Tuesday, July 15th was the hottest day of the year so far, but it's the middle of July! By now, we should have hit 90 and beyond. It's all part of a strange year of weather: tornadoes in January, all that snow, and don't forget about the record rains.
Why is it happening?
The rare January tornadoes in Kenosha County gave us an idea of the wild weather we would experience this year, and we still have five months to go. Nineteen winter storms buried most of southern Wisconsin this winter. Nearly two dozen snowfall records were shattered. Milwaukee ended up with 99.1 inches, the most since 1885.
Earth Changes
For someone who has experienced "freaky weather" in the Antarctic up close and personal, reports this week that baby Antarctic penguins are freezing to death due to "freak rain storms," came as no surprise.
Fellow explorer Jon Bowermaster had this to say:
Fellow explorer Jon Bowermaster had this to say:
"Everyone talks about the melting of the glaciers but having day after day of rain in Antarctica is a totally new phenomenon. As a result, penguins are literally freezing to death."The sad truth is there's been a lot of freaky things happening in the Antarctic lately.
TBILISI -- Forest fires in a Georgian national park that Georgia accuses Russia of starting deliberately have swept across 200 hectares (494 acres) of land and are still burning, an official said here Sunday.
Russia, which invaded swathes of Georgia on August 8, denies setting the forest park ablaze.
The Georgian foreign ministry said Saturday that the Borjomi Gorge in south-west Georgia had been targeted by Russian helicopters dropping firebombs in a dozen locations.
"Fires in the Borjomi forests are still continuing. There was unfortunately no progress in the fight against the fires," Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP.
"Two hundred hectares have been burned down."
The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, about 125 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of Tbilisi, is the source of Borjomi mineral water -- one of Georgia's most celebrated exports.
Russia, which invaded swathes of Georgia on August 8, denies setting the forest park ablaze.
The Georgian foreign ministry said Saturday that the Borjomi Gorge in south-west Georgia had been targeted by Russian helicopters dropping firebombs in a dozen locations.
"Fires in the Borjomi forests are still continuing. There was unfortunately no progress in the fight against the fires," Interior Ministry spokesman Shota Utiashvili told AFP.
"Two hundred hectares have been burned down."
The Borjomi-Kharagauli National Park, about 125 kilometres (80 miles) southwest of Tbilisi, is the source of Borjomi mineral water -- one of Georgia's most celebrated exports.
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| ©AP |
| Although lionfish are not aggressive towards humans, their sting is very painful |
A luridly striped fish with poisonous spikes has invaded the Caribbean where it is quickly spreading - and endangering the beautiful environment so beloved of tourists.
The red lionfish is a native of the Indian and Pacific ocean. But it started appearing in the Caribbean 16 years ago after a tropical storm smashed a private aquarium near Miami.
Now it is colonising the entire sea, feasting on native species of fish and crustaceans and delivering painful stings to divers. A single animal was seen to eat 20 smaller fish in just half an hour.
Until recently, the lionfish invasion was mostly concentrated on the Bahamas, where it infested beaches, reefs and mangrove thickets where baby fish grow. In the past year, its numbers increased tenfold in some parts of the archipelago
Phoenix - An earthen dam weakened by heavy rains broke near the Grand Canyon early Sunday, flooding a tribal town and forcing officials to pluck hundreds of residents and campers from the gorge by helicopter. No injuries were immediately reported.
About 400 members of the Havasupai tribe live in the town of Supai. The town was not under water after the Redlands Dam broke, said Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge.
Some campers and river runners in the canyon were being rescued by seven helicopters and were being taken to a Red Cross shelter in Peach Springs, about 60 miles southwest of Supai, Oltrogge said
About 400 members of the Havasupai tribe live in the town of Supai. The town was not under water after the Redlands Dam broke, said Grand Canyon National Park spokeswoman Maureen Oltrogge.
Some campers and river runners in the canyon were being rescued by seven helicopters and were being taken to a Red Cross shelter in Peach Springs, about 60 miles southwest of Supai, Oltrogge said
Havana - Tropical Storm Fay lashed southeastern Cuba with downpours and heavy winds Sunday and was expected to churn its way over the center of the island before heading toward Florida.
Authorities evacuated dozens of sparsely populated, low-lying communities and ordered Cubans to pay close attention to the storm, which they said could spark strong storm surges, flooding and mudslides.
Jose Rubiera, Cuba's chief meteorologist, said Fay had brought gusts of wind of up to 70 mph (110 kph) per hour as its center roared close to two coastal communities on the island's southern tip. Still, he said civil defense officials were mostly concerned about the effects of heavy rains.
The storm was expected to gain force and could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Cuba late Sunday and zeros in on Florida, where officials declared a state of emergency. It has already killed at least four people, after battering Haiti and the Dominican Republic with weekend torrential rains and floods.
Authorities evacuated dozens of sparsely populated, low-lying communities and ordered Cubans to pay close attention to the storm, which they said could spark strong storm surges, flooding and mudslides.
Jose Rubiera, Cuba's chief meteorologist, said Fay had brought gusts of wind of up to 70 mph (110 kph) per hour as its center roared close to two coastal communities on the island's southern tip. Still, he said civil defense officials were mostly concerned about the effects of heavy rains.
The storm was expected to gain force and could be near hurricane strength when it moves over Cuba late Sunday and zeros in on Florida, where officials declared a state of emergency. It has already killed at least four people, after battering Haiti and the Dominican Republic with weekend torrential rains and floods.
A huge bolt of lightning left 20 householders counting the cost after televisions blew and telephone lines melted.
Seattle - Madrona Beach on Lake Washington has been closed for swimming until further notice because of something mysterious in the water.
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| ©KING |
| Madrona Beach has been closed for swimming. |
A green layer that has formed on the surface of Küçükçekmece Lake in İstanbul is not due to toxicity, Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu announced yesterday.
Police say an ice climber and two skiers have died in seperate accidents in New South Wales.
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| ©AAP - Jennifer Chapman |
| Five companions were rescued. |
