Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

'Snowicane' Paralyzes New York City, Boston as Mammoth Blizzard Rages Through US Northeast

Image
© AccuWeather.com Facebook fan Scott M.It's like a storm surge only with snow in Bradley Beach, NJ courtesy of "Snowicane II." Mon. Dec., 27, 2010.
A powerful winter storm slammed the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia to Boston on Sunday. Through today, the blizzard will bring travel to a standstill along the coastline of northern New England as well.

The storm unleashed around a foot of snow and howling winds in cities and towns from Philadelphia through New York City to Boston as it advanced northward offshore Sunday and Sunday night.

So far New Jersey has been hit with the heaviest snow. As of the storm's conclusion, 31.0 inches of snow buried Jackson, and 31.8 inches of snow have fallen in Elizabeth. Unofficial snowfall measurements of 34 and 35 inches at Brick in the morning would be a New Jersey state record.

Weather Matrix founder Jesse Ferrell has the latest on the amazing storm totals in his blog.

Cloud Lightning

US: 400 Spend Frigid Night on A Train in New York City Nightmare

Image
© Christopher Mullen/AP PhotoSubway riders are seen on a car of an subway train that was stranded for eight hours near John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, Monday, Dec. 27, 2010.
It took hours for Christopher Mullen to get off a plane from sunny Cancun and on to a half-empty subway car, his only way home. It would be another eight hours and more - a night spent huddled under a thin blanket on the frigid, grungy car - before he could get off the A train.

His feet soaked to the bone, with no food, water and hardly any heat, Mullen and 400 others lived through a New York nightmare on an elevated subway track, one of hundreds of stories of hardship caused by the crushing snowstorm that dropped more than 2 feet of snow on the Northeast.

By the time they got on the subway shortly before 1 a.m. Monday near Kennedy Airport, Mullen and his girlfriend were well into their ordeal battling the blizzard of December 2010.

Their flight landed two hours late. With snow whirling around the terminal, the airport train was down. There were no taxis. Wearing just a light spring jacket, Mullen stood in the snow and attempted to dig his car out from long-term parking. The only result: feet and legs that were soaking wet.

When the couple - their diving gear and luggage in tow - boarded the A train more than six hours after clearing Customs, it seemed that they were finally on their way. But the subway got only one stop before it was forced to a halt at an open-air station platform in a forlorn corner of Queens near the airport and Jamaica Bay. Later, NYC Transit spokesman Charles Seaton said the cause was snow drifts piled on the outside tracks and thick layers of ice on the electrified third rail.

Igloo

Ireland: Alert as Glacier-Like Ice Flow Threatens Bridge in Donegal

Image
© Irish IndependentDreenan Bridge across the River Finn in Co. Donegal
Donegal County Council engineers were last night keeping a round-the-clock watch on a bridge over concerns that it could be damaged by a large ice flow.

Since the thaw began on St Stephen's night, large chunks of broken ice and debris have been building up at Dreenan Bridge which crosses the River Finn outside the towns of Ballybofey and Stranorlar.

All day yesterday, hundreds of curious passers-by stopped at the location to video and take photos of the glacier-like ice flow under the multi-million euro bridge which was opened just four years ago.

Senior council engineer Vincent Lynn was concerned rising water levels could cause the ice to build up against the deck of the bridge, resulting in structural damage.

"This is very interesting phenomenon resulting from a rapid thaw, the likes of which I have never seen in my life," Mr Lynn said.

Igloo

SOTT Focus: A Glimpse of the Day After Tomorrow in New York

A reader of SOTT.net sent us these photos of the aftermath of the recent blizzard in New York City. With records being broken all across the northern hemisphere, particularly in Europe and the US, it looks like SOTT's prediction that we are entering an Ice Age is coming true. Of course, the denialists will tell us that we have confused weather for climate, but when these same people confuse the War on Terror for the War Against the People, it is clear just who is really confused.

Image
© Sott.net

Question

Florida: Sinkhole Opens up in Venus Backyard

Florida Sinkhole
© Ryan Pelham, Highlands TodayA sinkhole approximately 140 feet wide opened up on Luis and Orpha Hernandez's property on Alphonso Lane in Venus on Thursday afternoon. Luis was standing on the area of the sinkhole when he felt the ground rumble, and within five minutes, a sinkhole approximately 100 feet wide had opened. By Friday afternoon, several feet of water had accumulated in the bottom of the sinkhole.
Owner ran to escape falling sand.

About 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Luis Hernandez felt the soil trembling beneath his feet.

"He had to run that way," said his wife, Orpha, pointing to the east behind their three-bedroom mobile home.

He heard air coming up, "Whooo, whooo, whooo," Orpha approximated the noise, as if underground air was rushing to the surface.

Luis knows because he looked at the clock on his phone - in just five minutes, a 100-foot wide sinkhole opened in the sand, gulping pots with palm trees and ligustrum hedges and catley guava.

By Friday, they'd rescued all the nursery plants from the one-acre plot, moving them to the adjoining nine acres. But the hole had swelled 20 feet wider, and at 4 p.m. Friday, the circular mouth was an estimated 140 feet across.

Sherlock

New England, US: Twist in bat disease mystery

bat
© Unknown
There's a new twist in the mysterious case of a disease that's killing thousands of bats in New England.

Bats living in several old military bunkers in New Hampshire are not being affected by white nose syndrome. Scientists hope to monitor temperature and humidity levels to try and determine why the bats seem to be immune.

Cloud Lightning

New York hard hit as winter storm slams northeast

A blizzard pummeled the northeastern United States on Monday, dumping up to 29 inches (74 cm) of snow, disrupting air, rail and bus travel and forcing motorists to deal with blowing snow and icy roads at the end of the busy Christmas weekend.

New York City, eastern New Jersey and western Long Island were the hardest hit by the storm, which blew up the Atlantic Coast on Sunday night and continued up to the Monday morning commute, unleashing powerful winds and grounding cities to a halt.

Trade on the New York Stock Exchange was expected to take place as normal. "Everything is business as usual," an NYSE spokeswoman said.

New York's three major airports were shut overnight after at least 2,000 flights were canceled on Sunday, and not due to reopen until 4 p.m. (2100 GMT).

Thousands were stranded in the airports. At Philadelphia International Airport, some 1,200 stuck passengers were given pillows, blankets, water, juice and diapers from the airport's assistance program, a spokeswoman said.

Igloo

December set to be coldest in UK since 1890!

Image
© Mandi AndersonTaken at Danby, North Yorkshire
As the icy weather set to continue, the UK could be heading for its coldest December since 1890, forecasters said.

Temperatures were expected to remain below freezing on Boxing Day with spells of rain, sleet and snow in northern Ireland, Scotland and parts of west Wales and far west England, spreading eastwards overnight.

But they added that temperatures could rise as high as 10C (50F) by the middle of next week as a new weather system moves in from the Atlantic.

Those braving the bleak mid-winter to get away for Christmas yesterday faced reduced rail services, icy roads and continuing cancellations and delays to flights.

A number of train companies ran amended timetables, with some services axed on the main London to Scotland routes up the east and west coast.

The RMT transport union said it was "scandalous" that train companies could bring in "special" timetables and avoid financial penalties.

Igloo

Paris airport terminal evacuated due to 3 feet of snow on roof

Image
© ReutersAir France planes parked on the snow-covered tarmac at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.
Firefighters called in to clear snow at Charles de Gaulle airport as freezing conditions continue to wreak havoc

Passengers at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris were evacuated from one of its terminals today amid fears for their safety because of an accumulation of snow on the roof.

Bernard Cathelain, the deputy director of the Paris airport authority ADP, said the terminal was still operating but passengers had been asked to move.

Le Monde reported that about 60cm of snow had built up on the roof of the terminal and about 2,000 people had been evacuated. Firefighters have been sent in to clear the snow.

The problem added to the woes at Charles de Gaulle, where freezing conditions and a strike at the main French factory producing de-icing fluid forced the cancellation of half - about 400 - of the flights scheduled for this morning. A supply of de-icing fluid (glycol) has been flown in from the US but many passengers already face missing Christmas dinner, which is traditionally served tonight in France.

Igloo

Best of the Web: Canary in the Gulf Stream: Ireland's coldest winter in 130 years

Image
Polar bear on O'Connell Street, Dublin - This has officially been the coldest December on record
This has been the coldest start to winter for the last 130 years, when records began. According to Met Eireann, Ireland's meteorological service, December has officially been the coldest month ever on record.

Last Monday County Mayo recorded low temperatures of -17.2C (1F).

The latest snap is expected to last beyond Christmas Day and a thaw is expected to set in slowly on St.Stephen's Day December 26th.

Even then there will be heavy rains and high winds, and driving conditions will be even more risky say the experts.

Dublin Airport was closed again yesterday for most of the day when an unexpected snow storm hit.

The weather continued to play havoc with effort to get home for Christmas by thousands coming from America, Australia and many other destinations.

In New York and Boston and Chicago Aer Lingus were warning passengers to check with the airline before departing for the airport as yesterday's unexpected storm had again thrown schedules up in the air.