Storms
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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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Cloud Precipitation

Flood waters enter many areas on Fiji with more rain expected as Tropical Cyclone Warning remains in force

Vijay Narayan
Fiji Village
Fri, 29 Jan 2021 19:09 UTC
Flooding in Fiji: Tropical Cyclone hits Nadi Town cause heavy flooding
Flooding in Fiji: Tropical Cyclone hits Nadi Town cause heavy flooding
A Tropical Cyclone Warning remains in force for Fiji and the immediate concern is widespread flooding.

A flash flood warning remains in force for all low lying areas and small streams near major rivers in Viti Levu and Vanua Levu.

If you are living in a flood prone area, please move to high ground and don't leave things to the last minute.

National Disaster Management Office Director, Vasiti Soko says people should move to their nearest evacuation centre now.

19 centres are open in the North and 1 centre is open in the west.

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Windsock

How the mighty have fallen: 15 giant sequoia trees toppled by storm winds estimated at 100 mph at Yosemite National Park

Paul Rogers
The Mercury News
Thu, 28 Jan 2021 15:20 UTC
A fallen giant sequoia tree at Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park after the Mono wind event on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.
© Yosemite National ParkA fallen giant sequoia tree at Mariposa Grove in Yosemite National Park after the Mono wind event on Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021.
In a stunning display of nature's force, officials at Yosemite National Park said Thursday that a powerful wind storm that ripped through the park last week caused 15 giant sequoia trees to fall in Mariposa Grove, a landmark forest visited by millions of people over the past 150 years.

Originally, officials thought that just two of the massive trees had fallen. But as they have inspected the area on the park's southern edges in recent days, they discovered wider destruction in the awe-inspiring grove, which was first set aside for protection in 1864 by President Abraham Lincoln.

"We have extensive damage in the park," said Scott Gediman, a Yosemite park spokesman. "Millions and millions of dollars. There could be more giant sequoias down. We are continuing the damage assessment."

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Snowflake

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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Snowflake

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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Cloud Lightning

Lightning kills man in Johannesburg, South Africa as weather service warns of widespread storms

Belinda Pheto
Dispatch Live
Thu, 28 Jan 2021 19:11 UTC
lightning
A man believed to be in his mid-20s was killed by lightning in Sophiatown, in the west of Johannesburg, on Thursday afternoon.

The SA Weather Service (Saws) has issued an "orange warning" for disruptive rainfall in parts of Mpumalanga, Gauteng and the western bushveld of Limpopo, as well as the northeastern parts of North West.

The rain is expected from Thursday and could continue throughout the weekend.

The weather service says the rainfall could result in flooding in low-lying areas, isolated incidents of breaching of earth dam walls, general disruption to traffic and basic services, flooding of roads and settlements, and danger to life — particularly because of fast-flowing rivers and streams.
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Snowflake

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

Historic snowstorm in Des Moines breaks daily snowfall record previously set in 1895

Philip Joens, Tim Webber
Des Moines Register
Wed, 27 Jan 2021 08:23 UTC
Des Moines record snow
Des Moines hasn't seen a winter storm like this week's that dropped more than a foot of snow since 2009. And the city had never recorded a snowier January 25 than Monday.

Snow started falling around noon Monday in central Iowa and didn't stop until about 10 a.m. Tuesday. The storm created hazardous conditions on roads across the state, disrupted flights into and out of Des Moines International Airport, and forced many school districts to dismiss early Monday and cancel or delay school Tuesday.

The 10.3 inches that fell by the end of Monday set a new single-day record, according to the National Weather Service. It broke a 126-year-old mark for Jan. 25, previously set when 10 inches of snow fell that day in 1895.

By noon Tuesday, the NWS said 12.9 inches of snow had fallen at the airport, the 12th-highest two-day snow total in the city's history and snowiest storm in Des Moines since a blizzard dropped 15.5 inches over Dec. 8-9, 2009.


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

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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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Tornado2

1 dead, at least 17 injured after tornado strikes Alabama town

Jay Reeves and Desiree Mathurin
ABC News
Tue, 26 Jan 2021 14:12 UTC
Alabama tornado damage
© WRBC
A teenager huddling in his basement was killed and several of his family members were critically injured when a tornado blew a tree onto their home in Alabama and it collapsed on top of them, police said Tuesday.

The tornado left a swath of destruction Monday night in Fultondale, a Jefferson County city north of Birmingham. Piles of furniture, appliances and tree limbs were strewn about and vehicles ended up in awkward positions, as if a child had flung his collection of Matchbox cars into the air. One car landed upside down against some tree branches on a large pile of debris.

Police Chief D.P. Smith said several other family members trapped in the basement were critically injured, while one escaped harm. The teen was pronounced dead at the scene Tuesday morning .

"They were doing what they were supposed to be doing,'′ the chief said.

Fultondale Fire Chief Justin McKenzie said 17 people have since been hospitalized and 11 others were treated on scene, WVTM-TV reported.


Comment: Winter storms alerts in effect for 23 US states

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