A series of storms that has pummeled the Upper Midwest is part of a very unusual weather pattern.
Jonathan Martin is chairman of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Department at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He says it only comes around once every 100 or 200 years.
Earth Changes
Fifty people are dead as a result of violent weather that has raged across Yemen since early this month, KUNA reported Saturday.
The Yemeni Interior Ministry said seven died and scores were injured when heavy rain and floods drenched western Yemen Saturday.
Lightning also killed nine people from the same family in Rimma.
The Yemeni Interior Ministry said seven died and scores were injured when heavy rain and floods drenched western Yemen Saturday.
Lightning also killed nine people from the same family in Rimma.
Forest fires raged unabated today on the Peloponnese peninsula of southern Greece, killing at least 51 people as flames threatened historic sites including Ancient Olympia.
"We are dealing with a national catastrophe, without precedent," said Niakalaos Diamantis, a fire service spokesman.
The Greek Health Ministry announced this morning that the death toll had climbed past 50, putting it among the world's deadliest forest fires of modern times.
"We are dealing with a national catastrophe, without precedent," said Niakalaos Diamantis, a fire service spokesman.
The Greek Health Ministry announced this morning that the death toll had climbed past 50, putting it among the world's deadliest forest fires of modern times.
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| ©AP |
| Fires in Greece as captured by NASA satelite |
A male and female found dead in their car surrounded by the wildfire in the Alupka forest district are believed to the first victims of the fire that began on August 24.
Moreover, two officers of the Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry combating the wildfire were injured, the press service of the Crimean Council of Ministers said on Sunday.
The fire is raging on the territory of 50 hectares.
Ukrainian Emergency Situations Minister Nestor Shufrych urgently arrived to Crimea from the Kherson region in order tostudy the situation and to organize fire-combating activities.
"The Alpine landscape makes it difficult to combat the fire, and we
are preparing additional forces to help Crimean residents," the press
service said.
Moreover, two officers of the Ukrainian Emergency Situations Ministry combating the wildfire were injured, the press service of the Crimean Council of Ministers said on Sunday.
The fire is raging on the territory of 50 hectares.
Ukrainian Emergency Situations Minister Nestor Shufrych urgently arrived to Crimea from the Kherson region in order tostudy the situation and to organize fire-combating activities.
"The Alpine landscape makes it difficult to combat the fire, and we
are preparing additional forces to help Crimean residents," the press
service said.
Think of them as sprites on steroids: Gigantic Jets are lightning-like discharges that spring from the top of thunderstorms, reaching all the way from the thunderhead to the ionosphere 50+ miles overhead. They are enormous and powerful.
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| ©Richard Smedley |
Storms slammed rain-soaked Ohio on Saturday and hundreds of thousands of people in the Midwest were without power after their homes were battered by lashing winds and flooding rains.
Tornado warnings were issued Saturday afternoon for parts of central and southeast Ohio. Downed trees and power lines were reported in the southern part of the state, said National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Hatzos.
Tornado warnings were issued Saturday afternoon for parts of central and southeast Ohio. Downed trees and power lines were reported in the southern part of the state, said National Weather Service meteorologist Andy Hatzos.
A possible pause to the heavy rain that has caused widespread flooding on Queensland's Sunshine Coast could stop the worst fears of rescuers from being realised today, but residents have still been evacuated from at-risk areas after the region was bucketed in recent days.
While the flooding is now forecast to be less severe today than earlier feared, the wild weather has brought huge swells to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, forcing beaches there to be closed.
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| ©John Wilson |
| Cut off ... Sunshine Coast residents look at the flooded Mary River. |
While the flooding is now forecast to be less severe today than earlier feared, the wild weather has brought huge swells to the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, forcing beaches there to be closed.
One of Alaska's most active volcanoes continued vigorously erupting into its second week, with larger explosive eruptions still expected, officials said Thursday.
"Earthquake activity remains steady and well above normal" at Pavlof Volcano on the Aleutian arc, and vigorous lava flow is continuing, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
Volcano seismologist Steve McNutt said the volcano, located about 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, could be building toward a major, more explosive eruption.
"Earthquake activity remains steady and well above normal" at Pavlof Volcano on the Aleutian arc, and vigorous lava flow is continuing, according to the Alaska Volcano Observatory.
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Volcano seismologist Steve McNutt said the volcano, located about 600 miles southwest of Anchorage, could be building toward a major, more explosive eruption.
A spokesperson with the state climatologist office has confirmed what many Iowans have suspected - this is the rainiest August in Iowa history.
Harry Hillaker, climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, reported Friday that continuing rains have resulted in a statewide average precipitation amount of 8.62 inches through early Friday morning. The previous record was 8.24 inches in August 1993.
Harry Hillaker, climatologist with the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, reported Friday that continuing rains have resulted in a statewide average precipitation amount of 8.62 inches through early Friday morning. The previous record was 8.24 inches in August 1993.
The Los Angeles basin appears to be in a seismic "lull" characterized by relatively smaller and infrequent earthquakes, according to a study in the September issue of Geology.
By contrast, the Mojave Desert is in a seismically active period. Seismic activity alternates between the two regions, the study suggests.
The lull in the Los Angeles basin began 1,000 years ago, said the authors, led by James Dolan, associate professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California.
"The past 1,000 years has been relatively quiet," Dolan said, referring to what he calls the "urban fault network" under the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
By contrast, the Mojave Desert is in a seismically active period. Seismic activity alternates between the two regions, the study suggests.
The lull in the Los Angeles basin began 1,000 years ago, said the authors, led by James Dolan, associate professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California.
"The past 1,000 years has been relatively quiet," Dolan said, referring to what he calls the "urban fault network" under the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
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