Weather & Earth Science News

South of France hit by devastating floods after predicted storms on Monday.  More pictures here And there were weather woes in Portugal last week too Looks like for Britain as a whole September is driest on record as well as the 4th warmest.  I have seen just over 14mm of rain though, which means it's only my driest September since 2009 (and the driest of any month since April 2011).  And blackberry growers in bumper harvest due to warm weather - or is it black current growers, since that is what they show a picture of? Wild winds up to 109km/h hit Melbourne in flash storm California's drought: Studies disagree on climate change link; snow falls on Tahoe! In India, Meghalaya flood toll now 52, waters recede a week after calamity Australia's 2013 heat waves linked to human-caused climate change, studies conclude While the Arctic is melting, the Gulf Stream remains Greenland ice sheet more vulnerable to climate change than previously thoug...

Tragic news from Japan volcano: Mt Ontake rescurer teams find 31 bodies as today search suspended as toll rises to 36 Storms drench parts of Arizona, Nevada Sydney sizzles as temperatures set to pass 30c in the city and 34c in the western suburbs Heavy rain and storms pummel Turkey Peru earthquake kills eight in Andes village Clear skies reveal water on distant Neptune-sized planet

Volcano erupts in central Japan, several injured - with reports of 250 climbers currently stranded near the summit.   And nearer to home, Iceland volcano lava flow seen from space New weather forecasts part of President's climate plan Melt ponds successfully forecast Arctic sea-ice extent A Norwegian team suggests climate impact of black carbon severely overestimated - and we should concentrate more on curbing CO2 emissions.   But to complicate matters, a new paper by Judith Curry claims that climate not as sensitive to carbon dioxide as some suggest....  Expect papers retorting both findings soon! And it seems that Earth's water is older than the Sun

Indian army rescue flood victims in Guwahati; thousands reel under floods in Goalpara In the Californian King wildfire: firefighters rush to contain blaze before dry weather arrives In Bulgaria first snow covers Petrohan Pass What happened to the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season? - the quietest so far since 1997, though we did have a record early North Carolina landfall with Arthur, the first Cat 2 to make landfall in the US since Ike in 2008. Liberia signs 'tranformational' deal to stem deforestation - Norway will pay the country not to cut down any trees.  A far more effective means of stemming climate change than taxing oil .... (if it works!).  Off course, this is but one small African country, but if the US and China followed suit with Brazil and Indonesia .....  However, since Brazil refuses to join pledge to end deforestation , that seems unlikely. Iceland grows as Bardarbunga volcano continues to spew lava

Typhoon Fung-Wong lands in east China with Shanghai today seeing weather alert for city as Typhoon Fung-Wong keeps heading north Strong storm lashes Atlantic Canada Rain helps firefighters from across Amercia contain Caifornia King fire Heat, drought cited in massive Mount Shasta mudslide Britain must be prepared for 'worse droughts in modern times' First snow falls on northern Norway - earlier than usual Rain causes power cuts across east Sweden Global warming: dwindling chance to stay below 2 degrees Celsius warming Was Kashmir flooding a man-made disaster? Infant solar systems shows signs of windy weather

Tropical Storm Fung-wong: At least 12 dead, thousands evacuated as storm lashes Philippines, Taiwan with 40 inches of rain falling in the Taiwanese mountains In NZ wintry weather lashes country Rain falls on Baja's tip as storm passes to south

Lightning storms and flash flooding leave huge swathes of Britain flooded... (for Britain read parts of southern England) whilst more torrential rain hit Essex this morning with Southend flooding: six people rescued from cars - obviously, we've still not had the most distant flash of lightning nor tiniest rumble of thunder in Evesham! Extreme hail storm inundates Florence, Italy with ice Philippine storm moves north, leaves five dead In W.A. Perth temperatures break September record Why Greenland's 'dark snow' should worry you And according to a crazy Russian scientist: world facing 'mini-ice age' rather than global warming - which is no doubt why this year has been so warm ......  Methinks he's been reading too much Piers Corbyn!

Well done to the people of Scotland who voted yesterday - 85% of the electorate!   That in itself is something to be proud of, even if the result was not quite what you had hoped.  But please bear in mind that more of your friends, family, colleagues and neighbours wanted Britain to remain united.  For myself I am simply relieved.   And now we can move on .... Down here we has the first proper rain of the month yesterday, though of course, no thunderstorms.  But thunderstorm brings flash flooding to Wareham whilst overnight some parts of southern Britain woken by massive storms as lightning strikes cause train delays and rush-hour chaos and City of Bath experiences 'largest storm in decades' Father watches his wife and daughter swept away in flash floods in south of France as river bursts its banks and kills at least five Heavy rain causes flooding across central Texas And Philippines shuts Capital on severe flood; flights scrapped...

Viet Nam sees 7 dead in landslides as Typhoon Kalmaegi weakens to depression whilst at least eight dead as heavy rains trigger deadly landslide in China Tropical Storm Odile moves towards US state of Arizona with warnings of more flooding Tornadoes occurring earlier in 'Tornado Alley' Video footage as violent flash flood in Serbia takes out everything in its path Yesterday in England, thick fog causes early-morning havoc at airport... before the sun finally gets his hat on to send bathers flocking to beach   In NSW, students injured as 'lightning' strikes school oval in West Hoxton Taipei temperature soars to 37.8 degrees, 2014 record high Is global warming causing COLDER winters? Melting ice is destabilising the polar vortex, study claims The Gulf Stream kept going during the last Ice Age And impact that doomed dinosaurs helped the forests bloom

Parts of east Serbia cut-off in new Balkan flood as flooding inundates Slovenia and the Balkans   Hurricane Odile causes major damage in Baja California  Hundreds evacuated in California wildfires Typhoon Kalmaegi hits southern China Liverpool twister?  Weird weather creates tornado-like formation over city - actually a funnel cloud. And a tornado twists past Spanish nudist beach - or, in this case, a waterspout. We have just experienced the warmest August on record, according to NASA GISS - NOAA data due out later this week.  And this despite the fact it was a cool month in Britain!  What will the 'sceptics' say?!! Meanwhile, to futher confused the poor ol' deniers, extent of Antarctic sea ice reaches record levels - which must surely show the world is cooling, right?  Er ..... Climate change remedies 'affordable' says global body Warning over Philippine volcano Mt Mayon

Powerful Hurricane Odile bears in on Mexico's Baja - and has made landfall this morning.  While further north, southern Californians seek relief from soaring temperatures . Typhoon Kalmaegi hits the Philippines; with target China Vietnam next and as a consequence of the storm, in Taiwan Kaohsiung sees 82-year record-high temperatures today. It's snowing in September!  Parts of Wyoming, South Dakota, Montana and Colorado hit by freak snowstorm that dumped 20 inches on the ground Heath fears loom after Kashmir floods No rain for decades: stand by for "mega-droughts", scientists warn Weather forecasters hope new technology will end embarassing gaffes - though it wont stop the media reporting "amateur" forecasts and thus continuing to make very embarassing 'gaffes'.  Or, indeed, the media reporting 'gaffes' which never actually happened!   And on that note, Piers Corbyn's August forecast is now online - the one wh...

Calgary snow: residents mourn loss of matured trees that collapsed under the weight of snow, while record cold and snow blast Rockies with over a week left of summer Meanwhile, in the SW, California breaks heat record since measurements began in 1895 for the warmest Jan-Aug period Landslides add to misery of Kashmir's worst floods in decades Brazil drought crisis leads to rationing and tensions   Iberian Peninsula endured tropical storms in the 18th century and severe droughts in Islamic times First water ice clouds discovered beyond our solar system And wind turbines 'ruin views in most of Scotland' - unless you like seeing them, that is ....

Western South Dakota blanketed with as much as eight inches of snow in earliest winter storm for Rapid City in 120 years whilst  Calgary mayor 'shocked' by damage from summer snowstorm .   Meanwhile, flooding storms threaten Missouri to Ohio, Ontario Memphis, Tennessee, flash flooding: homes flooded, cars stranded Kashmir monsoon floods leave 460 dead and displace almost one million 20-min hailstorm causes flash flood in Spain   Japan rain forces about 1mn people to leave their homes due to flood and landslide concerns Britain's winter weather is growing more extreme, scientists say There's a giant solar storm barrellng towards Earth,  but scientists claim 'they are not scared of this one' - it may produce some good aurora though Residents living in Hawaii prepare for lava flows from nearby erupting Kilauea Volcano to cut off their community on the Big Island And 11 photos of Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano erupting are just ...

Phoenix floods and heavy storms set all-time rainfall record in a single day as r ecord rainfall swamps Southwest USA Southern Alberta hit with blanket of summer snow, lightning strikes Wild winds lash Victoria as storms head for Melbourne amid predictions that NSW faces busy season of storms, bushfires India and Pakistan floods: death toll rises to at least 375 with the Kashmir city of Srinagar inundated Footage reveals a 3,300ft column of gas swirling above Bardarbunga - bit like a tornado.  Volnado?  Or lava devil? An alleged meteorite leaves crater in Nicaraguan capital Mangua - but some are sceptical that that was the cause of the hole.  Meanwhile  a meteor illuminates Spanish skyline on Sunday as asteroid 2014RC flies past Earth .   But contrary to what certain tabloids tell us, no, were not facing an onslaught of asteroid impacts . Greenhouse gases levels rising at fastest rate since 1984 - so much for all the taxe...

Thousands blacked out as more storms threaten Perth, south west Whilst massive storm leaves wreckage, lightning strikes in its wake in New England Norbert weakens off Baja coast, brings rain to US with California hit by its second day of huge waves in a week as Hurricane Norbert lashes the Pacific Coast Massive dust storm sweeps through Phoenix India and Pakistan battle to rescue flood marooned And perfect weather yields bumper cereal harvest for British farmers

Southern California may seem some rain from Hurricane Norbet - they hope India, Pakistan flood toll passes 200 Storms cause damage in Chicago area Storm chaser survives lightning bolt that strikes just feet away from him Five killed in Bosnia coal mine collapse casued by an earthquake on Thursday  Arctic sea ice coverage similar to conditions this time last year Study links polar votex chills to melting sea ice And  why Icelanders love an explosive eruption (so long as it is not too explosive!)

Rain wreaks havoc in Punjab and Kashmir whilst heavy monsoon rains kill over 40 in Pakistan As Bardarbunga volcano erupts in Iceland: spectacular photos taken from the sky whilst Icelandair pilot perfoms extra go-around to give passengers a once-in-a-lifetime view of huge active volcano - not surprisingly, no-one complained that they landed late!   The possibility of a major, disruptive, eruption remains a concern.  Meanwhile, in the Pacific,  lava from Hawaii volcano nears homes . And earthquake traps 34 Bosnian miners underground Winter is Coming: parts of southern Alberta hit with first snow of the season Watch the moment a tornado destroys a village in Russia from inside the twister Discrepancy in Greenland temperature at end of last ice age solved And new evidence that life forms appeared at least 60 million years earlier than previously thought - polluting the atmosphere with their vile oxygen ....

Tropical Storm Dolly moves ashore off Mexico coast Midwest storms bring severe wind and rain as tornadoes touch down  September storm drenches Fairbanks with more record rainfall after the Alaskan city's wettest summer on record It was the warmest summer on record for some US Northwest cities Bad weather brings summer to an abrupt end in Italy High winds and big waves make NSW coast a no-go zone say Bureau of Meteorology Africa's farmers face 'failed seasons' risks - which, of course, they always have but now there are many more people, and a worldwide audience.  And human activities are making matters worse to boot. Iceland's Bardarbunga volcano continues dramatic lava eruption - with concerns still that a larger eruption may occur UK team unlocking secrets of North Korea volcano Mining threatens to eat up northern Europe's last wilderness Extinctions during human era one thousand times more than before The ...

Flash floods cause chaos in southern Sweden at the weekend whilst Copenhagen under water after downpour .   But it has been Denmark's sunniest summer in 55 years . And what happened to our hottest August in 300 years ?  It turned into the coolest in 21 years .....  Piers typically unapologetic. Three kids injured as mini tornado blasts their tent 30ft across campsite in the Lake District New satellite maps show polar ice caps melting at 'unprecedented rate' - a consequence of which is Antarctic coastal waters 'rising faster' This will get the sceptics guffawing and pourning scorn: United Nations predict climate hell in 2050, with imagined weather forecasts .   Note to the sceptics: this is just an example of what could occur; if it doesn't reach 50c in Bulgaria in 2050 it does not mean that all the climate models and predictions are wrong and AGW is all a big hoax.