Extreme Temperatures
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Snowflake

First June snowfall in Tromso, Norway since records began

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The northern Norwegian city of Tromso experienced a freak summer snowfall on Monday after freezing wind from the North Pole saw temperatures plummet.

It was the first time since records began that the city had seen snowfall in June. Local meteorologist Trond Lien said that sleet and snow showers hit the city on Monday night, and there has even been some snow lying on the ground. He said that the situation was "very rare", noting that it must have been a long time since it snowed on 16 June. He added that he had found records showing that Tromso had experienced snowfall in July, but he could find nothing to indicate snow in June.

Motorist Odd Arne Thomassen told reporters that he was driving over roughly four centimetres of snow when he was in Kvaenangsfjellet, in North Troms, early on Monday morning. He explained that it was not bad enough to make him feel he needed his chains on, but that there was certainly about four centimetres lying on the ground.

Yr.no, the weather forecasting venture between the Meteorological Institute and TV station NRK, predicted that other areas of the country would also experience snowfall. It said that high-lying areas of western and southern Norway would likely see snow, despite the fact that the capital Oslo is lapping up temperatures in excess of 20C.

Igloo

Receding Swiss glaciers reveal 4000 year old forests - Warmists try to suppress findings

Glacier
© Climate Change Dispatch.com
Dr. Christian Schlüchter's discovery of 4,000-year-old chunks of wood at the leading edge of a Swiss glacier was clearly not cheered by many members of the global warming doom-and-gloom science orthodoxy.

This finding indicated that the Alps were pretty nearly glacier-free at that time, disproving accepted theories that they only began retreating after the end of the little ice age in the mid-19th century. As he concluded, the region had once been much warmer than today, with "a wild landscape and wide flowing river."

Dr. Schlüchter's report might have been more conveniently dismissed by the entrenched global warming establishment were it not for his distinguished reputation as a giant in the field of geology and paleoclimatology who has authored/coauthored more than 250 papers and is a professor emeritus at the University of Bern in Switzerland.

Then he made himself even more unpopular thanks to a recent interview titled "Our Society is Fundamentally Dishonest" which appeared in the Swiss publication Der Bund where he criticized the U.N.-dominated institutional climate science hierarchy for extreme tunnel vision and political contamination.

Following the ancient forest evidence discovery Schlüchter became a target of scorn. As he observes in the interview, "I wasn't supposed to find that chunk of wood because I didn't belong to the close-knit circle of Holocene and climate researchers. My findings thus caught many experts off guard: Now an 'amateur' had found something that the [more recent time-focused] Holocene and climate experts should have found."

Other evidence exists that there is really nothing new about dramatic glacier advances and retreats. In fact the Alps were nearly glacier-free again about 2,000 years ago. Schlüchter points out that "the forest line was much higher than it is today; there were hardly any glaciers. Nowhere in the detailed travel accounts from Roman times are glaciers mentioned."

Snowflake Cold

Coldest June day in Finland for 50 years

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Along with summertime snow

19 June 2014 - On Tuesday, Northern Finland recorded the lowest temperature for this date since 1962, while large swathes of the country awoke to a blanket of white.

With temperatures running 10C (18F) below average for this time of year, parts of Lapland, northern Ostrobothnia and central Finland also saw snow.

The temperature fell to zero as far south as Virrat in Pirkanmaa.

The coldest June temperature in 50 years was recorded in Saanatunturi, Northern Finland, when the mercury dropped to minus 6.2C (20.8F).

During the months of midnight sun in Lapland, weather conditions are generally dry. However, snowfall was also observed in Yli-Ii, north of Oulu on Tuesday morning.


Igloo

Surprise snowstorm clobbers Rockies

Snow storm in Summer!
© Glacier National ParkGlacier National Park is notorious for unpredictable weather.
The summer solstice is right around the corner, but winter isn't going down without a fight this year: A bizarre June snowstorm hit Glacier National Park in Montana and parts of Utah and Idaho this week, leaving many residents and visitors in the northern Rockies wondering what season it is.

Glacier National Park saw almost 4 inches (10 centimeters) of rain and more than a foot (0.3 meters) of snow, according to the National Weather Service. [See photos of the surprise snowstorm]

"Weather in northwest Montana and weather in Glacier [National Park] can be so variable, but it's always somewhat exciting, somewhat "wow," somewhat challenging to get this kind of weather this time of year," Denise Germann, a spokeswoman for Glacier National Park, told ABC Montana.

Now, as the snow melts and rivers spill over their banks, the area is at risk for flooding.

Cloud Lightning

65,000 birds and mammals killed by hailstorms in India

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Carcasses of rosy starling in Baramati, Pune district, and an Indian peafowl at Umarga, Osmanabad district
The hailstorm that hit Maharashtra earlier this year killed more than 65,000 birds and mammals in various parts of the state, according to a special report prepared by the Bombay Natural History Society.

A total 26 species of birds and nine species of mammals were killed in Marathwada and Vidarbha during the period from March 1 to 10 and on May 1 and 2, BNHS stated in the report that was released on Tuesday.

Mass mortality was reported in 27 areas with high mortality in 14 areas, each covering about 25 sq km.

"A high number of deaths were reported for birds that prefer residing near human habitation. Some of these are mynas, owls, parakeets and kites," the report states.

The highest rate of mass mortality was observed at the roosting sites of birds such as rosy starling, the house sparrow and rose-ringed parakeet. Birds such as coucal, bulbul, drongo, quail, lark, egret and bee-eaters were found dead across the study area.

Snowflake Cold

Winter snow storm in Montana, Utah and Wyoming in mid-June

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Winter just won't quit, even as summer is right around the corner. Cool, huh?

Snow is falling over the higher elevations, as an upper-level low swirls over the Northern Rockies. Alta, Utah reported nine inches of snow on Tuesday, which makes it their third highest one-day snowfall total in June. Glacier National Park reports about one foot of snow fell on Wednesday at Sperry Chalet (approximately 6,590 feet in altitude). Lake-effect rain and snow has also developed off the Great Salt Lake, with snow above 7,000 feet.

Mountain snow will continue through Thursday morning in parts of the Northern Rockies. Winds will gust up to 30 mph and visibility may be less than half a mile at times.

Closer to pass level, look for a mix of rain and snow, with no accumulation expected. But if you have an early summer vacation planned for Glacier National Park, remember to bring your snow gear as more than a foot of snow is not out of the question.

Plow crews began the process of digging out Logan Pass in Montana last week, and they hope to have the Sun Road open to Logan Pass sometime after June 20. Conditions across the region will improve this weekend. Temperatures will climb into the 70s with mostly sunny skies.

Snowflake

Summer snowfall in another European country: Snow in June raises eyebrows in Estonia

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© AFP
Living with sub-zero temperatures for several months a year, Estonians are no strangers to a little snow, AFP reported.

But residents of the Baltic nation were baffled on Tuesday when flurries of the white stuff fell in June for the first time in more than three decades.

"We last recorded snow in June 32 years ago and it was on exactly the same date: June 17, 1982," Estonian meteorologist Helve Meitern told AFP.

"Tonight, we could see temperatures fall below zero degrees Celsius (32 Fahrenheit)," she added.

The wintry weather follows a heatwave over the last month that saw temperatures spike to a toasty 30 degrees Celsius across this EU state of three million, where average June daytime temperatures range from 18-20 degrees Celsius.

The mercury soared to a searing 35.6 Celsius in August 1992, the hottest day ever recorded in Estonia.

Source: AFP

Fish

Cold Antarctic water likely cause behind thousands of dead fish found on Ninety Mile Beach, Victoria, Australia

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Dead fish washed up onshore at Seaspray in Gippsland
Thousands of dead fish washed up on Victoria's Ninety Mile Beach were probably killed by cold Antarctic water, according to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA).

Many beachgoers had reported the dead fish between Seaspray and Marlo in Gippsland, identifying mainly the leather jacket species and also trevally.

The EPA said it was investigating but test results did not indicate water pollution was the cause.

It said the fish were most likely killed by cold Antarctic waters moving up the east coast.

The fish prefer warmer waters.

Large numbers of dead fish have also washed up on Tasmania's east coast.

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Beachgoers reported the dead fish found along Ninety Mile Beach.

Comment: See also: Tens of thousands of fish wash up on the east coast of Tasmania

Mass of spider crab shells wash up on Tasmania's east coast


Ice Cube

More East Coast icebergs than usual: some almost close enough to touch

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© UnknownMassive blocks of ice float closer to shore in Newfoundland, Sunday, June 15
Just off the coast of Newfoundland float humongous slabs of bright, white ice -- almost close enough to touch.

Over the weekend, a large berg floated within metres of the shoreline in St. John's harbour, attracting a crowd of onlookers.

It's just the latest in what's been a banner year for icebergs in Canada's eastern-most province. Tourists are taking in the spectacular sights from the beaches or on guided boat tours. Some are even hopping in the frigid waters to get a closer view.

Snowflake

Snowfall in Russia during high summer

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© Anastasia Pozdeyeva
In mid-June the thermometer dropped below zero.
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© Anastasia Pozdeyeva
This morning, Ust-Tsilemskii area experienced heavy snowfall accompanied by strong northerly winds. The intensity of precipitation was such that the snow didn't have time to melt.