Storms
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Snowman

Cold wave tightens grip over Kashmir, heavy snowfall in Gulmarg


NetIndian
Mon, 14 Feb 2011 00:42 UTC
With no let up in snowfall in the high altitude areas, including the famous ski resort of Gulmarg, and intermittent rains in the plains, the night temperatures across Kashmir valley dipped today after showing steady increase over the past three days, engulfing the region in a the fresh cold wave.

It is still snowing in the upper reaches of the valley, including Gulmarg, the main attraction for the tourists visiting Kashmir during winter, official sources said.

The snowfall started in Gulmarg and other high altitude areas early yesterday under the influence of western disturbance which is expected to hover over the region during the next few days.

"So far 10 inches of snow have accumulated in Gulmarg hill resort, while its peripheral areas, including Khilanmarg, Kangdoori and Apperwath, received heavy snowfall," sources said adding reports of heavy snowfall were also received from Sadna top, Z-Gali and Razdan top in north Kashmir, holy cave shrine of Amarnath and adjoining areas in the periphery of Pahalgam hill resort in south Kashmir, Sonamarg and Zojilla Pass along Srinagar-Leh National highway and Yousmarg in Budgam district of Central Kashmir.
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Cloud Lightning

Heavy rains: More bad weather expected in Balochistan

Shehzad Baloch
The Express Tribune
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 12:21 UTC
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© NNITraffic is seen going single file on the partially submerged Jinnah Road in Quetta.
Heavy rains lashed major parts of Balochistan on Saturday, paralysing routine life by cutting power supplies. Heavy showers and snowfall also caused traffic disruption between different districts in the province.

The meteorological department said more rains may generate flash floods in the seasonal rivers of Mekran and Sibi divisions. Emergency control rooms have also been set up in these areas.

According to the meteorological office, Quetta received 18.8 millimetres of rain while Dalbandin received 20 millimetres, Nukundi 15 millimetres, Zhob eight millimetres and Kalat 10 millimetres of rain. The Met office predicted more rain in Balochistan over the next 24 hours. Khanmitarzai, Tuba Kakri received one and a half feet of snowfall.

"We have formed two teams and set up a control room in the Levies Thana, Turbat to monitor the situation in the Mekran division," Deputy Commissioner Kech Tariq Qamar Baloch said. He said that all precautionary measures have been adopted.
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Igloo

India: Cold wave revives in Himachal Pradesh state due to rain and snow


MSN India
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 21:02 UTC
Several areas in the higher reaches were cut off from the rest of Himachal Pradesh as the state experienced another spell of snowfall today reviving cold wave conditions. The hills and mountain passes including Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnuar have been experiencing moderate to heavy snowfall since last evening. Telecommunication services were badly disrupted in Lahaul and Spiti district, which was already cut off by road from rest of the state due to heavy snowfall.

Keylong in Lahaul recorded 45 cm of fresh snow while Killar in Pangi, Rohtang pass, Mari and Koksar recorded 70 cm to 90 cm of snow as snowfall was continuing. The key tourist resorts of Manali, Narkanada, Hatoo Peak, Sarahan and Sangla also experienced snowfall while Shimla, Kullu, Mandi, Solan, Sirmaur and other hilly areas were experiencing heavy rains accompanied by high velocity icy winds.

Manali recorded about 30 cm of snow this evening while the nearby Solang ski slopes were covered under 120 cm thick layer of snow bringing cheers to skiers.
Kalpa and Sangla in Kinnaur district recorded 30 cm of snow while Narkanada and Khara patthar in Shimla district had 20 cm of snow.
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Cloud Lightning

Cyclone Bingiza set to hit Madagascar

Steff Gaulter
Al Jazeera
Sun, 13 Feb 2011 20:52 UTC
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Tropical Cyclone Bingiza east of northern Madagascar early on February 10
Madagascar is being lashed by heavy rains, and things are promising to get worse over the next few days.

Tropical Cyclone Bingiza is creeping ever closer. For the last few days it has been swirling a few hundred kilometers off-shore, with just the outer fringes of the storm thrown westwards towards the island. These outer bands have already brought a lot of rain, but the centre of the storm where the worst of the weather is, has not reached Madagascar yet.

Currently the eye of the storm has sustained winds of nearly 160kph, and gust of 195kph. This makes it the equivalent of a category 2 hurricane, but the storm is still expected to strengthen as it creeps slowly westwards.

The full force of Bingiza is expected to strike on Monday, near the town of Mananara Avaratra in the northeast. The town is home to over 30,000 people, with the majority relying on agriculature for their livelihood. A storm of this size will unleash damaging winds and flooding rains capable of tearing through the more rudimentary style of housing, as well as fields of crops.
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Igloo

Europe: 'Beast From the East' Roars In With More Snow

Nathan Rao
Express
Sat, 12 Feb 2011 16:49 UTC
Image
© Unknown

In coming days, the “beast from the East” could bring chaos similar to the pre-Christmas whiteout
Winter is set to roar back to Britain with a vengeance this week as a Russian weather front threatens another big freeze.

And there will be no let-up until well into March, say weather experts.

In coming days, the "beast from the East" could bring snow chaos similar to the pre-Christmas whiteout.

Scotland and the North will be worst hit, with up to two inches of snow and ­temperatures as low as -10C. The South will not escape the icy blasts, with temperatures sinking to -5C.

Jonathan Powell, of Positive Weather Solutions, said: "Nowhere is safe, although the North is really in the line of fire.
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Igloo

US: Oklahoma City shatters previous cold record

Michael Baker
The Oklahoman
Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:48 UTC
Image
© The Oklahoman
A second major winter storm in two weeks blew through the state Wednesday, producing more than 2 feet of snow in parts of northeast Oklahoma and wind chills lower than minus 20 in the Panhandle.


Just as Oklahomans were recovering from last week's blizzard, another blast of frostbite-inducing wind chills and heavy snowfall battered the state.

The second major winter storm in less than two weeks blew through much of the state Wednesday, producing more than 2 feet of snow in parts of northeast Oklahoma and wind chills lower than minus 20 in the Panhandle.

"It was a bit nippy," said Harold Tyson, who wore three layers of clothes as he cleared the parking lot in front of his Guymon office with a tractor that had no cab.

"We've had quite a bit of that lately," said Tyson, the Texas County emergency management director. "You just don't stay out too long."

The storm caused slick roads, drifting snow and school closures throughout Oklahoma as a state of emergency that Gov. Mary Fallin declared last week remained in effect.

Conditions were less severe in the Oklahoma City area than other places. Snow totaling about 6 inches was recorded at Will Rogers World Airport. Many schools throughout the metro area will be closed again today. Administrators said they are concerned about hazardous roads and subfreezing temperatures.
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Attention

Cold snap set to wipe out 16 percent of Mexico's staple food


BBC
Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:45 UTC
Image
© ReutersMaize tortillas are Mexico's traditional staple food
A spell of unusually cold weather in northern Mexico has severely damaged the maize crop in the state of Sinaloa.

Officials estimate the losses could amount to four million tonnes of corn - 16% of Mexico's annual harvest.

President Felipe Calderon said everything possible must be done to re-sow the fields over the next two weeks.

There are fears the losses could force up the price of the corn tortillas that most Mexicans eat with every meal.

Officials say up to 600,000 hectares (1.5m acres) of maize have been lost to frost in Sinaloa, which is home to some of Mexico's richest farmland.
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Attention

Mexico loses 80-100% of crops to freeze, US prices to skyrocket

Lynn Herrmann
Digital Journal
Sat, 12 Feb 2011 10:31 UTC
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The cold weather experienced across much of the US in early February made its way deep into Mexico and early reports estimate 80-100 percent crop losses which are having an immediate impact on prices at US grocery stores with more volatility to come.

Wholesale food suppliers have already sent notices to supermarket retailers describing the produce losses in Mexico and the impact shoppers can expect. Sysco sent out a release (pdf) this week stating the early February freeze reached as far south as Los Mochis and south of Culiacan, both located in the state of Sinaloa, along the Gulf of California. The freezing temperatures were the worst the region has seen since 1957.

According to Sysco's notice sent out this week:
"The early reports are still coming in but most are showing losses of crops in the range of 80 to 100%. Even shade house product was hit by the extremely cold temps. It will take 7-10 days to have a clearer picture from growers and field supervisors, but these growing regions haven't had cold like this in over half a century."
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Cloud Lightning

Tropical Cyclone Threat to Madagascar

Jim Andrews
AccuWeather.com
Thu, 10 Feb 2011 09:22 UTC
Madagascar Cyclone Bingiza
© Joint Typhoon Warning CenterTropical Cyclone Bingiza east of northern Madagascar early on February 10, 2011
Tropical Cyclone Bingiza poses the threat of damaging wind and flooding rain to the southwestern Indian Ocean island of Madagascar.

Early Thursday morning, EST, the center of the new tropical cyclone lay about 580 miles, or 930 km, northeast of Antananarivo. Highest sustained winds were estimated by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center to be 45 knots, or almost 85 km/h. T.C. Bingiza was nearly stationary.

Forecasters at AccuWeather.com believe that T.C. Bingiza will strengthen and drift mostly southwestward over open water through at least Saturday. Thereafter, a landfall on eastern Madagascar could take place. Faster movement than anticipated would make the landfall threat earlier than currently forecast.

If Bingiza were to veer southeastward, on the other hand, it could ultimately threaten the Mascarene Islands of La Reunion and Mauritius. However, this scenario would take several days to unfold.
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Control Panel

Oklahoma sees record cold: -31


MSNBC.com
Thu, 10 Feb 2011 12:56 UTC
Image
© Kevin Pieper/AP Snow-covered cows stand in a field in Baxter County, Ark., on Wednesday.
An icy blast tugged temperatures well below zero in a large swath of the South on Thursday, setting records for cold by late morning.

Forecasters had predicted lows of minus 11 degrees in northwest Arkansas and minus 10 degrees in parts of Oklahoma. But temperatures instead dipped to minus 18 in Fayetteville and to minus 28 in Bartlesville, Okla.

Nowata, Okla., recorded 31 degrees below zero - setting a new record low for the state. The previous lowest temperature in Oklahoma history was 27 below in 1930 and 1905, said Gary McManus, associate state climatologist with the Oklahoma Climatological Survey.

"We just had a very cold arctic air mass and a heavy snow pack and that allowed the temperatures to plummet when the wind died down," said McManus. "We got much colder temperatures than anyone thought would occur."
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