Earth ChangesS


Snow Globe

Glacier National Park quietly removes its 'Gone by 2020' signs which stated glaciers were disappearing - because they're actually growing

Montana Glacier National Park Mountains
Montana Glacier National Park Mountains Cracker Lake
Glaciers Appear to be Growing, not Melting in Recent Years

Officials at Glacier National Park (GNP) have begun quietly removing and altering signs and government literature which told visitors that the Park's glaciers were all expected to disappear by either 2020 or 2030.

In recent years the National Park Service prominently featured brochures, signs and films which boldly proclaimed that all glaciers at GNP were melting away rapidly. But now officials at GNP seem to be scrambling to hide or replace their previous hysterical claims while avoiding any notice to the public that the claims were inaccurate. Teams from Lysander Spooner University visiting the Park each September have noted that GNP's most famous glaciers such as the Grinnell Glacier and the Jackson Glacier appear to have been growing - not shrinking-since about 2010. (The Jackson Glacier-easily seen from the Going-To-The-Sun Highway-may have grown as much as 25% or more over the past decade.)

The centerpiece of the visitor center at St. Mary near the east boundary is a large three-dimensional diorama showing lights going out as the glaciers disappear. Visitors press a button to see the diorama lit up like a Christmas tree in 1850, then showing fewer and fewer lights until the diorama goes completely dark. As recently as September 2018 the diorama displayed a sign saying GNP's glaciers were expected to disappear completely by 2020.

Comment: This begs the question: What will all the "global warming" and "climate crisis" talking heads say when the signs of the impending ice age become all the more glaring??


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rain, flash flooding threatens Southeast, US over weekend

Flood watch
© ABC NewsFlooding is possible in parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky on Friday.
Heavy rain and severe weather pounded parts of the Southern Plains and Deep South on Thursday, with eight reported tornadoes in three states: Louisiana, Arkansas and Alabama.

Also, very heavy rain fell in a short period of time from Tulsa to Oklahoma City and to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, prompting multiple water rescues. Tulsa received more than 4 inches of rain in three hours, while Baton Rouge saw 4 to 5 inches in a matter of hours as well.

There are three states under flood alerts on Friday: Kentucky, Alabama and Florida.

Cloud Precipitation

Flooding prompts emergency rescues and evacuations in Romania

Flooding in Romania, June 2019.
© Inspectoratul General pentru Situatii de Urgenta (IGSU)Flooding in Romania, June 2019.
The Ministry of Interior in Romania reports that 8 people were rescued from floods and over 260 people have been evacuated in 6 counties of the country.

Fire services and civil protection have been responding to flooding in the country since 31 May, carrying out flood prevention, pumping and flood clearance. Around 200 homes and other buildings have been damaged. The Ministry of Interior said that emergency services have carried out interventions in 23 counties in total, with evacuations and rescues carried out in Arges, Arad, Bihor, Buzău, Botoșani and Timiș over the last few days.

Four people were saved from a car trapped in flood water in Lăpuşnic, Timiş county. In Botoșani County, 3 people were rescued from floods in Stroeşti, and another in Câmpeni.


Comment: A continuation of the same situation that been ongoing since the 24th of May: Heavy rain floods Bucharest, Romania


Cloud Precipitation

Floods and landslides hit 3 departments of Guatemala - up to 14 inches of rain in 24 hours

flood
© CONRED
Guatemala National Coordination for Disaster Reduction (CONRED) reported that severe weather including heavy rain and strong winds affected the departments of Alta Verapaz, Petén and San Marcos from 03 June, 2019.

The heavy rain caused a landslide in Cobán, Alta Verapaz and flooding in Sayaxché, Petén after a river overflowed. Flood waters also caused a collapse of a highway between San Pablo and San Marcos cities.

In total 2,275 people were affected and 46 injured. Around 50 homes were damaged and 275 people evacuated.



Eye 2

Crocodile attacks have increased 20-fold over the past decade in East Timor

Crocodile attacks in East Timor have increased in recent years, and scientists are trying to figure out why. This crocodile is having a DNA sample drawn.
© Matthew AbbottCrocodile attacks in East Timor have increased in recent years, and scientists are trying to figure out why. This crocodile is having a DNA sample drawn.
The two scientists, crammed in the back of a sweltering car, had come a long way hoping to encounter what most people try to avoid: man-eating crocodiles.

Yusuke Fukuda and Sam Banks, biologists from Australia, traveled in March to East Timor, one of the world's least developed countries, to investigate what has become a deadly national mystery: Why are so many Timorese being killed by crocodiles?

Crocodile attacks here have increased 20-fold in the past decade, numbering at least one death a month in a country of 1.2 million people.

"We became concerned after many people were taken by crocodiles in East Timor," said Mr. Fukuda, a Ph.D. candidate at Australian National University in Darwin, adding that it had taken years of bureaucratic wrangling between the researchers and the governments in both Australia and East Timor to be permitted to conduct research.

The people of East Timor, also know as Timor-Leste, have for centuries revered and even worshiped crocodiles.

Bug

Honey bee colonies down by 16 percent

honey bee
Honeybee
The number of honey bee colonies fell by 16% in the winter of 2017-18, according to an international study led by the University of Strathclyde.

The survey of 25,363 beekeepers in 36 countries found that, out of 544,879 colonies being managed at the start of winter, 89,124 were lost, through a combination of circumstances including various effects of weather conditions, unsolvable problems with a colony's queen, and natural disaster.

Portugal, Northern Ireland, Italy and England experienced losses above 25%, while Belarus, Israel and Serbia were among those with loss rates below 10%. There were also significant regional variations within some countries, including Germany, Sweden and Greece.

The total loss rate was down from 20.9% in 2016-17 but was still higher than the 2015-16 figure of 12.0%. The total loss rate for Scotland increased over these three years, from 18.0% to 20.4% to 23.7%.

Comment: See in addition: A third of the honeybee colonies in America died in 2016: Why you should care

The death and global extinction of honeybees


Cloud Lightning

Rise in lightning deaths in Odisha, India - 1,256 killed in 3 years

lightning
Concerns are now being expressed over alarming rise in the number of lightning deaths in Odisha. In the past two days, at least ten persons have been killed in separate lightning strikes.

As per official records, as many as 1,256 people have been killed in lightning strikes in the past three years in Odisha. These deaths account for nearly 27 percent of the total deaths due to natural disasters.

Nearly 400 people died due to lightning strikes during 2018-19 with highest 130 deaths being reported from Mayurbhanj followed by 95 deaths in Balasore district.

Cloud Precipitation

Hailstorms cause serious damage to numerous crops in Salento, Italy

Heavy rain, flooding in Puglia, Emilia-Romagna
Heavy rain, flooding in Puglia, Emilia-Romagna
The weekend of June 1st-2nd was rather a difficult one for many producers in Salento. Heavy rain and violent hailstorms hit the Monteroni, Galatina, Sternatia, Poggiardo, Surano, Ruffano, Parabita, Matino and Guagnano municipalities, causing serious damage to watermelon, melon, tomato, zucchini and potato crops as well as many others.

"Hail stones as big as walnuts fell for around half an hour on Saturday afternoon, completely destroying my crops. We will have to leave much of the watermelons, mini-watermelons, zucchini and melons in the fields because they are no longer suitable to be sold," reports Andrea Giannini, technician from Giannini Santo in Galatina.


Comment: Across the same country of late:


Sun

Exceptional drought in the Canary Islands ruining onion, potato and grape production

Farmers irrigating with water from a tank to alleviate the effects of the drought that affects the island this year, and because the irrigation water from Canal Gestión is not guaranteed to all areas of the island.
Farmers irrigating with water from a tank to alleviate the effects of the drought that affects the island this year, and because the irrigation water from Canal Gestión is not guaranteed to all areas of the island.
The most affected crops are onions, potatoes and grapes

The exceptional drought that is ravaging the Canary Islands has taken a toll on most agricultural crops in the region, ruining onion, potato and grape productions. The optimum amount of rainfall to ensure a good harvest is 400 to 450 liters, but this year, barely 150 liters fell in the months of October and November, and it has hardly rained since then. To this we must add the fact that the irrigation water of Canal Gestión doesn't reach all areas of the island.

This lack of rain has caused this year's onion harvest to be non-existent for the first time in history; a dramatic situation, taking into account that in the late 80's, Lanzarote's production reached up to 25 million kilos.

Snowflake

Fresh snowfall in Himachal Pradesh, India

snow
The snowfall is reported on the high peaks of the state. In Rohtang, the tourists have been delighted with the snowfall once again in the month of June. The tourists are having a lot of fun in the snow. The weather has become pleasant with snow falling on high peaks including Rohtang.

According to information, while the plains of the country are facing heat wave, snow has fallen on high peaks including Rohtang. In the first week of June, the tourists were not happy to see the snow fall in Rohtang Pass.