© Rayann Elzein
"I've been chasing auroras in Arctic Finland for nearly a decade, and this is only the second time I have seen STEVE here at 70 degrees N," says Elzein.
Earth Changes
"I've been chasing auroras in Arctic Finland for nearly a decade, and this is only the second time I have seen STEVE here at 70 degrees N," says Elzein.
© Travel News Twitter
Merapi volcano
Merapi volcano
The authorities evacuated an area of five kilometres around the volcano.
"So far the potential danger does not exceed five kilometres," said Hanik Humaira, director of the Indonesian Geology Agency, in a statement.
Activity at the Merapi, 400 kilometres southwest of Jakarta, began to increase last Thursday, according to the Indonesian Geology Agency, which indicated that the volcano was erupting.
Most of those affected were in Batticaloa, Eastern Province, where 12 division have seen flooding since 03 January 2021. Sri Lanka's Meteorological Department reported 142.4mm of rain fell in Batticaloa in 24 hours to 04 January.
Over 18,000 people have been affected by floods in Kattankudy, around 13,000 in Manmunai North and 8,000 in Eravur Pattu. DMC report 8 houses have been damaged across Batticaloa district as a result. No displacements or injuries were reported.
© BPBD Bima Regency
Floods in Bima Regency, Indonesia, 05 January 2021.
Floods in Bima Regency, Indonesia, 05 January 2021.
National Disaster Agency BNPB reported flash flooding in Bima Regency, West Nusa Tenggara Province from 05 January 2021. At least 2 people have died and around 90 homes were damaged.
The previous day, high intensity rain falling on unstable ground triggered landslides and flash flooding in soil conditions in the Sangihe Islands in North Sulawesi Province. BNPB reported the sub-districts of Tahuna, Kendahe, Maganitu, South Maganitu, Tabukan Selatan Tengah and Tabukan Selatan Tenggara were all affected. At least 1 person died, over 200 buildings damaged and 223 families displaced. Flood waters were up to 1.5 metres deep in some areas.
While extreme Arctic conditions have spared southern Canada of late, instead favoring to dip deep into Asia where Russia and even the subtropical regions of China and India continue to suffer record-breaking sub-zero temperatures, things have played out very differently in northern Canada.
Taking Kugaaruk as an example, on the morning of Tuesday, January 5 the small Nunavut hamlet located on the shore of Pelly Bay registered -47C (-52.6F) — this was a temperature among the area's coldest on record, and it also comfortably broke the previous Jan. 5 all-time low of -42C (-43.6F) set back in 1985 (solar minimum of cycle 21).
In addition to the official new record low, a staggering windchill or "feels-like" benchmark was also set.
When speaking to Yahoo News, Jaclyn Whittal, meteorologist at the Weather Network, pointed out that Kugaaruk's windchill was over -60C (-76F) early Tuesday morning, a number she said is hard to even wrap your head around.
"Windchills of minus 60 would freeze your skin in less than two minutes," said Whittal. "Think about that. It takes two minutes to order a coffee at a drive-through".
While the northeast monsoon extending to January is not uncommon in Chennai, what came as a surprise was the intensity of rain lashing the city and neighbouring districts since Monday night.
Officials of the India Meteorological Department attributed it to an easterly trough over north Tamil Nadu.
Nungambakkam and Meenambakkam recorded 6 cm and 5 cm of rainfall respectively for 24 hours ending 8.30 a.m. on Tuesday. However, by 6.30 p.m., the two stations had recorded 8 cm and 10 cm rain respectively. Many other places, such as Taramani, received 12 cm, West Tambaram 10 cm and Poonamallee 7 cm.
© University of Exeter
Lead author of the study, Dr Richard Hall, said there was an increased chance of extreme cold, and potentially snow, over the next week or two.
Lead author of the study, Dr Richard Hall, said there was an increased chance of extreme cold, and potentially snow, over the next week or two.
A dramatic meteorological event, known as a sudden stratospheric warming (SSW), is currently unfolding high over the Arctic. SSW events are some of the most extreme of atmospheric phenomena, occurring in only about 6 of every 10 winters, and see polar stratospheric temperature increase by up to 50°C over the course of a few days.
The usual strong westerly winds of the stratospheric polar vortex also break down and reverse in direction.
The new study, by experts from the universities of Exeter, Bristol and Bath, involved the analysis of 40 observed SSW events which occurred over the last 60 years. Researchers developed a novel method for tracking the signal of an SSW downward from its onset in the stratosphere to the surface.
These events are linked to severe weather events, such as the infamous 2018 "Beast from the East" which covered the UK in swathes of snow.
The study is published in the Journal of Geophysical Research and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC).
The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere from around 10-50km above the earth's surface.
© Associated Press
The epicenter, with a depth of 151.69 km, was initially determined to be at 0.0115 degrees north latitude and 122.9237 degrees east longitude.
Comment: About 15 hour earlier a 6.2-magnitude earthquake hit the Kermadec Islands region in the South Pacific Ocean.
The chilling temperature was recorded at Clot del Tuc de la Llanca in Aragon in the Spanish Pyrenees at 5.19 a.m., the agency said.
This was two degrees lower than in 1956, when temperatures of -32C were recorded in Estany-Gento, in Lleida, in northeastern Spain.
More heavy snowfall is forecast for much of central and northern Spain with temperatures expected to fall -11C.
A 75-year-old man who got lost after he decided to walk to safety when his car became stuck in a snow storm was rescued by police in Navia de Suarna, near Lugo, in northwestern Spain.
Comment: STEVE (Strong Thermal Velocity Enhancement) is a relatively recent discovery, first spotted and photographed by Canadian citizen scientists around 10 years ago. It looks like an aurora, but it is not. See also:
- Astronomers studying novel atmospheric plasma phenomenon 'STEVE' publish paper on 'pure green sky canonballs'
- STEVE makes unusual summertime appearance, record breaking solar minimum update
- The phenomenon STEVE is not an Aurora after all
Discoveries like STEVE are just the tip of the ice berg when it comes to the unusual phenomena that reflects the shift occurring on our planet - and even further afield: