Earth Changes and the Pole Shift
Wild Weather, the Wobble Effect
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Weather: |
Tides and Whirlpools:
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"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."
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.
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
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
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.
Featured image credit: Demiroren Haber Ajansi
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
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
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
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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
From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020
From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020
Tuesday
From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020
From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020
Wednesday
From Summer to winter overnight: Cold Weather engulfs Spain and Portugal in March 2020
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.
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 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...
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...
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 "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.
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.
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.
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
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. 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
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.
This is an article distributed under the terms of the Science Journals Default License.
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
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.
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:
Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered for:
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
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:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
May 4, 2020
Juan F Martinez
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!
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!
May 5, 2020
Gerard Zwaan
Polar vortex brings May snow and freeze warnings to New York and New England
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
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
KM
https://watchers.news/2020/05/25/extreme-once-in-a-decade-storm-bri...
Extreme 'once-in-a-decade' storm brings destructive winds and rain to Western Australia
An extreme weather event described as a "once-in-a-decade" brought destructive winds and rain to a wide stretch of Western Australia on May 24 and 25, 2020.
Wind speed of up to 132 km/h (82 mph) was recorded at Cape Leeuwin, the state's strongest May gust in 15 years. In Perth, the wind gusted at more than 90 km/h (56 mph) overnight.
The highest rainfall totals in a 24-hour period to Monday were 60 mm (2.4 inches) at Learmonth Airport and 54 mm (2.1 inches) in Margaret River. Several areas in the Pilbara region received up to 50 mm (2 inches), while up to 20 mm (0.8 inches) soaked agricultural lands.
More than 60 000 homes lost electricity, most of which in the main city of Perth. In an update at 09:00 UTC (17:00 LT) on Monday, Western Power reported that around 4 400 properties remain off supply in the metropolitan area.
In the northern part of the network extending to Geraldton and the Mid West, the number of disrupted homes has been reduced to 1 000, from a peak of 13 000 on Sunday, May 24.
"Our teams have responded to 1 500 incidents over the past 24 hours, with 650 in the metropolitan area alone and nearly 500 hazards identified and assessed," it stated.
Geraldton was hit particularly bad, with debris scattered on streets, windscreens smashed, and several buildings demolished.
Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) manager Neil Bennett said the weather system stretched some 1 200 km (746 miles), also causing some flooding and beach erosion.
"It was really right up and down the coast, including the Perth area, but particularly that southwest area of Western Australia really caught the brunt of this one."
The Canal Rocks walk bridge was reportedly badly damaged by heavy swells and high tides. The area has since been closed to the public.
Pilbara Ports Authority said that while port operations had not been impacted, elevated swell led to some minor changes in the shipping schedule at the Port of Dampier.
Jon Broomhall, Assistant Acting Commissioner of the Department of Fire and Emergency Services, dubbed the storm system a "once-in-a-decade" type.
The situation was caused by the remnants of Ex-Tropical Cyclone "Mangga" that hit a cold front. "This is a rare event for WA particularly due to the extent of the area affected and the possibility of multiple areas of dangerous weather," said BOM.
While strong wind gusts may still be felt in the Perth metro area, they are no longer expected to be severe or above 90 km/h (56 mph), the weather bureau noted.
A severe weather warning for damaging winds and abnormally high tides is in force for South Coastal, South East Coastal, and parts of South West and Great Southern districts. Marine wind warnings are also in place for some areas, while a severe fire danger warning is forecast for Eucla.
May 25, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Red Sprites Kansas and Nebraska 5/23/2020
https://www.spaceweather.com/
May 26, 2020
Juan F Martinez
MIAMI (CBSMiami) — South Florida’s relentless rain is providing a bit of a break Tuesday morning but more storms are expected Tuesday afternoon and evening.
A Flood watch has been extended until 8;)0 p.m. Tuesday evening because the ground is already saturated and any additional rainfall will lead to more flooding.
https://miami.cbslocal.com/2020/05/26/miami-weather-flood-watch-rem...
May 26, 2020
Gerard Zwaan
Turkey's eastern provinces hit by disruptive snowstorm and strong winds
Posted by Julie Celestial on May 26, 2020 at 21:57 UTC (48 minutes ago)
Categories: Featured articles, Severe storms
A cold front accompanied by snow and strong winds caused disruptions to Turkey's eastern provinces beginning Sunday, May 24, 2020. The storm led to extensive damage to properties, power blackouts, traffic interruptions, and at least one person dead.
In the southeastern province of Hakkari, strong winds damaged roofs of houses and public buildings in the city center. A booth serving as a taxi stand was also blown away, rolling into a street.
Homes in Van's city center also took a hit, as well as greenhouses and fields in the nearby districts of Gurpinar, Saray, Gevas, and Ozalp, where a barn's roof collapsed, killing many sheep.
Power blackouts occurred throughout the region, including in Ardahan's city center.
In the city of Kahramanmaras, the storm damaged several apartment buildings, grocery stores, billboards, and a school. In the Nurhak district, a group consisting of 30 people was rescued by the local Disaster and Emergency Management Authority and gendarmerie units.
In the southeastern city of Diyarbakir, rainfall accompanied by hail blanketed streets, leading to whiteout conditions that caused disruptions to drivers exempt from the curfew.
The damage reported in the city center was minimal, however, crops were impacted in the countryside, as well as in the neighboring province of Elazig.
Early Monday, May 25, five neighborhood watchmen sustained injuries in Erzerum's Horasan district. The commuters were on their way home from duty when their car veered off the road.
The country's highlands were also affected by snowfall, especially the northern and eastern parts. High altitude areas in the province of Erzincan were particularly impacted as village roads were blocked, many mountain passes were closed, and drivers had to use tire chains on highways.
At least one fatality was reported, identified as a 70-year-old shepherd. Several cattle breeders in the highlands of the Uzumulu district managed to survive and return to their villages, along with their herd. Baris Metin Kurt, a shepherd, said the weather suddenly became bad, and it is the first time they encountered such an event in May.
In the northern Kastamonu province, a group of shepherds roaming the countryside with 440 sheep were trapped on a plateau following a sudden snowfall. Around 80 sheep perished due to cold and exhaustion, while many remain unaccounted for. Shepherds took refuge in a nearby village with their remaining animals.
In the northern Giersun province, more than a dozen shepherds, along with some 4 000 sheep were rescued in the highlands as local units cleared roads engulfed in snow and brought in fodder.
Featured image credit: Forum Atmosfer/YouTube
Source: https://watchers.news/2020/05/26/turkey-snowstorm-may-2020/
May 27, 2020
jorge namour
Gulf countries start painting the streets with colored asphalt.
Dark asphalt temperature is 20 degrees higher than real as black absorbs heat.
https://www.facebook.com/113767793379944/photos/a.113816356708421/2...
May 28, 2020
Gerard Zwaan
Anomalous June Snow in the Rockies: Snowplows Deployed in Utah and Wyoming – A Foot of Snow in Idaho and Montana – And We Are Only Two Weeks Away From the Summer Solstice!
The summer solstice is just under two weeks away, and yet parts of the northern Rockies resemble a scene out of winter on Monday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Prediction Center (WPC) said heavy snow has developed across parts of Montana, Idaho, and Utah.
Heavy June snow covers parts of Montana, Idaho and Utah in one foot of snow in 2020. Picture via Twitter
Forecasters said an “anomalously cold and vigorous upper trough for early June,” is swinging through the western U.S and northern Plains, bringing the threat for severe weather.
In the northern regions, the storm system is bringing accumulating snow.
“Some of the higher elevations of southwest Montana into the Yellowstone National Park could see heavy snow today before the snow tapers off by tonight,” the WPC said. “The snow will spread into the higher elevations of the central Rockies as well.”
In Utah, UDOT snowplows were dispatched to both Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, where several inches of snow have fallen causing some pretty big rocks to come down.
Meanwhile, in Wyoming, crews are also at work:
Winter weather advisories have been posted throughout the region, where up to 7 inches of snow could fall. Some residents reported seeing a foot of fresh powder.
The NWS Great Falls forecast office said moderate to heavy snow is expected in locations above 5,000 feet.
Motorists in the area can expect slushy and snow-covered roads, visibilities to less than a half-mile.
“If you are traveling over mountain passes, be prepared for winter driving conditions and reduced visibility,” the NWS said.
Portions of central and southwest Montana reported power outages due to the heavy, wet snow, MontanaRightNow reported.
Forecasters say snow in the region is highly unusual for June and that people who may be camping are probably not prepared for such conditions. Frozen precipitation typically ends in May across the region.
Wind chills as low as the teens are expected on Monday for central, southwest, and west-central Montana.
After the snow stops, cold conditions are expected to stick around through Tuesday morning, spurring frost and freeze warnings for parts of the area.
That same cold front bringing heavy snow over the Northern Rockies is going to fuel severe storms for the Northern and Central Plains, according to Fox News.
More videos about the anomalous and heavy snow in Utah, Idaho and Montana this weekend:
The weather is going crazy right now! An extremely rare derecho was also reported across Wyoming and Colorad... This was the second such massive storm in three days… More than 100,000 lightnings on the West Coast… And now heavy snow. Really abnormal, isn’t it?
Source: https://strangesounds.org/2020/06/anomalous-snow-june-montana-idaho...
Jun 9, 2020
Juan F Martinez
"I’m a sucker for a great weather photo - this one may be one of the best!"
~ Chris Nelson KIMT Chief Meteorologist, 2 hours ago
Taken near a supercell thunderstorm, Stavros K in Springlake, TX caught this one via camera.
https://www.facebook.com/chrisnelsonKIMTchief/photos/a.162152430473...
Jun 15, 2020
KM
https://saskatoon.ctvnews.ca/rural-sask-wind-storm-wreaks-havoc-lea...
Rural Sask. wind storm wreaks havoc, leaves behind overturned grain cars
BIRCH HILLS -- The aftermath left by a wind and hail storm over the weekend has prompted the RM of Birch Hills to declare a state of emergency.
On Sunday evening, high winds and hail damaged the roofs of buildings, broke trees and overturned grain bins. About 20 grain cars were blown off the train tracks in the RM.
“It was a plow wind,” said Brancepeth resident Dwade Segi. He’s lived in the hamlet, located in the RM, for 16-years.
The roof of the community's water treatment plant was destroyed by the wind.
“I worked until midnight last night trying to get the water treatment plant taken care of. We had to get generators out of Prince Albert.”
SaskPower said 15 power lines were broken in the storm and they are working to restore power in Brancepeth area.
The Reeve of the RM Allan Evans said the state of emergency will help the community access equipment or supplies from the province such as generators.
The RM is also looking at accessing the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program to help with the cleanup, Evans said.
Flooding, high winds reported after massive storm pummels north-east Sask.
Humboldt declared state of emergency, train blown off tracks near Birch Hills
People in an area between Humboldt and Birch Hills are picking up the pieces after a wicked storm blew through the area Sunday afternoon.
Jun 16, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Videos show massive flooding in S. China, Three Gorges Dam next
Three Gorges Dam faces serious test as Chongqing hit by worst flooding in 80 years
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — As southern China sees some of its worst flooding in 80 years, videos have surfaced showing extreme quantities of water inundating 10 provinces and cities, threatening the vaunted Three Gorges Dam.
As China's Yangtze River Basin enters its flood season, the upper reaches of the Three Gorges Dam are seeing the highest flood levels since 1940. Weather China has issued its highest warning for flooding and rain for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to Guizhou.
The rainfall is expected to peak on Tuesday and Wednesday (June 23 and 24). Flood warnings have been issued in more than 10 provinces and municipalities in China, including Guizhou, Chongqing, Hunan, Hubei, Jiangxi, Anhui, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Shanghai, and Guangxi.
https://www.taiwannews.com.tw/en/news/3952434
Jun 25, 2020
Gerard Zwaan
US Weather Anomalies: State of Emergency Declared After 9 Inches of Rain in 24 Hours Trigger__ Deadly Flash Floods in Western Wisconsin – 6 Inches of Snow in Idaho
Officials in St. Croix County in western Wisconsin declared a state of emergency on 29 June after major flash flooding.
In a statement, county officials said: “On June 28 and 29, parts of St. Croix County received over seven inches of rain causing flooding and washed out roads across the county.
“The areas experiencing significant flooding are the Municipalities of Kinnickinnic, Pleasant Valley, Rush River, Eau Galle, Warren, Hammond, Baldwin, Springfield, Erin Prairie, Emerald, Glenwood, Cylon, and Forest.“
According to NWS Twin Cities, in a 24 hour period to 29 June, Emerald recorded 9.13 inches (232 mm) of rain, Baldwin 8.22 inches (208.79 mm), Hammond 8.20 inches (208.28 mm) and River Fall 7.25 inches (184.15 mm).
At one point over 50 roads were closed in the area due to flooding.
St. Croix County Sheriff’s Office reported that a man died after after his vehicle entered a flooded area in the town of Baldwin. The vehicle entered a ditch and became submerged in water.
The Sheriff’s Office also said that at least eight families were evacuated from houses near an overflowing creek and taken to a nearby community centre. – Floodlist
Meanwhile, portions of the Wood River Valley in Idaho woke up to more than 6 inches of snow on Monday morning, as the end of June looked more like a mid-winter morning.
Galena Summit saw more than 6 inches of snow on Monday, an uncommon occurrence at the end of June in Idaho. Picture: Eric Brill / KMVT
The mountain towns within the Central and Sawtooth Mountains were a little bit too warm too see any of the white stuff fly, but once you were able to get above approximately 6,700 feet, snow started to cover the ground.
At Galena Summit, which is approximately midway between Ketchum and Stanley, saw more than 6 inches of snow. This is at approximately 8,700 feet above sea level, and of course, the higher you are above sea level within this part of the Central and Sawtooth Mountains, the more snow you will see.
Luckily, with temperatures last week as well as Saturday in the 70s for highs, the snow wasn’t able to accumulate very much on Highway 75.
With that noted, the threat of snow is expected to linger around until Tuesday. Another 2-4 inches of snow will be possible, with the majority of the accumulation happening on grassy surfaces, as well as the majestic trees of the Sawtooth National Forest.
While the snow isn’t the most common thing to see in southern Idaho for late June, the amount of snow that is accumulating within this specific storm is uncommon. – KMTV
Source:https://strangesounds.org/2020/06/weather-anomalies-wisconsin-flash...
Jun 30, 2020
KM
https://watchers.news/2020/07/01/northwest-saskatchewan-hit-by-wors...
Northwest Saskatchewan hit by worst flooding in 46 years, Canada
Rare flooding, described as the worst in 46 years, hit the northwest Saskatchewan this week. High flow is making its way to the Beaver River, affecting the Beauval area.
Overland flooding on the Little Saskatchewan River through Rapid City has affected multiple properties, and road washouts were reported both local and provincial.
"Our road is underwater and breaking up," said Candyce Paul, the incident commander with English River First Antion's emergency management team.
The last time flooding was this bad was in 1974, Paul said, adding that it is possible that some roads may be closed. Saskatchewan Highways also said that floodwaters may force the closure of Highway 165 in the province's north.
"This is something we've been asking the government, 'Are you going to keep this road open? Do you have a plan B'?" she stated.
"By the sounds of it, plan B is we're cut off for three weeks, likely."
Paula noted that this is a big concern, especially amid the coronavirus pandemic where there are limited services in the province's north. Five communities depend on the road to get essentials, she added.
"We don't even have a store here, or at La Plonge, where we can get essentials. We can't get gas here. Our medical services and our mail, all on the other side. The pharmacy's on the other side."
According to the province's Water Safety Agency, water levels are still rising and it could hit its peak in a few days.
"After the peak hits, it's a gradual decrease," said Patrick Boyle with Water Safety Agency. "You'll have high water levels there for probably the next week to 10 days for sure, and then they gradually start to go down."
The flooding was caused by heavy rains in Alberta and northwest Saskatchewan, Boyle added.
Paul also noted that her community may leave a truck on the other side of the water and escort citizens who need to travel to get there.
The ministry, on the other hand, assured that it is monitoring the water levels, has set up barriers, and has put an 8 000 kg (17 600 lbs) weight limit in place.
Jul 1, 2020
KM
https://watchers.news/2020/07/03/rivers-dam-hits-highest-level-caus...
Rivers Dam hits highest level, causing '1 000-year' flooding - Manitoba, Canada
Up to 38 homes and 83 people were evacuated in southern Manitoba on Wednesday night, July 1, 2020, as the Rivers Dam hit its highest level in a "once-in-1 000-year" event, said Infrastructure Minister Ron Schuler. The incident was unprecedented and unimaginable, according to Rural Municipality of Riverdale Mayor Todd Gill.
"I don't think anybody could have conceivably anticipated this much water coming at us, and it came at us at an incredibly fast rate," Schuler stated at a news conference Thursday afternoon, July 2.
"The government no longer has confidence in the structure in the dam at Rivers, Manitoba."
Engineers are on-site to monitor the spillway for any signs of trouble, he added. The province also deployed 11 standard emergency response trailers, including water pumps and water tubes.
The water flows from Lake Wahtopanah and the Little Saskatchewan River at the dam are more than 340 cubic m per second (12 000 cubic feet per second), which surpassed the 2011 flood levels.
"The water level at the Rivers Dam is at its highest level, ever," Schuler noted, calling it a "once-in-1 000-year" event.
Heavy downpours have caused water levels to rise in creeks and rivers in the area. The town of Neepawa has already declared a local state of emergency due to high water levels along the Whitemud River.
In areas near the Little Saskatchewan River Valley, Gill said 38 families had evacuated after days of intense rains in the southwest and western Manitoba.
Northwest Saskatchewan was hit by rare flooding this week, which was described as the worst in 46 years.
"It’s not only unprecedented but unimaginable, really," Gill said Thursday. "Never would anybody imagine what we are facing right now."
Hours after the evacuations, people downstream of the dam were keeping an eye on the structure to see if it will withstand the water accumulating over the past days, Gill added.
"People are literally right on site, 24 hours a day, monitoring and studying this structure because it's got a wall of water behind it that nobody has ever seen before," the mayor said.
Some areas have received record-high rainfall of more than 200 mm (8 inches) this week.
Jul 3, 2020
KM
https://watchers.news/2020/07/06/saskatchewan-hit-by-3-tornadoes-in...
Saskatchewan hit by 3 tornadoes, intense rain and large hail, Canada
At least three tornadoes touched down in southwest Saskatchewan Saturday afternoon, July 4, 2020. The storm also brought damaging winds, large hail, and intense rainfall to the province. Environment Canada confirmed the first twister near Glenbain, the second near Kincaid to Woodrow, and the third near Assiniboia. Some of the reported damage is still being investigated.
Environment Canada issued its first tornado warning around 21:40 UTC (15:40 LT) on Saturday. A storm system moved southeast across the province, hitting Kincaid and Glenbain an hour later.
The tornado was later confirmed, but no damage was reported by Sunday, July 5.
Hail also fell in some parts of the province, which was said to be around the size of a golfball. Many farmers said their crops were affected by the storm.
The second tornado hit Kincaid at roughly 22:40 UTC (16:40 LT), where damage to a home and farm is still being investigated, the department said.
Around 00:20 UTC on July 5 (18:20 LT on July 4), a third twister touched down near Assiniboia. No damage was reported.
In a weather summary issued on July 5, Environment Canada noted that "these storm assessments are considered preliminary and may be changed if more information becomes available."
Severe weather had been affecting Saskatchewan over the past days. During the first week of July, the northwestern region was hit by rare flooding, which was described as the worst in 46 years.
Meanwhile, the neighboring province of Manitoba was struck by a "once-in-1 000-year" flood event in the same period as the Rivers Dam hit its highest level on record.
Jul 7, 2020
KM
Source
Fast-Moving Line of Severe Storms Triggers Tsunami in Upper Chesapeake Bay
A rare meteotsunami formed in the Chesapeake Bay as thunderstorms rolled through Maryland Monday night.
According the The National Weather Service’s Mt. Holly bureau the tsunami formed near Tolchester Beach in Kent County.
Extreme storms create meteotsunami on Chesapeake Bay on July 6, 2020. Picture: NOAA/Michelle Mcgahey
A meteotsunami is a tsunami wave that is brought on by air-pressure disturbances often associated with fast-moving weather events like severe thunderstorms, squalls, and other storm fronts.
The tidal chart showed that there was a sharp rise and fall along several smaller waves. This wasn’t due to any seismic activity, instead it was due to the substantial pressure created by the thunderstorm.
This is the classic meteotsunami signature with a tsunami wave followed by several smaller waves in response.
Powerful storm
According to folks at Tolchester Marina, the storm was extremely intense. Cathy Bramble, marina president, tells Bay Bulletin the rain came down sideways and wind gusts were so strong that Tolchester’s 20-foot steel flagpole was bent. Bramble says the wind also blew a sign right into the marina’s palm tree, where it became lodged in the trunk.
Boaters at the marina saw hail and one sailboater’s wind instrument clocked a gust at just under 70 miles per hour.
Radar loops showed that the storm outflow – a line, or in this case a ring, of cool dry winds – move out of the thunderstorm cluster in a symmetric pattern. “This pattern would have produced gusty winds as it passed over the Cheapeake Bay and lowered the atmospheric pressure suddenly,” explains Snider.
Two years ago, in May 2018, two meteotsunamis formed on Lake Michigan within a single day! Amazing!
The last suspected meteotsunami on the mid-Atlantic coast was the result of a derecho back in 2013. The rare phenomenon is hard to predict and there is no warning system yet.
https://strangesounds.org/2020/07/tsunami-chesapeake-bay-usa-meteot...
Jul 8, 2020
KM
Source
Unprecedented Floods in Japan Kill at Least 60 People – More Than 550,000 Told to Evacuate After 4 Inches of Rain Fall in an Hour
Torrential rain storms that triggered flash floods and mudslides in Japan’s Kyushu region have left 60 people dead or missing.
Hundreds of thousands have also been evacuated to safer areas.
Flooding and landslides caused by unprecedented rain in southern Japan have left at least 60 people dead. Picture via Youtube video
Mother Nature’s wrath continues to sweep Japan.
Torrential rain in the country’s Kyushu region, southwestern Japan, has triggered floods and mudslides.
Authorities say at least 49 people have been confirmed dead, while eleven others are unaccounted for.
Unprecedented Rain
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said such rainfall had never been seen before in the region. As much as 4 inches an hour fell at one time.
The heavy rainfall on Friday and Saturday in Kumamoto totaled nearly 20 inches in Minamata and nearly 16 inches in Kuma, Yunomae and Amakusa, according to the Meteorological Agency.
Rescue efforts have been hampered by continued downpours, with up to 300 millimeters of rain in the forecast through Tuesday.
Evacuations
Meteorological authorities in Japan have also issued special heavy rain warnings to three prefectures Nagasaki, Saga, and Fukuoka and the authorities have also issued evacuation orders to 330,000 citizens.
Such orders have also been issued to 205,000 people in Kumamoto Prefecture, and to approximately 35,000 in Miyazaki and Kagoshima Prefecture, totaling 550,000 people across Japan.
Rescue
With many waiting to be rescued, the Japanese government has also dispatched around 10,000 Ground Self-Defense Force personnel to the hardest-hit areas.
More than 2,000 households have been left stranded, many of which are home to elderly people.
Helicopters and boats have been rescuing people from their homes where they can.
The flooding has also cut off power and communication lines, further delaying search and rescue efforts.
https://strangesounds.org/2020/07/japan-floods-60-dead-videos-evacu...
Jul 10, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Wuhan, China
https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/3092627/covid-19-an...
https://www.facebook.com/extremweatherworldd/
Jul 10, 2020
SongStar101
Flooding expands throughout China
China – Floods Affect Millions in Central and Eastern Provinces
http://floodlist.com/asia/china-floods-central-eastern-july-2020
Flooding in central and eastern provinces of China has worsened over the last few days, with over 14 million people affected across the worst hit provinces of Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, Anhui and Zhejiang.
Floodwaters first hit Sichuan, Guizhou and Chongqing in the southwest and Hubei in central China in late June. High river flows have since moved eastwards along the Yangtze river basin. According to China’s Ministry of Water Resources, rivers are above danger levels in over 80 locations.
Recent heavy rainfall in the region has swollen rivers and lakes further, as well as causing flash flooding and landslides. Wide areas of eastern China saw between 400 mm and 600 mm of rain in the first 10 days of July, according to figures from China’s Meteorological Agency (CMA).
Hubei Province
Recent flooding in Hubei Province has affected over 9 million people in 44 counties, according to the province’s Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters, quoted by local media. The provincial emergency management department has evacuated more than 17,000 people to safety.
As of 10 July, the Yangtze at Jingzhou City stood 1.04 metres above warning levels at 33.04 metres. Meanwhile the Yangtze at Hankou in Wuhan stood at 28.04 metres on 10 July, above the danger mark of 27.3 metres.
Heavy rain on 08 July triggered a landslide in Dahe Township of Huangmei County. Dahe recorded 353mm of rain in 24 hours. Nine people were swept away and 40 people displaced.
Hunan Province
As of 08 July, rain and flooding since late June has affected more than 956,000 people and destroyed hundreds of houses in central Hunan province, according to local authorities quoted by news agency Xinhua.
The province’s flood control and drought relief headquarters said about 79,000 hectares of farmland.
Yueyang recorded record rainfall of 261 mm in 24 hours to 08 July. Donting Lake at Yueyang stood at 34.18 metres, which is above the danger mark of 32.5m.
Jiangxi Province
In Jiangxi Province, flooding since 06 July has now affected over 3.68 million residents, with about 324,000 people relocated. Two rescue workers are missing after flash floods in Nachang.
The province upgraded its emergency response for flood control from level IV to level III on 08 July. Poyang Lake at Xingzi hydrological station stood at 20.54 metres on 08 July, which is 1.54 metres above the warning level.
Ji’an County recorded 364.7mm of rain in 24 hours to 10 July. As of 10 July, the Yangtze River at Jiujiang City stood at 22.07 metres where the danger mark is 20 metres.
Anhui Province
Xinhua reported on 07 July that heavy rain has affected over 420,000 people in Anhui Province, as local authorities launched the level II emergency response (second-highest) for flood prevention.
Rain has been falling since 02 July, affecting seven cities and 31 county-level administrations and leading to the evacuation of 27,000 people.
The Guxihe River at Dangtu near Ma’anshan City stood at 11.62 metres as of 10 July. Danger level at this location is 10.30 metres.
Zhejiang Province
Some areas in Tonglu County in Zhejiang Province were flooded on 07 July after releases from the Xin’an River Reservoir. The reservoir is an important flood control project in the upper reaches of the Qiantang River. A total of 27,397 residents have been evacuated.
Social Media
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https://youtu.be/1cLK_ExjJNY
Jul 13, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Statue of Liberty LIT UP: Lightning strikes in the distance behind the Statue of Liberty as severe storms move through the New York City area. 7/22/2020
https://abcn.ws/3fYMubW
https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1286089141118054400
A witness said: "A truly incredible lightning and thunderstorm hit New York City tonight just after 6pm. The storm came up through Bayonne, NJ and across the city from the south giving people in Brooklyn, Queens and in the city a spectacular show."
Jul 23, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Eastern US lashed by 2 ferocious ‘once-in-50 years’ storms in just TWO WEEKS
23 Jul, 2020 11:11
Up to 56 million people across the eastern seaboard of the US are at risk of flash flooding, gusts of up to 60 mph and even isolated weak tornadoes, as an unusually powerful storm lashes the region.
Flash-flood warnings were issued across New York City, Newark, and Jersey City, with strong gusts reported in areas of Nassau County and the city boroughs of Brooklyn and Queens on Wednesday.
Eyewitness video from the affected areas shows the sheer ferocity of the storm as it bore down on residents, unleashing nature’s full fury following a major heatwave.
https://www.rt.com/usa/495581-eastern-us-lashed-historic-storms/
Jul 23, 2020
Juan F Martinez
Aug 1, 2020
KM
Source
Extremely Dangerous Killer Heatwaves Are Turning Apocalyptic in Death Valley, Iraq, and Kuwait With Extreme Temperatures of up to 127°F (53°C)
Do you have your AC on?
Because extreme deadly heatwaves have engulfed parts of the Desert Southwest United States, the Middle East and Europe.
In the U.S., California and Arizona are experiencing 115-120°F (46-49°C), Death Valley’s temperature reaches up to 127°F (53°C). Meanwhile, parts of Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait come close to all-time records at 127°F (53°C)!
Unusually hot temperatures in USA
The temperatures were unusually hot in July 2020 across Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas.
The temperatures were unusually hot in July 2020 across Arizona, New Mexico, and West Texas. Map: Oregon State University
The southwest US is suffering all-time record temperatures. July 2020 was the hottest on record for Phoenix, Arizona, with temperatures up to 118°F (48°C) this week.
As shown in the gray spot on the map above, a killer heatwave has developed across a large part of the southwest United States, including Arizona, inland California (Death Valley), Nevada, and New Mexico in July 2020.
Deadly heatwave will scorches Arizona beginning of August 2020. NWS Phoenix
July 2020 was the hottest month on record for Phoenix, Arizona with a new average temperature of 99°F (37.2°C) compared to 98.3°F (36.8°C) in July 2009:
Insane temperatures in Death Valley
Again, the Death Valley is making the headlines with this year’s highest temperatures recorded in mid-July at 128°F (53°C).
There is even a picture of Death Valley park rangers near the temperature display in front of the Visitors Centre in Furnace Creek on July 13th showing an amazing 129°F (54°C).
Furnace Creek has set the record for the highest temperature ever measured on Earth at 134°F (56.7°C)… This best mark was measured on July 10, 1913 and has never been broken since… I bet it will be soon.
127°F (53°C) across Iraq, Iran and Kuwait
The Middle East has also recorded excessive heat in the last weeks or so, with temperatures reaching 122°F (50°C) in Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.
The highest temperature in the last few days was 127°F (53°C) and was recorded in Iraq and Kuwait.
Extreme temperatures recorded in Middle East end of July 2020: 53°C or 127°F in Irak and Kuwait. Ogimet
Weather forecast show that this apocalyptic heatwave will last until August 5, 2020. The highest temperature ever recorded in Kuwait is 129°F (53.9°C).
https://strangesounds.org/2020/08/dangerous-heatwaves-extreme-tempe...
Aug 3, 2020
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8606907/Arctic-villagers-f...
Escape from HELL: Arctic villagers flee raging wildfires on boats as 35ft flames encircle remote settlement
The terror of raging wildfires in northern Russia saw desperate Arctic villagers evacuating by boat to escape 35ft flames and choking smoke.
'Panicking' residents in remote Svatay fled on the Alazeya River when they feared their settlement would be destroyed.
The village is 140 miles above the Arctic Circle and has been encircled by fires for weeks, culminating in the exodus when locals felt their lives in danger.
The infernos fuelled by high winds have wiped out ancient trees, and roasted alive wildlife including sables and rare birds.
The terror of raging wildfires in northern Russia saw desperate Arctic villagers evacuating by boat to escape 35ft flames and choking smoke
Larger animals like moose have escaped into the taiga and tundra, say locals.
The unprecedented carnage is seen by many as being a startling consequence of climate change in the extreme north, with smoke from wildfires covering an area of Siberia equivalent to one-third the size of Canada.
One resident said: 'We never had this before, this weather and the fires.'
Firefighters were desperately seeking to prevent the flames reaching Svatay's diesel generator.
Larger animals like moose have escaped into the taiga and tundra, say locals.
More footage shows forests on the edge of regional capital Yakutsk engulfed by smoke from unprecedented wildfires after a dry, hot summer.
The world’s coldest city, and the largest above the Arctic Circle, is blanketed by smoke.
Darya Borisova, head of the village administration in Svatay, where there is a state of emergency, said: 'There was a real threat.'
She said the 450 locals 'got scared' when villagers fled by boat.
Aug 9, 2020
M. Difato
Derecho tore path of destruction across nearly 800 miles in 14 hours, killed at least 1
An intense thunderstorm complex known as a derecho developed over the central United States on Monday, causing significant damage and widespread power outages as it blitzed eastward covering a nearly 800-mile stretch of the U.S. in 14 hours.
As officials in multiple states assessed widespread damage on Tuesday caused by wind gusts that exceeded 100 mph in some places, at least one fatality was blamed on the storm.
Thunderstorms ignited in southeastern South Dakota and eastern Nebraska on Monday morning, but gained strength and evolved into a derecho across central Iowa by midday. The worst of the storms focused on a zone from around Des Moines through Davenport, Iowa.
Large trees, branches, debris and power lines littered streets and yards all across Iowa and northern Illinois with many residents finding themselves in the dark in the wake of the storms.
The cluster of storms, which erupted in South Dakota, traveled approximately 770 miles in about 14 hours before it weakened in Ohio, according to the National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC).
Over 1 million were without power across Iowa and Illinois on Monday evening, according to PowerOutage.us. Entire communities were left in the dark in areas hit hardest by the complex of storms, such as the town of Ames, Iowa. As of Tuesday, nearly 1 million were still without power across Iowa, Illinois and Indiana.
Officials in Fort Wayne, Indiana, said a woman whose mobile home was obliterated by the storm died at the hospital after first responders rushed her there on Monday night, The Associated Press reported. According to the AP, firefighters found the woman, Isabel E. Atencio, trapped under debris from her destroyed home. She was unresponsive and appeared to be protecting a 5-year-old boy who is believed to be her grandson. Atencio, 73, was taken to the hospital where she was pronounced dead from blunt-force injuries, according to The Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly. The child suffered minor injuries.
Travel was disrupted on highways across the region, not only because of debris from the storms but also due to tractor tailors that were flipped on their sides due to the strong ....
Major damage was reported in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the second-most populated city in the state. A wind gust of 100 mph was clocked in Hiawatha, which is just a few miles north of Cedar Rapids.
The hurricane-force winds ripped the roofs off of some structures, adding to the debris strewn across town.
Marshalltown, Iowa, was one of the hardest-hit towns with Mayor Joel Greer declaring a civil emergency after the derecho passed, The Associated Press said. Several injuries have been reported in the area, but there have been no fatalities.
After racing across Iowa, the storms swept across northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin, arriving in Chicago by 4 p.m. CDT Monday. Several tornado warnings were issued in the Chicago area, and videos were posted of a brief tornado near Rogers Park. The NWS later confirmed the tornado eventually moved over Lake Michigan, making it a waterspout.
Ahead of its arrival, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned residents around the Windy City that it was "an extremely dangerous situation with tornado-like wind speeds expe...."
A peak wind gust of 112 mph was recorded in Midway, Iowa, which would qualify as an EF2 tornado or a Category 3 hurricane.
MORNING UPDATE: @NOAA's #GOES16
https://www.accuweather.com/en/severe-weather/derecho-tore-path-of-...
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2012 Derecho - ZetaTalk Newsletter
http://www.zetatalk.com/newsletr/issue302.htm
ZetaTalk Explanation 7/7/2012: Derecho events are not new, nor is the term new, though these events are increasing in frequency and size. Storms, complete with sudden deluge and winds, are caused by factors such as temperature differences, humidity, and air pressure dynamics. Essentially, cold air, which is heavier than super heated air, pushes in, pushing the hot humid air UP causing rains. During a Derecho, these factors are exaggerated, the differences greater, so the cold air moves more rapidly. A Derecho will build upon itself, causing the hot, humid air to dump its water and suddenly cool, adding to the force pushing the cold air forward.
During the Earth wobble, where N America leans to the right at sunrise and then into an upright up/down pumping action later in the day, hot air tends to get trapped overland. The lean to the right pushes it back, so it cannot flow to the east. Then the globe gets the magnetic N Pole pushed away over the horizon by Planet X, so cold air cannot flow down from Canada as there is a knot of high pressure over the central US. Will Derechos increase as the Earth wobble gets more severe? Unfortunately, yes, but the wobble can also become complicated, slinging side to side as well as its routine Figure 8 pattern, and if this occurs, the weather will become even more interesting.
Aug 11, 2020