Earth ChangesS


Windsock

Rare albatross found 2,500 km from home in New Zealand

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A rare species of albatross found injured on Chapel Street could be more than 2500km from home.

Sooty the light-mantled sooty albatross is being nursed back to health at Oropi Native Bird Rescue Haven after being discovered in very poor condition on the side of the road last month.

Haven owner Chrissy Jefferson says it's the first of this species she's encountered in her 54 years of bird rescue work in the Bay.

"They're from the Antipodes Islands, down near the Antarctic. It's very rare for them to be found here.

"It's even stranger he was found on the road; if he'd turned up on the beach, it wouldn't have been as strange."

Comment: See also: Monster storms bring rare seabird visitors to New Zealand


Alarm Clock

USGS: Earthquake Magnitue 6.4 - 83km SSE of Pondaguitan, Philippines

Earthquake 6.4 Pondaguitan, Philippines
© USGS
Event Time
2014-07-14 07:59:58 UTC
2014-07-14 15:59:58 UTC+08:00 at epicente

Location
5.696°N 126.534°E depth=22.5km (14.0mi)

Nearby Cities
83km (52mi) SSE of Pondaguitan, Philippines
101km (63mi) ESE of Caburan, Philippines
129km (80mi) SE of Malita, Philippines
141km (88mi) ESE of Malapatan, Philippines
897km (557mi) WSW of Koror Town, Palau

Scientific data

Cardboard Box

7 quakes possibly caused by fracking hit central Oklahoma within 14 hours

Fracking wells
© UnknownSome scientists say the temblors could be connected to the oil and gas drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, and especially the wells in which the industry disposes of its wastewater.
Seven small earthquakes have shaken central Oklahoma in a span of about 14 hours.

According to the US Geological Survey, earthquakes across Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas have increased in recent years.

Some scientists say the temblors could be connected to the oil and gas drilling method known as hydraulic fracturing, and especially the wells in which the industry disposes of its wastewater.

Sunday's quakes ranged from magnitude 2.6 to 2.9 and were centered in the Guthrie, Jones and Langston areas, 15 miles to 30 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, ABC News reported.

The USGS said the temblors were recorded between 7:57 p.m. Saturday and 9:51 a.m. Sunday. No injuries or damage were reported.

Bizarro Earth

Another outbreak of noctilucent clouds over Europe

The weekend of July 12-13 brought another outbreak of noctilucent clouds (NLCs) to Europe. Across the northern reaches of the continent, skies were criss-crossed by signature ripples of electric blue, like these photographed by Jaan Jalgratas of Tartu, Estonia:
Noctilucent Clouds
© Jaan JalgratasTaken by Jaan Jalgratas on July 12, 2014 @ Tartu, Estonia.
"The display was very bright and it extended at least 35 degrees above the horizon," says Jalgratas. "It was my best sighting ever."

NLCs are Earth's highest clouds. Seeded by "meteor smoke," they form at the edge of space 83 km above Earth's surface. When sunlight hits the tiny ice crystals that make up these clouds, they glow electric blue.

Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - 22km W of Iquique, Chile

Iquique Quake_130714
© USGS
Event Time
2014-07-13 20:54:14 UTC
2014-07-13 16:54:14 UTC-04:00 at epicenter

Location
20.245°S 70.357°W depth=35.7km (22.2mi)

Nearby Cities
22km (14mi) W of Iquique, Chile
195km (121mi) S of Arica, Chile
205km (127mi) N of Tocopilla, Chile
248km (154mi) S of Tacna, Peru
475km (295mi) SSW of La Paz, Bolivia

Scientific Data

Alarm Clock

Volcanic earthquakes detected at Philippine's Bulusan volcano

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© USGS/Chris Newhall
Although not posing any serious threats at the moment, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) on Sunday told the public to stay away from Bulusan volcano's permanent danger zone in Sorsogon after volcanic earthquakes were detected.

"During the 24-hour observation period, the seismic network detected thirteen (13) volcanic earthquakes. Ground deformation data from continuous GPS and precise leveling survey also indicated that the volcano is slightly inflated," Phivolcs said in a statement.

The agency said the volcano's status is still at alert level 0.

"The local government units and the public are reminded that entry to the four-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) is strictly prohibited due to the possibility of sudden and hazardous steam-driven or phreatic eruptions," Phivolcs said.

It warned against aircraft flying near the volcano's summit since sudden eruption may be harmful.

Attention

Mount Sinabung volcano erupts (again) in Indonesia

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© Baltimore Sun/Matt Bracken
Mount Sinabung, one of the most active volcanoes in Indonesia, has erupted, spewing ash to the sky. No casualty was reported, official said here Sunday.

The volcano located in Karo district of North Sumatra province erupted at 23.05 p.m. Saturday, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman of national disaster management agency, said.

"The height of the eruption could not be determined as it took place at night and there were many clouds," he told Xinhua by phone.

"Rains of hot ash occurred in several place in Karo district, but it did not trigger further evacuation," Sutopo added.

The 2,600-metre (8,530-foot) Mount Sinabung last erupted June 29, shooting columns of ash by up to 4,000 metres into the sky.


Snowflake

The Ice Age looms: Heavy snowfall forecast in the Alps this week

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More weather that is not supposed to happen.

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11 July 2014 - "Although summertime snowfall high up in the Alps is not an unusual occurrence, snowfall down to 6000 feet elevation IN JULY is something that wasn't supposed to happen nowadays," writes P. Gosselin on notrickzone.com.

20 inches of snow

Last Tuesday, July 8, the Swiss online Blick reported that meteorologists were predicting snowfall down to 1800 meters elevation (6000 ft.), forecasting up to 50 cm (20 inches) of snow in the Canton of Valais.

Blick writes that the snowfall presented a problem for grazing cattle, which would either have to be brought down to lower elevations or housed in mountain shelters stocked with feed.

By evening, passes were closed and avalanche warnings had been issued.

Cloud Lightning

Two reports of lightning going inside homes and striking people down


Comment: Again, what was thought impossible in the realm of weather a few years ago is now being proven wrong with recent years increase in severe weather phenomena.


Info

English Bay around Vancouver turns blood red

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© Via instagram@amberontheair
Vancouver is known for its stunning views of towering mountains and clear blue water, but this week things went a shade morbid. Water in parts of Burrard Inlet and English Bay turned as blood red as Lady Macbeth's darkest dreams.

Authorities say the change in water colour is the result of algae blooms, according to Global News. John Parker-Jervis, a spokesman for the Port Authority, told the Vancouver Sun that there have been no reports of an oil spill or any other unfortunate event that might have discoloured the water.
A rare red tide in English Bay #Vancouver#airpatrolpic.twitter.com/m3fC4Js7bd
- Chad Dey (@chad_dey) July 8, 2014

Comment:
Yet another European river turns 'blood' red overnight, this time in Northampton, UK
River turns blood red overnight in The Netherlands!
Another European river turns 'blood' red overnight, this time in Slovakia!
Lebanon: Beirut River mysteriously runs blood red
End Times? Texas Lake Turns Blood-Red
Waters at Bondi Beach, Australia turn blood red
Pond suddenly turns blood red Wichita, Kansas
Yangtze River turns red in Chongqing, Southwest China