Earth ChangesS


Attention

Pilot whale washes ashore at French River, Canada

Terrence McEachern
cbc.ca
Thu, 22 Dec 2016 13:01 UTC
A wildlife officer says it isn't uncommon for whales to wash up on shore on P.E.I.
© Esther-Rose PowleyA wildlife officer says it isn't uncommon for whales to wash up on shore on P.E.I.
The carcass of a pilot whale was discovered Wednesday on a beach in French River, P.E.I., but given the degree of decomposition, a wildlife officer says there likely isn't a lot of scientific information that can be learned.

"I doubt there is much more [that is] going to be accomplished, other than just burying it," said Chuck Gallison with Forest, Fish and Wildlife.

Found near New London lighthouse

Gallison said the whale, approximately seven metres long, was probably floating in the water for a while before it washed on shore near the New London lighthouse, likely during a recent storm.
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Attention

Dolphin's cause of death uncertain off Longboat Key, Florida

Hannah Morse
Bradenton Herald
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 12:54 UTC
Marine Marine Laboratory staff and interns conduct a necropsy on a dolphin found on the shore of Longboat Key on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016
© Haley Preininger/Mote Marine LaboratoryMarine Marine Laboratory staff and interns conduct a necropsy on a dolphin found on the shore of Longboat Key on Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2016.

A local fisherman found a young, lifeless dolphin a half mile off of the coast of Longboat Key Monday morning.

The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office Marine Unit was called out around 10:37 a.m., where deputy John Fandozzi recovered the dolphin and took it to Ken Thompson Park, where Mote Marine Laboratory transported it to determine a cause of death.

On Tuesday, Mote's Stranding Investigations program did a necropsy on the animal and discovered it was CLA2, a dolphin who was being studied by the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program that uses the "natural laboratory" of Sarasota Bay to keep track of local populations. The animal was believed to be born sometime before 2010 and had been seen 16 times in the Gulf of Mexico — most recently on Aug. 1.
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Windsock

Giant dust cloud hits Western Australia as cyclone Yvette looms


BBC
Thu, 22 Dec 2016 07:49 UTC
Australia dust cloud
© Dan CareyA storm creates a wall of dust above Port Hedland in Western Australia
A giant dust cloud has hit Western Australia ahead of the nation's first cyclone of the season.

Cyclone Yvette is expected to make landfall in Australia's northwest over the Christmas weekend.

Meteorologists have issued a severe weather warning, predicting wind gusts of 160km/h (100mph), heavy rain and possible flash flooding.

The cyclone has been preceded by a dust storm in the region, a major mining centre.

Refrigeration mechanic Dan Carey said clouds the colour of "iron ore" rolled over his town of Port Hedland.

"It feels like the calm before the storm at the moment," he told the BBC.

"I've tidied up and got everything under cover."


Comment: Four separate Christmas cyclones bear down on Australia

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Igloo

Extreme cold breaking records in northern Siberia; 10 degrees or lower below normal

Robert
Ice Age Now
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 18:50 UTC
The average temperature in European Russia, the Ural Mountains and Siberia is 10 degrees, or lower, below normal

During all days of December, the average temperature has not come close to normal. The temperature in the Khanty-Mansiysk dropped to -43ºC, setting a new daily record. The previous record was -39.6 degrees in 1937. In Salekhard, it fell to -41.5 degrees, also a new record.

And last night in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous District, the temperature dropped to -43ºC, -46ºC.

Temperature map:
Siberia temperature map
© gismetro.ru

Comment: Siberia already being clobbered with snow - portends harsh U.S. winter ahead

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Snowflake

Anomalous snow storm blankets desert in Saudi Arabia


Strange Sounds
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 15:59 UTC
Snow camels
Snow fell over the northern part of Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, December 20, 2016.

You don't believe me? Look at these pictures and videos captured by residents of different towns in Northern Borders Region, close to Jordan.

After Algeria and the Sahara Desert, it is now the northern part of Saudi Arabia that is covered by snow... Another weather anomaly!

Heavy snow fall suspended daily life in northern areas as temperature fell below freezing point on December 20, 2016 afternoon.



Snow in Saudi Arabia
© VK.comSnow in Saudi Arabia
Snow
© VK.com

Comment: See also: Algerian villagers stunned as snow falls in Sahara for first time in over 30 years

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Attention

Baby girl killed at home by rats in South Africa

macprince
Time of Gist
Mon, 19 Dec 2016 15:32 UTC
Rats
A 28-year-old South African man has revealed that his baby girl has been killed by the most unlikely things - rats.

According to him, his ex-girlfriend is to blame for the horrible incidence.

Speaking with Daily Sun SA, the man said he will never forgive his ex-girlfriend for what happened to his four-month-old baby girl.

The man from Mavimbela section in Katlehong, Ekurhuleni, South Africa, claims his child was bitten to death by rats while the ex-girlfriend was out drinking on Friday.

She allegedly left the baby locked in the shack until she came back the next morning.
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Snowflake

Potent storm to bring blizzard conditions to central U.S. Christmas weekend

Alex Sosnowski
AccuWeather
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 15:12 UTC
Central US snowstorm
A potent storm will cause dangerous blizzard conditions, resulting in major travel disruptions, over the central United States during Christmas weekend.

A storm more similar to November or March will swing northeastward over the northern Plains during Christmas Day. The storm will deliver everything from a wintry mix and a blizzard to drenching rain and severe thunderstorms to portions of the central United States.
US forecast
Snow to spread southward along Interstate 25 Saturday

After departing the Intermountain West with moderate snow and slippery travel conditions, the storm will emerge over the High Plains and begin to strengthen.

Travel conditions will deteriorate from north to south over the Interstate 25 corridor during Saturday around Billings, Montana, to Casper, Wyoming, during Saturday evening and then the Denver area beginning late Saturday night.

Snow will also develop and spread eastward over the northern Plains. The snow will spread into Bismarck, North Dakota, on Saturday, then to Rapid City, South Dakota, and Fargo, North Dakota, during Saturday night.
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Attention

Dead orca found off Sunshine Coast, British Columbia

Justin McElroy
cbc.ca
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 11:07 UTC
Officials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans inspect a dead orca near Sechelt, B.C., on Dec. 21, 2016.
© Graham MooreOfficials with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans inspect a dead orca near Sechelt, B.C., on Dec. 21, 2016.
A deceased adult Orca was found floating off the shore of Sechelt, B.C., on Wednesday.

The Vancouver Aquarium confirmed that members with its Marine Mammal Research Program are en route to Sechelt to work with the DFO in performing a necropsy.

"We've got the whale now on the beach, and we're actually in the middle of the necropsy," said Paul Cottrell, the DFO's marine mammal coordinator.

The whale was originally spotted on Tuesday night, said Cottrell, but it wasn't until this afternoon that it could be safely secured and brought to shore.

He credited the Coast Guard and Sechelt First Nation for being quickly available to assist with the recovery.

"The people we were able to get here quickly is amazing, and a testament to how dedicated they are," he said.

"Every day that goes by you lose information in terms of tissues and pathologies. So it's good that we acted fast in determining the cause of death for this animal."
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Attention

Dead whale found on Carova Beach, North Carolina

Emily Satchell
wavy.com
Wed, 21 Dec 2016 10:58 UTC
Dead whale
© Carova Beach Volunteer Fire & Rescue/Facebook
A whale was found stranded on Carova Beach Wednesday.

Kim Amedola with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the whale was initially reported to be dead and floating off the shore of Virginia. The whale then ended up stranded in Carova.

The National Park Service performed a necropsy on the whale Wednesday morning. It was determined to be a 29-foot, juvenile female, with a fair amount of decomposition. Researchers tried collecting samples, but because the whale was so decomposed, they couldn't get as many as they normally would.

It takes about a month to get the pathology results back. As of now, researchers aren't sure why the whale stranded itself.

The National Park Service buried the whale carcass.
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Windsock

Four separate Christmas cyclones bear down on Australia

Leith Huffadine
Daily Mail (UK)
Mon, 19 Dec 2016 23:34 UTC
storms off Australia
© BOMA satellite image shows storms developing off the northern coasts of Australia near WA, NT and QLD
Potential cyclones are brewing off Australia's northern coasts in the lead-up to Christmas.

The Bureau of Meteorology has bumped up the risk of a cyclone in the Northern Territory region from low to moderate.

Meanwhile, two tropical cyclones may develop in waters off northern Western Australia on Tuesday and Wednesday, the Bureau says.

And further developing systems could bring rough weather to Queensland's Gulf of Carpentaria and Coral Sea areas during the festive season, according to the Courier Mail.

It comes as forecasts predict a scorcher for major cities around the country on Christmas day.

Of the state capitals, Hobart is predicted to be the coolest on 25 degrees while Adelaide's predicted be the hottest at 37 degrees.
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