Storms
S


Cloud Lightning

Virginia, US: Strong Winds, Hail, Rain Cause Power Outages

Timmy Carrico
The State Journal
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 09:08 UTC
Over 14,500 American Electric Power customers are in the dark after a severe storm on Friday evening.

Cyclone, W.Va.
© Lonnie AtwellCyclone, W.Va.
After 60 mph winds, golf ball sized hail, and heavy rains; electricity is out in many homes across the 59News viewing area.

According to Appalachian Power, at 8 p.m. more than 14,500 customers were in the dark in Virginia and West Virginia.

Mercer County had more than 1,760 customers without power, Monroe County had a total of 1,100 homes in the dark, Raleigh County had a little over 150 still without power, Summers County had 158 customers without electricity, and Wyoming County had over 550 customers still in the dark.
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

West Virginia, US: Charleston area storms produce 'lots of water and tons of debris'

Kathryn Gregory
The Charleston Gazette
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 21:39 UTC
Trees knocked down, roads flooded 2nd time in a week

Heavy rains caused power outages, flooding and damage across the Charleston area for the second time in one week on Friday.

Kimberly Earl and her husband, Cody, were in their home on Bakers Fork Road with two of their four kids when a massive tree uprooted on the hill across from their house, slamming onto their roof.

"Every time it rains," she said, "a little more of that hillside washes away."
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Southern Thailand's flood death toll hits 59


Monsters and Critics
Sat, 09 Apr 2011 09:40 UTC
The death toll reached 59 Saturday from floods and mudslides in southern Thailand over two weeks that caused damage estimated at more than 300 million dollars, officials said.

The Interior Ministry's disaster prevention and mitigation department said 26 people had died in Nakhon Si Thammarat province, 610 kilometres south of Bangkok.

Twelve deaths were confirmed in neighbouring Surat Thani province, with additional casualties in Krabi, Phatthalung, Chumphon, Trang and Phangnga provinces throughout the southern region.

Large areas of Nakhon Si Thammarat were reported still underwater on Saturday.
Read More...
Bizarro Earth

Germany: Sandstorm Causes Deadly Autobahn Crash


Spiegel Online
Fri, 08 Apr 2011 15:54 UTC
Autobahn Pileup
© DPASeveral people have been killed in a mass pileup on a German autobahn apparently caused by a sandstorm. More than 40 vehicles were involved in the accident on the A19 highway near Rostock, with dozens of people injured. In total, 40 vehicles were involved in the pileup, with many catching fire.
Several people were killed and dozens more injured after a mass pileup on a German autobahn involving up to 80 vehicles Friday. The accident, which took place on the A19 highway near Rostock in the state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, was apparently caused by a sandstorm.

Police reported Friday night that at least eight people died. Around 97 were believed to have been injured, with scores requiring hospital treatment. According to medical facilities in Rostock, Güstrow and Bad Doberan, victims had mostly suffered broken bones, bruises, sprains and head injuries.

Comment: Update: German news report on the bizarre sandstorm:



Read More...
Umbrella

US: Storm Expected to Bring Snow and Rain To San Diego


SanDiego6 News
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 07:36 UTC
A cold storm was expected to hit San Diego County late Thursday, bringing a chance of snow to the mountains and showers everywhere else, forecasters said.

According to the National Weather Service, a cold low pressure system moving southward along the west coast will bring much cooler weather today through Saturday.

"Snow levels could lower to near 4,000 feet for late Friday through early Saturday," the agency advised.

The Weather Service also advised that there was a slight chance of showers today but a greater chance of rain late Friday through early Saturday, along with a slight chance of thunderstorms as the coldest mid-level air moves across Southern California.

Rainfall totals from the storm were expected to be from up to a half-inch at the coast to about an inch on coastal mountains slopes.
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

Montana, US: Winter storm warning issued for Billings region

Clair Johnson
The Billings Gazette
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 06:30 UTC
The National Weather Service in Billings has issued a winter storm warning for heavy snow from noon Thursday to 3 p.m. on Friday.

Rain and snow showers Thursday morning are expected to become more widespread and change to snow by this afternoon. Snow, which will be heavy at times, will continue overnight and early Friday, then decrease Friday afternoon.

Driving conditions could become difficult along Interstate 90 and Highway 89, the weather service said. Heavy wet snow also may cause falling power lines and endanger young livestock.

A winter storm warning means a significant amount of snow is expected or occurring. Strong winds also are possible.

The high temperature for Billings will be about 44 degrees Thursday with a low of 29 degrees. Friday's high is forecast to be 37 degrees while the low will be about 27 degrees.
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

Strong Wind Gusts and Heavy Rains Shower Western Cuba

ACN
Cuba Headlines
Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:04 UTC
Storms associated to a weak cold front caused strong winds and heavy rains in the western region of Cuba particularly in the north coast.

Gusts higher than 100 Km/H were reported in different sites, according to Jose Ramon Palacios, Shift Supervisor at the Weather Forecast Center of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET).

Palacios told Juventud Rebelde the phenomenon was produced by a line of thunder storms associated to a weak cold front.

The storms lashed the north coast along the provinces of Pinar del Rio, Mayabeque, Artemisa and Havana, said the specialist.
Read More...
Cloud Lightning

Georgia, US: Storm fells Augusta National magnolia

Ken Sugiura
Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Tue, 05 Apr 2011 12:40 UTC
magnolia trees
© Curtis ComptonAn overnight storm April 5 knocked down a 160-year-old tree at Augusta National, one of the 61 magnolias lining the drive from Washington Road to the clubhouse's circular driveway.
Students of Masters history know that 61 magnolia trees have lined the drive from Washington Road to the clubhouse's circular driveway for decades.

Early Tuesday morning, though, Augusta National's famed Magnolia Lane sprang a leak.

"I guess it has 60 magnolia trees now, instead of 61," Phil Mickelson said.

An overnight storm knocked down a 160-year-old tree whose canopy helped create an essential element of Masters tradition -- the drive from Washington to the clubhouse, which beckons in gleaming white at the end of the roughly 330-yard drive. Tuesday, a sunny patch about halfway down the lane broke up the eastern row of magnolias like a gap tooth. By 10 a.m., much of the tree, which fell away from the road, had been removed.
Read More...
X

US: Thousands in Nashville still without power after 3 tornadoes hit area Monday


The Tennessean
Mon, 04 Apr 2011 12:17 UTC
knocked tree
© Jeanne Reasonover/The TennesseanA tree knocked down during Monday's storms blocks the entrance to an apartment building on the 700 block of West Main Street in Franklin
Electric power was still expected to be out for thousands of Davidson County residents today as Middle Tennessee deals with wreckage from a storm system that produced three tornadoes and damaging straight-line winds.

On Monday, three EF-1 tornadoes touched down, with one striking in southern Davidson County and skipping into La Vergne, said Trevor Boucher of the National Weather Service in Nashville.

It went along the northern Williamson County and Davidson County lines, striking in La Vergne before sputtering out in Smyrna, he said.

That tornado was estimated to have winds of up to 100 miles per hour. An EF-1 category tornado can be 86 to 110 mph. The other two tornadoes hit Waverly and Dickson County.

Comment: Remember also the Nashville flood of last year:

What took US media so long to report this? Nashville Tennessee Flood 2010

Read More...
Cloud Lightning

US Pacific NW: Snow, Hail Catch Many by Surprise


KING-5 News
Wed, 06 Apr 2011 22:11 UTC
Mukilteo
Lake Stevens, Wash. April snow
© Erika La Pierre-Burt Lake Stevens, Wash. April snow
, Wash. - Residents in Western Washington's Convergence Zone received a winter's flashback Wednesday morning.

Snow and hail fell in several locations, catching many by surprise.

"We got two inches," said Kelvin Lawrence of Granite Falls. The city cooled off enough to see snow fall and stick around throughout the afternoon until the sun began to melt things.

"Not a pretty thing to wake up to in April," said Michelle Stetka. "I'm ready for spring."

A winter storm warning remained in effect for the Olympics and Cascade Range Wednesday morning.
Read More...