Saturday, November 30, 2013

MONUMENTAL EARTH CHANGES: Ice Age Now - Winter 2013 To Be The Longest In British HISTORY; Heavy Snow Could Fall Until MAY, Warn Forecasters; Truly UNPRECEDENTED!

November 24, 2013 - BRITAIN - BRITAIN is facing an unprecedented SIX MONTH winter with long-range forecasters warning relentless heavy snow and sub-zero temperatures could last until MAY. 

The entire UK has been told to brace for a record-breaking period of bitter Arctic winds, crippling snowfall and plunging temperatures.

Heavy snow and huge drifts will cause chaos for up to six months [APEX]


Long-range forecasts now point to winter 2013 now being the worst for more than 60 years with Polar conditions stretching right into the beginning of next spring.

The shock warning comes with the UK already shivering in an unseasonably early big freeze with temperatures plummeting to -5C and heavy snow sparking chaos in parts of the UK.

It has also sparked fears that the extreme cold expected this winter could kill far more vulnerable people than usual, especially as millions turn down their heating in the wake of huge energy price rises.

Long range forecasts show that a high pressure ‘blocking system’ drawing cold air in from the Arctic will wreak havoc with our weather, generating prolonged spells colder than in  Iceland, Norway and Sweden and even parts of the Arctic region.

Drivers across the UK face a battle to beat the snow this winter [MASONS]


Britain is facing a relentless, long winter of heavy snow [PA]


Wintry scenes like this will dominate winter 2013 in Britain [NORTH NEWS]


Long-range forecaster James Madden, of Exacta Weather, said: “An exceptionally prolonged period of widespread cold is highly likely to develop throughout this winter and last into next spring.

“It will be accompanied by snow drifts of several feet and long-lasting snow accumulations on a widespread scale.

“This period of snow and cold is likely to result in an incomparable scenario to anything we have experienced in modern times.

“A scenario similar to December 2010 is likely to develop, but on a more prolonged scale in terms of overall duration.”

Jonathan Powell, forecaster for Vantage Weather Services, said this winter could now parallel hthe worst winters ever recorded.

He said: “Looking back at historical data there is certainly an argument that we may well parallel with severe winters of the past including 1947 and 1962.

“We have had such a cold November, and there is no sign of any change due to a high pressure blocking system.

“When these severe temperatures bed in it becomes like an accumulative effect - like a heatwave but in reverse, we could be looking at the longest winter in history.

The whole of Britain is facing a long whiteout and heavy snow this winter [PA]


Drivers have been warned to expect huge snow drifts throughout winter 2013 [CAVENDISH]


Train users face long delays because of heavy snow and ice [PA]


“And this is when you see records breaking, all signs point towards this winter being exceptionally severe, I wouldn’t put anything past it.”

As energy bills rocket, campaigners warn around 25,000 people could die of the cold - around 23 per cent more than during a Swedish winter.

Ed Matthew, director of the Energy Bill Revolution, said: “It is a national disgrace that thousands of people are dying unnecessarily every year, lives that could be saved by something as simple as better insulation.

“That more people die from the cold every year in temperate Britain than in freezing Sweden is an embarrassment and a tragedy.”

This winter has so far shown signs of delivering a repeat of 1962 when temperatures tumbled in mid-November and the first snow fell.

Southern England was hit by blizzards and London was buried under 12 inches of drifting snow with further downpours in January and February (Source: Netweather).

Devon and North East England were left under 2ft of snow and people were able  to walk on the tops of the frozen shrubbery.

This winter could also be a carbon copy of 1947, the snowiest in history with showers in March leading to seven-metre high drifts.

The worst winter since 1814 there was continuos snowfall from January 22 to March 17 (Source: Netweather) with seven inches falling in South West England and the Scilly Isles in January.

In early March there was a blizzard in England and Wales, with 1ft widely, and 5ft over high ground. Flooding was also a problem as rain ran off frozen ground in torrents leading to widespread chaos on the roads.

Highland cattle face months of freezing Arctic winds and heavy snow [PACEMAKER PRESS]


Some British animals are already getting ready for the snow... [PA]


...while others, like this robin, were born ready [GETTY]


The lack of power supplies became so critical that at one point radio and TV broadcasts were suspended, magazines were ordered to stop being published and many newspapers were forced to cut their size.

Mr Powell added: “The worst of the weather is likely to arrive in January - this is when the real trouble is likely to start.

“So far, we have seen an early taste of what this winter could have to offer, and it is only November,  late December into next year looks shocking.

“And there is every possibility this could be the picture right through until May and even into spring, we could see one of the longest winters in history.”

The Met Office said clear skies and persistent high pressure over the weekend and into next week will keep minimum temperatures below average for the time of year.

Forecaster Dan Williams said: “It is going to turn more settled and resulting clear skies mean there is more heat loss, keeping things cooler than average.

“It is a cold picture for the rest of the week, and there could be the risk of fog." - Express.

Thursday, November 28, 2013

A portrait of Global Winds

Via IIAI

High-resolution global atmospheric modeling provides a unique tool to study the role of weather within Earth’s climate system. NASA’s Goddard Earth Observing System Model (GEOS-5) is capable of simulating worldwide weather at resolutions as fine as 3.5 kilometers.

This visualization shows global winds from a GEOS-5 simulation using 10-kilometer resolution. Surface winds (0 to 40 meters/second) are shown in white and trace features including Atlantic and Pacific cyclones. Upper-level winds (250 hectopascals) are colored by speed (0 to 175 meters/second), with red indicating faster.


Image Credit: William Putman/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center

This simulation ran on the Discover supercomputer at the NASA Center for Climate Simulation. The complete 2-year “Nature Run” simulation—a computer model representation of Earth's atmosphere from basic inputs including observed sea-surface temperatures and surface emissions from biomass burning, volcanoes and anthropogenic sources—produces its own unique weather patterns including precipitation, aerosols and hurricanes. A follow-on Nature Run is simulating Earth’s atmosphere at 7 kilometers for 2 years and 3.5 kilometers for 3 months.

Contacts and sources:
NASA

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

EXTREME WEATHER: Powerful Storm System Blasts Western United States, Marches Eastward - Eight Killed; Hundreds Of Accidents; Widespread Snowfall, Freezing Temperatures And Gusty Winds; Will Threaten East Coast With Nightmarish Conditions During Thanksgiving Holidays!

November 24, 2013 - UNITED STATES - A powerful storm system that has caused hundreds of accidents across the Western U.S. has marched eastward with predictions of widespread snow, freezing temperatures and gusty winds.
(Weather Underground/ Associated Press ) - This NOAA satellite image taken Friday, Nov. 22, 2013 at
02:00 p.m. EST shows a storm system on the southern jet moving into the the desert southwest.This is
producing heavy rains in Arizona and heavy mountain show in New Mexico and Colorado. Dry air
wrapping into the storm is producing sunny skies in Northern California and the Pacific Northwest.

The fierce weather has caused at least eight deaths and prompted advisories Saturday afternoon in New Mexico and Texas.

As thick, gray clouds covered the Southwest, forecasters said the storm would sweep across the South and toward the Atlantic coast next week, causing problems for holiday travelers.

Joe Harris, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the “Nordic outbreak” will “produce a mixed bag of wily weather that will end up impacting much of the nation.”

In New Mexico, authorities and residents braced for the second hit of a one-two punch that had already blanketed parts of the state with snow and freezing rain and caused a rollover accident that killed a 4-year-old girl in the eastern part of the state.

Three other storm-related deaths were reported Saturday in a crash in the Texas Panhandle involving nearly a dozen vehicles.

In California, where the storm system hit first, prompting flooding and water rescues in recent days, three deaths have been linked to the storms since Thursday, as authorities found one body near downed power lines, one man crashed his vehicle into a tree and a woman was killed when a tree fell on a parked car.

In Arizona, firefighters recovered the body of a man who was swept away by high waters Friday in the Santa Cruz River in the southern part of the state.

(San Bernardino County Fire Department/ Associated Press ) - This image provided by the San Bernardino
County Fire Department shows a traffic accident in the San Bernardino Mountains in California. The rain
throughout the West led to flooding in San Bernardino County, where five homeless people were trapped
by water and had to be rescued from the Santa Ana River, fire officials told the San Bernardino County Sun.


(Las Vegas Review-Journal, Jerry Henkel/ Associated Press ) - Curtis Raulerson, of Las Vegas, holds Maya
as Dakota follows through about nine-inch deep snow at Lee Canyon snow play area on Mt. Charleston
northwest of Las Vegas, Friday, Nov. 22, 2013. The rain was turning to heavy snow in higher elevations,
including rural eastern Nevada’s Lincoln County, where 50 to 60 cars got stranded early Friday.


(The Tribune, Laura A. Oda/ Associated Press ) - A school bus drives past a fallen eucalyptus tree in Oakland,
Calif., on Friday, Nov. 22, 2013. Three people were killed in Northern California as high winds battered
the region and caused major power outages, and fallen trees and branches.


(City of Redlands/ Associated Press ) - This Nov. 21, 2013 photo released courtesy City of Redlands
shows flooding, mud and debris on San Timoteo Canyon Road in Redlands, Calif. Firefighters
responded to dozens of calls of weather-related traffic collisions, flooding and mudslides
spurred by Thursday’s downpour in southern California.

The storm already has affected much of the Western U.S., causing hundreds of rollover accidents and prompting officials to cancel events and close roads.

In Nevada, snow in high elevations in the rural, eastern part of the state stranded dozens of cars. No fatalities were reported and authorities got the road open again by Saturday.

In Arizona, rain came down Saturday as more than 8,000 cyclists competed in the annual El Tour de Tucson. Also, high school football games, soccer tournaments and parades were cancelled across the state.


WATCH: Winter Storm Boreas Brings Rockies Snow, Texas Ice; Snow Likely for Northeast.




Forecasters said parts of both California and Arizona could expect severe weather with winter storm warnings through Saturday. Weather officials said the mountains and the Antelope Valley foothills northeast of Los Angeles were under the most risk. However, they said there was only a small chance of rainstorms like those that prompted flooding in California on Thursday.

In New Mexico, it was unclear where the heaviest bands of snow would develop, meteorologist Jennifer Palucki said.

In Texas, freezing rain and cold temperatures have already hampered travel and much of the “heavy stuff” will hit south of I-20, Harris said. Several traffic accidents were reported Saturday, including the fatal crash late Friday that also left several injured hurt in Vega, about 30 miles west Amarillo, and one that injured three members of singer Willie Nelson’s band when their bus struck a pillar near Sulphur Springs, north of Dallas. - Washington Post.


Major East Coast Winter Storm To Threaten Millions During Thanksgiving.


A major winter storm will unfold across the East Coast on Wednesday, threatening to create a nightmare for the millions of Thanksgiving holiday travelers--even those elsewhere in the U.S.

The same storm bringing snow and ice to New Mexico and the southern Plains to close out the weekend is set to spread heavy rain across the South and I-95 corridor Tuesday through Wednesday.

The storm has already been blamed for the deaths of eight people across the Southwest since Thursday, according to the Associated Press.

Substantial snow will unfold from the spine of the Appalachians to the St. Lawrence Valley and far northern New England.

"The potential exists for a foot of snow to fall from Bradford, Pa., to Burlington, Vt.," stated AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Eric Wanenchak.

The timing of the impending winter storm could not come at a worst time with AAA projecting 43.4 million travelers during the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

"The Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be the busiest single day of travel with 37 percent of travelers departing for trips Nov. 27," AAA stated in a press release.

Heavy Rain for I-95 Corridor Wednesday

Heavy rain set to inundate the South on Tuesday will spread across the Carolinas and up the Northeast's I-95 corridor late Tuesday through Wednesday to Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston.

Even without snow in the forecast, AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski stated, "[The rain] would be enough to slow travel on the highways and delay a number of flights."

Water ponding on roadways heightens the danger of vehicles hydroplaning when traveling at highway speeds, while downpours threaten to dramatically reduce visibility for motorists.



"Gusty winds would also factor in to delays along the coast," Sosnowski continued.

Worsening the situation is the fact that the rain will be heavy enough to trigger flash flooding in some communities. Coastal flooding is another concern along the Northeast coast.

Snow from the Appalachians to St. Lawrence Valley

Current indications put the corridor from the spine of the Appalachians to the St. Lawrence Valley and far northern New England at risk for travel-disrupting snow from this midweek winter storm.

The storm will likely be an all-snow event across northwestern Pennsylvania and western New York to west of Montreal, Canada.



The rest of the area will see both rain and snow (likely the snow at the storm's onset, when sleet is possible in some communities, and backside). The timing of the final changeover to snow will range from late Tuesday night in the southern Appalachians to Wednesday night in the St. Lawrence Valley and far northern New England.

Snow amounts will be substantial enough to clog roads and create treacherous and slippery travel. As the storm strengthens on Wednesday, gusty winds will follow suit and whip the snow around--further reducing visibility for motorists.

In addition to Bradford and Burlington, the worst of the snowstorm may center on Syracuse, Montreal and stretches of Interstates 81, 86, 88, 87, 89 and 90. The snow will total 6 to 12 inches in this zone with locally higher amounts.

East of the heaviest snow zone, there could be a changeover from rain to a few inches of snow and slick travel along the I-81 corridor from Virginia to Pennsylvania and northeastward to Albany, N.Y., and central Maine.

AccuWeather.com meteorologists do not expect snow to reach the I-95 corridor.

Southern Rain, Thunderstorms, Wind


Rain and thunderstorms developing along the western Gulf Coast on Monday will spread eastward across the Deep South Monday night and to the Southeast and southern mid-Atlantic on Tuesday.

Travel delays on the I-10 and I-20 corridors are in store from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina and northern Florida from rain-soaked highways and poor visibility from downpours.

The soaking rain and low-hanging clouds could delay flights at New Orleans, Atlanta, Charlotte and other airports in the region for travelers heading to their Thanksgiving destinations early.

Across southern Georgia and Florida, there is concern for the thunderstorms to turn severe Tuesday through Tuesday night.

As the worst of the storm shifts to the Northeast, more travel problems may unfold in the South on Wednesday due to lingering rain, wind and gusty winds.

Rest of the Nation

Much of the rest of the nation will have good travel conditions.



Beware, aircraft and flight crews originating from the South and Northeast could be delayed, perhaps causing ripple-effect problems with a few flights throughout the nation.

There will be bands of lake-effect snow over the Upper Midwest, due to fresh cold air moving in Tuesday and Wednesday. The lake-effect snow will gradually wind down in many locations on Thanksgiving Day.

While odds favor the snow streaming over areas south to southeast of the lakes, there is some concern lake-effect snow will sneak into Chicago and cause issues at O'Hare International Airport on Wednesday. - AccuWeather.

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

GEOLOGICAL UPHEAVAL: More Sinkholes Keep Popping Up Across The United States - Massive Sinkhole Threatens South Side Homes In Chicago!

November 13, 2013 - UNITED STATES - A Chicago sinkhole has opened up on the city’s South Side, causing city officials to warn nearby residents that the sinkhole may be growing dangerously close to their homes. 



A Chicago sinkhole, measuring 20 by 80 feet, appears to have started when a pipe servicing the house with
a small leak in eroded over time and washed out the drain and support from under the road.

ABC News reported Monday that the sinkhole swallowed up part of the street at 124th Street and Wentworth, and that the hole was initially caused by an underground water main break that flushed out a pocket under the street and caused flooding in a handful of basements near the rupture.

Crews worked to repair the water break, and area residents were told they can once again use water, but were cautioned that it may be a few days until the repair crew can rule out any further danger and begin patching the street.

"Depending on what's underneath it, we're hoping by the end of the week we should have the street repaired," said Deputy Commissioner Bill Bresnahan of the Chicago Water Department on Monday. "We will have water on to these people before we leave here, hopefully by the end of the day."



A huge sinkhole opened up in a South Side neighborhood is still growing and
moving dangerously close to houses. 

Though water service was reported, crews are still working to judge the danger of the sinkholes, which currently stands at 20 feet by 80 feet.

Residents said that at the time of the break, water could be seen gushing from cracks in the street 20 to 30 feet in the air. Officials told those affected to boil water for use until the break was repaired.

No one was injured and no cars were damaged when the ground opened up in the street. The city's water department and People's Gas are working on repairs, which are expected to take at least a week. - The Examiner.

Sunday, November 17, 2013

DISASTER IMPACT: People In The Philippines Are Eating Rats And Stray Dogs After Running Out Of Food - Armed Looters And Food Rioters Causing Great Instability Around Tacloban Region!

November 15, 2013 - PHILIPPINES - Typhoon Haiyan, or “Yolanda” as it’s called locally – slammed into Southeast Asia late last week, devastating the Northern Islands of the Philippines.



Talk of aid flooding in to affected areas has been balanced with more talk of food and water shortages. Armed looters and food rioters caused instability around the area of Tacloban. Government officials are insisting that everything is getting to those suffering:

“Tacloban is relying almost entirely for supplies and evacuation on just three military transport planes flying from nearby Cebu. Aquino said 24,000 family food packs had been distributed in Tacloban on Sunday, while 18.7 billion pesos ($430 million) had been set aside from calamity funds, contingency funds, and savings for places hit by Haiyan. He said 22 foreign countries had provided aid.” 

Not so, says one resident: “People have resorted to eating the rats and stray dogs.”


WATCH: Philippine city puts typhoon toll above 4,000.





MacArthur in Leyte Province was one of the many small towns hit hard by Typhoon Haiyan, and although there were no reported deaths, food has became a pressing issue.

Cat Gonzales Mones of Manila said via Twitter that after two days she finally got into contact with family members, and they told her the lack of food is the main problem. 

Patrick Hothersall, a Chicago resident whose wife Naume was in the town when the typhoon hit, told Epoch Times via email that he’s received information that the situation in MacArthur has gotten so intense that they’re eating animals.






“Before the typhoon there was a drought and an infestation of black rats,” he said. “People have resorted to eating the rats and stray dogs.”

Little information is available about the situation in MacArthur and a range of other towns that were hit by Haiyan, even five days after it struck.


WATCH: Survivors on tiny Philippine island left without help.





WATCH: Starting to rebuild in the Philippines.





Mayor Nones, who posted a picture of the town on his Facebook, said that most of the houses in MacArthur were damaged or destroyed.

Nearby Dulag and other towns and cities in the region, such as Ormoc City, were also hit hard, and suffered dozens of casualties. 

Tacloban City in Leyte, northeast of MacArthur, was perhaps the worst hit city, with hundreds dead. -21st Century Wire.

Friday, November 15, 2013

DISASTER IMPACT: Somali Region Appeals For Aid After Cyclone - UN Says As Many As 30,000 Need Help; Over 300 Dead; "Countless" Die-Off Of Animals; Entire Villages Destroyed; Roads And Homes Washed Away!

November 15, 2013 - SOMALIA - Somalia's semi-autonomous region of Puntland has declared a state of emergency and is appealing for international aid after floods triggered by a cyclone killed at least 300 people and left hundreds missing.

The UN said some 30,000 people were in need of food, water, shelter and medical supplies, according to government estimates. Puntland's government has described the situation as a "disaster".

A cyclone that hit Somalia's north-eastern Puntland region at the weekend is known to have killed over
300 people and has caused extensive flooding. Many areas have been cut off. News and pictures
of the devastation are slowly emerging.


Thousands of livestock also died, and hundreds of homes were destroyed by the cyclone, known as 03A.
This man lost the majority of his flock, with 400 out of his 431 goats dying.


Camels too were affected by the surging waters. This camel was stuck in the mud and was
successfully rescued by young men using ropes.

Puntland forms the tip of the Horn of Africa and has its own government, but unlike neighbouring Somaliland, it has not declared independence from Somalia, which has been unstable since 1991 when President Siad Barre was overthrown. 

Al Jazeera's Mohammed Adow, reporting from Puntland, said the situation was "grim" and that entire villages had been washed away by "raging floods".

He said the death toll was likely to rise as most of the affected villages were still cut off by the water.

"Aid is not reaching affected villages because of the damage done to infrastructure. [There are] long queues of stranded vehicles" on both sides of the road between the capital Garowe and the key port city of Bossaso.

'Livestock lost'

Our correspondent said large stretches of the road had been damaged and that officials had been sent on foot to try to reach affected areas.

"Torrential rains, high wind speeds and flooding has created a state of emergency, with 300 persons feared dead, hundreds others unaccounted for, and countless livestock lost," the government said in a statement.

The death toll could not be independently verified, but weather experts from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) confirmed flooding was severe.

A major bridge on the highway between the inland town of Garowe and coastal Bossasso was washed away.


It took several days for aid to reach one of the worst-affected areas, Karhis - between the districts of
Dangoroyo and Eyl - which rarely receives rain.


Puntland marines distributed dates, nutritious biscuits and sugar to those left destitute by the floods. This
family lost most of their possessions in the raging waters that swept away their compound of huts.


This woman, who thanked the marines for the food they gave her, said she had been separated from her family.
She also lost 90 goats in the floods.


Journalist Ahmed Awil Jama said about half a kilometre from where the marines were distributing food,
it was too dangerous to travel because of the fast-moving water. The authorities have appealed to
international aid agencies to help with air-drops of relief supplies, including clean water,
non-perishable food, tents, blankets and medicines.


"Given that Puntland is a semi-arid region, it rarely rains but when it does, to an extent we have seen... the impact is devastating," Hussein Gadain, a senior FAO technical adviser, said

Infamous pirate hotspots such as the port of Eyl - from where Somali men have launched attacks far out into the Indian Ocean - are some of the worst affected.


WATCH: Somali region appeals for aid after cyclone.





"Many fishermen are missing and feared dead, the storm has destroyed entire villages, homes, buildings, and boats," the statement added.

The World Food Programme said it was "working closely" with local authorities "to assess the needs in Puntland in the aftermath of the cyclone". - Al Jazeera.