Weather & Earth Science News

This will be the last entry until the end of next week as I'm away camping in North Wales. Wall of rain causes flash floods, evacuations, power failures in Montreal And in Minnesota, rain stops but Northland still draining Italy quake: search for survivors in Emilia Romagna where at 16 sixteen people have died Downpours trigger landslides, road closures across Bulgaria , but the  Ukraine ready with cloud-busters for Euro 2012 soccer matches Here's a surprise (not): EU greenhouse emissions rise despite climate change polices (and us all supposedly being broke) Also, not really a surprise, climate change led to collapse of ancient Indus civilisation Greenland's loss of ice mass during the last 10 years us unusually high compared to last 50 years .   But, apparently, lost photos prove Greenland's ice was melting faster 80 years ago than today However, climate change isn't to blame for melting glacier in Bolivia, but our aerosols are .  In oth...

The heatwave comes to a close, and with it some thunderstorms - though only in the SE so far where floods hit Medway after warm weather and it looks like scorching weekend will give way to sunshine and showers for Jubilee New earthquake shakes  northern Italy Beryl downgraded from tropical storm to a depression but still soaks US coast Homes, cabins among nearly 100 structures burned in Michigan by a wildfire started by lightning Groundwater depletion in semiarid regions of Texas and California threaten US food security

Tropical Storm Beryl whips northwest Florida and southern Georgia - an early season landfall Almost another record temperature at the weekend in Britai as Cromdale in Strathspey recorded 29.0c equalling the all time Scottish record for May, but sadly, hot weather marred by water deaths whilst nearly every North Wales rescue team called out as hot weather sparks crowds and chaos .  And the really good news is the sunshine will last to June bank holiday - though it'll be cooler and maybe not so nice down the British east coast as it will in Ireland and Wales. And it's not just been us, as Swedes bask in record May highs as well. More summer heatwaves likely in Europe - and we may be able to predict them based on winter and spring rainfall.  In other words, pattern matching. Two tornadoes hit communities near Montreal Rain cools northern Ontario wildfires but New Mexico firefighters struggle to control Gila forest blaze Australian ski season to s...

Warm weather continues for the north - it was 28.7c in Kinlochewe, in the NW Highlands, yesterday, the highest temperature of the year anywhere in Britain and very close to the all time Scottish May record.  It's almost certainly a site record.  And it was almost as hot down on the south coast too as Britain basks in sunshine .  Very hot in Ireland as well where heatwave to last all weekend but yesterday was peak with several May records broken across the country. Not as bad as parts of India though where heat wave to intensify in UP; mercury crosses 45 degrees celsius at many places More wildfires sweep across south-west US amid historic drought conditions whilst in Canada, raging wildfire leaves Timmins, Ont., in state of emergency Severe weather hits far North Queensland with up to 330mm of rain in 24 hours N Korea suffering severe drought: state media announce Some good news for the Amazon as Brazil President Rousseff vetoes parts of forest la...

Piers Corbyn's coldest ever May seems to have done a bunk as the weather takes a turn for the better and Britain skips straight to summer with glorious sunshine and soaring temperatures with on Wednesday, Altnaharra warmest place in UK as temperatures soar across Scotland .  Actually Cromdale was even warmer with 28.3c.   Now who'd have predicted that?  Actually, no-one forecast it would be quite that warm, even a few days ahead.   And it now looks like largely settled and often very warm weather will persist through into June.  Good news indeed for the Jubilee - and for my holiday in Snowdonia. But even the hot weather brings problems with London heatwave suspected to be cause of Stockwell rooftop collapse and, perhaps even more bizarrely, heatwave blamed for rise in children tumbling out of windows Butterflies move north due to hot summers - or perhaps, the lack of cold summers. There's also hot weather ahead in Midwest, Mid-Atlantic fo...

UK weather to improve with forecasters predicting sunny end to May , but this may bring out the midges.   And so far as Summer weather: best hope is cool and damp, say officials .  We're not out of the water shortage yet.  And we should redefine concept of drought, Environment Agency urges - I agree.  The media have had a field day showing their ignorance - and misleading the public - over recent weeks.  And there's evidence that Earth's water cycle intensifying with atmospheric warming (which is what we expect - and means we could face a lot more 'all or nothing' rainfall in the future) Climate models indicate likely El Nino return Italian earthquake region suffers aftershocks as residents seek shelter Chile's vanishing Patagonian lake periodically empties itself ...

 Deadly northern Italy earthquake hits heritage sites , with at least 7 people reported dead Should we be worried about the weather?    Er no.  We always get warms spells and wet spells. We expect records to be broken.  Every year.   If we just had average weather all the time, then that would be worrying.   Thames Water relaxes hosepipe ban for gardening firms Wildfires threaten more US towns The first of the Atlantic season, Tropical Storm Alberto weakens off SC shore Rain just a trickle in driest May since 1859 for Sydney Heavy rain covers Thailand Arctic melt releasing ancient methane Climate scientists say they have solved the puzzle of the rising sea - why it's risen more than expected based on current global warming estimations If pollution teams with thunderclouds to warm atmosphere , doesn't that mean non-carbon emission derivedAGW?   get out of that one deniers! Volcano puts on a spect...

Hundreds flee raging wildfires in Colo., Ariz. whilst the Colorado wildfire grows amid erratic gusts and summer forecast sparks concern over fires, water shortages with more hot, dry weather expected. Meanwhile, scientists find that Southwest's modern megafires are truely unusual Here in Britain, wild spring weather baffles bugs - but they'll be pleased to hear that current signs are that the predicted change to warmer, more settled, weather looks like setting in from next week.  Just hope it lasts through to June! UK peatlands in degraded state, UN and Wetlands International warn Alaska glacier's stunning retreat spied from space 1,000 years of climate data confirms Australia's warming   OMG they killed the MWP!  And no surrprise that the anti-science mob (who refuse to accept any suggestion that the MWP, ending around 700 years ago, wasn't warmer than today everywhere in the world) don't like that (as usual, many of the comments ar...

Two hurt as lightning hits flats in Belmont, Hereford - had a very little bit of hail here yesterday; no thunder or lightning.  And there was snow in mid-May as forecasters warn of possible summer washout (so that's a heatwave on the way then!).  Of course, as the Met Office rightly point out, the last time we had snow in May was in 2011.  And before that we have to go all the way back to 2010 .......   Does look like the second half of the month will be a bit warmer now with temperatures at least average, perhaps above at times.  Perhaps not quite as good as I thought back in April , but rather better than Piers Corbyn forecast! Edit : the latest rants from Piers on the Climaterealists website mention " our LR forecast graph which warned of bigger cold blasts in 2nd half of May " (my emphasis) and that " On current projections Central England Temperatures will be between the coldest in 100 years and the 5th coldest in 100 years. That estimates how ...

Snow hits Bosnian capital - very unusual for May, epsecially since temperatures there at the weekend had been in the 80s fahrenheit.  More pictures here . And I'm not sure how reliable this report is, though it's certainly possible Wolverhampton shivers in snow as wintry weather returns to the Midlands .   Sleet was forecast in any heavier showers early this morning, though hail is more likely through the cause of today.   Does feel a bit chilly for May although overall temperatures are not actually that far below the 61-90 average.  Not going to be the coldest in 100 years, that's for sure.  Provisionally to the 13th the CET is 9.7c which is 0.9c below normal which if it stood would make this the coldest May since 1996 (which had a final figure of 9.1c).  The year as a whole is currently running at 0.7c above average. And a warning to those seeking warmer weather elsewhere as British tourist, 78, collapses and dies in 40c heat during guided ...

Georgian capital Tbilisi hit by floods, five dead In China, violent weather kills dozens Bering Sea sees surprising record sea ice cover Rise and fall of underwater volcano revealed And in the crazy alternative universe of the anti-science mob,  they've been getting very agitated indeed because they still haven't learnt the difference between 'could' and 'will' .   Maybe time for them to go to school?  Little wonder no-one takes them seriously any more.

Sydney basks in record May temperature Parts of England no longer in drought after heavy rain Bangladeshi heatwave to continue Apparently, 'Solar minimum' could trigger ice age - but if so, it'll be the first time ever!  (The Maunder Minimum occurred during the LIA, and simply excerberated already cooler conditions).  Moreover, it turns out that the scientists concerned said no such thing !   But how often do I say never beleive the media (especially their headlines)? Asteroid Vesta is 'last of a kind' rock - a remnant of the first planetoids that formed in the early days of the solar system And there's a warning of potential instability in West Antarctic ice sheet from newly discovered basin the size of New Jersey

Prince Charles weather forecast sweeps the globe - an unexpected PR coup.  He did quite a good job too. 350 sheep rescues as river floods in Yorkshire Leicester Grand Union Canal to reopen after April showers  whilst Yorkshire's borehole water boosted by April rain .   Here in the Vale it's been the May rain that has helped more - with over 50mm already this month (that's more than normal for the whole of May).   And as well as the rain, April temperatures lowest since 1989, Met Office data shows .   And although it finally hit a muggy 20c here (and in other parts) yesterday, May could yet end the coldest since 1996. 'Tornado' spotted off Co Sligo coast North Atlantic storm patterns through light on England's 1987 gale Second major flash flood in a week kills at least 27 in northern Afghanistan Heatwave blamed for killing 4,450 pelicans on Peru's beaches - but what killed 900 dolphins and porpoises? Turbulence ahe...

One for the global coolers as NOAA announce that 2012 is USA warmest year on record, so far .   The past 12 months have also been the warmest on record as a whole and April the 3rd warmest on record. What caused the Bicester Twister?   - the article is better than the headline. Snow draws thousands of skiers to Cairngorms No. of damaged buildings from tornado rises in Japan Swamped Nepal village dug out after floods that killed at least 23 people Smallest mammoths found on Crete - whilst such dwarfism is common amomgst species isolated on islands with few or no natural predators, the question I keep coming back to is: how did they get their in the first place??? And there's been a big rise in Pacific waste - the true, ever-lasting, legacy of human stupidity and lack of respect for himself and the planet.  In millions of years time, the Anthropocene will be readily identified by microscopic plastic particles found in sedimentary rocks all ...

Rather a wet Bank Holiday here and we've now had 90% of the average rainfall for the whole of May, with more expected tonight and tormorrow - looks certain to be a wetter month than April and maybe the first with over 100mm since August 2010.   My May record stands at 121.4mm in 2007. Tornado reported during storm in Oxfordshire yesterday afternoon While more wet weather could spark outbreaks of deadly asthma attacks And in Scotland, springtime shivers as Arctic snap to continue with Britain back on flood alert as a month's worth of rain to fall in 24 hours (bet it doesn't!) - the article's not that good, the comments that follow are hilarious.   Or would be if the folk making them weren't actually serious about their ignorance! Major rescue operation following deadly tornado in Japan New research brings satellite measurements and global climate models closer Diageo to end funding of Heartland Institute after climate change outburst Environment A...

Wet weather helps ailing wildlife in England and Wales but the RSPB says heavy rain has been disasterous for birds and floods 8ft deep on Somerset Levels damaging farmland New data sheds light on speed of Greenland's glaciers - they are not speeding up as fast as some previous predictions had suggested they would. And an interesting letter/rant here from Piers Corbyn: http://www.weatheraction.com/displayarticle.asp?a=453&c=5 .   My own thoughts on May remain unchanged from what I said back on the 20th April when Piers' ridiculous forecast was first announced.  And no Piers, a couple of cold days this weekend with snow on a few Scottish hills does NOT make this the coldest May for 100 years or in any way validate your forecast.

Well, it's the morning of the 4th May and already we've had 55% of normal average rainfall for the whole month here, whilst yesterday, the max of 8.8c made it my coldest May day on record.  The Workman Gardens are under water again today, and although the river should drop again over the weekend, it's no surprise that the British asparagus festival cancelled due to flooding along with the rowing regatta as well as wet weather ruins Bank Holiday weekend in Evesham About 20 people rescued from cars after flooding in Suffolk First drought and floods, now get ready for bumper hay fever season warn Met Office Andy whilst there'll only be snow on the Scottish hills (as happens every May) and winds will be light, Met Office warns of -2c and a chance of snow as bitter winds sweep Britain over the weekend. But some better news as cold weather heralds bumber strawberry crop this year Near-record heatwave hits flood-hit Thailand Plants flower faste...

Who, what, why: how much rain is needed to ease the drought?    The problem really is the use of the word 'drought' which is usually used to mean a total lack of rainfall rather than, as in this case, a defict in total rainfall over a prolonged period of time.   We'd need a repeat of May, June and July 2007 to fully make up the deficit of the past 18 months, so concerns over water supplies remain.   Indeed, it's even been suggested that another dry winter may mean standpipes in 2013 .   I've a feeling we won't have another dry winter though. No-snow April is Iowa's first in a century Hot weather causes bombs to explode in Viet Nam Clouds' effect on climate change is last bastion for dissenters Key tests in search for life in forzen Antarctic lake Were dinosaurs undergoing long-term decline before mass extinction?   And in Ireland's Aran Islands: old maps and dead clams help solve coastal boulder mystery

After Monday gave us the warmest day of the month, it's back to dreich dampness today.  Nationally, April was the wettest on record, though only just wetter here than 2008 and not nearly as wet as August 2010 (let alone July 2007!) and the Avon has only flooded a few riverside gardens - as it does most years. Overall for Britain and NI, April is the wettest month for 100 years (by which they actually mean the wettest April since records began in 1910.  Though for much of England it was only the wettest since April 2000.... ) Man drowns in car while crossing flooded river near Newbury And today there are more flood warnings after heavy rain across England