Storms
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Windsock

Storm Eunice: Gusts of 122mph recorded as damaging winds wreak havoc across UK

Waves crash against the sea wall and Porthcawl Lighthouse in Bridgend, Wales, as Storm Eunice hits the UK on Friday.
Waves crash against the sea wall and Porthcawl Lighthouse in Bridgend, Wales, as Storm Eunice hits the UK on Friday.
Extreme weather leaves thousands of homes without power and forces schools and businesses to shut, while also causing major travel disruption with road closures and the cancellation of train services, flights and ferry sailings.

Gusts of 122mph have been recorded - the strongest in more than 30 years - as Storm Eunice batters the UK.

The wind speed was reported at The Needles on the Isle of Wight as millions of Britons were urged to stay at home amid "dangerous conditions".

Weather warnings are in place nationwide - including rare red warnings for wind - and the Met Office fears "significant gusts" could lead to flying debris endangering lives.

Storm Eunice has left thousands of homes without power and forced schools and businesses to shut.


It has also caused major travel disruption with road closures and the cancellation of bus and train services, flights and ferry sailings


Cloud Precipitation

Storm causes 100-car pileup on US highway in Illinois

car crash blizzard illinois
© Katie Hepworth Spoon/Twitter100 car pile-up on I-39 Southbound near Kappa Illinois, outside of Bloomington, February 17, 2022
Police urged drivers to stay at home amid "blizzard like conditions" in Illinois

Wintery weather hit Illinois on Thursday, creating "blizzard like conditions" and "poor visibility," police warned, as multiple crashes involving over 100 vehicles forced part of the I-39 highway to be closed for 12 hours.

Illinois State Police confirmed on Twitter that they were responding to the situation, which caused the 30-mile stretch from Normal to Minonk to grind to a halt, as multi-vehicle crashes plagued the highway amid "hazardous travel conditions."

Snowflake

Heavy snow continues falling along Sea of Japan coast - Almost 50 inches (UPDATE)

snow
Prefectures along the Sea of Japan coast received heavy snow on Thursday, with the Japan Meteorological Agency issuing a warning for more to come.

The agency said the the heavy snowfall is being caused by a low-pressure system over the Sea of Japan and a cold air mass which has brought the lowest temperatures so far this winter to the Tohoku and Chugoku regions, Fuji TV reported. Officials have warned of disruptions to traffic, train and flight services.

By noon Thursday, 64 centimeters of snow had fallen on Ono City in Fukui Prefecture, and 63 centimeters on Shirakawa City in Gifu Prefecture, the agency said.


Comment: Update: NHK reports on February 18:
Heavy snow pounds parts of northeast, central Japan

Heavy snow has been buffeting parts of northeastern and central Japan. People in the areas are advised to stay vigilant for possible traffic disruptions, power outages, avalanches and snow falling from roofs.

The Japan Meteorological Agency says a low pressure system and a strong cold air mass have been bringing snow to areas along the Sea of Japan.


As of 4 a.m. on Friday, the snowfall had reached 1.41 meters in Shonai Town in Yamagata Prefecture and 1.26 meters in Ono City, Fukui Prefecture.

Parts of the Tohoku and Hokuriku regions have recorded two to three times the average snowfall for this time of year.

More snow is expected. Total snowfall through the 24 hours through Friday evening could reach 70 centimeters in Tohoku and 60 centimeters in Niigata Prefecture and northern parts of the Kanto region.

People in areas with heavy snow are advised to be careful of accidents during snow removal work, and to fit winter tires or snow chains to their vehicles.

The snowy conditions could reduce visibility. Caution is also advised against strong winds, lightning and rough seas.





Cloud Precipitation

Huge wave crashes through passenger ferry windows in Germany as storms batter Europe

huge wave
The moment a huge wave crashed through the windows of a German commuter ferry has been caught on camera.

The vessel was sailing across the Elbe, heading for the Airbus factories in Hamburg, when it was hit by the wave.

Large ships had been banned from sailing up the Lower Elbe river that connects the port to the sea.

Meteorologists on Thursday warned that northern Europe could be battered by a series of storms over the coming days.

Strong winds swept across the region overnight, killing at least four people, downing power lines and causing widespread travel delays.


Cloud Lightning

Lightning strike kills 3 choir members in Zambia

lightning
THREE church choir members have died while six others are nursing serious injuries in Isoka after being struck by lightning during rehearsals in their place of worship.

The dead have been identified as Kaira Kondwani, 26, Gift Sikanyika, 16, and Violet Namunkondya, 8.
Survivors are Sunday Sikanyika, of unknown age, Eness Nankole,18, Temwa Nakaira, 20, Gift Mutambo,28, Joel Kaira, 21, and Evans Simukoko, 22, all of Nachibule village.

Muchinga Province deputy police commanding officer Lucky Munkondya said in a statement yesterday that lightning struck the victims on Sunday between 16:00 hours and 20:00 hours.

Cloud Precipitation

Cyclone Dovi floods Vanuatu & New Caledonia before hitting New Zealand

Satellite image Tropical Cyclone Dovi
Satellite image Tropical Cyclone Dovi
Tropical Cyclone Dovi impacts islands in the South Pacific on February 10th 2022.

The Cyclone formed from a tropical depression near Vanuatu and New Caledonia, with winds measuring around 90 kilometers per hour.

Those islands have seen high winds and heavy rain over previous days, causing floods and tidal surges in coastal areas. Rivers have also overflowed, flooding low lying regions.


Cloud Precipitation

Over 16,000 affected by floods in West Kalimantan, Indonesia

Floods in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, February 2022
© BPBD Ketapang RegencyFloods in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan, February 2022
Disaster authorities in Indonesia report widespread flooding in Ketapang Regency, West Kalimantan Province from 12 February 2022.

Indonesia's National Agency for Disaster Management (BNPB) said flooding affected 6 villages in Simpang Hulu district. Flood waters were up to 1.2 metres deep in some areas. BNPB said 4,679 households were affected, totalling 16,811 people. A school and public buildings and facilities were also damaged. There were no reports of evacuations or fatalities.


Boat

Hundreds of families evacuate floods in Atlántida, Honduras

Evacuations after floods in Tela, Atlántida, Honduras, 14 February 2022.
© COPECOEvacuations after floods in Tela, Atlántida, Honduras, 14 February 2022.
Hundreds of families have evacuated their homes after flooding in Atlántida department on the north Caribbean coast of Honduras.

Yellow alerts were issued on 14 February 2022 for heavy rainfall in Cortés, Atlántida and Islas de la Bahía.

The Leán river broke its banks in Arizona municipality in Atlántida, completely blocking the CA 13 road between Tela and La Ceiba. Furthermore flooding damaged or threatened around 500 homes in the area and at least 300 families were evacuated according to local authorities. Flooding also affected some neighbourhoods in the city of Tela where 110 families were evacuated.


Tornado2

Rare waterspout phenomena in Eastern Cape, South Africa

waterspout
Villagers in Cofimvaba in the Eastern Cape have been left gobsmacked after recently being treated to a rare sighting of a waterspout weather phenomenon.

Videos showing a breath-taking whirling column of air and water mist circulating over Ncorha dam at Covimvaba's Nququ Village went viral on social media.

In one video, villagers can be heard screaming, claiming it was magic or a signal for the end of the world.

Villager Sibusiso Zonke speculated on Facebook saying: "This could be the resurrection of the dead or signs of the return of Jesus. It is clear it will all begin here in Nququ."


Tornado2

Tornado hits Morales, Guatemala

Damage caused by a tornado that was recorded in Morales, Izabal on Sunday, February 13.
© ConredDamage caused by a tornado that was recorded in Morales, Izabal on Sunday, February 13.
The National Institute of Seismology, Volcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology (Insivumeh), explained in a statement that due to the adverse atmospheric conditions that occurred this Sunday, February 13, at around 2:20 p.m. a tornado was reported in Morales, Izabal, which caused damage to homes and businesses.

Deachment of tree branches was also observed.

The National Coordinator for Disaster Reduction (Conred) explained that at the moment they located 12 houses with moderate damage to roofs and 60 people affected.