Earth ChangesS


Cloud Lightning

Best of the Web: Chicago Blizzard 2011 - Thunder Snow - Strike!

There was a lightning flash and I almost dropped my camera. Who knew thundersnow existed?


Bizarro Earth

Best of the Web: Volcanic hell: Japan entering new stage of geological upheaval

shinmoedake
© Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images A plume of smoke rises from the crater of Mount Shinmoedake in the Kirishima mountain range of Kagoshima prefecture, Japan.
Shinmoedake, a volcano on Japan's southern island of Kyushu, erupted again as the government said it will send officials to the area to help local authorities create an evacuation plan.

The 1,421-meter (4,660 feet) volcano in the Kirishima range erupted at 9:42 a.m. local time following three eruptions yesterday, sending a plume of ash and smoke as high as 3,000 meters, a branch division of the agency said in a statement. The plume was drifting east-northeast toward Miyazaki Prefecture's Pacific coastline, the statement said.

The government plans to send a group of natural disaster officials to the area as early as Feb. 7, Shigeo Ochi, an official at the Cabinet Office, said in a telephone interview today. Japan's Meteorological Agency is maintaining a level 3 alert for Shinmoedake, indicating an eruption "may seriously affect places near residential areas." Evacuations are carried out when the alert reaches the maximum 5.

Cloud Lightning

Snow Hits Mexico Border Towns

Unusually cold weather hit most of the northern Mexican state of Chihuahua on Wednesday bringing temperatures of 8 degrees to the region.
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Bizarro Earth

Whales Appearing in New York Harbor in Greater Numbers

Humpback Whale
© Zorankovacevic / Wikipedia Commons
Just minutes outside of the New York Harbor, whales, dolphins and seals have been arriving in increasing numbers.

Prof. Christopher Clark, neurobiology and behavior and zoology, has monitored the animals since 1972 by placing acoustic recorders on Long Island and the mouth of New York Harbor and analyzing the data collected from them.

Although their presence has surprised many people, whales and other aquatic mammals have inhabited the area for many years, Clark said. He explained that scientists had not studied them consistently until recently.

"The whales are quite mobile and might go out from the continental shelf into the Gulf Stream, but there are enough of them moving around that there are always whales in New York," Clark said. "This is part of their home turf."

Clark estimates that as many as 30 to 50 fin whales are now living in the ocean offshore of New York City.

Fish

More strange animal behavior: More than 100,000 Sharks off Florida beach!

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Pilot Steve Irwin was astonished after spotting a mass of more than 100,000 sharks swimming just 100 yards off Florida's sandy beaches.

The long-time fisherman and marine technology expert was cruising 300ft above the clear waters in his helicopter on Sunday when he came across the astonishing scene.

Experts say this is the time of year when sharks migrate and head for warmer waters, typically swimming close to the shore while chasing after bait-fish.

But Mr Irwin, who runs Island Marine Services in Fort Pierce, was baffled as to the staggering number of sharks gathered in the shallow waters.

Cloud Lightning

Thunder Snow in Chicago Blizzard 2011

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Jim Cantore of The Weather Channel witnessing epic thunder snow on the streets of Chicago! Amazing!


Bizarro Earth

Myanmar - India Border: Earthquake Magnitude 6.4

Myanmar-India Quake_040211
© USGSEarthquake Location
Date-Time
Friday, February 04, 2011 at 13:53:47 UTC

Friday, February 04, 2011 at 08:23:47 PM at epicenter

Time of Earthquake in other Time Zones

Location
24.616°N, 94.740°E

Depth
88.8 km (55.2 miles)

Region
MYANMAR-INDIA BORDER REGION

Distances
85 km (50 miles) ESE of Imphal, Manipur, India

130 km (80 miles) SSE of Kohima, Nagaland, India

690 km (425 miles) ENE of Kolkata (Calcutta), West Bengal, India

1800 km (1120 miles) E of NEW DELHI, Delhi, India

Cloud Lightning

2010 a bad year for natural disasters, say insurance companies

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The high number of weather-related natural disasters in 2010 has made it an "exceptional" year, the world's top reinsurer has said.

The floods in Pakistan and China and the Haiti earthquake have killed tens of thousands of people, costing USD 130 billion.

"The high number of weather-related natural catastrophes and record temperatures both globally and in different regions of the world provide further indications of advancing climate change," said Munich Re in a report.

A total of 950 natural catastrophes were recorded last year, making 2010 the second worst year since 1980.

Haiti's earthquake was by far the worst disaster in terms of human cost, killing 222,570 people; however, it cost the insurance industry very little.

But a month later, the earthquake that hit Chile was the world's most expensive natural disaster last year, with overall losses of USD 30 billion and insured losses of USD 8 billion.

Umbrella

Australia: Super-cell thunderstorm pounds Victoria

Flash Flooding 1
© ABC: Cam HookFlash flooding surrounds cars at Camberwell Junction
A super-cell thunderstorm has hit Victoria, bringing widespread flash flooding.

About a dozen people have been rescued from floodwaters in Mildura, in Melbourne's south-east near Geelong, and the State Emergency Service (SES) is responding to 1,400 calls for help.

Crews helped a woman and her two young children when their car became trapped in a flash flood at Mildura.

Firefighters have rescued a girl who was clinging to a tree branch after being swept away at Ashwood, in Melbourne's east.

And at Mulgrave, the fire brigade was called to assist a disabled man in a wheelchair who got stuck in water up to his hips.

Comment: This event appears to be closely related to the recent Cyclone Yasi in the northern parts of Queensland. Take a look at the latest satellite imagery to appreciate the size of the storm cell.

For readers outside of Australia - the state of Victoria is located in the South-East corner of the country.

Flash Flooding 4
© BOM
Flash Flooding 3
© The Weather Channel



Bizarro Earth

New Zealand: 82 Whales Stranded in Golden Bay

Stranded Whales
© Newstalk ZB

Ten of the whales which stranded at Golden Bay have died.

The Department of Conservation received a call from a member of the public about 82 pilot whales stranding at Puponga Point at around 1pm this afternoon.

Around 100 volunteers are at Puponga Point trying to keep the remaining 72 wet, however they will knock off at around half past eight as it's too dangerous in the dark.

DOC spokeswoman Trish Grant says the next high tide isn't until 11:30pm tonight so another attempt at re-floating the whales won't be able to take place until the morning.

"Initially there were about 30 stranded and about 50 DOC staff with volunteer help tried to get those that were still floating back out to sea but unfortunately they weren't able to do that with the tide," she told Newstalk ZB.