Weather & Earth Science News

Temperature in my garden fell to -5.9c this morning.  Joint second lowest temp I have ever recorded in November and also the coldest it has been here since February 2012.   A nice start to winter! 3 people killed, 4 children critically injured as powerful storms hit Alabama Aerial photos show trail of devastation left behind by raging Tennessee wildfires which have left three dead In Ontario, Thunder Bay crews busy as 80 mm of rain falls and floods parts of city - a near record for the month Brisbane storm: Woman struck by lightning, thousands lose power in south-east Queensland as locals warned to prepare for the worst ahead of forecast weekend with the hottest December day in 15 years being forecast In Switzerland, November one of warmest on record despite early snow India sees a record November day temperature in Pune, Mahabaleshwar Arctic sea-ice struggles to build volume - a one-off?  Or a sign of things to come?...

In the US, storms take aim at large wildfires in South but in Gatlinburg terrified guests are trapped inside a burning Hilton hotel as huge wildfire engulfs Tennessee resort .  Scottish man stands above clouds to capture astonishing night skies Summer starts hot in Australia as BOM forecasts Queensland, northern NSW heatwave with 40C temperatures tipped Melbourne thunderstorm asthma death toll rises to eight Tehran goes sub-zero Biggest exposed fault on Earth discovered The MetO go public with their  Winter Outlook for December 2016 to February 2017 And Scottish avalanche incidents in 2015/16 involved 109 people, says SAIS

Below zero? Snow covers sand in Saudi regions - there is, of course, no sign of any snow here in the near future (and contrary to stories in the media, the Met Office are no more predicting a white Christmas than they are a hurricane on Boxing Day) Thunderstorm asthma: sixth person dies in Melbourne while three remain critical   Cold weather kills 20 in north Afghanistan Man missing in Zakynthos flood found dead Two dead after heavy storms across northern Italy as drone footage captures the moment devastating landslide sweeps through Italian village and more pictures here from the aftermath of Turin floods And southern Africa cries for help as El Niño and climate change savage maize harvest

Reportedly, the snowfall in Almaty is unprecedented with new abnormal snowfalls expected in Kazakhstan in December Heavy rain hammers south-east Queensland flooding Brisbane suburbs Thunderstorm asthma claims fifth life in Victoria Portugal sees roads closed due to snow and rain Tropical storm Otto kills nine in Costa Rica India court bans fireworks in Delhi after Diwali smog Although the reported 19.2c in Siberia last weekend was erroneous, there have nonetheless been very high (relatively speaking) temperatures around the Arctic recently (including Siberia).  And here's an expert’s view on unusually warm Arctic temperatures . And as a consequence of this, the average Arctic temperature in Svalbard 'could end up above freezing for first time in history'

Otto weakens to tropical storm after passing over Nicaragua but there are deaths as storm hits Costa Rica Heavy rain causes floods in northern Italy whilst a mini tornado causes havoc in southern France In Canada, it's been the latest Winnipeg snowfall on record Qatar hit by tornadoes Heavy snowfall temporarily clears 'life-threatening' air pollution in Tehran So much for it slowing down, Gulfstream may strengthen with more precipitation in the far north And by the end of this century US record high temperatures could outpace record lows 15 to 1

Tokyo stunned to wake up to snow in November for the first time in 54 years - although it had been well forecast .... Hurricane Otto: Costa Rica declares national emergency as storm heads for coast NZ records its hottest November temperature in 15 years Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier's huge glacier retreat triggered in 1940s  although a study of expedition log books reveals that around the coast Antarctic ice has hardly melted in 100 years Air pollution 'causes 467,000 premature deaths a year in Europe' whilst summer heatwave may explain surge in deaths in England and Wales this year. A huge reduction in African dust plume impacted climate 11,000 years ago Meanwhile, 400 people have died in Tehran in the past fortnight as clouds of filth envelop Asian cities And three striking weather events photographed in Glen Coe in one single picture (although the inversion is neither striking nor rare)

The last of the season?  Hurricane Otto threatens Costa Rica and Nicaragua - it's also very unusual to have a hurricance form so far south in the Caribbean.  Earlier, Tropical Storm Otto kills four in Panama After Melbourne's 'Thunderstorm asthma': Four people now believed dead, could have been more, minister says Bolivia schools close early as drought empties reservoirs - La Paz is running out of water .... Study sheds new insights into global warming 'hiatus' Mars ice deposit holds as much water as Lake Superior And how US super satellite will 'revolutionise' weather forecasts

A wet day yesterday with nearly an inch in Evesham but a lot more elsewhere with weather chaos: Homes flooded, roads closed and ferry stuck in Wales, Greater Manchester faces disruption during heavy rain and floods and a woman in life-threatening condition pulled from the sea as Environment Agency issues 44 flood warnings across battered Britain . Yesterday also saw temperatures reach six-year low for November as north-east plummets to -12C (actually -12.1c in Braemar) whilst on Sunday a stunning image of a rare fog bow is captured by a photographer over the snow-covered Scottish moors So, there's no global warming in Siberia, Donald Trump?   Temperatures  in Verkhoyansk in the Arctic Circle reached 19.2c on the 18th - the average is around 0c.   That said, western Siberia and the Urals have been cold.  Which just goes to show you should never use individual extremes as evidence of anything. U.S. record heat poised to outpace record cold by factor o...

A wet morning as Britain braces for day two of storm chaos after the first named storm of the season brought heavy rain and gales to the south coast on Sunday as a cargo ship hits barge in Storm Angus .   It's also been pretty chilly with Balmoral remaining below freezing all day yesterday as many parts of Wales wake up to snow as numerous flooding problems also hit the country But as Storm Angus sweeps Britain, skiers celebrate Alps snow perfection Winter storm causes 340 crashes as it sweeps through Minnesota leaving at least one person dead And in Kazakhstan: Capital Astana paralysed by cold weather as the temperature drops to -32c

Rather surprised this morning to read that thundersnow strikes! Chaos on the roads as Britain wakes up to a wintry blanket .  There is, of course, nothing here, nor anything expected for some time yet!  Meanwhile a squally cold front crossed yesterday producing quite a bit of damage with roofs ripped off as storms hit parts of mid and west Wales whilst a mini tornado strikes JCB headquarters in Staffordshire and winds of up to 84mph and 'tornadoes' cause chaos in Shropshire .   It was alleged that another tornado spotted as strong winds batter Coventry - but the video - of a funnel cloud - does not appear to have been taken yesterday (note lack of low levels winds and rather green, leafy trees!)  It's likely in most cases at least that the damage was caused by straight line winds. The US Lower 48 has basked in exceptional November warmth, but hints of a radical shift In Colorado it's been Denver's first snow in 201 days - not far off a record snow-...

Storm lashes New Zealand quake zone, more buildings evacuated as it's revealed  that New Zealand's earthquake was so powerful it lifted the sea floor two metres, exploding rocks through the sand Last year's Indonesian fires exposed 69 million to 'killer haze' Wildfires rage in central Chile New research suggests a less gloomy outlook for subtropical rainfall Climate change may prevent volcanoes from cooling the planet And new analysis adds support for a subsurface ocean on Pluto - is that where the Mi-go are hiding?!

The impacts of climate change in the Arctic:  80,000 reindeer have starved to death as Arctic sea ice retreats whilst research shows that Arctic ice pack the size of Florida melted after ‘extreme cyclone’ in December last year.  Alaska sees 'astounding' rise in temperature in October.   And why the Arctic waters are reluctant to freeze this winter after record low Arctic sea ice minimum observed in 2016 In NZ, cars shelter under trees as hail stones the size of golf balls hit Ashburton during storm whilst a mini tornado causes damage in Kapiti And once again the value of naval warships in non-combatant activities is shown after the New Zealand earthquake: Warships head to Kaikoura with Australian, Canadian and US vessels joining the evacuation effort.  Researchers solve mystery of historic 1952 London fog and current Chinese haze Dominican Republic floods displace more than 20,000   Cop 22 told of UAE research on pulling mor...

New Zealand earthquake: Kaikoura evacuations under way after the town was entirely cut off by landslides.  And cows stranded on island of land saved by rescuers, local media say .  Elsewhere, rain is the issue as Wellington cut off: State highways 1 and 2 closed due to flooding 2016 'very likely' to be world's warmest year - though that's always looked likely to be the case Is it the best start to the season ever? Ski resorts in the Alps open early thanks to stellar snowfall The incredible swirls surrounding Saturn's giant hexagonal storm revealed in stunning new Cassini image And our view of the Supermoon is vanquished by Supercloud! - Although I did see it myself this morning,  Looked just the same as a normal moon .....

Thankfully one two deaths reported so far as New Zealanders count cost of earthquake - which interestingly has coincided with the Moon being the closest it has been to Earth in nearly 70 years. Today, slip dam breached on New Zealand river, residents urged to seek higher ground .  And "earthquake lights" may have been filmed as the sky flashes 'green and blue' in rare lights phenomena Mini-cyclone rips through areas of Brisbane .  Well, thunderstorm ....  Dust storm sweeps through NT town of Katherine September's South Australian storms included seven tornadoes, Bureau of Meteorology says And Australia will be hit with intense storms more often - with Sydney the worst affected, new report says Romania and Ukraine witness eight inches of snow Stockholm defends 'gender-equal' snow-clearing after the chaos caused by last week's snow Heavy snow cuts off power for thousands in central China Global carbon gr...

Sydney cops a drenching and Adelaide is hit with golf-sized hailstones as severe storms lash northern Victoria with buildings damaged, thousands without power after 'mini tornado' wreaks havoc in Mildura   Jo'Burg's deadly flash flooding was once-in-a-100-year occurrence How lightning strikes can improve storm forecasts Climate change: Nations will push ahead with plans despite Trump Can we meet global energy demands with nuclear power? And a super-drought on Mars may have wiped out alien life on the red planet leaving it a barren, hostile world

North America is flooded in warmth and there is no sign of real winter Weak La Niña forms in Pacific Ocean Adelaide pelted with huge hailstones as severe storm follows 31C heat - though I am not sure why that make an issue of the forecast saying there was "only" a 40% chance of rain - that's quite high!  Truck drivers explain how they saved lives in floods in South Africa on Wednesday Snow causes traffic chaos in western Austria earlier this week Thawing ice makes the Alps grow Peculiarities of huge equatorial jet stream in Saturn's atmosphere revealed And it appears that climate change already dramatically disrupting all elements of nature .  Except in Trumpland, where it's just a hoax invented by the Chinese .....

Man, 77, rescued in Yorkshire as UK tackles first snow of winter - well, first to affect roads in England that is!   More pictures from across the continent as snow comes to Europe as Stockholm just had snowiest November day in 111 years and a winter white-out to continue in eastern Finland Meanwhile, it's forecast that Denmark to face 'significantly colder' winter - but will the cold make it west to Britain?! But is a new mini-ice age on the way?   No ...  And in the US, this fall has been so warm, some cities are setting records for latest first freeze whilst the Deep South reels from drought In South Africa, 6 killed in Gauteng flood horror   Major ocean current is widening as climate warms And Bookies takes bets on next Scottish earthquake after rise in frequency this year

The global climate 2011-2015: Hottest five-year period on record Theresa May puts 1,200 soldiers on standby to tackle winter floods - despite nearly an inch of rain overnight, the most in a 24 hour period since June, it's been a dry autumn here and there no signs of any significant storms on the horizon.   But my feeling is we may see the Atlantic properly awaken in the new year, with a better chance of snow and decent cold weather before, rather than after, Christmas .... (bit like 2010/11 in terms of pattern, though certainly not nearly so cold) Svalbard escapes winter rainstorm unharmed Flooding sends Albania into chaos Heavy snowfall comes early to Japan Patagonian fossil leaves reveal rapid recovery from dinosaur extinction event , relatively speaking And could we survive a nuclear winter?   Yes.  Though winters would be quite a bit cooler ....

Svalbard residents evacuated ahead of 'extreme' storm due to unusually high amounts of rain being predicted and fears of flooding and landslides.  Down to -2.9c in my garden this morning. the lowest November temperature I have recorded since 2010.  Pershore (Throckmorton) dropped to -5c with snow on the way for Scotland and northern England overnight.  But it wont last. In Pics: Snow falls thick and fast in southern Germany and prepare to be hit by 'snow cannons', Sweden warned - they mean 'lake effect' snow.  Any excuse to show a girl in a bikini .....  ! Study reveals huge acceleration in erosion of England's white cliffs Brisbane and south-east Queensland battered by hailstones in huge storm Haiti floods kill at least 10 people after heavy rain Middle East dust storm not caused by conflict, study finds   .... it was climate change Wind farms could be killing 80,000 bats a year, new study finds A successful c...

A tornado strikes near Rome, Italy, killing two, injuring dozens Viet Nam: Flood toll: 15 dead, 6 missing   Earthquake shakes central Oklahoma - was it caused by fracking? Australian psychology and cyclones: Why we don't prepare, and what we can learn from other cultures Delhi closes schools, halts construction to tackle pollution For the first time this season, snow gates closed as wintry weather hits Cairngorms as Britain shivers under the first snows of winter (obviously not all of Britain!) And in Siberia, exceptional snow falls in Yakutia lead to fears for children - and horses

The first day of proper snowfall and winter conditions across the Scottish hills .... and the first MRT operation as rescuers find walkers in blizzards on Ben Macdui  No ski-ing here yet, but in Canada it's been the earliest start in 30 years for Sunshine Village ski resort in Alberta due to exceptional amounts of snow State of emergency, flood warnings follow heavy rains on Vancouver Island After a near record summer minimum, Arctic makes ice at record slow pace Hurricanes from three million years ago give us clues about present storms Paris climate deal enters force as focus shifts to action

Anyone for a snowball fight? Nature produces it's very own array of snowballs on an Arctic Siberian beach Siberia is being clobbered with snow already, and that could mean a harsher U.S. winter ahead The Met Office explain whether Britain will see a cold start to winter? Storms bring flooding to Mexico   And your carbon footprint destroys 30 square metres of Arctic sea ice a year - but as I don't drive, use much heating, or fly,  mine is somewhat less ....

Record-breaking heat wave hits portions of the United States Vietnam flooding kills two in central provinces It was the 'Sunniest October' for north of Scotland - conversely, quite a dull month down here A mysterious emerald-green orb 'UFO' appears over Japan, leaving a trail of sparks behind it -  probably a bolide or space debris re-entering the atmosphere New model explains the moon's weird orbit Italy quake: Strong tremor felt as far as Rome We’re about to see a record-breaking supermoon - the biggest in nearly 70 years And a bit of fun as an Irish weather presenter is 'struck by lightning' during live broadcast in a bizarre Halloween prank

With 22.2c at Trawgoed in Wales, yesterday was the warmest day of the month.   Though the same date in 2014 was even warmer ....   All change from midweek though with snow expected on the Scottish hills. Last month was Hong Kong’s warmest October on record however the end of the month also saw a  cold snap chills northern China, with some areas experiencing lowest October temperatures on record . Interesting to note that the State central heating doesn't go on in Beijing until mid Novembver, unless they have 5 consecutive days with a maximum below 5c Rare tropical storm forms in Mediterranean Sea over the weekend (the same storm that hot Malta on Saturday) And research into extreme weather effects may explain recent butterfly decline