Earth ChangesS


Cloud Precipitation

Winter storm to hit U.S. from California to Midwest

John Newlan
NBC News
Tue, 19 Feb 2013 05:59 UTC
Image
© The Weather ChannelSnow forecast through Wednesday.
A winter storm moving in from the Pacific Ocean was expected to bring a foot or more of snow and 75 mph wind gusts to mountainous areas of California on Tuesday, before aiming for the Midwest and laying down a wintry blanket as it goes, the National Weather Service said.

Even coastal Californians would feel the storm's wrath in the form of high winds and heavy rains, forecasters said.

Weather.com meteorologists said the storm originated in the Gulf of Alaska and was taking a southerly course that would hammer California before the system turns inland and strikes as far northeast as Chicago and the Midwest.

Mountainous parts of Los Angeles, San Diego and Ventura counties in California were under winter storm warnings, and snow could present a danger on mountain highways, including Interstate 15, the weather service said.
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Snowflake

More snow possible this week in Pittsburgh area

Amanda Gillooly
Chartiers Valley Patch
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:00 UTC
Pittsburgh snow
© Mike JonesThe plow trucks are out in the Bridgeville area as snow is blanketing the South Hills of Pittsburgh.
Rain and snow showers are expected after 2 p.m. Tuesday with about a half-inch of accumulation possible.

On Monday, it was in the 40s, with plenty of sunshine.

But for Tuesday? Things are gonna look a little different.

Rain and snow showers are expected after 2 p.m., with about a half-inch of accumulation possible. After 3 a.m. Wednesday we could see another half-inch of precipitation.

And things aren't looking much better the rest of the week, either.

"A frontal boundary will push into the area Thursday night into Friday, bringing a wintry mix to the area. Light accumulations of snow and ice area possible with this system," according to a hazardous weather outlook issued by the National Weather Service.

For a full weather report, visit the National Weather Service website here.
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Bizarro Earth

Bird invasion brings real-life horror to Kentucky city


Reuters
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 14:08 UTC
Blackbirds
© ReutersBlackbirds descend on the town of Hopkinsville, Kentucky.
Millions of birds have descended on a small Kentucky city this winter, fouling the landscape, scaring pets and raising the risk for disease in a real-life version of Alfred Hitchcock's horror film, The Birds.

The blackbirds and European starlings blacken the sky of Hopkinsville, Kentucky, before roosting at dusk, turn the landscape white with bird poop, and the disease they carry can kill a dog and sicken humans.

"I have seen them come in, and there are enough that if the sun is just right, they'll cloud your vision of the sun," said Hopkinsville-Christian County historian William Turner. "I estimate there are millions of them."

David Chiles, president of the Little River Audubon Society, said the fact that migratory flocks are roosting in the city rather than flying further south is tied to climate warming.

"The weather, the climate plays a big role," said Chiles, the bird enthusiast who also teaches biology at Hopkinsville High School.

"They somehow establish a roost south of where the ground is frozen solid," he explained. "They are ground feeders, feeding on leftover crops and insects. If the fields are frozen solid, they can't feed."
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Question

Is mysterious green 'slime' found in Somerset wildlife park linked with recent meteor strike?

Ben Rankin
The Mirror, UK
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 22:50 UTC
Slime
© RSPB
A mysterious green 'slime' said to come from outer space has left boffins baffled at a wildlife park.

The unidentified jelly-like substance has been found at the RSPB Ham Wall Nature reserve in Somerset.

And according to folklore, a similar slime known as 'astral jelly' is deposited after meteor showers.

The jelly has turned up at the park just three days after a giant meteor streaked over the city of Chelyabinsk in central Russia.

Tony Whitehead, an RSPB spokesman for the South West, said: "Although we don't know what it actually is, similar substances have been described previously.

"In records dating back to the 14th Century it's known variously as star jelly, astral jelly or astromyxin.

"In folklore it is said to be deposited in the wake of meteor showers."

Comment: Fireball photographed over Somerset, England, 6 February 2013

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Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 6.1 - NE of L'Esperance Rock, New Zealand


US Geological Survey
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:30 UTC
NZ Quake_180213
© USGS
Event Time
2013-02-18 12:19:19 UTC
2013-02-18 00:19:19 UTC-12:00 at epicenter

Location
30.682°S 178.127°W depth=34.1km (21.2mi)

Nearby Cities
111km (69mi) NE of L'Esperance Rock, New Zealand
898km (558mi) NE of Whangarei, New Zealand
923km (574mi) NNE of Whakatane, New Zealand
937km (582mi) NE of Tauranga, New Zealand
1097km (682mi) SSW of Nuku'alofa, TongaTechnical Details
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Snowflake Cold

Strong winds, snow pounds Atlantic Canada as thousands lose power


The National
Mon, 18 Feb 2013 09:39 UTC

Halifax - Thousands of people on the East Coast lost power and school was cancelled in Nova Scotia and parts of New Brunswick after blasts of winter wind and wet snow swept through the region.

Nova Scotia Power reported about 12,000 outages by 8 a.m. local time.

In New Brunswick, NB Power issued a news release saying that at least 6,000 customers had lost power in the Fredericton, Rothesay and St. Stephen areas, with more people expected to report the loss of electricity as the morning went on.

"The storm has certainly created significant damage including broken poles and large trees on lines," wrote Meghan Gerrish, a spokeswoman for NB Power.
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Snowflake

Heavy snow, strong winds to blow across North East coast, U.S.


Boston.com
Sun, 17 Feb 2013 00:00 UTC
snow
© Postmedia News files
Boston - Heavy snow and strong winds may blow across the Northeastern coast Sunday and drop as much as 10 inches on parts of the region still buried by last week's storm.

A winter storm warning is in effect for the Boston area, where the National Weather Service said 4 to 8 inches of snow could fall by Sunday night. Snow up to 8 inches also is forecast for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket.

Strong winds are expected to accompany the snow, gusting up to 55 mph. The weather service said that by evening, temperatures with the wind chill could feel like minus 1.

Early Sunday, New York officials issued a high-wind warning for the Tappan Zee Bridge, reducing the speed limit to 35 mph and prohibiting empty trailers and motorcycles on the bridge. All trucks, trailers, and buses were advised to consider an alternate route.
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Bizarro Earth

USGS: Earthquake Magnitude 4.9 - 3km SSE of Balsorano Vecchio, Italy


US Geological Survey
Sat, 16 Feb 2013 19:22 UTC
Image
Event Time
2013-02-16 21:16:12 UTC
2013-02-16 22:16:12 UTC+01:00 at epicenter

Location
41.774°N 13.582°E depth=28.3km (17.6mi)

Nearby Cities
3km (2mi) SSE of Balsorano Vecchio, Italy
6km (4mi) NNW of Sora, Italy
9km (6mi) N of Isola del Liri, Italy
15km (9mi) NNE of Monte San Giovanni Campano, Italy
92km (57mi) E of Roma, Italy
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Radar

4.8 magnitude earthquake strikes near Rome


Fox News
Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:00 UTC
Earthquake Swarm
© Photos.com
Italy - A strong earthquake has rocked a rural area about 50 miles southeast of Rome, but authorities say reports from residents indicate no damage or injuries.

Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology said the quake struck about 10:20 p.m., local time, Saturday and had a 4.8 magnitude.

Seismologists pinpointed the epicenter near the town of Sora, about 20 kilometers (13 miles) from Frosinone, the largely rural area's biggest town.

Frosinone fireman Bruno Levanti told Sky TG24 TV that many residents called authorities seeking reassurances but that there were no reports of damage or injuries.

The area is earthquake-prone.

A somewhat stronger 5.0 magnitude quake can do considerable damage.

Source: The Associated Press
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Radar

Thousands of dolphins spotted near San Diego

Sarah Grieco
NBC Bay Area
Sat, 16 Feb 2013 07:05 UTC
Image
© Antonio RamirezCapt. Joe Dutra of Hornblower Cruises said he'd never seen anything like it
Antonio Ramirez who was aboard a Hornblower Cruise on Thursday snapped this photo of the dolphins swimming in a "super mega-pod." Thousands of dolphins spanning across 7 miles of ocean were sighted off the coast of San Diego on Thursday, a boat captain told NBC 7 San Diego.

Capt. Joe Dutra of Hornblower Cruises said he saw a "super mega-pod" of common dolphins Thursday around noon while he was on his daily tour. He said the pod was more than 7 miles long and 5 miles wide. Dutra said the boat tour followed the pod for more than an hour and said he's never seen anything like it. "When you see something that is honestly truly beyond belief," the captain said.

Comment: Amazing seven mile long super mega-pod of thousand dolphins spotted off the coast of San Diego
Mystery over Thousands of Dolphins Spotted off the Coast of San Diego

A group of over 100,000 dolphins spotted off the coast of San Diego caused a spectacle for nature watchers as they traveled together in an enormous pack.


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