Weather & Earth Science News

A heatwave across the Middle East, and particularly around the top of the Persian Gulf, is producing some extreme temperatures this week.  Iraq orders four-day holiday as Middle East broils in extreme heat wave whilst across the border  Iran city hits suffocating heat indez of 154 degress, near world record .  That's 67.8c.  The actual air temperature was 42.8c with a dew point of  32.2c   Not nice! Meanwhile, in North America, record-challenging heat wave bakes Seattle and Portland, Oregon and warnings issued as heat wave roasts East Coast Down under, crazy winter weather continues: Sydney set for a heatwave, Darwin told to brace for bushfires - but Hobart can expect snowfall for the first time since 1986 But in stark contrast to all that, here Twitter users share uninspiring holiday photographs during Britain's washout summer .   Overall, it's been a wet and dull July - Evesham is just outside the area of below 75% average rai...

All those moaning about the weather here (an Englishman is never happy unless he is moaning about the weather though) should think themselves lucky.  We havent been the only ones missing out on the widespread heat, with Finland's summer 2015 poised to be chilliest in 50 years .  Exceptionally strong cyclone brings wild mix of summer, winter weather to northern US and Canada California drought could wipe cities off the map if their water runs out Australian weather forecasters stumped as second winter cyclone looms off Solomon Islands Shanghai: city set to bask in scorching temperatures for 10 more days Monsoon floods hit southeast Asia Is Pluto's atmosphere about to collapse?    It may have been only a temporary feature. And Earth could get just 12 hours warning of damaging solar storm - another Carrington event could prove catastrophic

Cold front bring rare July snow to northern Rockies Whilst it has all gone from Boston, a snowvember storm snow pile still exists in Buffalo  Central Florida drenched by tropical rains as Gulf low forms - much of the continent is expecting hot weather this week though, as is much of Europe.  Britain remains the exception (not that I am really complaining).   But are we set for a record July rainfall?   Asks the Met Office.  Well not round here where it's still below average and very much different to 2007 when we had in total 5 times the normal expected rainfall, much of it of course falling on the 20th.   2008, 2009 and 2012 also saw double the average rainfall.   It looks like being my wettest July since 2013. Researchers find reason behind increases in urban flooding in the US, and it's not good news with storm surges combining with heavy rainfall events to compound the problem more in the future, assuming global ...

One killed, several injured as summer storm sweeps across the Netherlands - this was the storm that brought the rain and cold weather to Britain on Friday.   And unsettled weather looks like continuing; summer's off, with warnings of showers, gales and below-average temperatures blighting Britain until at least the middle of August - if you believe selected latest model runs, that is .... Rare tornadoes hit northern Sweden '50-year rainfall event' displaces Anchorage apartment building tenants and a look at Alaska's terrifying wildfire season and what it says about climate change  Queensland weather: several towns have hottest July day on record In Pakistan, surge in flood deaths as scores of homes razed   In South Africa, snow covers the Drakensberg region  Huge forest fire rages in France for fourth day , but at least they have professionals fighting it; across the border  firefighters go on strike as wildfires ravage Spain ...

Well yesterday was not only my wettest day of the year so far (19.1mm) but also, with a maximum of just 14.6c (recorded at 00.44am), my coldest July day on record (from 2003).  Interestingly, my previous coldest July day was the 21st July 2007 when Evesham was under flood after the wettest day ever.   No flooding this time though and with the ground very dry, the Avon has barely risen an inch!   Today there should be a brief return to summer, before more rain tomorrow. China's restive Xinjiang region scorched by heatwave as record temperatures drag on New record for average day temperature is set in Slovakia Ships on alert as Kick 'em Jenny volcano rumbles to life off Grenada A refreshingly sober assessment of the recently publicised opinion of James Hansen, leading climate scientist: Future is bleaker than we thought .   But he might be wrong. And the latest from New Horizons: Pluto may have 'nitrogen glaciers'

In Canada, golf ball-sized hail storm rips through Kerrobert; town declares state of emergency   Wildfire disrupts Montana park tourism, while blazes threaten homes in Washington, California Stunning photos as veteran storm chaser hits jackpot by capturing fourteen tornadoes in just one hour   Residents blame beavers for flash flood in Alyth - because some debris allegedly showed signs of having been chewed by them ....   Well, it's always someone else's fault (even when it's no-ones).  Skopje revamp forges ahead despite heat  14 dead, more than 6,000 hospitalised in Japan heat wave last week, with all-time record high temperatures in some places. Glacial melt blamed for flood in central Asian city Almaty Study finds abrupt climate change may have rocked the cradle of civilisation And new dna evidence that mammoths killed by abrupt climate change - and it was sudden warming that was the problem. A good piece by my fri...

After a record warm 2014, the first six months of 2015 have been the hottest on record , as has June - last year's record looks likely to be broken.  Meanwhile, El Nino intensifying, could rival strongest in recorded history . Wildfires threaten villages across the Balkans  Arctic sea ice 'grew by a third' after cool 2013 summer - suggesting it's more resilient than some thought Scientists track monster waves below the ocean surface Is a major earthquake on San Francisco's Hayward Fault expected 'any day now' ?   Well yes and no.   A quake is expected sometime soon - it could even be this week.  Or it could be in a few years time ... And NASA satellite camera provides 'Epic' view of Earth

America feels the heat: Suffocating temperatures across the U.S. make Sunday hottest day of the year whilst there has been "super historic" July rainfall in California thanks to former Hurricane Dolores as California flood waters wash away selevated stretch of interstate highway   and major flooding washes out roads, soaks homes in Wickenburg , Arizona And storm forces evacuation of 15,000 scouts from a jamboree in France

Bizarre weather in Hawaii: snow falls on Mauna Kea as temperatures hit record levels   Yesterday in Scotland saw a morning of misery - firefighters 'out in force' to tackle Perthshire flooding with Alyth particularly badly hit with more disruption after summer floods hit parts of Scotland today.  And after Thursday's night's storms, Addenbrooke's Hospital flood prompts 'major incident' . Greek wildfires can be seen from space - with lots and lots of pictures taken from ground level too As temperatures hit 40c,  Vienna works to combat urban heat effect Chaotic weather as heatwave returns to France Whilst in contrast, very cold weather hits Iceland Czech Republic hit by drought after a mild winter and dry summer California fire: drivers leave cars as blaze sweeps I-15 highway Tornadoes hit Auckland, Bay of Plenty, as storm, snow moves across NZ  Thai farmers struggles through crippling drought Over 1,600 relocated a...

Scientists in Norway left completely baffled  by freak storm that dumps 100mm of rain in one hour 2 dead, 39 injured as tropical storm hits Japan Australia wakes to a wintery blanket of the white stuff as record cold snap brings European-style winter to three states - it's years since I have seen snow like that!   Unfortunately, David Viner's off the cuff remark about snow being a "a very rare and exciting event" has proved all too true in this part of Britain. Heavy rain and thunder too is becoming a very rare thing, with just two occasions on which distant rumbles have been heard in Evesham since July last year (which to be fair did produce some proper storms!) and I have certainly not seen any lightning in the past 12 months.  But elsewhere heavy rain forces play to be suspended in The Open at St Andrews after lightning and 50mph winds hit Britain - with parts of England seeing spectatular lightning displays for the second time in just a week .... ...

Parts of Australia is shivering through the coldest week in two decades as Antarctic blast re-freezes the country .   And more bad weather in NZ with flooding, mass power outages in Auckland as storm moves through   In Europe, as crippling heat wave hits Spain, forecasters warn it could get worse whilst Italy sizzles again as new heatwave hits   with the heat expected to spread north and east through the week.   But largely miss Britain .... Flying through a tornado: Plane passenger's terrifying photo of super storm from 16,000ft as it ripped through Kansas The last trace of Boston snow pile finally melts away Thunderstorms roll across Midwest; 1 dead in Kentucky flood Three dead, more than 800 taken to hospital amid heat wave in Japan yesterday Still no sign of the Mi-go, but New Horizons spacecraft survives encounter with Pluto after sendig back a stunning image of the dwarf planet A little closer to home, Curiosity fin...

New Horizon's probe finds Pluto is bigger than predicted and as it makes it's final approach, New Horizons' mission lead reveals how Pluto could change our view of the Solar System .  There will be further news through the day and of course coming weeks as the data collected in analysed. Meanwhile, far, far away ... the exoplanets that hint of life billions of years older than Earth Australians can expect snow to blanket large areas as a second cold front sweeps in from the south In Japan, 3,058 treated for heat exhaustion nationwide in week to 12 July as the country experiences an extreme heatwave. In southern Argentina there is finally heavy snowfall as Bariloche ski season opens Record levels of Pacfic cycline activity continue whilst tropical storm Claudette forms off the Mid-Atlantic coast , only the third of a quiet season here. Ocean warming leads to stronger precipitation extremes such as the deluge that hit Sochi last month Rainfall dr...

Snow delights Australians amid cold snap though not all good news, with New South Wales snow damaging roofs, felling trees Meanwhile it's a record breaking winter so far in NZ   China typhoon: Cham-hom hits coast of Zhejiang province but Shanghai sparred serious damage thanks to the collapse of Typhoon Chan-hom Torrential rain triggers flash floods in Kentucky Underwater volcanoes discovered off Australia Mexico's Colimar volcan triggers evacuations There's surprisingly high geothermal heating beneath West Antarctic ice sheet -  but no, that is not why it is melting more rapidly at the moment.  It just means the ice sheet was always more vulnerable to melting should atmospheric conditions change. And a nice photo of a rare fire rainbow cloud spotted in California

Typhoon Chan-hom: Almost 1 million people evacuated in eastern China as powerful storm approaches El Nino's warmth causing tropical trouble in the Pacific Snow dusts South Australia as cold front sends temperatures plummeting Rain brings drought relief in North Korea  Solved: how mystery craters were formed in northern Siberia New Horizons:  Pluto's surface sharpens for NASA probe - no sign of the Mi-go yet .... And climate change deniers are conspiracy theorists and are damaging the public debate on global warming, study claims - I won't disagree, but I think the tinfoil hatters will .....! 

23 injured as typhoon lashes Okinawa islands with  China braces for Typhoon Cham-hom after earlier storm fizzles Scorching Spanish heat reaches record highs whilst two more people die in Italy heatwave In NZ, highways re-open after heavy snow but electricity repair crews struggle Meanwhile, there's still a snow pile standing in Boston after city's record big freeze last winter   A massive El Nino is coming.  Forecasters say 'strong' weather event could bring relief to drought-stricken California Bali travellers stranded as volcano closes airport This is nothng new, of course, but interesting to see the normal denialist Daily Mail asking have the oceans been hiding the true scale of global warming? Nasa warns heat hasn't disappeared, it's just been buried in the sea .   A study by Oregon State University reveals that global sea levels have risen 6 metres or more with just slight global warming on several occasions in th...

Video footage captured from a car as tornado tears through Italian town leaving one dead Heatwave sees temperature records topple across Spain whilst in Slovakia heatwave sets new temperature record and in Hungary extreme heat sees 58-year temperature record smashed Meanwhile, passengers were left wading for takeoff after heavy rain hits Krasnoyarsk airport in Siberia Winter finally arrives down under as a strong cold front is set to deliver heavy snow and wild winds for much of Australia  This year's June was hottest on record for the western US Airplane passenger captures amazng photo of wet microburst belting Las Vegas  Smoke from hundreds of North American wildfires is taking a toll on US air quality In the central Pacific, the first tropical storm of season forms east of Big Island  Typhoon Linfa makes landfall in S China  Over the past 30 years record-breaking heavy rainfall events increased under global warming ...

Record temperature set in Geneva whilst in Germany, heatwave unleashes storms and tornadoes .   And whilst it's much cooler in Britain - in fact there's snow forecast for Scotland's highest peaks today (not unusual for the Ben and high tops of the Cairngorms though) - further south Spain locked into heat wave, no relief for weeks .  And there's every chance we could tap into the heat here again before the summer is out.  Flooding causes chaos across Aberdeen Vorkuta: Russian town blanketed by snow in summer - although it's north of the Arctic Circle, snow there in July is rarer than it is in the Cairngorms.   June saw South Canterbury temperature coldest recorded in New Zealand for 20 years Unusual cold weather hits Sa Pa in northern Viet Nam And we have an improved date for Earth's latest magnetic field reversal using radiometric data - it was 780,000 years ago

New glacier slowly grows on Mount St Helens - but don't worry, it's not a sign of an imminent catastrophic ice age, any more than it disproves global warming! Roads flooded after heavy rain in Londonderry Records smashed as Europe's heatwave continues NZ gets severe thunderstorms for the north, snow for south Tropical storm floods northern Philippine towns Shanghai records lowest average temperature in 142 years There could be 'more hot summers' for parts of UK over the next hundred years. Tundra study uncovers impact of climate warming in the Arctic Will we soon get five-day space weather forecasts?   Nasa reveals new images of Pluto's four 'alien black spots' as it says New Horizons probe is back in action , having gone offline for a time on Saturday And according to a study published in Weather, Britain loved the Beatles because they sang about the weather .... (but Bob Dylan sings about the wea...

Germany marks hottest day in history whilst Siberia bakes with new record temperatures and busy beaches I was away in the Borders at the weekend, so missed all the fun (as usual ....) as the heatwave breaks into spectacular lightning show across boiling Britain .   More pictures on the BBC, including on very close call for Bren, as lightning hits UK: in pictures .  We just had a few rumbles of thunder. Two dead, two hurt after Brecon Beacons lightning strikes on Sunday More than 1,350 evacuated in Spain as wildfires spread Drought worries grow in Victoria, South Australia with some areas having lowest rainfall on record Western Pacific spawns four tropical cyclones in a week CO2 emissions threaten ocean crisis And it has been suggested that Philae probe could be sitting on comet filled with alien life ...

Whilst the 33.9c in my garden was only the highest I have recorded since July 2006, with 36.7c at Heathrow it was the hottest July day every recorded in UK - particularly remarkable because previous records have occurred at the end of a heatwave, rather on the second day of a brief 'hot spell'.   Typically the day ended with some major thunderstorms (though not in Evesham of course - a couple of rumbles in the morning was the best we could muster) and overnight inch-wide hailstones fall as thunderstorms sweep the country after 98f Britain bakes on hottest July day on record with a dramatic lightning storm across Scotland .    In Newcastle, mother tells of terror as lightning bolt struck her home Though already cooler in Britain, high temperatures will continue over Europe as France takes steps to avoid repeat of deadly 2003 heatwave where the heatwave brings rain of records . In Holland, heat hits, Dutch Rail reduces services, Wednesday night set new ...

Cyclone Raquel forms as earliest big storm recorded off Australia's north-east - the official season doesn't start intil October .... An interesting weather day in Britain with temperatures at 09z already up to 31c - and 26c even in the Highlands .....  Records will very likely fall as Britain is scorched on hottest July 1st ever (possibly) and Europe swelters as heatwave hits Meanwhile, in North America, heat dome parked over West shatters temperature records, sparks fires Major Midwest flood risk underestimated by as much as five feet, study finds And in the evening sky, Venus and Jupiter become cosmic neighbours