, 2019

  • KM

    https://www.straitstimes.com/asia/se-asia/more-than-10000-evacuated...

    More than 10,000 evacuated from floods in Malaysia

    A view of the flooding at a village in Skudai, Johor. Torrential rain is forecast today for the state, as well as Terengganu and Pahang. The number of people evacuated in Johor was 9,348 as of yesterday. Personnel from the Johor Fire and Rescue Depar Personnel from the Johor Fire and Rescue Department yesterday helping to move people with disabilities, as well as children, from the Skudai and Tebrau areas to relief centres. Of the nearly 100 centres set up in Malaysia, 85 of them are in Johor.

    Johor bears brunt of downpour, with Kluang, Segamat, Kota Tinggi areas most severely hit

    Trinna Leong Malaysia Correspondent In Kuala Lumpur

    Malaysia's annual monsoon season continues unabated and Johor is facing the brunt of it, with some areas struggling with flood waters up to 2.5m deep.

    As of yesterday afternoon, the number of people evacuated in Johor state had more than doubled to 9,348, from 3,934 on Sunday.

    Over two-thirds of the state's victims are from Kluang, Segamat and Kota Tinggi, the three most severely hit areas.

    Engineer Lor Wei Keong, 43, was stranded atop his four-wheel drive along Jalan Kota Tinggi-Mersing for two hours before he was rescued by an amphibious boat.

    "The water level was only halfway up my vehicle tyres, and I thought I could go," he told the New Straits Times daily. "Unfortunately, the vehicle was trapped in the rising flood water, which was gaining speed as well."

    He escaped to his vehicle's rooftop, where he was spotted by road users who called for help.

    Nationwide, more than 10,000 flood victims had been evacuated as of noon yesterday, said the National Disaster Management Agency. They were taken to nearly 100 relief centres, of which 85 are in Johor.

    The Malaysian Meteorological Department has issued warnings to ships as strong winds and waves from the South China Sea pummelled the coasts of Johor, Pahang, Kelantan and Terengganu.

    The department forecasts torrential rain in Johor, Terengganu and Pahang until today, while heavy downpour is expected to drench Sabah until tomorrow

    As of yesterday afternoon, flood victims in Johor, Pahang and Sarawak have yet to return home, while the last of the evacuees in Melaka went home yesterday morning. In Kuala Lumpur, roads were flooded and drains overflowed as it rained non-stop on Sunday.

    Knee-high flood waters in the basement carpark of Ikea Cheras shopping mall left some customers stranded for several hours. Mobile phone reception was erratic in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

    In Sabah, unrelenting rain cut off road access to a village in Papar, forcing a woman to give birth at home and then to walk 5km to seek treatment at a health clinic. Local media reported that landslides prevented family members from heading out to get help for the unnamed woman.

    The monsoon has so far claimed two lives: a seven-year-old boy who fell into a canal and a 49-year-old Thai labourer who fell into a flooded padi field.

    Both happened in Kelantan earlier this month, when the number of people evacuated across Malaysia swelled to more than 15,000
    FLOODS WORSEN IN MALAYSIA

    Mr Azhar Osman, 57, and his wife Zanariah Abdullah, 55, surveying the flooded compound of their house following four days of non-stop rainfall at Kampung Gudang Rasau in Pahang yesterday. More than 10,000 flood victims had been evacuated across Malaysia as of noon yesterday. Johor has borne the brunt of the floods.

    Dec 17, 2019

  • KM

    https://strangesounds.org/2019/12/iceland-farmers-dig-out-horses-bu...

    Snow Is so Deep in Iceland Right Now That Farmers Have to Dig Out Horses Buried Under it (Video)

    On Friday, December 13, Magnús Ásgeir Elíasson, a farmer from Hvammstangi, had a sudden feeling that he should check on his horses.

    When he arrived to his pasture, most of his horses were stuck in the snow and one had completely disappeared, fully buried.

    Icelandic farmer digs out horses buried under deep snow, Icelandic farmer digs out horses buried under deep snow video, Icelandic farmer digs out horses buried under deep snow pictures, Icelandic farmer digs out horses buried under deep snow december 2019 cyclone
    Icelandic farmer digs out horses buried under deep snow. 

    Sometimes, Friday the 13 isn’t so unlucky after all. We didn’t get hit by this large asteroid and this famer was able to dig out his horses stuck and even buried under deep snow after a powerful blizzard swept Iceland with 149 mph winds and dropped more than 10 feet of snow.

    Yes, in this case, Magnús Ásgeir Elíasson had a strong and lucky intuition that saved one of his horses.

    Apparently, just after breakfast, a little voice in his head said: ‘Go check your horses.‘ He then looked outside throught the window and saw his heard literally freezing in the snow.

    He ran to his field and found most of his animals stuck in the snow. It was just in time, as the poor animals had battled the snow cyclone during the entire night, without food, water and a barn to protect themselves.

    horse stuck in snow in iceland
    horse stuck in snow in Iceland. 

    Without losing a second, he started digging freeing his horses one by one.

    This is the terrifying moment he realized that one of the animals was missing. Freyja was indeed completely immersed in deep snow!

    Here a video showing some horses that were able to be freed for the snow:

    His neighbors quickly arrived and offered help to dig out the last horse buried in the snow. They put the mare in the shovel of the tractor and took her inside the barn with all her friends.

    The unprecedented snow storm also buried sheep under feet of snow.

    Dec 17, 2019

  • Juan F Martinez

    Storm Elsa crashes on the Iberian peninsula: severe floods, victims and displaced persons 
    December 20, 2019   The vast low-pressure area present in Western Europe has brought a violent wave of bad weather in the last hours on the Iberian peninsula, where there are huge damages, victims and displaced persons.
    A heavy flood struck the area of ​​Reinosa, in the Spanish region of Cantabria, overnight. The floods, caused by the Híjar river, swept the city dragging several cars away; several people have been evacuated. The hall of 112 received up to 7.00 today a total of 300 calls that involved the management of 108 incidents.
    Bad weather hit flooding, landslides and landslides especially in the northern and central areas of Spain yesterday, while in these late hours and heavy rains are affecting the southern area. Serious floods have always occurred yesterday in the north-western region of La Castilla and Leon. A dramatic flood hit the town of Huelva, in Andalusia, where the water reached one and a half meters high.
    Damages and critical issues also due to the strong wind, which reached peaks of 150/160 km / h in the north-western area of ​​Spain, especially in Galicia.
    The storm that struck Spain, called Elba, also caused two victims. A man in the Asturian municipality of Aller, overwhelmed by a landslide; another in Santiago de Compostela was killed following the fall of a wall.
    https://www.inmeteo.net/2019/12/20/tempesta-elsa-si-abbatte-su-peni...

    Dec 20, 2019

  • Starr DiGiacomo

    https://7news.com.au/news/sa/heatwave-melts-roads-in-rural-sa-as-re...

    Heatwave melts roads in rural SA as records tumble across the country

    Thursday, 19 December 2019 8:22 pm

    As Australia is scorched by a record-breaking heatwave, rural parts of the country have experienced temperatures so severe that roads are melting.

    Some South Australian towns tipped 50C on Thursday, with the mercury hitting 49.9C at Nullarbor - the state's hottest-ever December day.

    Ceduna, on the state's Eyre Peninsula, recorded its hottest day in more than 80 years, at 48.8.

    At Port Augusta, it was so hot the bitumen on some roads started to melt before residents' eyes, causing a driving hazard.

    The Spencer Gulf city hit 48.5, smashing its previous December record.

    Adelaide soared to 45.38 - its hottest December day since records began in 1997.

    But that record could fall as soon as Friday, when the temperature is expected to reach 46.

    The heat has forced the cancellation of events across the state, including Friday's Twilight Race at Morphettville and the Renmark Christmas Pageant.

    Adelaide Metro was also forced to cancel afternoon tram services because of the conditions on Thursday.

    'Unprecedented' heat

    Australia is set to finish the week before Christmas facing temperatures well into the 40s across most of the nation on Friday.

    Wednesday's average of 41.9 across the country was one degree hotter than the previous record set on Tuesday.

    This average maximum temperature record could be broken again as the heatwave will only continue to intensify, leaving southern and central Australia with temperatures up to 16C above average by Friday.

    Three capital cities are all forecast to hit 40C on Thursday, following the hottest day the nation has ever seen on record.
    Three capital cities are all forecast to hit 40C on Thursday, following the hottest day the nation has ever seen on record. Credit: AAP

    Parts of Tasmania are also set to reach temperatures about 16C above the state average on Friday as the extreme heat gripping mainland Australia spreads south.

    Melbourne is forecast to hit 44 on Friday

    The 39.3 that sweltered through Canberra on Thursday, to set the capital's hottest December day, might come a close second if the capital reaches the 41 forecast on Friday.

    Adelaide could also be set for its hottest December day on Friday, with an upgraded forecast of 46.

    Dec 21, 2019

  • KM

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7822851/Streets-sunshine-s...

    Severe flooding forces Fort Lauderdale Airport to CLOSE as overnight storms batter Florida bringing travel misery for Christmas travelers heading home

    • Overnight storms caused flooded roads and a closed airport in Florida on Monday as travelers made their way home for the holiday season 
    • Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport closed operations before 4am and currently has 382 flight delays
    • Large queues of travelers could be seen waiting due to 'severe rain and flash flooding' in the surrounding area
    • Heavy rainfall may threaten millions this holiday season as flood warnings have been issued along both coasts
    • Snow is likely for the highest elevations of northern Arizona, Utah and Colorado from Tuesday to Thursday 

    By LEAH MCDONALD FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

    PUBLISHED: 16:54 EST, 23 December 2019 | UPDATED: 17:12 EST, 23 December 2019

    Overnight storms caused flooded roads and closed an airport in Florida on Monday as travelers battled to make their way home for the holiday season.  

    Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport shut down its operations before 4am as heavy flooding grounded flights and made roads around the building impassable.  

    Arlene Statchell a spokesman with Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport told WSVN: 'The airport was closed for a couple of hours due to the overnight rain that caused flooding, not only on the airport roadways, but on sections of the air fields.

    Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport shut its operations before 4 am as heavy flooding grounded flights and made roads around the building impassable

    Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport shut its operations before 4 am as heavy flooding grounded flights and made roads around the building impassable

    'We are advising travelers to check with their airlines to make sure they have the latest flight information before heading out and, obviously, if you’re picking up or dropping off people, to just prepare and give yourself enough time to get here.'

    On Monday afternoon, the airport had recorded 383 flight delays and eight cancellations. Long lines of travelers could be seen waiting as people struggled to get to the airport due to the inclement weather. 'I just got an email saying that it’s delayed until 6.45,' said one traveler.

    'We left early enough in the day that I didn’t expect it at all,' another traveler told 7News. 

    Jonathan Libertoff, who was travelling to New York from the airport, told the outlet: 'The shuttle buses for the rental cars were also stuck in the floods so you can’t even get to the terminals.

    'You gotta walk about half a mile to get to the terminals, but at least it’s not cold out like in New York.'

    The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the Hollywood area at around 2am. It had also issued flash flood warnings for parts of southeast Georgia and southeast South Carolina.  

    In its latest watch alert, the National Weather Service wrote that a 'strong storm system' is expected to produce another three to six inches of rain on Christmas Eve. 

    The lower South Carolina coast carries the highest risk for flash flooding, which can occur quickly in low-lying and poor drainage areas. The risk is further elevated due to high tides on Monday.

    Dec 24, 2019

  • Gerard Zwaan

    Earth's weather is an incongruity this Christmas: Record warmth for Moscow and the UK: Delhi second-coldest Dec in 100 years: Antarctic ice-melt at an all-time high

    EarthwindMap

    Delhi faces second-coldest December for over a CENTURY: India gripped by ‘bone-chilling’ weather 

    A wave of unusually cold weather is sweeping across large swathes of India, from remote Kashmir to Delhi, forcing people to seek shelter and light bonfires on the streets. Delhi has been hit with what local media described as ‘bone-chilling days’ this week. In the early hours of Friday, the temperature dropped to almost four degrees Celsius (39.2 degrees Fahrenheit). This December is now on course to become the second coldest in terms of daytime temperatures the capital has seen since 1901, with December 1997 holding the top spot. RT
     
    Cold waves killed more Indians than heatwaves since 1980.

    While North India is under the grip of severe 'cold days' and 'cold waves' in 2019, a look at the data provided by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) shows a worrying trend. In 23 of the last 38 years (1980-2018), the human death toll in India due to cold waves was higher than that due to heatwaves. In 1992, 41 times more lives were lost due to cold waves. Between 2010 and 2018. the trend was somewhat different. In this period, around 4,506 people died due to cold waves while 5,572 died due to heatwaves. The notable exception was 2011. That year, human deaths due to cold waves were nearly 60 times more than those due to heatwaves. However, in 2018, the trend reversed again. About 136 people died due to cold waves in comparison to 16 deaths due to heatwaves. The other shocking statistic that emerged between 2010 and 2018 was a whopping 506 per cent increase in the number of cold waves in India, despite increasing temperatures worldwide due to global warming. DTE

    The UK is set for its warmest New Year’s Eve in 178 years as a vast tropical plume is expected to bring temperatures to balmy heights. 

    The Met Office has forecast that temperatures could reach highs of around 16 deg C, (61 deg F) up to and including New Year’s Eve on Tuesday, a steady increase from the 7 to 9C average at this time of year in England and Wales. In fact, it will be the UK’s warmest December 31 since the temperatures were recorded in 1841 where the record was set at 15.6 deg C, (60 deg F) in Great Yarmouth way back in 1910. Europe Weekly News

    More misery for the Aussies

    Penrith in western Sydney will rise to 41 deg C, (106 deg F) today as fresh heatwave kicks in, while regional centres in the Hunter, central west, central and southern tablelands will feel the heat with temperatures well above 35C, (95 deg F). Temperatures are expected to peak on Tuesday, with New Year's Eve forecasts of more than 40C across western Sydney and in regional NSW. "Tomorrow we are expecting peak temperatures to be at South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania," BOM Meteorologist Sarah Scully told Today. "We are expecting temperatures in Tasmania to be about 40C – even hotter for Melbourne at 43C," (110 deg F). 9News

    Record Christmas warmth for Moscow

    Russians bracing for the typical winter chill have been left baffled by unusually warm weather which scuppered the country's hopes of a white Christmas. At this time of year, Moscow is usually blanketed in snow, but it is not expected until the turn of the year after temperatures on Tuesday climbed to 43.2F, the hottest Christmas Eve on record. Daily Mail

    After record warm 2019, Alaska records the coldest day since 2012 with a temperature of -65 °F (= -53.8 °C) 

    A *frigid* cold is verifying across parts of Alaska now. This morning, a low temperature of -65 °F (= -53.8 °C) has been observed 15 miles northeast of the town Manley Hot Springs! This is the coldest official temperature recorded in Alaska since January 2012 when -66 °F (-54.5 °C) has been recorded in Ft. Yukon! The town of Manley Hot Springs is located around 85 miles west of Fairbanks and around 260 miles north of the capital Anchorage. The location of this extremely low temperatures is in the lowest part of the valley where the cold pool is usually the strongest. Severe Weather Europe

    Antarctic Ice Melt May Have Hit an All-Time High on Christmas Eve 

    There are signs Antarctica just experienced its highest melt extent ever recorded in the satellite era. The big meltdown hit on Christmas Eve and is bad news for a continent already dealing with a lot. With summer is just getting started there, this is a serious case of Summertime Sadness. Gizmodo


    A "Pacific Blob," has mysteriously appeared off the East Coast of New Zealand a reflection of another more famous, "Pacific Blob," off the Alaskan coast which has destroyed the ecosystem

    A new "Pacific Blob," has mysteriously appeared off the East Coast of New Zealand and is a reflection of another more famous, "Pacific Blob," which lies off the coast of Alaska and is thought to be the reason of lack of fish resulting in the deaths of millions of seabirds from starvation in the vast area since 2015. The Big Wobble


    The new mysterious "Southern Blob," is an enormous area, according to NZHerald. In fact, the blob is a very big patch of water measuring tens of thousands of square kilometres where the water is 4C above the average temperature of 10C to 15C on a similar latitude to Wellington in the Pacific Ocean. The central hot spot is about the size of the North Island(114,000sq km) or the South Island(150,000sq km). The wider area is larger than both islands combined. 

    Source: https://www.thebigwobble.org/2019/12/earths-weather-is-an-incongrui...

    Dec 29, 2019

  • KM

    https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/weather-offices-red-warning-over-se...

    Weather Office's "Red" Warning Over Severe Cold Wave In Delhi

    Delhi temperature today: The IMD this morning said the temperature has risen by 2-3 degree Celsius at many places in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi

    Delhi's low tempartures

    Delhi Temperature: A cold wave has gripped Delhi and other northern states. 

    New Delhi: 

    A severe cold wave in the national capital has prompted a "red" warning from the weather office after the temperature this morning was recorded at 2.8 degree Celsius at the Lodhi Road observatory. The Safdarjung observatory recorded a low of 2.4 degree Celsius on Saturday - lowest in decades. A "red" warning from the India Meteorological Department (IMD) means "extreme weather conditions".

    Flight and train services have been affected as Delhi temperature plummeted. "My train is four hours late. It was supposed to arrive at 4:25 pm but it will come at 8:30 pm. Our checkout time from the hotel was 12 pm. We have to wait for so long," Adrija Mandal, 19, a passenger going to West Bengal, told NDTV.

    "There was heavy fog on the road that connects Delhi and Noida. We had to drive carefully," said Shivani Shukla, who works with a private firm.

    The IMD this morning said the temperature has risen by 2-3 degree Celsius at many places in Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi. It has, however, dipped by 1-2 degree Celsius at a few places in western Rajasthan and western Madhya Pradesh.

    In the north-east, parts of Nagaland saw unprecedented snowfall this week. The state has been experiencing unusual cold conditions over the past three days.

    The air quality in Delhi also fell to the "severe" category with the air quality index dangerously high at 465. Officials said low temperature along with high humidity and low wind speed led pollutants to accumulate.

    The average maximum temperature this month is likely to be 19.15 degree Celsius. If it happens, then it will be the coldest December since 1997 when it was 17.3 degree Celsius, and the second-coldest December since 1901.

    Only on four occasions between 1901 and 2018, the average maximum temperature for December has been either equal to or less than 20 degree Celsius in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997.

    A respite from the cold and air pollution may come between December 31 and January 2 when light rain is expected. Hailstorm is also expected on January 1 and 2.

    Dec 30, 2019

  • KM

    Source

    Highway from hell: Thousands are ordered to flee unprecedented 250km stretch of east coast before bushfires return on Saturday - but roads are gridlocked and petrol stations are nearly out of fuel

    • Catastrophic fire conditions are set to ravage Victoria and southern New South Wales with 46C on Saturday
    • A 250km evacuation zone has been set up from Bateman's Bay to the Victorian border as thousands flee
    • HMAS Choules has arrived to provide relief to more than 4,000 still stranded in the town of Mallacoota
    • An operation to evacuate them to a port near Melbourne will take place from Friday morning at 7am 
    • 17 people are missing feared dead and one is confirmed dead after fires in Gippsland on Wednesday

    One of the biggest peacetime evacuations in Australian history is under way as devastating bushfires threaten a 250km stretch of the south-east coastline. 

    Catastrophic conditions which fanned blazes on the New South Wales south coast and in eastern Victoria on Wednesday will return on Saturday as the mercury hits 46C. 

    The NSW Rural Fire Service has told people to flee the area from Bateman's Bay down to the state border - as a navy landing ship prepares to evacuate people trapped in Mallacoota in eastern Victoria as roads are closed off.

    'If you are planning on visiting the South Coast this weekend, it is not safe. Do not be in the area on Saturday,' the service said.

    NSW Transport Minister Andrew Constance called it the 'largest evacuation of people out of the region ever' as a queue of cars clogged the highway toward Sydney while thousands fled.

    Locals and holidaymakers who decided to stay queued for hours for supplies as panic-buying emptied shelves at supermarkets which were powered by generators as electricity was turned off.  

    At 10am on Thursday the HMAS Choules and the MV Sycamore, a defence contracted training vessel, arrived off the coast of Mallacoota where 4,000 people are stranded - as troops in helicopters delivered food, water and medicine to isolated towns.

    The ships will tomorrow morning carry hundreds from the town to either Western Port or Port Welshpool, depending on which has more favourable conditions.

    Those who choose to leave after three meetings with police and defence officials this afternoon and evening will be loaded at 7am via smaller boats.

    Tourists and residents have been told to evacuate a 250km stretch of the New South Wales south coast as devastating bushfires threaten the area

    Tourists and residents have been told to evacuate a 250km stretch of the New South Wales south coast as devastating bushfires threaten the area

    RFS Deputy Commissioner Rob Rogers told the ABC officials are desperate to get tourists out before Saturday as strong winds, scorching temperatures and low humidity was forecast.

    'We have so many fires still burning down there … and quite close to communities as well,' he said.

    'We won't get containment on those fires before Saturday.'

    HMAS Choules is a Bay-class landing ship that served with the British Royal Navy from 2006 to 2011.

    The vessel was built by Swan Hunter in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear. 

    She was named after Largs Bay in Ayrshire, Scotland.

    During her career with the RFA, Largs Bay served as the British ship assigned to patrol the Falkland Islands in 2008, and delivered relief supplies following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.

    When she was bought by Australia in 2011, she was re-named HMAS Choules.Major highways leading out of the leave zone, including the Princes Highway between Milton and Nowra, were reopened on Thursday. Falls Creek at Jervis Bay Road and Corks Lane at Milton has also reopened but with reduced speed.

    However, many people have struggled to flee as many petrol stations have either run out of fuel or are without power. Queues of cars have been seen at the remaining petrol stations around Batemans Bay that still have stock.

    Tankers of 60,000 litres of fuel were brought in overnight to help with the disaster.  

    Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said in press conference on Thursday afternoon that 17 people are missing feared dead and one is confirmed dead after fires in Gippsland on Wednesday.

    Talking about the evacuation effort, he said the HMAS Choules was able to carry roughly 700 passengers at a time. 

    'We think around 3,000 tourists and 1,000 locals are there. Not all of those will want to leave, not all can get on the vessel at one time,' he said.

    'Then there's a whole lot of planning going on about where that vessel will go, it will be a long trip, potentially a 10 or 12 hour trip to take them to another port and then to provide them with all the support they will need.'  

    Meanwhile, Kosciuszko National Park is being evacuated ahead of Saturday. 'This is an essential measure to protect life,' National Parks and Wildlife has warned.  

    Hundreds of fires are burning out of control across the country in a horrific season which has killed 18 people, razed 1,298 homes and destroyed millions of hectares of land. 

    Jan 2, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    Norway and Scandinavia recorded warmest January day on record with an astonishing 19 deg C, (66 deg F) Earlier this week UK recorded its hottest December day ever 18.7 deg C, (66 deg F)

    Winterwonderland...Oslo, Norway in the winter should look like this, credit Christiaan Breur. The Big Wobble

    While Norwegians are usually skiing this time of the year with temperatures under zero parts of the west coast yesterday enjoyed an early feel of summer weather thanks to a remarkable rare early January heatwave. Warm records tumbled yesterday as Norway and Scandinavia recorded its warmest January day on record when the mercury hit an astonishing 19 deg C, (66 deg F), an incredible 25 deg C, above the monthly average.

    The highest temperature of 19C (66F) - more than 25C above the monthly average - was measured in the village of Sunndalsora. This makes it Norway's warmest January day since records began. While many were enjoying the warm weather, there are concerns that it is another example of climate change. "It's a new record for warm weather here... People [have been] out in the streets in their T-shirts today," Yvonne Wold, mayor of the municipality of Rauma, who had taken a dip in the sea earlier in the day, told the BBC. "A lot of people are usually skiing at this time. Not exactly much of that today," she added. BBC forecaster Peter McAward said the previous January high in Sunndalsora was 17.4C. It also breaks the record for any winter month (December to February) in Scandinavia, he adds. The area also held the December (18.3C) and February (18.9C) Norway maximum records.

    Earlier this week new maximum temperature for December in the UK recorded a temperature of 18.7 deg C, (66 deg F) was reached at Achfary, in the Highlands of Scotland the hottest day of December ever recorded in the UK. The old record stands at 18.3 deg C, in Achnashellach in the Highlands on 2 December 1948.

    Meanwhile, Christmas was so mild in Moscow authorities dumped thousands of tons of artificial snow onto the streets of the capitol after the Russian capital city enjoyed its mildest Christmas since 1888.

    Source: http://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/01/norway-and-scandinavia-recorded...

    Jan 3, 2020

  • KM

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7889271/UK-weather-Landsli...

    Wrecking ball weather: Brutal 80mph winds leave trail of destruction across UK with school and tower block roofs torn off, 10-storey scaffolding brought down and rail chaos - after bedlam of Storm Brendan

    • Trees cause issues between Chessington and Motspur Park in London and Marks Tey and Sudbury in Suffolk 
    • Flooding between Romsey and Southampton and Swindon and Bristol Parkway is also bringing problems 
    • Environment Agency imposed 176 flood alerts and 37 warnings after more than an inch of rain fell overnight 
    • Further thundery rain in North and West today with more snow on the way in Scotland and Northern Ireland
    • ** Have you taken photographs of storm damage today? Please email them to: pictures@mailonline.co.uk ** 

    Stormy weather conditions caused chaos across Britain today after 80mph wind gusts and more than an inch of rain left cars smashed, roofs torn off, scaffolding blown over and homes without power.

    A tree blocked the line between Chessington and Motspur Park in South London, the line between Marks Tey and Sudbury in Suffolk was shut after a train hit a tree and there was flooding between Romsey and Southampton.

    Heavy rain flooded the railway between Swindon and Bristol Parkway causing 45-minute delays on services, and a landslip between Horsham and Dorking resulted in diversions and disruption on South Western Railway.

    The Environment Agency imposed 176 flood alerts and 37 warnings across England after more than an inch of rain fell overnight – with 1.2in (30mm) recorded in Hampshire; about a third of its 3.2in (81mm) monthly average. 

    Clear-up work in Slough, Berkshire, today after a roof was blown off a building onto the road yesterday evening in high winds

    Clear-up work in Slough, Berkshire, today after a roof was blown off a building onto the road yesterday evening in high winds

    Clear-up work continues in Slough today after a roof was blown off a building onto the road yesterday evening in strong winds

    Clear-up work continues in Slough today after a roof was blown off a building onto the road yesterday evening in strong winds

    Meanwhile a school in the Rhondda Valley in South Wales was forced to close today after a section of its roof was blown off. Part of the hall roof Maerdy Community Primary School came off and there was also flying debris. 

    Where are the train delays in Britain today? 

    • All lines blocked between Chessington South and Motspur Park in South London due to a fallen tree
    • Trains between Romsey and Southampton Central disrupted after heavy rain flooded the railway
    • Damage to the train which runs between Marks Tey and Sudbury in Suffolk caused by trees on the line
    • Landslip between Horsham and Dorking means trains may be delayed by up to 20 minutes or diverted
    • Heavy rain on the line between Swindon and Bristol Parkway, causing diversions and 45 minute delays In Slough, Berkshire, a huge section of roof was torn off a building and sent crashing into a busy high street. Onlookers sifted through the rubble after the incident but police do not believe anyone was seriously hurt.

    It is believed the roof, which appeared to have landed on a van, was ripped off a block of flats housing around 200 residents. Council officers attended the scene, where 50mph winds were recorded, and helped emergency services workers clear the street.

    But the stormy weather is now due to ease temporarily - before another spell of wind and rain hits the UK.

    The 48-hour period of wild weather began with Storm Brendan hammering Ireland on Monday, causing thousands of homes to lose power, before bringing winds in excess of 120mph to parts of Scotland.

    Airlines were forced to divert flights scheduled to land at Gatwick Airport on Monday evening while ferries and railways faced disruption. A second low-pressure front brought further strong gales to the UK yesterday. 

    Jan 15, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    UN warns hunger crisis in southern Africa 'on scale we've not seen before'

    A record 45 million people across southern Africa are in need of in urgent need of food aid, the UN has said. The situation is expected to get even worse as the annual cyclone season begins.

    A cattle farmer tries to help a cow stand after it lost all its energy due to a drought in the Chisumbanje area, Zimbabwe (picture-alliance/dpa/A. Ufumeli)

    An unprecedented number of people in 16 countries across southern Africa are gravely food insecure as climate change wreaks havoc on the region, the UN's World Food Program (WFP) warned on Thursday.

    "This hunger crisis is on a scale we've not seen before and the evidence shows it's going to get worse," the WFP's Regional Director for Southern Africa, Lola Castro, said in a statement.

    The crisis is impacting 45 million people — many of whom are women and children. The region has been hit hard by repeated droughts, widespread flooding and economic hardship.

    Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe are among the hardest-hit.

    Many families across the region are already skipping meals, taking children out of school and falling into debt to stave off agricultural losses, the WFP said.

    https://www.dw.com/en/un-warns-hunger-crisis-in-southern-africa-on-...

    Jan 16, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    Trump rips New York City sea wall: 'Costly, foolish' and 'environmentally unfriendly idea'

    https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/478949-trump-rips-nyc-s...

    President Trump on Saturday ripped the "sea wall" that was proposed by the Army Corps of Engineers to protect New York City from damaging natural disasters such as Hurricane Sandy, calling the plan costly, foolish [and] environmentally unfriendly."

    "A massive 200 Billion Dollar Sea Wall, built around New York to protect it from rare storms, is a costly, foolish & environmentally unfriendly idea that, when needed, probably won’t work anyway," the president tweeted.

    "It will also look terrible. Sorry, you’ll just have to get your mops & buckets ready!" he added.

    Jan 19, 2020

  • KM

    Source

    Terrifying moment 'Bomb Cyclone' blizzard BURIES Newfoundland in 30 inches of snow as the province asks Canadian military for help digging out the island

    • The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador was hit by a massive Bomb Cyclone blizzard this weekend
    • St. John's was buried under 30 inches of snow, the most ever recorded by the capitol city
    • Social media posts of the Canadian province reveal time lapse footage of streets and literally fading into white 
    • Rob Carroll, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said St. John's had experienced a one-day snowfall Saturday of 76.2 centimeters, or 30 inches 
    • Newfoundland Premier Dwight Ball asked for the Canadian military's help as residents of the province's capital struggled to tunnel out from buried homes 
    • The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Bay Roberts also said search teams were looking for Joshua Wall, 26, who remained missing after leaving his home
    • Wall lives in Roaches Line, a small community about 70 kilometers, or 44 miles, west of the capital, and was going to a friend's house

    The Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador was hit by a massive Bomb Cyclone blizzard this weekend, leaving its capitol city buried under the heaviest snowfall ever recorded in its history. 

    Rob Carroll, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said St. John's had experienced a one-day snowfall Saturday of 76.2 centimeters, or 30 inches, breaking the previous record of 68.4 centimeters, 27 inches, on April 5, 1999. 

    A storm system that had slammed the northeastern US earlier in the week with strong winds, snowfall and lake-effect squalls exploded into a 'bomb cyclone' on Friday after tracking into the Atlantic Ocean, AccuWeather reports. The storm then set its sights on portions of Atlantic Canada.

    Newfoundland's premier asked for the Canadian military's help as residents of the province's capital struggled to tunnel out from buried homes. Social media posts coming from St. John's reveal time lapse footage of cars and streets literally fading into white. 

    Scroll down for video 

    Bassem Elshahat posted a picture of his porch in St. John's at the start of the a 24-hour cycle

    Bassem Elshahat posted a picture of his porch in St. John's at the start of the a 24-hour cycle

    An update of the images shows Elshahat's porch starting to disappear, as well as the street beyond

    An update of the images shows Elshahat's porch starting to disappear, as well as the street beyond

    Another update shows the street level starting to level out with the porch. No more steps are visible in the footage

    Another update shows the street level starting to level out with the porch. No more steps are visible in the footage

    The street level in another update is higher than the porch, and cars are buried

    The street level in another update is higher than the porch, and cars are buried

    A later view from the porch reveals a surreal image of snow and nothing else but the faint glow of a street light in the distance

    A later view from the porch reveals a surreal image of snow and nothing else but the faint glow of a street light in the distance

    Another update shows the snow now overtaking Elshahat's home in St. John's

    A bomb cyclone forms when air pressure drops 24 millibars or more in a 24-hour period. Premier Dwight Ball said he had asked for the federal government's assistance, including mobilizing the armed forces, after the blizzard battered eastern Newfoundland.

    Meanwhile, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Bay Roberts said search teams were looking for 26-year-old Joshua Wall, who remained missing after leaving his home in Roaches Line, a small community about 70 kilometers, or 44 miles, west of the capital, to walk to a friend's home.

    The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Bay Roberts said search teams were looking for 26-year-old Joshua Wall, who remained missing after leaving his home in Roaches Line, a small community about 70 kilometers, or 44 miles, west of the capital, to walk to a friend's home

    St. John's Mayor Danny Breen said he has lived in the city most of his life and has never seen a storm of this magnitude.

    'I've never seen the combination of the amount of snow, the rate of snowfall and the wind speed that we've had here over the past couple of days,' Breen said.

    Winds at the St. John's International Airport were recorded at between 120 and 157 kph, or 75 and 98 mph, at the height of the storm.

    Early Saturday morning when the snowplow came to clear his street, Breen said, he could hear the vehicle but he couldn't see it because there was so much snow.

    He said he is about 178 centimeters tall, or 5-foot-8, and 'the snow in front of my front step is over my head. I can't see either one of my cars in the driveway.' 

    Intense snowfall brought St. John's and many other communities to a standstill Friday, then slowed overnight and ended in the capital Saturday morning. 

    https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7906205/Moment-blizzard-BU...

    Jan 20, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    Valencia records a record wave of 8.44 meters,  Monday, January 20, 2020

    + TURIA | Exceeds 2 meters to the one registered during the January 2017 storm

    The winter storm that affects the Valencian Community has caused, among other effects, high-altitude waves along the coast, which have reached, in the case of the Valencia buoy, 8.44 meters, according to the State Meteorology Agency in this autonomy (Aemet).

    This significant wave height "exceeds the historical maximum" recorded in the València de Puertos del Estado buoy, which dated from January 2017, underlines the same source.

    It should be remembered that, due to the state of the sea, the port authority of Valencia has decided to close the port from 06.12 hours Also the port of Gandia is still closed, according to the 112 Emergency Service.

    http://www.masturia.com/2020/01/valencia-registra-una-ola-record-de...

    Jan 20, 2020

  • KM

    http://floodlist.com/europe/spain-storm-gloria-floods-january-2020

    Spain – Storm Surge From Storm Gloria Reaches 3km Inland 

    A severe storm brought powerful winds, cold temperatures, snow and coastal flooding to wide areas of Spain from 20 January. Media blamed at least 4 deaths on the storm. Satellite images show storm surge swept 3km inland in Tarragona Province, resulting in severe damage to rice paddies and the ecosystem.


    Storm surge flooded 3 km inland along Spain’s eastern coast 20 to 22 January 2020. Image: Copernicus EMS

    The storm, named “Gloria” by the State Meteorological Agency of Spain, AEMET, produced waves of over 8 metres along the coastline of south-eastern Spain on 20 January.

    AEMET reported wind gusts of 115 km/h in Oliva, Valencia, on 20 January and 106 km/h in Barcelona the next day.

    Heavy rain was also reported, with Barx in Valencia recording 190.4mm of rain in 24 hours to 20 January. The following day Horta de Sant Joan in Tarragona Province, Catalonia, recorded 227.4mm.

    Media reported damaging coastal floods in Valencia, Alicante, Tarragona and Barcelona Provinces.

    Images from Copernicus Emergency Management Service show storm surge on the east coast of Spain swept 3km inland, devastating rice paddies in the Ebro river delta south of Barcelona. The mayor of Deltebre, Lluís Soler, estimated around 30 sq km of rice fields have been flooded by seawater and said “the delta is in emergency!”

    In Valencia Region, schools were suspended and several roads cut off. The storm also forced the closure of Alicante airport, leading to the cancellation of nearly 200 flights. Unusually cold temperatures were also reported in the south-east, and at least 2 people died as a result of hypothermia.

    Strong winds and heavy snowfall affected central and northern parts of the country. One person died as a result of strong winds in Avila Province, Castile and León Region, and another in a vehicle accident on snowbound roads in the Asturias Region.

    Jan 23, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    Deadly Storm Gloria batters Spain and France killing 9 with winds of up to 90 mph (144kmh) and waves up to 13.5 metres (44 feet) high. (spectacular video)

    incpak.com

    Nine people have died and four are missing after Storm Gloria continued to batter eastern Spain with high winds, heavy rain, snowfall and huge waves. The storm, which had left 220,000 people in the Tarragona region without electricity on Tuesday, began to shift away on Wednesday and is now battering southern France, however, some north-eastern and Balearic areas remained on orange alert.

    A man died of hypothermia in Carcaixent, Valencia on Wednesday, while a woman was killed in Alicante province when her home collapsed. A farmer in Almería died after becoming trapped in a greenhouse during a hailstorm and another man was found dead in a flooded area a few miles inland from Benidorm. Gloria had claimed five other lives between Sunday and Tuesday with winds of up to 90 mph (144kmh) and waves up to 13.5 metres (44 feet) high.
       xx 

    Source: https://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/01/deadly-storm-gloria-batters-sp...

    Jan 23, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    Kazakhstan’s Capital under “State of Emergency” as Severe Week-Long Winter Storm Continues to Ravage the City      January 28, 2020 Cap Allon

    Authorities in the Kazakhstan capital of Nur-Sultan have declared a state of emergency after a week-long winter storm continues to pummel the city with strong winds and heavy snow, reports akipress.com.

    Deputy Minister of Interior of Kazakhstan, Yuri Ilyin, declared the emergency over the weekend.

    Since January 23, a total of 645 people have required rescuing from the snowstorms and accompanying drifts, according to tengrinews.kz. In addition, and over the same period, 133 stranded vehicles have been been dug-out and towed — 106 cars, 9 buses, 18 trucks, and 1 loader.

    Transportation links to and from Nur-Sultan were cut on January 27, while all schools in the capital remained closed. A spokesman for city’s International Airport has confirmed that all flights have been cancelled indefinitely, for obvious safety reasons.

    Dozens of highways across the Central Asian country have been closed due to the recent severe winter storms, as the lower-latitudes continue to refreeze in line with historically low solar activity, further heavy snowfall is expect in the region over the coming days.

    https://electroverse.net/kazakhstans-capital-under-state-of-emergen...

    Jan 30, 2020

  • KM

    Source

    Flooding on Vancouver Island shuts down highways, state of emergency declared in Cowichan Valley

    WATCH Flooding seen at the Russell Farms Market near the area of Highway 1 shut down due to flooding
    Heavy rainfall across Vancouver Island has caused significant flooding in multiple communities.

    The Cowichan Valley Regional District has declared a local state of emergency after intense localized flooding forced evacuations and shut down roads.

    Highway 1 between Chemainus and Duncan opened up Saturday just before 11 a.m., after being closed for several hours due to flooding.

    The flooding was just south of the Chemainus River Bridge, blocking both directions.

    Twenty-three people had to be evacuated in areas of Crofton late Friday night. Evacuations continued on Saturday morning.

    “Anytime that residents are displaced from their homes, it’s an emergency,” said Kris Schumacher, the manager of communications and engagement for the Cowichan Valley Regional District. “It was important for us to do it across the region because it was an evolving situation that was happening in a number of different areas.”

    The Cowichan Community Centre was opened as a group lodging and reception centre, and hosted around 28 evacuated residents from North Cowichan and the Halalt First Nation. The centre is now closed, and anyone impacted has been moved to different accommodations.

    The CVRD says the state of emergency is remaining in place until further notice.

    Officials say the centre is ready to re-open if flooding returns.

    A business in the impacted area, Russell Farms Market & Garden Centre, is seeing major flooding.

    Dyana Lewis lives just down the street from the market, on Mount Sicker Road.

    “There was just water absolutely everywhere and it was flowing hard,” said Lewis. “If anybody tried to walk across it, I’m sure they would have just been swept.”

    Her house is on a hill, so it was safe from the flooding. Lewis’ barn, however, is on lower ground and saw lots of flooding early in the morning.

    “We have a 20-acre hay field and it was completely under water,” she said. “The barn where the horses were standing, they were standing in about a foot of water.”

    Many residents are sharing similar stories of the impact the flooding has had on their homes. Highway Rentals owner Bernadette Scudder said that’s why everyone is pitching in to help by providing free sandbags to residents needing them to protect their properties from the water.

    “We’ve gotten phone calls from people all day saying ‘do we need a hand, do we need help filling the sand bags,'” she said.

    Early Saturday morning Highway 1 at the McKenzie interchange in Saanich saw closures due to flooding in the underpass.

    Traffic is now flowing in the area.

    Other roadways across the Island that were impacted including:

    • Cowichan Valley: Westholme Road, Chemainus Road, Canada Avenue, Mary Street, Tzouhalem Road — closed due to flooding.
    • Tofino/ Ucluelet: Highway 4, in both directions,  between Tofino-Ucluelet Hwy and Toquart Bay Road — single alternating lane due to a washout
    • Multiple roads leading to Bamfield — impacted after washouts.
    • Multiple roads in the Nanaimo area — closed due to flooding.
    Many of the routes have been opened back up. The CVRD says flaggers are now in place at any closures in their area.

    There were also delays on the Malahat. A fallen tree and a mudslide caused intermittent closures. Around noon the route was clear.

    The weather is being blamed on an “atmospheric river”, which are long, narrow regions in the atmosphere that transport most of the water vapour outside of the tropics.
    https://www.cheknews.ca/flooding-on-vancouver-island-shuts-down-hig...

    Feb 2, 2020

  • KM

    Source

    Family's Hobart holiday goes from 40C to snow in one weekend

    Adrian Van Beek and his family decided to escape the hot Brisbane summer and take a holiday in Hobart but when they arrived, they were hit by opposite extremes.
    Hobart's temperatures spiked at 40C last Friday, close to its hottest ever day of 41.8C in 2013.
     "On the first day, we'd planned to go up the mountain, but it was so hot that we couldn't," Mr Van Beek told Nine.com.
    Mount Wellington covered in snow after 40C day.
    Mount Wellington covered in snow after 40C day. 

    Mount Wellington covered in snow after 40C day.
    Mount Wellington covered in snow after 40C day. 

    On Monday, Mr Van Beek and family set off to enjoy a cooler day only to get caught in major snow fall and temperatures of -1C on Mount Wellington overlooking Hobart.
    "When we drove up we saw there was snow already on the trees and on the grass, and then this cloud just came over us and we couldn't see anything, it was completely white, and 10 minutes later it was snowing," he said.
    "We were able to pick up the snow and throw it at each other."
    It was Mr Van Beek son's first time seeing snow.
    It was Mr Van Beek son's first time seeing snow. (Supplied/Adrian Van Beek)

    For their first trip to Hobart, it wasn't what the Van Beek family had in mind.

    "We were lost for words," he said. 
     "Our motivation to come down here was that temperatures in Brisbane during summer are hot anyway but excessively hot this year so we thought we'd head south and enjoy the weather down here."
    Temperatures of 40C are equally as unseasonal, with an average February high of 22C.
    "It was absolutely unexpected," he said.
    "I expected it to be cool, but did I expect it to be minus one? No. Did I expect it to be 40C? Absolutely not."
    https://www.9news.com.au/national/hobart-heatwave-to-snow-in-24-hou...

    Feb 4, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    More Crazy Crazy Crazy Weather: Denver's 74 deg F, warmest in almost 100 years drops to below freezing and 5 inches of snow in 24 hrs mirroring what happened in Tasmania in Australia on Friday

    On Feb. 4, 2020, GOES-East captured this imagery of low-level stratus clouds as they moved across Texas behind a cold front, while higher cirrus clouds sped by above them. They are part of a large storm system that is spreading snow and ice from the southern Plains to the Midwest and is forecast to move toward the Northeast later this week.
    • More weather Porn
    • Denver's 74 deg F warmest in almost 100 years drops to below freezing and 5 inches of snow in 24 hrs
    • A family's summer holiday in Australia goes from 40 deg C, (104 deg F) to snow in 24 hours
    • 10 inches of snow has been measured in Peacock, Texas
    • Valencia, Spain, hits 29.4 deg C, (85 deg F) almost double the average temperatures for the time of the year, smashing the old record for February of 27 deg C, (80 deg F).
    • Many parts of Europe enjoying summer temperatures
    Texas clouds
    The National Weather Service has issued Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories from portions of New Mexico and Colorado through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri, and Illinois. 

     Many parts of Europe have been enjoying summer temps in mid-winter in the last week with Puerto De La Cruz topping the list with a mighty, 30 deg C, (86 deg F) and Valencia hitting 29.4 deg C, (85 deg F) almost double the average temperatures for the time of the year, smashing the old record of 27 deg C, (80 deg F). The Big Wobble
    Parts of the Salt Lake City metro saw more than a foot of snow on Monday, while the Denver metro saw freezing rain and two-to-five inches of snow as of Tuesday morning--after a high of 74 degrees Fahrenheit, (23 deg C). The last time it was that warm this time of year in Denver was 86 years ago.
    Up to 10 inches of snow has been measured in Peacock, Texas, which is about 90 miles south-southeast of Lubbock. A couple inches of snowfall has fallen as far southwest as El Paso, Texas, where slick roads have been reported. Weather Channel

    A family's Hobart holiday goes from 40C to snow in 24 hours Adrian Van Beek when his family decided to escape the hot Brisbane summer and take a holiday in Hobart but when they arrived, they were hit by opposite extremes. Hobart's temperatures spiked at 40C (104 deg F) last Friday, close to its hottest ever day of 41.8C in 2013. "On the first day, we'd planned to go up the mountain, but it was so hot that we couldn't," Mr Van Beek told Nine.com. The next day, Mr Van Beek and family set off to enjoy a cooler day only to get caught in major snowfall and temperatures of -1C (30 deg F), on Mount Wellington overlooking Hobart. "When we drove up we saw there was snow already on the trees and on the grass, and then this cloud just came over us and we couldn't see anything, it was completely white, and 10 minutes later it was snowing," he said. "We were able to pick up the snow and throw it at each other." 9News

    Source: https://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/02/more-crazy-crazy-crazy-weather...

    Feb 5, 2020

  • Starr DiGiacomo

    https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/australasia/new-zealand-fl...

    New Zealand floods: Hundreds evacuated from homes after heavy rainfall
    Helicopters help rescue tourists off fjord

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dEHFCBZhFFg

    Hundreds of people have been evacuated in New Zealand as floods swept through southern parts of the country following heavy rainfall.
    Authorities told residents to “not be complacent” and advised them to leave their homes immediately in low-lying areas of Southland due to rising river levels.

    Nearly two hundred tourists were also rescued – many by helicopter – from the picturesque fjord of Milford Sound after floods and mudslides swamped roads on the natural attraction.

    A state of emergency was declared in Southland, where people in the towns of Gore, Mataura and Wyndham were told to leave their properties early Wednesday morning (local time).

    Emergency Management Southland urged people to “go and stay with friends and family on higher ground if possible” or to gather in certain community spaces.

    Hamish Walker, the local MP, said authorities warned him they were dealing with a “one in a 100 year flood”.

    Aerial footage showed water covering roads and fields, while a high river can be seen rushing past nearby buildings in another video.
    Speaking on Wednesday, Mr Walker says: “It is quite strange. It is actually quite a sunny day.”

    Further rainfall is forecast over the coming days, but not the heavy rain that has caused the flooding.

    Authorities told Gore residents on Wednesday evening that they could go back to their properties as the Mataura River had gone down after it peaked around midday.
    Emergency Management Southland said other evacuated locals would have to wait until Thursday morning to know whether it is safe for them to return home.

    Feb 6, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    An incredible temperature high of 18.3°C (65°F) has been measured in Antarctica! This is possibly the highest temperature in the continent since the last interglacial period!  By Andrej Flis | Global weather | 07 February 2020

    Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. But you would be surprised to know, that it has its warm spots too, and one of those just recorded the highest temperature ever measured on the Antarctic continent.

    The continent of Antarctica has experienced its warmest temperature on record, reaching 18.3°C (65°F) on the Argentine station Esperanza, situated on the Antarctic peninsula. This reading beats the previous Antarctic record by 0.8°C, which was set in March 2015, measuring 17.5°C (63.5°F), according to the station data. Below is the station report from Ogimet, which shows the maximum temperature recorded.

    https://www.severe-weather.eu/global-weather/february-2020-temperat...

    Feb 7, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    European storms continue: UK has 6 weeks rain in 24 hours: 15-meter / 50-feet waves hit Ireland and the UK: winds as high as 200 kph (124 mph): Up to 500,000 without power


    Earthwindmap Mega low depression system stretching from Canada to Siberia
    • The UK has 6 weeks of rain in 24 hours
    • 15-meter / 50-feet waves across hit Ireland and the UK
    • Network Rail, said thousands of engineers had "battled horrendous conditions" after the storm blew trees, sheds, roofs and even trampolines onto the tracks.
    • Mediterranean island of Corsica see winds as high as 200 kph (124 mph)
    • Up to 500,000 without power throughout Europe
    • 7 dead, many injured
     
    Up to 500,000 without power throughout Europe credit Earthwindmap
     
    A storm-battered Europe with hurricane-force winds and heavy rains, killing at least seven people and causing severe travel disruptions as it moved eastward across the continent Monday and bore down on Germany. After striking Britain and Ireland on Sunday, the storm moved on, leaving a trail of damage including power cuts for tens of thousands of homes across Europe. A woman and her 15-year-old daughter died in Poland after the storm ripped off the roof of a ski rental equipment building in the mountain resort of Bukowina Tatrzanska and sent it hurtling into people standing near a ski lift, police said. Three people also were injured in the incident.

    In Sweden, one man drowned after the boat he and another person were sailing in on the southern lake of Fegen capsized. The victim has washed ashore but later died. The other person is still missing, according to the Aftonbladet daily. Two men, one in the north of Slovenia and another in southern England, also died after their cars were hit by falling trees. And in Germany, a driver died after crashing his truck into a trailer parked by workers clearing storm debris off a highway in the southern state of Hesse. Police in the Czech Republic said the storm likely was to blame for a car accident that killed the man driving and injured a woman passenger. Investigators think a tree fell on the car, which skidded off the road and overturned. The number of Czech households without electricity reached 290,000, according to power company CEZ.

    Britain, which bore the brunt of the storm on Sunday, was assessing the damage and working to get power restored to 20,000 homes. However, for parts of northern England and Scotland, the respite is set to be brief, with forecasts of blizzards and snow. Many parts of the country were mopping up after a month and a half's rain fell in just 24 hours in some places and rivers burst their banks. Though 360 flood warnings have been removed as the storm moves on, around 75 remain in place across the country. The River Irwell burst its banks in northwest England, prompting authorities to evacuate residents. And in the Scottish town of Hawick, which borders England, a guest house and bistro collapsed into the raging River Teviot.

    The British government said it was offering financial compensation through its emergency Bellwin scheme. Under the scheme, local authorities dealing with the storm can apply to have certain costs reimbursed. Transport authorities were also working hard to clear up the mess. Network Rail, which runs the country's rail infrastructure, said thousands of engineers had "battled horrendous conditions" after the storm blew trees, sheds, roofs and even trampolines onto the tracks.

    Ferries were operating across the English Channel after being closed down on Sunday, though P and O Ferries said in a tweet that further disruptions were possible. Airlines operating to and from U.K. airports were still being affected by the storm, with more than 100 flights cancelled.

    The storm had largely passed through France by midday yesterday, though meteorologists warned that the Mediterranean island of Corsica could later see winds as high as 200 kph (124 mph). Up to 130,000 homes stretching from Brittany, in western France, through Normandy and the northern regions were without power Monday morning.

    In Germany, utility companies were also scrambling to restore power to some 50,000 homes in northern Bavaria, where a top wind of over 160 kph (100 mph) was recorded. The storm resulted in a record amount of electricity being fed into the German grid from wind turbines, equivalent to almost 44 nuclear power plants. Train travel across Europe's biggest economy was also severely disrupted, leaving many commuters unable to get to work. The storm, which was dubbed Sabine in Germany, also led to school closures in several cities and regions, including North Rhine-Westphalia state, where several people were injured by falling branches and toppling trees.

    Source: https://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/02/european-storms-continue-uk-ha...

    Feb 11, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    Severe cold snap grips eastern Turkey as record cold temperatures hit Ardahan, blizzard hampers search for 13 missing


    Posted by Julie Celestial on February 11, 2020 at 22:54 UTC (1 hour ago)
    Categories: Blizzards, Extreme cold, Ice & snow

    Severe cold snap grips eastern Turkey as record cold temperatures hit Ardahan, blizzard hampers search for 13 missing




    Eastern Turkey is under the grip of freezing weather, with some areas seeing snowstorms and piercing temperatures including a record-breaking -40 °C (-40 °F) in the town of Gole, Ardahan, on Sunday, February 9, 2020. Heavy snow and blizzard also caused disruptions in the search operations for 13 missing migrants in Caldiran district on Monday, February 10, feared to have died in the cold.

    Residents of Gole town in Ardahan province shivered through a cold Sunday night at -40 °C (-40 °F), a new record for the province which broke the previous one set at -39.8 °C (-39.6 °F) on January 21, 1972, according to the Turkish State Meteorological Service.

    Aside from numbing temperatures, snowfall and blizzards cut off access to critical areas, including an area in the Caldiran district, Van province, where 13 migrants were feared to be missing.

    Rescuers were sent but snow blocked passages, including in Bachcesaray where 41 people died and two others remain missing due to avalanches.

    Van province governor Mehmet Emin Bilmez said crews may only return to work once the condition improves, adding that a road connecting the province to the Catak district was temporarily closed due to threats of more avalanches.

    On Monday, February 10, Bilmez reported that 13 migrants are feared frozen to death in Caldiran, near the border with Iran.

    "We had phone calls [from relatives of migrants] from Iran, Germany, and Diyarbakir, and these people are believed to have been frozen to death while crossing the border. Even if crews can reach the area, they cannot recover anyone because of storms and blizzards," he said. "The visibility is zero now."

    Bilmez also noted that the only way to clear the roads and have access to cut off areas was for the blizzards to stop.

    "Unfortunately, such cases of migrant deaths happen in the region. Last year, we found about 100 bodies and only after the snow thawed."

    In addition, the governor warned of the risk of avalanche, particularly in Catak district. He also advised the public in rural areas not to leave for towns or Van's central area.

    On Monday, the coldest temperatures were 0 °C (32 °F) in Igdir, -4 °C (24.8 °F) in Tunceli, and -10 °C (14 °F) in Adahan.

    Other cities in the eastern region also saw heavy snow, with 34 cm (13.4 inches) in Agri and 84 cm (33 inches) in Palandoken of Erzurum.

    The meteorological agency said seasonal temperatures are expected to return to normal from Monday night.

    Müzeyyen Çiftçi Yolaçan@avmuzeyyen75

    Ardahan’a ilk kar gecikmeli yağdı

    View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

    5
    1:16 PM - Feb 8, 2020 · Ardahan, Türkiye
    Twitter Ads info and privacy
    See Müzeyyen Çiftçi Yolaçan's other Tweets

    Evren Keser@keser_evren

    Buz kent Ardahan -14

    View image on Twitter

    2
    2:59 PM - Feb 9, 2020
    Twitter Ads info and privacy
    See Evren Keser's other Tweets

    ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG)
    ✔@anadoluagency

    In Photos | #Cold weather leaves cars covered in #ice

    Ice-covered car is seen due to freezing cold in Sivas, #Turkey on February 10, 2020.https://www.aa.com.tr/en/pg/foto-galeri/cold-weather-leaves-cars-covered-in-ice …

    View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

    5
    4:25 PM - Feb 10, 2020
    Twitter Ads info and privacy
    See ANADOLU AGENCY (ENG)'s other Tweets

    ABC News
    ✔@ABC

    Mesmerizing timelapse footage captures snowstorm slamming the Turkish coast. https://abcn.ws/2HbfjSH 

    Embedded video

    670
    6:28 AM - Feb 11, 2020
    Twitter Ads info and privacy
    261 people are talking about this

    Featured image credit: Demiroren Haber Ajansi​

    Source:​_https://watchers.news/2020/02/11/severe-cold-snap-grips-eastern-tur...

    Feb 12, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    A monstrous bomb cyclone barreled toward Iceland and the United Kingdom on Friday, threatening a host of extreme weather elements including blizzard conditions and powerful winds. Updated feb. 14, 2020 3:15 PM

    Storm Dennis, as it was officially named earlier this week, exploded into a bomb cyclone on Thursday after its central pressure plummeted 1.38 inches of mercury (46 mb) in 24 hours. The drop was recorded from 29.4 to 28.1 inches of mercury (996 mb to 950 mb).  

    This incredible drop in pressure is almost two times greater than what is needed to be considered a "bomb cyclone," which is defined by meteorologists as a pressure drop of 0.71 of an inch of mercury (24 mb) over a 24-hour period. As the storm began lashing Iceland on Friday, it stirred up terrifying surf, with some swells in the North Atlantic reaching as high as 64 feet over the open ocean. Closer to land, the wave heights topped 40 feet.  

    https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/storm-dennis-explodes...

    https://www.facebook.com/stuart.bell.927/videos/10156587149141396/

    "It’s a bit windy today in Scotland and this is before the storm."  Stuart Bell

    Feb 14, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    Buzau, ROMANIA, February 14. Via Severe Weather Alert - România

    Feb 15, 2020

  • KM

    https://www.novinite.com/articles/203176/Record+Wind+Gusts+of+255+k...

    Record Wind Gusts of 255 km/h Hit Iceland

    Bulgaria: Record Wind Gusts of 255 km/h Hit Iceland
    Hurricane winds of 255 km/h have been recorded by weather stations in Iceland.The weather station Hafnarfjall reported an incredible wind gusts of 255.6 km/h (= 71 m/s = 159 mph) this morning, 11 GMT. Hafnarfjall is located around 40 km north of the capital ReykjaviWarnings for possible interruptions to ferry lines and power outages have been issued in the UK.  There is also a chance for flooding due to the heavy rains.

    Feb 16, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    Sydney Storm: A massive super storm has hit Sydney.  February 18 2020.
    A massive line of severe weather has been impacting Sydney with every suburb and town in the greater Sydney basin impacted.  Thousands of strikes were recorded in just a few minutes as the storm cell moved across the Sydney metro area.
    https://sydneynews.sydney/sydney-news/sydney-storm-extreme-weather-...

    Feb 18, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    "Six-meter of snow" covered parts of Iran: Snow covering many Arab States including Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Jordan: Baghdad only the second time snow has fallen in 100 years: Antarctic warmer than Dubai

    The photo shows a snow blockade on the Mahabad-Bokan road in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan. Credit Iran Daily
    Six-meter of snow covered the Qarah Bolagh district in the northwestern province of West Azarbaijan of Iran, a provincial official said Monday. The heavy snowfall blocked the Mahabad-Bukan road in the northwestern province for the third day on Monday, Head of Mahabad’s Road Maintenance and Transportation Office Mohsen Khademi said, IRNA reported.

    The heavy snowfall, which began on Saturday in Iran’s western and northwestern provinces, caused some roadblocks in the region. The snowstorm has been unprecedented in the region for the past few years, the official said. Khademi added a number of cars and vehicles belonging to the office, including two snow grinders, were completely buried under a mound of snow.

    The road maintenance team rescued 25 people trapped in the snowstorm along the roads in areas in the province, Khademi said. The official also said that the weather conditions prevented the emergency services from reaching the cars trapped in the snow. Also, snowfall continued until Tuesday in the provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran in the north of Iran. Iran Daily


    Saudi Arabia shivers in the worst cold spell 

    Saudi Arabia is experiencing its coldest weather since 2016, meteorologists said Thursday, with overnight temperatures dropping below zero in the country’s north over the past two days. Temperature hits minus 5 degrees Celsius.

    In Tarif, on the border with Jordan, the temperature hit minus 5 degrees Celsius (23 degrees Fahrenheit), according to the weather services. It dropped to minus three in Hail further southeast, and minus 2 in Arar on the border with Iraq. In the capital Riyadh, the temperature dipped close to zero and the streets were deserted Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

    The desert kingdom is known for its extreme heat, particularly during summer. Intense cold “The country is experiencing its most intense cold snap since 2016,” Hassan Abdallah from the Wasm meteorological centre, told AFP Thursday. Siasat Daily

    Baghdad, Iraq carpeted in white from only its second snowfall in a century

    In neighbouring Iraq, where summers are also scorching, Baghdad residents woke up Tuesday to find the city carpeted in white from only its second snowfall in a century. The last recorded snowfall in the city was in 2008.

    Antarctic temperatures higher than Dubai

     Record temperatures in Antarctica have put the icy continent at the same temperature as Dubai. The scorching temperatures were recorded by Brazilian scientists on Seymour Island. And they were nearly a degree higher than the previous record of 19.8°C recorded on Signy Island in January 1982. In fact, the temperatures recorded last week of 20.75°C in Antarctica were actually higher than in Dubai where temperatures hovered just below 20°C. The unwanted record comes a week after the Antarctic Peninsula recorded temperatures of 18.3°C, the highest ever recorded on the mainland. Dubai Land

     Antarctica Was Warmer Than Tel Aviv

    The Climate Change Stories on Our Radar: In February, the daytime temperature in Tel Aviv averages 64.5 degrees, 4 degrees lower than the temperatures recorded last week of 20.75°C, (almost 70 deg F.) Haaretz


    Source: https://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/02/six-meter-of-snow-covered-qara...

    Feb 20, 2020

  • KM

    Source

    Massive glacier collapse and catastrophic mudflow near Machu Picchu, Peru


    Massive glacier collapse and catastrophic mudflow near Machu Picchu, Peru




    A massive glacier collapse took place near Machu Picchu (Cusco Region, Urubamba Province) on February 24, 2020, resulting in a catastrophic debris flow that claimed the lives of at least four people and left 13 others missing.

    Diario Correo reported that the event was caused by a glacial collapse on Salkantay mountain, based on a hypothesis by hydrology and glaciology specialist Oscar Vilca Gomez.

    Gomez said he had visited the site of the detachment as part of a research team from the National Institute for Glacier Research of the Ministry of Environment.

    An estimated 400 000 m3 (14 million ft3) of ice, rocks and other material fell off the west face of the mountain into Salkanraycocha lagoon, drastically increasing the flow of the Salkantay River.

    The debris flow affected at least 15 villages on both sides of the river bed, claiming the lives of at least 4 people and leaving 13 missing, as of February 27.

    The total figures are uncertain given the magnitude of the flow.

    peru-glacier-collapse-feb-25-2020-2

    Local, regional and national authorities provided help to isolated communities, and are still searching for the missing people.

    According to the initial assessment by Dr. Dave Peley of The Landslide Blog, there appears to be a wedge failure in the rock mass that has fragmented and caused the ice avalanche. As of writing, it is yet to be cleared as to which slope has failed to generate the avalanche.

    The event can be compared to the 2012 Gayari avalanche in Pakistan and the 2017 Villa Santa Lucia landslide in Chile, Petley noted.

    Images courtesy Google Earth, TW

    https://watchers.news/2020/02/27/massive-glacier-collapse-and-catas...

    Feb 28, 2020

  • KM

    https://thewest.com.au/news/weather/wild-weather-smashes-perth-reco...

    Wild weather smashes Perth record for longest summer thunder

    Lightning over Perth.Lightning over Perth. 
    Perth’s wild weather over the last week has broken records as the city experienced its first five consecutive days of thunder and lightning in the summer months.

    A severe storm hit the metropolitan area on Tuesday afternoon, flooding roads, tearing roofs off homes, uprooting trees and trapping some people in their cars.

    On Thursday night came another severe weather warning from Gingin to Mandurah as a freak electrical show filled Perth’s skyline.

    Motorists battled wet roads on the Mitchell Freeway on Friday morning.Motorists battled wet roads on the Mitchell Freeway on Friday morning. 

    The Perth area today recorded its fifth consecutive day of thunderstorm activity, which the Bureau of Meteorology said was a record for the summer months.

    On average, Perth has around two days of thunderstorms in February.

    The wild weather continued this afternoon, with two separate weather systems delivering heavy rainfall and thunderstorms to the North East and South West of the State.

    The city under a clouded sky as commuters head towards the city at 7.30am today.The city under a clouded sky as commuters head towards the city at 7.30am today. 

    In the Kimberley, the remnants of Tropical Cyclone Esther produced 170mm of rain in the 24 hours up to 9am .

    The heavy falls from the cyclone are expected to move to the south over the next three days, with just a low risk it will re-intensifying to Tropical Cyclone strength.

    Flood Watches are in place for the Kimberley, Fitzroy and Sandy Desert Rivers.

    BOM is also continuing to monitor Tropical Cyclone Ferdinand off the coast north of Exmouth.

    Mar 2, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    For The First Time in 200 Years of Recorded Weather History, Moscow’s Wintertime Average Temperature Is Above the Freezing Point  March 2, 2020

    Again this is due to the very positive Arctic Oscillation that Earth is currently experiencing, that confines colder air in polar regions, resulting in the highest North Pole ice cover in early February in the last 11 years.

    This extreme positive Arctic Oscillation is one of the main reasons winter has been absent in much of the eastern United States (except for this weekend) and parts of Europe… And it’s also helping to turn the North Atlantic into a virtual bomb cyclone express lane.

    https://strangesounds.org/2020/03/moscow-temperature-above-freezing...

    Mar 2, 2020

  • Starr DiGiacomo

    22 dead

    https://www.yahoo.com/gma/tornado-directly-hits-nashville-extensive...

    Nashville tornado live updates: 22 dead from devastating Tennessee twisters

    March 3 2020

    Twenty-two people have been killed after devastating tornadoes ripped through Nashville and other areas of Tennessee early Tuesday, flattening homes, tossing airplanes and downing power lines, according to the Tennessee Department of Health.
    The tornado in Nashville was just one of three to hit Tennessee overnight. Sixteen have died in Putnam County, Tennessee, officials said. Fatalities were also reported in Wilson, Davidson and Benton Counties.

    A State of Emergency has been declared in Tennessee.
    At least 48 buildings collapsed, authorities said.

    Across three counties, about 73,000 are without power, state officials said.
    -- Some Super Tuesday polling stations have been impacted, officials said. Alternative locations will be offered for voters. Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett says residents can call the Division of Elections toll-free at 1-877-850-4959.

    East Nashville was hit particularly hard. Its Five Points neighborhood is half-destroyed, according to ABC News' Nashville affiliate WKRN.

    "It’s like driving through a war zone," tweeted WKRN reporter Brent Remadna. "Cars destroyed, buildings destroyed...breaks my heart."
    "This is absolutely devastating. It sounded like a freight train," tweeted WKRN reporter Julia Palazzo.

    Mar 3, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    From Summer to Winter Overnight: Heavy Rain, Snow and Morning Frosts Will Slam Spain and Portugal on Monday and Tuesday

    By
     Strange Sounds
     -
    Mar 15, 2020

    After an extremely warm week, a very cold air mass will engulfed into the Iberian Peninsula on Monday and Tuesday.

    This mass of cold air will bring heavy rainfall, snowfall frosty mornings in some areas.

    The charts below show the forecast for Spain and Portugal until Wednesday:

    Monday

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    Tuesday

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    Wednesday

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    This cold mass air introduces heavy and locally excessive rainfall into east and northeast Spain, also snowfall further inland. Be careful about flooding.

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures

    30-50 cm of fresh snow is possible in altitude across northern and central Spain. Pretty large snowfall for mid-March! Just remember it was 25-30°C earlier this week!

    snow Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 map, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 video, Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020 pictures
    Snow engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020

    This cold weather will most probably have a very bad effect on blossoming treesh. I want to eat some fresh fruits this summer! Always be ready! [Severe Weather]

    Source: https://strangesounds.org/2020/03/spain-portugal-snow-rain-frosts-m...

    Mar 16, 2020

  • Howard

    Once a rarity, extreme rainfall events causing severe flooding are now a daily occurrence. 


    Severe floods hit parts of eastern Spain after 4 months' worth of rain in 24 hours (Apr 3)
    https://watchers.news/2020/04/03/severe-floods-hit-parts-of-eastern...

    Widespread damage after new wave of floods hit Indonesia, more than 56 000 people affected and 9 285 buildings flooded (Apr 1)
    https://watchers.news/2020/04/01/widespread-damage-after-new-wave-o...

    Hundreds of homes destroyed as severe flash floods hit Afghanistan (Apr 1)
    https://watchers.news/2020/04/01/hundreds-of-homes-destroyed-as-sev...

    Heavy rains trigger deadly flooding and mudslides in Raqqa, Syria (Apr 1)
    https://watchers.news/2020/04/01/heavy-rains-trigger-deadly-floodin...

    Hundreds of properties damaged or destroyed as floods and landslides hit Huanuco, Peru (Apr 1)
    https://watchers.news/2020/04/01/hundreds-of-properties-damaged-or-...

    Intense Kona Low lashes parts of Hawaii, causing severe flooding in Kauai -- almost 2 032 mm (80 inches) recorded this month (Mar 30)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/30/kona-low-flood-kauai-hawaii-march-...

    Severe storms trigger '100-year flood' in Cleveland, Ohio (Mar 30)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/30/heavy-storms-trigger-100-year-floo...

    Continuous heavy rains, floods and landslides claim 72 lives, destroy or damage nearly 1 000 buildings in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan (Mar 29)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/29/floods-and-landslides-khyber-pakht...

    Series of severe weather events, including hailstorms, heavy rains and snow hit southwest China (Mar 27)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/27/series-of-severe-weather-events-in...

    Devastating floods displace more than 700 in Chimbu province, Papua New Guinea (Mar 26)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/26/devastating-floods-displace-more-t...

    Destructive flash floods hit capital Aden, Yemen (Mar 26)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/26/destructive-flash-floods-hit-capit...

    Heavy rains trigger destructive flash floods and landslides in southern Iran (Mar 24)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/24/heavy-rains-trigger-destructive-fl...

    Record-breaking rainfall soaks Southern California, another storm underway, U.S. (Mar 23)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/23/record-breaking-rainfall-soaks-sou...

    Days of intense, record rains trigger deadly floods in Ohio and Indiana, U.S. (Mar 23)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/23/days-of-intense-record-rains-trigg...

    At least 5 dead, hundreds of homes severely damaged as major floods hit Iraq (Mar 23)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/23/at-least-5-dead-hundreds-of-proper...

    At least 3 dead after very heavy rains hit Fiji, severe weather continues into the weekend (Mar 21)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/21/at-least-3-dead-after-very-heavy-r...

    Heavy rains trigger damaging mudslides and floods in Arequipa, Peru (Mar 20)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/20/heavy-rains-trigger-damaging-mudsl...

    Massive floods hit capital Dili, destroying nearly 200 homes and affecting over 25 000 people, East Timor (Mar 20)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/20/massive-floods-hit-capital-dili-de...
     
    At least 3 500 houses swept away as destructive floods hit Pwani, Tanzania (Mar 19)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/19/at-least-3-500-houses-swept-away-a...

    Army rescues stranded civilians after heavy snow hits Gurez valley, Jammu and Kashmir (Mar 18)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/18/army-rescues-stranded-civilians-af...

    Torrential rains and hailstorms lash parts of Colombia, widespread flooding and damaging landslides reported (Mar 17)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/17/torrential-rains-and-hailstorms-la...

    Violent cyclone hits Middle East, at least 21 dead in Egypt's worst storm in 40 years (Mar 16)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/16/violent-cyclone-hits-middle-east-a...

    Intense storms hits northwestern India, causing severe crop damage and claiming lives of at least 28 people (Mar 15)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/15/intense-storms-hits-northwestern-i...

    Days of heavy rain cause destructive flooding and mudslides, Solomon Islands (Mar 14)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/14/days-of-heavy-rain-cause-destructi...
     
    Very rare cyclone over the Middle East, state of emergency declared in Egypt (Mar 12)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/12/very-rare-cyclone-over-the-middle-...

    24 000 affected by severe flooding in Lorestan Province, Iran (Mar 11)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/11/24-000-affected-by-severe-flooding...

    Heavy rains, floods claim at least 60 lives in Rwanda, more than 1,000 homes damaged (Mar 11)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/11/rwanda-floods-landslides-2020/

    At least 27 killed, 56 injured as very heavy rains hit Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan (Mar 8)
    https://watchers.news/2020/03/08/khyber-pakhtunkhwa-heavy-rain-floo...

    Apr 6, 2020

  • KM

    Source

    Tropical Cyclone '"Harold" aftermath: Widespread destruction across Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji and Tonga

    Tropical Cyclone '

    Tropical Cyclone "Harold" lashed Tonga on Thursday, April 9, 2020, after leaving major destruction across the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji. Harold is the first Category 5 severe tropical cyclone to form in the South Pacific basin since 2018 and so far the strongest storm of the 2019/20 South Pacific cyclone season. The storm demolished almost all tourist resorts in Tonga with winds of up to 260 km/h (162 mph).

    Harold intensified again into a Category 5 storm by early Thursday, April 9, leaving meteorologists surprised as forecasts initially showed that the storm's strength was dropping.

    Prior to the storm's arrival, the government had declared a state of emergency-- the second time in a month, following a similar declaration for the global pandemic, COVID-19.

    Strong winds caused power disruptions in parts of the island, particularly the capital Nuku'alofa. Heavy rains caused extensive damage to vegetation as well. At least three tourist resorts in the north had been completely eradicated, according to the authorities.

    "I think we're going to spend an Easter doing a lot of cleaning up and we didn't get the brunt of the cyclone, even the tailwinds were pretty strong," said RNZ Pacific correspondent Kalafi Moala, who is based in the capital city.

    "There are trees on the road that need to be cut and moved and that's why the power is still off in Tongatapu because we need to do a lot of clearance of the trees before they reconnect," he added.

    Tropical Cyclone "Harold" track April 2020. Credit: UW-CIMSS

    There were reports of fatalities on the island, however, the exact numbers and further information has not yet been confirmed due to impacted communication lines.

    An extreme high tide warning remains in force for the entire country until Saturday, April 11, while a gale warning for Vava'u and Ha'apai had been extended to Tongatapu and 'Eua. Meanwhile, Niua still has a strong wind warning in force, while a heavy damaging swell and small craft advisory is in effect for all of Tonga.

    The National Emergency Management Office urged residents to stay away from coastal areas until Cyclone Harold had completely exited. Tonga was the third island country in the South Pacific hit by the cyclone in just a matter of days.

    View image on TwitterView image on TwitterView image on Twitter

    Among the islands impacted by the storm were the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Fiji.

    On April 2, people from the Solomon Islands felt the storm's brunt as it spawned strong winds, heavy rains, and rough seas. 27 fatalities were reported after strong waves swept off a ferry that had more than 700 passengers on board.

    According to the National Emergency Operations Center, 57 houses were destroyed while another 20 were damaged. In addition, seven classrooms were hit.

    Knocked down trees and branches in Honiara caused widespread power outages, damage to buildings, and blocked several roads.

    Among the affected buildings was the National Referral Hospital and the San Isidoro school for the deaf, where one roof was torn. The Kukum highway was also impassable after floodwaters submerged the road.

    A swollen stream swept away a portion of a bridge connecting parts of the northwestern Guadalcanal to Honiara. Damages were reported as well in the provinces of Rennel and Bellona as flooding and torn trees hit several buildings.

    On April 6, Harold made landfall on Vanuatu's Espirito Santo island. It was the first Category 5 severe tropical cyclone to hit the country since Cyclone Pam in 2015.

    Luganville MP Matai Seremaiah said up to 70 percent of buildings have been reduced to rubbles in the area, the second-largest town in Vanuatu. It was transformed by the direct hit from the Category 5 storm, he added.

    Casualties have also been reported on the island a couple of days after the storm. Two people died on Malo island, while thousands more remain in evacuation centers.

    Electricity had been restored to a hospital, but water supply and shelter are still in dire need. "When I got down yesterday I was just lost, just don't know where to start," said Seremaiah on Thursday.

    "What we're doing now is we went on to some communities and started organizing young people to group up and to equip them with chainsaws and start clearing up the yards because if we don't clear up the yards they start to attract mosquitos and then the next thing we have malaria or dengue fever coming in."

    The MP added that help was desperately needed as many people are left homeless. Contact is still to be established in many rural areas, but assessments from other areas like Pentecost are grim.

    "There's a lot of injuries but all the dispensaries are down and they're airlifting them to Port Vila. The cyclone passed them at night and it's really bad, from the central part to the southern part of Pentecost. Many people are living outside at the moment," he stated.

    Later this week, the New Zealand military will head to Vanuatu to deliver aid. Foreign minister Winston Peters said the plane will be packed with other supplies as well, including satellite phones, agricultural kits, and chainsaws. The private chopper will also be used for medical evacuations.

    The National Disaster Management Office said all incoming relief will be sealed and managed by assigned people equipped with the appropriate protective gear.

    Embedded video

    On April 9, Fiji authorities have begun damage assessments following Harold's devastation as a Category 4 storm. Widespread flooding and damage to homes were reported across the country.

    Although the full extent of the damage is still not clear, authorities are advising the public to remain in their homes.

    According to Misa Funaki of the Fiji Meteorological Service, communication networks were down in the outer islands, including Kadavu which was severely hit. Most of the damages were reported in that area as well.

    "Reports are coming in on the devastation caused by Harold-- not only on the main island of Viti Levu but more so in the maritime islands of the Lomaiviti and Lau group," said Funaki.

    "Reports are coming in of the damage-- of houses being ripped apart and of storm surges in the remote islands," he continued.

    The village of Naioti bore the brunt of the cyclone as houses were pounded and debris was scattered across the place. A full assessment of the damage in Kadavu, southern Lau, and smaller islands nearby is being conducted.

    A major clean-up operation is now underway, with police officials and military clearing debris and evacuating people from flooded rivers. The last time the island was during the 206 Cyclone Winston, the strongest in the southern hemisphere which killed 44.

    According to Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, the damage Fiji took from Harold has been severe. "We didn’t know it would be that bad but there was some very bad damage, a couple of schools, that one in Nakasi and there’s one photo that was taken in, one of the islands, I think it was Matuku, the whole school had gone."

    "In addition, we had some home that you may have seen in Waidamudamu that was taken out by Tropical Cyclone Harold."

    "I am pleading with Fijians to stay out of the floodwaters. Keep your children out of floodwaters. These waters are deadly, unpredictable and can carry debris that can maim or kill," he also stated.

    "This must end. Everyone must immediately shelter indoors, in their homes or evacuation centers."

    On the forecast track, Harold is expected to continue moving southeast over the Pacific, weakening as it travels off Tonga into Friday, April 10. Moderate to locally heavy rainfall with thunderstorms are predicted over southern Lau Islands group, while moderate to locally heavy rainfall with strong winds and storm surge are forecast over southern Tonga.

    https://watchers.news/2020/04/09/tropical-cyclone-harold-aftermath-...

    Apr 9, 2020

  • M. Difato

    There has not been an EF5 tornado reported since May 20, 2013. On Sunday Mississippi was hit with two ‘catastrophic’ EF5 tornadoes

    https://www.rawstory.com/2020/04/mississippi-hit-with-two-catastrop...

    The southeastern United States is being pummeled with tornadoes, but the largest storm, an EF5 tornado, has killed at least 18 people in Mississippi.

    One person suggested it was the most destructive tornado since Joplin, Missouri in 2011, but Oklahoma had two EF5 tornadoes after that in May 2011 in El Reno and May 2013 in Moore/Newcastle.

      https://twitter.com/JayCutlerWrld/status/1249461792377618432

    Meteorologist Alex Lamers tweeted, “I don’t recall ever seeing two such massive debris fallout signatures in close proximity before. Any radar experts remember one?”

    https://twitter.com/isaacmadera18/status/1249385926570184705

    The concern was that there may have been two EF5 tornadoes because there were two debris balls being observed on radar. Meteorologists, climatologists and weather experts all concluded it was like nothing they’ve ever seen before.

      https://twitter.com/BaddCompani/status/1249465365421101056

    The concern was that there may have been two EF5 tornadoes because there were two debris balls being observed on radar. Meteorologists, climatologists and weather experts all concluded it was like nothing they’ve ever seen before.

      https://twitter.com/Gio_wx/status/1249448116086018048

      https://twitter.com/jamesaydelott/status/1249459053790736389

    ~

    An Historical Look at F/EF5 Tornadoes

    https://www.wunderground.com/cat6/an-historical-look-at-f5-ef5-torn...

    "..There has not been an EF5 tornado reported since May 20, 2013—the third longest “drought” of such on record. The longest F5/EF5-free periods are April 1, 1884 to June 15, 1892 (8 years 45 days) and May 3, 1999 to May 4, 2007 (8 years exactly). A new record for longest F5/EF5 “drought” will be established if no EF5s occur before July 5, 2021. (Published April 9, 2020)

    Apr 13, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    April Snowmageddons in the U.S. and Canada: 2.5 Feet in California, 2 Feet in Michigan and New England, 1 Foot in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, North Dakota and Manitoba

    By
     Strange Sounds
     -
    Apr 14, 2020
    Record amounts of snow have fallen on the U.S. and Canada in April 2020, Record amounts of snow have fallen on the U.S. and Canada in April 2020 video, Record amounts of snow have fallen on the U.S. and Canada in April 2020 pictures, Record amounts of snow have fallen on the U.S. and Canada in April 2020 news Record amounts of snow have fallen on the U.S. and Canada in April 2020. Picture Ian Graham / Canada

    Extreme weather over Easter weekend brought heavy snow from North Dakota to Michigan – even breaking old records in some places.

    Up to 15 inches of snow in South Dakota

    An Easter weekend snow storm made its way across South Dakota, dropping more than a foot of snow in some parts of the state.

    Sioux Falls got 5.2 inches, the most snowfall on any date in the city dating back to 1893.

    Heavy snow was recorded in Black Hawk with 10 inches, Deadwood with 15 inches, Piedmont with 10.9 inches, Red Shirt with 10 inches and Saint Onge with 10 inches. [Argus Leader]

    Easter snowfall records in Iowa

    Several northern Iowa towns saw record amounts of snowfall this Easter Sunday. 

    Ringsted, Iowa received 11 inches, according to the National Weather Service in Des Moines. Rock Valley received 7 inches. Hull received 6.5 inches. Rock Rapids received 8.3 inches. 

    Sioux City got 3.7 inches, an April 12 record, and the second-most snow in recorded history there on Easter. [DesMoines Register]

    2 feet of snow in 24 hours in Michigan

    A winter storm – in April – hit Michigan’s Upper Peninsula on Sunday and into Monday, leaving nearly two feet of snow in some areas.

    As of 8 a.m. Monday, areas between Marquette and Munising saw between 18-24 inches of snow.

    A foot of snow in southern Minnesota

    A spring storm dumped nearly a foot of heavy, wet snow in southern Minnesota, causing crashes and spinouts for travelers who chose not to stay at home because of the coronavirus outbreak.

    The National Weather Service reported nearly 11 inches of snow at Elgin and about 10 inches at Wabasha and Oronoco.

    Winds gusts in excess of 35 mph were reported. [KIMT]

    A foot of snow in northern Wisconsin

    Southern Wisconsin is under a wind advisory as a powerful storm system that dumped more than a foot of snow in northern Wisconsin leaves the state.

    The spring storm Sunday into early Monday left 12.5 inches (32 centimeters) of snow in Merrill, 9.1 inches (23 centimeters) in Rhinelander and 7.5 inches (19 centimeters) in Eau Claire. [Star Tribune]

    Almost 2 feet of snow in New England

    Residents throughout New Hampshire and Maine woke up on Good Friday morning to a blanket of snow far more customary for January than April.

    almost 2 feet of snow in New England
    almost 2 feet of snow in New England. Picture: Accuweather

    An early-spring snowstorm had painted a similar scene across much of northern New England as it lifted off into Atlantic Canada Thursday night. [AccuWeather, Central Maine]

    Up to 31 inches of snow at Mountain High resort in California

    For downtown Los Angeles, the rainfall erased a big seasonal deficit and put the total to date above average, with chances for more continuing into Friday.

    The storm’s snowfall at the Mountain High resort topped 31 inches.

    Despite the spring storms and very full reservoirs, California’s snowpack remains below normal. State authorities have urged people to use water wisely, saying the climate continues to show extreme unpredictability. [LA Times]

    And around the world

    3 record snowfalls in 6 days for Thompson, Manitoba, Canada

    An unprecedented six-day stretch of early April snowfall in Thompson has led to the biggest snow-clearing effort since the blizzard of March 2017.

    Snow fell in Thompson four of the six days from April 2 to April 7, setting records on three of them. The 15.6 centimetres that fell last Thursday was the most since 6.8 cm of snow in 1995, while the 34.4 cm that fell on Friday beat the previous record of 6.4 cm from 1967 by 28 cm. Only 2.8 cm fell April 4, well below the 1973 record of 8.4 cm, while the 12.8 cm of snow on April 7 was close to double the previous record of 6.5 cm in 1981.

    Friday’s snowfall in Thompson was higher than any day in April up to 2010. The previous highest one-day amount was 22.6 cm and the average snowfall for the entire month of April up to 2010 was 23 cm.

    As of April 7, there were 87 cm of snow on the ground in Thompson, the most there has been since 1967, the first year of Environment Canada historical records available online, when there was 84 cm.

    The normal amount of snow on the ground at the end of March is 45 cm, slightly more than half of what Thompson had yesterday. The most snow that has ever been on the ground in Thompson is 91 cm, in January and February 1968 and in April 1967. [Thompson Citizen]

    Heavy spring snow across New Brunswick, Canada

    The winter-like storm brought more than 20 centimetres of snow to parts of New Brunswick overnight.

    The snowfall amounts in southern New Brunswick ranged between five and eight centimeters, while observations in the Fredericton area ranged between 13 (5 inches) and 22 centimeters (9 inches).

    O’Donnells (between Boiestown and Doaktown): 22.1 cm
    Miramichi: 20.3 cm
    Keswick Ridge: 20.1 cm

    The Saint John Airport reported a wind gust of 72 km/h overnight, Grand Manan saw a wind gust of 64 km/h and the Moncton region saw wind gusts reach 63 km/h. [Country 94]

    First April snow falls in 26 years in Tajikistan

    The snow has fallen in Dushanbe in April for the first time during the past 26 years, Asia-Plus reported.

    The snow is 18-20 cm (7-8 inches) thick in different parts of the capital city.

    Snow is rare for Tajikistan in mid-spring. The country almost did not have snow during the past winter. [Aki Press]


    Source: https://strangesounds.org/2020/04/april-snow-storms-usa-canada-vide...

    Apr 14, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    STUDY: Megadrought Emerging in Western U.S. is the Worst in 1200 Years
    April 19, 2020 at 11:48 pm

    https://returntonow.net/2020/04/19/study-megadrought-emerging-in-we...

    The last 20 years have been the driest in over 1000 years according to tree-ring data, and scientists don’t expect conditions to get better anytime soon

    https://science.sciencemag.org/content/368/6488/314

    A trend of warming and drying

    Global warming has pushed what would have been a moderate drought in southwestern North America into megadrought territory. Williams et al. used a combination of hydrological modeling and tree-ring reconstructions of summer soil moisture to show that the period from 2000 to 2018 was the driest 19-year span since the late 1500s and the second driest since 800 CE (see the Perspective by Stahle). This appears to be just the beginning of a more extreme trend toward megadrought as global warming continues.


    Abstract

    Severe and persistent 21st-century drought in southwestern North America (SWNA) motivates comparisons to medieval megadroughts and questions about the role of anthropogenic climate change. We use hydrological modeling and new 1200-year tree-ring reconstructions of summer soil moisture to demonstrate that the 2000–2018 SWNA drought was the second driest 19-year period since 800 CE, exceeded only by a late-1500s megadrought. The megadrought-like trajectory of 2000–2018 soil moisture was driven by natural variability superimposed on drying due to anthropogenic warming. Anthropogenic trends in temperature, relative humidity, and precipitation estimated from 31 climate models account for 47% (model interquartiles of 35 to 105%) of the 2000–2018 drought severity, pushing an otherwise moderate drought onto a trajectory comparable to the worst SWNA megadroughts since 800 CE.

    View Full Text

    Apr 20, 2020

  • KM

    https://reliefweb.int/report/yemen/yemen-hit-once-generation-floods...


    Yemen is hit by once-in-a generation floods; tens of thousands of families lose everything 

     People inspect damage caused by floods on a street in Aden, Yemen

    People inspect damage caused by floods on a street in Aden, Yemen
     

    Sana’a, 26 April 2020 - Initial reports indicate that more than 100,000 people across Yemen have been impacted by torrential rains and flooding since mid-April. Health authorities in Aden Governorate, one of the hardest-hit areas, have confirmed seven deaths, including four children. Two people are missing, and deaths and injuries have been reported elsewhere.

    “Countless families have lost everything,” said Ms. Lise Grande, Humanitarian Coordinator for Yemen.

    “This tragedy comes on top of the COVID-19 crisis, which comes on top of the pre-famine last year, which came on top of the worst cholera outbreak in modern history.”

    Aden, Abyan, Lahj, Marib and Sana’a governorates and Sana’a City have been worst affected.

    Flooding has damaged roads, bridges and the electricity grid, and contaminated water supplies, cutting access to basic services for thousands of people. Conditions are hardest for thousands of families already displaced who have now lost shelter, food rations and household supplies.

    Humanitarian agencies have rushed to provide life-saving assistance including emergency health care, food packs, shelter, clean water and survival items. Agencies are also helping to drain water and clean flooded sites.

    “Truly, none of us know how much more suffering the people of Yemen can take,” said Ms. Grande.

    “The solution is clear. The parties to the conflict need to find the courage to stop fighting and start negotiating.”

    “This is the only way this never-ending tragedy will finally stop.”

    Yemen remains the world’s worst humanitarian disaster. Nearly 80 per cent of the population requires some form of humanitarian assistance and protection. Ten million people are a step away from famine and 7 million people are malnourished. Of the UN’s 41 major humanitarian programmes, 31 will either reduce or shut unless funding is urgently received.

    Apr 27, 2020

  • KM

    https://edmontonjournal.com/news/local-news/boil-water-advisory-iss...


    More parts of downtown Fort McMurray ordered to evacuate; food bank floods

    Flood waters from the Clearwater River cover the Ptarmigan Trailer Park in Waterways on Monday, April 27, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    Flood waters from the Clearwater River cover the Ptarmigan Trailer Park in Waterways on Monday, April 27, 2020. 



    A mandatory evacuation has been ordered from Hardin Street to Waterways. A voluntary evacuation notice has been given between Hardin Street and the highway 63 bridges.

    People affected by this order are asked to report to the Casman Centre at 110 Eymundson to register. The Casman Centre is set up as a secondary registration centre to help alleviate the volume at the Oil Sands Discovery Centre.

    Highway 63 remains open. Currently the evacuation does not include the hospital.

    Earlier Monday, parts of downtown were ordered to evacuate as the Athbasca, Clearwater and Snye rivers continue flooding into Fort McMurray.

    Anyone that needs a place to stay will be put in a hotel after registering at the Oil Sands Discovery Centre. The municipality has also created a registration form for anyone wishing to volunteer with helping evacuees efforts.

    The Wood Buffalo Food Bank has closed after its building flooded Monday morning. Damage is still being assessed.


    Heritage Village is also asking for help, as its protective berm is starting to breach. Anyone with dump trucks, sand, dirt or any other helpful equipment can call 780-788-5035.

    Other sections of downtown have already been ordered to evacuate due to the flood. They are:

    • Alberta Drive
    • Biggs Avenue
    • Saunderson Avenue
    • Nixon Street
    • Crescent Heights
    • Haineault Street to Hospital Street
    • Birch Road
    • Bennett Crescent
    • Rae Crescent
    • Centennial Drive
    • Demers Drive
    • Armit Crescent
    • Fitzsimmons Avenue
    • Father Mercredi Street
    • Platinum Hotel

    Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered for:

    • Waterways
    • Taiga Nova Industrial Park
    • Draper
    • Longboat Landing

    A second state of local emergency has been declared after parts of Fort McMurray saw flooding from the overflowing Athabasca, Snye and Clearwater Rivers. People are being asked not to travel into downtown unless absolutely necessary.

    The spring breakup of the Athabasca and Clearwater Rivers began at approximately 5:11 a.m. Sunday, elevating the risk of flooding for Fort McMurray’s lower townsite.

    Scott, Yurdiga request military support

    Mayor Don Scott has requested help from the Canadian Armed Forces as Fort McMurray issues evacuation orders. Since the request was made, most of Fort McMurray is now under a boil water advisory.


    Scott said he put in the request on Sunday afternoon. Military assistance could come in the form of digging sandbags, helping with evacuations or clearing the jammed river ice.

    Many people have suggested using the military to use explosives to clear the river ice, said Scott.

    He is interested to see if this idea could work, since he has been told by First Nation leaders that dynamite has been used in the past to clear ice blockages. However, Scott has been told by the province this idea could be challenging, considering the thickness of the ice. The ice jam is also 24 kilometres long and stretches just north of Fort McKay.


    “I would want them to use whatever is effective and safe,” said Scott. “If we needed more assistance, the federal government says they would be there for us.”

    Flood waters from the Clearwater River cover the Ptarmigan Trailer Park in Waterways on Monday, April 27, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    Flood waters from the Clearwater River cover the Ptarmigan Trailer Park in Waterways on Monday, April 27, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network

    David Yurdiga, MP for Fort McMurray-Cold Lake, said he forwarded Scott’s request during a meeting with Adam Vaughn, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Families, Children and Social Development.

    Afterwards, Yurdiga was told by National Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan that military support would be approved following a formal request from the province.

    Alberta’s cabinet is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. today. Environment Minister Jason Nixon is expected to update the government on the situation and the request for military support.


    “The number one priority is getting people to a safe location and making sure they have somewhere to go, and I’m glad we have the hotel space for that,” said Yurdiga. “Everything’s on the table for remedying crisis.”

    Boil water advisories issued north of Athabasca River

    A boil water advisory for all Fort McMurray neighbourhoods north of the Athabasca River bridges has been issued until further notice. This includes:

    • Dickinsfield
    • Eagle Ridge
    • Parsons Creek
    • Stone Creek
    • Thickwood
    • Timberlea
    • Wood Buffalo

    The advisory came shortly after 1 a.m. Monday, when AHS and the municipality began receiving reports of discoloured tap water in neighbourhoods north of the bridges.


    Currently, areas south of the bridge have not been affected.

    Tap water should not be used for drinking, cooking, making baby formula, making ice, washing fruits or vegetables, brushing teeth and feeding pets before being boiled. The water is safe for bathing.

    More information about using water under a boil advisory can be found on the AHS website.

    RMWB included flooding in pandemic plans

    In a Sunday afternoon interview, Scott said the municipality is “well prepared” to handle evacuations, flood mitigation efforts and public health orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The registration centre had already been set up for a week when evacuations were ordered, he added, and pandemic response plans created in January considered the possibility of flooding.

    “You can’t control Mother Nature, but you can control your response and we have a very effective team on the ground,” said Scott. “We want people to stay calm and follow all the advice and the orders that are in place. It’s absolutely critical that people follow the advice of the officials who are managing this.”

    A truck crosses the Saline Creek Bridge in Fort McMurray as flood waters from the Clearwater River rise on Monday, April 27, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    A truck crosses the Saline Creek Bridge in Fort McMurray as flood waters from the Clearwater River rise on Monday, April 27, 2020. 

    Chunks of river ice beneath bridges crossing the Athabasca River in Fort McMurray, Alberta on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    Chunks of river ice beneath bridges crossing the Athabasca River in Fort McMurray, Alberta on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 

    Ice floes in the Athabasca River seen next to the River Park Glen apartments in Fort McMurray on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    Ice floes in the Athabasca River seen next to the River Park Glen apartments in Fort McMurray on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 

    Chunks of ice on the Athabasca River, moments after river breakup began, on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    Chunks of ice on the Athabasca River, moments after river breakup began, on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 

    A park near the Fort McMurray neighbourhood of Waterways floods on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    A park near the Fort McMurray neighbourhood of Waterways floods on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 

    A solar panel at a Fort McMurray park along the Clearwater River sticks out after the river flooded on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    A solar panel at a Fort McMurray park along the Clearwater River sticks out after the river flooded on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 

    A sign from the municipality warning people about the breakup of the Clearwater and Athabasca Rivers on Sunday, April 26, 2020. Vincent McDermott/Fort McMurray Today/Postmedia Network
    A sign from the municipality warning people about the breakup of the Clearwater and Athabasca Rivers on Sunday, April 26, 2020. 


    Apr 27, 2020

  • KM

    http://floodlist.com/africa/rwanda-floods-may-2020

    Rwanda – Heavy Rain Leaves 8 Dead, Homes Destroyed

    The Ministry of Emergency Situations (MINEMA) in Rwanda reports that heavy rain fell across the country from 01 May causing severe damages. As of 03 May 8 people had died, 5 were injured, more than 100 houses had collapsed and roads were closed.

    Meteo Rwanda said the Mushubati weather station in Rutsiro District
    recorded 81mm of rainfall on 02 May.

    According to Meteo Rwanda, more heavy rain is expected in Kigali city, Northern Province and Rubavu, Nyabihu, Rutsiro, Ngororero, Muhanga and Ruhango districts over the next 7 days, increasing the risk of further floods and landslides. MINEMA urged people to take necessary precautions.

    Rwanda Red Cross warned of the further difficulties posed by flooding and landslides during the COVID-19 pandemic. Via Social Media, Rwanda Red Cross said:

    “Imagine heavy rains resulting in floods and landslides during a pandemic: Disasters that are occurring in Rwanda lead to loss of human life, destruction of crops and homes, loss of livestock. A deterioration of health conditions of communities already affected by the lock-down.”


    Flood damage in Rwanda after heavy rainfall from 01 May 2020. Photo: MINEMA


    Floods in Rwanda after heavy rainfall from 01 May 2020. Photo: MINEMA


    View image on TwitterView image on Twitter


    Rainfall reported on 2nd May 2020 from 8:00 am to 3rd May at 8:00 am. Mushubati Weather Station in @RutsiroDistrict recorded the highest rainfall amount of 81 mm.

    View image on Twitter


    Imagine heavy rains resulting in floods and landslides during a pandemic: Disasters that are occurring in Rwanda lead to loss of human life, destruction of crops and homes, loss of livestock. A deterioration of health conditions of communities already affected by the lock-down.



    May 4, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    FOR DEAR LIFE: Frightened neighbors captured the moment roofers were caught in a powerful storm Sunday in Nashville, Tennessee, holding on for their lives as heavy winds tossed debris toward them; the workers reportedly were not injured.
    https://abcn.ws/2W3xDFy

    https://twitter.com/ABCWorldNews/status/1257397894438682630

    https://abcnews.go.com/US/severe-weather-hit-texas-kentucky-record-...

    May 5, 2020

  • KM

    https://www.mthotham.com.au/discover/connect-with-us/latest-news/ap...

    AUTUMN'S WINTERY BLAST

    A once-in-a-decade dump of 80cm+ of snow in early May at Hotham!

    Let it snow!

    02/05/2020

    It's continued snowing lightly all day and we now have over 80cm+ from this remarkable Autumn snowstorm.

    Some of the windrifts are over a metre deep! The table-o-metre has nearly disappeared and checkout the breathtaking images in our gallery.

    Let's take it all in from our lounge rooms as we remind you that 'stay at home' restrictions remain in place in Victoria until 11 May 2020.

    01/05/2020

    Mid-winter conditions on the first day of May today at Hotham! An unbelievable dump of 50cm+ in the last 24 hours has seen the snow pillows on the table-o-metre growing by the hour.

    With blizzard conditions today, the flakes continue to fall heavily and we could be in for another 15-20cm from this incredible Autumn snowstorm.

    30/04/2020

    Mother nature has forgotten we’re still in April, delivering a once-in-a-decade Autumn snowstorm with a bang at Hotham. With wet weather all through Victoria, frigid alpine temperatures have blanketed Hotham in 15cm of snow over the last 12 hours. And this is only the entrée, with another 40cm or more still on the way!

    It’s continued snowing steadily today with the forecast calling for snow to intensify tonight and all through tomorrow.  Blizzard-like conditions at Hotham on Friday will see a maximum temperature of -3C and winds up to 55 kilometres per hour.

    With snow showers not easing until Saturday morning, stay home with a Hot(ham) chocolate, rug up and tune in to our snow cams to watch the snow build up!

    Snow Hotham
    Family
    Harry 2
    May Snow Tables 2020
    May Snow Hotham Heights
    Thigh Deep Snow May 2020
    Trees and Car in May snow 2020
    May Snow Husky 2020
    Family

    May 5, 2020

  • Gerard Zwaan

    Polar vortex brings May snow and freeze warnings to New York and New England

    Peter and Joanna Brown walk their dog in West Paris, Maine, on Saturday.
    Peter and Joanna Brown walk their dog in West Paris, Maine, on Saturday. Photograph: Andree Kehn/AP
    Associated Press in Boston
    Published onSat 9 May 2020 19.55 BST

    Mother’s Day weekend got off to an unseasonably snowy start in the US north-east on Saturday, thanks to the polar vortex bringing cold air down from the north.

    Some higher elevation areas in northern New York state and New England reported snowfall accumulations of up to 10in, while traces of snow were seen along the coast from Maine to Boston and as far south as Manhattan.

    John Cannon, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Gray, Maine, said parts of northern New England saw as much as 10in of snow and coastal areas of Maine and New Hampshire got a dusting. There were even reports of flurries in Boston.

    “We’ve had several inches in many areas in the north-east. This is a rare May snow event,” he said.

    The hardest-hit areas were hill town communities like Sugar Hill, New Hampshire, which got 10.5in, and Carrabasset Valley in Maine, which got 9in, he said.

    Conditions at the Mount Washington Observatory, atop the highest peak in the north-east, were downright arctic on Saturday afternoon, with the wind chill at -22F (-30C) and winds gusting at 87mph.

    In many areas, the snowfall was one for the record books, even if it didn’t stick around. Massachusetts had not seen measurable snow in May since 2002, while in Manhattan’s Central Park, the flakes tied a record set in 1977 for latest snow of the season.

    The wintry weather came two days after Vermont began to lift restrictions on tennis, golf and other outdoor activities that had been imposed to curb the coronavirus outbreak. Phil Scott, the state’s governor, tweeted sympathy to Vermonters frustrated by the weather following weeks of being inside.

    “I know snow on 9 May isn’t a welcome sight for many Vermonters, just as we’re cautiously allowing outdoor recreation to get going again,” he wrote. “But this is just a snapshot in time. Just like better weather is ahead, better days will come, as well. We will get through this, together.”

    Usually the polar vortex is a batch of cold air that stays trapped in the Arctic all winter, but a couple times during the season it wanders south and brings bone-chilling cold and snow to Canada and parts of the US.

    A low pressure system off the coast of southern New England helped pull cold air down from the north, said lan Dunham, a meteorologist with the NWS in Norton, Massachusetts.

    Cannon said the snow would give way to strong winds upward of 40mph and 50mph in much of the US north-east for the remainder of Saturday, along with unusually cold conditions. There were freeze watches and warnings out for much of the region.

    Temperatures were expected to dip below 30F (-1C) from midnight through Sunday morning in parts of New Jersey and New York and a freeze warning was issued from Saturday night until Sunday morning in parts of Pennsylvania.

    Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/may/09/polar-vortex-brings...

    May 10, 2020

  • KM

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ-LNoL0m-k


    Took the roof off

    Extreme hurricanic winds and flying debris in Russia

    Embedded video

    May 15, 2020

  • KM

    https://www.thebigwobble.org/2020/05/i-have-never-seen-such-cyclone...

    “I have never seen such a cyclone in my life. It seemed like the end of the world. All I could do was to pray." Death toll approaches 100 as “Super Cyclonic Storm Amphan hits India and Bangladesh


    People make way through gusty winds as super cyclone Amphan makes landfall, near Dhamara Port in Bhadrak district. (PTI) Hindu Times

    The most powerful cyclone to strike eastern India and Bangladesh in over a decade has killed 84 people with many missing after a powerful cyclone tore through coastal areas and neighbouring Bangladesh, a state chief minister said on Thursday. The cyclone struck the state of West Bengal on Wednesday evening, devastating villages, tearing down power lines, and leaving large tracts of land underwater. State Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the death toll stood at 84 with most caused by electrocution and falling trees. Bangladesh, where the cyclone moved on to, has so far reported 10 deaths.

    Mass evacuations organised by authorities before Cyclone Amphan made landfall undoubtedly saved countless lives, but the full extent of the casualties and damage to property would only be known once communications were restored, officials said.

    “I have never seen such a cyclone in my life. It seemed like the end of the world. All I could do was to pray... Almighty Allah saved us,” Azgar Ali, 49, a resident of Satkhira district on the Bangladesh coast told Reuters. At one point 14 million people were without power in the city of Kolkata. Many thousands of people have been evacuated causing a massive problem for people safe-distancing due to the Covid-19 Pandemic.

    Tropical cyclone Amphan (Bay of Bengal) was one of the most intense Category 5 storms on record in the North Indian Ocean. A “Super Cyclonic Storm” – the equivalent of a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir Simpson scale.

    The deadliest tropical cyclone on record, the Great Bhola Cyclone in November 1970, killed at least 300,000 people in modern-day Bangladesh and led to the establishment in 1972, of a body in charge of the regional coordination mechanism for tropical cyclones, the WMO/ESCAP Panel on Tropical Cyclones Extensive and coordinated disaster risk reduction campaigns have, in recent years, limited casualties.

    May 21, 2020

  • jorge namour

    Guangzhou, CHINA, May 22. 2020

    https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2990964830949455&set=a....

    May 22, 2020

  • Juan F Martinez

    The sky of Beijing turns into complete darkness during the afternoon Fri May 22, 2020

    22nd May 2020 -(Beijing) Beijing turned into complete darkness at around 3.45pm yesterday. A BBC Camera Journalist, Edward Lawrence based in China who previously produced and shot documentaries captured the bizarre phenomenon. He said that 10 minutes before the darkness, Beijing was still bright with lights.

    Another netizen also shared the video of Beijing shrouded in complete darkness on Youtube. A bolt of lightning was seen striking an object before the end of the video. A severe thunderstorm was hitting the city moments later.

    "It’s 3.45 in Beijing and ALL OF A SUDDEN IT’S GONE DARK. 10 mins ago, it was light. Now it’s as dark as night." "10-15 mins later is became light again after some heavy rain. Very weird."

    https://www.dimsumdaily.hk/beijing-turns-into-complete-darkness-dur...

    https://twitter.com/EP_Lawrence?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etwee...

    May 22, 2020