Earth Changes

Southern Alps in New Zealand receive up to a metre of snow in 24 hours

Mountain Watch
Wed, 18 Aug 2021 18:40 UTC

Deep wind-drifts in Mt Hutt yesterday after 40cms

As the storm clears today, many are looking at webcams of places they would rather be as the deep fresh snow coincides with the yesterday's news of New Zealand's snow resorts plunging into level 4 lockdown for three days.

Thanks to the storm earlier this week we have just seen great snow accumulations around the country, offering some of the best conditions so far this season. Ohau reported a metre up top in 24 hours to Tuesday morning and other locations around the Southern Alps reporting around the half a metre mark in the past 48 hours. However, other than this storm and a couple of earlier snow falls, it has been quite warm around the country with the NIWA (National Institute of water andAtmospheric Research) research showing that New Zealand has just experienced its warmest June and July on record.

Alberta's Kananaskis region just got some summer snow

Laine Mitchell
DH News
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:07 UTC

In most places, August usually means sunshine and warm temperatures; however, Alberta's weather can be a bit of a wild card.

The province lived up to its reputation on Tuesday, when the Kananaskis region experienced snow.

Locals took to social media to express their surprise, and maybe even happiness, that Alberta's K-country got some of the white fluffy stuff.

Posts showed snow in the region, with some dusting to mountain peaks to the fluffy stuff coating trees and grass.

Tsunami warning issued after Pacific island of Vanuatu is rocked by 6.8 magnitude earthquake

DAVID AVERRE
Daily Mail
Wed, 18 Aug 2021 13:15 UTC

The quake was triggered at a depth of 56 miles (91 km) and was about 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Port-Olry, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS)

An earthquake of magnitude 6.8 struck near the coast of Port-Olry, Vanuatu, Wednesday morning, triggering a tsunami warning for nearby areas.

The quake was triggered at a depth of 56 miles (91 km) and was about 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Port-Olry, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said hazardous waves were possible for coasts located within 300 km of the epicentre.

USGS had initially put the magnitude at 7.1 and the depth at 51 miles, but these figures were later revised.

Massive waterspout off Fort Walton Beach, Florida

Michael Morrison
YouTube
Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:55 UTC

Massive waterspout off Fort Walton Beach this morning ran us off our fishing trip. Thanks to captain and crew of Inn Keeper for getting us out safely.

Waterspout towers over Florida's Lake Okeechobee

Yahoo! News
Wed, 18 Aug 2021 12:40 UTC

A waterspout was spotted towering over Florida's Lake Okeechobee on August 16 2021.

This footage by Rod Hummel shows the watery vortex extending from a patch of dark cloud looming above the lake. Credit: Rod Hummel via Storyful

'Don't come here': Swedish city of Gävle flooded after two months' worth of rain falls overnight

The Local (Sweden)
Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:31 UTC

A residential area in Gävle covered in water on Wednesday.

People in Gävle are being urged to stay inside after double that of one month's worth of rain fell in just the space of a few hours.

Just before 3am on Wednesday, fire and rescue services in the Gävle area sent out an official warning, urging people to stay at home due to heavy rain and flooding.

The warning was lifted later in the morning, but people were still told to be cautious after landslides were reported and roads caved in.

"Police are therefore urging residents of the Gävleborg region not to head out on the roads unless they have to. Police are also urging travellers not to come to Gävleborg," read a statement on the regional police authority's website on Wednesday.

Cascading natural disasters: Following devastating flooding, F2 tornado touches down in Grossheide, Germany

RT
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:48 UTC

The storm left a path of devastation in Großheide, Aurich district.

A severe storm, complete with a tornado, has hit a small town in northern Germany, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake and making several homes completely uninhabitable, according to local authorities.

The foul weather hit the town of Grossheide in Germany's northwestern Lower Saxony state on Monday evening. The powerful storm ripped roofs from houses, overturned vehicles and uprooted trees, as some terrified locals filmed a funnel cloud raging over nearby fields.

Footage published on social media showed a huge grey whirlwind swirling over a grove not far from Grossheide and forcing people to seek shelter in their homes. Some said they have never seen anything like it in the area before.

6.1-magnitude earthquake hits South Sandwich Islands region: USGS

Xinhua
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:42 UTC

An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 jolted South Sandwich Islands region at 17:53:29 GMT on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

The epicenter, with a depth of 47.09 km, was initially determined to be at 58.0238 degrees south latitude and 25.4706 degrees west longitude.

Heavy wind and rain batters Florida as Tropical Storm Fred makes landfall

Daily Mail
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 19:12 UTC

Tropical Storm Fred made landfall in Florida's Gulf Coast today with heavy rain and winds up to 60mph.

Another tropical storm called Henri formed from a depression a couple hours after as it loomed over Bermuda.

Tropical Depression Grace is expected to produce heavy rainfall in regions surrounding the south Hispaniola coast with possibility of flash flooding and mudslides as well as stronger tropical storm conditions as it reaches the Gulf.

12 dead and 2.7 million affected by floods in Bihar, India

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:49 UTC

Bihar Chief minister, Nitish Kumar, surveys the floods in Bihar, India August 2021

Officials in the state of Bihar in eastern India report flooding in 15 districts has affected 2.7 million people. The Ganges River is at record levels in Bhagalpur and Patna Districts. Rivers across the state are above the danger mark in 26 locations.

Flooding has affected wide areas of the state for the last 10 days. As of 11 August, seven rivers in the state were above the danger mark in 15 locations, including the Ganges. Over 250,000 people were affected by floods across 125 villages in 5 districts.

Flooding has continued to worsen since then. The Disaster Management Department in Bihar reported on 16 August that flooding has affected 2.7 million people and 2,176 villages across 15 districts in the state. The department said that as many as 12 people have lost their lives.

Over 85,000 of those affected have moved from flooded homes to safer areas, many of them with the assistance of boat teams from the State and National Disaster Response Forces (NDRF). On NDRF team rescued a victim who had taken refuge on the roof of a hut for 2 days.