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Tropical Cyclone Anais is estimated to have a maximum wind of 115 mph as of early this morning, which is equivalent to a category 3 hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean. The southwestern Indian Ocean is prone to tropical cyclones but what makes Anais so rare is that it is occurring in October, which is early springtime in the southern Hemisphere.
The peak period for tropical events in this part of the world is normally during our winter months of January-March. Anais is forecast to move southwest in the general direction of Madagascar for the next five days and weaken as it moves into cooler waters and unfavorable winds.
The Bureau of Meteorology says snow falls have occurred right along the Great Dividing Range and as far north as Queensland's Granite Belt.
At its height, snowfalls of 15 centimetres and wind damage cut roads and rail access to the upper Blue Mountains for more than six hours.
In the Blue Mountains, 300 cars were stranded by the mountain road closures.
But the SES's Jennifer Finlay says most of the 550 calls for help came from further to the south.
"The Illawarra south coast got hit pretty hard with lots of trees down a bit of roof damage, fortunately nothing too severe," she said.
Endeavour Energy reconnected more than 2,000 properties to power on Friday afternoon, but hundreds of outlying properties between Mount Victoria and Medlow Bath and in the Megalong Valley will not get power back until Saturday.
With temperatures predicted to get down to 3 degrees Celsius overnight, the company has urged people in areas where the power is out to check on neighbours who live alone.
Up to three-quarters of an inch of rain is expected in some areas, with the possibility of tornadoes.
Forecasters said snow levels could drop to as low as 7,500 feet on Friday. The Kaibab Plateau, San Francisco Peaks and the White Mountains could see between one inch and three inches of snow.
Over at the Southern California Weather Authority we name the Pacific Storms that come into the region, a novelty since 1998-1999. This is Pacific Storm Adam, a category three system for Wednesday into Thursday.
Pacific Storm Adam will hit the Point Conception areas on Wednesday, and Los Angeles overnight Wednesday into Thursday, bringing locally heavy rain in spots under the thunderstorms that form.
Hail, funnel clouds, and waterspouts will also be a concern along with resort level snows for any cells that pass those areas.
After the system moves out on Thursday night, it will quickly eject into the plains where severe thunderstorms will be likely between then and Saturday across a large area.
These storms will contain large hail, damaging winds, and even tornadoes.
© YouTube user 2012FromAbove
An early season snow event produced significant snow amounts for northeast North Dakota into northwest Minnesota for early October. The heaviest snow fell in Roseau county where around a foot of heavy wet snow has been reported as of 3 pm Thursday October 4. This heavy wet snow has also produced numerous power outages across this area.
These snow amounts appear to be record amounts for this early in the season for many areas. The previous record snowfall for October 4 or earlier at the NWS in Grand Forks was 2 inches on October 2, 1950. The NWS at Grand Forks reported 3.5 inches of snow with this storm on October 4, 2012. While records from around the area indicate that the October 2, 1950 storm produced about 2-5 inches around the region with localized higher amounts, with Leeds, ND receiving 7.0 inches on October 2, 1950, and Hallock 4.5 inches.
These snow amounts appear to be record amounts for this early in the season for many areas. The previous record snowfall for October 4 or earlier at the NWS in Grand Forks was 2 inches on October 2, 1950. The NWS at Grand Forks reported 3.5 inches of snow with this storm on October 4, 2012. While records from around the area indicate that the October 2, 1950 storm produced about 2-5 inches around the region with localized higher amounts, with Leeds, ND receiving 7.0 inches on October 2, 1950, and Hallock 4.5 inches.
© ABC / Linda HuntAurora crews fix powerlines after a tree brings them down at Boyer in southern Tasmania.
Gusts of up to 100 kilometres an hour have brought down powerlines, sparking several fires.
The Tasmania Fire Service (TFS) is attending several fires, while Tasmania Police has issued hazard and road closure alerts.
The wild winds threatened to collapse a wall at Elwick Racecourse, facing Goodwood Road, just after 1pm.
Airlines Virgin and Qantas have diverted flights back to Melbourne, with one plane aborting a landing in Hobart.
About 9,300 households are without power in the Derwent and Huon Valleys and the Channel areas.
© weather.com
Hurricanes and tropical storms have been given names since the 1940s. In the late 1800s, tropical systems near Australia were named as well. Weather systems, including winter storms, have been named in Europe since the 1950s. Important dividends have resulted from attaching names to these storms:
- Naming a storm raises awareness.
- Attaching a name makes it much easier to follow a weather system's progress.
- A storm with a name takes on a personality all its own, which adds to awareness.
- In today's social media world, a name makes it much easier to reference in communication.
- A named storm is easier to remember and refer to in the future.
© itv.com
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from their homes after torrential rain led to flash flooding in the Andalucian provinces of Malaga, Almeria and Murcia.
The woman, who has yet to be named, was reported missing in Almeria, a spokeswoman for the regional government of Andalucia said.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office said it was looking into the reports as "a matter of urgency".
Heavy downpours and resulting high waters have killed five people in the province of Murcia, three in Almeria and one in Malaga. Five people originally declared missing had been found alive.
When he was asked whether he wanted to help tow some of the thousands of vehicles that were destroyed in the May 22, 2011, tornado in Joplin, Mike Forest jumped at the chance.
"The day after the tornado, he was there,'' said his wife, Dina, of Olathe, Kan. "It was the third week he was there that it happened.''
Forest awoke one morning to a blood-stained pillow from a nosebleed he did not know had happened. His shins were covered with blisters up to his knees. He had an excruciating headache.
He is now in the Shawnee Mission Medical Center in the Kansas City area, where doctors are trying to find out why he became ill and why he is still ill. His most recent tests include a spinal tap to determine whether he was exposed to something toxic.
"He's very sick. He describes it as someone taking a spoon and raking his bones. He has a headache that just disables him,'' said his wife in a recent telephone interview. "No one has a clue. If we don't get some answers here, we're going to the Mayo Clinic next. He can't go on like this.''
"The day after the tornado, he was there,'' said his wife, Dina, of Olathe, Kan. "It was the third week he was there that it happened.''
Forest awoke one morning to a blood-stained pillow from a nosebleed he did not know had happened. His shins were covered with blisters up to his knees. He had an excruciating headache.
He is now in the Shawnee Mission Medical Center in the Kansas City area, where doctors are trying to find out why he became ill and why he is still ill. His most recent tests include a spinal tap to determine whether he was exposed to something toxic.
"He's very sick. He describes it as someone taking a spoon and raking his bones. He has a headache that just disables him,'' said his wife in a recent telephone interview. "No one has a clue. If we don't get some answers here, we're going to the Mayo Clinic next. He can't go on like this.''
Comment: Note how the meteorologist claims "it's not unprecedented" because there were similar conditions in 2008. Well that's alright then! Nothing to worry about!