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Heavy snow blankets a vast area spanning from New Mexico to Minnesota
A winter storm has buffeted the western U-S with violent wind gusts, heavy rain and about 2 feet of snow
More than a million calls forced Arizona highway hotline to shut down after up to two feet of snow blanketed parts of the state.
“We’re expecting almost a one-two punch across the middle part of the country over the next two days.” A National Weather Service forecaster told reporters.
“Once the large-scale pattern sets up you can be very stormy and have one after another.”
The cost of flood damage will probably exceed Australia’s income from selling coal
Climate Change Midterm Dividends
Australia is the world’s top coal exporter with an annual production of 333.5 million metric tons.
Source: Image from Japan Meteorological Agency satellite MTSAT-1R via Bureau of Meteorology. Captured: Thursday 30 December 2010 08:30 UTC. Click HEREfor the latest image. Click images to enlarge.
The road into Dalby (Queensland) has been cut by a sea of water. couriermail.com.au Reader picture: Anthony Skerman
Queensland Flooding News Highlights
The worst of floods is yet to come, forecasters say, as the cities of Emerald and Rockhampton are evacuated.
“Dozens of communities remain isolated with flooding at unprecedented levels in Bundaberg, Rockhampton, Emerald and a string of smaller towns as thousands of people were forced out of their homes, the Courier-Mail reported.
Shortages of safe food and water the biggest problem.
No end in sight for flood-ravaged Queensland’s residents
Disease outbreak now feared after flooding
Thousands are forced form their homes
A compulsory evacuation in the town of Condamine has just been completed, after the Condamine River reached a record 14.25m
State Premier Anna Bligh has said that flood damage to roads alone will cost at least $1.5 billion[so far]
“Hundreds of families across Queensland have been hard hit by the worst flooding in decades – in some cases, the worst on record,” she said.
The total cost of damage could reach 5 billion [blog estimates]
“[Flooding from the Fitzroy River in] Rockhampton is expected to reach about 9.4 metres by Tuesday with possible further rises.” The Bureau of Meteorology said.
“This is similar to the 1991 (9.3m) and 1954 (9.4m) flood levels. Rockhampton river levels are expected to remain above 9 metres for up to 10 days.”
“Central Highlands Mayor Peter Maguire estimates 90 per cent of properties will be under water tomorrow. But already 50 per cent of the town, west of Rockhampton and home to 13,000 people, is under water.” The Courier-Mail reported.
Quote of the Day:
“I’ve certainly seen flooded towns before in Queensland. We have big storms and we have big river systems. But I’ve never seen Queensland … with so many places in so many diverse parts of the state each affected so critically all at once.” —Queensland Premier Anna Bligh
TROPICAL CYCLONE FORECAST TRACK MAP
Meanwhile, Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned of a cyclone developing over the natural gas producing regions of NW Australia. “The system is expected to move to the west and it’s got a reasonable chance of being a tropical cyclone on New Year’s Day off the Pilbara or West Kimberley coast,” a BOM forecaster said.
Issued by BOM at 2:57 pm WST Thursday 30 December 2010.
Remarks by BOM:
The low may develop into a tropical cyclone after it moves off the west Kimberley coast late Friday or early Saturday. It is not expected to cause gales on Thursday or Friday. Gales may develop along the Pilbara coast on Saturday as the system moves steadily towards the west southwest parallel to the Pilbara coast. By Sunday evening the system is likely to be north of Exmouth and continuing to move towards the west.
Heavy rainfall of 100mm to 150mm is expected in the North and West Kimberley over the next two days as the system moves westwards. Significant stream rises with local flooding is possible in the North and West Kimberley, refer to the latest Flood Watch [IDW39610] for further details. The system is unlikely to cause flooding in the Pilbara due to its steady movement.
Massive Flooding Destroys Bridges, Roads in South Island
Disaster-stricken New Zealand was struck by yet another catastrophe, as torrential rain and strong winds pummeled top of the South Island causing extensive damage to infrastructure.
“Raging waters in the Aorere River have destroyed the Salisbury Swing Bridge and the James Road Bridge. Livestock has been swept away and houses flooded.” Newstalk ZB
An aerial photograph of the Aorere River and Aorere Valley flooded after heavy rains swept through the region. Photo: Tasman District Council/ via Nelson Mail
Major South Island roads remain closed after yesterday’s flooding caused by “a fast-moving storm” swept through the region buffeting much of New Zealand with strong winds and torrential rain, reports say.
“In Golden Bay at the top of the South Island, the Aorere River reached very high levels. The river can normally be forded on foot during summer, but was flowing at 3500cu m per second at the peak.” NZPA said.
The Marlborough district was also badly hit, with extensive damage reported in the Rai Valley, Canvastown, Northbank and the Marlborough Sounds.
“Drenched campers were forced to flee the Pelorus Bridge campground, 59km north west of Blenheim, as the river surged through the site, lifting a caravan and tents before receding yesterday. They were being looked after by local residents.” The report said.
New Zealand floods would most probably trigger a major outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease FMD (Aphtae epizooticae) throughout the country. —FIRE-EARTH
Second Round of Flooding This Month Submerges Entire Towns and Villages in NE Australia
Queensland’s state government declares several of its regions as disaster zones, as rivers swell by the unabated rain causing extensive flooding.
Tropical Storm Tasha pummeled NE Australia with torrential rain, having made landfall along the Queensland coast on December 25, 2010. Tasha’s rainfall amounts, as observed by TRMM, on December 24, 2010 is shown in the image above, with red representing the highest amount and blue the lowest. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge. Download large image (1 MB, JPEG)
Australian Region Infrared Satellite Image
Source: Image from Japan Meteorological Agency satellite MTSAT-1R via Bureau of Meteorology. Click HERE for the latest image.
The floods have destroyed tens of thousands of hectares of cotton and sunflower crops in many areas throughout the state, and forced thousands to flee their homes.
The damage to the crops is expected to exceed $400million, Brent Finlay, president of the farmers’ lobby group AgForce, said.
“It’s just devastating. This was going to be the crop that got a lot of farmers back on their feet after the [10-year] drought,” Finlay said.
Brisbane, the state capital, has experienced its wettest December in 153 years, as Cyclone Tasha, brought more torrential rain to Queensland on Christmas Day.
The town of Theodore is all but almost completely inundated, with the Dawson River flowing above the 14-meter level—its highest in 55 years. The towns of Chinchilla, Dalby, Warra, Alpha and Jericho, have also been declared disaster zones.
Thousands of Flights canceled at JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark Liberty Airports
Blizzard dumped 20 inches of snow in Central Park as of 7 a.m. and 22 inches in Bedford Park in the Bronx, NWS said.
“Passengers have been stuck for several hours on two New York City subway trains stalled in snow drifts near Kennedy Airport.” AP reported.
A significant Winter Storm Causes Whiteout from the Mid-Atlantic through New England
Click image to enter NWS portal.
GOES-13 satellite captured this visible image of the powerful low pressure system that brought snows from Georgia to Maine along the US east coast. Some of the snowfall can be seen over South and North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and southeastern New York. The clouds of the low obscure New England in the image. Monday, Dec. 27 at 17:31 UTC
GOES-13 satellite image taken on Monday, Dec. 27 at 23:45 UTC
State of Emergency in N.J.; snowfall is record at airport
A record-breaking winter storm barreling its way up the East Coast dumped more than a foot of of snow on parts of southern New Jersey on Sunday – paralyzing local roads, grounding flights and forcing the Philadelphia Eagles to postpone their National Football Leauge game for possibly the first time in their history.
The storm, which most forecasters had predicted was going to turn out to sea and mostly spare New Jersey, brought 18 inches of snow to Cape May and15.7 inches of snow to the Atlantic City Airport in Egg Harbor Township as of 8 p.m. – breaking the December record of 11.4 inches set just last year – and was expected to bring up to two feet of snow by this morning.
STORM SUMMARY NUMBER 9 FOR EASTERN U.S. WINTER STORM NWS HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL PREDICTION CENTER CAMP SPRINGS MD 400 AM EST MON DEC 27 2010
…INTENSE LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CONTINUES TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY NEAR CAPE COD MASSACHUSETTS AS A FULL-BLOWN BLIZZARD AFFECTS SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND AND THE NEW YORK CITY AREA…
BLIZZARD WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT FOR COASTAL SECTIONS OF THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC STATES… MUCH OF COASTAL NEW ENGLAND…INCLUDING THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA…NORTHWARD THROUGH MOST OF MAINE. WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES AND WINTER STORM WARNINGS REMAIN IN EFFECT NEAR THE WESTERN SLOPESOF THE APPALACHIANS…MUCH OF NORTH CAROLINA…AS WELL AS BLOCKISLAND AND THE CAPE COD AREA.
HIGH WIND WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR MARTHAS VINEYARD AND NANTUCKETISLAND IN SOUTHEASTERN NEW ENGLAND.
FOR A DETAILED GRAPHICAL DEPICTION OF THE LATESTWATCHES…WARNINGS AND ADVISORIES…PLEASE SEE WWW.WEATHER.GOV
AT 300 AM EST…AN INTENSE 970 MB…28.64 INCH…SURFACE LOW WAS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR NANTUCKET MASSACHUSETTS. NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADARS AND SURFACE OBSERVATIONS INDICATED A LARGE AREA OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW AFFECTING THE COASTAL MID-ATLANTIC STATES INTO NEW ENGLAND. LIGHTER SNOW WAS FALLING ACROSS THE INTERIOR PORTIONS OF NEW ENGLAND AND THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE APPALACHIANS. PRECIPITATION HAD CHANGED OVER TO RAIN AROUND THE CAPE COD AREA.
SELECTED STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL (INCHES) FROM 6:00 AM EST THU DEC 23 THROUGH 3:00 AM EST MON DEC 27
Both the West and East Coasts of the U-S Hit by Winter Storms as Drought Persists in the South
States of Emergency have now been declared in California, Arizona, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia, Maine, New Jersey, Delaware and Massachusetts in the Past 72 hours in response to major rainstorms, severe snowstorms and persistent drought.
The D.C. area could see about 10 inches of snow, beginning Sunday, The National Weather Services said.
As the major snowstorm buffets the region, forecasters believe the worst may be yet to come.
Latest Seasonal Assessment - During the past several weeks, drought coverage increased or intensified across much of the Southwest, southern Plains, and the Florida peninsula. In contrast, continued precipitation improved drought conditions across the central Appalachians and Ohio Valley, with impacts easing across West Virginia, northern Virginia, and western Maryland. Further west, precipitation ameliorated drought conditions in southern Oregon and northeastern California. With moderate to strong La Niña conditions expected to continue through the northern hemisphere winter season, strong consideration was given in this outlook to climate anomalies associated with the cold ENSO phase. Therefore, drought expansion or intensification is expected across the Gulf Coast and southern Atlantic states, particularly in Florida. To the north, storm systems frequently translate across the Ohio Valley region into New England during La Niña winters, increasing the odds for drought improvement from eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee northward into the eastern Corn Belt. A similar precipitation anomaly dipole exists across the western U.S., with increased odds for above median precipitation in the Northwest contrasting with greater chances of below median precipitation for the Southwest and southern Rockies. Due to this consideration, continued improvement is expected for remaining drought areas in northern California and western Wyoming, while drought expansion or intensification is forecasted for the desert Southwest and portions of the central and southern High Plains. Increased odds for above median precipitation during the rainy season in Hawaii favor improvement across the western islands, but significant improvement of long term drought conditions on the eastern islands is more uncertain. [Source: NWS/ CPC]
Powerful 7.6Mw Quake Strikes Near Isangel, Vanuatu
The earthquake struck at a depth of 20 km, possibly creating a local tsunami
This earthquake was preceded by at least 3 significant foreshocks in the past 48 hours, the largest of which measured 5.7Mw.
FIRE-EARTH Forecast: A megaquake could strike Vanuatu Region/ Kermadec Islands Region/New Zealand with a probability of 68%.
10-degree Map Centered at 20°S,170°E
EQ Location Map. Source: USGS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH
Tsunami Warning/Advisory
Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has just issued the following Bulletin
WEPA40 PHEB 251326
TSUPAC
TSUNAMI BULLETIN NUMBER 001
PACIFIC TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER/NOAA/NWS
ISSUED AT 1326Z 25 DEC 2010
THIS BULLETIN APPLIES TO AREAS WITHIN AND BORDERING THE PACIFIC
OCEAN AND ADJACENT SEAS…EXCEPT ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…
WASHINGTON…OREGON AND CALIFORNIA.
… A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT …
A TSUNAMI WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR
VANUATU / NEW CALEDONIA / FIJI
FOR ALL OTHER AREAS COVERED BY THIS BULLETIN… IT IS FOR
INFORMATION ONLY AT THIS TIME.
THIS BULLETIN IS ISSUED AS ADVICE TO GOVERNMENT AGENCIES. ONLY
NATIONAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES HAVE THE AUTHORITY TO MAKE
DECISIONS REGARDING THE OFFICIAL STATE OF ALERT IN THEIR AREA AND
ANY ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN IN RESPONSE.
AN EARTHQUAKE HAS OCCURRED WITH THESE PRELIMINARY PARAMETERS
ORIGIN TIME – 1317Z 25 DEC 2010
COORDINATES – 19.7 SOUTH 168.0 EAST
DEPTH – 33 KM
LOCATION – VANUATU ISLANDS REGION
MAGNITUDE – 7.6
EVALUATION
IT IS NOT KNOWN THAT A TSUNAMI WAS GENERATED. THIS WARNING IS
BASED ONLY ON THE EARTHQUAKE EVALUATION. AN EARTHQUAKE OF THIS
SIZE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO GENERATE A DESTRUCTIVE TSUNAMI THAT CAN
STRIKE COASTLINES IN THE REGION NEAR THE EPICENTER WITHIN MINUTES
TO HOURS. AUTHORITIES IN THE REGION SHOULD TAKE APPROPRIATE
ACTION IN RESPONSE TO THIS POSSIBILITY. THIS CENTER WILL MONITOR
SEA LEVEL GAUGES NEAREST THE REGION AND REPORT IF ANY TSUNAMI
WAVE ACTIVITY IS OBSERVED. THE WARNING WILL NOT EXPAND TO OTHER
AREAS OF THE PACIFIC UNLESS ADDITIONAL DATA ARE RECEIVED TO
WARRANT SUCH AN EXPANSION.
ESTIMATED INITIAL TSUNAMI WAVE ARRIVAL TIMES AT FORECAST POINTS
WITHIN THE WARNING AND WATCH AREAS ARE GIVEN BELOW. ACTUAL
ARRIVAL TIMES MAY DIFFER AND THE INITIAL WAVE MAY NOT BE THE
LARGEST. A TSUNAMI IS A SERIES OF WAVES AND THE TIME BETWEEN
SUCCESSIVE WAVES CAN BE FIVE MINUTES TO ONE HOUR.
LOCATION FORECAST POINT COORDINATES ARRIVAL TIME
——————————– ———— ————
VANUATU ANATOM IS. 20.2S 169.9E 1338Z 25 DEC
ESPERITU SANTO 15.1S 167.3E 1404Z 25 DEC
NEW CALEDONIA NOUMEA 22.3S 166.5E 1359Z 25 DEC
FIJI SUVA 18.5S 178.5E 1512Z 25 DEC
BULLETINS WILL BE ISSUED HOURLY OR SOONER IF CONDITIONS WARRANT.
THE TSUNAMI WARNING WILL REMAIN IN EFFECT UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.
THE WEST COAST/ALASKA TSUNAMI WARNING CENTER WILL ISSUE PRODUCTS
FOR ALASKA…BRITISH COLUMBIA…WASHINGTON…OREGON…CALIFORNIA.
Earthquake Details
GFZ Potsdam – Earthquake Bulletin
Region: Vanuatu Islands Region
Time: 2010-12-25 13:16:38.7 UTC Magnitude: 7.7
Epicenter: 167.96°E, 19.76°S
Depth: 20 km
Status: manually revised
USGS/EHP
Magnitude: 7.6
Date-Time: Saturday, December 25, 2010 at 13:16:38 UTC
Location: 19.759°S, 167.974°E
Depth: 24.4 km (15.2 miles)
Region: VANUATU REGION
Distances
138 km (86 miles) W (259°) from Isangel, Vanuatu
196 km (122 miles) N (3°) from Tadine, Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
226 km (140 miles) S (189°) from PORT-VILA, Vanuatu
1,749 km (1087 miles) ENE (64°) from Brisbane, Australia
Location Uncertainty:
horizontal +/- 16.3 km (10.1 miles);
depth +/- 1.4 km (0.9 miles)
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, National Earthquake Information Center: World Data Center for Seismology, Denver
Event ID usc0000usf
Aftershocks
Hundreds of aftershocks should be expected to strike the area in the coming days and weeks.
Kamchatka Volcanoes May Be Instrumental to the ‘Epilogue’
Activity at Kamchatka Volcanoes Could Increase Dramatically in the Period Leading to Collapse
There are about 165 volcanoes on Kamchatka Peninsula, 29 of which are still active. About 120 of the volcanoes are believed to have erupted during the Holocene Epoch (approximately 12,000 years ago to present time).
Klyuchevskaya, the highest and most active volcano on Kamchatka peninsula, ejects a thin plume of steam and ash on December 23, 2010, when this false-color image was taken by the ASTER instrument on NASA’s Terra satellite. Source: NASA-EO
ISS astronaut photograph of volcanoes on Kamchatka Peninsula (ISS025-E-17440) was acquired on November 19, 2010. Source: NASA-EO
Up to 533mm (21 inches) of rain falls in seven days
Evacuation order has been issued for residents in Silverado Canyon, parts of Modjeska Canyon, Santiago Canyon and San Juan Capistrano, a report said.
GOES 11 Satellite image.
SNOW
The storms have also deposited about 5.2m (17 feet) of snow near the Kern River in California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, the U.S. Hydrometeorological Prediction Center said.
RAIN
Los Angeles receives 70 percent of its annual rainfall in just seven days
Widespread flooding and mudslides reported across region.
A bridge collapsed in San Bernardino County.
Corona Municipal Airport is flooded.
SeaWorld in San Diego County shutdown due to flooding.
Qualcomm Stadium football field closed until further notice.
Homes damaged by floodwater and mudslides in
Orange County canyons
Highland in San Bernardino County
Laguna Beach
Laguna Canyon
“Some homes were filled with mud that stood 4 feet deep indoors,” the report said.
As Advertised! Flood waters rise to about 4 feet on Sorrento Valley Road north of San Diego. Photo Credit: LA Times. Image may be subject to copyright.
Evacuations were ordered in
Dove Canyon
Parts of San Juan Capistrano
Silverado Canyon
Parts of Orange County canyons
At least one person was reportedly killed when she was struck by a sport utility vehicle near Laguna Beach.
Multiple Storms Hit SoCal: More than 150mm of Rain Soaks L.A.
Up to 6 inches of rain has soaked Los Angeles since the storms began on December 16
Nearby mountains have reportedly received up to 13 inches of rain. The record for December rainfall in LA is 222.7mm (8.77) inches, NASA said.
Rainfall amounts over the state of California from December 18 to 20, 2010. “This image is based on data from the Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (MPA), produced at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. The MPA estimates rainfall by combining measurements from many satellites and calibrating them using rainfall measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite.” Southern California has experienced unusual weather this year, “where the spring and summer were cooler than usual, Santa Ana winds were calmer (making for a light fire season), and a one-day temperature record was set in September (117 degrees Fahrenheit). Extensive research suggests weather patterns become more volatile and extremes become more common as global temperatures warm,” according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Source: NASA-EO. Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enter NWSLA Portal
State of Emergency Declared
“Residences in La Canada Flintridge and 85 residences in La Crescenta [would be evacuated] due to the possibility of debris flows resulting from forecasted rain storms in the area.” L.A. County official reported.
California. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency in several California counties [Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Luis Obispo and Tulare] in the wake of the powerful storms that have caused flooding, mudslides and evacuations.
Utah, USA. “The Mayor of St. George, Utah, has declared a state of emergency in the area due to heavy rain and runoff causing the Virgin River and Santa Clara Rivers to flood,” a report said.
Nevada, USA. “Southern Nevada is in a state of emergency after rain-swollen creeks closed some roads in the Las Vegas area and a thick blanket of snow disrupted electricity to about 300 customers on nearby Mount Charleston,” a report said.
The ensuing floods and mudslides will wreak havoc across much of Southern California.
Earthquake Location Map. Cross shows epicenter of the 7.4Mw quake, while the colored bubbles indicate the seismic intensity at various monitoring centers in Japan. Source: Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA). Image may be subject to copyright.
Tsunami Warning/Advisory
The 7.4Mw quake struck at a depth of 10km and created a tsunami which reached a height of about 3m (10 feet) in at least a dozen locations around Japan’s coastal areas
Tsunami Observations
As of 05:40 JST (UTC+ 9 hours)
At some parts of the coasts, tsunamis may be higher than those observed at the observation sites.
The tsunamis can become higher from now on.
However, JMA later downgraded the warning to a tsunami advisory for the area.
Tsunami Map for the 7.4Mw Bonin Islands Earthquake. Source: Japan’s Meteorological Agency (JMA). Image may be subject to copyright. The tsunami reached a height of about 3m in at least 12 locations around Japan’s coastal areas.
Earthquake Details [JMA]
Magnitude: 7.4Mw [Reported as 7.5Mw by GFZ Potsdam - Earthquake Bulletin]
Date- Time 02:20 JST on 22 Dec 2010 a
Location: 27.5N 143.4E Depth: 10km
Region: Chichijima Kinkai [Bonin Islands, Japan Region]
Distances [USGS]
150 km (95 miles) E of Chichi-shima, Bonin Islands, Japan
335 km (210 miles) NE of Iwo Jima, Volcano Islands, Japan
1050 km (650 miles) SSE of TOKYO, Japan
Aftershocks
About 3 dozen strong aftershocks were reported, as of posting, the most significant of which measured 5.0Mw. Many more aftershocks may follow in the coming days and weeks.
FEWW Forecast
More powerful earthquakes, some related to this event, could strike Japan Region, much closer to the coastal areas.
Fire Earth Model shows that Japan region could be struck by up to 4 additional strong to large earthquakes possibly this year/early next year, one of which could be a catastrophic event.
At least a dozen people are reported dead, with dozens more injured or trapped under the rubble
The strong earthquake struck about 100 km (60 miles) SE of the city of Bam, at a depth of 11.8km, and was felt throughout the southeastern province of Sistan-Baluchestan, bordering Afghanistan and Pakistan, reports say.
“Hundreds of people are still trapped under the rubbles,” according to the governor of Iran’s Kerman province, where the quake occurred.
“Many people left their houses in the city of Zahedan .. It was also felt in the towns of Bam, Khash and Iranshahr,” the semi-official Fars news agency reported.
“In some rural parts of the region … the quake has caused heavy damage to buildings, especially in Hosseinabad village, where the houses were made of earthen bricks.” Reuters reported the State television, quoting an unnamed local Red Crescent official.
However, the area is not densely populated and the number of injured are reported at less than 30, as of posting.
Up to 31,000 people were killed when an earthquake destroyed much of the city of Bam in 2003.
FIRE-EARTH Moderators forecast intense seismic activity in and around the Arabian Plate, near Zagros Fold-Thrust Belt, Oman Ophiolite, Persian Gulf Basin, Owen Fracture Zone, the Arabian Shield and the Red Sea Uplift.
10-degree Map Centered at 30°N,60°E
EQ Location Map. Source: USGS. Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH
Arabian Plate. Image Credit: Saudi Arabian Geological Survey
Earthquake Details
Magnitude: 6.5
Date-Time:
December 20, 2010 at 18:41:59 UTC
December 20, 2010 at 10:11:59 PM at epicenter
Location: 28.491°N, 59.117°E
Depth: 11.8 km (7.3 miles) set by location program
Region: Kerman Province, SE Iran
Distances:
100 km (60 miles) SE of Bam, Iran
205 km (125 miles) WSW of Zahedan, Iran
210 km (130 miles) NW of Iranshahr, Iran
1080 km (670 miles) SE of TEHRAN, Iran
Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 13.9 km (8.6 miles)
Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
At least one significant aftershock measuring about 5.0Mw has been reported, as of posting.
Airline passengers lay on the floor in Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport, in west London December 19, 2010. Reuters/Luke MacGregor. Image may be subject to copyright.
“Whitemare” at London’s Heathrow Airport
Heathrow Airport remained closed for a third day as the overnight temperature in Buckinghamshire, England dipped to as low as -20ºC.
“Ice, snow and sub-zero temperatures in northern Europe have disrupted travel, leaving Europe’s busiest airport Heathrow, near London, all but closed,” said a report.
Thousands of stranded passengers are expected to spend a second night on terminal floors at London’s Heathrow, described as “like a Third World refugee camp.”
Air and rail services were severely disrupted in other parts of the UK, Germany, Belgium, The Netherlands, northern France and northern Italy.
Up to half a million passengers have been stranded/affected, as more heavy snow is forecast for England, Wales and Scotland.
