Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake

Update: Death toll from Storm Goliath in Texas and New Mexico up to 40,000 head of cattle

John Boylan
Irish Farmers Journal
Sat, 02 Jan 2016 11:58 UTC
1966 South Dakota Blizzard
© NOAAA snow-covered steer in South Dakota after a blizzard in 1966.
While Ireland battles with widespread flooding, snow and wind in the US has caused havoc on dairy farms.

Storm Goliath tore through Clovis, New Mexico, where Glanbia are involved in cheese manufacture, and Lubbock, Texas last weekend. The storm dumped 22 inches of snow driven by wind speeds of 100km/h, causing havoc on dairy farms where it left over 40,000 dairy cattle dead and closed down most dairies.

News of the disaster took some time to come from the region as producers started clearing the snow on feed passages and dealing with power cuts throughout the area.

Texas Association of Dairymen is contacting state and federal leaders seeking assistance. In addition to the 40,000 dairy cattle lost during the storm, beef cattle feedlots are also affected. The huge loss will make any indemnity program trying to make a real impact to the affected farmers hard to achieve as most of the dairy cattle losses in Texas comes from just three counties. One farmer lost 350 cows and there are 30 other farmers in a similar situation.

The Clovis News Journal reported that the Glanbia-run Southwest Cheese of Clovis operated at just 10% of normal delivery on Monday; it had recovered to 90% on Wednesday.

Comment: Earlier report: Snow Blizzard kills more than 30,000 dairy cows in Texas, New Mexico (number could climb higher)

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Snowflake

Seven feet of snow closes roads in Naran, Pakistan

Sidrah Roghay
aaj.tv
Wed, 30 Dec 2015 11:04 UTC
Snow on road
Residents of Naran valley on Thursday stuck as all communication lines and roads have been blocked because of heavy snowfall which was more than seven feet.

According to the residents of Naran valley a large number of locals have migrated to other cities of Hazara division while some of the people are still residing in the area despite the hardships of the weather and shortage of firewood.

General Councilor of Naran valley Muhammad Haneef while talking to media alleged that after the heavy snowfall, electricity and PTCL lines have been completely damaged and mobile phone companies have also stopped their operation in the area.
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Snowflake

Record snowfall for Sudbury, Ontario

Jonathan Migneault
Northern Life
Wed, 30 Dec 2015 17:49 UTC
Sudbury snow
© Jonathan Migneault.The sidewalk leading to the pedestrian tunnel connecting Riverside Drive to Elgin Street and downtown Sudbury, remained uncleared for much of the day Wednesday, after a record 33 centimetres of snow blanketed Greater Sudbury Tuesday.
City to start clearing high-use bus stops Wednesday night

It's expected to take the city two more days to clear all 425 kilometres of sidewalks and walkways in Greater Sudbury, after a record 33-centimetre snowfall Tuesday.

"They're making good progress," said City of Greater Sudbury spokesperson Shannon Dowling.

Tony Cecutti, the city's general manager of infrastructure, said the focus on clearing Greater Sudbury's 3,560-kilometre municipal road network within 24 hours slowed down efforts to clean up sidewalks and walkways.

"Unfortunately, we've filled in some of the sidewalks with our own plows," he said.

The city plowed all streets and roadways by 4 a.m. Wednesday, and proceeded with second passes throughout the rest of the day.
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Snowflake

New December snowfall record for Crater Lake National Park, Oregon


kptv.com
Fri, 01 Jan 2016 17:41 UTC
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park
Crater Lake National Park has broken its snowfall record for December, with close to 197 inches of snow recorded.

The Mail Tribune reports the previous record of 196 inches was set in December 1948.

The park currently has a snowpack of about 100 inches. The readings are taken in an area near the park's visitor center.

A long-term forecast predicts southwest Oregon will see close to average snowfall and precipitation in January, with a slightly wetter-than-normal period through March.

Source: Associated Press
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Snowflake Cold

Snow Blizzard kills more than 30,000 dairy cows in Texas, New Mexico (number could climb higher)

Betsy Blaney
Winnipeg Free Press
Thu, 31 Dec 2015 03:09 UTC
1966 South Dakota Blizzard
© NOAAA snow-covered steer in South Dakota after a blizzard in 1966.
Dairy producers in West Texas and eastern New Mexico are continuing to assess how many animals died in the winter storm last weekend, but the number will probably climb to more than 30,000, an official with a dairy group said Thursday.

Texas Association of Dairymen executive director Darren Turley said an estimated 15,000 mature dairy cows died in the storm's primary impact area — from Lubbock west to Muleshoe and north to Friona which is home to half of the state's top-10 milk producing counties and produces 40 per cent of the state's milk.
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Snowflake

Land of Ice & Snow: Montreal record busting snow sours the mild winter climate narrative

Eric Worrall
Wattsupwiththat.com
Thu, 31 Dec 2015 00:00 UTC
Montreal Snow
Montreal, 2005; author Denis Jacquerye, source Wikimedia
ON the 24th December this year, Montreal was a poster child for the "new normal" - mild weather, no snow in sight. All that came to an abrupt end on the 29th, when Montreal strayed off narrative with a record breaking snowfall.

From the 24th;
Montreal's Christmas Eve record-breaking temperature matches Los Angeles

Dec. 24 high of 16 C matches cities synonymous with sunny, warm weather at this time of year

...

The balmy temperature was the last thing Anaum and Muhammed Sajanlal were expecting when the siblings arrived in Montreal from Kuwait recently.

They had big plans for winter fun.

"I was looking forward to building a snowman because we see in the movies and cartoons that they build lots of snowmen. We can't do that in Kuwait," said Anaum, 11, on CBC Montreal's Daybreak.
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Ice Cube

Just Saying: Greenland retained 99.7% of its ice mass in 20th Century!!!

David Middleton
Wattsupwiththat.com
Wed, 30 Dec 2015 00:00 UTC
Naturally, the Real Clear Science headline actually read...

Greenland Lost 9 Trillion Tons of Ice in Century

Which sounds even more serious than the original headline...
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Ice Cube

'Snowball waves' filmed on Sebago Lake, Maine

Ben Hooper
UPI
Thu, 31 Dec 2015 21:12 UTC
© Weather Channel"Snowballs" cover Sebago Lake in Maine.
A New England man captured video of "waves of snowballs" lapping against the shore in Maine's Sebago Lake.

David Allen of Stone Point Studio posted a video to Facebook showing the unusual state of the Sebago Lake waves Tuesday, just after the first winter weather hit the area.

"This was one of the most awesome natural events I have ever seen!" Allen wrote in his Facebook post.

He offered some speculation as to how the snowball waves might have formed:

Comment: See also: Ice balls form on Lake Michigan along the shoreline near Traverse City

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Snowflake Cold

Cold yet? Montreal breaks 61-year snow fall record


CTV News - Montreal
Wed, 30 Dec 2015 18:44 UTC
Montreal snow removal trucks
© CTV News - MontrealSnow removal trucks cart away snow in Montreal, December 30, 2015.
Montreal was hit with 39.2 centimetres of snow in its first major snowfall of the season, and as always, after the snow fall comes the problem of carting it away.

The major snow removal operations began Wednesday morning. The city says removal will be underway in every borough by 7 p.m. The operation will cost around $20 million.

The city announced its new snow removal policy, an attempt to harmonize the cleanup across all 19 boroughs, in August.

The first priority is the city's main arteries, busy commercial streets, priority bus routes, reserved lanes, hospital entrances and very narrow streets. Then the operation begins on smaller streets, other bus routes, and finally local streets and industrial areas.

About 3,000 city employees will be involved in carting the snow away. Their mandatory 36-hour break will begin Dec. 31 at 7 p.m. and end Jan. 2 at 7 a.m.

The city says the suspension of blue collar workers from earlier this month won't affect snow removal.

The most oft-cited impediment to snow removal is cars that are in the way, so residents are being asked to download the Info Neige app or check out the website, which shows the progress of snow-clearing operations and tells you where and when you can park on the street.
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Ice Cube

Ice balls form on Lake Michigan along the shoreline near Traverse City


Strange Sounds
Wed, 30 Dec 2015 20:09 UTC
Ice balls
Ice balls
Ice balls on Lake Michigan are currently forming along the shoreline near Traverse City.

In this video, shot on December 29, 2015, ice boulders are seen clanking against one another along the shores of Lake Michigan. What are they? Where did they come from?

This curious ice phenomenon doesn't happen often, so when it does, it's something to celebrate and take note of.

Ice balls start out life as a small chunk of ice in the water. The small chunk of ice grows by thin measures as it tumbles in the waves.

Ice boulders can only form when the air is cold enough for the water to instantly freeze and the lake is cold, but not too cold.

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