Storms
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Cloud Lightning

Almost 2 million lightning strikes recorded as storms batter eastern Australia - 5 inches of rain in 24 hours

Jenny Campbell
wsws.org
Fri, 17 Jan 2025 20:07 UTC
Lightning over Sydney Harbour on January 15, 2025.
© X/@JarvFromOzLightning over Sydney Harbour on January 15, 2025.
The New South Wales State Emergency Services (NSW SES) has responded to more than 7,000 storm-related incidents across the state since Wednesday morning, as fierce storms battered large swathes of Australia's east.

Wild weather is expected to continue through the weekend, with ongoing thunderstorms on the east coast and a tropical cyclone developing just off the coast of Western Australia (WA), threatening gale force winds from Port Hedland to Exmouth in the state's northwest. Meanwhile, large areas of Queensland and WA are experiencing a severe heatwave.

With heavy rainfall expected for much of the NSW coast, numerous flood warnings have been issued. North of Newcastle, Ferndale Caravan Park residents were told to evacuate this morning due to the risk of flooding.

Wednesday's severe weather was the result of a cold front "that triggered a massive line of storms... At one stage we basically had a line of storms extending from almost the Queensland border down to Tasmania," meteorologist Christie Johnson told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). That represents a staggering storm front spanning more than 1,500 kilometres.


Comment: See also this earlier report and other videos: Severe thunderstorms smash Australia's east coast leaving one dead - Sydney Airport shut - 200,000 homes without power - warnings over dangerous winds, lightning and hailstones

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Tsunami

Floods hit southern Brazil's State of Santa Catarina - 5 inches of rain in just a few hours, over half of normal January total


Merco Press
Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:34 UTC
In just a few hours, more than half the volume expected for the entire month of January fell, Mello pointed out
In just a few hours, more than half the volume expected for the entire month of January fell, Mello pointed out
First responders have been working around the clock while State authorities also set up shelters as the need for improved drainage systems and flood prevention infrastructure has been highlighted. Residents were also advised to exercise extreme caution in flood-prone areas.

Camboriú Mayor Juliana Pavan declared the emergency after more than 120 millimeters of rainfall were recorded in just a few hours flooding city streets and adjacent roads such as BR-101, where the Morro do Boi tunnel is closed. Argentine tourists were reported to be arriving en masse for the second half of January as a convenient exchange rate advises against vacationing in their home country.

"It rained, in a few hours, about 130 millimeters in the cities of Itajaí, Camboriú and Balneário Camboriú. More than half the volume expected for the entire month of January," Santa Catarina Governor Jorginho Mello pointed out.

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Tornado2

Waterspout seen off Dampier, Western Australia

Rosemary Murphy
abc.net.au
Mon, 13 Jan 2025 19:01 UTC
Some locals caught a glimpse of a waterspout off the Pilbara coast.
© Michael DoddSome locals caught a glimpse of a waterspout off the Pilbara coast.
Heavy rainfall, a strange skyline and a waterspout over the ocean are just some of the weather phenomena witnessed across Western Australia's Pilbara region over the past 24 hours.

The stormy weather has delighted many locals who watched on in awe.

Dampier resident Eloise Dortch was out walking her dog on Monday morning when something caught her eye off the coast.

"I didn't know what I was looking at," Ms Dortch said.

"I saw this weird, dark trail going from the rain clouds down into ocean.

"It was there for quite a few seconds, and at the base where the spout went into the ocean you could see a flurry of water spray."

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Tornado2

Waterspout rips off roofs of floating houses in Kudat, Malaysia


New Straits Times
Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:57 UTC
Residents of floating houses in Kudat had a rude awakening this morning when some of their houses which are built on stilts over the water at Kampung Pantai Bahagia were struck by a waterspout this morning.
© BULETIN TV3Residents of floating houses in Kudat had a rude awakening this morning when some of their houses which are built on stilts over the water at Kampung Pantai Bahagia were struck by a waterspout this morning.
Residents of floating houses in Kudat had a rude awakening this morning when some of their houses which are built on stilts over the water at Kampung Pantai Bahagia were struck by a waterspout this morning.

The 8.30am natural phenomenon caused damage to at least eight floating houses, leaving a few without their roofs.

The zinc roofs were reportedly blown off by the force of the waterspout, prompting residents to seek cover to avoid being struck by the debris flying in the strong winds.

One of the residents interviewed by Buletin TV3, Sakira Abdul Hassan said she heard a loud bang when it approached her house.

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Cloud Lightning

Severe thunderstorms smash Australia's east coast leaving one dead - Sydney Airport shut - 200,000 homes without power - warnings over dangerous winds, lightning and hailstones

Zak Wheeler and Kylie Stevens
Daily Mail
Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:34 UTC
More than 120,000 homes across Sydney were without power after lighting strikes
More than 120,000 homes across Sydney were without power after lighting strikes
A man has been killed as severe thunderstorms smashed large regions of NSW and Sydney, bringing the airport, public transport and sporting matches to an abrupt halt.

An unstable air mass combined with an upper trough produced wild weather across large parts of the state late Wednesday, leaving behind a trail of destruction in its wake.

Damaging winds, large hailstones and heavy rainfall smashed not only Sydney but also the Hunter, the Mid North Coast, Illawarra, Central Tablelands, North West Slopes and Plains and Northern Tablelands districts.

Wind gusts exceeding 100km/h were reported at Sydney Airport, Kurnell, Scone, Murrurindi Gap, Tamworth, Merriwa, Dubbo, Mullion, Bombala, Trangie, Cowra, Walgett, Cabrumurra and Wagga Wagga.

The worst of the weather isn't over yet with severe thunderstorms and heavy rain forecast in some regions on Thursday.

More than 200,000 homes across Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong were without power late Wednesday night due to lightning strikes with energy providers scrambling to restore electricity services.

The NSW SES was inundated with more than 1,240 calls for help with more than a third of the requests in Sydney for fallen trees, leaks, and roofs blown off buildings.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, a man aged in his 80s was killed after a tree struck his car while driving in 107km/h winds in Cowra in central-west NSW.

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Snowflake Cold

Freezing temperatures and heavy snow cause disruptions in southeastern Europe


Euronews
Tue, 14 Jan 2025 18:50 UTC
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Southeastern Europe is experiencing much lower than expected temperatures this week, bringing heavy snowfall and flooding risks.

Freezing temperatures and heavy snow have caused disruptions in several parts of southeastern Europe, ranging from transport issues to schools being forced to shut.

A storm system has brought strong winds, heavy rainfall, and snowfall in mountainous areas across parts of countries such as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Greece, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Slovenia.

More than 70 schools were closed in Albania on Monday after access to several villages was blocked by severe weather. Authorities have been clearing snow from roads and restoring traffic in the Balkan nation's northern and southeastern parts.

Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Italy have also issued alerts for heavy snow in recent days. In Bulgaria's Smolyan region, snow cover reached 40 centimetres on Monday.

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Tsunami

Tropical Storm Dikeledi hits Mozambique, after leaving at least 3 dead in Madagascar and flooding Mayotte


Barrons
Mon, 13 Jan 2025 19:06 UTC
mmmmm
Tropical storm Dikeledi slammed into northern Mozambique Monday after leaving at least three people dead in Madagascar and triggering floods in the French territory of Mayotte.

The storm intensified as it reached Mozambique's coastal Nampula region, bringing destructive winds and torrential rains, according to French weather administration Meteo-France.

At least 120 people were killed in northern Mozambique in December when Cyclone Chido struck, after taking at least 39 lives in Mayotte where it injured more than 5,600 people and caused colossal damage.

Mozambique's National Institute of Meteorology (INAM) issued flood warnings for Dikeledi with forecasts of up to 200 millimetres (nearly eight inches) of rainfall in 24 hours and wind gusts of up to 180 kilometres (110 miles) per hour.


Comment: The flooding in Mayotte:



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Arrow Down

At least 10 dead in landslides caused by torrential rains (3 inches in an hour) in Brazil


France24
Mon, 13 Jan 2025 12:58 UTC
Rescue services in the Minas Gerais state said Sunday that nine people died in the city of Ipatinga, where 3.1 inches of rain fell in the space of one hour on Saturday night
Rescue services in the Minas Gerais state said Sunday that nine people died in the city of Ipatinga, where 3.1 inches of rain fell in the space of one hour on Saturday night
Nine people died in the city of Ipatinga, where 80 millimeters (3.1 inches) of rain fell in the space of one hour on Saturday night, the mayor's office said.

Firefighters pulled the body of an eight-year-old boy from the rubble of a house destroyed by a landslide.

Another landslide swept away everything in its path along a street on the side of a hill in the city's Bethania neighborhood.

AFP images from the scene showed rubble from the houses poking up from the mud.


Comment: Related: Fatal landslides in 2024 exceptional, correlated with very high intensity rainfall events

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Cloud Precipitation

Prolonged rainfall of 10 inches over just 2 days exceeded monthly average in Singapore

Christie Chiu
The Straits Times
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 21:06 UTC
mmmmmmm
Singapore received more than its average monthly rainfall for January over just two days - on Jan 10 and 11.

Changi recorded the highest total amount of rainfall at 255.2mm across the two days, exceeding Singapore's monthly average rainfall of 222.4mm in January, national water agency PUB said in a statement on Jan 12.

PUB said the prolonged rainy weather caused by the ongoing monsoon surge is expected to persist until Jan 13.

The agency issued several flood risk warnings on Jan 10 and 11 in locations such as Jalan Seaview, which is off Tanjong Katong Road, the junction of Mountbatten Road and Tanjong Katong Road South, as well as Jalan Pokok Serunai.

Heavy rain in these areas resulted in high water levels in drains and canals.

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Snowflake

Snowstorm in Japan: Some regions received up to 2 meters of snow

Kateryna Shkarlat
MSN
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 13:55 UTC
MMMM
Heavy snowstorms continue in areas along the Sea of Japan. Although their intensity is somewhat decreasing, meteorologists warn of possible blizzards and transportation disruptions in the region, NHK WORLD-JAPAN informs.

According to the Japan Meteorological Agency, winter atmospheric pressure and cold air masses are contributing to heavy snowstorms that have affected the eastern and northern regions of the country.

As of Friday morning, the snow depth in Okura village (Yamagata Prefecture) reached 1.99 meters. In Uonuma city (Niigata Prefecture), 1.94 meters of snow fell, while in the famous Shirakawa village (Gifu Prefecture), the snow depth reached 1.84 meters. In some areas, the snowfall exceeds the usual norm for this time of year by more than twice.

On Thursday evening, a car in Toyooka city (Hyogo Prefecture) slid off the road and into a river. The driver is in critical condition. Preliminary reports suggest the accident may have been caused by difficult driving conditions due to snow.

Rail company JR East reported a temporary suspension of high-speed Shinkansen trains on the Yamagata line on Friday morning. Services were later resumed.

According to meteorologists, another powerful snowstorm is expected along the Sea of Japan regions by Saturday morning. People are urged to exercise caution due to potential transportation disruptions, strong winds, high waves, avalanches, and power outages.

RBC Ukraine

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