Earth ChangesS


Snowflake

Heavy snowfall strands more than 300 vehicles in Tottori, Japan


The Straits Times
Wed, 25 Jan 2017 10:26 UTC
Vehicles stuck after heavy snow blanketed the town of Chizu in Tottori prefecture yesterday. Japanese troops were mobilised to help dig out the vehicles.
© ReutersVehicles stuck after heavy snow blanketed the town of Chizu in Tottori prefecture yesterday. Japanese troops were mobilised to help dig out the vehicles.
Japan's military was mobilised yesterday to help dig out more than 200 vehicles stuck in heavy snow, officials said.

Western Japan's Tottori prefecture has seen heavy snowfall since Monday night with a record 1m accumulating in one town.

Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai had requested the military aid early yesterday.

"In addition to 28 personnel who arrived in the early morning, 33 more are on the way," Mr Daisuke Amano of the prefecture's disaster prevention unit told Agence France-Presse.

He said there were about 240 cars unable to move at 7.30am. "The majority of them had been stuck since Monday evening."

But after troops arrived to help clear snow, the number of affected vehicles was reduced to about 100, the prefecture said.

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Cloud Precipitation

100 homes destroyed, airport shut after flooding in Tahiti and Moorea

Richars Davies
Floodlist
Mon, 23 Jan 2017 08:56 UTC
Floods in French Polynesia, January 2017.
© Haut-commissaire de la République en Polynésie français / FacebookFloods in French Polynesia, January 2017.
Flooding affected parts of French Polynesia from 22 January 2017 after a period of heavy rain.

Over 200 mm of rain in 24 hours was recorded in Thaiti-Faa'a on Tahiti island between 22 and 23 January. Further warnings for heavy rain have been issued until at least 24 January, in particular for the islands of Tahiti and Moorea which have been the worst hit so far.

More than 100 houses have been destroyed. At least 3 people have been injured, one of them seriously. All schools in affected areas have been closed.

Around 300 households have evacuated their homes, with local authorities providing tents for temporary accommodation. At one point 6,000 people were left without power.

Major roads have been damaged or blocked by landslides and the military has been drafted in to help clear roads and repair damaged facilities.




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Cloud Precipitation

Flooding leaves 1 dead in Sicily, evacuations in Calabria, Italy

Richars Davies
Floodlist
Mon, 23 Jan 2017 08:11 UTC
Flood Italy
Severe weather, including heavy rain and strong winds has affected several parts of southern Italy, including Sicily, Calabria and Sardinia, causing storm damage, flooding and landslides.

The Italian news agency ANSA reports that two rivers have overflowed in Syracuse (Siracusano) in Sicily, where flooding has also been reported in the provinces of Agrigento, Messina, Trapani, Palermo, Catania. One man died after his car was swept away by flood water in Castronovo di Sicilia, in the Palermo area of Sicily.

Agrigento was severely hit by flooding in November 2016 when 160 mm of rain fell in just 3 hours.


Flood Italy
Flood Italy
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Bizarro Earth

Massive fissure discovered in Arizona desert

Anne Stegen
12 News NBC
Tue, 24 Jan 2017 19:23 UTC
Earth fissure
© AZGS/Anne StegenA two-mile-long earth fissure was discovered in southern Pinal County, the Arizona Geological Survey announced Monday.
Pinal County - A large crack in the desert landscape was just charted by the Arizona Geological Survey.

The AZGS announced the discovery Monday after exploring the earth fissure with drone video, which you can see in the video below.

This fissure formed between March 2013 and December 2014. This one is more than half a mile longer than other fissures in the area. The fissure may have grown because of the heavy rains in fall of 2014.

Fissures pose a threat to people off-roading and riding ATVs in the area. Roaming livestock can also fall in and get stuck. Standing near the edge of a fissure can be dangerous because it can suddenly cave in.

The fissure is about 25 miles south of Arizona City, just south of Aries Drive near Sunland Gin Road.
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Bizarro Earth

California declares State of Emergency after trio of storms pound the State - 4 dead as a result


RT
Tue, 24 Jan 2017 19:05 UTC
los angeles flooding
© Lucy Nicholson / ReutersCars drive through rain on a flooded street in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 22, 2017
California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency as a trio of severe storms pounded the state with flash floods, mudslides and raging rivers. At least four people died as a result.

Flood watches and warnings were in effect in Southern California as downtown Los Angeles received nearly 4 inches of rain, inundating roadways, toppling trees and raising fears of damaging mudslides.

Flooding

"WHOA! Take a look at this image of the 110 Freeway at the Carson Street overpass in Carson," tweeted CBSLA. "Stay dry, and safe!"


A couple living in Seal Beach, south of Los Angeles were at home when the rain began to fall. They watched as water began to fill the mobile home community, and water crept over the step leading up to their home.

"It just started seeping in," Emily Earhart told AP. "We started getting towels and realized it wasn't going to do it."

Comment: California really seems to be getting hit hard right now by Mother Nature:

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Snowflake Cold

Record waves, rain and snow across U. S. West Coast but NOAA forecasts drought

Adapt 2030
You Tube
Tue, 24 Jan 2017 21:12 UTC
Surfers enjoy the large waves at the entrance to Santa Barbara, Calif., harbor Saturday morning, Jan. 21, 2017. A winter storm is bringing much higher than usual waves to the area.
© Santa Barbara County Fire Department Surfers enjoy the large waves at the entrance to Santa Barbara, Calif., harbor Saturday morning, Jan. 21, 2017. A winter storm is bringing much higher than usual waves to the area.
Record winds, waves, rain and snow sweep across the west coast of USA once more, now in its fourth installment of winter 2017.

All along NOAA calling for drought.

Additionally 152 MPH gusts across peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains, but just two weeks ago 172 MPH gusts, what is happening to our worlds weather?


Sources
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Snowflake

Snow, blizzards reported in 10 Iran provinces


Financial Tribune
Tue, 24 Jan 2017 20:29 UTC
Snow in Iran
© Financial Tribune
Snow and blizzards during the past few days in 10 provinces have affected transport and power supply in the towns and villages.

"Provinces of West Azarbaijan, Chaharmahal-Bakhtiari, North Khorasan, Khuzestan, Fars, Qazvin, Kohgiluyeh-Boyer Ahmad, Lorestan and Mazandaran have been hit by severe snowfall and blizzards," said Morteza Salimi, head of the Relief and Rescue Organization at the Iranian Red Crescent Society.

Close to 740 people were provided relief and 156 trapped vehicles were rescued. Also, emergency shelters were provided to 107 people, he said, Salamat News reported.
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Snowflake

Snow isolates 12 municipalities from outside world and each other in Algeria

Robert Felix
Ice Age Now
Mon, 23 Jan 2017 15:14 UTC
Snow in Algeria
Snow besieging northern Laghouat

Continued snowfall overnight on the northern side of Laghouat cut off all roads in 12 municipalities, leaving them isolated from the outside world and each other.

Also, travel by hundreds of passengers on buses, cars and trucks has been halted due to the interruption of roads by the snow and many landslides.

Snow in Algeria
Electricity, mobile phone networks and water is cut off some municipalities Kpldah Haj Mashri.

Authorities have mobilized all gear available to open the roads, and to shelter and feed the hundreds of stranded travelers.

Comment:
schnee algerien
schnee algerien


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Snowflake Cold

Photos of record snowfall at Squaw Valley ski resort, California; 70% of usual winter total already


squawalpine.com
Fri, 20 Jan 2017 14:02 UTC
An impressive amount of snowfall has covered our Lake Tahoe ski resort in a beautiful blanket of white. Check out the latest photos!

The average snowfall over the past 45 years through the end of January is 176 inches. As of today, we have 141 more inches than the average and are 180% ahead.
The average snowfall over the past 45 years through the end of January is 176 inches. As of today, we have 141 more inches than the average and are 180% ahead.
Our season snow total has now climbed to 317
Our season snow total has now climbed to 317" and it's only January 20, 2017!
The average annual snowfall for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is 450 inches. As of January 20, 2017, we are at 70% of average for the entire winter.
The average annual snowfall for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is 450 inches. As of January 20, 2017, we are at 70% of average for the entire winter.
The average number of days in a season is 175. We are 57 days into the season (or 33%) and have 70% of average snowfall for the entire winter.
The average number of days in a season is 175. We are 57 days into the season (or 33%) and have 70% of average snowfall for the entire winter.
Over the past 45 years, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows' January snowfall has averaged 70 inches. With 212 inches in the first 20 days of 2017, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is already at 305% of the January average.
Over the past 45 years, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows' January snowfall has averaged 70 inches. With 212 inches in the first 20 days of 2017, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is already at 305% of the January average.
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Fire

Chile declares 'state of catastrophe' due to worst forest fires for over a decade

Fiona Keating
International Business Times UK
Sun, 22 Jan 2017 10:57 UTC
Chile wildfires from space
© NASA

The red dots represent heat at fires in Chile and Argentina detected by a satellite January 21, 2017.
Wildfires were caused by people, says the head of Chile's CONAF forestry service.

Fire fighters are battling the worst forest fires for over 10 years in central Chile as President Michelle Bachelet declares the state a "catastrophe".

Over 175,000 square miles were the site of a raging inferno in the area south of Santiago, the country's capital city. More than 200 people were evacuated as hundreds of firefighters, military and forestry workers were brought into the region to battle the blaze.

Josephina Lopez, from to the country's National Emergency Office (ONEMI), said no fatalities were reported but huge economic losses were expected.

The disaster was called "a sort of earthquake" for the area, agriculture minister Carlos Furche said on Chile's national radio, with a farming emergency declared. Crops and vineyards have been destroyed.


Comment: In neighbouring Argentina a state of disaster and an agricultural emergency were declared in the province of La Pampa, on Sunday. Wildfires have ravaged more than one million hectares across several locations, according to local authorities.

National Fire Management Plan director Guillermo Barisone said that the wildfire started during a dry storm, which saw around 500 lightning strikes in a predominately dry grass area.



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