17th August - Today's News

You wait all summer for an Atlantic tropical storm to come along and what happens? Yep, 3 come along at once ......

Over the weekend TS Ana, Bill and Claudette have developed - with Bill currently of most interest to us in the UK as models are currently predicting it may swing up the eastern seaboard of the USA before merging with an Atlantic system to bring winds and heavy rain to the British Isles around the middle to end of next week. This is one we'll be watching - none more so than those heading to the Runrig gig at Scone on the 29th. Surely the deluge of 2 years ago (on Loch Ness) won't be repeated? Will it? To be honest it's not till this time next week when we know exactly what ex-Bill does that we will be able to say. Stay tuned!

Anyway, lets kick off today's news with the latest reports:

Islands brace for Ana's impact as two other cyclones form

Tropical storm Claudette threatens Fla. panhandle

Claudette onshore, Ana weakening, Bill now a hurricane

Tropical Storm Bill becomes Hurricane after Claudette lashes Florida

And a look at the latest expected trajectory for Bill:
























Other News:

California scorched by multiple wildfires

1,000 still stranded as Taiwan storm aid arrives

Mystery of Sun's corona solved

Hot August night across NSW

Why autumn leaves are red in America and yellow in Europe

Pollution in eastern China cuts light, useful rainfall

Air pollution contains tiny, unseen particles of gas, water and bits of matter called aerosols. Aerosols — both natural and human-caused (anthropogenic) — do contribute to rainfall patterns, but the researchers needed to determine if pollution was to blame for China's loss of rain and how.

~ ~ ~

... aerosols create smaller water droplets, which in turn have a harder time forming rainclouds. The team verified this with computer models of pristine, moderately polluted or heavily polluted skies. In the most heavily polluted simulation, rain fell at significantly lower frequencies than in the pristine conditions.

In other words, more anthropogenic climate change!

Changes in net flow of ocean heat correlate with past climate anomalies

Warming of Arctic current over 30 years triggers release of methane gas

And finally: fleeting return to summer predicted - by which I think they mean a fleeting return to abnormally hot temperatures predicted. When will folk learn that is not normal for the temperature to be several degrees above average every single day? Sigh ......