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.
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10315055/Blinding-dust-sto...
'Life-threatening' weather wreaks havoc for 100 MILLION people across the heartlands: At least 300K are without power after dust storm barrels through Kansas, 107MPH wind topples trailers in Colorado and tornadoes touch ground in six other states
A blinding dust storm moving at hurricane force winds of 90mph tore through half of Kansas, as trailers were knocked over in Colorado and fires spread throughout Oklahoma on Wednesday.
The wild weather affected 100 million people in states throughout the Midwest and Great Plains with the National Weather Service calling it a 'historical weather day.'
'The Central US has never seen a December storm like this,' tweeted Bill Karins, a meteorologist for MSNBC, saying it was 'multi-hazard, life threatening weather today.'
It came amid some record-high temperatures, just days after dozens of powerful tornadoes swept through the area, flattening buildings in nearby Kentucky.
Footage of the powerful storm in Kansas, where wind gusts reached up to 90mph, show the winds whipping red dust at such high speeds that KSN meteorologists warned 'It's zero visibility,' as drivers were forced to pull over and put on their brake lights.
'Visibility was extremely low,' Jaclyn Liberator, who took a video of the dangerous storm, told KSHB.
'There was one point depending on which car was in front of us... like we couldn't even see it was a flat bed truck, and we couldn't even see it was pulling the flatbed we saw only 10 feet of the flatbed so basically 10 to 20 feet in front of us.'
Dust storms and earthquakes: Kansas is hit with several natural disasters in one day
Just hours before a powerful dust storm passed through Kansas, greatly reducing visibility and taking down power lines, those in Saline County experienced four earthquakes.
The first occurred on Tuesday afternoon shortly after 4pm when a 2.5 magnitude quake shook Gypsum.
Then in the early hours of Wednesday, a 4.0 magnitude quake rocked the same area, and a third, this time at a magnitude of 3.4, struck later in the morning.
And a fourth, 3.1 magnitude quake, occurred just after 12.17pm on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Wichita said wind in the city of Russell hit 100mph at the airport at about 4pm.
But the brunt of the storm appeared to strike Hutchinson and central Kansas between 4pm and 5pm, the Topeka Capitol Journal reports.
In just that one hour, power outages around Hutchinson shot up from 48, impacting around 500 customers, to more than 455, affecting more tan 5,700 customers.
And by 5.15pm, the number had limed to 672 outages, with some 7,835 customers left in the dark, as emergency personnel throughout the region responded to downed powerlines and poles.
A large storage facility in Hutchinson also collapsed Wednesday night, after witnesses saw the roof blow off from one side, as if 'it was hinged,' around 6pm, KWCH reporter Alex Flippin tweeted, with another reporter, Greg Payne on the scene as debris fell from part of a roof at the Kansas City's Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport.
Officials say the roof of one of the hangars was ripped off during wind gusts up to 77 mph.
'We have a roof that just came off,' Payne said on his live broadcast Wednesday night, noting he wasn't sure what he heard until he saw the debris start to fall.
The winds also sparked fires throughout the central and western parts of the state, Jane Welch, a spokeswoman for the state's Division of Emergency Management told the New York Times, saying at least one home was destroyed, but no deaths or injuries were reported.
Forecasters had earlier warned that the gusty winds, dry air and warm temperatures would create conditions rife for 'an extreme to potentially catastrophic grassland fire.'
Eric Metzger, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Wichita, said the biggest blaze was in Russell and Ellsworth counties in the central part of the state, where two fires 'merged together into one massive fire.'
'It's probably about 40 miles long,' he said, noting that before Wednesday, Kansas had not had any rain for over a month.
'I've lived out here for more than 20 years,' he said. 'This is historic for us.'
Welch also noted that the winds were so strong that it was too dangerous for emergency crews to fight the fires from the air, and the National Weather Service warned people they may need to evacuate.
In Wichita, meanwhile, the Air Quality Index was reported at 99, putting the city on the verge of unhealthy levels.
'We are advising residents, especially those in sensitive groups, to consider limiting time outdoors until air quality improves,' city officials wrote on Twitter.
At 3pm, Gov. Laura Kelly issued an inclement weather declaration for Shawnee County, effectively closing state offices in the area, as a tornado warning had been issued for the western part of the state.
Dec 16, 2021
KM
https://www.republicworld.com/india-news/general-news/imd-issues-re...
IMD Issues Red Alert As Severe Cold Wave Conditions Prevail In Northern States Of India
IMD has predicted cold wave to severe cold wave conditions in some parts of Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh & Delhi, Rajasthan and MP during the next 24 hours.
The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted a red alert with a 'cold wave to severe cold wave' conditions to persist in several states and union territories for this week. States like Delhi, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh are likely to witness very cold conditions for the next two days. Meanwhile, certain areas of Northwest India will witness a rise by 3-5°C and a rise of nearly 2-4°C over Central & East India and Maharashtra thereafter. IMD has also said that light to moderate rainfall and snowfall are expected over the western Himalayan region between December 22 and 25 under the influence of two Western Disturbances.
IMD latest prediction of weather conditions:
Parts of India experience severe cold
A cold wave swept Delhi on Monday with the minimum temperature at the Safdarjung Observatory, considered the official marker for the capital, dropping to 3.2 degrees Celsius, five notches below normal and the lowest so far this season. Two "back-to-back" western disturbances and the resultant slowing down of cold northwesterly winds from Tuesday night will push the minimum temperature up, said R K Jenamani, a senior scientist at the India Meteorological Department (IMD).
On Monday, the Met department had also issued three orange alerts warning of cold to severe cold waves and cold days in Madhya Pradesh where minimum temperatures dipped in the last three days due to chilly wind from north India.
The first alert predicted a likely severe cold wave at isolated places and a cold wave at many places in the ten divisions of MP- Bhopal, Indore, Jabalpur, Gwalior, Chambal, Ujjain, Rewa, Shahdol, Hoshangabad and Sagar, in the next two days. In the second alert, IMD said that 17 districts, including Indore, Jabalpur, Rewa, Satna and Mandla, are likely to witness either a "severe cold day" or a "cold day" in the next two days.
Intense cold conditions continued to paralyse normal life in Rajasthan where the mercury dipped below freezing point at four places on Sunday night. The night temperature was - 1.8 degrees celsius in Fatehpur (Sikar), - 0.5 in Sikar and Churu, and -0.1 degrees in Karauli. Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Monday had also tweeted about taking measures to save crops from frost.
Dec 21, 2021
Derrick Johnson
They'll be tricky to start in the morning! New cars are delivered to Russian port caked in several inches of ice due to freak weather
Dozens of cars have been delivered to a Russian port caked in several inches of ice due to freak weather.
Unusually cold and windy conditions meant the Toyotas and Hondas were plated with a thick layer of frozen seawater on arrival in Vladivostok on board the Sun Rio Ro-Ro cargo carrier.
The frozen vehicles had to be hoisted off the deck by a crane in temperatures of -19C (-2F) in Russia's Pacific capital on Tuesday.
Some were clad in ice up to six inches thick, said reports.
econd hand Japanese cars are popular in Russia, even though they are 'wrong-side drive' for local roads. There is a regular export market across the Sea of Japan.
Ship icing occurs due to a humid sea wind and sub-zero air temperatures which can lead to an increase in draft, heeling and heighten the risk of a ship's overturn.
Local sea captain Pyotr Osichansky, 72, said: 'It's December, and the sea is rough and windy.
'Seawater splashes on board, and turns into a thick [ice] crust. This year winds are much stronger than usual.'
Crowds of people came out to witness the icy cars being lifted from the Panama-registered ship.
'The cars are so caked in ice you can't tell the type of vehicle,' said an onlooker.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10350543/New-cars-delivere...
Dec 29, 2021
Derrick Johnson
Baked Alaska: State records all-time December high of 67F on Sunday after heat dome settled over Aleutian Islands
Climate change has set a new record high temperature in Alaska - it was 67 degrees Fahrenheit in Kodiak on Sunday.
The previous records, recorded in the 1980s, were in the low to high 40s, but temperatures typical sit in the 30s this time of year.
The warmer than usual weather is due to a dome of stagnant high pressure sitting on the southeast area of the Aleutian Islands in the northern Pacific Ocean.
Alaska is also warming faster than any other US state and twice as quickly as the global average, according to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
'Alaska's Changing Environment notes that, since 2014, there have been 5 to 30 times more record-high temperatures set than record lows,' the NOAA said on its website.
Kodiak was not the only city in Alaska to experience record temperatures.
Cold Bay, located in the Aleutian Islands, saw a high of 66 degrees - the previous record was 44 degrees in 1999.
And Unalaska, Alaska, spiked to 57.3 degrees by noon Monday after bottoming out at 50 degrees overnight, The Washington Post reports.
In addition to warming the usually cold region, this dome also dumped an unusual amount of rainfall over the area.
This is because the air can hold about four percent more water with every degree it warms.
In Fairbanks, which is located on Alaska's mainland, residents saw 1.93 inches of rain on Sunday - the city's wettest December on record.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-10351085/Climate-ch...
Dec 29, 2021
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10356817/Wildfire-spreads-...
'Evacuate now. Go north or east': Thousands of terrified Boulder residents flee as TWO fast-moving DECEMBER wildfires - whipped up by 100mph winds - burn: entire cities of Superior and Louisville are evacuated
Colorado's governor has issued a state of emergency as two wildfires swept the grasslands around Boulder, forcing the evacuation of thousands of people.
Six people were taken to hospital with burns said Kelli Christensen, a spokeswoman for UC Health in Broomfield, speaking to The Colorado Sun.
Thousands of frightened residents have been ordered to evacuate after strong winds downed power lines and caused a transformer to explode, sparking two fast-moving grass fires, according to the Boulder County Sheriff's Office.
The Middle Fork Fire is north of Boulder near the intersection of North Foothills Highway and Middle Fork Road.
The Marshall Fire is south of Boulder close to the intersection of South Cherryvale Road and Marshall Drive.
The size of the fires have not been confirmed, but some estimates put the Marshall Fire at 1,200 acres.
All residents of Superior, a total of about 4,000 households, have been instructed to evacuate, authorities announced. Evacuees were directed to the South Boulder Recreation Center - where the power has now been knocked out - the Lafayette YMCA, or the Longmont Senior Center.
Residents of Louisville, population 21,000, have also been directed to quickly evacuate. The South Boulder Recreation Center is serving as an evacuation site.
Two wildfires were sparked near Boulder, Colorado this morning after strong winds caused downed power lines and exploding transformers in the area
Residents of Superior and Louisville have begun to be evacuated. Citizens of Boulder County have been warned to flee to if they see flames
Thousands are without power and roads have been closed as the winds and fire persist
'In the case of evacuation, head east or north. Do not evacuate to the south,' the Louisville Police Department warned.
Huge plumes of smoke filled the air as the dangerous winds continued to blow the fires along. The National Weather Service reported an 'extraordinary' gust of wind reaching 105 mph just south of the Boulder city limit Thursday morning.
Boulder County spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill said any residents who can see fire should leave immediately. All local residents were instructed to close their windows to protect against the smoke.
Colorado Governor Jared Polis tweeted: 'Prayers for thousands of families evacuating from the fires in Superior and Boulder County. Fast winds are spreading flames quickly and all aircraft are grounded.'
Denver International Airport has been put in a ground delay, meaning flights will be pushed back at least 40 minutes.
The city of Boulder activated its Emergency Operations Center to help residents respond to the active situation.
Multiple structures reportedly caught fire. and thousands of people were reportedly without power after the intense winds sent power lines crashing to the ground.
Xcel Energy reported more than 48 power outages affecting close to 4,700 customers, Fox 31 reported.
The Costco store in Superior was evacuated as the fires crept toward the supermarket Thursday afternoon.
A crowd of shoppers was seen exiting the store as gray smoke filled the entrance and obstructed the view.
The Colorado State Patrol closed Highway 93 between Highway 58 and Highway 128; Highway 36; and US 36, among other roads, noting that 'several high profile vehicles have been blown over due to the wind.'
University of Colorado Boulder Facilities Management confirmed that many trees and branches on the campus have been toppled over by the winds.
The Boulder Office of Emergency Management made clear that the fires are their top priorities and have requested that people only call their hotline in regards to the fire.
Dec 30, 2021
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10381461/At-21-die-vehicle...
Twenty-two people DIE as epic snow storm leaves 125,0000 cars stranded in Pakistan: At least 10 children among dead who froze to death or were asphyxiated by car fumes trying to keep warm on road to mountain resort
At least 22 people including 10 children have died after a heavy snow storm left an estimated 125,000 cars stranded in a mountain resort town in Pakistan.
Eight of the fatalities were from the family of Islamabad police officer Naveed Iqbal, who died alongside his wife and six children.
Police said most people had frozen to death in their cars but that others may have died from asphyxiation after turning on their vehicle's heaters to keep warm after getting stuck on the road.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid said the military had been mobilised to clear roads and rescue thousands still trapped. The Punjab province chief minister's office said the area had been declared a 'disaster area' and urged people to stay away.
Soldiers, including a special military mountain unit, were called in to assist rescue efforts and had freed thousands of vehicles by Saturday morning, though thousands more were still stuck in the area.
At least 22 people have died in a traffic jam after tens of thousands of visitors thronging a Pakistani hill town to see unusually heavy snowfall
Police said most people had frozen to death in their cars but that others may have died from asphyxiation after turning on their vehicle's heaters to keep warm
Murree, a resort town around 70km northeast of the capital Islamabad, attracts more than a million tourists annually though streets leading into the city are often blocked by snow in winter
Murree is a popular winter resort that attracts more than a million tourists annually though streets leading into the city are often blocked by snow in winter.
Umar Maqbool, a local administrator, said the heavy snowfall hampered rescue efforts during the night and even heavy equipment brought in to clear the snow got stuck initially.
'Until [the military arrived] no vehicle or even people on foot are allowed to enter Murree except for the emergency and rescue vehicles and those bringing food for the stuck people,' interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said.
Video shared on social media showed cars packed bumper-to-bumper, with three foot piles of snow on their roofs.
'People are facing a terrible situation,' Usman Abbasi, a tourist stuck in the town where heavy snow was still falling, told AFP by phone.
For days, Pakistan's social media has been full of pictures and video of people playing in the snow around Murree, a picturesque resort town built by the British in the 19th century as a sanatorium for its colonial troops.
Prime Minister Imran Khan said he was shocked and upset at the tragedy.
'Unprecedented snowfall & rush of ppl proceeding without checking weather conditions caught district admin unprepared,' he tweeted. 'Have ordered inquiry & putting in place strong regulation to ensure prevention of such tragedies.'
Authorities warned last weekend that too many vehicles were trying to enter Murree, but that failed to discourage hordes of day trippers from the capital.
'It's not only the tourists, but the local population is also facing severe problems,' tourist Abbasi told AFP.
'Gas cylinders have run out and drinking water is not available in most areas - it's either frozen or the water pipes have been damaged due to severe cold.'
He said hotels in the town were running out of food, and mobile phone services were patchy.
The town of around 30,000 clings to the side of steep hills and valleys and is serviced by narrow roads that are frequently clogged even in good weather.
Sheikh Rashid said residents had sheltered people trapped in the town and provided blankets and food to those they could reach on the outskirts.
Authorities said schools and government buildings had taken in those who could make it to the town from the clogged roads.
Helicopters were also on standby for when the weather cleared. Among the dead were 10 men, 10 children and two women.
Jan 9, 2022
KM
https://watchers.news/2022/01/14/749-brazilian-cities-under-state-o...
549 cities under state of emergency due to severe floods, Brazil
The worst affected by floods are Minas Gerais and Bahia with 341 cities and 175 municipalities under a state of emergency.
Minas Gerais is home to the country's 3 most at-risk tailings dams, renewing traumas in a region that has experienced two catastrophic dam collapses since 2015.1
In the last few days, the state reported at least 15 fatalities, including 10 in Canyon de Furnas.2 More than 55 0000 were affected and 28 000 forced to evacuate, the state's Civil Defence reported.
While Minas Gerais has seen periods of heavy rainfall since October 2021 (the start of the rainy season), the situation worsened around December 22 when 13 municipalities experienced severe flooding.3
According to Brazil’s mining agency, 36 mining dams in the state are in a condition of emergency. A dam at an iron ore mine in Nova Lima dribbled on Saturday, January 8, causing two days of traffic delays on a major route.4
Authorities in Pará de Minas were keeping an eye on the Carioca hydroelectric dam in case it ruptured.
The landslide shown in the video below took place on January 13 in the city of Ouro Preto:
A video has also emerged online that shows the overtopping of the dam immediately downstream of the Pau Branco landslide on January 8, 2022.5
"At the start of the video it is clear that the rainfall was heavy, and the dam was full with water cascading down the spillway on the far side," Dr. Dave Petley of The Landslide Blog noted.
"As the landslide becomes visible on the left side of the footage a displacement wave races across the lagoon and causes an initial overtopping event. This quickly develops as the volume of the lagoon is filled with landslide debris. Initially, most of the overtopping is water from within the lagoon, and this is reflected by the videos from the road below the dam."
Jan 14, 2022
Tracie Crespo
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/newsus/florida-tornadoes-destroy-...
Florida tornadoes destroy dozens of homes, leave 7,000 customers without power
Two tornadoes struck southwest Florida Sunday morning, destroying at least 28 homes and damaging others in Lee County, while leaving about 7,000 houses there without power, officials said.
The tornadoes were generated by the same storm system that brought freezing rain and snow to other parts of the East Coast, where more than 50 million people Monday morning were under winter weather alerts.
As of early Monday morning, the storm system had knocked out power to more than 180,000 customers in its path, according to PowerOutage.us.
In a Sunday news conference, Cecil Pendergrass, co-chairman of the Lee County board of commissioners, said at least 62 homes were currently "unlivable."
The twister was an EF2 tornado with maximum winds of 118 mph. It may have completely destroyed 30 mobile homes of the 108 mobile homes damaged near Fort Myers, according to a damage survey by the National Weather Service.
Four injuries were reported, but no one was taken to a hospital, officials said.
In Charlotte County, north of Fort Myers, an EF1 tornado with winds of 110 mph left behind a path of destruction, according to the weather service.
"A waterspout moved across Gasparilla sound near Boca Grande Causeway before then moved ashore as a short-lived tornado near Placida damaging at least 35 homes and a marina storage facility," the NWS said in a bulletin.
No one was injured, but some residents have been displaced, the Charlotte County government said in a tweet.
The storm system also has caused flight cancellations by the thousands. On Sunday, airlines canceled 3,058 flights nationwide, and more than 1,200 more flights had been canceled as of 6:45 a.m. Monday.
Jan 17, 2022
KM
https://greekreporter.com/2022/01/25/tornadoes-greek-islands-snow-b...
Tornadoes Hit Greek Islands During Blizzard
A series of tornadoes hit the Greek islands on Monday during the blizzard that has been sweeping across Greece since Sunday.
Meteology.gr uploaded a photograph of a tornado apparently approaching the island of Andros. Another video shows a tornado hitting the island of Skopelos, further north.
Tornadoes formed over the water at Greek islands
Tornadic waterspouts are tornadoes that form over water or move from land to water. They have the same characteristics as a land tornado.
They are associated with severe thunderstorms and are often accompanied by high winds and seas, large hail, and frequent dangerous lightning.
If a waterspout moves onshore, the National Weather Service issues a tornado warning, as some of them can cause significant damage and injuries to people.
The Greek islands have been completely covered in snow since Sunday in a once-in-a-lifetime weather event. Locals say that the last time this amount of snow fell on the Cyclades was decades ago.
Syros, Naxos, Tinos, Andros, Mykonos, Santorini, and the other islands of the Cyclades are covered in a white veil of snow
Snowstorm Elpis sweeps through Greece
The tornadic waterspouts of the last few days in Greece follow the second and most severe part of the storm known as “Elpis” which is in progress all across the country.
According to the National Meteorological Service (EMY), the main characteristics are very low temperatures; heavy snowfall — even in lowland areas of northern and eastern Greece as well as in the Aegean islands — while northerly winds of 8 to 9 Beaufort are expected to blow in the area.
Ships in the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio remained docked on Tuesday due to strong winds reaching up 9 on the Beaufort scale.
Ferry routes to the Saronic Gulf were being carried out only with closed-type ships. The Aghia Marina-Nea Styra and Keramoti-Limenas Thasou ferry lines were not operating.
Jan 26, 2022
KM
https://watchers.news/2022/02/12/iceland-record-wave-february-2022/
Iceland hit by record-breaking waves, among the highest ever measured in the world
A violent bomb cyclone affecting Iceland on February 7 and 8, 2022, produced hurricane-force winds and record-breaking waves at the southern coast of the country. One of the waves reached 40 m (131 feet) and blew off the scale, making it by far the highest measured wave off the coast of Iceland and among the highest ever measured in the world.
Garðskagi wave measuring buoys repeatedly reported 30 m (98 feet) waves during the storm, breaking the previous record wave height in Iceland set on January 9, 1990, at 25 m (82 feet).
However, one of the waves was so powerful that the meter struck out at 40 m (131 feet) and therefore it's currently uncertain how high the wave actually was.
Further analysis of the 40-m high wave is in progress. If it turns out to be correct, this is by far the highest measured wave off the coast of Iceland and among the highest that have been measured in the world.
The southern coast of the country is one of the most exposed coastal areas on Earth, so it can be expected that the waves will reach a height that is the highest that exists.
The Icelandic Met Office forecasted winds reaching 125 km/h (78 mph) but some regions exceeded calculations making this weather event rare for the country.
Feb 13, 2022
Juan F Martinez
Catastropic landslides and flooding in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Many dramatic videos coming into our Telegram Channel.
https://t.me/ZetaTalk_Followers/9877
https://t.me/ZetaTalk_Followers/9868
https://t.me/ZetaTalk_Followers/9877
Feb 16, 2022
jorge namour
From #Madagascar and the wind speed of 137 km / hou
https://www.facebook.com/HSGHLGHLGFKNGJFGYURHJGIGUITJHNKFHGIG/video...
Feb 24, 2022
KM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPasCeCEMWg
USA – Floods Cause Traffic Chaos in Alabama
Storms in Alabama, USA brought heavy rainfall and flash flooding on roads and highways in the Birmingham Metropolitan area on 16 March 2022.
Floods in Homewood AL, USA, March 202.
Jefferson County Emergency Management Agency reported flooded roadways, water rescues and cars washed away from the road due to flood waters. The agency warned motorists to avoid travel in the warning areas including metro Birmingham, Fultondale, Hoover, Vestavia, Homewood and Mountain Brook.
The agency added, “Some parts of Birmingham around UAB and Hoover around Bluff Park have seen nearly 5 inches (130 mm) of rain with these storms. Please stay out of these areas.”
Local media said multiple motorists became stranded in the floods. Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service were called on to carry out 8 flood rescues. One person sustained injuries and was hospitalized after being rescued from a vehicle trapped in flood waters. One person was in critical condition and taken to St. Vincent’s Hospital after he was swept away by floodwaters and rescued by bystanders.
Four people died in devastating flooding in areas of Alabama including Birmingham in October 2021.
Mar 20, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10630585/Massive-Texas-wil...
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declares a disaster as massive 45,000-acre Eastland Complex Fire burns through at least 50 homes and leaves a sheriff's deputy dead
A declaration disaster was issued in 11 Texas counties as a massive wildfire that has burned down at least 50 homes and left a sheriff's deputy dead continues to spread.
Firefighters are tackling the Eastland Complex Fire, which has burned through 45,000 acres and was only around 15 percent contained as of Saturday, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service fire.
The fire started on Thursday and has quickly spread because of the dry conditions and wind gusts of more than 40 mph in large parts of the state.
On Friday, Gov. Greg Abbott declared a disaster in the counties hardest hit by wildfires after confirming that dozens of homes had been destroyed by the flames.
About 18,000 people live in Eastland County. In the town of Gorman, about 475 homes were evacuated, but officials don't yet know how many structures may have burned, Texas A&M Forest Service spokesman Matthew Ford said.
The Texas A&M Forest Services warned that fires could also affect parts of Oklahoma and Kansas, and Nebraska warned of an extreme fire risk.
Videos of the blaze posted to social media show the blaze form into what appears to be a 'fire tornado'
Flames pictured spreading quickly through dry grass as the wildfire spread because of the dry conditions and wind gusts
The flames from the Eastland Complex Fire seen on Thursday night. Since it has started the wildfire has burned through 45,000 acres
La Paloma fire activity is seen in Starr County on Friday. The fire has burned through an estimated 1,036 acres and is 80 percent contained
Priscilla Maynard is pictured in front of a burned home Friday near Carbon, Texas as a firefighters struggle to contain a wildfire spreading throughout Eastland County
On Thursday, Eastland County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Deputy Barbara Fenley died helping resident escape the blaze.
According to the Sheriff's Office, Fenley was going door to door, getting residents to evacuate their homes and the last time she communicated she indicated she was going to check on an elderly person in Carbon, Texas.
'With the extreme deteriorating conditions and low visibility from smoke, Sgt. Fenley ran off the roadway and was engulfed in the fire,' the sheriff's statement said.
The 51-year-old leaves behind a husband and three sons.
'She didn't care who you were or what you did. She was always going to be there; Doesn't matter if you were 5 years old or 85 years old, she was going to take care of you,' her son Jon told NBC 5.
The Cisco Police Department posted a tribute to their 'sister' and said she will be deeply missed.
'She was a special servant and an attribute to our profession. We will kneel in prayer for her family, friends and colleagues as they mourn. RIP dear friend, you will be missed.'
Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush commended the 51-year-old's bravery.
'Deputy Fenley was killed while trying to save citizens from the fires burning across West Texas last night. Her service to our state will not be forgotten,' Bush posted on Twitter.
Mar 21, 2022
Gerard Zwaan
Record-breaking cold hits Europe, causing widespread damage to agriculture
Unseasonably cold weather hit parts of Europe over the past weekend, following warmer-than-normal temperatures in previous weeks that caused rapid greening of flora. Damage to agriculture is widespread but it seems it’s not as bad as it was last year when a similar cold episode happened. The worst affected countries were France, Germany, Spain and Austria.
According to Jason Samenow and Kasha Patel of The Washingon’s Post Capital Weather Gang, temperatures plummeted 11 – 18 °C (20 – 30 °F) below normal, triggering harsh frosts and shocking early-blooming plants and crops in several countries.1
“It’s still difficult to evaluate the damage caused by the frost, but orchards and vineyards have been impacted,” Jean-Marc Touzard, director of research at the French National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment (INRAE), said.
The national minimum temperatures dropped to -1.5 °C (29.3 °F) overnight Sunday and early Monday, April 4, 2022, marking the country’s coldest morning since 1947, according to data provided by Meteo France.
While Mourmelon in the Marne department east of Paris saw record temperatures of -9.3 °C (15.2 °F), French mountainous regions recorded -21.5 °C (-6.7 °F), setting a new April record.
For France, April 1 -3 were the coldest first three days of April since at least 1930, according to French meteorologist Guillaume Séchet.
Growers across the affected regions burned candles, sprayed water and used wind turbines in efforts to protect their crops from freezing temperatures, AFP reported.2
“Frost is a normal thing in early April. What’s less normal is for the plant to already be developed at that point,” winemaker Thomas Ventoursa said.
“Since 2016, we have had three big frost episodes and it’s true that it makes you seriously wonder about the future of our trade in this period,” Ventoursa added. “Everyone is tense because after the very poor harvest of 2021, we were at least expecting something normal.”
“It’s very bad. It hit hard overnight. A lot of fruit growers are affected,” Christiane Lambert, president of the FNSEA farmers’ union, told AFP.
In the Tarn-et-Garonne department in the southwest, Damien Garrigues sprayed his apple trees to cover buds in ice in a bid to protect them from even lower temperatures.
“For now it’s not as bad as last year,” he said, noting he lost 20 percent of production in 2021.
Big losses are expected for plum growers in the Lot-at-Garonne department, but not as bad as last year when 100% of plums were destroyed by a cold snap.
The agriculture ministry said it’s too early to draw conclusions about the damage as it’ll only be visible after a few days.
References:
1 Record-setting cold snap hits Europe, stunning spring crops – The Washington Post
2 French fruit, vineyards endure coldest April day in 75 years – AFP
Featured image credit: Global Times (stillshot)
Source: https://watchers.news/2022/04/05/record-breaking-cold-hits-europe-c...
Apr 5, 2022
KM
https://dailyhive.com/vancouver/alberta-spring-snow-apri
SNOW-WAY: Parts of Alberta just got some heavy spring snow
Let’s just say the Easter bunny may have a heck of a time navigating Fort McMurray next week, thanks to a hefty amount of snow they got overnight Saturday into Sunday, April 10.
The northern Alberta city can expect a further five centimetres of the white stuff to fall today according to Environment Canada, on top of the already large amount they’ve already received.
It’s set to be cold too thanks to strong winds tonight pushing the temperature to feel like -19°C overnight. Not very spring like at all!
“Yeah only called for roughly 5cm overnight and easily 20-30 cm came down,” claimed one Fort McMurray resident on how much snow had fallen in the city in a tweet. You just gotta love that sneaky Alberta spring snow!
“The Weather Gods got this forecast WWWAAAAYYYYY off…. cleaned a foot of snow off my truck TWICE since midnight last night,” one person jokingly tweeted.
Apr 13, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10715789/Montana-North-Dak...
Montana and North Dakota are hit by 'one-in-a-century' blizzard that has already dumped 47 INCHES of snow and closed I-94: Fears 20-foot tall snowdrifts will bury homes
Historic storms have pummeled parts of the U.S. with blizzards, record-breaking hail and tornadoes, causing widespread damage across the central and southern states.
Montana and North Dakota were slammed by the spring snowstorm, which featured 60mph winds and whiteout conditions with up to 47 inches of snow.
The winter storm is expected to continuing piling snow on residents through Thursday.
Much of the region has already reported at least one foot of snow, while forecasters predict most areas will see two feet of accumulation by the time the system passes. At least one mountain community had already reported nearly four feet of snow Wednesday morning.
The entirety of Interstate 94 was closed for nearly a day, however the North Dakota Department of Transportation has reopened the highway between Bismarck to Jamestown. The remainder of the interstate is expected to remain closed for the foreseeable future.
A No-Travel Advisory remains in effect for the state as meteorologists predict the spring snowstorm could become one of the biggest in a quarter century.
A separate weather system brought thunderstorms, high winds, heavy rain and hail across the midwest and into the south.
Nearly two dozen people were injured after a tornado struck Texas Tuesday night and although the damage was significant, officials report there was no loss of life.
Baron Weather forecasters claim the severity of the multiple storm systems remains uncertain, noting that some communities remain under 'enhanced risk' of tornadoes and fires.
Montana and North Dakota were slammed by a spring snowstorm Tuesday. The system is expected to continuing piling snow on residents through Thursday. A pedestrian is seen walking through the snow in Bismarck, ND on Wednesday
The storm has left much of North Dakota bracing whiteout conditions. This picture was taken in Bismarck on Tuesday afternoon, with a weather radar barely visible through the blizzard
A No Travel Advisory remains in effect for much of North Dakota and Montana as meteorologists predict the spring snowstorm could become one of the biggest in a quarter century. An icy, snow-covered ND road is pictured on Tuesday
This graphic shared by News12 shows snowfall totals for the 24 hours up until Wednesday afternoon, with Pony in Montana recording 47 inches of snow
Historic storms have pummeled parts of the U.S. with blizzards, record-breaking hail and tornadoes, causing widespread damage across the central and southern states
The same storm system responsible for tornadoes in the south is responsible for record-setting snow in the northern Plains.
Billings, Montana reported 13.9 inches of snow Tuesday, making it one of the snowiest days the community has seen in decades, AccuWeather reported.
The last time Billings saw that much snow accumulated in one day was May 11, 1981 when 15 inches piled up.
Other areas of Montana reported three to four feet of accumulation. Albro Lake, located in the mountains of southwestern Montana, reported 47 inches of snow. Nearby Pony, Montana record 36 inches.
However, forecasters claim the worst of the storm is lingering over the central part of North Dakota, where visibility remains low.
Airports across the state have cancelled almost every arriving and departing flight that was scheduled Wednesday, after numerous delays on Tuesday, KFYR reported. It is unclear if flight routes will resume Thursday.
Residents across the state have prepared to be snowed in for the next few days and several school districts have already opted to close schools until the storm system passes.
'It's a little windy, it's a little cold. I don't know, it's not that bad if you have your earbuds in or something, just kinda jam out, take it a minute at a time, and have at it,' Gus Lindegren of Bismarck told the tv station, noting he was trying to get ahead of the snow.
'I grew up on a farm in North Dakota, and I don't get too excited about blizzards. You just prepare for them, don't do anything dumb,' echoed Mike Deisz, also of Bismarck.
Rick Krolak of the National Weather Service office in Bismarck said the storm brought to mind the blizzard of 1997 that hit on April 4 of that year, dumping up to two feet of snow in some areas, knocking out power to thousands of residents and leaving motorists stranded on major highways.
'Its definitely looking like its going to pack a punch,' he said of the storm.
Apr 14, 2022
KM
https://floodlist.com/america/canada-floods-alberta-northwestterrit...
Canada – Thousands Evacuate Floods in Alberta and Northwest Territories
Ice jams, rain and melting snow have caused rivers to overflow in northern parts of Canada. Whole communities have been ordered to evacuate in Northwest Territories and hundreds have been displaced in northwestern Alberta Province.
Floods in Hay River, Northwest Territories, Canada, May 2022 Photo : Town of Hay River
Northwest Territories
An ice jam caused flooding of the Hay River in Northwest Territories, Canada, from 07 May 2022. Around 250 residents pre-emptively evacuated their homes in the town of Hay River and surrounding areas.
The government of Northwest Territories said levels of the river remained high but steady for the following days as ice held in the river channel due to cool temperatures.
However levels jumped 1.7 metres as “ice began to shift on 11 May with an ice jam from upstream moving into the downstream ice jam near town. This shift in ice caused water levels to increase rapidly through the Town of Hay River and K’atl’odeeche First Nation,” the government said.
“Water levels are extremely volatile right now and impacted by ice in the channel. Rapid changes in water levels are possible,” the provincial government added.
Officials in Hay River town said floodwaters had reached the downtown area. An evacuation order is in-place for entire Town of Hay River and Kátł’odeeche First Nation. “Everyone must leave,” the provincial government said. The nearby towns of Yellowknife and Fort Smith are serving as host communities for the town wide evacuation.
Northwest Territories government also reported ice jams on the Mackenzie River at Jean Marie River and at Wrigley, adding that water levels are slowly increasing further downstream on the Mackenzie River, as is normal for this time of year.
Alberta
Meanwhile about 280 km (175 miles) south of Hay River, local officials declared a state of emergency on 09 May 2022 after snowmelt and heavy rain caused flooding in Chateh and John D’or Prairie in northwestern Alberta Province. Around 1,000 people evacuated their homes in Chateh, according to local media reports. On 10 May the community of Paddle Prairie also declared a state of emergency and around 30 homes were evacuated.
Calgary
Officials in the City of Calgary were busy making preparations for possible flooding in spring and early summer, eager to avoid any repeat of the 2013 floods in the city when 5 people died and 80,000 were evacuated.
In a statement of 12 May 2022, the City said water levels in the Glenmore Reservoir and Ghost Reservoir have been lowered to create more room for potential flood water.
In addition to seasonal preparations, Calgary is in a better position to be protected from flooding thanks to significant infrastructure investments. According to officials, these investments have reduced flood risk by 55 per cent and potential flood damages by $90 million every year.
A continuous flood barrier from the Peace Bridge to the Reconciliation Bridge will be in place this year, helping protect wide areas of the city. Construction has also begun on the Springbank Off-Stream Reservoir (SR1) west of the city.
“Once complete, SR1 is a complete game changer for Calgary, protecting thousands of residents that live and work along the Elbow River and downtown Calgary from a 2013-size flood,” said Sandy Davis, Team Lead of River Engineering. “Working with the higher gates at the Glenmore Dam, this infrastructure will reduce damages by over $3 billion through the next century, safeguard Calgary’s downtown, the region’s economic engine, protect critical public infrastructure like roads and CTrain lines and vital services like our drinking water and wastewater treatment plants that we all depend on.”
May 15, 2022
KM
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/tornado-saskatchewan-ke...
Saskatchewan
Photos, videos show apparent tornado touch down in southern Sask.
Eyewitnesses say tornado formed suddenly near Keeler, Sask. around 7 p.m. CST
While not confirmed by Environment and Climate Change Canada as of 9 p.m. CST, the tornado was spotted by Rob Been near the village of Keeler—about 45 kilometres northwest of Moose Jaw—around 7 p.m. CST.
Been told CBC News he was taking a post-supper nap when he was awakened by loud thunder. The next thing he knew, a tornado appeared to be forming.
Unconfirmed tornado near Moose Jaw, Sask.
"You're awestruck at just the sheer power and the volatility of it," said Been.
"The winds came up so quick, the hail came down in a hurry. That thing formed almost out of nowhere."
Environment and Climate Change Canada did not issue a warning for a possible tornado in the area, however a severe thunderstorm warning was in effect at the time. Portions of central and southeastern Saskatchewan were placed under severe thunderstorm watches shortly afterward.
Eric Dykes, a meteorologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada, said the intensity of this storm was unexpected.
"There were no supercell tornadoes in the area at that moment. Radar didn't indicate too much at the time storms were expected, but severe storms were not expected to that degree last night.
Been said he isn't aware of any damage close to his property at this time. He still can't believe how close he was to the storm.
"Being a truck driver, I've seen tornadoes off the in distance before but never this close," he said. "Kind of as close as I'd like to get, honestly."
Dayle Bueckert also found herself surprisingly close to the storm.
The Saskatchewan farmer was driving with her kids north along Highway 2 from Moose Jaw when she spotted the apparent landspout tornado.
"It formed right in front of me and I was like, 'whoa, this is crazy,'" she said. "I wasn't going to stay in the storm so I continued driving ... I only got mostly rain and hail."
Bueckert said hail varying between pea to nickle size fell at their home near Eyebrow.
As for damage, Bueckert and her husband are planning to assess their recently-seeded canola farm near Keeler Wednesday morning.
Meteorologist Dykes also received reports to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
"We did get one report that was called in to us, a gentleman said that he did see it. And he believes that he saw it on the ground for about 15 minutes."
Dykes says they will be looking for more eye-witness reports of the possible tornado before they classify it. He encourages people to come forward with their photos and videos. He says so far there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities associated with this weather event.
If confirmed, Tuesday's landspout tornado could be the first reported in Saskatchewan in 2022.
May 20, 2022
KM
https://strangesounds.org/2022/05/powerful-derecho-storm-slams-onta...
Powerful derecho storm slams Ontario and Quebec, Canada, killing 5 and leaving trail of destruction
Five people are reported dead after severe thunderstorms raced through parts of Canada on Saturday, according to Environment Canada.
“There were five fatalities reported and a few others injured as a result of the strong winds with this line of thunderstorms,” read a weather summary for Ontario and the National Capital Region. “There was also extensive damage to trees, power lines and buildings. There were also overturned cars reported as well as widespread power outages.”
The line of thunderstorms developed near Sarnia, a city in Ontario, late Saturday morning and tracked over southern Ontario towards Ottawa Saturday afternoon, according to Environment Canada.
The storm left more than 350,000 customers without power, and “many power outages continue today,” the agency said Sunday.
Storms also swept through central Quebec on Saturday, resulting in broken tree limbs, uprooted trees, damage to buildings and “more than 500,000 homes without power,” Environment Canada said.
Hydro Quebec said on its website that restoration of service progressed overnight and Sunday morning, and close to 500 crews were mobilized on Sunday.
May 23, 2022
Gerard Zwaan
Severe thunderstorms, tennis ball-sized hail wreak havoc across France
Severe thunderstorms brought heavy rain and up to tennis ball-sized hail to France on June 3 and 4, 2022, wreaking havoc in vineyards across large parts of the country, leaving thousands of homes without power, one person dead and 15 injured – two of them seriously.
A woman died after being trapped under a car by flash waters caused by a storm in the northern city of Rouen, the mayor’s office announced.1
In the Landes and Gers region of southwest France, hailstones bigger than golf balls crashed down on parts of the Armagnac vineyard, affecting tens of thousands of hectares.
“In the vineyards, there is nothing left, the roof of our agricultural building is a giant Swiss cheese, and in the house, the windows are broken,” wine grower Nelly Lacave from the Landes region told AFP. “My father, who is almost 70 years old, has never seen this,” she added.
In Loir-et-Cher, central France, 30 000 scouts who gathered for a camping trip over the Pentecost holiday weekend had to be rushed to safety, many of them inside the local chateau.
Météo-France reported some areas saw a month’s worth of rain in just 12 hours to 06:00 LT on June 5, including 74 mm (2.91 inches) in Saint Yan (Saône et Loire) – normal June rainfall, 57 mm (2.2 inches) in Vichy (Allier) – 3/4 of normal June rainfall, and 54 mm (2.1 inches) in St Didier en Donjoj (Allier) – representing around 3/4 of the usual June rainfall.
Roads and streets were flooded up and down the country, including in areas of the capital, Paris, and in the northern departments of Yvelines, Seine-Maritime, Eure and Eure-et-Loir.2
Authorities warned that levels of the Eure River are dangerously high in Eure-et-Loir while local media reported that 2 bridges over the river in the Mayenne department were washed away.
Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said one person died in flood waters in Rouen. 15 people were injured, of which 2 seriously.
Météo-France said very intense electrical activity accompanied the storms, with around 50 000 lightning strikes on the ground in 24 hours, including ~41 000 in just 12 hours.
Saint Gervais d’Auvergne (Puy de Dôme) recorded winds of 106 km/h (65.8 mph), Montbeugny (Allier) and Chalmazel Jeansagnière (Loire) 104 km/h (64.6 mph) and Saint André en Terre Plaine (Yonne) 103 km/h (64 mph).
References:
1 Storms kill woman, wreak havoc across large parts of France – The Local – June 5, 2022
2 France – One Dead as Fierce Storms Wreak Havoc Across 65 Departments – FloodList – June 5, 2022
Featured image credit: Meteo France
Source: https://watchers.news/2022/06/06/severe-thunderstorms-tennis-ball-s...
Jun 6, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10899773/Marbella-wildfire...
British tourists among thousands evacuated in Spain as 'out of control' wildfire rips through mountains near Marbella after breaking out on estate once owned by Colonel Gaddafi
Thousands of people including British tourists have been forced to flee a village on Spain's Costa del Sol overnight as a wildfire raged nearby.
The entire village of Benahavis, located in hills around 10 miles north of Marbella, has been told to evacuate due to a rapidly-spreading wildfire fanned by 25mph winds.
British tourists are thought to be among 3,000 people evacuated so far, with some put up in emergency accommodation in nearby San Pedro de Alcantara.
3,000 people - including British tourists - have been evacuated from Benahavis, north of Marbella, due to a wildfire raging in the hills
Helicopters are being used in a desperate bid to dampen flames in the Sierra Bermeja mountain range in Malaga
Smoke rises over the hills north of Marbella, as a wildfire rages close to the town of Benahavis, which has been evacuated
The estate, called La Resinera, was bought by the Libyan Foreign Bank in 1995.
Gaddafi, captured and killed in October 2011 following the fall of Tripoli to opposition forces, had announced plans to build a golf course and nearly 2,000 homes there.
But the Spanish government froze his assets in the country, and the real estate project, in March 2011.
Three firefighters have been injured trying to contain the 'out-of-control' blaze, including one with burns to 25 per cent of his body.
Police shut the sole road from Benahavis to the coast late Wednesday and drove around with loudspeakers ordering everyone out of their homes and hotels with only their essential belongings.
Many locals were forced to sleep overnight in their cars.
The forced evacuation is thought to have affected Torre Tremores, the exclusive villa on the outskirts of Benahavis where PM Boris Johnson stayed last year on holiday.
The army has been brought in to help firefighters tackle the blaze, which has already burnt nearly 5,000 acres of land.
The wildfire remained 'out of control' this morning although a predicted change in the direction of the wind in the coming hours is expected to improve the situation.
Benahavis Town Hall tweeted late last night in English and Spanish: 'The village is being evacuated. If there is anyone with mobility problems please call 999.
'Buses and taxis are available at the entrance to the village for those who require them.'
Jun 9, 2022
Derrick Johnson
Yellowstone faces 'INDEFINITE' closure after once-in-thousand year flooding forced a state of emergency and destroyed roads, bridges and homes and even the course of two rivers
ellowstone National Park could be closed 'indefinitely' as devastating flooding continues to ravage the towns, roads, and bridges along the Yellowstone River.
Park officials characterized the severe flooding tearing through the region as a once in a 'thousand-year event,' that could alter the course of the Yellowstone river and surrounding landscapes forever.
Officials say that the river's volume is flowing 20,000 cubic feet per second faster than the previous record measured in the 90s.
10,000 tourists were evacuated - including a dozen trapped campers who were rescued by helicopter - emptying the park completely of all visitors.
Officials warned on Tuesday that local drinking water has become unsafe, and to be on alert for displaced wildlife.
All entrances to the park were closed on Tuesday, and though park services say some southern roads may open in a week, they predicted that the northern roads will be closed through the fall.
Houses in surrounding communities have been flooded or washed away by streams that turned into raging rivers, roads have been carved away, and bridges have collapsed into the torrent.
The Governor of Montana, Greg Gianforte, declared a statewide disaster.
All park entrances and roads are temporarily closed due to extremely hazardous conditions from recent flooding,' reads a warning at the top of Yellowstone National Park's website, 'The backcountry is also closed at this time.'
In a statement issued Tuesday on its website, the park warned that its northern portion likely to remain closed for a 'substantial length of time,' citing the severe damages to vital infrastructures within the park.
The statement describes lengths of road that are 'completely gone,' and will require extensive time and effort to repair or rebuild entirely.
'It is probable that road sections in northern Yellowstone will not reopen this season due to the time required for repairs,' the update read.
The statement noted that roads in the southern section of the park appeared to be less damaged, and that authorities would be assessing that damage to determine when a reopening might be possible.
Officials have characterized the unprecedented flooding as a once in a millennium occurrence.
'This isn't my words, but I've heard this is a thousand-year event,' said Cam Sholly, the superintendent of Yellowstone.
Sholly noted that the river's volumetric flow has shattered recorded records by a staggering level as of last weekend.
'From what I understand, one of the highest cubic feet per second ratings for the Yellowstone River recorded in the '90s was at 31,000 CFS, and Sunday night we were at 51,000 CFS.'
Sholly also pointed out that historic weather events 'seem to be happening more and more frequently.'
All tourists were ordered out of the park, as rockslides rained down on roads, mudslides slid down valleys, and the raging river pulled landscapes, bridges and buildings alike into its torrent.
'It is just the scariest river ever,' Kate Gomez of Santa Fe, New Mexico, said Tuesday. 'Anything that falls into that river is gone.'
12 backpackers remained in the park's back-country after the closure, and were eventually evacuated by a Montana National Guard helicopter.
After declaring a statewide emergency on Tuesday, Gianforte said in a statement that rapid snowmelt and recent heavy rains have brought 'severe flooding that is destroying homes, washing away roads and bridges, and leaving Montanans without power and water services.'
'I have asked state agencies to bring their resources to bear in support of these communities,' he said.
The upheaval followed one of the region's wettest springs in many years and coincided with a sudden spike in summer temperatures that has hastened runoff of melting snow in the park's higher elevations from late-winter storms.
Videos shot by shocked locals and bystanders captured the devastating effects of the severe weather, including a home that was swept away by surging floodwaters on the banks of the Yellowstone River, a bridge collapse, and cars on a mountain pass narrowly being missed by falling rocks dislodged by the storm.
In Red Lodge, Montana, a town of 2,100 that's a popular jumping-off point for a scenic, winding route into the Yellowstone, a creek running through town jumped its banks and swamped the main thoroughfare, leaving trout swimming in the street a day later under sunny skies.
Residents described a harrowing scene where the water went from a trickle to a torrent over just a few hours.
The water toppled telephone poles, knocked over fences and carved deep fissures in the ground through a neighborhood of hundreds of houses. The power was knocked out but restored by Tuesday, though there was still no running water in affected neighborhood.
The rains hit just as area hotels have filled up in recent weeks with summer tourists. More than 4 million visitors were tallied by the park last year. The wave of tourists doesn't abate until fall, and June is typically one of Yellowstone's busiest months.
Mark Taylor, owner and chief pilot of Rocky Mountain Rotors, said his company had airlifted about 40 paying customers over the past two days from Gardiner, including two women who were 'very pregnant.'
Taylor spoke as he ferried a family of four adults from Texas, who wanted to do some more sightseeing before heading home.
'I imagine they´re going to rent a car and they´re going to go check out some other parts of Montana - somewhere drier,' he said.
At a cabin in Gardiner, Parker Manning of Terre Haute, Indiana, got an up-close view of the roiling Yellowstone River floodwaters just outside his door. Entire trees and even a lone kayaker floated by.
In early evening, he shot video as the waters ate away at the opposite bank where a large brown house that had been home to park employees, who had evacuated, was precariously perched.
In a large cracking sound heard over the river's roar, the house tipped into the waters and was pulled into the current. Sholly said it floated 5 miles (8 kilometers) before sinking.
Jun 16, 2022
Derrick Johnson
Utah’s weather has been weird this month. Here’s why.
The state’s temperature roller coaster isn’t over yet.
If you think Utah’s roller-coaster weather has been kind of weird over the last few weeks, you’re not wrong.
The state’s temperatures have climbed to near-record highs, only to plummet to well below normal before shooting back up again.
“We typically go into our driest, quietest pattern in mid- to late June,” Christine Kruse, a lead meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, said. “It’s starting to get to where it’s really more unusual.”
This June has definitely not been a “quiet” weather month. A week ago, Salt Lake City temperatures sat in the low 90s, about 10 degrees above normal. Last weekend, it hit 97 on Friday and Saturday, 15 degrees above normal. And on Sunday, Salt Lake City set a new record for June 12 with a high of 102 — 19 degrees above normal.
Then a cold front blew in, and temperatures nosedived that night by more than 30 degrees. Monday’s high was 71 (12 degrees below normal) and Tuesday’s high was 69 (14 degrees below normal).
The roller coaster ride isn’t over. After highs in the mid-70s on Wednesday (about 10 degrees below normal), temperatures will shoot up into the mid-90s on Thursday and Friday (about 10 degrees above normal).
On Saturday, the forecast high will dip to 89 degrees, before dropping to 81 on Sunday and 76 on Monday — again 10 degrees below normal. And there’s a slight chance of rain on Saturday and Sunday.
“That’s pretty unusual for late June,” Kruse said. “And it’s unusual to have those temperatures and storms this far south. … This is typically the driest time of the year for the state of Utah.”
The National Weather Service’s models do not indicate that a high pressure system will set up shop over Utah in the next week. So it won’t rain for days and days, “but we’re also not going to have our typical weather for this time of year — hot for days and days,” Kruse said. “I don’t see that.”
The jet stream hasn’t affected southern Utah as much as northern Utah, but temperatures there have bounced up and down, too, with multiple daily highs hovering below normal. That’s expected to continue.
In St. George, the forecast high is 101, 99, 91, 87 and 90 degrees on Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, respectively. Normal highs for this time of year are 97-98.
There’s no rain in the forecast, but patchy, blowing dust is expected Friday.
There is a chance of rain in southeastern Utah on Friday and Saturday, and, looking further ahead — July 22-28 — Kruse said the National Weather Service’s models indicate that “the odds are tilted toward above-normal precipitation” in that part of the state.
“And in far northwestern Utah, the odds are more favorable for below-normal precipitation,” Kruse said. “That’s indicative that, potentially, the monsoon might be starting up just a little bit early.”
In which case, southern Utah can expect more rain than northern Utah.
https://www.sltrib.com/news/2022/06/15/utahs-weather-has-been/
Jun 16, 2022
Derrick Johnson
Kitesurfer is killed and eight are injured after sudden 'mini TORNADO' hits Normandy beach throwing 31-year-old into a restaurant window
A thirty-one-year-old kite surfer died Saturday night in Villers-sur-Mer along the Normandy coast in France when he was thrown against the window of a restaurant by a sudden gust of wind.
The strong gales hospitalised five people along with the kite surfer who died upon impact of the building on the seafront.
On the Normandy coast, a massive blast of cold air from the English Channel led to three additional light injuries on June 18.
Another person, reported missing at sea, was later found.
French media described the wind as a 'mini tornado', adding that meteorologists had not predicted the winds to be so strong.
Footage shows strong winds kicking up clouds of sand and forcing beach attendants to fold up towels and umbrellas.
Chairs and tables on terraces or in gardens were thrown as the sand whirled.
Thierry Granturco, the mayor of Villers-sur-Mer, called the winds a 'violence as we have never known on our coast'.
The winds lasted 20-25 minutes on the Côte Fleurie (Flowery Coast) between Ouistreham and Deauville.
This unexpected weather phenomenon and not announced by Météo-France, the organisation which monitors weather events.
'It blew more and more violently and it ended with a mini tornado,' said Granturco on Sunday, speaking to franceinfo. 'We had a communication with Météo France who had informed us that they had not been able to anticipate this kind of mini tornado.'
He added: 'We knew we were going to have strong winds, they were announced at the very end of the evening, or even in the night, but we did not think that they would be of this violence.'
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10931701/Kitesurfer-killed...
Jun 20, 2022
Yvonne Lawson
Italy's Po Valley rations water amid record drought
Italy's rich northern Lombardy region prepared to declare a state of emergency Thursday over a record drought which is threatening crops and has forced towns in the Po Valley to ration water.
"It's an extremely delicate situation," regional chief Attilio Fontana told reporters as the valley, which stretches across the north and houses a crucial agricultural sector, suffered its worst drought in 70 years.
Fontana said a state of emergency was likely to be declared for Lombardy, home to Milan, as well as three other neighbouring regions: Piedmont, the Veneto and Emilia Romagna.
The Po River is Italy's largest reservoir of freshwater and much of it is used by farmers. Some areas have been without rain for over 110 days, according to the Po River observatory.
With no rain forecast, councils have begun installing water tankers and imposing hosepipe pans.
Utilitalia, a federation of water companies, has asked mayors in 100 towns in Piedmont and 25 in Lombardy to suspend night time drinking water supplies to replenish reservoir levels.
The drought is putting over 30 percent of national agricultural production and half of livestock farming in the valley at risk, Italy's largest agricultural association, Coldiretti, said Thursday.
The low level of the Po is also leading to salt seawater infiltration into low-lying agricultural areas, compounding farmers' problems, it said.
Source: https://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Italys_Po_Valley_rations_water_a...
Map of area covered:
Jun 22, 2022
Derrick Johnson
Powerful storms pound BOTH coasts as woman and her two dogs die in lightning strike while hiking in LA and 70,000 are out of power in Virginia after area is walloped by strong winds
The National Weather Service had issued an advisory for areas in Southern California on Wednesday, warning residents to seek shelter from the severe weather.
Beaches in the area were temporarily closed ahead of flood and thunder warnings, with the main areas affected included Long Beach, downtown LA, Glendale, San Gabriel Valley and Antelope Valley.
Ryan Kittell, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told the LA Times that lighting remains a high concern among emergency officials after the rain subsides because the subsequent dry ground could become a huge fire threat.
'In the last hour we've had 208 lightning strikes that have hit the ground in Los Angeles County,' Kittell said. 'Lightning is a very good fire-starting source and the environment is pretty ripe for fire right now,'
Firefighters have already dealt with at least two brush fires in the area, while the Los Angeles National Forest crews said numerous smoke reports have been called in due to the lightning.
The East Coast is also contending with its own severe storms that will continue throughout the night and into Thursday with winds between 60 to 80 mph are expected.
Central Virginia was among the hardest hit areas, with 70,000 people losing power in Richmond, Chesterfield, Henrico and Hanover, according to Dominion Energy.
WTOP's Dave Dildine reported major damage in Fauquier County, where officials said there were more than 50 trees and large branches downed along Interstate 66.
The devastation comes less than a week after Central Virginia was struck by three tornados, wrecking homes and taking out the power for thousands.
Mark and Kim Taylor, of Goochland, told ABC 8 that the scene was 'like a nightmare' as their house was littered with trees that were knocked down following the storms last week.
'The governor, the president, somebody needs to come down here and give us some help,' Kim said. 'Thirty trees, $20,000 worth of damage.'
A dome of extreme heat that has baked much of the central United States for the past week is expected to collide with a cold front that could bring flash flooding as the blazing temperatures are set to go even higher — with more records predicted to fall today.
Many Americans across the central United States felt the brunt of the heat wave on the official first day of summer yesterday with temperatures reaching triple digits in some areas.
And while forecasts indicate that more dangerous heat is expected in some areas this week, as the heat dome moves off to the southeast, temperatures will scale back some on the East Coast with the help of incoming thunderstorms, AccuWeather meteorologists say.
A cold front coming off the Atlantic Ocean in the northeast will push to the southwest on Wednesday afternoon and into the evening, bringing strong winds, rain and possible flash flooding on the East Coast.
The heaviest line of storms are expected to hit the Washington, D.C. area and parts of the East Coast on Wednesday afternoon into the evening, FOX5 reported, possibly affecting the evening commute.
The storm system will be moving north to south and with this type of motion, the storm has the distinction of being slow-moving. And with the threat of heavy downpours throughout the evening in some areas, flash flooding is a concern.
Model projections suggest that scattered areas could see 2-4 inches of rainfall out of the heaviest storms, FOX5 reported. Multiple storms over the same area are also a concern.
While flash flood watches have not yet been issued, parts of the East Coast region could be covered with one by this evening.
Those who live in flood-prone areas should take proper precautions, and if driving, remember to 'turn around, don't drown' if you come across any flooded roadways.
Excessive heat is expected to return Thursday to most of the country. High temperatures will range from 5-15 degrees above average for the week, Accuweather reported.
Cities including Dallas, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Arkansas, and Shreveport, Louisiana are expected to reach 100 degrees.
New Orleans could see a 5- to 10-degree spike in high temperatures. The record highs of 101 set in 2009 and 97 set in 2016 could be challenged this coming Friday and Saturday, it was reported.
'While temperatures and humidity levels ease a bit for the end of the week in parts of the Midwest, more dangerous temperatures and humidity will return by the upcoming weekend,' AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dean DeVore said.
Temperatures in St. Louis Saturday are forecast to possibly break the record of 102 set in 1954. In Nashville, temperatures could surpass the 100 mark set in 1988 on the same day.
People flocked to pools, beaches and cooling centers across the Midwest and South spanning from northern Florida to the Great Lakes over the past week as the heat wave pushed temperatures into the 90s and beyond.
Certain parts of the country, including New Orleans and Mobile, Alabama, reached record-breaking highs over the week-end, surpassing 97F and 100F respectively on Saturday — breaking the 1913 record of 100F in Mobile.
Minneapolis and St. Louis in Minnesota saw local weather reach about 101F Monday (38C), accompanied by high humidity that made conditions feel close to 110F (43C).
The Twin Cities are seeing its roads cave in under the heat and two areas on I-35 in the Minneapolis area are now closed as of a result, according to Kare11.
'MSP has just reached 99[F], which is a new daily record (surpassing the old record of 98 set in 1933)! Let's see if we can hit 100,' the National Weather Service Twin Cities tweeted on Monday. The heat index in the area reached a high of 105F that day.
emperatures reached 108F (42C) in northwest Kansas last Monday. Western parts of the state and the Texas panhandle nearly reached 110 degrees over the week-end.
Last week, The Kansas Department of Health and Environment knew of at least 2,000 cattle deaths due to high temperatures and humidity.
The deaths represent a huge economic loss because the animals, which typically weigh around 1,500 pounds, are worth around $2,000 per head, spokeswoman for the Kansas Livestock Association Scarlett Hagins said.
Electric companies in the Southeast said they were ready to tackle the second heat wave this week in affected areas as more people are expected to stay indoors and blast their air conditioners.
'This is our 'Super Bowl' that we prepare all year for. We are ready to go!' Tennessee Valley Authority Spokesman Scott Fiedler told CNN in a statement.
Entergy, a power supplier mostly present in states bordering the Gulf of Mexico, said it expects in increase in power in areas across Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Orleans, and Texas, and expects to reach unprecedented energy levels.
Preparing for extreme heat is a process that goes on year-round at Oncor — the largest electric utility company in Texas and the fifth in the entire country. It serves more than 10million Texans.
'Our maintenance strategy department starts looking at data analytics and analyzing areas of vulnerability that we could really be focusing on for summer prep,' said Senior Design Manager and former Assistant District Manager Elizabeth Barrett on the company's website.
'We're looking at any areas that could be overloaded,' she added. 'Overloaded transformers. We're using meter data consistently to look at how those transformers could be affected by the increased load and whether or not those transformers need to be possibly changed out.'
And the worst may be yet to come. Nighttime temperatures have been hotter than previous years as conditions are expected to be around 100F, not providing much of a relief for a good night's sleep.
The heatwave succeeds wide-ranging weather conditions across the counties last week, which saw millions of people struck by triple-digit temperatures and historic flooding in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming and Montana.
Wildfires have also taken place in Arizona and New Mexico, where conditions in the Phoenix are closer to 110F than 100F.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10944011/Storms-pound-coas...
Jun 23, 2022
Derrick Johnson
High altitude tornado confirmed in Utah
INDIAN CANYON, UT. (WHSV) - A rare high altitude tornado has been confirmed by the National Weather Service in Salt Lake City, UT. The storm happened on Sunday morning, June 19, 2022.
The location, Indian Canyon, which is southeast of Salt Lake City.
The elevation of the tornado as it started, an incredible 9,200′. The National Weather Service reports that the tornado started near a mountain summit, moved over a ridgeline and into a valley along Indian Canyon.
The tornado descended from the starting elevation of 9,200′ to about 8,500′ close to a creek.
The NWS notes that the winds increased as the tornado took this path as it went down in elevation. What we know about tornado research in the last 2 decades is that a tornado can intensify traveling down a mountain (or terrain), and can typically weaken traveling up terrain.
So the fact that this tornado intensified as it went down the mountain makes sense. This is called vortex stretching. In fact the tornado quickly intensified leading to significant tree damage.
he tree damage in the photo above is a clear sign of a tornado. You can see how the trees criss cross, there’s not a clear cut straight pattern.
We call this convergent or even chaotic. When trees fall like this, that means it is from a tornado and not straight-line winds.
The path was 2 miles long and the width was nearly 900 yards wide.
This rare high altitude tornado was rated an EF-2 with winds of 125mph. This happened around 9:00 a.m on Fathers Day, and a nearby weather station recorded a gust of 62mph.
Now this did happen in a remote area so thankfully no one was injured.
https://www.whsv.com/2022/06/22/high-altitude-tornado-confirmed-utah/
Jun 23, 2022
KM
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/canada-farm-saska...
Lightning strike kills 27 cows in freak accident
‘We didn’t just lose the cows that are laying there. There’s babies inside of them
A family claims it lost 28 cattle to a lightning strike, said to be a "rare occurence" in Canada's southwest Saskatchewan province.
The family of farmers who owned the cattle were heartbroken and described the tragedy as "the worst thing" they have ever seen on their farm.
Farm owner Glen Briere recalled when he reached the spot, it "made me sick to my stomach to see what I had seen".
The family said the weather had become stormy on Friday and they had found the dead cattle two days later.
"It was Friday night when that storm we had had very severe lightning. The [lightning] most definitely hit the fence," Mr Briere said.
There were 14 cows, 13 calves and one herd sire dead along a fence in their pasture, CTV News reported.
Mr Briere and his wife were out of town when the lightning killed the cattle. His brother-in-law checked in on the cows on Sunday when he found them dead.
Local media reported that the family now faces financial loss due to the death of their cattle apart from the emotional toll the deaths have taken on them.
In several photos and videos, many of the animals can be seen intertwined with the fence. Mr Briere said some appeared to have been struck and blown away from the fence.
https://regina.ctvnews.ca/worst-thing-i-ve-ever-seen-on-the-farm-sa...
'Worst thing I've ever seen on the farm': Sask. family loses nearly 30 cattle to lightning strike
A family in southwest Saskatchewan is facing both a financial and emotional loss after 28 of their cattle were struck and killed by lightning.
“It’s probably the worst thing I’ve ever seen on the farm,” Glen Briere, the farm owner, said through tears.
“When I got there it made me sick to my stomach to see what I had seen.”
Briere is a fourth generation farmer. His family farm was established in 1912 and is located near Mankota, Sask. located about 200 kilometres southwest of Moose Jaw.
Glen and his wife were out of town over the weekend. His brother-in-law was checking on the cows on Sunday morning when he made the discovery.
There were 14 cows, 13 calves and one herd sire dead along a fence in their pasture.
“It was Friday night when that storm we had had very severe lightning,” Glen said. “[The lightning] most definitely hit the fence.”
In photos and video, many of the animals can be seen intertwined with the fence. Glen said some appear to have been struck and blown away from the fence.
“A guy tries to build up for years and years. You get a cow herd built up and then something like this comes along. Naturally it always takes some of the better ones, which happened here,” Glen said.
Darla, Glen’s wife, said they are still in shock.
“We didn’t just lose the cows that are laying there. There’s babies inside of them,” Darla said. “And there’s mothers now that don’t have babies and there’s babies that don’t have mothers. It affects the whole herd.”
Despite the loss, the family is trying to stay positive.
“We didn’t lose a [human] life,” Darla said. “We just keep thinking that there is worse things and these things can be replaced essentially.”
FINANCIAL LOSS
Before this incident, the Brieres had an 80 head herd.
Chelsey Briere, Glen and Darla’s daughter, explained just how much work has gone into creating the family’s purebred black angus operation.
“Dad finds the best herd sire that he can, buys it that year, builds up his genetics. It’s a very strategic business on what animals he breeds, that bull to and what their calves are,” Chelsey said.
She said all animals on the Briere’s farm are registered with the Canadian Angus Association. They undergo DNA testing to keep track of their genetic make-up.
Every March, the family holds a bull sale to sell what they’ve bred.
“What my parents make their money on every year is the bull sale,” Chelsey said. “[Dad] lost 13 calves and 10 of them were bull calves that were supposed to be in the sale this March.”
In addition to losing income that way, some calves that are still alive are left without a mother.
“Each cow that died had a calf that will now have to wean off its mother early, so it just won’t quite be given the chance to grow as much as it could have,” Chelsey said.
Most of the animals that died were not insured, except for the bull. The family is researching any resources that might be available to help recoup some of the loss.
They said they do have AgriStability coverage and are hoping that will help.
According to the Sask. Crop Insurance Corporation website, AgriStability is a risk management program designed to help farms that are facing large margin declines by production loss, increased costs or market conditions.
In a statement, the Ministry of Agriculture said lightning strikes causing death in livestock is a “rare occurrence” in Saskatchewan.
The ministry stated that it does not collect data related to these sorts of deaths as they often go unreported.
“If cattle are found suddenly dead, producers should inform their local veterinarian,” the statement said.
“Postmortem examination by a veterinarian or veterinary pathologist is required to confirm the cause of death, as lightning strikes can look similar to other causes of abrupt and large die-offs in cattle including anthrax.”
The Brieres said their local veterinarian did visit the farm following the cattle deaths.
In the aftermath of the incident, the Brieres are now working on clean up. They’ve rented equipment to move the cows and to dig an area where they can be buried.
They said support from family members and the community is helping them get through this.
“Dad’s phone has been ringing off the hook with people calling and offering different things and just saying how they support us and are here for us if we need anything,” Chelsey said.
“It’s been really nice to have that.”
The Briere family has lost 28 cattle after a storm hit their farm located in southwest Saskatchewan over the weekend.
Jul 13, 2022
Tracie Crespo
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/dozens-of-people-unaccounted-for-...
Dozens of people unaccounted for, over 100 homes damaged after flooding in southwest Virginia, officials say
Officials in southwestern Virginia say dozens of people are unaccounted for and likely over 100 homes were damaged after heavy rains caused devastating flooding in rural Buchanan County.
First responders, including swift water rescue teams, from across southwest and central Virginia headed to the area as water levels rose overnight and early Wednesday morning. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service office in Charleston, West Virginia, had issued a flash flood warning lasting into early Wednesday for parts of West Virginia and Virginia and also warned of severe thunderstorms in the area.
Gov. Glenn Younkin declared a state of emergency on Wednesday to respond to the severe flooding.
No deaths have been reported as a result of the flooding, Buchanan County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Eric Breeding said at a Wednesday news conference.
Authorities were investigating reports of 44 people who were unaccounted for, the sheriff's office said later Wednesday.
"This does not mean the person is missing, it means we are attempting to reach and locate the person and check on their wellbeing," the sheriff's office said in a post on social media.
Billy Chrimes, search and rescue specialist from the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, said the storm caused "significant flooding" and damage to a "well over 100" homes. Hundreds of households were also without power Wednesday in Buchanan County, according to poweroutage.us.
Several roads in the area were closed due to flooding, Breeding said, urging residents to avoid driving unless absolutely necessary. A family reunification center and emergency shelter was set up at a local elementary and middle school, he said.
"We ask that everyone please pray for this area," Breeding said. "Please pray for those affected by this flooding."
Youngkin said in a Twitter statement he was "deeply saddened" by the flooding in Buchanan County.
"We are making every resource available to help those impacted," he said. "While rescue and recovery operations continue, please join me in prayer as we lift up our fellow Virginians impacted by this tragedy."
The flooding comes less than a year after Buchanan County suffered serious flooding damage when the remnants of a hurricane hit the area in August 2021, washing away homes and leaving one person dead.
Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern.
Contributing: The Associated Press
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dozens of people unaccounted for, over 100 homes damaged after floo...
Jul 14, 2022
Tracie Crespo
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/1-dead-more-than-20-injured-as...
1 dead, more than 20 injured as winds destroy music festival stage
At least one person was killed and more than 20 others were injured when strong gusts of wind caused parts of a stage to fall at a music festival in Spain, officials said.
An “unexpected and violent gale” moved through the grounds of the Medusa Festival in Cullera, Spain, at about 4 a.m. local time on Saturday, the organizers said in a statement.
As the weather worsened, the organizers ordered the area around the stage to be evacuated, they said, adding, “Unfortunately, the devastating meteorological phenomenon caused some structures to cause unexpected events.”
Videos taken at the scene showed pieces of a stage breaking off in strong gusts of wind.
Local media reported that a 28-year-old man had been killed.
“The Medusa Festival management would like to express our deep and sincere condolences to the family and friends affected by the fatal consequences that occurred last night,” the organizers said in a statement.
The electronic music festival began on Friday.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Aug 13, 2022
Tracie Crespo
https://www.msn.com/en-us/weather/topstories/torrential-rains-lash-...
Torrential rains lash New Zealand for 3rd day, hundreds evacuate homes
WELLINGTON (Reuters) - Torrential rain slammed the west and north of New Zealand's South Island for a third straight day on Thursday, forcing hundreds to evacuate their homes and triggering road and school closures and land slips.
Coming top of weeks of damp weather, the latest rainstorms are worsening conditions in New Zealand's already sodden landscape. Experts have attributed the unseasonably wet weather to a narrow stream of water vapor, or an 'atmospheric river', sitting above the country.
Weather forecaster Metservice's data showed part of the north of the South Island had received well over 300 millimeters of rain (11.8 inches) in the past 24 hours. It has heavy rain warnings in place for parts of the west of the South Island and in the north of the North Island.
Metservice data showed Nelson city on the South Island had received 106 millimeters of rain since midday on Tuesday - well above its average rainfall for the whole of August of 80 millimeters.
On New Zealand's North Island, the country's largest city, Auckland, is under a heavy rain and winds alert, with minimal disruption reported so far.
Authorities said more than 230 homes in Nelson, a city with a population of more than 50,000, have already been evacuated with many public facilities and roads are closed.
A statement on Nelson City Council's website warned continuing rain could mean more land slips, flooding and evacuations.
Nelson's Mayor Rachel Reese told New Zealand television show AM that while the city had made it through the night without any major incidents, infrastructure was under pressure.
"We are dealing with a lot of wastewater overflows," she said.
On the west coast of the island Buller District Council said in a statement people from 160 homes evacuated over the last day were able to return to their residences to assess damage. But it warned further rain was expected and it was possible that they would have to evacuate again.
"Right across the district I believe we got away relatively unscathed," Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine told a news conference streamed online.
(Reporting by Lucy Craymer; Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
Aug 18, 2022
Yvonne Lawson
UK drought: Why do the trees think it's autumn already?
From the crunch of leaves underfoot and the fiery foliage adorning the trees, you might be thinking autumn has come early.
But experts say this hint of a change in the seasons isn't genuine. Instead it's the tell-tale sign of a "false autumn".
They warn the heatwave and drought has pushed trees into survival mode, with leaves dropping off or changing colour as a result of stress.
And some may end up dying as a result.
Auburn leaves and early leaf fall are both signs that trees are stressed and "shutting up shop", says Leigh Hunt, senior horticultural advisor at the Royal Horticultural Society.
"It's giving the appearance that we're already in autumn, but the days are too long for those natural autumn processes to begin," he says.
"Physiologically, the plants are not responding to autumn conditions; that's why we term it loosely as 'false autumn'."
He says in all his 45 years, this is one of the most severe years he's seen in terms of damage to trees in the countryside.
And while established trees can withstand drought through their extensive network of roots, younger specimens, such as those planted on poor soil at the edge of roads could wither and die.
And if there's a lot of rain we might even see "a second spring" with trees putting on an extra spurt of growth, he says.
Early berries
Other signs of the unpredictable weather can be seen in berries appearing on plants and shrubs.
The Woodland Trust, which records seasonal changes, has received its earliest ever report of ripe blackberries - from 28 June.
It says fruits and nuts are ripening faster than ever, which "can spell disaster for wildlife" that feed on them.
"The record-breaking heat we have just experienced has helped bring on a number of early autumn events," says Fritha West, from the Woodland Trust.
"We have received some of our earliest ever ripe blackberry records from the south of England. Hawthorn and rowan are also ripening early in some parts of the country, where early leaf tinting has also been observed.
"Elder and holly have been recorded as fruiting earlier too. Both extreme temperatures and a lack of water can cause trees to drop their leaves earlier than we'd expect."
Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62582186
Unable to post pics as they are Getty
Aug 20, 2022
Derrick Johnson
Saturday's Flooding In Moab Was A Once-In-A-Hundred-Year Event
The past couple of weeks have brought monsoons to the American West, with some of them wreaking havoc on Death Valley, Las Vegas, and Zion National Park. The latest location that became victim to the floods was Moab, Utah, which is home to Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that 1 to 1.5 inches of rain fell in Moab on Saturday night, with nearly an inch of rain that fell in a twenty-minute span. This led to flooding, best shown by the situation on Main Street in Moab. The flooding on Main Street was three feet deep in some spots, leading to challenging driving conditions.
It is being referred to as a once-in-a-hundred-year flood, due to an event like this having a 1% chance of happening in a calendar year. This is their third flash flood in the past month, but this one was the biggest of the three.
On Sunday, the rain concluded, but a muddy mess with a bunch of debris from branches, grass, and other objects led to a significant cleanup process. Additionally, the Mill Creek Parkway is closed until further notice. The disadvantage of getting this much rain so fast in a desert town is the mud flooding that follows, along with the water needed to clear the debris afterward. Some stunning videos of the flooding from Twitter user Swat Lake City are below.
https://unofficialnetworks.com/2022/08/22/saturdays-moab-severe-flood/
Aug 23, 2022
KM
https://floodlist.com/asia/india-floods-uttar-pradesh-august-2022
India – Floods in Uttar Pradesh Affect 245,000
Flooding in the state of Uttar Pradesh, India, has affected over 245,000 people over the last few days. The Ganges is above the danger mark in at least 5 locations, including Varanasi.
Flood rescue in Auraiya, Uttar Pradesh, India, August 2022.
According to the National Emergency Response Centre (NERC) in India, flooding has affected over 1,000 villages across 22 districts in the state since 26 August 2022.
Authorities have opened 386 relief camps, which, as of 29 August, were housing 16,562 evacuees. As of 31 August NERC reported 245,585 people were affected. At least 4 people have died in the floods in the last few days.
Teams from National Disaster Response Force, State Disaster Response Force and Provincial Armed Constabulary have been deployed for relief and rescue operations.
On 31 August 2022 Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath conducted an aerial survey of the flood affected areas and visited victims in Gazipur and Varanasi districts.
Rising Rivers and Dam Releases
As of 31 August, India’s Central Water Commission reported the Ganges was at or above Severe Flood Level in the districts of Ballia, Barabanki, Ghazipur, Praygraj and Varanasi.
In the preceding days the Yamuna River in Praygraj district and the Sarda in Kheri district were also flowing at Severe Flood Level. On 28 to 29 August the Chandrawal in Hamirpur district was above Extreme Flood Level but has since fallen.
The Chief Minister said water released from dams in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh had caused flooding in parts of the state. He said, “The rainfall in Uttar Pradesh has been less than average this time, but the problem of flooding has been caused due to excess water released from dams in Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.”
River Ganges at Ballia Uttar Pradesh India 01 September 2022.
River Ganges at Ghazipur Uttar Pradesh India 01 September 2022.
Sep 2, 2022
jorge namour
Foz do Iguaçu
BRASIL . An emergency was declared. It covered the route Santiago de Chile - Asunción.https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=455897406633659&set=pcb.45...
Oct 27, 2022
Yvonne Lawson
Kenya's plains of the dead: Animal corpses cover the land as even the Maasai people say they have not seen a drought like it after three years without rain
Some parts of the country have not seen a drop of rain in three years, and one of the worst droughts in its history has had a devastating impact on its wildlife, with an estimated 2.5million livestock killed this year alone.
Elephants, zebras, wildebeest, giraffes, cattle and buffalos are littered across the east African country's plains, and the corpses are continuing to pile higher and higher.
'We spoke to the local Maasai, it's the worst drought they can remember.'
One person Charlie spoke to was local farmer Moses Leyian who had 390 cows but now only has 43 after the suffocating drought.
The Maasai herder has three wives and 17 children but now 14 of them cannot attend school because he has no source of income.
Another farmer Patrick Keteko has lost 53 cows, 82 sheep and 89 goats in two months, with five dying every day.
'The land is now desertified and exhausted and that means the wild animals don't get so much forage. There's too much pressure on the land.
The extermination also faces huge consequences for Kenya's people, in a country where tourism contributes about 10 per cent of economic output and employs over 2million people.
In semi-arid Makueni County, 47-year old goat and sheep farmer John Gichuki said: 'It is traumatizing to watch your livestock die of thirst and hunger.'
Gichuki's maize and legumes crops have also failed four consecutive seasons. 'The farm is solely on the mercies of climate,' he said.
At least 18million people are facing extreme hunger in the Horn of Africa in what is already the worst drought in 40 years and could continue much longer.
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11430989/Kenyas-plains-dea...
Nov 16, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11472079/Rescuers-desperat...
Rescuers desperately try to save survivors after up to 12 are killed as terrifying landslide engulfs buildings and sweeps cars into the sea during heavy rain on Italian island
Heavy rainfall has triggered massive landslides on the Italian island of Ischia, collapsing buildings and leaving as many as 12 people missing.
Italy's Interior Minister said no deaths had yet been confirmed, appearing to contradict an early announcement by Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini who said eight people had died.
Torrential rain hit the port of Casamicciola Terme, one of the six small towns on the island, in the early hours of Saturday, triggering major flooding which crushed cars and turned streets on the island into rivers.
'At the moment there are no confirmed deaths,' said Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi, speaking from the firefighters' emergency co-ordination centre.
Mr Salvini, who is also the infrastructure minister, earlier said that eight deaths had been confirmed, speaking to reporters at the opening of a subway extension in Milan.
Torrential rainfall on the Italian island of Ischia triggered heavy landslides, sweeping away cars and collapsing buildings
Emergency services are racing to rescue those trapped by the landslides, with at least 12 people still reported missing
Residents have been left shaken by the scale of the devastation caused by the flash flooding and landslides today
The prefecture for the Naples region, which includes Ischia, said at least 12 people were missing.
Video from the island shows paths that the landslides had cut down slopes, leaving behind traces of mud. Streets were impassable and mayors on the island urged people to stay at home. At least 100 people were reported stranded.
The news agency ANSA reported that at least 10 buildings had collapsed.
One family with a newborn that was previously reported missing had been located and was receiving medical care, according to the Naples prefect, Claudio Palomba.
Firefighters were working on rescue efforts. Reinforcements were being sent from nearby Naples, but were encountering difficulties in reaching the island either by motorboat or helicopter due to the weather.
Nov 26, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11474237/Nearly-60-flood-a...
More baa-d weather! Nearly 60 flood alerts are issued in England along with yellow weather heavy rain warning for the southeast - as sheep are seen stranded on raised ground after river burst its banks
Britons must brace themselves for more bad weather as nearly 60 flood alerts have been issued in England along with a yellow weather warning for the southeast - as sheep were seen stranded on raised ground after a river dramatically burst its banks.
Astonishing photos showed around 30 sheep completely deserted on one of the only parts of raised ground that appeared to survive brutal flooding.
The images were taken at Stratton near Dorchester in Dorset after the River Frome burst its banks following an onslaught of torrential rain yesterday.
Astonishing photos showed around 30 sheep completely deserted on the only bit of ground that appeared to survive brutal flooding after the River Frome burst its banks at Stratton near Dorchester, Dorset
Motorists were also pictured having to navigate through torrential rain spraying across the M25 near Swanley in Kent.
And the bad weather shows no sign of stopping. The Met Office has issued 56 flood alerts along with four flood warnings - where flooding is expected.
The Met Office has issued the warnings in Climping, West Sussex, Upper Frome at Maiden Newton in Dorset which could also spread to Dorchester.
The final warning from the Met Office on North Bank Road which sits alongside the River Nene to the east of Peterborough.
Motorists were also pictured having to navigate through torrential rain spraying across the M25 near Swanley in Kent this morning
Britons are in for more bad weather as the Met Office has issued 56 flood alerts today along with four flood warnings - where flooding is expected
The southeast will have to brace itself for a deluge of rain and contest with a serious risk of flooding with 30mm of rain set to fall in some areas
The Met Office has put out a yellow weather warning across southeast England for the rest of today with Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex likely to be hit by a washout
The Met Office has put out a yellow weather warning across southeast England with Brighton and Hove, East Sussex and West Sussex likely to be hit by a washout.
Warnings for the brutal weather will came into force at 12pm today and will remain in place until the end of the day, hampering Britons looking to enjoy a Sunday afternoon.
They expect 10 to 20mm of rain to fall with some places even reaching 30mm later on in the evening. There is a high risk of flooding in these areas as a result of the ground being saturated from the recent downpours.
A three-day forecast shows that although there may be some sunny spells, overcast conditions, rain and fog is expected to carry on past today
Forecasters are warning that buses and trains will probably be affected, with journey times taking longer, while flooding of homes and businesses is possible.
Britons have already had to navigate around limited public transport due to rail strikes yesterday. Train drivers at 11 companies walked out in a long-running pay row, causing more chaos to the public trying to get around the country.
As the southeast battles with torrential rain today, blustery showers are expected across Northern Ireland and much of Scotland, spreading to some parts in the west later.
Fierce winds are also set to hit some areas of the UK over what has become a miserable last Sunday of November.
Tomorrow, Britons will once again have to contest with rain, especially across the west and the south of the UK. Meanwhile it is looking slightly more positive from Tuesday with drier conditions and less brutal winds expected but there will be fog and mist causing problems.
Nov 27, 2022
Yvonne Lawson
Look: Snow blankets Saudi Arabia’s Tabuk as temperature drops
Areas covered with snow became a tourist attraction for residents and visitors
Snow enveloped the mountains of Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after a huge drop in temperature overnight. Image Credit: SPA
In a statement to SPA, Director of the branch of the National Center of Meteorology in the Northern Region Alenizi stated that snowfall in the Northern Region of Saudi Arabia, especially Al Lawz Mountains and adjacent areas, depend on two main factors. Image Credit: SPA
Source: https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/look-snow-blankets-saudi-arab...
Dec 28, 2022
Yvonne Lawson
Photos: Climate crisis threatens centuries-old oases in Morocco
Residents of the oasis of Alnif say they cannot remember a drought this bad. The land is dry. Some wells are empty. Palm groves that date back more than 100 years are barren.
Home to centuries-old oases that have been a trademark of Morocco, this region, about 274km (170 miles) southeast of Marrakesh, is reeling from the effects of climate change, which have created an emergency for the kingdom’s agriculture.
Among those affected is Hammou Ben Ady, a nomad in the Tinghir region who leads his flock of sheep and goats in search of grazing grass. The drought forced him to rely on government handouts of fodder.
November is usually a cold, wet month in Alnif. But when the rain failed to come, the king called for rain prayers across the country, an old Islamic tradition during desperately dry times.
Resident Mo’chi Ahmad said the oasis has provided a livelihood for this population for hundreds of years. Now it is “threatened with extinction” and everyone has noticed the disappearing palm trees.
In the last three years, hundreds of people from the oasis areas have fled towards cities, many young people migrating to Europe, mainly because of the drought, said Mohamed Bozama, another resident.
He also blames the digging of unauthorised wells and rising demand for water from existing wells for worsening the crisis.
But for Hassan Bouazza, part of the solution lies in the hands of the people of the Alnif region. He was the first to install solar panels on the region’s ksar, or castle, and began relying on the energy produced to dig wells and irrigate his fellow farmers’ lands.
“We must learn to live with the situation we’re in and think about ways to make the heat and drought work to our advantage,” such as by using new irrigation systems and solar power, he said.
He called for oasis inhabitants to be provided with training to help them move away from traditional irrigation in favour of drip irrigation, which requires significantly less water.
Dead palm trees are visible in the town of Nkob, near Zagora, Morocco. [Mosa'ab Elshamy/AP Photo]
Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/gallery/2022/12/27/photos-climate-crisis-...
Dec 28, 2022
Juan F Martinez
Floods hit Saudi Arabia's Jeddah 12/30/22
Rains lashed various parts of Saudi Arabia on Friday, causing floods on streets and deserts.
https://twitter.com/ZT_Followers/status/1609276325348675584
Dec 31, 2022
KM
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11613797/California-hit-re...
12 die in killer storms: Californians are warned to 'stay at home' as the worst is to come with a 'relentless parade of cyclones' set to batter state this week: More than 100,000 are still without power and thousands are told to evacuate
California was hit with more extreme weather on Sunday as thunderstorms, snow and damaging winds swept into the northern part the state, with severe rain and wind already having left at least 12 people de....
The National Weather Service cautioned that the west coast 'remains under the target of a relentless parade of cyclones,' while Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency last week and warned 'the worst' of the storms is 'in front of us'.
A succession of atmospheric rivers have continued to pour torrents of rain and floodwaters across the already battered state. Residents are bracing for more flooding, rising rivers and mudslides on soils already saturated after days of rain.
Weather services say much of California could face risks of 'significant' flooding until the storms abate around the middle of the week. At least 115,000 Californians were without power early Monday, with some counties ordering evacuations over 'imminent' flooding and wind gusts expected to reach up to 60 miles-per-hour.
California was hit with more extreme weather on Sunday as thunderstorms, snow and damaging winds swept into the northern part the state. Pictured: A drone view of a tree that fell during a winter storm with high winds in Sacramento, California, U.S. January 8, 2023
Authorities fear the dangers residents face will be compounded by the frequency with which each storm has and will continue to follow the previous.
Without time for cleanup and damage mitigation between bouts of rain, sleet, snow, and wind, problems could build on one another increase.
'The longevity and intensity of rain, combined with the cumulative effect of successive heavy rain events dating back to the end of December, will lead to widespread and potentially significant flood impacts,' said the Weather Prediction Center on Sunday.
'Numerous flash flooding events likely, some possibly significant, especially over burn scars,' the Center added, noting that terrain altered by the regions recent forest fires could amplify problems.
The National Weather Service said the terrain has become so inundated by rain and in previous days that it is vulnerable to increasingly dangerous conditions as more rain falls.
'While some of the forecast rain totals are impressive alone, it is important to note that what really sets this event apart are the antecedent conditions,' the NWS advised.
Multiple systems over the past week have saturated soil, increased flow in rivers and streams, and truly set the stage for this to become a high impact event.'
Up to 12 inches of rain could fall in many parts of California between now and Wednesday, coming across two successive and prolonged storms.
'Tuesday is probably the day where you'll likely need to keep a really close eye on the weather as the potential for widespread flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and roadway and urban flooding will be at its highest during the next week as all the runoff and heavy precipitation comes together resulting in a mess,' said Sacramento's weather service office.
Jan 9, 2023
Yvonne Lawson
At least NINE are killed by over 30 tornados of up to 165mph that ripped apart Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky including boy, 5, struck by tree - and more are on the way
The death toll from a series of devastating tornadoes that tore through Alabama, Georgia and Kentucky on Thursday night has risen to nine, with authorities warning it could still rise.
The unseasonal storms cut their way through multiple counties, carving out 20-mile-wide paths in some cases.
At least 30 tornadoes were counted, with some reaching 165mph.
A giant downed tree outside the Henderson House following an outbreak of tornadoes in Selma, Alabama, on Friday. During the Civil War following the Battle of Selma, the property, built in 1855, was occupied by Wilson’s Raiders and used as a hospital for Union soldiers
National Weather Service social media accounts were warning Alabama residents to take shelter immediately amid the 'life threatening situation'
Forty homes were destroyed, said Ernie Baggett, the Emergency Management Agency Director for Autauga County.
He said the damage was unprecedented.
'It's complete devastation,' he said.
'There's some, a couple of our county roads that there's only one or two homes left that may be livable.'
In Selma, a city of about 18,000 people, a tornado cut a wide path through the downtown area, where brick buildings collapsed, oak trees were uprooted, cars were on their side and power lines were left dangling.
Plumes of thick, black smoke rose over the city from a fire burning.
James Spann, a meteorologist and host of Weather Brains, shared a video of the tornado roaring towards the town, as people outside a Walmart stood and looked on in shock.
James Perkins, mayor of Selma, said no fatalities have been reported, but several people were seriously injured.
First responders were continuing to assess the damage and officials hoped to get an aerial view of the city Friday morning.
'We have a lot of downed power lines,' he said. 'There is a lot of danger on the streets.'
A factory roof is sheared off and the debris scattered in Selma on Friday, following Thursday's tornadoes
Read more: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11633835/At-NINE-killed-30...
Jan 14, 2023
Ovidiu Pricopi
1 24 2023 Ice shelf brokened off in Antarctica, the size of the picture is 62 km wide = 38 miles
Jan 27, 2023
Yvonne Lawson
Mallorca is hit by TWENTY INCHES of snow and 25ft waves, with a dozen towns left without power and weather red alert warnings issued as Storm Juliette brings Balearic blizzards
Spain's meteorological agency AEMET warned the coastal regions in northern Mallorca will be hit with 55mph winds and 26ft waves
Snow covers Serra de Tramuntana mountains in Mallorca, Spain, on Tuesday
Mallorca has been gripped by a winter storm that is wreaking havoc, with 20 inches of snow shutting roads and cutting power in dozens of towns.
The Spanish holiday island is covered with snow today and officials issued a rare red alert warning for the second day in a row as a further 15 inches is expected to fall in the next 24 hours.
Storm Juliette hit Mallorca, known for its sun-drenched beaches, on Sunday and has since brought blizzards and cold weather to the Balearic island.
AEMET issued a red warning for snow today and warned 15 inches will fall in the Serra de Tramuntana mountain range in the north of the island within 24 hours.
The meteorological experts had predicted 16 inches of snow would fall by early this morning, but more than 20 inches blanketed the town of Valldemossa where temperatures have plummeted to -2C (28.4 Fahrenheit).
The snow storm has also led to power cuts in dozens of towns including Valldemossa, Alaró, Vilafranca and Port d'Alcúdia.
The 20 inches of snow has also forced the closure of up to 15 roads in the Serra de Tramuntana region.
The AEMET has also issued an amber warning for rainfall, with 100mm expected in the Serra de Tramuntana range.
In the past eight hours the highest accumulated precipitation - 128.4mm - has been recorded in Pollença, a town in northern Mallorca.
In the rest of the island, orange and yellow warnings have been activated for winds of more than 70km/hr and precipitation that could exceed three inches in some areas.
Snow has also covered parts of Ibiza and it has an active yellow warning for 13ft waves today.
And in neighbouring Menorca, there are active orange warnings for 90km/hr winds which have left the island cut off by the sea following the closure of port Maó.
Source: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11801861/Storm-Juliette-Ma...
Feb 28, 2023
Yvonne Lawson
US storms: At least 9 dead as twisters wreck homes and leave 750,000 without power
Damage in McCracken County, Kentucky (Image: @NbergWX)
The United States is being battered by severe storms with tornadoes wrecking buildings and uprooting trees leaving at least nine people dead so far with the threat of snow and flooding to come
At least nine people have died in the US as storms ripped through neighbourhoods and they are now set to bring snow and flooding to the east of the country.
Thousands have seen their homes damaged or destroyed by strong winds and tornadoes with so far nine people confirmed dead across southern states on Friday.
More than 750,000 homes and businesses in Tennessee and Kentucky are without electricity while many also do not have running water.
Kentucky Governor Andy Bashear warned of Friday being a “dangerous weather day” adding “there is a certainty of severe storms and significant wind gusts, with possibilities of flooding and tornadoes.”
In an update he later tweeted: “Kentucky please add one more family to your prayers tonight. We just learned of our third weather related death, this coming out of Logan County. Let’s continue to be there for one another as we mourn those losses.”
An overturned lorry on a road in Kentucky ( Image: AP)
Three people were killed by falling trees in Alabama as severe weather swept through the state. In Mississippi, a woman died inside her SUV after a rotted tree branch struck her vehicle, and in Arkansas a man drowned after he drove into high floodwaters.
In Humphreys County, Tennessee, a man was also found dead after a tree hit his car, the sheriff's office said.
The storm system turned toward New England, where a mix of snow, sleet and rain is hitting the region on Friday night and lasting into Saturday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a winter storm warning.
Many homes have been damaged or destroyed in the storms ( Image: @Hicks_JustinM)
There's a chance of coastal flooding in Massachusetts and Rhode Island and the storm could bring as much as 18 inches of snow to parts of New Hampshire and Maine. The storm will also bring strong winds with gusts of 40 to 50 mph, which could cause power outages.
Airport officials in Portland, Maine, cancelled several flights for Saturday ahead of the weather and some libraries and businesses in the region announced weekend closures.
In California the weather system slammed the state earlier in the week with as much as 10 feet of snow. Some residents in mountains east of Los Angeles will likely remain stranded in their homes for at least another week after the snowfall proved too much to handle for most plows.
Many residents of Alabama, Louisiana, Kentucky, Arkansas and Texas emerged Friday to find their homes and businesses damaged and trees toppled by the reported tornadoes. Tens of thousands were without power and some were also without water.
In Alabama, a 70-year-old man sitting in his truck in Talledega County was killed when a tree fell onto his vehicle. A 43-year-old man in Lauderdale County and a man in Huntsville also were killed by falling trees Friday, local authorities said.
In Texas, winds brought down trees, ripped the roof off a grocery store in Little Elm, north of Dallas, and overturned four 18-wheelers along US Highway 75. Minor injuries were reported, police said.
Many thousands of people have now been left without power ( Image: AP)
Winds of nearly 80mph were recorded near the Fort Worth suburb of Blue Mound. The roof of an apartment building in the suburb of Hurst was blown away, resident Michael Roberts told KDFW-TV.
"The whole building started shaking ... The whole ceiling is gone," Roberts said. "It got really crazy."
Heavy rain was also reported in southern Missouri and northern Arkansas, causing flooding in both states.
The storm barrelled Friday afternoon into the Detroit area, quickly covering streets and roads beneath a layer of snow. The weather service said some areas could see blizzard conditions with snowfall approaching three inches per hour.
Detroit-based DTE Energy reported more than 106,000 customers lost power on Friday evening. It was the latest slap after ice storms last week left more than 600,000 homes and businesses without power.
Source: https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/us-news/storms-least-9-dead-twisters-...
Mar 4, 2023
Recall 15
A tornado in Guatemala:
March 4, 2023
The type of small tornado caused astonishment among the inhabitants of Patzún and the villages of Cerditos Asunción,
From Direct Link:
La Canoa, Paxorotot and Chirijuyú, who witnessed the passage and formation of the natural phenomenon.
https://www-prensalibre-com.translate.goog/ciudades/chimaltenango/v...
Mar 5, 2023
Derrick Johnson
Huge mile-wide tornado rips through Mississippi town razing homes to the ground with dozens trapped under debris - as 30 MILLION are warned to brace for 135mph storms and golf ball-sized hail
Mississippi bore the brunt of a strong line of ferocious storms that roared across South on Friday night with a mile-wide tornado touching down in the small town of Rolling Fork, leaving people trapped amid a path of destruction.
Forecasters had been warning residents in parts of the Midwest and South on Friday that dangerously strong winds would be moving through the region coupled with the possibility of damaging EF2 tornadoes with winds of up to 135mph.
Worst fears were realized just after 9pm on Friday night with one storm chaser managing to tweet that help was urgently needed in the area after the colossal storm left people trapped inside collapsed homes and businesses.
'The damage in Rolling Fork, Mississippi is BAD. People are trapped, we need help here,' Zachary Hall tweeted.
He later tweeted how police had stressed the urgency of the situation and begged him to get the message out: 'Major tornado damage, we need as many ambulances as possible and any help for search and rescue in this town.'
A reporter on the ground told how several people had been rushed to hospital following the barrage of storms which left homes flattened and businesses crushed.
Other stormchasers in the area captured the violent nature of the storms with lightning and power flashes illuminating the threatening sky as a tornado passed through Anguilla, Mississippi.
In nearby Silver City, Mississippi, damage was said to be 'everywhere' after the tiny village of 300 people suffered a direct hit.
More than 30 million people lay in the storm's path which had already led to the drowning deaths of two people after a car was swept away with the passengers still inside drowned earlier on Friday in Missouri.
Golf ball-sized hail stones emanating from the supercell storms also saw torrential rains leading to flooding - all part of the severe weather system which has been barreling across the country.
The drowning accident happened just after midnight in a sparsely populated area of southwestern Missouri.
Authorities said six young adults were in the vehicle that was swept away as the car tried to cross a bridge over a flooded creek in the town of Grovespring.
Four of the six made it out of the water. The body of Devon Holt, 20, of Grovespring, was found at 3:30am, and the body of Alexander Roman-Ranelli, 19, of Springfield, was recovered about six hours later, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Thomas Young said.
The driver told authorities that the rain made it difficult to see that water from a creek had covered the bridge, Young said.
Other stormchasers in the area captured the violent nature of the storms with lightning and power flashes illuminating the threatening sky as a tornado passed through Anguilla, Mississippi.
In nearby Silver City, Mississippi, damage was said to be 'everywhere' after the tiny village of 300 people suffered a direct hit.
More than 30 million people lay in the storm's path which had already led to the drowning deaths of two people after a car was swept away with the passengers still inside drowned earlier on Friday in Missouri.
Golf ball-sized hail stones emanating from the supercell storms also saw torrential rains leading to flooding - all part of the severe weather system which has been barreling across the country.
The drowning accident happened just after midnight in a sparsely populated area of southwestern Missouri.
Authorities said six young adults were in the vehicle that was swept away as the car tried to cross a bridge over a flooded creek in the town of Grovespring.
Four of the six made it out of the water. The body of Devon Holt, 20, of Grovespring, was found at 3:30am, and the body of Alexander Roman-Ranelli, 19, of Springfield, was recovered about six hours later, Missouri State Highway Patrol Sgt. Thomas Young said.
The driver told authorities that the rain made it difficult to see that water from a creek had covered the bridge, Young said.
The storm system is being fueled by a dip in the jet stream that powered through California on Tuesday and Wednesday resulting in tornadoes there including one that hit the downtown LA area - the first in the area since 1953.
Meanwhile, a search continued in another southwestern Missouri county for a woman who was missing after flash flooding from a small river washed a car off the road.
The Logan Rogersville Fire Protection District said the victim's dog was found safe, but there was no sign of the woman. Two others who were in the car were rescued. Crews planned to use boats and have searchers walking along the riverbank.
Some parts of southern Missouri saw nearly 3 inches of rain Thursday night and into Friday morning as severe weather hit other areas.
A suspected tornado touched down early Friday in north Texas as a volatile storm system threatened to spawn tornadoes in several Southern states.
Matt Elliott, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma, said severe weather is expected across several states.
'We´re talking several tornadoes, including some that might be strong and intense,' Elliott said.
The Storm Prediction Center warned the greatest threat of tornadoes would come on Friday afternoon and evening in portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee.
Storms with damaging winds and hail were forecast from eastern Texas and southeastern Oklahoma into parts of southeastern Missouri and southern Illinois.
'Now is the time to start checking batteries on your weather radios and making sure you have multiple ways to receive weather warnings, but also having a plan so that if storms start approaching your area and warnings are issued you're able to get yourself and your family to a place that's safe,' Elliott said.
Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards warned of potential tornados reaching the state overnight and urged residents to prepare for severe weather, including damaging winds and hail.
The risk of personal vulnerability increases with overnight severe weather as residents are less likely to receive warnings because they are asleep and tornadoes are more difficult to spot, according to the National Weather Service.
In Texas, a suspected tornado struck about 5am in the southwest corner of Wise County, damaging homes and downing trees and power lines, said Cody Powell, the county's emergency management coordinator. Powell said he had no reports of injuries.
The weather service had not confirmed a tornado, but damage to homes was also reported in neighboring Parker County, said meteorologist Matt Stalley. Investigators likely will go to the area later Friday to make that determination.
The two areas are about 10 miles apart on the western edge of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and Stalley said the storm system was expected to move east of the region by throughout the remainder of Friday.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11900593/Tornado-threat-30...
Mar 25, 2023
KM
https://floodlist.com/africa/angola-floods-april-2023
Angola – Thousands of Homes Damaged or Destroyed After Days of Heavy Rain
Heavy rain caused damages and flooding in several provinces of Angola from early April 2023. Strong winds were also reported in some areas. As of 21 April, at least 20 people had lost their lives, many of them children. Damage to houses has left hundreds of families homeless.
Floods in Luanda, Angola, April 2023.
Some of the worst damage occurred in Luanda Province, which includes the capital city of Luanda. Five people lost their lives after heavy rain and storms from 12 to 13 April. Two people were reported missing. More than 300 trees were downed around 1,200 homes flooded.
Heavy rain and storms struck again from 18 to 19 April. Around 1,700 homes were flooded or damaged by the rain in the municipalities of Viana, Belas and Cazenga. Five people died, including 2 people following the collapse of houses and three who were swept away by floods. All the victims were children.
The government of Luanda Province warned of further heavy rain and that residents and in particular children should avoid flood waters and drainage channels.
Heavy rain, storms and floods have also occurred in the provinces of Namibe, Lunda Norte, Lunda Sul, Malanje, Cuanza Norte and Moxico.
In Namibe Province, around 150 families in the municipality of Moçâmedes were displaced after floods and heavy rain on 01 April. On the same day, 76 families were left homeless after heavy rain destroyed houses in the municipality of Xá-muteba in Lunda Norte Province. The heavy rain also affected the neighbouring Lunda Sul Province, where 8 houses were destroyed and 72 damaged in Saurimo. One person died and 42 were left homeless.
At least 6 people died in Malanje Province after days of heavy rain from 02 to 14 April. Most of the damage and fatalities were reported in areas of the city of Malanje.
Heavy rain and strong winds on 12 April destroyed 35 homes and displaced 155 people in Ngonguembo municipality in Cuanza Norte Province. Two schools were also damaged. Further heavy rain and severe weather struck the province from 15 to 16 April, destroying 22 houses in the municipality of Cuanza. Three people lost their lives.
Around 125 families have been rendered homeless in Moxico Province in the east of the country after heavy rainfall damaged homes in the municipality of Léua on 19 April.
Apr 21, 2023