Extreme Temperatures
S


Snowflake Cold

Heavy snowfall traps 160,000 sheep in Xinjiang, China

A worker clears snow at a pasture in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 14, 2016. Local people have stored livestock fodder to cope with continuous snowfall in Altay since Nov. 9.
© Xinhua/Ye ErjiangA worker clears snow at a pasture in Altay, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Nov. 14, 2016. Local people have stored livestock fodder to cope with continuous snowfall in Altay since Nov. 9.
Extremely heavy snow hit the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, in Northwest China last Thursday. The three-day blizzard has impacted more than 160,000 sheep, who were forced to hurry to safety.

The extreme weather since has left more than 160,000 head of sheep in danger around Altay in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Most of the sheep were on their way from their summer grazing areas to their winter ones. But now they can hardly move.

Local authorities have had to initiate emergency measures to help move the sheep to their grazing destination in time. But the blizzards are so severe that even rescuers are finding it difficult to reach the trapped sheep in time.


Snowflake

Romania and Ukraine see eight inches of snow

Snow and car
© Koinonia Ministries Inc
Parts of Ukraine and Romania were hit by snowfall totaling more than 20 cm (8 inches) on Sunday evening.

As per the weatherman, even more snow storm is likely to bash the region by Monday. However, possibilities of the snow storm ending on Monday is also expected.

The worst snow storm has already hammered areas of Western Ukraine and northern Romania. However, this time, central and eastern Ukraine along with parts of southern Russia are most likely to witness moderate to a few heavy snow spells into Monday morning.

Moreover, snow will abate off by Monday with just some light snow making its appearance over Eastern Ukraine and Southern parts of Russia particularly during the afternoon hours.

However, as per the experts, the hefty and wet snow can also result in number of power outages throughout Ukraine creating travel chaos as well.



Snowflake

Heavy snowfall sees Alps ski resorts open up a month early

Alpe d'Huez, France
Alpe d'Huez, France
The prospects of a good European ski season heighted after Alpine ski resorts opened up to a month early on Friday after the best November snowfall for 20 years.

Resorts such as Verbier, Courchevel and Alpe d'Huez in the northern Alps laid on festivities to welcome tourists for what they said would be an exceptional weekend of skiing.

With temperatures dropping, even some low-lying areas are expected to open before the usual start of the season next month, according to The Times.

With 50cm of snow falling on the highest slopes at Courchevel, the local tourist office laid on concerts and a giant tea party for those skiers who made it through traffic jams to reach the slopes.

Officials at Courchevel said that skiing would be free over the weekend while Alpe d'Huez slashed prices from €51 to €18 a day.

James Cove, editor of PlanetSki.eu, said: "These are the best November snowfalls since 1996 in the north-west Alps.

"It is amazing that we have had this level of snowfall so early in the winter, with the whole of the European Alps already covered in snow."

Snowflake

Heavy snowfall cause power outages in central China

 People walk along the Songhua River in snow in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China

People walk along the Songhua River in snow in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, China
Tens of thousands of households in central China's Hubei Province is experiencing power outages after heavy snow severely damaged the local grid.

Hubei Power Company dispatched four more rescue teams to disaster-hit Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture late Saturday to repair the grid.

As of Sunday morning, more than 17,000 workers and nearly 5,000 vehicles have been mobilized for the repair work, according to the company.

Snowstorm hit Enshi last Tuesday and Wednesday, bringing down nearly 9,000 electric poles, and destroyed transformers and other supporting facilities.


Source: Xinhua

Snowflake

Roads blocked by snow in areas of Algeria

Snow on road
Fatal accidents, floods, roads cut by snow

8 Nov 2016 (Excerpts) - "It is cold, rain and snow have fallen in abundance on several regions of the country. These incidents caused several fatal accidents on the roads .... at least 8 people were killed and 48 others injured in road accidents in several parts of the country.

"Road traffic in the capital has been severely disrupted by inclement weather and interminable traffic jams have formed around the main roads in Algiers.

"In the west of the country, the army had to intervene to reopen roads, blocked by snow, especially in Sidi Bel Abbes."


Thanks to Patrick for this link

Snowflake

Snowstorm to dump 30 cm of snow from Romania to Ukraine

Snowstorm map
A potent storm system will track across eastern Europe, unleashing significant snowfall and strong winds.

Areas expecting accumulating snowfall include northern Romania, northern Moldova, eastern Hungary, eastern Slovakia, southeast Poland and much of northern and western Ukraine.

A mix of rain and snow will begin on Saturday across the region before transitioning to all snow across western Ukraine, southeast Poland and eastern Hungary. Snow will continue into Sunday night for many areas.

Snow will fall heavily at times from the Carpathian Mountains northward to Lviv and Kiev on Sunday. Widespread snowfall of 15-30 cm (6-12 inches) is expected throughout this region with local amounts in excess of 30 cm (12 inches).

The heaviest snowfall in Lviv on Sunday and in Kiev from midday Sunday into Sunday night.

Snowflake

Record snowfall for Stockholm, Sweden; also record early snow

Snow scene
Stockholm hasn't seen this much snow in November since they started snow depth measurement in the capital 1905, 111 years ago!

And it's only 9 November!

On Wednesday morning, SMHI measured 21 cm of snow. At midday there was an unofficial listing of 30 cm (12 inches.

The previous snow depth in Stockholm in November was 29 cm, set in 1985.

Also, record early snowfall

Further, it has not snowed in Stockholm this early in the winter since SMHI statistics started in 1905.

See video:


Thanks to Andreas Forsman and Andy S for these links

Snowflake

Early snowfall hits Hokkaido, Japan

Snow covers an avenue leading to the former Hokkaido government headquarters, a popular tourist destination in central Sapporo, on Nov. 6.
© Hiroyuki YamamotoSnow covers an avenue leading to the former Hokkaido government headquarters, a popular tourist destination in central Sapporo, on Nov. 6.
Central Sapporo was covered in 23 centimeters of snow at 11 a.m. on Nov. 6, the first time in 21 years a snowfall exceeding 20 cm has been recorded in the city in early November.

A low pressure system passed over Hokkaido on Nov. 6, leading to the snowfalls in many parts of Japan's northernmost main island, according to the Sapporo Regional Headquarters of the Japan Meteorological Agency.

Before sunrise on that day, sweeper vehicles equipped with "sasara" bamboo brooms were dispatched to clear the snow from the municipal tram network. It was the first use of the special snowsweepers this season, and it came 18 days earlier than in the previous year.


An earlier-than-usual snowfall covers Sapporo, including leaves in autumn hues still on branches, on Nov. 6.
© Hiroyuki YamamotoAn earlier-than-usual snowfall covers Sapporo, including leaves in autumn hues still on branches, on Nov. 6.

Snowflake Cold

Severe weather warning issued as UK temperatures plummet

Man walks in Scotland snow
© Murdo Macleod/for The Guardian
Snow expected in the Midlands, north of England and Scotland overnight, and risk of gales in the south-west on Wednesday

Parts of Britain could get up to six inches of snow on Tuesday night as temperatures drop below freezing. The Met Office issued a severe weather warning as temperatures fell to -5C (23F) in England on Monday night.

It said snow was expected in the Midlands, the north and Scotland and that there was a risk of gales of up to 50mph developing in the south-west on Wednesday before moving along the Channel.

Frosty conditions are expected to continue until rush hour on Wednesday morning as a band of wintry weather moves slowly eastwards.

The Met Office forecaster Emma Sillitoe said: "We have had a few wintry showers, but this is the first event where more people are going to be affected. There is a frontal system moving in from the west meeting the quite cold weather we have been having over the last few days.

Snowflake

Record snow cover in Europe for the time of year?

snowfall
Check out the map of snow cover.

snow cover
"I just watched a video about the coming winter and apparently snow cover over Russia into Europe is a record for this time of year," says Andy S.

"The data only goes back to 98 so bear that in mind, however snow cover has penetrated right into NE Europe and all of Scandanavia is already completely covered."
I'd love to see a link verifying that this is a record for this time of year.