Weather & Earth Science News

Stormy weather set to continue in Perth and South West after the W.A. city's biggest August downpour for 10 years Basements flood as rain hammers southern Manitoba, again Alberta's cloud-seeding pilots see 2nd busiest year in 20 years thanks to more hailstorms Iceland's volcano ash alert lifted Climate sceptics see a conspiracy in Australia's record breaking heat - but then, they tend to see a conspiracy wherever data doesn't show we are experiencing catastrophic global cooling ..... And does Antarctic sea ice growth negate climate change?  Scientists say no .....  but of course they would do, they are all in on the conspiracy!

Iceland eruption near volcano triggers red alert - though as yet no signs of any catastrophic eruption there. And another volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea Hurricane creates rare extreme waves in California as the eastern Pacific Ocean churns out monster storm after monster storm: are headed for a record year? Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Hurricane Cristobal passing Bermuda on path for North Atlantic; tropics getting more active after a quiet start to the season. California's drought: what loosing 63 trillion gallon of water looks like Punishing heat wave scorches central, southern US CP train derails in eastern Saskatchewan, wind may have been a factor And this from last week: Italy tornadoes: CCTV shows beach cafe torn apart Last Saturday chilliest night on record in Northern Ireland And a study shows that Ireland's devastating storms last winter were 'the worst for 143 years' (ie since record began) Dry, warmer than averag

Iceland volcano: new quakes raise concern over large eruption Hurricane Cristobal heads towards Bermuda - but it doesn't look like coming towards Britain, though its remnants may help reinforce high pressure pushing up from the south next week which looks set to bring summer back to our soggy shores. Stormy conditions again in Detroit where 120,000 in the dark as heavy rains close freeways, winds blow down trees Heavy rain in South Korea kills five, shuts nuclear plant Hiroshima's landslide death toll hits 70 one week on, 18 still missing

California earthquake strikes San Francsico Bay area - the strongest for 25 years Meanwhile, just as things looked to have calmed down at Bardarbunga, Iceland volcano hit by 5.7 earthquake - the strongest there so far Here it was a bank holiday washout:  up to 40mm of rain tipped down on Monday as Festival goers put on a brave face .  25mm in my garden.   But it was rather a fine day in Scotland (where it wasn't a bank holiday ...) And there are still hundreds of snow patches in Highland mountains Three killed in Caribbean as Tropical Storm Cristobal strengthens and moves north towards US Dramatic rescue leads busy day for NSW rescue services Flooding in Bangladesh leaves nearly half a million homeless Scientists discover 'widespread methane leakage' from ocean floor off US coast

Flooding closes roads in Illinois and Indiana Arizona residents assess storm damage In Winnipeg, widespread flooding as storm swamps city Hiroshima landslide death toll rises to 46; 41 still missing In Britain, January to July weather was warmest since record began, Met Office confirms - though August has turned noticeably cooler and could just about end the run of above average months. UK genrates record levels of wind power ..... when few people need it Hotels and resorts on Italy's northern coastline compensate tourists for bad weather after a poor summer there From winter to summer in six seconds: incredible NASA animation shows just how changeable Earth's weather is

Highest temperature recorded in some regions of Azerbaijan over past 100 years Japan landslide: death toll rises to 39 in Hiroshima   Glacier-like hazards found on Ben Nevis - in fact they are found all over the Highlands every year, just not normally this late in the season, a consequence of the unusually heavy snowfall we had during last winter (which was also unusally mild - cold does not always equate to snow). Severe drought is causing the western US to rise like a spring uncoiling Iceland evacuates areas near Bardarbunga volcano as fears of a major eruption grow Global warming slowdown 'could last another decade' - the AMO is certainly one of the factors that is masking the ongoing warming trend, but I suspect we will see a sure but steady increase in global temp despite it - and this year remains on track to be the warmest on record.   Which when you consider all the factors (AMO, PDO, low solar activity, increased Asian pollution etc)  that ought

Japan landslides kill 32 in Hiroshima prefecture Flash flooding forces dramatic rescues in Arizona after 8 inches of rain falls in Phoenix area Yosemite area wildfire forces 13,000 evacuations Massive hail storm dumps on Mexico City Sun's activity influences natural climate change, ice age study shows And is this why global warming is taking a break ?   Although as I keep pointing out, it hasn't really taken a break at all when you factor in some of these (and other?) natural variations.

Chile sweats through rare winter heatwave - with their highest ever August temperatures Globe sees fourth warmest July on record  'Catastrophic' rains flood Swedish town   In Germany, wild Wilma's gusts claims two lives Iceland raises Bardabunga volcano alert to organge Taiwan's 'vanishing canyon' erasing earthquake record And it is suggested that minor variations in ice sheet size can trigger abrupt climate change

Floods wreak havoc in Uttarakahand, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar as Nepal and India floods leave many dead    Dust storm sparks chaos in some parts of UAE Slowest Atlantic hurricane season since 200 may come alive Upcoming eruption in Iceland's Vatnajokull?    Possibly .... An amazing photo of stunning snow tunnel in Scottish Highlands - with cooler weather setting in and even some snow likely over higher summits this week, it looks like quite a few snow patches from last winters record snowfalls could well survive the year. Rain brings glut of sloe berries Today's Sydney weather: rain and wind lash city as roads closed, 700 calls for emergency help whilst in the west, container ship crashes into Freemantle bridge as wild storm lashes WA Human contribution to glacier mass loss rising What kind of life could live in the clouds?   More than you might think! And OMG! We're all going to die!   Again ....  Well, eventually .... Human life

Record rains batter Long Island with pictures of Long Island before and after historic rain storm Here, a day of thundery showers yesterday with funnel cloud spotted over Darlington and another funnel cloud hits Loughborough and surrounding area   - several more were spotted across England - whilst flash floods bring chaos to south London and rain brings flash flooding to Cardiff area Royal Navy rescue children and dog from Torridon floods - they were trapped at Craig bothy.  An account of their experiences will feature in the next MBA Newsletter. In NZ there has been winter chaos on roads, ferries Rainfall of up to 100mm forecasts for next few days in some areas of Queensland which have seen little or no rain for months (or even years) Train carrying 200 passengers derails after landslide on Swiss mountain Storms hit southern Poland And whilst it may not be melting as fast this year, snow has thinned on Arctic sea ice

Baltimore-Washington D.C. area flooded by record rainfall after record rainfall in the Detroit area where woman, 100, drowned in Detroit basement during floods Rare haboob blows through eastern Washington And Las Vegas residents pray for snow after drought - though presumably not falling until winter! Where has summer gone?   To SE Europe ....  Greece swelters through 41 degree heat whilst heatwave over Bulgaria to last until week's end Heavy rain floods Tainan, Kaohsiung in Taiwan Two people killed and eight injured in Ecuador earthquake And extreme weather becoming more common, study says (this is the tabloid news story based a report on ' trapped atmospheric waves ' posted in yesterdays blog).  Having run this news blog for five years now, I do get the impression that maybe weather events are becoming a little more extreme and a little more common, though I don't consider the time period long enough to determine any firm conclusion

With over 100mm of rain in Lossiemouth yesterday, probably more in the hills, and rain still falling across lareg parts of the Highlands this morning, there has been widespread flooding in the Highlands - with at least one bothy - Bob Scott's at Derry Lodge - surrounded by waste-deep water and at least one Cairngorm briodge washed out , on top of lower level damage.  It will be several days before we know of any damage to other bothies. Parts of Scotkand affected by ex-hurricane Bertha Wester Ross landslides force overnight road closure Emergency funding for Scottish flood damage And a yachtsman dies as Hurricane Bertha claims UK victim But it is not just us getting wet, as historic rain event slams metro Detroit and Metro communities struggle with flooding after torrential rain And Sydney hit with coldest day of the year as rain pours Doomsday storm cloud over Wirral looks like scene straight out of disaster movie This week sees the end of record-b

With 32mm of rain - much of it falling in the space of 2 hours - yesterday was my wettest day of 2014 (so far).   It was also the first time since June that the temperature did not reach 20c Ex-hurricane Bertha brings high winds and rain across UK    In Wales, two women strip to their underwear and jump in when their car gets trapped in flood water whilst a tornado hits east Hull .   And today, UK weather still affected by ex-hurricane Bertha In France, clean-up begins after wild weekend   Hawaii's Big Island struggles after tropical storm And in Japan, typhoon leaves up to 10 dead, dozens injured

Canny reindeer invade Arctic road tunnel to escape heat as Norway's hot summer continues.   Meanwhile it appears that 37.8c was recorded in Ventspils on Monday (not 37.2c as reported yesterday) making it the first 100f temperature on record in Baltics  But don't worry, there is no such thing as global warming, and as proof, Death Valley shatters cool temperature record - it was the lowest August 3rd maximum ever recorded there.  Even colder than Latvia.   Ergo, no global warming....  Right? Las Vegas area sees first tornado in more than a decade New technology measures snowpack amid California drought  Storms rip through southern Poland In Sheffield, last month was city's driest July since 1976   Wild winds whip southern Tasmania, downing trees and power lines Earthquake shakes South Africa, killing one whilst in China earthquake: toll nears 600 amid flood fears After 10 years, the Rosetta probe arrives at distant comet And finall

Heavy storms in the north and east yesterday with over 50mm falling in an hour in the March area as flash floods hit Cambridgeshire and a busy night for firefighters as flooding brings chaos to Norfolk and Cambridgeshire whilst Louth 'was like a sea' as torrential rain brings chaos to northern Lincolnshire  In Eire, beach closures forecast as Hurricane Bertha sparks pollution fears   and it looks like being a wet and windy day across much of England and Wales on Sunday too as even Michael Fish says there's a storm coming .  But no hurricane!   Just a normal Atlantic depression containing some remnants of tropical moisture from the now dead Bertha.  Btw Piers Corbyn assures us it will all pass south and hit France instead. Iselle leaves Hawaii, Julio to miss the State Japan issues highest alert as typhoon heads for southwest Japan Snow to sea level closes schools in Dunedin July marks fourth lowest Arctic sea ice extent on satellite record T

Hawaii braces as hurricanes draw closer to island - Iselle is due to hit today, with Julio passing close by at the weekend as it follows in Iselle's wake. Here, there remains uncertainty as to what impact - if any - the scant remains of ex-Tropical Storm Bertha may have on Britain on Sunday as it merges with a developing Atlantic low.   Probably a bit wet and windy in places, but nowt to get too excited about. Freak floods wreak more havoc in Balkans Mont Blanc tunnel reopens after mega flood - though one with geological rather than meteorological causes On NZ's South Island, snow turns to rain, thunderstorms Heavy rain hits Istanbul, bring city to standstill Tornado strength, frequency linked to climate change

Latvian Meteorological Centre registers record high temperature of 37.2c on Monday.  The previous record was set on Sunday .... Dry July was hottest in Hong Kong since records began in 1884 California's 1st seven months of 2014 have been its warmest on record August temperature record blown away in Dunedin.  And what is missing from New Zealand's ski slopes?  Snow - with some Centers fearing they may not open at all this winter. Hurricane Iselle heads to Hawaii, tailed by Tropical Storm Julio Tornado hits central Istanbul , captured on video Plague of snakes emerge in summer heatwave Climate 'key driver' in European forest disturbances Warm Atlantic turbocharges Pacific trade winds And finally, Happy Birthday to Katy xxx

China earthquake kills hundreds in Yunnan Province as 2,500 troops join search in Yunnan Province Elsewhere, summer flash floods hit the news again: Flash flood in Italian tourist hotspot kills four and leaves 20 injured as heavy rains sweep away revellers during village festival Two dead, several missing after floods hit Bulgaria's town of Mizia Torrential rain leads in landslides in County Antrim   (I think they mean 50mm - not 50cm! - of rain fell) UK hit by freak storms with huge hailstones, lightning and flash floods as freak weather hits the Vale of Evesham - although the hail was more like marble sized (still the biggest I have seen though) and quickly vanished in a deluge of rain - and not quite pickled onion sized ... Thunderstorms kill 1, submerge cars in San Bernardino County with more than 2,500 people, including 500 children and adults at a Christian campground, stranded by freak flash floods and mud slides in California  whilst dry conditi

Parts of Australia blanketed in a winter wonderlands as cold front delivers a brisk start to the weekend with Tasmanians finding snowfall a treat for all after wild winds and rain Tornado hits Greymouth in NZ Tropical Storm Bertha finally forms, heading into Caribbean In Russia, Emergencies Ministry forces on alert to prevent wildfires, while heat sets in Severe storm hits southern South Korea Massive landslide hts river near Nepal capital Wildfires and other burns play bigger role in climate change than some scientists thought.  "... about 18 percent of all anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions - comes from biomass burning "  And that is on top of black carbon, another AGW contributor, and of course the health issues (around a quarter of million deaths per year can be attributed to pollution from biomass burning).  Which is why I have for many years advocated that ending tropical forest destruction would make a much bigger difference to our

Woman killed by fallen tree as wild weather batters Tasmania Meanwhile snow falls in the suburbs on the coldest day of the year for Melbourne and Mother Nature delivers snow to the Adelaide hills and wild wind and rain to SA And in NZ, wild winds whip south .   Well, it is winter! Denmark has one of the hottest Julys in 140 years Summer storms rip throug Croatia, Montenegro whilst more floods hit western and central Bulgaria, Serbia and Romania In the Indian monsoon, a 63-year record: Santa Cruz got 1,469mm rain in July India landslide: hopef fade for survivors as toll rises to 60 Giant waves found in Arctic could be accelerating sea ice loss In the strange but true category (or is it the karma category?) Tennessee tornado helped bust local thief after it destroyed his home and threw items he stole from his neighbors on to front lawn Asteroid impacts significantly altered ancient Earth No, there is no suggestion of life once existing ther