Weather & Earth Science News

Las Vegas dust storm uproots trees, knocks down power lines & delays flights whilst SoCal winds topple trees, create tumbleweed traffic jam In NSW there is one dead, 20,000 evacuated as water inundates Murwillumbah, Lismore whilst Cyclone Debbie flood threat continues in south-east Queensland with swollen rivers and creeks March temperature record broken for Dubrovnik Delhi Breaks 70-year Record as Maximum Temperature Nears 40 Degrees in March Harvard researchers have been solving the mystery of the Arctic’s green ice - it's basically a case of much thinner ice cover allowing for plankton blooms under the ice - whilst Danish scientists discover that melting sea ice may lead to more life in the sea    And another bit of "didn't we already know that?" news as it's discovered that the solar wind stripped Martian atmosphere away

Cyclone Debbie: Queensland's big wet brings widespread flooding to Brisbane and south-east and the weather may worsen for south-east Queensland overnight, BOM says .   Meanwhile in the NSW floods: Evacuation orders, warnings for Lismore, Murwillumbah, Tweed Heads as rescues underway .  But at least flooded Mackay residents now safe, but heavy rain slows cyclone recovery .   Some sad news as well as saturated cockatoo in photo dies . In Jackson, Wyoming, crews desperately try to dismantle 55 foot mound of ice that has built up over winter Violent weather kills two boys in Texas A group of Cambodian elephants in dramatic muddy escape - demonstrating just how easy it was, for example, for woolly mammoths (who didn't have humans to aid them) to similarly become entrenched, and eventually preserved in the permafrost. Research by the UEA reveals 100,000 people die each year as a result of pollution created by Western demand for Chinese goods - but we ...

A tragic accident, or putting glory before common sense and safety?  Sadly it sounds like the later as two Weather Channel storm chasers crash into a third while pursing tornado — killing all three Cyclone Debbie: Flooded roads make access difficult to storm-ravaged north Queensland towns whilst as the storm head south BOM warns of flooding in Cyclone Debbie's wake; Brisbane set for pounding and pictures emerge as one rather bedraggled cockatoo survives after being battered by Cyclone Debbie NZ also experiences weather chaos: Flooding in Auckland, flights grounded in Wellington, roads closed Peru floods: Four killed as Piura bursts its banks In the Indian state of Maharashtra: Bhira records highest-ever temperature at 46.5°C, seven degrees above normal Forests fight global warming in ways more important than previously understood - and guess what, we're still busy chopping and burning down most of what's left .....   And for a...

Cyclone Debbie's eye reaches coast; BOM downgrades system to category three , whilst Whitsunday residents share stories as torrential rain and wind pummels region .  But it will be some time before the full extent of damage - and any casualties - are known,  An impact crater linked to Martian tsunamis And (some) recent extreme weather events linked to climate change impact on the jet stream

Spain buried under four inches of snow as Brits bask on hottest day of the year (this report was Sunday morning - Sunday saw Aviemore get even warmer with 19.9c recorded.  Of course, most of the UK wasn't quite that warm!)   BOM warns of Cyclone Debbie inundation, 25,000 people in low-lying Mackay areas told to leave - a tidal surge of up to 2.5m is expected.  The storm is currently Cat 3 and expected to become Cat 4 by landfall, probably on Tuesday. Meanwhile, in the Atlantic, Invest 90-L could develop into a Subtropical Storm this week; would be second time in March since records began Flooding and thunderstorms hit Arabian Peninsula Japan avalanche: eight high school climbers feared dead And Peru’s deadly floods ring alarm bell for Latin America

Cyclone Debbie could hit north Queensland as category five, Bureau of Meteorology warns In southern Africa, Zimbabwe floods leave villagers stranded whilst Angola floods kill 11, cause widespread destruction The Foehn effect: Can a mountain wind really make you ill? Aurora Australis: Spectacular displays for first Southern Lights charter flight And in the UK, severe weather causing delays to half of commuters at least once a month, Earth Hour poll finds - though I am not entirely convinced.   We don't even get severe weather that often!   I suppose if it's raining traffic may be slower though ....  which I think is what respondents were really thinking about.  ie weather causes delays to half of commuters at least once a month.

After a very quiet season so far, here comes Debbie! Category three cyclone possible for north Queensland as tropical low strengthens: BOM A new study shows how global warming is increasing rainfall rates - meaning more extreme rainfall events will become common.   This does not mean however that overall rainfall may not decrease in some areas, including those that experience more floods. Under the Dead Sea, warnings of dire drought for the region: rainfalls plummeted during the Holocene Climatic Optimum (Hypsithermal) and the Eemian Interglacial, when the world was warmer than today. It's been said before, so nothing really new here, but another study suggests changes to flight paths could reduce aircraft effect on climate Last year's NZ earthquake at Kaikoura: 'Most complex quake ever studied' Mars rover spots clouds shaped by gravity waves And Europa: Our best shot at finding alien life?  Within this solar system, probably

Sea ice extent sinks to record lows at both poles Snow hits higher parts of the north of England South African heat wave forces cancellation of school sport As mentioned yesterday, today 'new' wave-like cloud finally wins official recognition along with several other cloud types, including contrails.  These aren't newly discovered cloud types, just ones that hadn't previously been officially recognised as seperate variants. As drilling at Chicxulub continues, dinosaur crater's clue to origin of life and a major shake-up suggests dinosaurs may have 'UK origin' - or, rather, continents in the northern hemisphere ....  Though some early fossils have been found in Britain.

Today's Sydney weather: Severe storm cuts power to homes, causes flight cancellations and delays whilst central Queensland hit with heavy falls, but graziers still in desperate need of rain to break drought A warning from Siberia that there may be 7,000 underground gas bubbles poised to 'explode' in Arctic In the US, the worst Southeast freeze in 10 years wipes out blueberry and peach crops In Ireland there are almost 8,000 homes still without power after snow and bad weather as Britain sees Arctic winds sweep in with four inches of snow and -8C temperatures (they're not Arctic winds though, and of course, snow and frosts in upland areas in March is normal) Burundi's capital hit by floods after torrential overnight rain.  At least 6 dead. Some amazing pictures from Monday night’s rare electrical storm in Cape Town And asperitas among newly-classified clouds to join World Meteorological Organisation's atlas

Earth experienced the second-hottest February ever recorded as sea ice levels slip to a new low and the WMO report that 'extreme and unusual' climate trends continue after record 2016 Drivers face snow and icy conditions in some parts of Scotland - but it is March!  So quite normal.  What is not normal is that so far this month I haven't experienced a single air frost in Evesham .... Australia's eastern states battered by storms with more rain to come The unnamed phenomenon behind Peru’s extraordinary flooding   The last remnant (on Baffin Island) of the ice sheet that once blanketed North America will be completely gone in 300 years because of global warming, scientists warn - significant because declining axial tilt ought mean that, subject to precipitation, it should, if anything, grow ...  However, that it has only shrunk so low three times in the past 2.5 million years may not necessarily be so significant since most interglacials have bee...

Floods, mudslides kill dozens in Peru after unusually heavy rainfalls More rain in Australia. NSW weather: Flood rescues amid deluge on north coast with 200mm of rain expected An extensive ice cap once covered sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia during the last ice age Eruptions on the sun trigger surprising phenomenon near Earth And what's it like living under one of Iceland's most dangerous volcanoes, as it starts rumbling

Landspout and 'dust devil' cause a stir at Brisbane Airport whilst the BoM predicts deluge on NSW mid-north coast as wild weather continues Video as an Amtrak train traveling swiftly during winter storm wipes out commuters with snow Northern Namibia braces for worst flood in memory Interestingly, China's 'airpocalypse' linked to Arctic sea ice loss On Mount Etna: BBC crew caught up in volcano blast   And farewell chemtrails? Biofuels 'could limit jet contrails'  

Alicante is hit by worst floods in 20 years after six months' of rain falls in 24 hours Five die as snowstorm strikes north-eastern United States whilst in Canada drivers stranded, schools closed as Quebec slammed with record-setting blizzard An autumn heatwave in Melbourne as city swelters through warmest March nights on record whilst NSW weather: BOM issues severe weather warning as flash flooding, heavy rain hits state's north Deadly floods continue to devastate Peru Did humans create the Sahara desert?   They certainly contributed, in my opinion.   But I don't think they can be held wholly to blame (Mayhew's Law - again!)  An increase in extreme sea levels could endanger European coastal communities A scientist and a supercomputer re-create a tornado A US study shows how Democrats and Republicans draw different conclusions when seasons are too hot or too cold And 'sea sparkle' algae lights up Tasmanian beac...

Edit 7-2-19: When there exist two or more persuasive arguments to explain a given event, it is more likely that all were contributory factors to varying degrees, rather than only one to the exclusion of all else. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Having finally come up with what I think is a reasonable (though by no means perfect) wording ....  I'm posting it here for my future reference: One size rarely fits all; complex events are unlikely to have simple, single, causes, and , especially where competing explanations exist, it's most likely a combination of factors were involved . Background: this 'law' arose from the observation that major, complex, events - such as the demise of the dinosaurs - often have two or more competing theories trying to account for them, both of which appear equally valid.   It seems to me more logical that in such cases both theories are valid an...

House in New York state encased in ice during cold spell - fortunately there was no-one inside at the time Storm Stella: flights cancelled as 'life-threatening' conditions due to hit US north-east SES rescues four people as heavy rain causes chaos in Sydney whilst another dangerous storm tears roof from home, cuts power to south-east Queensland suburbs . But whilst some get rain, latest declarations reveal almost 90 per cent of Queensland now in drought Extreme weather explains 'unprecedented' mangrove deaths in NT: study Heavy snowfall cuts off northern parts of India High winds cause chaos at Cape Town cycling race The recent rapid decline of Arctic sea ice a combination of climate change and natural variability - which makes sense in accordance with "Mayhew's Law" (which I think I have finally defined as: one size rarely fits all; complex events are unlikely to have simple, single, causes, and , especially...

Tornado hits north Bavaria, damaging dozens of houses on Thursday From the US, hilarious footage captures people losing battles with 100mph wild winds as extreme weather fronts strike across the country .  Meanwhile, snow hits New York as late season winter storm moves in - and an even bigger one is waiting behind it Auckland 'flood hunters' crack up as water turns out to be deeper than they thought Cyclone Enawo: Madagascar death toll rises to 38 A warning to mariners:  massive rogue waves aren't as rare as previously thought Discovery of widespread platinum may help solve Clovis people mystery - another twist in the  "clovis comet" story, supporting the theory of an ice sheet impact. Video captures moment plastic enters food chain - and ultimately into us ... And shreep and witches' knickers? Call for revival for Britain's quirkiest weather words

A worrying display of crass ignorance?  EPA chief doubts carbon dioxide's role in global warming   But does he think the Earth is flat or just concave, that's the big question?   Either way, a denier like this becoming head of the EPA is like Richard Dawkin becoming Pope.....  A 'freakishly hot' February broke 11,700 climate records and was the second warmest on record in the USA In NZ, thunderstorms, heavy rain cause powercuts, evacuations in Auckland and Northland Cyclone Enawo: Five dead in Madagascar First global maps of volcanic emissions use NASA satellite data And watch out Martians, NASA reveals massive back to back storms bigger than the United States are engulfing Mars

Record warmth in 16 States in February caps mild, wet winter in the U.S 860,000 still powerless as high winds, record outages slam Michigan Westgate Park: Why an Australian lake has turned pink - it's due to algae following warm, dry, sunny weather Malta's Azure Window collapses into the sea following stormy weather  And flashy first images arrive from NOAA's GOES-16 lightning mapper

Summer heat broke 205 records and more extreme weather is to come, Climate Council of Australia reports Winter storm brings death and destruction in France Hundreds of homes damaged in tornado-laden Midwest storm Aerial pictures reveal devastation caused by wildfires raging across Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas and Colorado Biting cold that set records in Canadian Arctic poised to invade eastern U.S. this weekend On Hawaii, seven people rescued from submerged cars in Maui flood In NZ, in one day Tasman Tempest brings month's worth of rain to parts of the country as Clevedon residents watch livestock floating down river in 'worst ever' floods Tropical Cyclone Enawo makes category 4 landfall; Strongest Madagascar landfall in 13 years And the Met Offiic, patiently explain, yet again, what their Contingency Planner's Forecast is to the ignorant media who published wholly deceitful stories earlier this week on the expected...

Cyclone Blanche: Record-breaking storm drenches Darwin, batters Top End over the weekend before the storm crosses WA's Kimberley coast as conditions in NT ease today.  After BoM predicted an active Cyclone season this summer, it's been the quietest on record .... Got snowed on in Snowdon yesterday - a nice birthday weekend surprise.  Probably be it for the year now though!   Although the gutter press are still pushing silly season stories based purely on fantasy (there is no corroboration for the headline whatsoever .... though MetO comments suggest a cold snowy Easter is unlikely given that it is late this year.   Still, nice pics of snow from North Wales yesterday.) The Daily Fail doesn't always get it wrong though, rightly informing us that, based on MetO data, this winter was one of the mildest and driest ever - it was actually my second mildest and second driest in Evesham. Tropical Cyclone Enawo threatens Madagascar - expected to be t...

Zimbabwe hit by deadly floods after drought As the death toll rises to 4, residents begin cleanup after tornado outbreak ravages midwest Blizzard dumps snow on Hawaii, California set for record winter rain Woman impaled by falling tree during storm in Annapolis Antarctica Hits Record High Temperature of 63.5 Degrees F - though to be fair, this was at the northern tip of the Antarctic Peninsular.  And it was back in May 2015.  The WMO has also verified some other highest temperatures recorded for Antarctic region According to Greenpeace, China shift to renewables transforms world's biggest polluter from 'climate bad boy' into 'true leader' And DNA clues to why woolly mammoth died out - basically the surviving population on Wrangel Island was too small and their developed genetic disease due to inbreeding

Chicago records no snow on ground in January, February for 1st time in 146 years At least two deaths reported in central U.S. tornadoes The been the warmest winter on record in Texas    Sydney weather breaks new record with summer the hottest on record and Brisbane just had its hottest summer on record too Chile floods: Drinking water returns to capital Santiago Siberian 'hellmouth' crater caused by melting permafrost is growing fast and could reveal climate changes over the last 200,000 years A giant fountain of lava bursts from Mount Etna as the volcano erupts in a fiery display And Saturn's massive hexagonal storm revealed up close in stunning new Cassini image