Earth ChangesS


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rains flood several provinces in Iran

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Several Iranian provinces have been inundated since the early hours of Monday after receiving heavier than normal precipitations.

The Iranian Meteorological Organization issued a red level alert of rainfall for seven provinces in the south and west of the country.

It also reported extensive flooding, rivers bursting their banks, blocking of rural roads and destruction of facilities due to heavy downpour.


Sun

It's not yet summer in Brazil, but a dangerous heat wave is sweeping the country

water fountain at Madureira Park
© AP Photo/Bruna PradoPeople cool off in a water fountain at Madureira Park amid a heat wave in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Wednesday, Nov. 15, 2023.
It's still spring in Brazil, but a dangerous heat wave is sweeping across large swathes of the country, forcing Rio de Janeiro's vendors off the streets due to health alerts and driving up energy demand amid reports of power outages.

Most Brazilian states face "great danger" from the heat, according to the National Institute of Meteorology. The institution issued a red alert for the center-west, southeast and parts of the north warning of "a high probability of major damage and accidents, with risks to physical integrity or even human life."

The heat index — a combination of temperature and humidity — hit 58.5 degrees Celsius (137 Fahrenheit) Tuesday morning in Rio, the highest index ever recorded there. Actual temperatures dropped slightly on Wednesday, but were forecast to rise again to 40 degrees Celsius (104 F) on Thursday.

Cariocas — as residents of Rio are known — have always seen sun, heat and the beach as part of their identity, said Núbia Beray, coordinator of Rio de Janeiro Federal University's GeoClima laboratory. But this is too much even for many of them, she said.

"Cariocas come home from work in buses without air conditioning. Street vendors cannot work because they sometimes faint. The heat kills," Beray said.

Cloud Precipitation

Greater Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic under water, flooded and without power - at least 21 dead (UPDATE)

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The streets of Greater Santo Domingo are experiencing considerable urban flooding this Saturday night due to the torrential rains which have affected the country and which have left an unofficial toll of at least three people dead in events that occurred in San José de Ocoa due to the collapse of a bridge and the failure of a wall in the overpass of Máximo Gómez Avenue and 27 de Febrero.

After 9:20 p.m., different streets of the capital have puddles that hinder the circulation and the mobility of vehicles due to the large amount of rain that continues to fall.

Users have reported power outages in several areas, such as Villa Mella, Gascue, Cristo Rey, Invivienda, Mendoza, Hainamosa, Villa Carmen, and Simón Bolivar.

Several areas of Greater Santo Domingo remain in darkness.


Comment: Update November 20

The BBC reports:
At least 21 people have died in the Dominican Republic after heavy rain over the weekend which displaced thousands of residents, officials say.

An investigation has been launched after nine people died when torrential rain caused a highway tunnel wall to collapse in the capital Santo Domingo.

More than 13,000 people were evacuated to secure areas after heavy downpours

The Emergency Operations Center (COE) said rain caused flooded homes, power cuts and damaged bridges and roads.

Three children were among those killed.

Dominican President Luis Abinader called it the "largest rainfall event ever" in the country's history, following torrential storms over the past 48 hours.

The Caribbean nation has been battered by torrential rainfall with footage on social media showing torrents of water flowing through streets and washing away vehicles.

More than 2,500 people were rescued and more than 2,600 homes affected by the storm, the COE said.

It added that 45 communities were without communication as of Sunday afternoon.

The rainfall, which resulted from a tropical depression, is expected to continue across parts of the country into Monday, the US embassy said.

A majority of the nation's 32 provinces remain under red and yellow weather alerts, it added.

President Abinader said classes have been suspended until Wednesday "in order to evaluate the schools that may have been affected" and "guarantee the safety of our young people".

He posted on X, formerly Twitter, that he was "deeply shocked by the loss of life due to the heavy rains" and offered "unconditional support to all those affected by this emergency".

Four of those killed were US nationals, and three were from neighbouring Haiti, AFP news agency reported.

Related: Tropical disturbance hits west Caribbean, causing floods in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba


Windsock

Extreme weather claims 2 lives in Bulgaria and leaves many in the dark

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Gale-force winds and heavy rain and snow hit large parts of Bulgaria on Sunday, claiming the lives of two people and causing severe damage and disrupting power supply in towns and villages, officials said on Sunday.

Residents in eastern Bulgaria, that was hit hardest by the storm said they had never experienced such weather.

A state of emergency has been declared in the Black Sea city of Varna, where officials said the extreme weather poses serious risks to the population. The port city was struck by gale-force winds and torrential rain mixed with snow.


Blue Planet

Study shows CO2 uptake by plants increasing in recent years, vegetation also increasing - Trinity College London

Metasequoia trees
© Photo by Erik Herman, Harvard.eduPlants will absorb more carbon dioxide than predicted, meaning models could be overestimating the speed which the planet will heat up
Plants will absorb 20 per cent more carbon dioxide than predicted by the end of the century, a new study has found, suggesting climate models are overestimating how fast the planet will warm.

Trinity College Dublin said its research painted an "uncharacteristically upbeat picture for the planet" after finding models had failed to take into account all the elements of photosynthesis.

During photosynthesis, green plants use light energy from the sun to convert carbon dioxide, water and minerals into the sugars they need for growth.


Comment: Note that this article continues to push the easily debunked global 'boiling' propaganda model, but what's important is how the study's findings expose some of the critical flaws in that model.


Comment: See also:


Cloud Precipitation

Santa Catarina in Brazil reels under severe flooding: State of emergency declared

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In the face of torrential rains, the Brazilian state of Santa Catarina grapples with severe flooding, leading to the declaration of a state of emergency across 23 municipalities. As the residents reel under the disaster's impact, two casualties and significant disruptions have surfaced, with the city of Rio do Sul bearing the brunt of the catastrophe.

Unprecedented Flooding

Experiencing its fifth flood this year, Rio do Sul is submerged by the overflowing river Itajaí-açu. The rising waters have swallowed almost all neighborhoods, compelling the city's residents to seek refuge on rooftops and in 21 makeshift shelters. These sanctuaries currently house over a thousand displaced individuals, emblematic of the scale of the crisis.


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rains cause flooding in Playa del Carmen, Mexico

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Heavy rains caused by low pressure have generated flooding in the municipality of Solidaridad, to such an extent that main streets and avenues do not have the corresponding circulation.

The areas most affected are Misión de las Flores, Misión del Carmen, Los Olivos, Toscana, Guadalupana, Petén and Villas del Sol, where even vehicles and motorcycles have been stranded.

According to what was reported by the state authority, cold front number 9 will extend over the Gulf of Mexico and the southeast of the country, advancing slowly towards the Yucatan Peninsula, however it will be generating heavy rains.


Arrow Down

Massive rockfall at Zion National Park, Utah covers parking lot in dust cloud

Close up view of the cliff face where the rock wall dislodged.
Close up view of the cliff face where the rock wall dislodged.
A large rockfall in Zion National Park stunned park guests, temporarily stopped traffic and covered the parking lot of a popular trail in a massive dust cloud.

National Park Service rangers said they received reports of a rockfall near Weeping Rock at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Rangers found a large dust cloud on the road, which also interrupted the park shuttle bus service in the area until about 5 p.m.

Photos from the NPS showed the sandstone peak near Weeping Rock covered in rock debris and dust from a rockslide.

Nearby tour guide Nolan Hanson captured the rockfall as it happened. saying it "sounded like thunder."

Cloud Precipitation

Tropical disturbance hits west Caribbean, causing floods in Jamaica, Haiti and Cuba

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A tropical disturbance moved across the western Caribbean on Friday, knocking out power to thousands in Jamaica and causing two deaths in Haiti as it unleashed landslides and floods before dissipating, authorities said.

Some 14,000 customers lost power in Jamaica after heavy rains downed trees, severed power lines and caused landslides, according to Jamaica Public Service Co. At least 24 people were rescued from floodwaters in the island's southeastern region, the Jamaican Defense Force said.

Heavy rains also hit Haiti, where the Civil Protection Agency told The Associated Press late Friday that two people had died after being swept away by floods in the country's western Grand'Anse region.


Comment: Footage of the flooding in Cuba on November 16:




Cloud Precipitation

Roads in Dubai, United Arab Emirates flooded after heavy rainfall, thunderstorm

People across Dubai shared visuals of the heavy rainfall on social media.
People across Dubai shared visuals of the heavy rainfall on social media.
The roads of Dubai were waterlogged and flooded after heavy rainfall and thunderstorm hit parts of the United Arab Emirates this morning. Due to extreme weather conditions, people there have been advised to avoid beaches and stay indoors. Traffic and flight operations were also affected in the emirates due the weather.

The Dubai Police sent out an alert at 6.30 in the morning urging people to stay clear of beaches and areas prone to flash floods and exercise caution while driving. The UAE's National Center of Meteorology issued a yellow and orange alert amid the thunderstorm and rain.

People across Dubai shared visuals of the heavy rainfall on social media. In one of the videos shared on X, formerly Twitter, a man is seen rowing a small boat on a flooded road.