Storms
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Kayak

Widespread flooding in Fiji - 16 inches of rain in 24 hours

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Evacuation centres are open in Fiji and roads are closed as flooding followed heavy rain, which was expected to continue on Sunday.

In an update issued just after 10am Sunday local time, the Fiji Times reported Ba town was underwater, with Vinod Patel park and main street Ba flooded, and the Elevuka creek had burst its banks.

Vehicles have been stopped by Fiji Police Force officers from entering the town area and all shops are closed.

Road access from Ba to Tavua is also closed due to flooding at Wailailai Flats.

In a a statement on Saturday night, Minister for Disaster Management Sakiasi Dikota said they had confirmed reports of flooding in the Western and Northern parts of Fiji, and floodwaters had entered Nadi town.

Some of the major rivers in the Western and Northern divisions were above alert or warning levels.


Cloud Precipitation

Huge hailstones pound Coahuila, Mexico

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On the afternoon of last Friday, March 15, residents of the state of Coahuila witnessed an intense storm that left serious material damage. The reason was because with the rain, hail was also recorded, which was the size of tennis or even baseball balls.

It was through social networks where photos and videos of the events were shared. The material allows us to see how the intense hail strongly hits the vehicles that were parked, causing the windshields to be broken. Likewise, other properties were affected by this intense storm, leading the authorities to ask the population to be alert as the storm is expected to continue.

The events were recorded in the Carboniferous Region, which is made up of the municipalities of Sabinas, San Juan de Sabinas and Múzquiz, so the undersecretary of Civil Protection of the entity, Francisco Martínez, confirmed that only material damage was recorded and for now, no person injured.


Cloud Lightning

Divine message? Lightning strike at Burj Khalifa in Dubai, resembles Palestine map

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Amidst the awe-inspiring spectacle of a lightning strike illuminating the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, a striking resemblance to the map of Palestine has ignited fervent debate.

The footage, originally captured by Dubai-based photographer Zohaib Anjum, has garnered nearly 12 million views, sparking a fervent response on social media platforms.

Many viewers have drawn parallels between the path of the lightning strike and the map of Palestine, leading to interpretations by some as a potential divine sign urging intervention in the conflict.

While the emotional resonance is palpable, experts caution against attributing religious significance to the natural phenomenon, emphasizing the unpredictability of lightning's path.


Snowflake

Mid-March storm dumps up to 5 feet of snow on Colorado (UPDATE)

Snow piles up in Woodland Park.  Debbie Kelley
© Debbie KelleySnow piles up in Woodland Park.
Portions of Interstate 70 were reopened late Thursday after being closed since the morning due to safety concerns during the snow.

"If you have to ask 'How do I get there?', the answer is, you can't," the Colorado State Patrol had warned during the closing on X.

Where the roads weren't closed, accidents abounded. Thursday morning, Denver Police and C-DOT Crews worked together to free a wrecked vehicle from the snow after it crashed into the concrete barrier on I-25 at Centennial.

Nederland, Colorado, reported 53 inches of snow -- over four feet -- from the storm. Most of the Denver Metro area had received 6 to 12 inches of snow by noon, while the airport recorded 5.7 inches, falling short of the biggest snowstorm this season, as 7.5 inches of snow fell on Oct. 28-29, 2023.


Comment: Update March 15

Denver7.com reports:
Thursday's snowstorm around Colorado was best measured in feet, not inches, with totals reaching beyond four feet in some locations.

Clouds are clearing out and you may even see some sunshine poking through today. Conditions will warm up and dry out through Tuesday, when a weak storm system might bring some light snow to the mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures on Friday are well above freezing and snow is already starting to melt around the Denver metro area — something that will continue as highs will stay in the 40s, 50s and 60s for the foreseeable future.

The NWS is continuing to update its snow totals map. As of now, the list tops out at 61.5 inches in Aspen Springs, a community just north of Black Hawk.

We have collected a list of snow total data from the NWS of more than 300 locations.

These are the totals for the past 48 hours as of 3 p.m. Friday, according to the latest data from the NWS:

Aspen Springs (community near Black Hawk): 61.5 inches
1 W Aspen Springs: 57
4 ENE Nederland: 53
4 SE Pinecliffe: 50.7

1 WSW Eldora: 46
1 NNW Genesee: 45.7
3 W Jamestown: 45.5
1 SW Manitou Springs: 44
4 NE Nederland: 43.5
1 NE Divide: 42
1 SSW Crescent Village: 42
4 SSE Pinecliffe: 41.2
1 NNE Echo Lake: 41
1 SSE St. Mary's Glacier: 40.5
1 N Genesee: 40
2 W Pennock Pass: 40
2 SSE Manitou Springs: 40
1 S Manitou Springs: 40
4 W Conifer: 39.5
4 E Aspen Springs: 36
Aspen Park: 36
2 S Estes Park: 36
1 SSW Rollinsville: 36
6 ESE Hillside: 36

(More here)



Cloud Precipitation

3 killed after Tropical Storm Filipo passes through Mozambique

Tropical Storm Filipo seen approaching Mozambique on March 11.
© NASATropical Storm Filipo seen approaching Mozambique on March 11.
At least three people were killed, 13 more injured, and more than 14,000 others were adversely impacted after Tropical Storm Filipo passed through Mozambique, according to preliminary data from the country's authorities as of Wednesday.

Paulo Tomas, spokesperson for the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD), told the state-run Radio Mozambique on Thursday that the deaths were recorded in the southern provinces of Inhambane and Maputo.

According to the spokesperson, there has also been an impact on the energy sector, with communication lines disrupted or conditioned, and homes flooded or destroyed.

Tomas said INGD teams are on the ground collecting more data for daily updates. "The authorities' forecast was 525,000 people at risk; at the moment, the data is still being collected."


Tornado1

Dangerous tornado reported in Ohio, others cause damage in Indiana, Kentucky - at least 2 reported dead

Jessie Perez, and her aunt, Rebecca Aldridge, hid in a closet when a tornado came through Milton, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
© Michael ClevengerJessie Perez, and her aunt, Rebecca Aldridge, hid in a closet when a tornado came through Milton, Kentucky, on Thursday, March 14, 2024. A tree now occupies their kitchen but no one was hurt.
A dangerous half mile wide tornado was reported in northern Ohio Thursday night, while several others were confirmed in Kentucky and Indiana in a severe weather outbreak linked to several "significant injuries."

"THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS and dangerous tornado on the ground," the National Weather Service's Cleveland office wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

Forecasters said they were monitoring two tornadic rotations including one in Crawford County Ohio and a stronger one in northern Ashland County.

The weather service warned that the threat of a few tornadoes was "likely." Forecasters also said scattered wind gusts up to 70 mph and hail the size of tennis balls are also possible.


Boat

Flooding inundates Semarang's Old Town, railway station in Indonesia

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A torrential downpour in Semarang, the provincial capital of Central Java, has caused severe flooding, which has inundated major parts of the city including the Old Town area and the nearby Tawang Station.

In the Old Town, which is home to many colonial-era buildings, flooding to a depth of 50 centimeters has prevented motorists from traversing the area.

The flooding has also submerged parts of Tawang Station, prompting state railway operator PT Kereta Api Indonesia (KAI) to reroute journeys away from the station.

Operations at the city's other railway station Poncol, which handles mostly economy-class passengers, are not affected by the flooding.

"We still have inundation going on right now. This is because of the high level of rainfall," chief of the Semarang Police traffic division Adj. Sr. Comr. Yunaldi said, as quoted by Antara.


Cloud Precipitation

Deadly flash floods hit the Afghan city of Herat, killing at least 5

Afghan residents gather near the Pul-i-Malan bridge near the Hari Rud River following the flash floods on the outskirts of Herat on March 12.
Afghan residents gather near the Pul-i-Malan bridge near the Hari Rud River following the flash floods on the outskirts of Herat on March 12.
Flash flooding has swamped the streets of the city of Herat in Afghanistan, killing at least five people and causing widespread damage, according to a local imam.

"The house's upper floor was already cracked because of an earthquake in October, so the second floor was already damaged, but last night's rain made the house collapse," a man whose neighbours' house was destroyed tells AFP.


Cloud Precipitation

Large hailstones slam Buenos Aires, Argentina

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This Tuesday, strong thunderstorms were recorded in much of Buenos Aires throughout the day. The abundant fall of water caused flooding in different neighborhoods and municipalities. In some locations there was hail and more alerts are expected for the early morning and morning of this Wednesday.

Different users shared photos and videos on their social networks about the storm. One of the most affected areas was Campana, where the hail was larger than a lemon. The publications quickly went viral.

The National Meteorological Service announced an orange alert for heavy rain this Wednesday morning. In addition, the formation of more severe storms continues in the area. Different meteorological phenomena are expected to hit a large part of the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area.


Comment: Related: Argentina floods: Buenos Aires streets turn into rivers after torrential rain


Cloud Precipitation

7 die as floods hit southern France - a foot of rain in 48 hours (UPDATE)

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Three people have died and four others are missing as a result of flooding in the southern French department of Gard, French media reported.

Two children are among the missing, Franceinfo radio reported on Sunday.

On Saturday night, heavy rainfall hit the region, prompting police to begin active search and rescue operations. By Sunday evening, the bodies of two dead people were found in the car.

In addition, a 62-year-old Belgian man died after his car was washed away by the course when he tried to cross a bridge, traffic on which was blocked due to rising water levels.


Comment: Floodlist reports:
Storm Monica swept across the country from 08 March 2024 bringing extremely heavy rain. Some areas in the south recorded more than 300 mm of rain in 48 hours. Since 09 March, the rain has triggered severe flooding in the departments of Gard, Ardèche and Var.
Update March 13

The Connexion reports:
The body of a man was found yesterday evening (March 12) in the Ardèche department, three days after a hydroelectric plant worker went missing in the area.

It was discovered by hunters and relatives of the 73-year old who disappeared on Saturday evening during flash flooding.

The body was found close to a micropower station along the Eyrieux river, where the man was working during Saturday evening's storms.

Authorities believe it is most probably the body of the missing man, however rescue workers and police forces were unable to reach the location of the body last night but planned to make a fresh attempt this morning.

It now brings the death toll from the weekend's storms and high waves to seven - six in the south of France and one in the west.