Storms
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Snowflake

April snow closes roads in the Serra da Estrela, Portugal


The Portugal News
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:57 UTC
mmmmmm
© @Meteo Trás os Montes - Portugal
"Sections 11 (Piornos-Torre), 12 (Torre-Torre) and 13 (Portela do Arão-Torre) have been closed since 7:10 pm on Monday due to snowfall. There is still no forecast for the reopening of the road," a source from the Sub-regional Emergency and Civil Protection Command of Beiras and Serra da Estrela told Lusa news agency.

The Portuguese Institute of the Sea and Atmosphere (IPMA) had predicted snowfall at the highest points of the Serra da Estrela, dropping the altitude to 1,400/1,600 metres at the end of this Monday, as well as a sharp drop in temperature.

For today, IPMA maintains the forecast of snowfall in the highlands of the northern and central interior, above 1,000/1,200 meters in altitude, lowering the level to 800/1000 meters in altitude in the extreme north until early morning.

A slight drop in temperature and the formation of ice or frost are also expected in some places in the northeast of Trás-os-Montes and Beira Alta.

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Lightning

3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar, India


Greater Kashmir
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 13:36 UTC
3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar---Representational Image
3 family members killed in lightning strike in Bihar---Representational Image
In a tragic incident caused by extreme weather, three members of a family lost their lives due to a lightning strike on Monday at Shadipur village in Bihar's Arwal district.

The victims — Awadhesh Yadav (48), his wife Radhika Devi (45), and daughter Rinku Kumari (18) — were struck while seeking shelter from a heavy hailstorm, lightning, and rain after returning from their agricultural field.

According to eyewitnesses, the family had ventured into the field to collect harvested wheat just as the weather turned violent. Caught in the rain, they took shelter under a stack of straw, not knowing it would become a deadly trap.

Moments later, a bolt of lightning struck, igniting the straw stack, and the family was engulfed in flames. Their painful screams echoed through the village, sparking immediate chaos and mourning.

"It happened so suddenly. They were just trying to protect the wheat and the next moment they were burning. The whole village is in shock. They lost their lives on the spot," said a local resident.
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Lightning

Horror moment lightning strike knocks out 5 students on April 10 in Uttar Pradesh, India

James Moules
The Sun (UK)
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:20 UTC
The split second lightning flash was captured on video
The split second lightning flash was captured on video
This is the shocking moment a lightning strike knocks five uni students to the ground, leaving two fighting for their lives.

The split second lightning flash was captured on video at a university in north India.

The footage shows the group huddled together under a tree as they desperately seek shelter from the pouring rain.

But just as they appear to have escaped the downpour, the shocking moment arrives.

A brief flash can be seen as the lightning strikes.

And the group of students is immediately flattened to the ground as the bolt hits.

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Lightning

Lightning strike in Vietnam kills 1 person, injures 6 others


baohaiduong.vn
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 11:11 UTC
People took the victims to the emergency room.
People took the victims to the emergency room.
On the afternoon of April 14, a lightning strike occurred in Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province, causing 7 casualties.

On April 15, the People's Committee of Dak Nong commune (Ngoc Hoi district, Kon Tum province) informed that 4/6 cases injured by lightning in Ta Pok village (Dak Nong commune) have been discharged from the hospital, the remaining 2 cases with serious injuries are being actively treated by doctors. In particular, one case who died due to lightning was taken home by his family to arrange the funeral. Dak Nong commune authorities visited, encouraged and supported the family of the deceased.
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Arrow Down

Who owns the oceans? The UN wants to tax ships to reduce carbon emissions — a $40b windfall for unaccountable global bureaucrats

Jo Nova
joannenova.com.au
Tue, 15 Apr 2025 02:50 UTC
Shipping Containers
© Image by Peter Lindenau from Pixabay
What looks, acts, and taxes like One World Government?

The UN is has succeeded in getting a global shipping tax approved supposedly to control the weather. It will be formally adopted in October, and start in 2027, applying to ships of more than 5,000 tons. I don't remember our parliamentarians debating it, do you? Somehow a tariff is terrible but a global trade tax paid to unaccountable bureaucrats will save the world?

It sets a very dangerous new precedent. For the first time the United Nations would be able to tax the world directly, without twisting the arm of national governments. Who owns the oceans? The UN apparently...

By 2030 the UN is projected to collect $40 billion in total from this tax. Supposedly they will hand this on to "supporting developing countries" (like China, eh?). Obviously this give the UN bureaucrats another $40 billion in power. It's more money for them to fly to conferences in the Amazon, more money to reward their "friends", and more money to buy the right votes at the right moment. It will feed more committees to write more press releases to shake down even more money from the hapless taxpayers of the West.

And why would it stop there? Once the UN can collect the cash from ships, why not planes too, and surely satellites and rockets? (Has anyone told Elon?)

Whatever happened to "No taxation without political representation?" Killed by a thousands cuts.
Global breakthrough to tackle shipping emissions

Esme Stallard, BBC

Countries have agreed a global deal to tackle shipping emissions, after nearly ten years of negotiations. The agreement covers the vast majority of the world's commercial shipping and means that starting in 2028, ship owners will have to use increasingly cleaner fuels or face fines. The deal was nearly derailed after Saudi Arabia forced a last minute vote and the US pulled out of talks in London - but it eventually passed on Friday. Small island states and environmental groups were angry that a blanket tax was not agreed to and called the deal "unfit for purpose".
The United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) will be able to take $380 per ton of "carbon" emitted.
It will require owners of large international vessels to increase their use of less carbon intensive fuels or face a penalty of up to $380 per tonne of carbon dioxide emissions they emit from burning fuel.

The vote was requested by Saudi Arabia, who did not support the agreement, and this position was shared by a dozen other oil-producing nations, including Russia.

Although they opposed the proposal, they will be bound to implement it because they are members of the IMO.
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Snowflake

Michigan's northernmost peninsula doubles 2024 snowfall total in epic winter

Justine Lofton
MLive
Sat, 12 Apr 2025 19:37 UTC
The Keweenaw Peninsula recorded 306.5 inches of snow during winter 2024-25, doubling the total from 2023-24.
The Keweenaw Peninsula recorded 306.5 inches of snow during winter 2024-25, doubling the total from 2023-24.
With almost three feet of snow still on the ground, the Keweenaw Peninsula is calling it: "Spring has sprung."

What is believed to be the last snowfall of the season fell in a flurry on Wednesday, accumulating one-quarter of an inch, according to Keweenaw County data. That brought the 2024-25 snowfall total to 306.5 inches, doubling the 153.25 inches recorded in 2023-24.

"We're known for some of the most epic snow in the Midwest, and this year didn't disappoint," said Brad Barnett, executive director of Visit Keweenaw. "It's great to see how much people enjoy tracking the totals — and we're already looking forward to next winter."

The visitors' bureau hosts an annual snowfall total contest in which anyone can take their best guess for a chance to win free swag and bragging rights. About 700 guesses were submitted. Two winners guessed the exact total: David Myron and Randall Matson.
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Tsunami

Rwanda: Two killed, dozens of houses damaged by floods, landslides

Michel Nkurunziza
allAfrica
Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:10 UTC
Vehicles and people wade through a flooded street during heavy rains on Kinamba-Gakiriro-Kagugu road in Gasabo District in Kigali (file photo).
Vehicles and people wade through a flooded street during heavy rains on Kinamba-Gakiriro-Kagugu road in Gasabo District in Kigali (file photo).
Flooding and a landslide killed two people and destroyed dozens of houses from April 10 to April 13 in Kigali, according to the Mayor of the City of Kigali, Samuel Dusengiyumva.

The disasters followed a weather warning issued by the national meteorological agency, which had predicted heavy rains over the weekend, with the City of Kigali, the Northern and Western Provinces, as well as parts of Nyamagabe and Nyaruguru districts.

The amount of rainfall was forecast to range between 25 and 60 millimitres per day. Floods, landslides, and thunderstorms had been forecast.

"Heavy rain caused flooding on several roads, disrupting traffic. We received reports that 27 houses were damaged," Dusengimana said in an interview with national broadcaster RBA.

"Eight houses were affected in Nyarugenge District, 12 in Kicukiro, and seven in Gasabo. Parts of these houses collapsed. Two people died, one due to flooding and the other was hit by a wall that collapsed," he said.

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Snowflake

A foot of fresh April snow on Belleayre Mountain, New York


hudsonvalleyone.com
Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:54 UTC
nnnnnnnn
"We made last call, and suddenly Old Man Winter decided to stop sipping pina coladas on the beach and get to the mountain!," read Saturday morning's giddy snow report from Belleayre Mountain at Ulster County's elevated northwest corner. "It wouldn't be a Belleayre Closing Weekend without some fresh snow, and a twelve-inch dumping of fresh 'Catskill Concrete' is already sitting at the top of the mountain with flakes still floating down.

It got packed down at various times through the night by our gang o' groomers on 27 trails, with two lifts getting prepared to get you on top of it!"

Season passes at the state-owned facility for the 2025-2026 ski season are now available. They increase in cost at the end of April.

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Snowflake

'Cherry blossoms and snow at the same time': Seoul in South Korea sees first mid-April snow since 1907

Jung Eun-hye
koreajoongangdaily.joins.com
Sun, 13 Apr 2025 11:14 UTC
People walk along the cherry blossom road in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on April 13.
People walk along the cherry blossom road in Yeongdeungpo District, western Seoul, on April 13.
Spring took a strange turn in Seoul on Saturday when the first mid-April snow since 1907 fell on the city, turning a day of cherry blossoms into one of icy roads.

The weather turned sharply, as daytime temperatures above 20 degrees Celsius (68 degrees Fahrenheit) turned to cold, strong winds, hail and icy roads within hours starting Saturday night.

Songwol-dong of Jongno District, central Seoul, saw accumulated snow of up to 0.6 centimeters (0.24 inches) between Saturday night and Sunday morning, marking the second-largest snowfall recorded in April after the 2.3 centimeters logged on April 6, 1931.

Suwon, Gyeonggi, also saw its first mid-April snow on Saturday since the city's weather observations began there in 1964.

Sunday's lowest temperatures ranged from 0.1 to 6.7 degrees Celsius nationwide in stark contrast to the 14.3 to 24.7 degrees Celsius logged the day before.

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Tsunami

State of Emergency declared in Lanzarote, Spain due to widespread flooding


Canarian Weekly
Sun, 13 Apr 2025 10:50 UTC
mmmm
The Government of the Canary Islands has declared a state of emergency in Lanzarote following intense and locally severe rainfall that caused significant flooding across the island on Saturday.

This marks the first activation of the island-wide emergency under the Special Civil Protection and Emergency Response Plan for Flood Risk (PEINCA) in Lanzarote.

The worst affected areas include the municipalities of Arrecife, Teguise, and San Bartolomé. Between 2:00pm and 4:00pm alone, the 112 emergency services recorded around 150 weather-related incidents. Most were linked to flooding in homes and garages, along with road disruptions caused by water accumulation.

In response, emergency resources from both municipal and island levels were mobilised and coordinated through CECOES 112, the Canary Islands Emergency and Security Coordination Centre. The General Directorate of Emergencies has issued a public reminder advising against parking or driving in ravines, as sudden water flow poses a serious risk of flash flooding.

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