Earth ChangesS


Snowflake Cold

Arctic sea ice advances further each year, and this years growth is faster than expected

arctic sea ice
© NASA/C. Starr

Ice grew at 5,100 square kilometers (2,000 square miles) per day faster than the average rate of ice growth for the month during October

Rapid expansion of the Arctic sea ice cover is the norm for October as solar input dwindles and the remaining heat in the upper ocean is released upwards, warming the lower atmosphere and escaping to space. Because of late season growth, the seasonal Antarctic maximum we previously reported as occurring on September 15 was exceeded, with a new maximum set on October 11 and 12. This is the second-lowest and second-latest seasonal maximum extent in the satellite record.

Attention

Five dolphins strand themselves in Mayo, Ireland; one dies

Locals and volunteers working hard to get one of the dolphins back safely in the water.
© Tommy EnglishLocals and volunteers working hard to get one of the dolphins back safely in the water.
Four stranded dolphins were successfully rescued and returned to the sea off Achill Island today (Tuesday). The mammals, which were described as distressed and exhausted, were found by members of the public this morning.

The four common dolphins were discovered alive but in difficulty around 11am on the sand on Keem beach. A fifth mammal was also discovered, but was unfortunately found lying dead on the rocks.

A number of local volunteers initially went to the beach to try to rescue the surviving dolphins, but the low tide and lack of appropriate clothing made it difficult to successfully return the much-loved mammals to the sea.

Sorsha Kennedy, a local volunteer with Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland was called to help, and with the assistance of David McNamara of the Achill Coast Guard Unit, and they eventually returned all the live dolphins to the water around 1pm.

Snowflake

Week of snowfall sets two daily records in Fort St. John, British Columbia

snow
Nothing throws the notion of fall fully out the window and buried out of sight than two new snowfall records.

So, if shovelling the 47.1 centimetres of snow that fell between Nov. 13 and 20 wasn't enough to send you to the chiropractor, how about this for some heavy lifting—nearly half of it came on Nov. 14 and 19.

The first record was broken Nov. 14 when 11.8 centimetres fell, beating the previous daily record of 10.4 set in 1966.

The second was broken Nov. 19 when another 13.4 centimetres fell, beating the previous record of 10 in 2012.


"Last week, the airport was reporting snow every day," Environment Canada meteorologist Lisa West said.

Seismograph

Two earthquakes measuring 3.9 hit Bárðarbunga volcano in Iceland

Bárðarbunga is located in the Vatnajökull ice cap
© mbl.is/Árni SæbergBárðarbunga is located in the Vatnajökull ice cap
Two earthquakes of the magnitude of 3.9 occurred in Bárðarbunga in Vatnajökull glacier this afternoon.

Further smaller quakes have been detected following these ones.

There are no signs of volcanic unrest reports the Iceland Met Office.

Comment: This latest seismic activity continues the increasing trend set in September and through October, see the following report for further details: Four large earthquakes recorded in Iceland's most powerful volcano.


Ice Cube

Severe storm produces large hail accumulations in Mersin, Turkey

Hail in Mersin, Turkey
© hurriyetlarge hail accumulation in Mersin, Turkey.
A severe storm brought heavy rain and walnut sized hailstones to Turkey's Mediterranean coastal city of Mersin on Sunday, November 19, 2017. According to local media it produced large hail accumulations and caused havoc for motorists.


Cloud Precipitation

Three killed as heavy rain wreaks havoc across Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

Flash floods in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
© Khaled SahlieFlash floods in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 21, 2017.
Three people died in flash floods triggered by heavy rains swept through Jeddah on Tuesday, leaving motorists stranded and forcing authorities to shut schools and universities in Saudi Arabia's second biggest city.

One person died of electrocution in Jeddah and three others in other places in Makkah region, according to a Saudi Gazette report. Out if the 29 emergency reports received by Jeddah Health Affairs, eight were related to electrocution and the rest traffic accidents.

The Civil Defense received 250 reports of short circuits, spokesman of the Civil Defense in Makkah Province Col. Saeed Al Sarhan told the newspaper.

Dozens of people were plucked from vehicles engulfed by floodwaters, Saudi civil defence authorities said, with heavy rainfall expected to last at least until Wednesday.

The Saudi Red Crescent Authority in Madinah reported 17 cases of people slipping and falling near the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah and in the Central Area.


Arrow Up

Eruption at Agung volcano, Bali

Agung volcano eruption, Bali
© Darren Whiteside / Reuters
Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes in Bali over the past months, fearing an inevitable Mount Agung volcanic eruption, which on Tuesday, finally spewed ash as high as 700 meters into the Indonesian sky.

The volcano on the Indonesian resort island erupted at 5:05pm Tuesday, the National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) announced, urging residents to "remain calm" and to stay away from areas within 7.5-kilometer radius of the volcano.

However, despite the high volcanic activity, flights in and out of Bali are continuing as usual. "Tourism in Bali is also still safe," the BNPB said while asking tourists to stay away from Mount Agung.


Comment: See also:


Attention

Rare oarfish discovered on beach in Kingston, South Australia

Oarfish
A rare discovery washed up on Kingston's shore last week.

The remains of an Oarfish was discovered on the Kingston beach by Sharryn Tiller and her dog Hugo on November 11.

Living in the deep sea, the fish is rarely seen and its behaviour not widely studied, and it is believed to have inspired tales of sea serpents.

"I was taking Hugo for a walk along the beach and we came across this great big dead fish," said Sharryn.

"I thought what on earth is it? I stood there thinking maybe it was an eel.

"But eels don't have whiskers, this fish had great long hard whiskers.

"I came home and my husband was chatting to our neighbour, Dan Watson and I mentioned what I had seen on the beach.

Arrow Down

20-foot-long sinkhole opens up on busy Manhattan street

Massive sinkhole opens up on Manhattan street
Massive sinkhole opens up on Manhattan street
New Yorkers had a scare early Monday morning after a water main failure caused a 20-foot-long sinkhole to open up on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

The sinkhole appeared around 8:30 a.m. on West 82nd Street between Central Park West and Columbus Ave., after residents reported a water main break, according to a local CBS affiliate.


Snowflake

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort in Wyoming receives historic snowfall with over 100 inches of snow reported

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort groomers carve a traverse under a heavy layer of new snow.
Jackson Hole Mountain Resort groomers carve a traverse under a heavy layer of new snow.
After historic early season snowfall, Jackson Hole Mountain Resort is pushing up its opening day.

On Friday, skiers and snowboarders will be able to access the Teton, Apres Vous and Teewinot lifts a day earlier than scheduled. The Bridger and Sweetwater gondolas, and Casper and Marmot lifts, are scheduled to open the following day.

Resort spokeswoman Anna Cole said the early push came to fruition because of the work of the resort's operations staff and cooperation from Mother Nature.

"The tools were all in place to open up," she said. "It's the conditions that allowed it to happen."

Weather station data available via the Bridger-Teton Avalanche Center reported 53 inches of snow in Rendezvous Bowl, 45 inches at the Raymer plot and 36 inches at midmountain. Over 100 inches of snow have fallen in the upper elevations, with a storm front moving in Monday night expected to drop up to 11 inches at the higher elevations.