Earth ChangesS


Snowflake Cold

Coldest December day in 42 years recorded in Beijing

Fan Anqi
Global Times
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 13:56 UTC
Record cold in Beijing
© Xinhua/Ju HuanzongChina's meteorological authority on Tuesday renewed an orange alert, the second highest in a four-tier warning system, for a cold wave as a strong cold front has been sweeping across most parts of central and east China from Monday.
Apart from the resurgence of the coronavirus that has confined many Beijingers at home, local residents now have another reason to stay indoors - the bitter wind and extreme cold as the city saw its coldest recorded December day in 42 years at -26 C, with residents astonished at the sudden temperature drop.

"The forecast for Beijing is even colder than the North Pole," a netizen on China's Twitter-like Sina Weibo said early on Wednesday, posting screenshots of weather-tracking apps which read -13 C in Beijing and -3 C at the North Pole.

As a cold air mass swept across northern China and Beijing since Tuesday, temperatures plunged from an average daily high of 2 C to maximum highs of -6 C and lows of -13 C, some of the coldest December days in a decade. As high winds accompanied the cold snap, with gusts of between 30-50 kilometers an hour, the wind chill has seen real feel temperatures of -22 C, with residents scurrying to get inside as they hold onto their hats.
Read More...
Attention

Caribbean volcanoes rumble to life as scientists study activity not seen in years


The Guardian
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 19:14 UTC
View over Guadeloupe, from the summit of La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and Grenadines
© Jakob Fischer/Alamy Stock Photo/Alamy Stock PhotoView over Guadeloupe, from the summit of La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and Grenadines.
Volcanoes that have been quiet for decades are rumbling to life in the eastern Caribbean, prompting officials to issue alerts in Martinique and St Vincent and the Grenadines as scientists rush in to study activity they say has not been observed in years.

The most recent warning was issued late on Tuesday for La Soufriere volcano in St Vincent and the Grenadines, a chain of islands home to more than 100,000 people. Officials reported tremors, strong gas emissions, formation of a new volcanic dome and changes to its crater lake.

The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency said that scientists observed an "effusive eruption within the crater, with visible gas and steam" on Tuesday.

The government warned those living near the volcano to prepare to evacuate if needed, declaring an orange alert that means eruptions could occur with less than 24 hours' notice.

La Soufriere, located near the northern tip of the main island of St Vincent, last erupted in 1979, and a previous eruption in 1902 killed some 1,600 people. That occurred shortly before Martinique's Mt Pelee erupted and destroyed the town of Saint-Pierre, killing more than 30,000 people.

Comment: See also:

Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Unique and rare phenomenon reported in river in Scotland

David G Scott
The Northern Times
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 21:56 UTC
It may not be on anyone's festive menu but plummeting temperatures around Dunbeath Strath have whipped up the recipe for a very unique and strange phenomenon - ice pancakes.

Ice Pancakes
© Cath WhittlesIce pancakes are a relatively rare phenomenon that usually occur in very cold oceans and lakes.
Cath Whittles from Roseleigh House in Latheronwheel was taking a stroll along the Strath on Monday when she observed strange circular formations of ice at the side of the river.
She sent across images she took of the frozen discs, resembling pancakes or lily pads, and wrote: "We were delighted to see these on the Dunbeath river yesterday while out for a walk and believe that they are quite unusual - needing the exactly right conditions in order to form. Thought you and your readers might be interested."

The weather warnings from the Met Office of snow and ice across the Highlands have helped concoct the ice pancake recipe.
Read More...
Umbrella

Tropical storm Chalane makes landfall in Mozambique


CGTN Africa
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 20:44 UTC
map storm
A powerful tropical storm dubbed Chalane made landfall near the central Mozambique city of Beira early on Wednesday.

The storm brought heavy rain and wind to an area devastated by Cyclone Idai nearly two years ago.

Beira, a low-lying coastal city of 500,000 people is home to Mozambique's second-largest port that serves as a gateway to landlocked countries in the region.

Residents living in the path of the tropical storm Chalane and near rivers were asked by the government to move to safer areas.


Comment: Some earlier footage as it struck the island of Madagascar:



Read More...
Doberman

Home surveillance catches attack by 3 pit bull terriers on Milwaukee's north side

Aaron Maybin
FOX6 News Milwaukee
Tue, 29 Dec 2020 19:42 UTC
dog attack
Seeking a safe haven by jumping from one car to the next, cameras capture a man climbing on top of vehicles, trying to escape biting dogs early Monday morning.
Seeking a safe haven by jumping from one car to the next, cameras capture a man climbing on top of vehicles, trying to escape biting dogs early Monday morning.

The man climbed on top of an SUV to get away from the pack.

The situation went on for roughly fifteen minutes before police arrived.

"I have a camera there," Sandra Townsend said.

She keeps a close eye on her neighborhood.

"Yeah, I'm nosey," she said.

Read More...
Snowflake

Heavy snowfall kills 4 children in Afghanistan

Shadi Khan Saif
Anadolu Agency
Tue, 29 Dec 2020 19:16 UTC
snow
At least 15 people, including women, children, also injured in snowstorm, landslide in central Bamyan province

Heavy snow and avalanches killed at least four children in Afghanistan's central Daikundi province, officials confirmed on Tuesday.

Officials told Anadolu Agency that the incident took place in the Keti district in the central highlands when religious school students got trapped in a pile of snow.

According to Assadullah Sarwari, the provincial head of disasters management authority, the children were heading to their winter class in the Islamic seminary. A rescue and relief team was sent to the area, Sarwari told Anadolu Agency.
Read More...
Windsock

Record-breaking storm with 135 km/h winds blasts Nunavut, Canada

Emma Tranter
National Observer
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 14:02 UTC
The aftermath of a blizzard in Pangnirtung, Nunavut
© THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - Sky PanipakThe aftermath of a blizzard in Pangnirtung, Nunavut, is shown in this recent handout photo. A Dec. 27 blizzard that saw winds reach 135 kilometres per hour tore apart cabins and ripped windshields from snowmobiles in Pangnirtung. One person was flown to a southern hospital with injuries.
Pangnirtung mayor Eric Lawlor couldn't see out his windows on Sunday.

That's when a record-breaking blizzard hit the Baffin Island community of about 1,500, shaking houses and crushing cabins.

Environment and Climate Change Canada says Sunday's storm brought record wind gusts and heavy snow to communities across Nunavut. In Pangnirtung, winds reached 135 km/h that day.

"It was like an all day thing. The wind was so strong," Lawlor said.

Sky Panipak, who also lives in Pangnirtung, posted a photo to Twitter of one resident's home where the front steps were torn clean from the door.
Read More...
Cloud Precipitation

Moment runner is swept off pier in northern Spain by huge wave during storm Bella

Imogen Braddick
The Sun (UK)
Tue, 29 Dec 2020 15:20 UTC
The moment the 28-year-old was swept off the pier by a huge wave
The moment the 28-year-old was swept off the pier by a huge wave
This is the shocking moment a runner was swept off a Spanish pier by a huge wave during Storm Bella.

Oinatz Arretxe, 28, was left with broken bones after he was washed off a wall while jogging with colleagues in the city of Orio, Basque Country.

In the footage, two people are seen running across the pier when a huge wave suddenly crashes over them.

The wave swept Arretxe off the wall and he plummeted four metres to the boardwalk below, El Mundo reports.


Comment: More footage of the massive waves in the area:



Read More...
Fire

57,000 wildfires this year in the US - About 10 million acres burned

Yelena Dzhanova
Insider
Sat, 26 Dec 2020 13:20 UTC
A law enforcement officer watches flames launch into the air as fire continues to spread at the Bear fire in Oroville, California on September 9, 2020.
© Josh Edelson/AFPA law enforcement officer watches flames launch into the air as fire continues to spread at the Bear fire in Oroville, California on September 9, 2020.
As 2020 winds to a close, firefighters are still struggling to contain three active California wildfires.

These three wildfires are part of the more than 57,000 that occurred this year, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, which tracks wildland fires.


As of December 23, these tens of thousands of wildfires have scorched more than 10.3 million acres, a record-high in at least a decade. Burned acres in the United States has not reached double-digit million figures in the last 10 years, according to the agency.

Last year, about 4.5 million acres were burned down because of about 49,000 wildfires.
Read More...
Umbrella

Major flooding in summer caused by super storm closed 64 roads across Queensland, Australia - 4 inches of rain in an HOUR

Sahar Mourad
Daily Mail
Wed, 30 Dec 2020 12:35 UTC
A total of 64 roads have been closed off due to flooding from heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours
A total of 64 roads have been closed off due to flooding from heavy rainfall in the past 24 hours
More than 60 roads across Queensland have been closed off due to major flooding caused by a super storm which saw some some regions collect 100mm of water.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast wet and wild weather for the east coast of Australia with increased rainfall in Queensland, New South Wales, ACT, Victoria and Tasmania.

The rain has caused major headaches for those trying to travel along 64 different roads in Queensland, which have flooded from a trough which moved up from Northern NSW.

Read More...