Earth ChangesS


Bizarro Earth

Megaquakes May Strike Northwest Frequently

Seattle - The biggest surprise about the Nisqually earthquake was that it wasn't worse.

Even a decade ago, scientists knew the Northwest was vulnerable to much nastier shakes than the magnitude 6.8 that rattled Seattle 10 years ago Monday. But what they've learned in the past 10 years really has some researchers spooked.

"It used to be, I never really thought much about it," said Oregon State University marine geologist Chris Goldfinger. "Now I sit in my building - the kind that pancakes in an earthquake - and I'm thinking: I hope it doesn't go now."

Goldfinger's studies suggest megaquakes of the type that devastated Sumatra and set off a deadly tsunami may jolt the Northwest much more often than previously thought. In the Puget Sound region, scientists have added more than 10 active faults to a list that numbered two in 2001. And new analyses show the ground under downtown Seattle isn't nearly as stable as folks used to think.

"The hazard has certainly gone up, but it's a reflection of our increased knowledge," said Brian Sherrod, a U.S. Geological Survey scientist stationed at the University of Washington.

Cloud Lightning

US: Storm Damage and Tornado, South Carolina

Experts from the National Weather Service say the damage caused in Greenwood was not caused by a tornado.

National Weather Service experts from Greer are inspecting storm damage in Greenwood County Tuesday after a Monday afternoon storm caused damage throughout the Upstate.

The experts are visiting the Dyson and Ninety Six areas of the county to determine what kind of storm caused damage Monday afternoon into the evening.

Cloud Lightning

US: Missouri Region Assesses Damage After Powerful Storm Moves Through

St Louis storm damage
© Robert Cohen / St. Louis Post DispatchRhett Butler took a machete to his neighbor's tree as he worked to remove branches from his home in the 2800 block of Madison Avenue in Granite City.
Residents and local authorities spent Monday assessing damage from a severe storm that slammed into the St. Louis area late the night before.

The brief and swift-moving storm packed winds up of to 70 mph, hail, sleet and lightning. Across the region, roofs were peeled off, tree limbs and power lines downed and signs twisted and toppled.

The National Weather Service had several unconfirmed reports of funnel clouds, including at 11:14 p.m. five miles northeast of Gray Summit; at 11:27 p.m. near Concord Village, causing power flashes; and at 11:34 p.m., near St. Louis' Lafayette Square neighborhood.

Cloud Lightning

US: Storm Leaves Thousands without Power in Chattanooga, Tennessee

In about 30 minutes, Monday's storm surged across Hamilton County, leaving behind about 37,000 homes without power. Chattanooga's Public Works Department was called to remove 48 downed trees and the back half of a downtown building collapsed.

By about 8 p.m. Monday, EPB officials reported that 20,000 homes were without power.

Cloud Lightning

US: Damaging Winds, Heavy Rain Pound Midwest, Move into Southeast

Midwest storm damage
© CNNSevere weather in the Chattanooga area of Tennessee left buildings damaged on Monday.
Severe weather descended on the Southeast Monday, killing at least one person, reducing homes to rubble and leaving drivers stranded in flooded streets as the storm system moved northward up the East Coast.

One man was killed in Tennessee after being pinned by a trailer that was lifted by strong winds, said Sgt. Chris Guess, a spokesman for the Franklin County Sheriff's Office. A woman in the home was taken to a hospital with back and leg injuries, he said.

The winds also downed trees and caused significant damage in the northern part of the county, northwest of Chattanooga, Guess said, adding that the sheriff's office could not yet confirm whether the destruction was due to a tornado.

Cloud Lightning

US: Storm brings mix of heavy rain, high wind, and snow to Northwest Oregon


The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory, a Wind Advisory and a Winter Weather Advisory for the Portland and Vancouver Metro areas through 2 p.m., Monday as a powerful storm created heavy rains and winds that transitioned into snow above 500 feet.

The rain was mixed with snow in some parts of the metro area as low as 500 feet - including the West Hills, Gresham and Estacada.

Cloud Lightning

Tens of Houses Flooded Due to Heavy Rains in Indonesia's West Sumatra

Sumatra flood
© Berita
Indonesian authorities on Monday informed that tens of houses were flooded due to heavy rains during the weekend in Agam District in West Sumatra, the Antara news agency reported.

"Incessant heavy rains which have fallen since Saturday until early Monday have caused the flood inundating tens of houses in Pasa Durian Manggopoh, Lubung Basung sub district," said Is Faimal, a local official.

In addition, the Batang Antokan River located in Pasa Durian began to overflow on Sunday noon and continued on Monday. The floodwaters reached a height of 50 centimeters.

Sun

Magnetic Storm in Progress as Solar Wind Stream Hits Earth

A solar wind stream hit Earth's magnetic field during the early hours of March 1st, sparking a G2-class geomagnetic storm, in progress. High latitude sky watchers should be alert for auroras.

Michael F. Jones sends this picture from Chugach State Park near Anchorage, Alaska:

Image
© Michael F. JonesPhoto details: Nikon D3, 800 ASA, 30s exposure

Radar

New Zealand: Tremors shake Christchurch, Wellington

A 4.6-magnitude aftershock shook Christchurch tonight and a similar sized quake has rattled Wellington.

The aftershock struck 10km south of Christchurch and 10km west of Lyttelton at a depth of 5km, GeoNet reported.

There were no reports of damage, Radio New Zealand reported.

Meanwhile, a 4.5-magnitude earthquake rattled Wellington.

The quake struck at 10:07pm, and was centred 20km northwest of Wellington at a depth of 40km, GeoNet reported.

The quake was felt strongly as far north as Otaki and as far south as Blenheim.

There were no reports of damage, a Fire Service spokeswoman said.

Bizarro Earth

US: 4.4-magnitude earthquake shakes area near The Geysers

The U.S. Geological Survey is reporting an earthquake with a magnitude of 4.4 struck this evening in Sonoma County.

The quake shook an area near the Geysers at 6:19 p.m. and had a depth of 1.6 miles, according to the USGS. That tremor was centered one mile north-northwest of The Geysers.