Storms
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Windsock

Storm Gareth causes travel disruption in UK with 80mph winds and heavy rain

Waves crash onto the harbour in Dover, UK
© Sky NewsWaves crash onto the harbour in Dover, UK
Storm Gareth has been causing widespread disruption to road and rail links as gales and heavy rain sweep across the country.

The Met Office has issued two yellow warnings for high winds covering Northern Ireland, Wales, most of England and the west coast of Scotland.

Dozens of flood alerts have been issued by the Environment Agency in England, including two warnings for the River Ouse at York.

Gusts of up to 80mph are being felt in western Scotland, Northern Ireland and the northwest of the Republic of Ireland.

Winds of over 60mph swept widely across western parts of the UK in the early hours of Wednesday, after gusts of up to 75mph were felt in Scotland on Tuesday night.

Tornado1

Mozambique issues red alert over approaching tropical cyclone Idai

Tropical Cyclone
© NASA Terra/MODISTropical Cyclone "Idai" on March 12, 2019.
Mozambican government on Tuesday issued a red alert over the tropical cyclone Idai expected to make landfall on Friday, which is likely to hit the country's central region with devastating storms and flooding rains.

"The main reason (for the alert) is the approaching of the tropical cyclone Idai, an intense cyclone that requires monitoring measures and caution, because as predicted, strong winds and thunderstorms represent a high risk for people and properties," said government spokesperson Ana Comoana.

The cyclone's intensity is equal to that of a Category Three hurricane in the Atlantic or eastern Pacific oceans, and the winds can cause devastating damage, including to well-built framed homes, in the vicinity of landfall, reported AccuWeather.

As Idai moves inland, flooding downpours will spread throughout the interior of central Mozambique and into eastern Zimbabwe from Friday into this weekend, said AccuWeather.

Comment: Malawi and Mozambique - Death toll rises after widespread flooding, 37 reported so far


Tornado2

Near-perfect snow devil touches down in Quebec

snow devil
It's rare, but they do happen.

Charlene Capassissit was on the way to the airport in Oujé-Bougoumou, Quebec Tuesday when she saw something that made her pull over.

The video she captured -- featured a near-perfect snow devil -- has since gone viral.


Attention

Video shows man narrowly misses roof collapse due to high winds in London

cafe roof uk wind
© Twitter / @Joanne10785485High winds caused this part of this building to collapse in Stoke Newington.
A man narrowly avoided being crushed after the roof of a café collapsed onto a busy high street seconds after he walked past.

The passerby was strolling past Stokey Vintage Café on Stoke Newington High Street on Sunday when high winds caused a shower of bricks to fall onto the road.

A video of the incident, which has had more than 100,000 views, prompted many to suggest the "very lucky man" should go and buy a lottery ticket.

​Petulia Mattioli, who had walked past the building a few seconds before, told the Standard: "You never realise how death is real until you face it.

"I cannot believe this, I was just shocked. I stopped at the cafe windows for a few seconds before crossing the road - I was lucky."

Comment: Wind storms are causing havoc throughout many areas of Europe at the moment: A succession of stormy weather and even snow in some parts follows one of the hottest February's ever in the UK. Just a few days ago in the UK strong winds knocked over scaffolding::


And as noted in the article, more is predicted for the UK in the coming days:





Windsock

Deadly storm 'Eberhard' sparks travel chaos in Germany

A fallen tree lies on three cars in Düsseldorf's Cecillienallee
© DPAA fallen tree lies on three cars in Düsseldorf's Cecillienallee.
At least one person died after a storm dubbed "Eberhard" wreaked havoc across Germany.

Trees fell, buildings were damaged and the traffic network was severely hit as high winds and rain battered western and southern parts of the country, signalling that winter isn't quite over yet despite the recent mild temperatures.

A 47-year-old man died near Bestwig in the Sauerland region when an uprooted tree fell on the car he was driving.

On Sunday afternoon, train operator Deutsche Bahn cancelled services in North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW), the most populous federal state, with far-reaching consequences for the entire country.


Tornado2

10 reported tornadoes hit Arkansas, Louisiana as severe storms continue to sweep across country

A tornado damaged home is shown as President Donald Trump flies above en route to Auburn, Ala., Friday, March 8,
A tornado damaged home is shown as President Donald Trump flies above en route to Auburn, Ala., Friday, March 8,
A week after tornadoes killed 23 people in Alabama, 10 reported twisters touched down in parts of Arkansas and Louisiana Saturday, as severe weather continued to sweep across the country.

One tornado was reported in Prairie County, Arkansas, while another was observed in Hosston in Caddo Parrish. Strong wind gusts caused across the entire state of Arkansas -- with some reaching 60 mph in some areas.

The National Weather Service confirmed en EF-1 tornado touched down Saturday morning outside Little Rock with peak winds of as much as 110 mph. Two people were injured when the storm struck Toltec, Arkansas, at 10:23 a.m.


Cloud Precipitation

Wetter than ever: Winter 2018-19 was USA's soggiest in recorded history

Winter 2018-19 was the wettest on record
© NOAAWinter 2018-19 was the wettest on record in the Untied States
Umbrellas and snow shovels would have been wise investments over the past three months.

The winter of 2018-19 was the wettest winter ever recorded in the United States, according to a report federal scientists released Wednesday. (Climate scientists define winter as the months of December, January and February.)

In all, 43 of the "Lower 48" states had above-average levels of rain and snow from December to February, the report said. Tennessee was record wet while Wisconsin had its second-wettest winter.

In Tennessee, the colossal rains caused deadly flooding across the state in February. The floods killed four people, washed out homes, buried two stretches of interstate highway under tons of mud and rock, and led to a statewide declaration of emergency.

Cloud Precipitation

Storm breaks 135-year-old rainfall record for downtown Los Angeles

Latest Winter Downpour Brings Record Rainfall to Downtown L.A.
© KTLALatest Winter Downpour Brings Record Rainfall to Downtown L.A.

Downtown rainfall in the latest storm broke a record set in the 1800s. More rain is on the way


This week's storm, which drew added moisture from an atmospheric river out of Hawaii, doused L.A. County valley areas early Thursday and broke rainfall records, forecasters said.

"After the spectacular lightning show early Wednesday morning and the periods of heavy rain that lingered into Wednesday afternoon, the weather across Southwestern California has quieted down quite a bit in most areas," noted an NWS statement.


Record rainfall totals from this week's storm generally averaged 0.75 to 1.75 inches of rain in coastal areas, 2 to 3.5 inches in the foothills and mountains, and 0.50 inches to 1 inch in the Antelope Valley, according to the statement. Through 7.30 p.m. Wednesday, the highest total was at Opids Camp in the San Gabriel Mountains with 4.12 inches, followed by 3.69 inches at San Antonio Dam in San Bernardino County.

The National Weather Service reports that Wednesday's 1.25 inches of rain in downtown Los Angeles shattered a 135-year-old record. The old record was .88 inches, set in 1884. The NWS also notes that March 6 -- until Wednesday -- was the only day in March with a daily rainfall record that was below 1 inch dating back to 1978.

Comment: Last month Los Angeles experienced the coldest February in 60 years.


Tornado1

Intense Tropical Cyclone Haleh becomes record-setting storm

Tropical cyclone Haleh
© UW-CIMSS, TW
Intense Tropical Cyclone Haleh has helped the 2018-2019 southwest Indian Ocean tropical season move into the record books.

Haleh intensified into an intense tropical cyclone and become the sixth storm to do so this season, tying for the most ever in a single season. This record was previous set by the season of 2006-2007.

As of Monday, Haleh had sustained winds equal to a Category 3 major hurricane in the Atlantic or East Pacific basins.

The good news is that Haleh remains over the open waters of the southwest Indian Ocean and will bring no direct impacts to land in the coming days as it tracks toward the south-southwest.

Haleh will pass safely to the east of Reunion, Mauritius and Rodrigues in the next 24 hours before tracking farther to the south and eventually eastward later this week.

There remains plenty of time for this season to end up in the record book all alone as the season does not official end until April 30.

Cloud Lightning

Anomalous lightning storm hits Southern California - More than 1,200 bursts in five minutes

Lightning strikes light up the sky above Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, California
© Santa Barbara County FireLightning strikes light up the sky above Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Tuesday, March 5, 2019.
It was an amazing and rare sight over Santa Barbara.

Check out these spectacular photos of lightning lighting up the sky overnight.

The National Weather Service reported more than 1,200 bursts in a five minute period-- with more than 2,200 across Southern California.

They were all caused by a powerful thunderstorm that swept over the region.

There were no reports of anyone being hit.


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