Weather & Earth Science News

Named by Met Eireann on Saturday, Storm Clodagh batters Britain with 70mph gales and giant waves lash coastline with thousands without power in Republic of Ireland.  Meanwhile, in Scandinavia, where it changed names, Storm Gorm rocks Denmark like a hurricane
10 dead in Texas and Kansas as wintry storm sweeps south-central U.S.
SE Queensland ferocious storm 'came out of nowhere' 
South Africa grapples with worst drought in 30 years 
Chinese authorities boost smog alert level in Beijing 

Japan's Sapporo surprised by sudden snow - the deepest in November for 60 years


Killer storm pummels Texas as forecasters predict worsening weather


Raging tempest hits Vladivostock

And although a bit chillier today in the wind, and there is snow in the Highlands, warm November on course to equal record in England

Floating cars, people in boats: Havoc as Qatar, Saudi Arabia ravaged by heavy rains - with record rainfall in Doha.
The Daily Star is clearly aiming for the most misleading weather headline of the year award, claiming snow chaos: 100mph Storm Clodagh to strike UK on Black Friday ahead of -14C Xmas freeze.  I am not sure how many shops they think there are on the summit of Ben Nevis.  And in any case it will be windy but Storm Clodagh looks unlikely this weekend.   It's obviously far to early to say what the weather will be like at Christmas, but it looks unsettled through till mid December.    
And with fresh snow now falling and settling in for the winter, we had the most snow patches counted in Scotland's hills since 1994 this year.

Flights cancelled as 144km/h winds slam Wellington
Man films narrow bushfire escape in South Australia
Lakes espanding 'dangerously' in Everest glacier
NASA's Operation IceBridge completes twin polar campaigns (with the usual suspects ign…

No surprise here: 2015 likely to be warmest on record say UN weather body.   2016 may be even warmer.
You may never want to fly again after plane passenger films his flight through a terrifying Queensland storm
Pigs burned alive,  woman trampled by horse as terrified residents flee SA blaze with at least 2 reported dead
More than 40,000 homes in Washington are left without power after a storm swept through the Pacific Northwest
Hurricane Joaquin tops the list as 2015 Atlantic season comes to a close, while newly formed Hurricane Sandra becomes the second latest eastern Pacific hurricane on record.
Unseasonably warm start to winter has led to daffodils blooming early in November (of course, it's not yet winter so a rather misleading headline!)
Big data reveals glorious animation of bottom water around the Antarctic
Peru hit by magnitude 7.5 earthquake
Statistical analysis of climate studies shows there is no substantive evidence for 'pause' in global warming, as I have said all…

Severe southern Queensland storms damage homes, crops; lightning lights up skies over Brisbane and that's not all in Australia's bizarre weather: More scorching temperatures for NSW, Queensland is battered by hail and Tasmania braces for snow and bushfires
Chicago sees snowiest ‘first storm’ on record; Midwest snowfall totals up to 19 inches
Here, a stunning sunrise as experts predict coldest winter for a century (by "experts" they mean bookies drumming up trade .... )
Over the weekend,  the first snow of the winter season causing problems in Croatia
Something I have been warning about for many years, though it hadn't occurred it me it would be found in salt as well as seafood:  the hidden plastic lurking in your food: Hundreds of tiny micro beads have been found in sea salt - and we swallow 1,000 every year - as I have said before, it is the "micro-plastic" layer in the Earth's rocks that in millions of years time will truely mark the anthropocene.
W…

After a short-lived cold snap that even produced an air frost in Evesham (but nothing more) Britain will warm up today after freezing weekend brought snow and -6C temperatures
Denmark braces for cold after weekend snowstorm
More snow expected in southern Sweden
Heavy snowfall grounds flights at Moscow airports
Dordogne hit by first snowfall of winter
Not so cold, but strong winds cause powercuts, flight diversions in Bulgaria
Deep freeze sets in across the Midwest as temperatures plunge into the single digits and season's first snowfall turns into ice
And even Beijing posts near record low monthly temperatures as capital hit by big chill
Sharing the weather down under: Aussie heatwave cause of Auckland thunderstorm
Leaking pingos 'can explode under the sea in the Arctic, as well as on land'
And cleaner atmosphere means more Arctic sea-ice melt, study says

The first snow fell in low lying parts of England this morning - although not, of course, in Evesham ....  But some parts of Britain wakes up to snow! Flurries fall from Loch Lomond to London as freezing overnight temperatures turn the UK white.  Just rain here earlier and now sunny but with a braw wind.  And most places have yet to see the temperature drop below freezing.
Iceland in grips of cold snap
In the US, over-performing winter storms brings 'significant' snow to parts of Midwest
Australia's latest heatwave spreads as parts of Queensland swelter with temperatures cracking 40 degrees in steaming November day
China issues snowstorm warnings
Argentinian hailstorm damages homes, vehicles; flooding rains swamp southern Brazil
Pollution 'crisis' as Lake Baikal
And half of all tree species in Amazon 'face extinction'.  Guess why ...

October heat record smashed by 'incredible amount' as Pacific Ocean temperature data shows El Nino is gathering record strength.   The NOAA's October report is here.
A risk of snow in parts of Britain this weekend - mainly over hills - and the media get over-excited, as usual as snow storms and icy blizzards to sweep in across the UK (and that's one of the more sober headlines).  A braw wind is all we can expect in Evesham though.
NSW heatwave: Sydney reaches second hottest November day on record at 40.9c
Australia fires: Workers killed during 'horse rescue'
Warming ocean worsened Australia's fatal 2010/11 floods 
How rains paralysed India's Chennai amid quite legitimate claims that Chennai floods are not a natural disaster – they've been created by unrestrained construction
Whilst Antarctic ice melt will raise sea levels, scientists argue that big Antarctic ice melt scenarios 'not plausible'
Enormous mounds of methane found under the Arctic Se…

It was a breezy evening, but nothing special here - although I did see a wheelly bin blown over on my work into work this morning ....  but after Storm Barney: Thousands still without power after 85mph winds whilst trees down on rail lines in and out of Birmingham cause delays and a tree crashes on Didcot houses

Meanwhile, as it crosses the Channel, the storm changes names as storm 'Heini' bears down on Germany
In the US, three dead, at least 1 million without power in destructive Northwest windstorm
WA bushfires: German backpackers, farmer believed killed in Esperance blaze
Torrential rain wreaks havoc in Jeddah and Makkah
 In Taiwan, record-high November temperatures show few signs of winter
Glacier on Tibetan plateau retreating at a faster rate since the 1990s
2015 shatters the temperature record as global warming speeds back up - helps of course by a record El Nino.  The real question is whether we get a following La Nina and how warm it is then.  
Melting Scandinavian ice p…

Thousands relocated as rare floods hit Hunan Province in central China
Storm Barney to hit UK with winds up to 80mph as the Midlands look set to experience their first gales of the season
A massive flood didn't stop these two men from enjoying a relaxing pint in the pub garden ....
Virgin Australia plane spun around, blown down runway during severe storm in Moranbah, Queensland
Western US hot by blast of winter-like weather
Two dead as earthquake hits Greek island of Lefkada
And the WMO warns to expect 'high impacts' from globally strong El Nino  as the global October temperature soars to record high - just JMA data in so far.

Heavy rain bring flood disruption across northern England with power cuts and floods after storms hit Wales, but generally the remnants of ex-Kate weren't quite as bad as some feared.   Certainly no repeat of 2009.
Flood-sparked landslide kills 16 in China; 21 still missing in homes engulfed by mud and rock
Flooding in southern India kills dozens
Drought grips South Africa whilst heatwave stops Zimbabwe plan from landing
And renowned climate sceptic Richard Tol predicts society 'to be hit by climate change'

Winter is here!   Snow covers A9 as Storm Abigail grips - in fact the snow has fallen in a colder northwesterly airflow that has followed on behind Abigail, which as expected had little impact.  And also as predicted for several days now, life-threatening floods forecast as tail of Hurricane Kate hits Britain over the weekend.   No doubt this will be the main story in Monday.
Unravelling the mystery of Spain's 'blood rain': Bizarre phenomenon was caused by 'stressed out' algae - but experts have no idea how it got there
This is actually nothing new, as the tsunami has been well known for many years - indeed, it may have been the final nail in the coffin of Doggerland and even given rise to some legends of drowned lands, but looks like there's been fresh research on the impacts in Denmark as tsunami devastated Europe 8,150 years ago
The World's 10 most dangerous volcanoes identified 
And who wants to live on an alien planet battered by 5,400mph winds?

Storm Abigail; Power cuts, schools closed and ferries cancelled, but most of the UK unaffected and for northwest Scotland this was, of course, not in any way an exceptional storm, just the first of many this season.  Heavy more strong winds and particularly some heavy rain to come this weekend as the remnants of ex-Hurricane Kate arrive.
But did Storm Abigail open mystery portal to another dimension on eve of Friday 13?   Well, of course, no other possible explanation ..... !
More seriously, climber who had to be rescued as he tried to climb Ben Nevis during Storm Abigail blasted as 'irresponsible' and I agree.  But well done the volunteers from Lochaber MRT!

Meanwhile, whilst it's a little more seasonal here today, much of Europe basks in record November temperatures - although the Jungfrau temperature 'record' a mistake.
Two killed in flood in Turkey's northeastern Artvin Province
In the US,  fast-moving storm system sweeps across the Midwest causing semitraile…

Cyclone Megh makes landfall in Yemen, kills 14 on island of Socotra
Storm Abigail:  First of Met Office's names storms to batter Scotland, well the far north and west of  Scotland ....  Ironically far more people will be affected by heavy rain and strong winds - gales in the south even - over the weekend as the remnants of Hurricane Kate get swept up by the jet stream.

And indeed, earlier, Hurricane Kate becomes fourth hurricane of the 2015 Atlantic season
In NI, more records fall during unseasonably warm November with Murlough recording both the warmest ever night and the highest date temperature (18.5c) yesterday
Reno, Nevada plastered by freak heavy snow event
How India, China and the US welcomed first autumn snow
Borneo burning: Satellite image reveals extent of thick smoke
Geophysics could slow Antarctic ice retreat
Not for the first time (I recall a similar story from some years ago) hidden ancient river network that once flowed through the Sahara is revealed by satellite ima…

New rainfall record set in central Israel with yet more this week as heavy rain swamps Askelon causing road to collapse and in Egypt, 23 dead in Beheira after days of torrential rain
Power cuts and floods as storms hit Scotland
Northern China’s dilemma—if you want heat in the winter, it comes with toxic air pollution but for all of us, a warmer world will be a hazier one
After historic flooding, Death Valley gears up for a 'long, hard recovery'

It's November, and finally Tropical Storm Kate forms in Atlantic but is unlikely to have much impact until it tracks further north, gets caught up in the jet stream and its remnants bring rain to Britain next weekend.

'UFO clouds' shock Cape Town residents - though I have seen more spectacular 'lentils' in this country

El Nino blamed as flooding affects tens of thousands in Somalia
There was no glacier thaw in NZ at end of Ice Age, study finds
Nasa reveals stunning 3D images of mountains on Pluto, and says the 3.5 mile hi…

Global warming set to breach 1c threshold: 2015 is set to be the first year to be more than 1c higher than the "pre-industrial" average for the period 1850-1900.
Cyclone Megh batters Yemeni island of Socotra
China air pollution reaches almost 50 times World Health Organisation recommended limit
4,500 lack power as storm Freja hits Sweden
France basks in record-high temperatures
Darwin swelters as heatwave grips Top End with some parts experiencing their highest ever recorded temperature
Near week-long heatwave to hit parts of South Africa
The ground swallows dozen cars in Mississippi
And oh dear, the Express plumbs new depths, falsely claiming that Britain's worst storm in 144 years confirmed ...    A story that appears to be based on a total misunderstanding of the latest contingency planner's report  which simply suggests a positive NAO (El Nino being one of several factors leading to this) and consequently a milder, but perhaps wetter and windier winter than average.�…

Second freak storm heads for Yemen, WMO says thanks to higher than average sea temperatures in the Indian Ocean.
58 Iraqis died of electrocution during heavy rains
The eastern USA experiencing a record-breaking heat wave ... in November
Severe storm sweeps over Brisbane dropping 'tennis ball-sized hail'
West Antarctic coastal snow accumulation rose 30 percent during 20th century
Anthropogenic warming in the west Pacific likely contributed to the 2014 drought in East Africa, say climate scientists
The lack of any signals being emitted suggests that bizarre megastructure was not built by aliens - but has anyone thought it could have been abandoned, like the Pak Ringworld? 
Did our solar system once contain dozens of Earth-like planets?
And more ridiculous doom porn as the Express claims that Europe and Asia could be torn apart by potentially 'catastrophic earthquake' in Siberia - but it won't happen for 650,000,000 years ....

Melbourne CBD hit by flash flood from freak storm whilst there are some impressive photos as massive thunderheads roll across Sydney bringing rain and strong winds as forecasters warn the east coast to expect flooding and hail this weekend
Meanwhile, is Australia in the midst of a tornado outbreak? And just how frequent are tornadoes in Australia?
8 killed in Yemen cyclone storm: Official
US western ski resorts buried in snow.  A sign of a blockbuster season? 
In Naples, Florida, November heat wave breaks 50-year high temperature record
Warm weather brough Scotland 'rare third midge hatch' - but there were less midges over all thanks to a cool spring. 
Climate change is moving mountains!  Is there nothing it cannot do?!
Study of cloud cover in tropical Pacific reveals future climate changes as atmospheric circulations systems change.
Global warming caused fourteen extreme weather events last year and affected every continent but Alaska, researchers reveal, although I am with Kevin …

Cyclone Chapala batters war-torn Yemen and there is more hardship to come as Yemen, Slammed by Cyclone Chapala, Faces Locust Plague Risk for Months
Houses damaged as storm sweeps across parts of South Australia whilst a terrifying video shows lightning strike just metres from a woman's front door as she films severe storms in South Australia  and a tornado wows spectators at Monarto during statewide thunderstorms in South Australia
They have had nearly 2 feet of snow in northeast Nevada, power outages as snow blankets Western US in first widespread taste of winter
Meanwhile, winter is coming! Maps reveal the first days of snow across the US and show the areas most likely to be worst hit
Dozens of flights grounded as dust storm envelopes Israel 
South Africa in midst of 'epic drought'
Scientists confirm their fears about West Antarctica - that it's inherently unstable
What causes these waves in the sky? Scientists explain amazing weather pattern over Colorado - KH waves are…

Spain: Flood inundates nursing home, killing 4 residents after Spain suffers severest storm in two decades whilst in Portugal man, 79, found dead following Algarve floods, many left homeless.
Just dull and grey here, but fog disrupts flights at UK airports for third day, whilst yesterday Trawsgoed continued it's record warmth with a mx of 22.3c.  And a balmy start to November sees record temperatures in Eire too with 20.1c in Co Kerry on Sunday.
Cyclone Chapala bears down on mainland Yemen
El Nino strikes! Snow falls in California during first wintery blast of the season as experts warn of record storms on the West Coast this winter
In Australia, Port Lincoln floods as Eyre Peninsula battered with heavy rain in severe weather over regional SA 
In parts of South Africa, snow hits as SA slides towards summer?
The lion left stranded by floods... in the Masai Mara: Incredible rainfalls leave the usually sun-baked nature reserve under water - and puzzle the wildlife
Latest models predict …

Hottest UK November day recorded in mid Wales as Trawcoed hit 22.4c, but misery for some as Heathrow fog causes cancellation of dozens of flights, with more of the same today.
Yemen island hit as Cyclone Chapala heads for mainland
'Scary' tornado captured on video forming on Victorian farm during destructive storm
Meanwhile, in the drought stricken Queensland outback, Barcaldine celebrates wettest November day ever with photos of flooded roads
It's been Adelaide's hottest October on record - over 5c higher than average

At least 6 die in Texas as storm system moves into Louisiana, Mississippi
Flooding swamps Portugal's Algarve
Video as huge ice flash flood sweep across Saudi Arabia following hail storm 
Pics: Extreme SA weather over the weekend
Amazon fires: Brazil indigenous reserve blazes contained, but more rain forest is lost in an act of deliberate environmental vandalism