Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake

Snow isolates 12 municipalities from outside world and each other in Algeria

Snow in Algeria
Snow besieging northern Laghouat

Continued snowfall overnight on the northern side of Laghouat cut off all roads in 12 municipalities, leaving them isolated from the outside world and each other.

Also, travel by hundreds of passengers on buses, cars and trucks has been halted due to the interruption of roads by the snow and many landslides.

Snow in Algeria
Electricity, mobile phone networks and water is cut off some municipalities Kpldah Haj Mashri.

Authorities have mobilized all gear available to open the roads, and to shelter and feed the hundreds of stranded travelers.

Comment:
schnee algerien
schnee algerien



Snowflake Cold

Photos of record snowfall at Squaw Valley ski resort, California; 70% of usual winter total already

An impressive amount of snowfall has covered our Lake Tahoe ski resort in a beautiful blanket of white. Check out the latest photos!

The average snowfall over the past 45 years through the end of January is 176 inches. As of today, we have 141 more inches than the average and are 180% ahead.
The average snowfall over the past 45 years through the end of January is 176 inches. As of today, we have 141 more inches than the average and are 180% ahead.
Our season snow total has now climbed to 317
Our season snow total has now climbed to 317" and it's only January 20, 2017!
The average annual snowfall for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is 450 inches. As of January 20, 2017, we are at 70% of average for the entire winter.
The average annual snowfall for Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is 450 inches. As of January 20, 2017, we are at 70% of average for the entire winter.
The average number of days in a season is 175. We are 57 days into the season (or 33%) and have 70% of average snowfall for the entire winter.
The average number of days in a season is 175. We are 57 days into the season (or 33%) and have 70% of average snowfall for the entire winter.
Over the past 45 years, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows' January snowfall has averaged 70 inches. With 212 inches in the first 20 days of 2017, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is already at 305% of the January average.
Over the past 45 years, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows' January snowfall has averaged 70 inches. With 212 inches in the first 20 days of 2017, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows is already at 305% of the January average.

Ice Cube

What New England's '1816 Mackerel Year' can tell us about climate change

Hundreds of articles have been written regarding the biggest volcanic eruption which took place in Indonesia. This was in Mt. Tambora and took place over 200 years ago on the historic timeline.

One of the effects of this natural explosion on the surrounding climate and ecosystem is extant even now and needs to be brought into the awareness of the public. A few distinguished environmentalists and scientists managed to offer a study on the matter which got published in a journal recently.

1816 mackerel fishing
© NOAA Library, Silver Spring, Md.Penobscot Bay fishermen cleaning mackerel near their saltwater farm. The shore mackerel fishery documented in Alexander and colleagues' paper lasted for over 100 years.
The eruption of Mt. Tambora led to the fish and fisheries in the surrounding waters to undergo a high degree of disturbance. The study which took place regarding this was almost a forensic one. The eruption had effects on New England, Europe, China and many other places for almost a year and a half. Proof of this devastation and destruction was searched for on home ground. Such data as was forthcoming from fish exports, weather reports, dam development and town planning was collated and tabulated in complex patterns to get to the bottom of the anomaly that had taken place due to a natural process.

Comment: To read a treatise about the importance of seeing reality over illusion, seeking the truth over lies, then this book is a must read: Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection.

Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection
Review: "Earth Changes and the Human-Cosmic Connection"


Igloo

More than triple average January snowfall breaks records at California ski resort

Snow in Squaw Alpine
© Via Twitter@squawalpine
Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows ski resor in Lake Tahoe, California, has broken the snow record for ANY month in 45 years of its existence:

Until now, the biggest snowfall was 202 inches, which came in March 2011. So far this January - 212 inches. That's more than 17 ft (more than 5 meters).

Until now, January snowfall has averaged "only" 70 inches.


Ice Cube

Ice on Danube River 4 meters thick in Serbia

Ice on the Danube
© TanjugIce on the Danube
Ice on the Danube at the so-called Dalj Bend is four meters thick, says MUP Emergency Situations Sector chief Predrag Matic.

According to Maric, two more icebreakers will arrive in Serbia, to reopen the river to navigation all the way to Belgrade.

He told state broadcaster RTS that two Hungarian icebreakers worked until late on Wednesday and would continue today, helped by a drone that will be used to observe the area and coordinate the vessels.

Maric said that the whether will be unfavorable with low temperatures until January 23, that will result in more ice forming on the river.

Serbia's own two icebreakers - the Greben and the Bor - are deployed downstream from Belgrade, defending the hydro-power plant Djerdap (Iron Gate).

Igloo

Freak snowfall brings winter to New Zealand resorts in summer!

Snowfall in Summer
© Ewan MackieGuests awoke to 30 centimetres of fresh snow on Sunday morning.
Guests at Cardrona Alpine Resort, near Wanaka, have woken to a winter wonderland - in the middle of summer.

Light snow began falling on Saturday afternoon, but increased to heavy falls overnight, leaving a 30-centimetre base, Cardrona marketing coordinator Matt McIvor said. The white stuff was still falling on Sunday morning.

In five years at the resort McIvor said he had never seen these conditions in January.
Snowfall in Wanaka
© Ewan MackieFreak snowfall in January has brought winter to Cardrona Alpine Resort near Wanaka.

Snowflake Cold

Animals struggle with heavy snowfall, winter weather in Idaho

Two juvenile elk wander in a field
© Jerome A PollosTwo juvenile elk wander in a field
While Idaho residents are lamenting heavy snowpack and icy roads, wildlife in the state has been struggling in the backcountry.

Idaho Fish and Game officials told the Post Register that the tough winter will likely mean higher mortality rates for elk and deer that are coping with heavily crusted snowpack.

The deep snow makes it harder for game to move around, with each step requiring more energy and sapping more of the animals' fat supplies, Idaho Fish and Game Regional Wildlife Manager Curtis Hendricks said. The crusted snow also makes it hard for deer and elk to uncover winter forage, further depleting their fat stores.

In Valley County, more familiar animals are struggling due to the snow. A pair of horses has become stranded in a remote area near Boulder Lake.
The Valley County Sheriff's Office is working to save the animals, KTVB-TV reported.


HORSES
© Valley County Sheriff's OfficeHorses stranded

Snowflake

Several parts of Morocco to be hit with large drops in temperature

Morocco cold snap
© libe.ma
Several parts of Morocco will be hit by a great drop in temperature until the end of this week, according to the Direction de la Météorologie Nationale (DMN).

These are the provinces of Midelt, Tinghir, Azilal, Al Haouz, Béni Mellal, Boulemane and Ifrane where low temperatures will vary between -11 and -5 ° C, and max temperatures will range between -3 and 0 ° C.

(...) It is the poor and deprived population of the regions, particularly the mountainous massifs of the Atlas and the Rif, that suffer from this great drop in temperatures.

Sun

Ancient tree rings suggest sunspot cycles similar to the one observed in more modern times

The Sun
© NASAThe Sun by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory.
A pair of researchers affiliated with the Natural History Museum in Chemnitz and Technische Universität Bergakademie Freiberg, both in Germany, has found evidence in ancient tree rings of a solar sunspot cycle millions of years ago similar to the one observed in more modern times. In their paper published in the journal Geology, Ludwig Luthardt and Ronny Rößler describe how they gathered an assortment of petrified tree samples from a region in Germany and used them to count sunspot cycles.

Scientists know that the sun undergoes a sunspot cycle of approximately 11 years—some spots appear, grow cooler and then slowly move toward the equator and eventually disappear—the changes to the sun spots cause changes to the brightness level of the sun—as the level waxes and wanes, plants here on Earth respond, growing more or less in a given year—this can be seen in the width of tree rings. In this new effort, the researchers gathered petrified tree samples from a region of Germany that was covered by lava during a volcanic eruption approximately 290 million years ago (during the Permian period), offering a historical record of sun activity.

The research pair obtained 43 petrified tree specimens (tree-trunk slices) and report that they were able to count 1,917 rings which were preserved well enough to allow for observation under a microscope. Because the trees had all died at the same time, the researchers were able to establish a baseline between them which allowed for comparing tree ring growth between samples over the same time periods—which covered 79 years. Doing so, they report, revealed very clearly a cycle of growth similar to that seen in modern trees, though in this case, it was slightly different. Today the cycle is an average of 11.2 years, back then it was 10.6—close enough, the researchers suggest, to conclude that the sun has been behaving very predictably for at least 290 million years.

It should be noted that not everyone agrees with the theory that sunspot activity leaves such a clear record in tree rings—other factors might be involved such as general global temperature, weather patterns or even outbreaks of insect populations.

More information: Ludwig Luthardt et al. Fossil forest reveals sunspot activity in the early Permian, Geology(2017)

Snowflake Cold

Cold Temperatures Set Records Throughout Manitoba

Riding National Park in Manitoba
© Debra Crammond
It's been two straight days of record setting temperatures across Manitoba and more will likely fall before the weekend.

Since Manitoba has been stuck in the 'extreme cold' a week ago, mild, Pacific air has warmed up the province considerably and brought about record setting temperatures January 15, 17, and 18, with nearly the entire province getting above 0 C on Wednesday.

While the province hasn't taken the title as the country's 'hot spot,' McCreary Man., has consistently been the warmest in the province registering temperatures well above freezing since Sunday. McCreary registered it's highest temperature Wednesday at 9.2 C. The warmest place in the country Wednesday was Violet Grove Alt., at 13.2 C.

Thursday could be a record breaker as well with temperatures getting up near 5 C in some areas. Winnipeg will stay closer the freezing mark, below record levels.

As the weekend approaches, the forecast will start to change. Southern Manitoba will continue to see mild temperature but rain and snow will likely show up a few times on and off Friday night and through the weekend. Temperatures are expected to start to cool off close to the middle of next week.

January 18 records (and previous records):

Comment: Winnipeg also reported its snowiest December in more than 100 years.