Storms
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Galaxy

Heaven and Earth: Unusual natural events and strange phenomena from around the world in January 2014

Last Messages
YouTube
Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:14 UTC
Image
© AP
This video compiles footages of strange phenomena of all kinds, including awesome natural events or beautiful phenomena from around the world in the last few weeks.

In just the last couple of weeks, we've seen:

Volcanic eruptions in Sicily and Indonesia and elsewhere - 'Sky trumpet sounds' in Iceland, and loud booms shaking homes all over the US - Large earthquake in New Zealand, and an ongoing heatwave in Australia - Giant boulders falling off a mountain Italy and record flooding across Europe - More 'spinning ice-river' circles, this time in Norway - Strange cloud cover producing pretty sunsets and unusual light refraction, including a spectacular sun halo over Moscow - More mass animal deaths - More meteor fireballs falling from the sky, and 'hole-punch clouds'! - More UFO sightings - Massive electrical storms, including a super-electrical storm in Rio de Janeiro that produced an interesting omen: a thunderbolt struck the giant statue of Jesus above the city!... There were also major electrical storms in Europe... and this in the middle of winter! - Tornado outbreaks in the UK, which are unusual even in the summer - Thousands of wildfires breaking out in some of the coldest places on the planet - UK's wettest January in 250 years as the island continues to be pummeled with storm after storm...


I covered events from earlier in January and late December 2013 here.

Check out the rest of this series here.
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Attention

Two porpoises found washed up on Sussex coast in UK


The Argus
Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:19 UTC
Image
© William Kent
A porpoise washed up on a Bexhill beach following heavy winds and stormy conditions - making it the second in a week.

The five foot long animal was found dead lying on the shingle of South Cliff beach just before 11am on Saturday.

This comes after dog walkers discovered a decomposing baby porpoise the week before.

A spokesman for Sussex Wildlife Trust said it was impossible to know if the two deaths were linked but Bexhill Coastguard reported that the deaths were likely to be down to the bad weather.

Danny Groves, from the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, added: "The large numbers of whales, dolphins and porpoises found dead or stranded around the world's coastlines each year are often helpless, and usually die within a few hours or days if not attended to in the right way.

"Cause of death could be for a number of reasons - old age, illness or due to man-made threats such as injury from boat propellers or entanglement in fishing nets and gear.

"Nets and fishing gear are the biggest killer of whales and dolphins across the globe, causing terrible injury and typically death by suffocation."

The latest porpoise to be washed up was removed by the council.
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Red Flag

Winter storm prompts state of emergency in New Jersey and New York - running out of salt


The Raw Story
Wed, 05 Feb 2014 12:32 UTC
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© Raw Story
Treacherous snow and freezing rain struck the northeastern United States on Wednesday, disrupting thousands of flights and causing traffic chaos for millions of Americans.

A state of emergency was declared in the states of New Jersey and New York, where dwindling reserves of salt - used to melt snow and road ice - was a problem.

By late January, New Jersey had already used 277,000 tonnes of salt, 18,000 more than during the entire previous winter.

Connecticut Governor Dannel Malloy on Wednesday ordered all non-essential employees to stay home and a number of schools were also closed.

Huge snowfall was expected across a swath of the northeastern United States, arriving in New England from the central United States. Snow will be followed in several places by freezing rain, forecasters said.
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Cloud Lightning

Yet another storm batters UK


BBC
Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:06 UTC
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A section of rail track dangles over the sea after the wall collapsed at Dawlish

UK storms wash away railway line and leave thousands without power

Parts of Britain are being hit by a powerful storm which has washed away a stretch of railway line and left thousands of homes without electricity.

The Environment Agency says around 328 homes have been flooded since Friday evening - with more heavy rain forecast into the weekend.

A section of the sea wall in Dawlish, Devon, collapsed and left the main railway line suspended in mid-air.

David Cameron has announced an extra £100m for flood works.

At Prime Minister's Questions he pledged £75m for repairs over the next year, £10m for urgent work in Somerset - where several rivers have flooded - and £15m for maintenance.

He said: "Whatever is required, whether it is dredging work on the rivers Tone and Parrett, whether it is support for our emergency services, whether it is fresh money for flood defences, whether it's action across the board, this government will help those families and get this issue sorted."
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Cloud Precipitation

Apocalypse in Slovenian forests due to freezing rain and snow


MMC RTV SLO
Mon, 03 Feb 2014 19:38 UTC
Slovenia ice storm forest damage
© 2014 Mariša BizjakIn some areas up to 80 per cent of the forest has been damaged. Some forests in the regions of Postojna and Pivka are completely in tatters due to sleet and snow.
Devastating sleet, which has been crushing trees under its weight all over the country, has caused the largest catastrophe ever to hit Slovenian forests.

Damjan Oražen, director of the Slovenian Forest Institute, has stated that according to early estimates as many as 500,000 hectares are damaged, i.e. almost half of all Slovenian forests. According to Oražen, the total volume of fallen wood amounts to 4 million cubic metres, which equals the entire average annual harvest. What is more, since the current conditions do not allow forestry teams to estimate the damage on the spot, the estimated numbers are not final.

Falling branches and trees pose danger throughout the country at the moment, and it will continue to be so until the ice melts. Therefore, walkers through forested areas are advised caution, and should be aware that the situation is not likely to fully return to normal until the spring.
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Snowflake Cold

Update! Now 25% of Slovenia is without power, 40% schools closed as blizzards compound ice storm

Sott Editors
Sott.net
Sun, 02 Feb 2014 08:01 UTC
Slovenia Ice Storm Road Cleanup
© www.rtvslo.siFirefighters work through the night to clear fallen tree limbs

Heavy freezing rain in Slovenia has caused widespread power outages and the closing of many roads across the European nation. Approximately 10% of the country was without power due to downed power lines and damaged transformers.

Prime Minister Alenka Bratušek announced that Slovenia had requested aid from the European Union, as well as help from neighboring Italy and Croatia to help repair the country's damaged electrical distribution network. She also stated that it may take up to a week to complete all the repairs, as current icy conditions and fallen trees and branches on roadways are impeding repair crews.

Comment: Update 5 February 2014

Further blizzards have hit Eastern Europe, leaving 25% of Slovenians without power and 40% of schools closed.

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Snowflake

Worst snowstorm in 50 years cuts power to nearly 500,000 homes in northern Iran


BBC News
Mon, 03 Feb 2014 05:33 UTC
Heavy snow in northern Iran has left around 480,000 homes without power and some towns and villages cut off.

An official in Mazandaran province, on the Caspian Sea, said the winter storms were the worst in 50 years, with two metres of snow falling in some areas since the weekend.
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© AFPRoads have been made impassable in some areas north of Tehran
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Windsock

Clovis, New Mexico buried in 8 feet of tumbleweed, blocking streets and trapping some in their homes

KRQE News 13
YouTube
Fri, 31 Jan 2014 14:35 UTC
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A windstorm last Sunday brought literally tons of tumbleweed through the town of Clovis, New Mexico. As the storm subsided and the tumbleweed came to rest, the city was covered with the roaming foliage, with many of the piles well over 8 feet high.

Pathways have been dug out for cars and the huge piles keeping some residents stuck in their houses have been removed. But crews are still putting in 10-hour days clearing the rest and expect to continue for weeks.

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Cloud Lightning

Florida Panhandle slammed by winter storms, causing Sea turtle, pelican deaths

Michael Briggs
designntrend.com
Mon, 03 Feb 2014 12:42 UTC
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© REUTERS/Hugh GentryMore than 130 sea turtles were rescued during threatening winter storm conditions hitting the Florida Panhandle, according to wildlife experts
Endangered and threatened sea turtles are reeling after winter storms ravaged the Florida Panhandle, causing more than a dozen deaths, The Miami Herald reports.

Over 130 sea turtles were rescued Thursday and Friday, as freezing rain and low tides posed serious threats to local wildlife, FWC wildlife biologist Alley Foley said. Marine mammals including dolphins and manatees can not warm themselves during these adverse conditions, with sea turtles suffering from hypothermia-like conditions.

"When it comes to wildlife, it seems the turtles had the most trouble," Foley said.

Many turtles found were green sea turtles. They will be taken to the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City Beach and are expected to be released sometime this week after treatment.

The weather, which covered much of the Florida Panhandle with ice and snow and dropped water temperatures to as low as 37 degrees, was also an issue for rescue workers attempting to get to the struggling animals.
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Cloud Precipitation

UK floods: Bus carrying 14 passengers swept onto seafront and left stranded at Newgale


Metro
Sun, 02 Feb 2014 10:05 UTC
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© William Lawrence/@wjrlawrenceThe bus stuck on the seafront the morning after 14 people had to be rescued from it
A bus has been left marooned on a seafront following a giant wave that shrouded the vehicle with water and forced the rescue of 14 people on board.

The bus was hit by a massive wall of water as it travelled along the coast near Newgale in west Wales at roughly 7pm last night.

Milford Haven Coastguard received a call advising them the vehicle was stuck and surrounded by water, following high tides and wind speeds of up to 50mph.

Emergency teams including fire, police and ambulance crews also attended the scene and there have been no reported injuries.

Steve Matthews from Swansea Coastguard said: 'There are tricky conditions on the sea and along the coast, with gale force winds, high tides and heavy rain.

'Our advice is simple, please don't take risks. But if you do get into difficulty, or spot someone who might be in trouble, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'

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© William LawrenceA picture of the bus taken on the morning of 2/2/14
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