Extreme Temperatures
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Ice Cube

Dangerous long-duration ice storm looming for 1000-mile swath of central U.S.

US forecast map
People from Texas to Ohio are bracing for a long-duration ice storm that could turn destructive and cut power to hundreds of thousands from Friday to Sunday.

A shallow layer of cold air in the atmosphere will accompany a storm over the central United States. The storm will produce a swath of freezing rain along a 1,000-mile swath. As the chilled rain falls on cold surfaces, it will freeze into a glaze of ice.

Untreated sidewalks, streets and highways can turn into a skating rink as a layer of clear, smooth ice forms. The heaviest rain can wash away ice-melting compounds as the storm progresses.

Preceding the main ice storm will be a period of freezing rain and sleet that affect travel in northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin during Wednesday night. "Travel is likely to be hazardous for hundreds of miles along Interstate 35, I-40 and I-70 in the Central states from Friday to Sunday," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rossio.

People traveling across the country may want to consider a more southern route. Where temperatures remain below freezing and rain falls at a heavy rate, the ice will continue to accrue for a few days. Ice of 1/4 to 1/2 of an inch thick can occur over a broad area. The thickness of the ice will become substantial enough to weigh down trees and power lines.

Snowflake Cold

European rivers and bays freeze, Istanbul paralyzed and record snow hits Greece again

Neretva river frozen over in Croatia
© Denis JerkovicNeretva river frozen over in Croatia
With record cold still covering Eastern Europe, parts of the Mediterranean and Turkey, rivers and waterways across the region have begun to freeze.

More record snow for Greece, this time 6+ inches on the beaches, Istanbul paralyzed from all time snowfall record 3+ feet in one day.


Sources

Snowflake Cold

Interstate 80 remains closed as blizzard dumps 10 feet of snow on Sierra, California

The CHP Turckee office shared this photo of a patrol vehicle parked next to a snow hill along I-80.
© California Highway Patrol The CHP Turckee office shared this photo of a patrol vehicle parked next to a snow hill along I-80.
A section of Interstate 80 was closed all day Tuesday as dangerous blizzard conditions blasted through the Sierra, bringing several more feet of snow, officials said.

The National Weather Service in Reno issued a blizzard warning about 3:50 a.m. for the Greater Lake Tahoe area, including Lake Tahoe, Truckee, Incline Village and the Nevada town of Stateline.

Intense snowfall rates, near zero visibility and swift winds prompted the weather service to issue the fairly uncommon warning, said Scott McGuire, a meteorologist with the agency.

"Right now, it's kind of a life-threatening situation and people should definitely not attempt to travel in the Sierra," McGuire said. "It's very rare for us to issue a blizzard warning. This storm is definitely a notch above a typical winter storm."

Snow on cars
© California Highway Patrol
Snow blocks road
© California Highway Patrol

Snowflake Cold

Record cold in Slovakia as temperature drops to -30.3C

record cold in Slovakia

"An absolute record in the history of measurements available to the Slovak Hydrometeorological Institute."

Night from 7th to 8th January, 2017.

The temperature in Dudince fell to -30.3C, an absolute low from start of measuring in 1977.

In Liesek,the thermometer dropped to -30.2 degrees Celsius, the second lowest temperature ever measured in Lieskelovakia.

It was extremely cold all day yesterday, ranging -10 to -20 degrees below normal.

Thanks to Andy S for this link.

Comment: Scientists now warn of new ice age as temperatures plummet -80F in Russia


Stop

Avalanche closes Colorado Interstate

18-wheeler buried in an avalance
© Colorado Department of Transportation
Up to 15 feet of snow blanketed Interstate 70 early Tuesday morning after an avalanche swept across the highway, partially burying one semi-truck.

The avalanche happened in an area of Vail Pass known as the Narrows just after 2:40 a.m., according to Colorado State Patrol, and left Interstate 70 closed in both directions as crews worked to clear the snow from the road. CSP says the semi-truck caught in the slide was carrying mail. The driver was not hurt, and no other vehicles were involved.

This is contrary to a report from the Colorado Department of Transportation, which said three trucks were caught in the slide.

CSP says CDOT plans to clear the eastbound lanes of the highway first so crews can remove the vehicles caught in traffic. The highway is expected to be closed for a few hours.

Ice Cube

Scientists now warn of new Ice Age as temperatures plummet - 80°F in Russia

Snow and ice in Greenland
© NASAExtreme cold and snow pound the northern hemisphere as some scientists warn of the potential for ice age conditions.
Some impressive winter events have been taking place all across the northern hemisphere lately. Especially eastern and southeastern Europe have been pounded by massive snowfalls and tremendously cold temperatures. Turkey has been buried by heavy snows and extreme temperatures have gripped the entire USA and vast areas of Russia.

The global warming climate appears to have been hacked by natural factors.
  • In Russia Moscow celebrated the coldest orthodox Christmas in 125 years.
  • Snowfall paralyzed the city of Istanbul, Turkey.
  • Massive snow falls across the Balkans, Italy and Greece.
  • Dozens of Europeans have since frozen to death.
  • Northern Albania villages have been cut off by 120 cm of snow.
  • A temperature of -62°C (-80°F) was recorded in Chanty-Mansijsk (Russia).
Arctic conditions spread deep into the Mediterranean

These are all odd events when considering the "consensus" forecasts made 15 years ago, which warned that snow and ice would become rare.

In fact many scientists warned that Mediterranean conditions would spread into northern Europe. Lately, however, just the opposite has happened: Arctic conditions have plunged down into the Mediterranean!

Even worse, there is no end in site for the harsh European winter conditions, German mass circulation daily Bild writes here.

Snowflake Cold

Europe freezes: Snow on Greek and Italian beaches, Southeast USA snow covered

A man walks in a suburb of Sofia after heavy snowfall on January 7, 2017.
© Nikolay Doychinov / AFP A man walks in a suburb of Sofia after heavy snowfall on January 7, 2017.
Europe engulfed in blizzards and record breaking snows down to the beaches of southern Italy and Greece.Coldest Orthodox Christian Christmas Eve in 120 years, Bosporus Straight closed due to sea ice and high winds, Istanbul slammed with 2+ feet of snow.

Eastern Europe's roads impassable and the Danube River freezes over.


Sources

Comment: Much of Eastern Europe is setting records for cold temperatures.




Snowflake Cold

Deadly icy snap sweeps across Europe, first deaths of the new year reported (PHOTOS)

Russia winter
© Osman Orsal / ReutersA girl walks under snow-covered trees during a snowfall in Istanbul, Turkey, January 7, 2017.
Europe is beginning to count the cost of the deadly cold snap sweeping across the continent, with the first deaths reported over the weekend.

Social workers in Serbia have been trying to ease the living conditions of migrants living in makeshift shelters enduring the below-freezing temperatures. In the capital Belgrade, hundreds of people, mostly from Afghanistan and Pakistan, are staying in an abandoned customs warehouse, with local aid groups providing heaters, blankets, clothes and food.

Comment: See also: Excessive snowfall forecast in some areas of Europe for Jan 8-11, 2017


Ice Cube

Video shows massive pileup on slippery Highway 401 near Toronto

A truck is seen after a crash on Highway 401 on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017.
© Clarington Fire and Emergency ServicesA truck is seen after a crash on Highway 401 on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2017.
Drivers and passengers involved in a massive pileup on Ontario's Highway 401 on Saturday are speaking out as new video footage of the collisions has emerged.

Close to 100 vehicles were affected in the pileup just outside of the Greater Toronto Area, with the new video showing a transport truck losing control and spinning as it crashes into several vehicles.

"I saw the death in front of me. I thought, 'Okay I'm not going to make it,'" said Kelly, one driver who had the roof of her car crushed in by a different transport truck. "It's going to be really bad and I'm not going to die in a nice way, it's going to be awful."


Snowflake Cold

Heavy snowfall claims 2 lives in Greece, causes road closures

snow
The cold snap that has swept over the country this weekend has claimed two lives and caused chaos on the roadways.

In Pitsinaiika of Nafpaktos a 77 year-old died from what is believed to be exposure and hypothermia while in Komtini an elderly person died due to inhaling fumes from a wood burning heater.

Traffic on the Corinth-Patras highway also caused headaches for travelers as they found themselves stuck on the roadways for more than 10 hours between Aigio and Diakofti due to streets being closed because of heavy snowfall.

The streets reopened around 3:30 a.m. on Sunday morning and vehicles were able to exit the road.



sNOW ROAD

Snow road