Extreme Temperatures
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Cloud Grey

No summer this year in the north of Sweden

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"Hösten är här - de fick ingen sommar," reads the headline. "Fall is here - they had no summer."

A few days ago, we jumped from the spring right to autumn, says this story out of Sweden.

In Tarfala in Norrbotten was never any summer this year. Two days ago there was snow on the highest peaks, says Erik Holmlund of Tarfala Research. There is more snow than it has been for a long time.

The meteorological definition of fall is that the average daily temperature should be between zero and ten degrees for five days in a row, as has happened in Tarfala and also in Stekenjokk in Västerbotten.

It is rare to places skip a season in Sweden. When that happens, it is done in the mountains, according to meteorologist Alexandra Ohlsson at SMHI.

Snowflake

Snowfall continues across parts of Tasmania, Australia

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© ABC News/ Tony KingMore snow fell on the Hobart suburb of Fern Tree
Snow has fallen into the afternoon in many low lying areas of Tasmania after a wintry blast saw snow fall in many parts of the state this morning.

Some Hobart suburbs received a dusting of snow this morning, and a number of schools were closed in the south-east.

The weather bureau's senior forecaster Brooke Oakley said snow was still falling at Scott's Peak in the state's south-west.

"At the moment the snow level is around 200 to 300 metres, and we have showers around the west, south and central areas and only a few light showers getting into the north-east," she said.

"Those showers are going to continue but the snow level is gradually rising to around 500 metres in the evening."

Sun

Heat wave sets historic records in Europe

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Second persistent heat wave of the summer season has set more temperature records in parts of Europe, during last week. Poland, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic, Belarus and Lithuania reported new all-time records, while the hot conditions are forecasted to last across most of the eastern Europe until early next week.

High temperatures in Poland caused the national power suppliers to cut off the electricity to factories for a few days on August 10, as the period of extended heat caused the water levels to drop, in rivers used to cool the power plants.
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A historic record was set in Wroclaw, Poland on August 8 when temperatures hit 38.9 ºC (102 ºF), weather records researcher Maximiliano Herrera reported. Usually, temperatures average 23 ºC (74 ºF) this time of year in Wroclaw.

Comment: Heat waves are being reported all over the world: Extreme temperatures reported over the last month:




Snowflake Cold

Old Farmer's Almanac predicts super-cold winter, snow for much U.S.

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© farmersalmanac.com
Just when you thought you had gotten over last winter, be warned: The Old Farmer's Almanac predicts it will be super cold with a slew of snow for much of the country, even in places that don't usually see too much of it, like the Pacific Northwest.

If you don't want to read about those four-letter words, there's plenty more to peruse in the folksy, annual book of household tips, trends, recipes and articles, such as animal jealousy, the history of shoes and anticipation for the biggest Supermoon in decades in November 2016.

Otherwise, look for above-normal snow and below-normal temperatures for much of New England; icy conditions in parts of the South; and frigid weather in the Midwest. The snowiest periods in the Pacific Northwest will be in mid-December, early to mid-January and mid- to late February, the almanac predicts.

"Just about everybody who gets snow will have a White Christmas in one capacity or another," editor Janice Stillman said from Dublin, New Hampshire, where the almanac is compiled. It's due out in the coming week.

The almanac says there will be above normal-rainfall in the first half of the winter in California, but then that will dry up and the drought is expected to continue. "We don't expect a whole lot of relief," Stillman said.

The weather predictions are based on a secret formula that founder Robert B. Thomas designed using solar cycles, climatology and meteorology. Forecasts emphasize how much temperature and precipitation will deviate from 30-year averages compiled by government agencies.

Comment: From 2014: Historically accurate Old Farmer's Almanac predicts 'super-cold' winter for the US this year


Snowflake

Largest amount of snow in 20 years lingers on the Cairngorms, Scotland

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© Helen RennieHelen Rennie at Ciste Mhearad
These striking pictures were captured by Helen Rennie at Ciste Mhearad in the northern Cairngorms.

Low summer temperatures mean snow continues to cling to the mountainsides of the Scottish National Park, even in the middle of August. But as the patches begin to melt from below, and water flows downhill, vast caverns - some big enough to walk through - are formed.

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© Helen RennieSnow continues to cling to the mountainsides of the Scottish National Park
The wavy patterns left behind lend an almost magical quality to the frozen formations.

Sun

Egyptian heatwave has killed 61 people, hundreds hospitalized for heat exhaustion

heatwave egypt
A heat-wave in Egypt has killed at least 61 people in three days, the health ministry says, as temperatures soared to 47 Celsius.
A heatwave killed at least 61 people across Egypt from Sunday to Tuesday and caused nearly 600 people to be admitted to hospital, Egypt's health ministry said on state news agency MENA on Wednesday.

Heatstroke killed 21 people on Tuesday and 40 people on Sunday and Monday, the health ministry was cited as saying. Most of Tuesday's victims were elderly, the ministry said.

Snowflake Cold

Snow thaw on farms delayed by freezing temperatures around Canterbury, New Zealand

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Sheep in snow
A blanket of snow is refusing to budge along the Canterbury foothills as Mt Somers farmers deal with freezing temperatures and a colder than average winter.

In the second decent dump of the winter farmers in the district were still foot slogging through snow persisting because of temperatures continuing to reach minus six to seven degrees Celsius.

Rangiatea run farmer Blair Gallagher was shearing on Sunday night when the first snow of eventually "seven inches" - about 170 millimetres - landed and was backed up by another smaller drop of 50mm to 70mm. By yesterday there was still 100mm to 120mm on the ground.

During an earlier June snow the temperature gauge dropped to minus 10deg.

The latest snowfall arrived on Sunday followed by another top-up over the last week.

Snowflake

Here it comes: Heavy snowfall expected in Brooks Range, Alaska

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Anaktuvuk Pass, Brooks Range
The Brooks Range is expected to get significant snowfall today, with as much as 5 inches forecast in some areas by Tuesday morning.

Rainfall is expected to change to snow in elevations higher than 3,000 feet in the northeastern Brooks Range, which includes Anaktuvuk Pass, Atigun Pass, Galbraith Lake, Sagwon and Franklin Bluffs.

The National Weather Service warns that people in the backcountry should be prepared for difficult travel through wet snow today and Tuesday. Motorists on the Dalton Highway are also warned to be prepared for snowy conditions on Atigun Pass.

Bizarro Earth

Typhoon Soudelor after-effects: Hong Kong suffers highest temperature recorded

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Tourists take pictures of haze over Hong Kong on January 9, 2014
Hong Kong on Saturday recorded its hottest day since authorities began taking temperature readings 130 years ago, due to the influence of a nearby typhoon.

The daily maximum temperature hit 36.3 degrees Celsius, the Hong Kong Observatory said, with higher temperatures recorded in some parts of the city earlier in the day.

A layer of haze hung over the metropolis of seven million, as people wielding electric fans and umbrellas tried in vain to beat the boiling heat.

"This is a new record," a Hong Kong Observatory spokesman told AFP.

Snowflake

'Snow bombs' force widespread road closures in South Island, New Zealand

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© Angela ShawSnow plowing Bullock Road in St Arnaud on Saturday.
The New Zealand Transport Agency said extreme care was advised on South Island highways after a heavy dumping of snow overnight.

Spokesperson Lee Wright said police had assisted motorists on state highways and some had been taken to safety.

A considerable amount of snow had fallen on the Lewis Pass especially, and it would be some time before it dissipated.

"The Lewis Pass has 400mm of snow and a very heavy snow burden on the trees,"
Wright said.

"It is estimated that some of the 'snow bombs' are up to 3/4 tonne so no work can be done in these areas until they fall."

More bad weather is predicted today with forecasts showing snow down to 200 metres.

Police are warning motorists to use snow chains on most routes and many highways are down to 60km/h in many places.

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© Daniel SinclairSnow in Springs Junction on Friday afternoon