Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake

Rare snowfall reported on North Carolina's Outer Banks

Mark Price
The News and Observer
Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:23 UTC
rare snow
Snow fell early Thursday on North Carolina's Outer Banks, creating a surreal scene of sea winds scouring beaches with snow flakes and sand.

The flurries came as part of a storm that crossed the state overnight, bringing 5 inches of snow to some eastern counties before crossing over the Outer Banks just before dawn.

Snowfall totals on the barrier islands included nearly an inch at Southern Shores and about a half inch in Duck and Kitty Hawk. Snow also fell in Buxton, Nags Head and Ocracoke, but accumulation was slight, the National Weather Service said.

Images of the snow began appearing just after dawn on social media, including video from the top of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.

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California swirls: Snowstorm shuts down 50 miles of Interstate 80 - snow over 8 FEET deep on Mammoth Mountain

Steven Glazier
Weather Nation
Thu, 28 Jan 2021 12:43 UTC
snow
Thursday afternoon, a 50+ mile stretch of Interstate 80 had to be closed because of the treacherous driving conditions that existed.

The California Department of Transportation shared information that they were helping folks get turned around and back to safety, after witnessing multiple slide-offs, accidents, and having to retrieve stuck vehicles.

The status of roads is ever-changing. We encourage you to check the latest road conditions in California here:

California Department of Transportation | Caltrans

Snowfall was nearing 100″ as the sun was setting Thursday over Mammoth Mountain in California. Not far behind that was June Mountain, at 72″ or 6 FEET! Other noteworthy storm reports were in the four to five foot range in Northstar, Kirkwood, Alpine Meadows and Dodge Ridge.

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Storm pounds California, Nevada with rain, wind and snow - 575,000 customers lost power - 3 FEET of snow at Mammoth Lakes

JOHN ANTCZAK and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ
SF Gate
Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:23 UTC
mammoth
Mammoth snowstorm
A powerful storm packing heavy rain, snow and wind pounded parts of California and western Nevada on Wednesday, toppling trees, and causing power outages and mud flows in vast areas scarred by wildfires.

The onslaught was being fueled by a potent atmospheric river from the Pacific Ocean that punched into the state through the San Francisco Bay Area overnight, drifted down the coast past Santa Cruz and stalled over Big Sur before pivoting back northward.

Pacific Gas & Electric said overall, about 575,000 customers lost power Tuesday and Wednesday along the northern coast, in the San Francisco and Sacramento areas and elsewhere because of winds, rain and snow.


Comment: Nearly 3 feet of snow also recorded at China Peak resort:



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Blizzard delivers up to 14 inches of snow to Tahoe region overnight, 2 FEET at Dodge Ridge, California

Douglas Zimmerman
SF Gate
Wed, 27 Jan 2021 11:05 UTC
Between 8 and 14 inches fell overnight at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts.
© Brandon Skinner / Squaw Valley Alpine MeadowsBetween 8 and 14 inches fell overnight at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows ski resorts.
Up to 14 inches of snow fell in the Tahoe region overnight as an atmospheric river aimed at the Sierra mountains dumped snow at elevations above 3,000 feet.

Besides the 14 inches recorded at Squaw Valley and Alpine Meadows, Sierra-at-Tahoe recorded 10 inches of fresh powder, Kirkwood 11 inches, Heavenly 12 inches, and Sugar Bowl 9 inches of snow. Further south in the Sierra, Dodge Ridge ski resort recorded 24 inches of new snowfall.

More significant snow is forecast through Friday, and an NOAA blizzard warning is in effect for the Sierra until Friday at 2 a.m. Many higher elevations expect to receive 3-7 feet of new snow from this week's storm when all is said and done.

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Snowflake Cold

China's vegetable prices hit record highs due to historically cold winter

Cap Allon
Electroverse
Wed, 27 Jan 2021 14:06 UTC
China veg prices

Asia's energy prices aren't the only commodity to have reached record highs this winter, the chill of solar minimum has also driven China's fresh vegetable prices to unprecedented levels.

A lingering "dip" in the jet stream has seen Arctic air funnel into southern Asian since early-December, 2020. The resulting cold has hampered the efforts of farmers ACROSS the continent, including in China, where on Monday the nation's wholesale price index for agricultural products -developed by China's Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs- surged to a new all-time high of 139.

In addition, the sub-index dedicated solely to vegetables climbed even higher, to 145, also a new record. Among the 28 types of vegetables monitored by the index, the average price surged to 6.2 yuan (96 US cents) per kg on Monday, the highest since the data became available 10 years ago. The price of cauliflowers and cabbages almost doubled compared to a year earlier.

"In the beginning of 2021, we had three cold waves. This type of cold and frosty weather has a big impact on the production and growth of vegetables, their maturity periods and yields," said a spokesman for Baishazhou Agricultural and Non-staple Products Marketplace, a major wholesale market in Hubei province.

"Some vegetables have frozen to death," the spokesman continued, "even the vegetables growing in greenhouses may freeze badly, such as red cabbages and lettuces. The quality of a number of water spinach has dropped with declining supply.

Comment: As well as natural disasters devastating crop growth, the insane response to the coronavirus crisis and losing value of currency in Western nations in particular, have made the production, availability, purchasing and distribution of food - a MAJOR global issue the likes of which we haven't seen in generations.

See related articles:

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Snowflake

Heavy snow and ice in the Midwest and Ohio Valley - up to 14 inches


Weather Nation
Tue, 26 Jan 2021 19:06 UTC
snowtot
A strong winter storm brought heavy snow to the central Plains and western Great Lakes. Some of the highest snowfall accumulations were in Nebraska and Iowa where totals were over a foot.

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Snowflake

Snow blankets sun-kissed Arizona, Nevada and California - 18 inches deep in Prescott

Barbara Goldberg
Reuters
Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:26 UTC
Tim Ahlman shovels snow outside his home in Bellemont, Ariz. Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. A series of winter storms have dropped more precipitation in Flagstaff than the city had during last summer’s monsoon season.
© FELICIA FONSECA / APTim Ahlman shovels snow outside his home in Bellemont, Ariz. Monday, Jan. 25, 2021. A series of winter storms have dropped more precipitation in Flagstaff than the city had during last summer’s monsoon season.
There is nothing weird about seeing snow in January, unless it is falling on sun-kissed expanses including Nevada's Las Vegas and Arizona's deserts, which were transformed on Tuesday into winter wonderlands.

Just days after Malibu, California, known for its balmy beaches, was blanketed with snow by an unusual winter storm, frosty flakes made their way to Nevada and Arizona - shocking for some but a welcome relief for many in the drought-plagued U.S. West.

Prescott, Arizona, home of Whiskey Row bars and live music venues, reported 18 inches of accumulation by mid-morning on Tuesday, and it was still snowing, said meteorologist Bob Oravec of the National Weather Service in College Park, Maryland.

"They are actually very happy they are getting this snow," he said. "Snow pack is always good for future water management."

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Snowflake Cold

Madrid's record-breaking snowstorm killed half a million trees

Cap Allon
Electroverse.net
Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:39 UTC
snap
Madrid, Spain's central capital, is a city of elegant boulevards and expansive, manicured parks such as the Buen Retiro - at least it was, before the Grand Solar Minimum slapped it silly.


A slew of new all-time cold and snow records have been set across Spain this January, snowfall so substantial that people even skied the streets of Madrid:
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Snowflake

Snow falls on Maunakea, Mauna Loa summits in Hawaii


West Hawaii Today
Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:45 UTC
The Maunakea summit was blanketed with snow Monday evening amid a winter storm warning that remains posted for Hawaii Island summits until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
© W.M. Keck ObservatoryThe Maunakea summit was blanketed with snow Monday evening amid a winter storm warning that remains posted for Hawaii Island summits until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
The Maunakea and Mauna Loa summits were blanketed with snow Monday evening amid a winter storm warning that remains posted until 6 p.m. Tuesday.

Forecasters with the National Weather Service in Honolulu are calling for heavy snow, with accumulations up to 8 inches, and wind gusts up to 45 mph, for the two Hawaii Island summits.

The Maunakea Access Road was closed to the public Monday evening at the Visitor Information Station at the 9,200-foot level elevation.

Forecasters predict that a strong high pressure system northeast of Hawaii and a trough to the southwest will combine to create locally strong southeast winds over Hawaii through the midweek.

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Snowflake Cold

Migratory birds wintering in northern Iran increased by 30% due to severe, premature cold in Siberia


Tehran Times
Mon, 25 Jan 2021 11:10 UTC
The population of migratory birds took flight
The population of migratory birds took flight to spend the cold season in the northern province of Mazandaran increased by 30 percent since the beginning of winter (December 21, 2020) compared to the same period last year, head of wildlife affairs at the provincial department of environment (DOE) has said.
The annual census for migratory birds in Iran begins in the middle of the Iranian calendar month of Dey (December 22- January 20) and ends in the middle of the month of Bahman (January 21- February 19), which will be a 1-month period since January 1 to 31.

The reason for the increase in the migration of wintering birds this year is due to the severe and premature cold in Siberia, Korous Rabiei stated, IRNA reported on Monday.

According to the wintering census last year, 90 species of migratory birds with a population of over 500,000 migrated to the three wetlands of Miankaleh, Sorkhrud, and Azbaran, reservoirs and protected areas of the province, which is predicted to reach up to 700,000 this [Iranian calendar] year, he explained.

He went on to say that the largest increase in the migratory birds' population is related to the whooper swan, whose number increased about 10 times compared to the same period last year, from 500 to about 5,000.
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