Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake Cold

Winter's almost over, yet Atlantic Canada is blasted with 50 cm of snow

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The beginning of March brought some harsh winter conditions to Atlantic Canada, particularly in Newfoundland, which was hit hard Tuesday.

The intense winter storm that powered through the Maritimes Monday -- the first day of meteorological spring -- also delivered a swift dose of heavy snow, howling winds and blizzard conditions to Newfoundland Tuesday.

Because of the storm, most government offices and municipal services were either delayed with opening or closed for the day early Tuesday. Conditions quickly began to deteriorate Monday overnight and into the pre-dawn hours Tuesday morning.


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Closures along South Klondike Highway due to avalanches after 'way, way above average' snowfall

A snowplow clears a path on the South Klondike Highway. On Tuesday, the highway was shut down.
© Colin MacKenzieA snowplow clears a path on the South Klondike Highway. On Tuesday, the highway was shut down.
The large snowfall in southern Yukon has caused lots of problems for highway staff, and contractors tasked to deal with avalanches. This weekend, avalanche activity was reported along the South Klondike Highway, and it seems that highway staff had their hands full.

Colin MacKenzie, an avalanche contractor for Yukon's Department of Highways and Public Works, explained that these avalanches are caused by storms coming off the Pacific Ocean. These storms are bringing winds, snow, and warmer temperatures with them.

Snowflake Cold

Taiwan's Yushan sees first snow of 2021

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© CWB
Taiwan's tallest peak, Yushan, this morning (Tuesday, March 3) saw 3 cm of snow, its first of the year, as seasonal northeasterly winds brought cold, wet weather to the country.

Seasonal northeasterly winds brought increased moisture and lower temperatures to northern and eastern Taiwan overnight. This morning, the mercury at the Yushan Weather Station dipped down to minus 0.8 degrees Celsius by 1 a.m. and minus 1.5 degrees by 2 a.m., according to the Central Weather Bureau (CWB).


Snowflake

One killed, dozens injured in traffic accidents amid heavy snowfall in South Korea - nearly 3 feet of March snow

Cars are trapped on Donghae Expressway in the east coast on March 1, 2021,
© YonhapCars are trapped on Donghae Expressway in the east coast on March 1, 2021, due to heavy snow in Gangwon Province.
One person was killed and dozens were injured in traffic accidents caused by heavy snowfall in the country's northeast, officials said Tuesday.

Gangwon Province received up to 90 centimeters of snow in the mountains and 5-20 cm inland between Monday and Tuesday afternoon, according to local weather authorities.

The snow caused severe traffic congestion and road closures across the province, leading to 79 traffic accidents and multiple casualties, according to firefighting officials.

A man in his 50s was killed after he was hit by a car near a tunnel on a highway linking Seoul to Yangyang, 215 kilometers east of the capital.


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Fresh snow in March on Mauna Kea, Hawaii - Winter weather advisory continues

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© UKIRT
As of Monday morning, the road to the summit of Maunakea was closed to the public above the Visitor Information Station due to snow and icy road conditions.

Webcams show a fresh coating of snow and ice on the summit of Maunakea on Monday morning, where a Winter Weather Advisory is still in effect but should expire soon.

The National Weather Service in Honolulu reported this morning that "overnight snow and icy conditions are currently present over the Big Island Summits. Conditions are expected to improve later this morning."

Snowflake Cold

New South Wales, Australia just suffered its coldest summer in a decade

Oz temps

It wasn't just Facebook giving Australia the cold shoulder this southern hemisphere summer — according to data from the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM), the eastern Aussie state of New South Wales (NWS) has just suffered its coldest summer season since 2011.


March 1 is the start of autumn down under. December 1 to February 28 is summer, and those 3-months delivered lower than average temperatures across the majority of Australia — NOAA reveals that 823 new low temperature records were set during that time-period in Australia, while the latest data from the BoM (released today, March 1) shows us that the southeastern Aussie state of NSW, distinguished by its coastal cities, national parks, and capital city Sydney, just endured its coldest summer since the end of the previous solar minimum (late 2010/early 2011).

As reported by the dailytelegraph.com.au, the average NSW temperature for the summer of 2020-21 was the coldest on record since 2011 when the average temperature reached a relatively cool 23.2C (73.8F).

According to the BoM -even with their UHI-ignoring bias- "mean maximum temperatures were cooler than average for much of the Aussie mainland," with mean minimum temperatures "below average for the northern interior of Western Australia and adjacent Northern Territory, areas of southern inland New South Wales, north-west Victoria, and south-east and northern South Australia."

Snowflake

Over 39,000 households affected by record snowfall in Iwamizawa, Japan

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Heavy snow has been falling intermittently in Hokkaido, Japan, since Tuesday, February 23, 2021, with Iwamizawa city recording its second-highest snowfall of 2.05 m (6.7 feet) on Thursday, 25.

It resulted in disruptions in the city, particularly in train services and even the water supply in the neighboring Bibai city, where more than 39 000 households have been affected.

Heavy snow has been piling up in Hokkaido, especially in the Sorachi region, since Tuesday. Iwamizawa city was blanketed by 2.05 m (6.7 feet) of snow as of Friday morning, the second-highest snowfall in the area since the start of statistics. The figures were just 3 cm (1.2 inches) shy of the record 2.08 m (6.8 feet).


Attention

Florida manatees are dying in droves this year with 317 recorded dead - experts blame poor water quality, starvation

A manatee surfaces for air in Fort Myers, Fla., on Jan. 15.
© ANDREW WEST/THE NEWS-PRESSA manatee surfaces for air in Fort Myers, Fla., on Jan. 15.
It's already been a deadly year for Florida manatees.

More sea cows deaths have been documented through the first two months of the year than were recorded during those same two months in 2019 and 2020 combined, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission records.

Through Feb. 12, the state recorded 317 manatee deaths, though former FWC commissioner Ron Bergeron said he thought the number was closer to 350 sea cows.


Manatee advocates said the die-off is another example of poor water quality.


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Avalanche kills woman in Hokkaido, Japan

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Avalanches triggered by warm weather struck two municipalities in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido on Feb. 28, claiming the life of a 44-year-old woman, police said.

The avalanches occurred in the village of Akaigawa and in the town of Kamikawa. In Akaigawa, Remi Otsuka, an office worker from Tokyo's Setagaya Ward who was part of a group of six backcountry skiers, was caught in the avalanche at about 12:35 p.m. on Feb. 28. Police said she was later rescued but was confirmed dead at a hospital.


Snowflake

Late February snowfall in Kashmir brings back cold wave-like conditions - up to 18 inches falls

People walk past stranded vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during heavy snowfall, at Qazigund in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
© PTIPeople walk past stranded vehicles on the Jammu-Srinagar National Highway during heavy snowfall, at Qazigund in Anantnag district of South Kashmir.
Fresh snowfall was reported from most parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.

Fresh snowfall in Kashmir on Saturday brought back cold wave- like conditions in the valley where the day temperature for the past week was several degrees higher than normal for this time of the year, officials said.

Fresh snowfall was reported from most parts of Kashmir, including Srinagar, the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir, the officials said.

Macchil and Z-Gali areas in remote Kupwara district recorded snow between one foot to 18 inches, while places like Gulmarg, Baramulla and Sonamarg recorded up to seven inches of snow, they said.