Earth ChangesS


USA

"Rock snot" algae found in Connecticut River, a cause for concern

WATERBURY, Vt. -- A species of invasive algae with an unusual nickname has been found in the northern stretches of the Connecticut River, the first time it's ever been spotted in the Northeast. Didymosphenia geminata, sometimes referred to as "rock snot," has been seen growing on rocks near Bloomfield, which concerns state biologists.

The algae can smother aquatic plants and destroy fish habitats.

Cloud Lightning

Flooding In South Japan Causes Mass Evacuations

Heavy rain continued to take its toll on southern Japan on Saturday, with a man drowning in a flooded rice paddy, and four others injured in flood-related accidents. Thousands had to evacuate their homes.

©AP Graphics Bank
People wade through flooded street, Misato, Japan.

By midday Saturday, a powerful weather front had dumped over 20 inches of rain on southern Japan since Wednesday, according to the Meteorological Agency.

Red Flag

South Dakota Fire Kills 1, Burns Homes

HOT SPRINGS, S.D. - One of dozens of fires across the West raced out of a canyon in South Dakota's Black Hills "with a vengeance" on Sunday, killing a homeowner and destroying 27 homes, authorities said.

Magnify

Flashback Britain faces big freeze as Gulf Stream loses strength

The Gulf Stream currents that give Britain its mild climate have weakened dramatically, offering the first firm scientific evidence of a slowdown that threatens the country with temperatures as cold as Canada's.

©Unknown

The Atlantic Ocean "conveyor belt" that carries warm water north from the tropics has weakened by 30 per cent in 12 years, scientists have discovered. The findings, from the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton, give the strongest indication yet that Europe's central heating system is breaking down under the impact of global warming.

Bizarro Earth

Best of the Web: What's the Worst That Could Happen?


Bizarro Earth

Volcanic Fumes Kill 6 Teens in Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Poisonous fumes from an Indonesian volcano killed six teenagers who were camping on the mountain, a doctor said Sunday.

Red Flag

Nevada Wildfires Force Hundreds to Flee

RENO, Nev. - An 8,000-acre wildfire forced hundreds of people in the town of Winnemucca to leave their homes, one of more than a dozen blazes that charred a combined 55 square miles in northern Nevada.

Cloud Lightning

Storm Brewing At National Hurricane Center

Scientists at the National Hurricane Center make their living predicting and tracking storms.

However, most say they have never found themselves in the middle of a disturbance like the one that currently grips their agency.

Cloud Lightning

Jet Stream "much further south than normal"

After the wettest June on record, better weather is promised - but not just yet

On Tuesday hailstones the size of 20p pieces smacked into the streets of south London; later in the week, officials at Wimbledon considered extending play into a third week because of the miserable weather; meanwhile, much of northern England is recovering from a deadly spate of heavy flooding.

The apocalyptic June weather has even led some people, notably former weather presenter John Kettley, to suggest that the British summer was over in April.

Comment: Time to watch "the day after tomorrow" again!


Attention

6.1 Earthquake Strikes Southern Mexico

A strong earthquake shook parts of southern Mexico on Thursday night, sending thousands of residents fleeing into the streets. There were no immediate reports of injury or damage.

The magnitude-6.1 earthquake struck at 8:09 p.m. and was centered near the Chiapas state capital of Tuxtla Gutierrez, 430 miles southeast of Mexico City, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, which monitors temblors worldwide.