Earth Changes

Indonesia issues tsunami warning after 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes off Sumatra

RT
Wed, 02 Mar 2016 13:05 UTC

A 7.9 magnitude earthquake has struck off the coast of Indonesia, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). The country has issued a tsunami warning, the National Meteorolgical Agency reported.

The shallow quake, which hit southwest of the island of Sumatra on Wednesday, had a depth of 10 kilometers (six miles).

The epicenter was located 808 kilometers (502 miles) southwest of Padang.

There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. However, shallower earthquakes are more likely to cause damage.

The USGS originally categorized the quake as a magnitude 8.2, and later an 8.1, before lowering it to a 7.9.

Indonesia has issued a tsunami warning for West Sumatra, North Sumatra, and Aceh, according to the National Meteorological Agency.

A tsunami watch has also been issued for parts of Western Australia, according to the Joint Australian Tsunami Warning Centre.

Comment: There has also been increased volcanic activity in the region within the last week, as Indonesia's Mount Sinabung erupted twice in one day spewing ash and smoke 3000 meters high

Met Office predicts sudden stratospheric warming to bring snap of cold weather over UK

Elena Ugrin
The Watchers
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 19:30 UTC

Meteorologists from the UK Met Office have predicted a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) will occur in early March 2016. The phenomena could affect the surface weather, increasing the risk of prolonged wintry conditions over parts of northern Europe and the UK.

The sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) phenomenon is a rapid warming episode which takes place between 10 and 50 km (6.2 and 31 miles) of the Earth's atmosphere. During the warming, temperatures can climb for up to 50 °C in only a few days time.

SSW begins with a wave-like disturbance which travels into the high-altitude jet stream system, and can grow to a point to breaking, exhibiting similar behavior like the breaking beach waves. The jet stream usually flows in the west-to-east direction with some north and south oscillation. The disturbance can cause the winds to turn in the opposite direction. When that happens, the air falls into the Arctic and gets compressed, causing the rapid warming.

"Sudden stratospheric warming events occur high up in the atmosphere and involve a complete reversal of the high-altitude polar jet stream - they can even affect weather at the surface, and for the UK, a sudden stratospheric warming increases the risk of wintry weather," Professor Adam Scaife, Head of Monthly to Decadal Prediction explained.

Unexplained loud booms heard in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Katie Nelson
Argus Leader
Sat, 27 Feb 2016 21:31 UTC

Police are investigating multiple reports of loud booms in Sioux Falls and the surrounding areas.

The National Weather Service said they had not seen any indications of an explosion or other events that would show up on radar, and that there are no storms in the area.

"There's nothing unusual on the radar that would suggest a meteor or a comet," meteorologist Matt Dux said.

However, NWS did offer a possible theory on what could be causing the booms:

"After thinking a bit..one thing could be happening is this. There is a very sharp temperature change not too far off the surface (about 500 ft) tonight due to the warmer air aloft and fast cooling here at the ground. It's possible that as some aircraft are landing that this sound is bouncing off this temperature 'inversion.' It's a theory," NWS said.

Scanner traffic indicated that multiple people had called in to report the booms. Police were investigating reports in Hartford and at 85th Street and Marion Road.

Sgt. Jon Thum said police were unable to find the source of the noises.

People have reported the booms in several areas around Sioux Falls and beyond. Here are a few of the reports we've had of the mysterious sounds:

Massive snowstorm in Japan grounds 130 flights, leaves thousands without power

Japan Times
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 18:10 UTC

The Japan's meteorological agency reported Tuesday that the Japanese island of Hokkaido has been severed hit by snowstorm that left 4,000 households without power and grounded over 130 flights.

A powerful snowstorm that hit the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido grounded over 130 flights and led to power outages in approximately 4,000 households on Tuesday.

The country's meteorological agency recorded up to 20 inches of precipitation over the past 24 hours, with over 15 inches of snow expected by early Wednesday.

A snow cyclone is accompanied by winds reaching the speed of up to 115 feet per second. Wave heights on the island's shore exceeded 25 feet.

#japan inside refrigerator. Snowstorm still inN Japan, warnings issued widely. pic.twitter.com/gqKYIaZwZc
— Weather Mizumoto (@hepomodeler) March 1, 2016

Comment: Today, the country's meteorology agency warned citizens to brace for the worst blizzard in years.

Global warming? Kurilskoye Lake in Kamchatka, Russia freezes for first time in 10 years

Siberian Times
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 17:48 UTC

© Kronotsky State Nature Reserve
Konstantin Lepsky, state inspector of the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve: 'When we patrolled the area, we walked along the lake in snowshoes for about 18 kilometres.'

With thermal waters, and the warming effect of the nearby Sea of Okhotsk, this unusual lake normally does not freeze over. But this year its famous Steller's sea eagles have been forced to relocate because the ice holes in which they catch fish have frozen over. Two weeks of calm weather and low temperatures in February - of minus 20C - shackled the surface of the lake with a thick layer of ice.

Konstantin Lepsky, state inspector of the Kronotsky State Nature Reserve, said: 'When we patrolled the area, we walked along the lake in snowshoes for about 18 kilometres.

'From the observation tower at Travyanoy we looked around the horizon in all directions. The lake was completely frozen. Only in the mouth of the River Hakytsin could we see a little ice hole, where ducks and swans were swimming, and Steller's sea eagles were spotted.'

Most of the birds were forced to relocate to Avacha Bay, near Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky. The lake formed in a caldera after two large volcanic explosions, one 41,500 radiocarbon years ago and the other around 6440 BC.

Peruvian army sent in to deal with floods

Euronews
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 14:06 UTC

Floods in Peru

The authorities in Peru are sending the military to help areas affected by floods that have afflicted several parts of the country.

Scientists blame El Niño, the warm ocean current, for the heavy rains that turned roads into rivers in Arequipa, setting cars adrift in the torrent. The southern province has been particularly badly hit; at least two people were reportedly killed.

Residents in Tumbes, a coastal region in the northwest, were also left to survey the damage.

Local media reported that 3,000 people in the area had been left homeless, with 30,000 affected in some way.

Vietnam hit by the worst drought in 90 years

Channel News Asia
Tue, 01 Mar 2016 13:23 UTC

Drought in Vietnam

Vietnam is suffering its worst drought in nearly a century with salinisation hitting farmers especially hard in the crucial southern Mekong delta, experts said Monday (Mar 1).

"The water level of the Mekong River has gone down to its lowest level since 1926, leading to the worst drought and salinisation there," Nguyen Van Tinh, deputy head of the hydraulics department under the Ministry of Agriculture, told AFP.

The low-lying and heavily cultivated Mekong region is home to more than 20 million people and is the country's rice basket. Intensive cultivation and rising sea levels already make it one of the world's most ecologically sensitive regions.

Scientists blame the ongoing 2015-2016 El Nino weather phenomenon, one of the most powerful on record, for the current drought. Water shortages have also hampered agriculture in nearby Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Myanmar.

Over 180 infrared videos show extent of methane pollution across the US

Ecowatch
Wed, 24 Feb 2016 14:20 UTC

Just as the worst methane leak in California's history is sealed and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acknowledged that America pollutes much more methane than previously estimated, Earthworks—the group that filmed the videos revealing the scope of the methane disaster in Los Angeles County—released a map of 180+ infrared videos of oil and gas methane pollution events across the country.

New .@EPA estimates show we have a huge #methane problem, now you can see it: https://t.co/5K7XAKLHfh pic.twitter.com/ldRKf3G3ym
— EARTHWORKS (@Earthworks) February 24, 2016

The map, created with the help of FracTracker Alliance, includes two new videos that epitomize the national methane pollution problem.

The first is of a well near Longmont, Colorado:

Comment: See also:

Major winter storm coming Tuesday to central Canada

CBC News
Mon, 29 Feb 2016 09:00 UTC

© Paul Palmeter/CBC
Environment Canada has issued winter storm warnings for Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal and Quebec City. Many areas in southern Ontario and Quebec could see heavy snow. Driving could be treacherous.

Environment Canada says a major winter storm is expected to sweep into parts of southern Ontario and southern Quebec on Tuesday, bringing heavy snow to some areas and freezing rain elsewhere.

Toronto, Hamilton, Montreal and Quebec City are under winter storm warnings. Windsor is under a snowfall warning, while Ottawa is under a winter storm watch.

Parts of Quebec including Montreal and Quebec City could get more than 30 centimetres of snow.

Environment Canada has issued a series of winter storm warnings and watches that cover a large swath of southern Ontario and southern Quebec.

The storm, travelling north from central United States, is expected to bring snow to southern Ontario on Tuesday afternoon and southern Quebec on Tuesday evening. Snow in Quebec will intensify overnight and continue Wednesday.

Environment Canada says drivers should be prepared for messy conditions.

"There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas," it says.

Wild wolf caught on camera for first time in Sweden

RT
Mon, 29 Feb 2016 19:44 UTC

An elusive wild wolf roaming around Sweden has been caught on camera for the first time ever in the Scandinavian country.

Recorded in the rural village of Lonsboda, it's rare for such sightings at all, let alone capturing it on video.

The estimated population of Swedish wild wolves stands at just over 400, according to Sweden's Environmental Protection Agency, but local authorities wanted to pin down how many were roaming the lands of the Skane region, so they set up a number of hidden cameras.

"We have also secured droppings from the wolf, which we have sent for analysis," said Skåne's wildlife officer Nils Carlsson told The Local. "Soon we shall know the wolf's gender and where it comes from."

Comment: Wolf pack seen in California for the first time in 100 years

New Lt. Governor of Virginia Winsome Sears: "We're going to have safer neighborhoods, safer communities, and our children are going to get a good...

parzival

Bill Gates is going to be the one with the uncertain future,,, * New Lt. Governor of Virginia Winsome Sears: "We're going to have safer...

parzival

The more we hear about adverse affects the more we will merely shrug. It's a catch 22. Is that an asteroid trail in the photo?

sass

Welcome to the new normal. The more sensory exposure we have about such things, the less it is an issue.

sass

more misbehaving phuqqin' jewzskies starring on the sott; speaks for itself

Jibrish

Earth Changes

Indonesia issues tsunami warning after 7.9 magnitude earthquake strikes off Sumatra

Met Office predicts sudden stratospheric warming to bring snap of cold weather over UK

Unexplained loud booms heard in Sioux Falls, South Dakota

Massive snowstorm in Japan grounds 130 flights, leaves thousands without power

Global warming? Kurilskoye Lake in Kamchatka, Russia freezes for first time in 10 years

Peruvian army sent in to deal with floods

Vietnam hit by the worst drought in 90 years

Over 180 infrared videos show extent of methane pollution across the US

Major winter storm coming Tuesday to central Canada

Wild wolf caught on camera for first time in Sweden

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