Weather & Earth Science News

The heatwave is just about over - grey skies here today and distinctly cooler - and it's still looking cool and at times wet for Easter (as has been predicted for the past week). Nonetheless, for the time it remains very dry across Britain, with warnings gorse fires in Northern Ireland 'will cost lives' whilst homes evacuated due to heath fire near Beauly and in the Brecon Beacons helicopter to fight grass fires in new crackdown . And although some snow if forecast for the hills this weekend and next week, Cairngorm Mountain ski resort in 'summer mode' - at what should normally be one of their busiest times of the year Deaths feared as severe storm hits Fiji In Viet Nam, Deputy PM warns of abnormal early storm as TS Pakhar apporaches Weather cooperates as firefighters battle Colorado wildfire CO2 was hidden in the ocean during last ice age Met Office to provide space weather warnings for planet Earth and forecasts for exoplanets - the latter should keep them q...

As expected, March temperature records broken again in Scotland with 23.6c at Aboyne - also the UK date record. Once again almost the entire country experienced clear blue skies - it's rare indeed to go so long without seeing a cloud! Dry and hot weather spark 'perfect recipe' for raging wildfires across UK as grass fire in Swansea Valley spreads to Ystalyfera house , though at least the Borders and Dunfries grass fires 'under control' Yorkshire declared in drought as warm weather continues And weather models are starting to back away from the idea of a breakdown to more unsettled conditions, with dry weather now likely to continue for most places until at least the end of next week, though it should turn cooler over the weekend and through next week with more cloud and maybe some light rain at times, mainly in the Highlands. Whether it will make any difference here remains to be see (the effect of ENSO in W Europe is debateable) but we should start seeing drie...

The heatwave continues as Scottish temperatures hit new March high - and we could yet beat that again today or tomorrow before it cools down for the weekend. But, says Max Hastings, this glorious record-breaking weather will bring us nothing but misery Meanwhile, Dumfriesshire hillside grass fir burns through night Save our floundering fish! Thousands moved as the drought takes its toll on water levels I person found dead on Colorado wildfire Despite more rain, flood threat eases in soggy far north Qld 'Compost bomb' is latest climate change tipping point A glow in the Martian night throws light on atmospheric circulation Geologists correct a 'rift' in Africa And they been studying Atlantis - the Atlantis massif that is, in the Atlantic, where expedition to undersea mountain yields new information about sub-seafloor structure

A record breaking weekend in Britain with the maximum on Saturday tying the date record and on Sunday, not only brealking it but also producing the warmest March day ever for Scotland. Today looks like being a repeat. It was also the warmest 2 days I've ever recorded in Evesham in March. At 22.8c Scotland breaks record for March 'Hospepipe hotlines' to enforce drought restrictions as March heatwave continues all week Heath fires on the rise as UK drought worsens - still looks like most places should see some rain over Easter though. And there was also record March temperature set at 21.2c in St Helier - though the Channel Islands might still be a little aggreived it was even warmer in Scotland! In Canada, heatwave, ice jams lead to flooding in western New Brunswick 'Tornado' downs trees in Leeston in NZ Temperatures could rise by 3c by 2050, models suggest - but only according to some of the higher model simulaton runs (though as usual, this is not immediately...

19.1c in my garden yesterday. Could see 20c today. Easter still looking wet ... Charlwood hit 21.3c on the hottest day of the year as Britain prepares for a BBQ weekend - but it's not surprising it's warmer than Bondi beach given it's autumn down there! Up in Scotland the wildfire season has started as heath fires tackled across the Highlands and Islands - several weeks earlier than last year. Meanwhile, US heat 'unprecedented', 7,000 records set or tied - but that means daily records for specific locations. It's a bit different in Russia though where spring snowstorm envelops Moscow - interesting to note that it's the first this year that snow cover there has been more than normal. There's been jolts across the desert as earthquake strikes central Australia And according to the latest WMO report, 2011 was the 11th warmest year on record (despite La Nina) and the second wettest year on record for Aust . The report also shows (again, as we alrea...

Otterbourne in Hampshire was the first place in Britain to break the 20c barrier this year, with 20.1c recorded there yesterday. There's a fine, warm weekend in store and much the same next week. Seasons play leapfrog as March feels just like balmy June . But signs are that it will turn cooler and wet just in time for Easter .... with even a risk of snow over Scottish hills. Warm, dry weather fuels wildfire season in Plains, Midwest but floods continue to swamp Louisiana and in the Pacific NW spring storm dumps on Ore valley, mountains - with record amounts of snowfall for this time of year. Which has got Wattsy and his mates quite excited ! (they seem to think it's due to global warming or something. Idiots) Queensland's Sunshine Coast mobs up after torrential rain In the UAE sandstorms and cold temperatures are drastic turns in weather transition Warm weather sparks early hay fever in Germany Meet the weather frogs - Swiss prophets with sizzling secrets Vicky ...

Tornado hits San Antonio as severe weather rattles South and Midwest and there's been some 'extremely dangerous' flash floods reported in Louisiana, Texas In Canada they explain the anatomy of a heatwave It never rains OR pours: what can we do about the worst British drought for 30 years? asks Michael Hanlon - some quite bizarre comments posted there! There's snow expected in the hills of SE Australia this week so get your winter clothes: the chill is nigh Climate 'tech fixes' urged for Arctic methane - but not by me. Geoengineering is a new disatser just waiting to happen: beware the Law of Unintended Consequences. Illegal logging makes billions for gangs according to a new report. It alos causes regional climate change and increases the risk of drought and flood - and especially landslides. But money is all. Mexico hit by strong earthquake near Acapulco Venice continues slow sink, satellite readings show - although water extraction from beneath the cit...

It's the Spring Equinox today, so however you determine it, winter is well and truely over. Feels it to - already a warm, sunny day here in Evesham and a glorious start to the day in dry and barren Britain . By the looks of things it's going to remain mostly warm, dry and sunny through till Easter. Which also means we're certain to see our 17th consecutive month here with below average rainfall. Across the Atlantic, 'March mildness' in Canada upstaging the winter that wasn't while in Ottawa, weekend heat wave spawns first smog day . And in parts of the US, heat wave sizzles on, toppling more than 2,000 records . And all this warm weather puts trees on fast forward . But it's not hot everywhere, as, in stark contrast to the rest of the country, spring brings more cold, snow and rain to eastern Canada while in California winter storm saturates area ahead of arrival of spring and there are flooding fears after wet and windy weather socks south-centr...

In Canada balmy weather sends temperatures tumbling whilst Arizona cities buried in rare snowstorm as much of the US enjoys balmy weather and Chicago's 'extreme, unprecendented' heat wave reaches fifth day Wild weather wreaks havoc in NZ Torrential rain drenches north Queensland whilst in WA clean-up continues after cyclone Lua Michigan tornadoes wreck more than 100 homes in overnight storm but no serious casualties Past monsoon shifts linked to changes in Indian civilisations Wildlife drought threat warning issued by Environment Agency - looks like being mostly dry now for the rest of the month which means here in Evesham we could end up around 35% of average rainfall for March.

Probably the last update till next week as I'm away for MBA meetings in Glasgow on Friday and probably won't have time to do anything tomorrow. But the weather's pretty quiet around the world at the moment after the excitement in the US and Australia earlier this month. 'Weather bomb' blasts through Cambell River in BC, whilst storm brings snow, wind and cold to Oregon coast, more expected Wednesday - they don't normally see much snow on the coast in Oregon. In Australia, cool, wet weather fails to dilute evidence of warming - I'm not convinced I entirely agree with CO2 affecting temp and sea levels more than natural variability, and as usual they seem to have forgotten that there's a lot more to AGW than GHGs But I agree that cool wet weather caused by La Nina does not mean warming isn't happening nor that warmer and drier conditions won't increase over the coming decades due to AGW, all else being equal. Menawhile, Darwin hit by ...

Despite a spell of record snow fall this winter, over the past 30 years as a whole there's been a dramatic drop in Swiss snowfall of up to 60%. However, a seperate study shows that California's snow not disappearing despite drought . Forget spring, here comes summer: Britain to bask in 17c temperatures all week - but it's bad news for skiers in Scotland where the season has come to a rather premature end. March is usually one of the best months but a mild winter and lack of snow since December means the Highlands look more like they do in June with just a few scattered patches of snow. Notwithstanding which, some of these are quite deep and compacted and may well last into the summer. And as predicted yesterday, hosepipe ban to be imposed in drought-hit parts of UK . However, here in Evesham, Severn Trent Water 'not predicting' hosepipe bans, despite the Avon having an " exceptionally low flow ". In Canada too, spring arrive early with double-digit...

Hosepipe ban looms for 20 million as drought bites across England Weekend relief as NSW flood crisis abates but there's a cyclone watch for Top End tropical low . And in WA, Perth sweltering in four-day heatwave Great Lakes ice down 71% since 1973, study finds whilst another study reports Greenland ice sheet more sensitive to warming Concerns grow as hundreds of turbines to be built across Britain - and of course, rather than despoil one area and leave elsewhere of intrusive human presence, they'll be scattered hither and thither, as they are in Wales, so wherever you go, they'll be visible. Thankfully the remotest places may yet be protected by their remoteness as it's cheaper to build wind farms relatively close to main roads. For now. And here's hoping for clear evening skies this week to see a close conjunction as Venus and Jupiter to pass in the night sky

Australian flood clean-up begins A rare tornado causes damage in Kailua in Hawaii It's not just England that's had a dry winter as drought-hit Spain tackles four wildfires Mid-Atlantic suburbs in US can expect an early spring thanks to the heat of the big city - another example of how humans change regional climate. And if this one area is warmer that it would otherwise have been, and nowhere is equally and oppositely cooler, then the average surface temperature of the whole planet must be very slightly higher. That's AGW.

In WA, Perth prepares for record breaking heatwave , but NSW braces for more flooding as 2012 makes rain history Spectacular auroras erupt around the world as solar storm glances of Earth - but nothing visible in Britain, and no disruption caused. NOAA data shows winter was the fourth warmest on record for contiguous US Oxfam warns of West African drought 'catastrophe' Survivors from Afghan Badakhshan avalanche rescued Scientists detect seismic signals from tornado And pick out the errors in this: Spring is here as sunny weather sweeps Britain - quite apart from the fact it's overcast today ... I'm not sure where the weeks of bitterly cold weather got to and England's 'normal 9.3c' is the average maximum for the month, so we expect many places to record much higher temperatures every year. As indeed they do. I have no idea where they get the idea this 'heatwave' will last till Easter, either. It does look like being a mostly dry and settle...

Fears of disruption as strong solar storm hits the Earth - and a chance of some aurora being visible to mid latitudes today (and hopefully in Britain tonight) More wild weather chaos hits NSW whilst in Victoria, Nathalia residents told to go as 'levees may not hold' In China, cloud-seeding set to cover a wider area - though I can't help thinking this is just a sop to the public to make then think the government is trying to do something about climate changes and water shortages caused by deforesestation, global warming and a massive population. Or maybe they really do think it makes a difference? Sea-threatened Kiribati mulls moving people to Fuji whilst here in Britain UK nuclear sites at risk if flooding, report shows - though of course the flood risk for places like Sizewell, Bradwell and Dungeness would increase over time anyway due to the land in SE England still sinking as a result of post-glacial isostasy. Whether that's an argument for building more nucl...

In Australia Wagga 'dodges a bullet' as severe weather warning issued for Sydney whilst thousands of spiders 'ballooning' in in flooded NSW - something also seen in Pakistan after the massive floods there a couple of years back. The Daily Mail (as ever) has the best pictures of this ghostly landscape of cobwebs . Meanwhile, in Queensland, missing teens found alive and well in flood country . Hawaii gov. declares disaster after rain, flooding as closed bridges and landslides paralyse Kauai's north shore communities Afghanistan avalanche kills 42 in Badakhstan Warm weather surprised students, meteorologists throughout the Midwest whilst the balmy winter means more mosquitoes and crop pests come summer Malaysian deforestation continues apace, report claims - bad news if you live in SE Asia and don't like droughts and floods, good news if you like cheap palm oil ..... And Brazil vote sparks fears for future of rainforest in the Amazon - which in turn...

Australia floods: thousands evacuate NSW town of Wagga Wagga but some good news as Bureau downgrades cyclone risk for SE Queensland One good story from last weeks tornadoes as young North Carolina children miraculously survive direct tornado strike Snow brings chaos to Belgium and northern France Storm Irina: 65 killed in Madagascar, weather agency says Thames flooding isn't rising, long-term records show - I would think that increased water extraction - both from the river itself and acquifers within the catchment area - also contribute to the fall in flood levels. In NZ, grey summer breaks records for lack of sunshine whilst some holiday spots hit record low temperatures In Scotland, good weather helps black grouse numbers to increase We have new insights into cloud formation Warming of two degrees over Antarctica inevitable, experts say as ice hockey feels the heat in Canada Alien invaders threaten Antarctica - carried in on the boots and clothing of visitors and then gett...

Two dead in flood crises gripping parts of Victoria, NSW and Queensland with fears that deadly Queensland deluge may become cyclone In the US last week tornado forecasts saved countless lives but orphaned toddler who was blown 300 yards into field by tornado dies of injuries (some reports say she was found up to 16km away - but that seems a tad unlikely) with the total death toll up to 39 as snowy weather adds to tornado survivor's misery . Cyclone Irina wreaks havoc in KZN UAE weather wreaks havoc Up to 900 tropical bird species could become extinct if global warming continues as much and as rapidly as many currently predict. Ice dam collapses at Argentine glacier - watched by thousands. On Friday night a very bright meteor witnessed across Britain - of course, I was indoors and missed it! Earthquakes shake Indian capital Delhi And the John Muir Trust have launced a Talla and Gameshope estate purchase bid - the MBA have a bothy on the Gameshope Estate and it would be nice ...

More bad news from the US yesterday as tornadoes ravage the South and Midwest - wiping entire Indiana town off the map and claiming at least 28 lives (it has to be said that despite their faults, the Daily Mail does provide good, accurate, coverage of events like these, as well as the best photos). Video footage from the BBC as more than 70 tornadoes rip through five States There'll no doubt be more on this on Monday once the full toll is known. In NZ, weather bomb causes havoc in North Island And in Australia 'unprecedented amount of rain': flood evacuations after Sydney dam spills while in Victoria, floods cut off towns, close roads We had abour 1mm of rain here in Evesham this morning - and there could be a decent amount tomorrow. It's quite exciting! Calif walloped as snow falls across northern US Texas drought twists migrations of many birds SA on 'high alert' for cyclone Irina In Scotland, hydro generation 'high' after warm and wet winter T...

February comes to a tragic end in the US as Wednesday's Midwest tornado death toll rises to 13 as tornado-ravaged towns brace for more storms . One tornado destroys Illinois catholic church , but Harrisburg hospital in tornado's path stands its ground . Elsewhere, late season now hits parts if NH, Maine, Vt whilst Ca snow exceeds forecast, but too little too late to replenish water supplies for the year. And overall for the US, snow was a no-show during most of weak, warm winter Floods force 1700 evacuation across NSW and with more rain, records tumble with news just in that Warragamba dam finally spills over . In NZ, weather bomb forecast widened as severe weather expected this weekend - and nice to see an explanation there of what meteorologists mean by a 'bomb'. Heavy snow falls in Jersusalem for first time in 4 years Cyclone warning in Swaziland as Cyclone Irina heads for S Africa Thickest parts of the Arctic ice cap melting faster whilst a NASA study ...