Storms
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Waterspout and ominous clouds hover over Baltic Sea

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A large waterspout and dark clouds hung over the Baltic Sea just north of Kiel, Germany, on August 15.

Matthias Lohr recorded the dramatic sight. He said the waterspout lasted for about 10 minutes after he first spotted it.

Weather & Radar shared the video on Twitter with the caption, "Impressive footage of a waterspout and associated supercell over the Baltic Sea from Sunday evening." Credit: Matthias Lohr via Storyful


Snowflake

Rare snow in August at Utah's higher elevations as local rain records fall

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August snow at Snowbird
No, you aren't imagining it. That's actually snow in Utah's mountains — in August.

Snowbird Resort, located in Little Cottonwood Canyon, tweeted photos Thursday morning of modest snowfall — especially rare for August standards — as a result of the cold front passing through Utah this week. Utah Department of Transportation traffic cameras also picked up light snow in the High Uintas and other mountainous areas Thursday morning.

National Weather Service meteorologists said snow and "fall-like" temperatures are expected in areas above 9,000 feet Thursday with the trough that entered the state. Alta, also in the Cottonwood Canyons, had a forecasted high in the low 40s Thursday, according to the weather service.

The storm, which has delivered plenty of rain and, yes, smoke , cooled temperatures significantly across the state during what has been an otherwise hot summer. Some record-low temperatures were reported elsewhere in Utah Thursday, including 51 degrees in Bullfrog, by Lake Powell — snapping the record-low of 57 degrees set in 1972.


Cloud Precipitation

Severe storm, flash floods in Oman

FLOODS

Severe storms, rain and torrential rain sweep the states of the Sultanate of Oman.


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20,000 affected by floods in 5 districts of Assam State in India

An one-horned rhino wades through the first wave of flood water in Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.
© RITU RAJ KONWARAn one-horned rhino wades through the first wave of flood water in Pobitora Wildlife sanctuary in Morigaon district of Assam on Tuesday, August 17, 2021.
Flooding has affected over 20,000 people across 5 districts of Assam, northeastern India over the last few days.

According to the latest report from Assam State Disaster Management Agency (ASDMA), 43 village across the districts of Bongaigaon, Chirang, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur have been flooded, affecting 22,022 people. Twenty relief camps have ben set up to house those displaced. As of 18 August only 2 camps were in use. A relief camp in Chirang was housing 405 people and 365 were staying in a camp in Dhemaji.

ASDMA added that 2,937 hectares of crops have been damaged, along with several river embankments in particular in Bongaigaon district. A total of 27 roads have also been damaged.


Cloud Precipitation

Singapore - Roads swamped, cars stranded after 114mm of rain

Flooded roads in Singapore 20 August 2021
© PUBFlooded roads in Singapore 20 August 2021
Over 100 mm of rain fell in a few hours in Singapore on 20 August 2021, flooding dozens of roads and causing severe disruption to traffic.

According to Meteorological Service Singapore, the weather station at Choa Chu Kang recorded 114.4mm of rain from midnight to around 18:00 local time. Pasir Ris saw 105.2 mm and Bukit Panjang 100.8 mm of rain during the same period. Most of the rain fell in a short period during the morning rush hour.

Roads were swamped and vehicles left stranded. Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) were called on to rescue motorists and passengers from 13 vehicles stuck in the flood waters. One person was injured and five people were taken to the safety of nearby sheltered areas, SCDF said in a statement.


Cloud Precipitation

Hurricane Grace hits Mexico near Tulum

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The storm causes widespread power outages on the Yucatan Peninsula.

Hurricane Grace has struck Mexico's Caribbean coast just south of the ancient Mayan temples of Tulum, pushing a dangerous storm surge. Heavy rain and strong winds threaten to destroy flimsier homes and keep tourists off white sand beaches until it crosses the Yucatan Peninsula.

The Category 1 storm had already soaked earthquake-damaged Haiti, Jamaica and the Cayman Islands en route to a direct hit on the Riviera Maya, the heart of Mexico's tourism industry. Grace's centre struck just south of Tulum at 4:45am (9:45 GMT) on Thursday with maximum sustained winds of 130kmph (80mph), according to the US National Hurricane Center.


Cloud Precipitation

4 dead, 2 missing after flash floods in Kedah, Malaysia

Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) carrying out searches for people missing in flash floods in Yan District, Kedah, 18 – 19 August 2021.
© SMART MalaysiaSpecial Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) carrying out searches for people missing in flash floods in Yan District, Kedah, 18 – 19 August 2021.
At least 4 people have died and 2 are still missing after powerful flash floods and landslides swept down the steep hillsides of Gunung Jerai in the Yan District of Kedah State in Malaysia.

The weather station at Gunung Jerai (Mount Jerai) in Kedah recorded 219 mm of rain in 24 hours to 18 August 2021. Disaster officials said as much as 90mm of rain fell in just 1 hour.

Teams from Malaysia Fire and Rescue Department (JBPM) and the Special Malaysia Disaster Assistance and Rescue Team (SMART) were sent to the disaster area after reports of several people missing in the floods. As of the afternoon 19 August, officials from JBPM confirmed rescue teams had found the bodies of 4 victims but 2 people are still missing. One person was injured in the floods.

Other parts of the state have also been affected, with a total of 96 people evacuated from homes in Bandar Baharu, Kuala Muda and Yan districts of Kedah State.


Cloud Precipitation

Caribbean - Tropical Storm Grace causes floods in Haiti and Dominican Republic

Floods in Trinidad Tropical Storm Grace, August
© Ministry of Rural Development and Local GovernmentFloods in Trinidad Tropical Storm Grace, August 2021
Flooding rain from Tropical Storm Grace has complicated rescue and recovery efforts in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti in which 1,941 people have now died.

Meanwhile over 500 homes were damaged by floods in neighbouring Dominican Republic. As the storm moved west, incidents of flooding and landslides were reported in Jamaica. Earlier heavy rain associated with Storm Grace caused flooding and landslides in Trinidad where one person died.

Dominican Republic

The Dominican Republic National Meteorology Office ONAMET reported 240mm of rain fell in Polo municipality of the Barahona Province in the southwest of the country in 24 hours to 16 August. As of early 17 August there were several reports of flooding in the province. Floods and landslides also affected Peravia, Hato Mayor and San José de Ocoa Provinces.

The country's Emergency Operations Center (COE) reported 1 house was completely destroyed and 558 homes homes were damaged. Flooding displaced 2,242 people and left 13 communities cut-off.


Cloud Precipitation

Heavy rain triggers deadly flash floods and mudslides in Germany, Austria and Italy

The Krimml station, track and a train of the Pinzgauer local railway in Wald im Pinzgau were completely buried.
© Wald MunicipalityThe Krimml station, track and a train of the Pinzgauer local railway in Wald im Pinzgau were completely buried.
Flash floods and mudslides triggered by heavy rainfall caused widespread damage across parts of southern Germany, Austria and northern Italy from 16 August. One person died and one reported missing in Bavaria, Germany. Flash floods in Austria buried a train in rocks and debris in Wald im Pinzgau, Austria.

Bavaria, Germany

Flash floods triggered by heavy rainfall were reported in Grainau in Garmisch-Partenkirchen district, southern Bavaria in Germany.

Police reported 12 people were swept away or stranded after flash floods from the Hammersbach stream swept through the narrow Höllental gorge situated at the foot of the Zugspitze, the highest peak of the Wetterstein Mountains. The area is popular with tourists and hikers.

A team of around 150 rescue workers were deployed to the area. As of 16 August, 8 people had been rescued, while the body of one person had been found and 1 was still missing. Search operations were ongoing.

Severe weather also affected northern Germany, where a tornado hit the village of Grossheide near the North Sea coast late 16 August, damaging or destroying more than 50 homes.


Comment: Cascading natural disasters: Following devastating flooding, F2 tornado touches down in Grossheide, Germany


Tornado2

'It's coming right at us': Waterspout swirls across South Carolina lake

A tornadic waterspout was spotted churning and moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17
Waterspout moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17
A tornadic waterspout was spotted churning and moving across Lake Murray, South Carolina on August 17. Eddie Martin filmed this footage from his backyard as he watched the waterspout develop and swirl across the lake toward Dreher Island. "Keep going that way, please," Martin is overheard saying in the video, as he watched it travel across the other end of the lake from his property. Credit: Eddie Martin via Storyful