Earth ChangesS


Snowflake

Dozens of camping trailers abandoned near Red Lodge, Montana following spring snowstorm - 2 feet of snow reported

Keagan Harsha
ktvq.com
Tue, 31 May 2022 12:44 UTC
Dozens of camping trailers abandoned following Montana spring snowstorm
Dozens of camping trailers abandoned following Montana spring snowstorm
Memorial Day weekend typically marks the start of the busy summer camping season in Montana, but campgrounds near Red Lodge looked more like a winter wonderland on the holiday.

"We woke up, and we were immediately wanting to go. We were wondering what in the world just happened? It was crazy," explained Elise Habel, a Billings woman who was camping near the M-K campground.

Habel was one of the dozens of campers who quickly realized their camping trailers were stuck.

"It was at least two feet where we were. It was super unexpected, really wet, and thick. It was kind of a crazy, little adventure for sure," she said. "I don't think a single person got theirs out."

One camping trailer after another was swallowed by the snow. Everyone in the campground piled into their vehicles and abandoned their camping trailers.

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Snowflake

Spring storm brings up to 16 inches of snow to Colorado

Spencer McKee
Out There Colorado
Wed, 01 Jun 2022 12:13 UTC
Parts of Colorado wake up to fresh June snow
Parts of Colorado wake up to fresh June snow
As was predicted, a spring storm brought more than a foot of snow to Colorado this week.

According to the National Weather Service, the highest total was recorded in Blue Valley, near Idaho Springs, with 16.1 inches of snow landing in the area. That being said, it's worth noting that the snowfall report is likely only tracking snowfall in populated areas found at lower elevations. Even more snow likely fell on Colorado's highest peaks.

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Binoculars

Whistling ducks from South America make rare Canadian appearance in New Brunswick

Mia Urquhart
CBC News
Thu, 02 Jun 2022 11:17 UTC
Black-bellied whistling duck in flight near Bathurst on Monday.
© Andrew DarcyBlack-bellied whistling duck in flight near Bathurst on Monday.
Just because it doesn't walk like a duck, or quack like a duck, doesn't mean it isn't a duck.

It might be a black-bellied whistling duck like the ones attracting attention at a man-made pond near Bathurst recently.

Pond owner Hazen McCrea said he wasn't sure what he was looking at when he first spied the birds last week. He said they didn't sound like ducks, and they walked more like humans.

"Is it a duck? It doesn't walk like a duck. It walks, it doesn't waddle," said McCrea.

"That's what confused me. What kind of different funny duck is this?" he wondered.


Comment: A single bird also turned up far north of its normal range in Ann Arbor, Michigan on June 1.



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Eye 1

Man killed in suspected alligator attack in Largo, Florida

Meredith Deliso
ABC News
Thu, 02 Jun 2022 10:48 UTC
An alligator warning sign is posted in waters near the scene where a man was found dead after going into the lake to retrieve lost disc golf discs at John S. Taylor Park, May 31, 2022 in Largo, Fla.
© Martha Asencio-Rhine/Tampa Bay Times via APAn alligator warning sign is posted in waters near the scene where a man was found dead after going into the lake to retrieve lost disc golf discs at John S. Taylor Park, May 31, 2022 in Largo, Fla.
A Florida man killed in a suspected alligator attack was likely looking for Frisbees in a lake, authorities said.

The Largo Police Department said Tuesday it is investigating the death of a man at Taylor Lake in Largo, a city in the Tampa Bay area.

"At this time, detectives believe the victim was looking for Frisbees in the water and a gator was involved," the department said in a statement.

Police identified the victim Wednesday as 47-year-old Sean Thomas McGuinness. Investigators believe he was looking for Frisbees in the water at night when an alligator likely attacked him.

"According to Park Management, McGuinness was known to frequent the park and enter the lake with disregard to the posted 'No Swimming' signs," the department said in a statement. "A witness also advised detectives that McGuinness was known to sell discs back to people within the park as the park is equipped with a disc golf course and McGuinness was found within a few feet of a disc in the water."

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Seismograph

4 dead, 14 injured after earthquake hits China's Sichuan


Xinhua
Wed, 01 Jun 2022 18:01 UTC
At least four people are dead and 14 others injured after two earthquakes hit southwestern China on Wednesday, state media reported.
At least four people are dead and 14 others injured after two earthquakes hit southwestern China on Wednesday, state media reported.
Four people have been confirmed dead and 14 others are injured after an earthquake jolted the city of Ya'an in southwest China's Sichuan Province on Wednesday afternoon, according to the city's earthquake relief headquarters.

A 6.1-magnitude earthquake rattled Lushan County of Ya'an in Sichuan, at 5 p.m. Wednesday Beijing Time, according to the China Earthquake Networks Center (CENC).

The epicenter, with a depth of 17 km, was monitored at 30.4 degrees north latitude and 102.9 degrees east longitude, the CENC said.

The earthquake was followed by a 4.5-magnitude quake at 5:03 p.m. in Baoxing County, the city of Ya'an.

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Tornado2

EF-2 tornado in Forada caused 'extensive' damage - 4 tornadoes confirmed in Minnesota


FOX 9
Tue, 31 May 2022 13:35 UTC
Forada, Minn. tornado: Aerial video shows destruction to neighborhood
Forada, Minn. tornado: Aerial video shows destruction to neighborhood
The National Weather Service has confirmed four tornadoes in Minnesota from the storms on Memorial Day.

Weather officials say an EF-2 tornado caused "quite extensive" damage in Forada. Survey teams estimate the max wind speeds were 120 mph with a half-mile path width and evidence of multiple vortexes.

Some of the worst damage was spotted in the small city of Forada, Minnesota, just south of Alexandria. Photos and videos from storm chasers show significant damage through a neighborhood along Maple Lake, Minnesota. Officials told FOX 9 the damage impacted 75 structures in the community of only about 175 residents.

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Seismograph

UK hit by over 20 earthquakes already in 2022: where and when they've hit


KentLive
Wed, 01 Jun 2022 13:10 UTC
Britain is shook by earthquakes a lot more often than people realise
© PABritain is shook by earthquakes a lot more often than people realise
Shropshire residents were shocked by a 3.8 magnitude earthquake yesterday (May 30). But, they occur much more frequently in Britain than you'd expect.

The quake was the third to hit the UK in the last 24 hours, taking place at around 3.36pm and at a depth of 4.9 miles. According to the British Geological Survey (BGS), 3.8 magnitude earthquakes only happen in the UK around every two years.

However, unbeknownst to many of us, the tremors are not unusual in the UK: it's just that a lot of the time, we miss them. But over the years, the South East has been subject to some of the biggest in the country.
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Arrow Down

Huge rock slides off cliff at Lake Powell, Utah

Lisi Merkley
KSL.com
Tue, 31 May 2022 13:03 UTC
A huge part of a cliff in Lake Powell collapsed into the water on Monday. A huge part of a cliff in Lake Powell collapsed into the water on Monday.
© Steve CarterA huge part of a cliff in Lake Powell collapsed into the water on Monday.
Memorial Day often marks the start of summer and outdoor recreation for Utahns. While residents up north dealt with rain and snow, boaters at Lake Powell dealt with a different holiday surprise: a giant rock collapsing off a cliff.

Mila Carter shared a video on Facebook with KSL showing the rockslide as her boat zoomed by.


Carter said the slide happened near the Warm Creek Bay entrance around noon Monday.

Lake Powell water levels hit a historic low this year, instigating a plan from the Colorado River Authority of Utah to move 500,000 acre-feet of water from Flaming Gorge to the suffering reservoir.

It's unclear what caused the rockslide on Monday.
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Boat

Overflowing rivers cause widespread flooding in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana

Richard Davies
Floodlist
Wed, 01 Jun 2022 12:46 UTC
Floods in Region 9, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, Guyana, May 2022.
© Government of GuyanaFloods in Region 9, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo, Guyana, May 2022.
Long-term rainfall has caused rivers to rise in northeastern South America, with flooding affecting communities in Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.

Guyana

Civil Defence Commission (CDC) in Guyana reported flooding in late May 2022 affected Region 5 (Mahaica-Berbice), Region 9 (Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo) and Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Upper Berbice). Red Cross confirmed that 100 people were evacuated from areas near Lethem in Region 9, with a total of around 500 people affected.

As of 27 May CDC reported flooding had worsened in Region 10, in particular in areas of Kwakwani on the Berbice River, where 37 households were affected and 3 families evacuated. On 28 May CDC reported flooding in Region 7 (Cuyuni-Mazaruni), in particular along the Cuyuni River.

Satellite imagery from the United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) show satellite-detected surface waters in Guyana between 25 to 29 May 2022 compared with the period from 20 to 24 May 2022. UNOSAT said a total of about 3,900 km2 of land appears to be affected with flood waters. Around 22,000 to 50,000 people are potentially exposed or living close to flooded areas.

In an update of 30 May, the National Taskforce on Flood Monitoring, through the Civil Defence Commission reported flood waters have started to recede in most impacted areas, although more rain is likely.

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Windsock

Hurricane Agatha hits Oaxaca, Mexico - strongest ever recorded to come ashore in May - at least 11 dead (UPDATE)


CBC News
Mon, 30 May 2022 09:29 UTC
This satellite image shows Agatha off the Pacific coast of Mexico's Oaxaca state on Monday
© NOAA/The Associated PressThis satellite image shows Agatha off the Pacific coast of Mexico's Oaxaca state on Monday.
Hurricane Agatha made history as the strongest hurricane ever recorded to come ashore in May during the eastern Pacific hurricane centre, making landfall on a sparsely populated stretch of small beach towns and fishing villages in southern Mexico.

The storm came ashore in Oaxaca state Monday afternoon as a strong Category 2 hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 165 km/h, then it quickly lost power as it moved inland over the mountainous interior.

Agatha was downgraded to a tropical storm late Monday, its sustained winds down to 110 km/h. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm should dissipate overnight, but warned that the system's heavy rains still posed a threat of dangerous flash floods for Mexico's southern states.

Torrential rains and howling winds whipped palm trees and drove tourists and residents into shelters. Oaxaca state's civil defence agency showed families hustling into a shelter in Pochutla and a rock and mud slide that blocked a highway.


Comment: Update June 1

Floodlist reports:
Mexico - Hurricane Agatha Leaves 11 Dead, Many Missing in Oaxaca

The governor of the state of Oaxaca in southern Mexico announced at least 11 people have died as a result of Hurricane Agatha.

Damage after Hurricane Agatha, Oaxaca, Mexico, May 2022.
© Bomberos OaxacaDamage after Hurricane Agatha, Oaxaca, Mexico, May 2022.
Hurricane Agatha weakened after it made landfall as a category 2 hurricane in La Redonda, municipality of San Pedro Pochutla in Oaxaca on 30 May 2022. Winds of 165 km/h and waves of up to 6 metres were reported on the coast of Oaxaca. Agatha is thought to be the strongest ever hurricane to make landfall in May in the eastern Pacific.

Mexico's Comisión Nacional del Agua (CONAGUA) issued warnings for heavy rain in the states of Oaxaca, Chiapas, Campeche, Guerrero, Veracruz and Tabasco. Santa María Huatulco in Oaxaca recorded 240 mm of rain in 24 hours to 31 May, according to figures from CONAGUA. During the same period, Rosendo Salazar in Chiapas saw 90.4 mm, La Cangrejera in Veracruz 96 mm and Monclova in Campeche 90.4 mm.

The governor of Oaxaca, Alejandro Murat, announced on 31 May that 11 people are thought to have lost their lives in the storm, with a further 32 people still missing or unaccounted for. These are preliminary figures and are expected to change as the situation becomes clearer. The governor said many of the fatalities were a result of flooding or landslides.

The worst affected areas include San Juan Ozolotepec, Santiago Xanica, Santa María Huatulco, Pochutla, Asunción Tlacolulita and San Mateo Piñas. Areas of Santa Maria Tonameca municipality were flooded after the Tonameca river overflowed. Civil Protection in Oaxaca said levels of the Copalita River jumped rapidly in parts of San Miguel del Puerto municipality.

Floods, wind damage and landslides blocked several roads including the federal highway 175 which connects the Oaxaca coast with Veracruz. At least 2 bridges have been severely damaged. Damage to power infrastructure left over 200,000 people without electricity.

The remnants of Agatha moved northeast towards Veracruz state before dissipating. The US National Hurricane Center warned that remnants of Agatha are expected to produce heavy rainfall across southeastern Mexico during the next day or two. Life-threatening flash floods and mudslides are possible.


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