Weather & Earth Science News

Spanish floods: eight die in Malaga, Almeria and Murcia after torrential rain and flash flooding, with some pictures of Southern Spanish floods and the latest news that British woman missing in flood in Vera, Almeria, total deaths are at least eight Typhoon Jelawat roars over Japan's island of Okinawa Pakistan floods 'kill more than 400' over past fortnight More to upset the deniers and global coolers: high-Arctic heat tops 1,800-year high according to a new study.  Yes, that's right, it's warmer than the MWP. In contrast to the low ice maximum in the Arctic, Antarctic sea ice reaches greatest extent so late in season, 2nd largest extent on record .   But this is NOT a sign of cooling.  Indeed, it's possible due to warming (warmer = more melt = fresher water with more ice bergs = more prone to freezing) And I'm pleased to see that Brecon Beacons green energy plant goes ahead after planning row - this is exactly the sort of small, local, gr...

This from earlier in September: historical wave of severe weather has brought destruction to the Southern Cone  and a week later, snow in spring surprises Santa Catarina Here in Britain, storm caused by most intense low to cross UK in September for 30 years with a low pressure of 973hPa River levels peak in York but North Yorkshire stays 'alert' as flood warmings remain Flooded Newcastle father 'mentally scarred' after landslides and there's likely demolition for unstable flats undermined by a collapsed culvert Schoolboy struck by lightning in Swindon / Three tornadoes and golf-call sized hail rips through southern Illinois Nation's drought has spread, report shows , with 65.5% of the contiguous US now affected And Farmers' Almanacs predict cold winter for East, warm weather in the West New clues about ancient water cycles shed light on US deserts Typhoon Jelawat looms off Taiwan, bound for disputed islands ...

Serious disruption continues as the worst September storm in 30 years continues to batter Britain .   Some places have probably recorded their wettest ever September days.   Wind has also been an issue in places.   The Met office have actually referred to the storm as the "most intense" for 30 years - referring to the low pressure at its centre - but I think in all respects, the "worst" is a pretty fair description. Storm continues to cause havoc Foam swept in as gales hit Scotland Block of flats at risk of collapse after floods in Newburn , Tyne & Wear, undermined the building's foundations  Heavy rain causes road closures in the North-east In Yorkshire, roads stay closed after flooding Heavy rain leads to flooding in Isle of Man (shouldn't that be 'on'?) The Avon  briefly rose here to flood level in Evesham but has since dropped again and with little rain overnight we've escaped with no problems, though places...

Yesterday was the wettest day in Evesham since August 2010 and period 11am Sun to 1pm Mon was probably the wettest since 20th July 2007.   Total rainfall for the period was 43mm of which 31.6mm fell on Monday. Homes evacuated in North and two babies among three dead after roads turn to rivers following three inches of rain (lots of pictures there, as always from the Daily Mail) as UK communities prepare for flood chaos In Shropshire seven schools closed by flooding Flood damage closed railway line between Malvern and Hereford Man rescued from car as Staffordshire hit by floods Rain brings chaos to road and railways across the Midlands Cumbria on flood alert, roads waterlogged and West Coast Main Line closed - the River Caldew  Flooding and commuter misery as rain and strong winds batter Wales North Wales flooding latest - with videos and picture gallery Northern Ireland hit by deluge as month's rain falls in one day Strong wind and rain ...

It might be spring down there now, but Antarctica site posts near-record cold And it was record cold here in Evesham yesterday with my lowest ever September maxima, just 11.4c.   We're currently in the midst of the wettest spell of weather here this year, with over 30mm so far in the past 24 hours.  Flooding likely to be the big story of the next day or so, with strong winds also an issue.   In Kew Gardens yesterday woman dies as wind and rain lash UK and already today heavy rain causes floods in West.     A full round-up on all the stories tomorrow.  In Alaska, water levels continue to rise in Peninsular Sea surface temperatures reach record highs on Northeast continental shelf of America Calgary revels in weather flashback with hottest summer since 1970 Floods and landslides in Indian states of Assam and Sikkim 'kill 21' There could be a new cloud on the horizon with hopes that undulatus asperatus could be formal...

A cool night last night with frosts in many places - and a stunning sight for some as 'meteors' sighted in skies across UK .   Of course, I missed it.   And a fine, sunny, day today for the first day of autumn, astronomically speaking.  All change from tomorrow though and we could see close on a month's worth of rain fall here over the next 3 days.   So far this month I've recorded on 5.1mm. Flooding forces evacuation in Talkeetna , Alaska Firefighters prepare for large Washington State blazes to merge, with lightning storm to come Greenland's longest observed glacier suffers one of the highest shrinkages on record Nunavat's myserious ancient life could return by 2100 as Arctic warms And after record Arctic sea ice minimum 2012 declared - it's the silly season!    Hmmm, the author of that article sounds familiar!   A very good write-up and the final graph really sums it up well. Army rescue teams deployed as flood s...

Five killed as storm sweeps aross Paraguay - more pictures here As expected, there's a record minimum for Arctic sea ice - in fact it had already far exceeded previous recorded lows, but does appear to have now 'bottomed out' for the year.  Meanwhile, ban drilling say MPs as 'wake up' call shows Arctic ice melt could cause colder winters in UK -Joan Whalley seem to be referring to a story by Fred Pearce from last year that said Gulf Stream could be threatened by Arctic flush .   There is, however, no evidence that I'm aware of that this has as yet happened or could in any way be responsible for recent cold European winters.  Nor am I certain it's even considered a likelihood.  And anyway, it's the NAD - the Gulf Stream itself only flows up the east coast of America and comes nowhere near Britain!  Blustery wet weather wreaks havoc in Connecticut As cloud-seeding efforts fail, haze from burning returns to Sumatra A hot, dry ...

Great pictures in the Mail of the frightening fire tornado that whirled around Australian outback for 40 minutes Hundreds left homeless as typhoon batters South and North Korea Devastating floods render tens of thousands homeless in Pakistan, whilst in Africa, floods in northern Cameroon kill nearly 30 people, affect more than 26,000 and Nigerian floods destroy 400,000 farmlands, 36,000 homes in Jigawa Intensification of extreme tropical rainfall with global warming modelled It's lift-off for Europe's Metop weather satellite UK phrenology effort 'needs more citizen recorders' Climate change determined humanity's global conquest And finally, I seem to have rattled Wattsy's cage .   I guess he doesn't like sceptics and debunkers of conspiracy theories.  Wonder why?

Typhoon Sanba batters South Korea after drenching Japan, heavy rains expected in North Korea Heavy rain causes flooding, slips in Wellington (landslips, that is) as snow, hail, storms bring a dramatic start to Spring in NZ Here in Britain, warm, wet weather means bumper year for mushrooms but bad weather spells disaster for apples A study suggests there's been a steep rise in cases of extreme monsoon rain in India Nigerian floods: 25 bodies found in Adamawa Are there just 100 cod left in the North Sea ?   Well no, but over-fishing, and the enforced, moronic, policy of returning non-quota fish caught by accident back into the sea (often dead) means there are fewer and fewer cod reaching full maturity.     I am at least pleased to see that the EU policy on discarding fish is to be ended .  Though probably much too little too late .....  As it currently stands, I don't think reducing quotas won't make any difference at all....

Hundreds flee as heavy rain lashes Philippine capital whilst Typhoon Samba headed for Okinawa, South Korea Researchers design 'cool pavement' that could reduce the heat of a city - I've nearlt forgotten what it's like to be in a big town or city in a ht summer's day.   It not something I expect to remind myslef of any time soon! Arctic sea ice melt 'may bring harsh winter to Europe' - as we've experienced the past few years and something a number of people are already predicting for this winter.   I too expect at least a spell of very cold weather in Britain this winter.  Though it won't be all winter long. NASA have a created an amazing video that shows the Earth's temperatures rising from 1880 to the present day (and I'm sure the Daily Mail did mean planet Earth, and not the earth in the ground ....!)   Global warming: the heat's back on and HFCs are the new 'target'   UK windfarms generate record amou...

Las Vegas under water as storms batter strip with heavy rain and flash floods However, drought area expands in US, now most extensive this summer World's hottest temperature cools a bit - it's now 56.7 C (134 F), recorded on 10th July, at Greenland Ranch in Death Valley.  The previous record of 58 C  (136.4 F), recorded on 13th Sept 1922, in El Azizia, Libya being deemed inaccurate. Families in fear as tornado hits homes in South Wigston , Leicestershire on Wednesday.  Well it moved a trampoline, it must have been a tornado!   And pictures reveal damage caused by Beech Avenue 'mini tornado' in Swanley, Kent.   Neither report has been investigated as yet to confirm whether the damage was indeed tornadic, or just from 'straight line' winds.    The public often assume any sudden, damage causing, winds to be tornadoes these days. We should get some bumper autumn colour thanks to wet summer followed by warm spell - camera...

'Astonishing' Arctic ice melt sets new record It may have been cool and wet over  here, as a wet summer leads to mole explosion in British gardens but in the US it was the third hottest summer on record in Lower 48   and it's also so far the warmest year overall. Meanwhile, hundreds flee as western wildfire season roars on Storm moves out to sea after pummelling Canada's Newfoundland; Nadine forms in Atlantic Central Australia heading for record dry But rainfall records set in central Myanmar More accurate method for predicting hurricanes developed Mammoth fragments raise cloning hopes - but where would a woolly mammoth live? 

Tropical Storm Leslie to make landfall in Newfoundland today as rain floods parts of central Nova Scotia Dry Northwest burns after weekend storms as arid West's wildfire season extends into September In Seattle, near record dry weather ends after 49 days - just short of the 51 day record.   We had rain in Evesham last night too, the first this month. First snow of winter falls on Britain's highest peak .   But there was snow fall on the Cairngorms a couple of weeks ago.  And the forecast for 2080: heatwaves, 11,000 deaths and dengue fever It was the worst Swedish summer in 12 years In NZ, snowy blast hits North Island - if my entirely unscientific idea about our weather following patterns down under holds true, then this winter in Britain could see some cold and snowy weather in December, followed by a mild start to the years but a return of wintry weather late in February and March. Fresh floods in northern Thailand renew fears o...

Two tornadoes rip through New York City with other parts also affected by bad weather as US north-east cleans up from storms that spawned New York tornadoes .   And another small tornado hits northeast of Montreal Tropical Storm Leslie slowly moves past Bermuda en route for Newfoundland This year's bad weather cost rural Britain £1bn due to cancelled events, lack of tourism and loss of crops.  And butterfly decline blamed on soggy summer . It's a cold and wet start to Spring in NZ Rain, flash floods kill 78 in Pakistan Recent floods kill 137, displace thousands in Nigeria Nicaragua's San Cristobal volcano forces mass evacuation And a giant 'balloon of magma' inflates under Santorini's volcano Increase in metal concentrations in Rocky Mountain watershed tied to warming temperatures .   Not chemtrails! Clays in Pacific lavas back dry early Mars - rather than a warmer, wetter world as many think And I'm not sure o...

In NZ,  plane passengers scream in terror as winds hit Capital And in South Australia gales send turbines into overdrive Deaths as storms sweep mobile home into Oklahoma ravine whilst in Arizona, woman found dead in car swept away in flooded wash . Windstorm slams through Anchorage area Hot weather fuels more wildfires in eastern Washington Deadly earthquakes shake south-west China's Yuman Powerful earthquake rocks Coast Rica's northwest with 4 Coasta Rica volcanoes being closely watched after quake Whilst in Japan, Mount Fuji under pressure, experts say Well it is nearing the end of the world ..... It was Scotland's summer of two halves : wet in many parts, but warm and very dry in the NW Balkans drought fuel fear of repeat winter ebergy crisis as there's insufficent water in the hydro reservoirs France has hot and dry August as heatwave drove up temperatures Landslides, floods kill 29 in Viet Nam Himachal builds automated weather station a...

Commuters hit as wild wind stops trains in Melbourne, as wild winds wreak havoc across Victoria, NSW Insurance claims flood in after Christchurch electrical storms Portugal Fires: EU funds water-bombing planes .  Hurricane Issac: 13,000 homes damaged in Louisiana Seven killed, 149 communities sacked by flash flood in Niger Stock up now: extreme weather will push food prices higher, consumers warned .   But can science prevent the great global food crisis?    Because things probably aren't going to get better. But even very bad weather can have it's upside as Senegal floods uncover ancient artifacts in Dakar

Lightning, wind and rain all cause havoc on Malta , with one man killed and over 42mm of rain falling in 2 hours - more than the average for the whole of September Portugal asks for EU help on forests fires still raging in the north of the country Met Eireann confirms summer was dullest, wettest and coolest in years But it was the hottest August in Bahrain in 100 years North Korea says Typhoon Bolaven left 48 dead when it hit last month Hail as dangeorus weather front hits Perth, WA Heavy rain lashes Mumbai; flights, trains delayed Bad news for the Liberia rainforest: '60%handed to logging companies' - expect an increase in flood and landslide deaths in the near future. Research reveals contrasting consequences of a warmer Earth And if 2013 breaks heat record, how will deniers respond? Especially if, as some NZ scientists now suggest, El Nino to be short and weak .  

Rain floods streets and Metro just north of downtown D.C. Firefighters try to contain growing, wind-fueled wildfires in northwest Neb., southwest S.D. Nightmarish scenes of dead rats and tombs washed away in Louisiana as Issac clean-up begins Saratoga Springs begins recovery from flood of mud - caused by heavy rain falling on slopes denuded by recent wildfires In Australia, high winds, heavy rain lashes south-west with 125km/h gusts predicted whilst in NZ, Auckland suburbs flood as rain hits And Antarctic ice confirms we've had a dry spell - for a century

Hurricane Issac 'drove Mississippi River backwards' meanwhile,  as waters reced in La., Issac poses flood threat elsewhere and Issac remnants dumping heavy rain on Missouri, Illinois After 40 days without rain! Seattle 11 days from record dry spell Over this summer  Washington DC ties record for most 95 degree or hotter days In Spain, the Costa del Sol blaze 'mostly halted' And in Australia there's something in the air as El Nino prepares to visit Large earthquake strikes off Philippines Bad weather causes alarming absence of baby dormice - but it's been good for baby badgers and hedgehogs World's biggest offshire windfarm planned off Scottish coast - but wouldn't the Firth of Forth more suitable?