Earth Changes
CARBON buried in the Earth could ultimately determine the fate of our planet's atmosphere. So concluded a pioneering meeting last week about the Earth's long-neglected "deep" carbon cycle.
You may have heard earlier this month that global warming is now likely to take break for a decade or more. There will be no more warming until 2015, perhaps later.
Climate scientist Noel Keenlyside, leading a team from Germany's Leibniz Institute of Marine Science and the Max Planck Institute of Meteorology, for the first time entered verifiable data on ocean circulation cycles into one of the U.N.'s climate supercomputers, and the machine spit out a projection that there will be no more warming for the foreseeable future.
Of course, Mr. Keenlyside -- long a defender of the man-made global warming theory -- was quick to add that after 2015 (or perhaps 2020), warming would resume with a vengeance.
Climate scientist Noel Keenlyside, leading a team from Germany's Leibniz Institute of Marine Science and the Max Planck Institute of Meteorology, for the first time entered verifiable data on ocean circulation cycles into one of the U.N.'s climate supercomputers, and the machine spit out a projection that there will be no more warming for the foreseeable future.
Of course, Mr. Keenlyside -- long a defender of the man-made global warming theory -- was quick to add that after 2015 (or perhaps 2020), warming would resume with a vengeance.
NOAA reports that April 2008 was a full degree (F) below normal making it the 29th coldest April out of 115 years for the United States, the coldest in 11 years. Much of the western 2/3rds of the lower 48 were colder than normal. In Washington State, it was the second coldest April on record. In contrast in the east, in New York State it was the 3rd warmest.
All the monthly global data sets are updated now. The University of Alabama Hunstville (Spencer-Christy) MSU satellite derived lower tropospheric data shows an anomaly of just +0.015C. The UK Hadley Center version 3v which includes land station and some ocean reports showed an anomaly of +0.265C. Adding this month to the plot since 2002 shows the downtrend continues.
All the monthly global data sets are updated now. The University of Alabama Hunstville (Spencer-Christy) MSU satellite derived lower tropospheric data shows an anomaly of just +0.015C. The UK Hadley Center version 3v which includes land station and some ocean reports showed an anomaly of +0.265C. Adding this month to the plot since 2002 shows the downtrend continues.
Chinese officials rushed Tuesday to evacuate another 80,000 people in the path of potential floodwaters building up behind a quake-spawned dam as soldiers carved a channel to try to drain away the threat.
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| ©Xinhua |
| In this photo released by China's Xinhua News Agency, the Tangjiashan quake lake formed by the landslide following the May 12 earthquake near Beichuan County in southwest China's Sichuan Province is seen on Monday, May 26, 2008. Chinese officials rushed Tuesday to evacuate another 80,000 people in the path of potential floodwaters building up behind a quake-spawned dam as soldiers carved a channel to try to drain away the threat. |
© REUTERS/Gustau Nacarino/Files
Visitors walk amid the remains of flooded village Sant Roma as it emerges from the low waters of the Sau reservoir, north of Vic near Barcelona, April 6, 2008.
Visitors walk amid the remains of flooded village Sant Roma as it emerges from the low waters of the Sau reservoir, north of Vic near Barcelona, April 6, 2008.
For most of the past four decades, all that has been visible of the village of Sant Roma has been the belltower of its stone church, peeping above the water beside forested hills from a valley flooded in the 1960s to provide water for the Catalonia region.
This year, receding waters have exposed the 11th-century church completely, attracting crowds of tourists who stand gazing around it on the dusty bed of the reservoir.
The National Weather Service has allowed tornado warnings issued earlier this evening to expire, but weather advisories remain in effect across the state.
The weather service has issued a tornado watch in 29 western Oklahoma counties effective until midnight.
The watch covers Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Major, Noble, Nowata, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers, Roger Mills, Texas, Tulsa, Washington, Washita, Woods and Woodward counties.
The weather service has issued a tornado watch in 29 western Oklahoma counties effective until midnight.
The watch covers Alfalfa, Beaver, Beckham, Blaine, Caddo, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Grant, Greer, Harmon, Harper, Jackson, Kay, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Major, Noble, Nowata, Osage, Pawnee, Rogers, Roger Mills, Texas, Tulsa, Washington, Washita, Woods and Woodward counties.
Amarillo - The National Weather Services said at least three weak tornadoes touched down in the Texas Panhandle.
There have been no reports of injuries or building damage caused by Sunday's tornadoes. Meteorologist Jason Jordan said all three tornadoes touched down over open country.
There have been no reports of injuries or building damage caused by Sunday's tornadoes. Meteorologist Jason Jordan said all three tornadoes touched down over open country.
Melbourn - Australian fishermen have hauled up a six-metre-long giant squid off the country's southeastern coast.
Skipper Rangi Pene says the 225-kilogram squid was already dead when it was caught in a trawler's nets Sunday night in waters more than 500 metres deep.
Skipper Rangi Pene says the 225-kilogram squid was already dead when it was caught in a trawler's nets Sunday night in waters more than 500 metres deep.
Rain pelting southern Alberta for fifth straight day
Bragg Creek resident Gladell Adelman almost lost her dog Muffin to the torrent Saturday morning.
She'd taken Muffin out for a walk near the Elbow River, alongside her home and called the dog back from the river's edge seconds before the bank gave way to raging waters.
"She wouldn't have made it," Adelman said. "I could never have got her."
Bragg Creek resident Gladell Adelman almost lost her dog Muffin to the torrent Saturday morning.
She'd taken Muffin out for a walk near the Elbow River, alongside her home and called the dog back from the river's edge seconds before the bank gave way to raging waters.
"She wouldn't have made it," Adelman said. "I could never have got her."
SANTIAGO - Heavy rains and flooding that killed five people and displaced thousands in south-central Chile have collapsed road and rail bridges, closed the world's largest underground copper mine and left many in the capital without drinking water, the government said on Friday.
Many schools remained closed in Santiago and elsewhere after floodwaters churned up sediment at water treatment plants, while several rivers burst their banks farther south, deluging thousands of homes.
Many schools remained closed in Santiago and elsewhere after floodwaters churned up sediment at water treatment plants, while several rivers burst their banks farther south, deluging thousands of homes.
