Earth Changes

Saharan dust cloud cloaks U.S. Gulf Coast in choking haze

Jeff Berardelli
CBS News
Sat, 27 Jun 2020 10:11 UTC

What's been called the most significant dust cloud in 50 years has now shrouded the U.S. Gulf Coast in a thick, dusty haze. The dust layer, which originated in the Sahara desert and drifted across the Atlantic, is forecast to continue moving north and east through the weekend, impacting areas from Texas and Florida all the way up to as far north as the Canadian border.

For most people, the dust will merely be a nuisance, but for many who have breathing issues the extra particulates in the atmosphere can cause complications. The timing couldn't be much worse, considering that a recent Harvard study shows that long-term exposure to fine particles of pollution in the air, much like dust, may be linked to higher rates of hospitalization and death due to COVID-19.

Boy recovering from shark attack off Homestead, Florida

whsv.com
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:56 UTC

© WSVN/CNN
When 7-year-old Jacob was bitten by what his mother believes was a bull shark, he didn’t shed a tear, despite wounds that required 19 stitches.

A 7-year-old Florida boy received 19 stitches after he was bitten in the leg by what his mother believes may have been a bull shark on a trip to the beach.

The 7-year-old, only identified as Jacob, sustained three wounds to his leg Monday after he says he went into the water at Homestead Bayfront Park in Homestead, Florida, and an animal bit him.

"All we saw was the blood coming down," said Jacob's mother, only identified as Ethel.

Ethel says when Jacob was attacked, he didn't shed a tear. Lifeguards quickly gave him medical attention, and he was then taken to the hospital, where he got 19 stitches.

"He was cool, calm and collect[ed]. I, on the other hand, was a mess," Ethel said.

Rare Right Whale found dead off New Jersey coast

Maine Public
Fri, 26 Jun 2020 18:49 UTC

Federal authorities say the carcass of a critically endangered species of whale was found floating off the coast of New Jersey.

© NY DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
A dead North Atlantic right whale is seen off the coast of Long Island, New York in Sept. 2019.

The whale was a North Atlantic right whale and it was found on Thursday.

The whales number only about 400, and have suffered high mortality and poor reproduction in recent years.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the whale was found floating off the coast of Elberon, N.J.

The agency and the Marine Mammal Stranding Center are working on performing a necropsy of the animal to determine how it died.

Source: AP

Bearded seal from the Arctic is the Montreal area's latest unusual visitor

Katelyn Thomas
CTV News
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:25 UTC

A bearded seal is the latest marine mammal to be spotted in the St-Lawrence River

Just a few weeks after the death of the stray humpback whale who enchanted Montrealers, a bearded seal has made its way to the area.

Originally from the arctic, the mammal was spotted Tuesday at the Bo-Bi-No marina in Laval, the city directly north of Montreal.

"We see them every year in Trois-Rivières but in Montreal, not for this species," said Marie-Ève Muller from the province's marine mammal research group (GREMM). "This is the first time."

2 tornadoes hit East Baton Rouge, Louisiana

wbrz.com
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 18:12 UTC

The vehicle that went missing from a parking lot along One Calais Avenue was found in the middle of I-10 following severe storms Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service says two confirmed twisters touched down in East Baton Rouge Wednesday.

Along I-10 near Essen Lane, the National Weather Service found damage consistent with high end EF-1 with estimated winds at 110 mph. The path length is believed to have been 3.5 miles in length and 100 yards wide.

The most significant damage was in the vicinity of Ammon Staffing Building along I-10, where there was partial roof collapse and a vehicle tossed onto the interstate.

Sahara dust storm hits Torreón, Mexico

Infotainment
YouTube
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 12:16 UTC

Sahara dust storm hits Torreón, Coahuila - Mexico, June 24, 2020.

Comment: Related: Most intense Saharan dust cloud in 50 years hits the Caribbean

At least 5 killed by more floods in Abidjan, Cote D'Ivoire - 9 inches of rainfall in 5 hours

Floodlist
Fri, 26 Jun 2020 10:33 UTC

Floods in Abidjan District, Cote D’Ivoire, 25 June 2020.

At least 5 people have died and one is missing after flash flooding in Abidjan District, Cote D'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), 25 June 2020 after 240mm of rain fell in a few hours. More heavy rain is forecast over the next 2 days.

Civil Protection said several roads have been cut and houses damaged. Images shared on Social Media showed upturned cars that had been dragged through streets and residents taking refuge on roofs or clinging to walls and trees.

Firefighters responded to several calls for assistance, mostly in the suburb of Cocody which was among the worst hit areas. Police reported they rescued or evacuated 36 people in several areas of the Abidjan district.

According to figures from the country's meteorological office SODEXAM, Cocody recorded 240.8 mm of rain and Abobo 146.4 in a period 24 to 25 June.

World record longest lightning flash of 440 miles confirmed

Doyle Rice
USA TODAY
Fri, 26 Jun 2020 09:59 UTC

Lightning rips through the night sky above Boulder, Colorado, in this file photo. New world records for lightning length and duration have been confirmed, the World Meteorological Organization said on June 25, 2020.

A new world record lightning strike of 440 miles has been confirmed by the World Meteorological Organization, according to a Thursday announcement.

The "megaflash" traveled that distance over parts of southern Brazil on Oct. 31, 2018, the WMO said. This is equivalent to the distance between Washington, DC, and Boston.

In addition to the longest flash in terms of distance, a world record for longest lightning strike in terms of time was also announced: A single flash lasted 16.73 seconds over northern Argentina on March 4, 2019.

"These are extraordinary records from single lightning flash events," said Arizona State University Professor Randall Cerveny, chief rapporteur of Weather and Climate Extremes for the WMO, in a statement. "Environmental extremes are living measurements of what nature is capable, as well as scientific progress in being able to make such assessments.

"It is likely that even greater extremes still exist, and that we will be able to observe them as lightning detection technology improves," he said.

Shallow 6.4-magnitude earthquake hits Xinjiang, China

China Daily
Fri, 26 Jun 2020 09:43 UTC

A 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Yutian county of Hotan prefecture in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region at 5:05 am Friday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center.

The epicenter was monitored at 35.73 degrees north latitude and 82.33 degrees east longitude, with a depth of 10 km, the CENC said.

No obvious tremors were felt in Yutian county seat.

The average altitude within 5 km around the epicenter is about 5,300 m, and there are no villages within 20 km around the epicenter, according to the regional seismological bureau.

Source: Xinhua

Adapt 2030 Ice Age Report: Will the Three Gorges Dam Collapse? Here is your answer

Adapt 2030
Thu, 25 Jun 2020 23:00 UTC

With the heaviest floods in 70+ years covering China under unprecedented amounts of flood water, recent talk of the Three Gorges Dam over-topping or collapsing is making the rounds. This is my best guess what will happen as the reservoir fills and flood gates are opened to full volume with down river flooding that will severely reduce crop yields moving into 2020 harvest season.