Welcome to Sott.net
Wed, 03 Nov 2021
The World for People who Think

Earth Changes
Map

Cloud Precipitation

Hurricane Irma chugs west

Bob Henson
Weather Underground
Sun, 03 Sep 2017 18:08 UTC
hurricane
Still churning hundreds of miles east of the Caribbean, Hurricane Irma is on a track that could bring it near the Leeward Islands by Wednesday and into the Eastern Bahamas by Friday. Hurricane watches were issued Sunday afternoon by the governments of Antigua, France, and the Netherlands on Sunday afternoon for the islands of Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saba, St. Eustatius, Sint Maarten/St. Martin, and Saint Barthelemy. With any luck, Irma's center and its more dangerous right-hand side will stay just north of the Leewards, Puerto Rico, and Hispaniola. However, Irma is expected to be a powerhouse Category 4 hurricane by that point, so high winds, huge surf, and torrential rains could occur well away from its center. It appears increasingly likely that Irma's wrath will be focused on parts of The Bahamas late next week, and a major hurricane landfall along the U.S. East Coast is a distinct possibility by Sunday or Monday.

Irma's behavior has been remarkably steady over the last couple of days. At least one eyewall replacement cycle has occurred, a process that can lead to short-term weakening followed by a restrengthening a day or two later as the new eyewall takes over. Since Friday, Irma's top sustained winds have oscillated within the 110-120 mph range, crossing the boundary between Category 2 and 3 strength several times. As of 5:00 pm EDT, Irma's estimated top winds were 115 mph. The first Hurricane Hunter flight into Irma, which was in progress Sunday evening, found a dropsonde-measured surface pressure of 961 millibars and a remotely-estimated pressure of 958 mb, both of which are considerably lower than the 5 pm NHC estimate of 969 mb. Surface winds of 113 mph were estimated in the northeast eyewall.

Irma has healthy upper-level outflow in all directions (see Figure 1), which is one important measure of a hurricane's potential for growth. Irma is also getting larger-a trend that may continue all week-with tropical-storm-force winds now extending out up to 140 miles on its north side.

Comment: There are hurricane watches in place for Puerto Rico and Floridians are being warned to prepare:
The storm is expected to strengthen over the next 48 hours as it churns west toward Puerto Rico, where a hurricane watch is in effect.

More hurricane and tropical storm watches may be issued today.

Dennis Feltgen of the National Hurricane Center in Miami said it was still too early to determine the impact on Florida.

"But people should use this time wisely to check their supplies and review their hurricane plan," he said.

The National Meteorological Service said Puerto Rico could get prolonged high winds and as many as 8 inches of rain if the storm smacks the island Wednesday, as expected.

No hurricane warnings or watches have been issued in the continental U.S., but storm experts are monitoring Irma.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott urged state residents to prepare themselves for the possibility of Irma's wrath.


      Read More...
Seismograph

The swarm won't stop: 62 earthquakes strike southeast Idaho in one day


Idaho State Journal
Mon, 04 Sep 2017 17:58 UTC
earthquake map
© University of Utah Seismograph Stations
The orange areas show the epicenters of the 62 earthquakes that occurred Saturday night through early Sunday evening in Southeast Idaho.
The strongest earthquake to hit the region in years as well as 61 smaller quakes occurred Saturday night to Sunday night in Southeast Idaho, startling tens of thousands of residents.

Authorities said it does not appear that the quakes have caused any injuries to people or damage to structures (ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO IF AN EARTHQUAKE HITS YOUR TOWN IS AT THE END OF THIS ARTICLE).

The quakes were felt in Caribou County, where all 62 occurred, as well as in cities in northern Utah and throughout Southeast Idaho. It's unknown when the earthquake swarm will end. Earthquake swarms have been known to continue for weeks or even months.

In recent decades Southeast Idaho has seen infrequent instances in which one to three weak earthquakes occur near the Western Wyoming border. Local authorities say they cannot ever remember any earthquake swarm in Southeast Idaho that comes even close to the current series of temblors shaking the region.
      Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Flooding in Africa in August killed 25 times more people than Hurricane Harvey did


Quartz
Mon, 04 Sep 2017 15:21 UTC
Workers are seen digging graves at Paloko cemetery in Waterloo, Sierra Leone

Workers are seen digging graves at Paloko cemetery in Waterloo, Sierra Leone
The rainy season is usually welcomed in parts of Africa as a timely break from the heat of the dry season. But so far, in 2017, the rains have given way to flood disasters which have led to a death toll numbering in hundreds.

Like severe floods in southern Asia, the disasters in Africa have been largely under-reported compared to similar events in Houston where Hurricane Harvey, a once in a "500-year storm" has wreaked havoc. But while the devastation in Houston could have hardly been avoided, many of the recent flood disasters in Africa have been exacerbated by years of poorly planned drainage systems. In another contrast, while rescue and relief operations in Houston have successfully saved countless lives and helped survivors, the same can't be said in parts of Africa that have been badly flooded, worsening the death toll. Across Texas, 50 people have been reported dead due to the tropical storm but across Africa, intense rains and mudslides killed at least 1,240 people in August.
      Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Unusual clouds and strange early snowfall begins in North America

Adapt 2030
You Tube
Mon, 04 Sep 2017 14:43 UTC
When life hands you snow, make a snowman
© Mervin McDonald
When life hands you snow, make a snowman
Early snows are already starting across North America August 31st snows in New Hampshire, Labrador & Quebec Canada and unidentifiable cloud formations over Georgia, USA. Solutions to expensive installation costs for greenhouses, lets look at what rural Chinese farmers are doing in cold climates.

      Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Damage reported in central North Carolina following severe weather with baseball-size hail

Joel Brown
abc11.com
Sat, 02 Sep 2017 13:19 UTC
Storm damage
© Akilah Davis‏
Storm damage
Severe weather rolled through central North Carolina on Friday afternoon, causing damage to cars and buildings, and knocking down trees.

However, the National Weather Service said the storm was a microburst and not a tornado.

Microbursts are localized columns of sinking air within a thunderstorm; experts said they can cause extensive damage and in some instances, can be life-threatening.

The National Weather Service will be in the Triangle area taking a look at the damage left behind from the storms.

Fuquay-Varina and Willow Spring were particularly hard-hit, as was Angier, where large hail and wind gusts resulted in significant damage.

On Sunray Court in Fuquay-Varina, it was anything but sunshine. Kacy Daniels and her daughter Kyra said it was terrifying.

      Read More...
Attention

Dead porbeagle shark washes up in Revere, Massachusetts

Nik DeCosta-Klipa
boston.com
Fri, 01 Sep 2017 12:47 UTC
This porbeagle shark washed up on Revere Beach dead Friday morning
© John Hurley
This porbeagle shark washed up on Revere Beach dead Friday morning
There's been a decent amount of shark activity off the Cape this summer, but in Revere? Not so much.

Friday was an exception when a deceased porbeagle shark washed ashore near Rumney Marshes, just north of Revere Beach, and attracted onlookers who posted photos to social media:

Greg Skomal, the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries's senior fisheries biologist, told CBS Boston it's unusual to find porbeagle sharks washed up on the beach. It's possible the shark became caught and injured by fishing gear, Skomal said.

      Read More...
Attention

Surfer bitten by shark at New Smyrna Beach, Florida

Clay LePard
clickorlando.com
Sat, 02 Sep 2017 12:32 UTC
SHARK BITE
© Kem McNair
Shark bite
A 17-year-old boy was bitten by a shark Saturday while surfing at New Smyrna Beach, Volusia Beach Safety officials said.

Capt. Mike Berard said the boy was surfing near the inlet just before noon when a shark bit his right hand.

John Brown, of Winter Garden, was there when it all happened and made the call to 911.

"As I'm scanning with the binoculars, there's this kid that comes straight to me, with his hand flowing blood from where he got bit," he said. "The kid said, 'I was on the surfboard coming into the whitewater and jumped off the board and landed right on the shark.' He said the shark bit his hand, and he was trying to rip his hand out. He punched him two or three times, and he let go and came straight out."

      Read More...
Seismograph

Magnitude 6 earthquake in the unpopulated South Sandwich Islands Region


Earthquake-Report.com
Mon, 04 Sep 2017 08:46 UTC
Map courtesy Alomax.free.net - Star: calculated epicenter - Small red dots: possible error margin for the epicenter, the more dense, the higher probability that the epicenter will be in that area. Orange circle: epicenter location error zone
© Alomax.free.net
Star: calculated epicenter - Small red dots: possible error margin for the epicenter, the more dense, the higher probability that the epicenter will be in that area. Orange circle: epicenter location error zone
Most important Earthquake Data:

Magnitude : 6

Local Time (conversion only below land) : 2017-09-04 06:07:39

GMT/UTC Time : 2017-09-04 08:07:39

Depth (Hypocenter) : 65 km

Update 09:25 UTC: earthquake in the subantarctic penguin volcanic islands region. This is an unpopulated area of the world, so no impact at all on human beings :)
      Read More...
Fire

Wildfires burning more than half a million acres in Montana

Jacob Rodriguez
KSDK
Sun, 03 Sep 2017 19:12 UTC
Montana wildfires
© U.S. Forest Service Photo/InciWeb
In southeastern Montana, a wind-driven wildfire ripped through parched forest and grasslands, forcing the evacuation of an undetermined number of ranches and homes, officials said Thursday.
As the country keeps its eyes trained on Houston, another natural disaster is ravaging states far to the north.

With red flag warnings covering 200,000 square miles of Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and the Dakotas saying the danger for new wildfires is imminent, firefighters continue to battle blazes that have burned huge swaths of land.

This summer has been particularly dry and windy for our northern neighbors and a lack of moisture and unfortunate weather has led to hundreds of wildfires burning across Montana, Idaho and northern California.

Rainfall at this point hasn't been much help; lightning strikes on Wednesday sparked at least 40 more in a state already on fire, according to the Great Falls Tribune. High winds are pushing the fires and helping them spread.

Firefighter Brent M. Witham of Mentone, California, died in early August after a tree fell on the 29-year-old.

Smoke is so heavy in Montana that planes couldn't fly over the fires to check their size or status, the Tribune said on Wednesday.

Back in July, Gov. Steve Bullock declared a state of emergency in Montana. The declaration was issued July 24, sometime after the federal government denied the state's request for aid. Three days later, the feds reversed their decision and sent FEMA in to help.
      Read More...
Sun

Despite historically wet winter, Oregon moving toward drought

Lauren E Hernandez
Statesman Journal
Sat, 02 Sep 2017 19:47 UTC
Oregon heat wave
© MOLLY J. SMITH / Statesman Journal
Boats on the Willamette River on Saturday, Sept. 2, 2017, near Salem's Riverfront Park. The high for Saturday was forecast for 104 degrees; the National Weather Service issued a heat advisory lasting until Tuesday.
Salem recorded its hottest August temperatures since records started being kept in 1893.

The five warmest Augusts have taken place in the last five years, said David Elson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service - Portland.

"It's pretty clear that something is going on that we are changing our climate," said Kathie Dello, deputy director of the Oregon Climate Service at Oregon State University. "We're seeing climate change impacts already and we need to think about resiliency toward these 100-degree days."

The hot, dry conditions in the Mid-Willamette Valley are a result of a persistent pattern of the growing drier conditions and lack of rain.

Salem recorded just .15 inch of rain on August 13 - the only day there was precipitation in August.

Average rainfall for Salem in August is .45 inches.

The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory that will remain in effect until 10 p.m. Tuesday. Temperatures are expected to creep into the high 90s on Sunday, hover around 100 degrees on Monday and may reach 103 degrees on Tuesday.

"Normal temperatures would be around 80 degrees around this time of year," Elson said. "We'll be in the ballpark for record temperatures in the next few days."

Oregon is abnormally dry and on the cusp of drought conditions, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center.
      Read More...
Amazon Smile
Revolt! T-shirts