Earth Changes
The cold wave, which reaches South, Southeast, Midwest, and up to two northern states of the country (Rondônia and Acre), is the longest in 13 years, according to the National Institute of Meteorology (Inmet).
"Should greatly disrupt agriculture"
"There were 17 days in all. Now, there are already seven days with temperatures below zero, and certainly this will continue until Friday, which should greatly disrupt agriculture, especially citrus plantations and lettuce, and bring problems health," says meteorologist Lucia Gularte of Inmet.
Among the places hit by the snow are two capitals: Curitiba and Florianópolis. In Curitiba, the record snow made on Tuesday by Simepar Meteorological Institute is the first since 1975.
© Ashoka Jegroo / The Santiago Times
Santiago recorded its coldest day of the year Monday morning.
Santiago recorded its coldest day of the year Monday morning.
Santiago and other cities were affected by record low temperatures during the past few days, with some areas reaching as low as 16.8 F (-8.4 C) Monday.
The south central area of Chile faced the coldest temperatures of the year on Monday with below-freezing temperatures expected to continue until Tuesday, according to the Chilean Meteorological Office (DMC).
Chilean students received a cold welcome back from their winter vacation as Santiago's lowest temperature of the year came in at 26.6 F (-3 C) in Quinta Normal at 6:56 a.m. Monday morning. Santiago saw a high of 55.4 F (13 C). Just outside of the capital, Lampa claimed the country's record low temperature of the year with shivering lows of 16.8 F (-8.4 C). Calera de Tango in the Valparaíso Region clocked in with a low of 25.5 F (-3.6 C).
Eerie round, orange clouds were spotted over a Michigan town, making the sky appear "on fire" and leading residents to worry that wild weather was coming.
The bizarre sight formed in the skies over the Michigan town of Iron Mountain at around 8:30 p.m. local time, and led to worries that severe thunderstorms or tornadoes were approaching.
National Weather Service Warning Coordination meteorologist Jeff Last, who posted images of the curved, tinted clouds to Twitter, said they were a rare phenomenon called Mammatus, which means "breast cloud."
Mammatus, or mammatocumulus, clouds are often associated with severe thunderstorms, said Iron Mountain Daily News reporter Chris Tomassucci.
© Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute
Dolphins are dying in the Indian River Lagoon. Today, the federal government announced that it will help investigate the cause.
Dolphins are dying in the Indian River Lagoon. Today, the federal government announced that it will help investigate the cause.
In a normal year, that number would be closer to 22.
On July 24, NOAA declared the mass die-off an "Unusual Mortality Event" - a declaration that will send federal resources and scientists to help teams already on the ground in Florida. It's the lagoon's worst dolphin die-off on record, and the cause is mysterious.
"This has become a national investigation, instead of a local investigation," said Megan Stolen, a marine biologist with Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, the nonprofit organization that has been investigating and keeping track of the dolphin deaths so far. "This will definitely help us."
It's the second time this year that NOAA has declared an Unusual Mortality Event for marine mammals in the lagoon, a 156-mile-long estuary that runs along Florida's Atlantic coast. In April, a mass manatee die-off received the same designation.
This is the third time a UME has been declared for dolphins in the lagoon. What caused the others, in 2001 and 2008, is still a mystery.
© Buenos Aires Herald
Mendoza province experienced heavy snowfall as a consequence of the intense cold.
Mendoza province experienced heavy snowfall as a consequence of the intense cold.
In Catamarca province, a 51-year-old man died of a heart attack caused by hypothermia, in his Altos de Choya home. In the Parque Norte Oeste district of Catamarca, meanwhile, a 19-year-old disabled youth also lost his life.
In the early hours of Monday morning Jose Romera, a homeless man aged 47, was discovered in the streets of Andresito, Misiones, and was pronounced dead also due to hypothermia.
In Salta, meanwhile, a three-year-old boy was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning, a consequence of fumes from a heater which had been turned on to combat the intense cold.
Early morning temperatures in Buenos Aires dropped as low as 1.6°C, before rising to 10° in the afternoon. Similar numbers are forecast for Wednesday, before the rest of the week sees a slight increase in temperature.
In parts of Jujuy and Mendoza provinces, meanwhile, locals suffered with temperatures of up to -10°C.
© University of Aberdeen
Feeding frenzy! Cusk eels, photographed 3.7 miles below the surface of the sea, swarm some tasty treats.
Feeding frenzy! Cusk eels, photographed 3.7 miles below the surface of the sea, swarm some tasty treats.
The eel is just the latest animal to die en masse in China's waters. In March, thousands of dead pigs were dumped by farmers into the Hangpu River in Shanghai, and hundreds of dead ducks and fish have also turned up in Chinese waterways.
Although no one knows the cause yet, some suspect the China National Offshore Oil Company may be responsible, the website Quartz reported. That company is doubling its crude oil production.
But the company and local administrators say the eels died of natural causes. The company says ocean currents brought a confluence of low temperatures, low oxygen and high salt content that killed off the eels, the South China Morning Post reported.
44 people evacuated on 2 life boats; all OK
What officials described as a 'major cloud of gas' surrounded a shallow-water natural gas platform that experienced a blowout on Tuesday morning.
The blowout happened about 9:50 a.m. on Hercules Platform No. 265, which is located about 40 miles south and 10 to 15 miles west of Grand Isle, according to the Coast Guard.
Officials told WDSU that 44 people were evacuated on two life boats, and all are said to be OK.
The blowout happened about 9:50 a.m. on Hercules Platform No. 265, which is located about 40 miles south and 10 to 15 miles west of Grand Isle, according to the Coast Guard.
Officials told WDSU that 44 people were evacuated on two life boats, and all are said to be OK.
- Around 50 homes hit by flash flooding in Southwell, Nottinghamshire, following heavy downpours
- Entire months rainfall hits Pershore, Worcestershire, in the space of three hours as the area is hit by 56mm of rain
- Two flood warnings and 13 flood alerts put in place by the Environment Agency
- Up to 40mm of rain could hit the east of England in the space of a few hours today
Nottinghamshire Police said houses in Southwell were particularly badly hit by the extreme weather, while numerous properties, businesses and roads across the county were affected.
Today the Environment Agency had two flood warnings in place in Somerset and 13 active flood alerts as Britain was braced for further downpours.
Flooded: Cars are completely submerged in water in Southwell, Nottingham, last night after a heavy downpour
Summer soaking: A car is almost completely covered by muddy water after a downpour caused flash flooding in Southwell, Nottingham, yesterday
Bulbous formation turned sky over Iron Mountain orange
Weather phenomenon, known as Mammatus, can be sign of storm
Ominous clouds gathered over a Michigan city on Monday night, leading residents to question what was causing the bulbous formations and if they were a sign of rough weather ahead.
As the orange-tinged clouds were spotted at about 8.30pm above Iron Mountain, residents posted pictures of them on social media to see if anyone could identify what they were.
Meteorologist Jeff Last was finally able to resolve the mystery through Twitter, when he identified the phenomenon as Mammatus.
Strange forecast: Joe Nottage took pictures of the clouds as they gathered over Iron Mountain
Weather phenomenon, known as Mammatus, can be sign of storm
Ominous clouds gathered over a Michigan city on Monday night, leading residents to question what was causing the bulbous formations and if they were a sign of rough weather ahead.
As the orange-tinged clouds were spotted at about 8.30pm above Iron Mountain, residents posted pictures of them on social media to see if anyone could identify what they were.
Meteorologist Jeff Last was finally able to resolve the mystery through Twitter, when he identified the phenomenon as Mammatus.
Strange forecast: Joe Nottage took pictures of the clouds as they gathered over Iron Mountain
Comment: For more on the worlds strange weather events that many have never experienced, have a listen to SOTT Talk Radio: Climate Change, Food Shortages and the Future