U.S. Midsection Melting

Major heat wave to continue scorching the Plains

Deadly heat is forecast to continue broiling the Central and Southern Plains through the week ‘with not much relief during the night time hours,’ as National Weather Service issues  Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories across the region. Temperatures as high as 110+ degrees are expected this week.

Current High Temperature Map. Temperatures as high as 110+ degrees are forecast for this week.

U.S. Weekly Precipitation Map

U.S. Weekly Precipitation Map, July 22 -28, 2012. Much of the Continental U.S. received little or no rain during the week ending July 28, 2012.

U.S. Hazards Outlook – July 30 to August 10, 2012

US Hazards Outlook for July 30 – August 3, 2012. Source: NOAA/ NWS/NCEP/ CPC

US Hazards Outlook forAugust 4 – 10, 2012. Source: NOAA/ NWS/NCEP/ CPC

Current U.S. Drought Map

Current Map of U.S. Drought 2012. Source: U.S. Drought Portal - NIDIS.

U.S. Daily Highest Max Temperature Records set on July 29, 2012

Temp Records: 12 (Broken) + 8 (Tied) = 20 Total.  Source: National Climatic Data Center

Related Links

• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand

• Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S.  Posted July 2, 2012
• WARNING: RAPID CHANGE IN PROGRESS! Posted July 4, 2012
• Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity Posted July 7, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Record Heatwave Kills Dozens in U.S.

Deadly heat persists in eastern U.S.

At least 46 people have died amid extreme heat that has paralyzed more than two dozen states from the Midwest to the East Coast.

Heat-related fatalities occurred in Virgina (at least 12 deaths reported), Maryland (11), Chicago (10), Wisconsin (4), Ohio (3), Pennsylvania (3) Tennessee (2), and Indiana (1), where an infant died after being left in a vehicle in triple-digit temperatures outside her home in Greenfield, about 25 miles east of Indianapolis.

Hundreds of thousands of people in West Virginia, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, Maryland and Indiana are still without power 9 days after deadly storms swept through the region causing widespread destruction and ‘catastrophic damage’ to power grids.

Map of Temperature Departure from Normal

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• Krasnodar Region, Russia. The worst flooding in living memory in southern Russia’s Krasnodar Region, near the Black Sea, has left at least 153 people dead and and more than 5,000 homes destroyed or damaged, reports said.
  • “The flash flood inundated the cities of Gelendzhik, Krymsk and Novorossiysk as well as the four villages of Divnomorskoe, Nizhnebakanskaya, Neberdzhaevskaya and Kabardinka.”
  • “The streets of Krymsk are now mostly deserted. The town looks like the set of a post-apocalyptic movie,” RT reported .
  • About 3,000 people have been evacuated from flood-hit areas in Krasnoda, as of posting,  while 30,000 people are without power in the region, and more than 80 percent of the population of Krymsk have lost their gas supply cut off.

Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week of June 24, 2012:     395.33 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.50 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.08 ppm

Recent Mauna Loa CO₂

• June 2012:     395.77 ppm
• June 2011:     393.68 ppm

Recent Global CO₂

• May 2012:     393.77 ppm
• May 2011:     391.90 ppm

Links to Recent Related Entries

• Drought Disaster Declared in Montana Posted on July 5, 2012
• Colorado Declared Agri Disaster Area Posted on July 4, 2012
• Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States Posted on July 3, 2012
• Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S. Posted on July 2, 2012
• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises Posted  on July 1, 2012
• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population Posted on June 30, 2012
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand Posted on June 30, 2012
• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S. Posted on June 29, 2012
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado Posted on June 28, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

U.S. Drought Intensifying

Drought conditions spread to more than ¾ of the U.S.

Moderate to Exceptional drought levels (D1 – D4) have intensified  by about 10 percent since last week, spreading throughout the contiguous U.S.

• D0 – D4 drought conditions prevail in 76.33 percent of the lower 48.
• Alaska has not reported any change in drought levels.
• Hawaii drought conditions increased to 81.07% from 78.89% last week.

U.S. Drought Map. Released July 5, 2012

Map of Total Precipitation in the U.S. – 7 Days

Map of Total Precipitation in the U.S. – 30 Days

U.S. Seasonal Drought Outlook (July 5 to September 30, 2012)

Recent History

Weekly US Drought Map, January 3, 2012.  Source: US Drought Monitor.

Related Links

• Drought Disaster Declared in Montana Posted on July 5, 2012
• Colorado Declared Agri Disaster Area Posted on July 4, 2012
• Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States Posted on July 3, 2012

• Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S. Posted on July 2, 2012
• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population Posted on June 30, 2012
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand Posted on June 30, 2012
• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S. Posted on June 29, 2012
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado Posted on June 28, 2012
• Drought 2012

Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States

Extreme Weather Events Cause Agricultural Disasters in  Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin

Damage and losses caused by the combined effects of blizzards, excessive snow, excessive heat, excessive rain, high winds, hail, freeze, frost, tornadoes, flooding and lightening that occurred between January 1 and May 11, 2012 prompted USDA to declare disaster in 94 counties across 4 states.

List of the 72 Michigan counties declared Primary Disaster Areas

List of 10 Michigan counties declared Contiguous Disaster Areas

The following 12 counties in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin have also been designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.

• Indiana: Elkhart, Lagrange, La Porte, St. Joseph and Steuben counties.
• Ohio: Fulton, Lucas and Williams counties.
• Wisconsin: Florence, Forest, Marinette and Vilas counties.

March Heat, April Freezes

According to a report by the Central Region Climate Response Team, March Heat, April Freezes, March 2012 “was the warmest March on record for 25 states east of the Rockies, and for 15 other states this March ranked among the ten warmest.”

“During the middle of March maximum temperatures were averaging 40 degrees F above normal. Maximum temperatures regularly reached the low and mid 80s
well north into Wisconsin. Many locations broke daily records by more than 20 degrees F.”

However, April 2012 experienced “at least three significant cold air masses” that crept into the Midwest and caused freezing temperatures.

• Iowa. The freeze caused a 50% destruction of the grape crop, about 90% damage to the apple and fruit tree blossoms and caused significant damage to corn and other crops.

• Illinois. The 2012 apple crop in parts of the state was a total loss due to freeze on April 11.
  • “Sweet corn grower in Vermilion County planted sweet corn on March 19. Plants were up a couple of leaves when back‐to‐back freezes hit (26F and 27F), reducing stand by 5,000 plants per acre.
  • “Sleepy Creek Vineyard in Vermilion County reported earliest budding grapevines had 100 percent damage, and others had 80 percent damage.”

• Michigan. “Thousands of acres of this year’s grape crop have been lost across southwest lower Michigan.
  • “A surveyor for National Grape Cooperative, better known as Welch’s Foods, said he went through hundreds of acres before even finding a live bud.  John Jasper estimates more than 10,000 acres were destroyed April 12, mostly in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.
  • “Many apple, peach, cherry and blueberry orchards have also had substantial losses across northern Indiana and southern Lower Michigan.”

• Wisconsin.  “Cherry growers in Door County, WI, anticipate losses of 70% …”

• Kentucky.  Frost damaged apples, peaches, pears, plums, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes to varying degrees across the state.
  • “Wheat harvest began two weeks early in Kentucky due to warm weather, but warm temperatures, and then a brief cold snap, have wreaked havoc on the crop’s yield, which some farmers say has been cut nearly in half. Some farmers are getting 12 bu/acre, compared to a normal of 80 bu/acre,” said the report (PDF file).

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week of June 24, 2012:     395.33 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.50 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.08 ppm

Recent Mauna Loa CO₂

• May 2012:     396.78 ppm
• May 2011:     394.16 ppm
• May 2002:    375.65 ppm
• May 1962:     321.01 ppm
• [1-year increase: 2.62 ppm; 10-year increase: 21.13 ppm; 50-year increase: 75.77 ppm]

Recent Global CO₂

• April 2012:     394.01 ppm (1-year increase: 2.18 ppm)
• April 2011:     391.83 ppm

New Zealand Earthquake

• A Richter magnitude 7.0 quake struck the Cook Strait, west coast of North Island, NZ, about 100km SSW of New Plymouth and 170 km north-west of Wellington (40.00°S, 173.75°E), at a depth of about 230km on Tuesday, July 3 2012 at 10:36UTC.
  • NO tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
  • NO report of casualties, as of posting.
  • The quake shook Wellington and was felt as far away as the Bay of Plenty and Christchurch, reports said.

U.S. Heat Wave

US Weather Hazards Map, July 3, 2012. “The heat wave continues for a large portion of the central and eastern U.S., with high temperatures this afternoon forecast to be 10-15 degrees above normal. Combined with high levels of humidity, this will create dangerous heat index values as high as 100-110 degrees for locations such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis,” said NWS.

The core of the record heat in the central United States is forecast to move gradually to the east this week, however heat alerts and heat indices to 105 degrees will continue. “Much of the eastern half of the country will continue to bake under clear skies, high temperatures and a lack of significant rain,” said NOAA forecasters.

Continued relentless heat through most of the week from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast will dominate the weather events.

Current Warnings Prompted by Unrelenting Heat

Red Flag Warnings, Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories issued in parts of 26 states from Wyoming to North Carolina.

Heat Advisories

Heat Advisories are in effect until this evening for parts of the Northern Plains, Ohio Valley and the Southeast:

• North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

Record Daily High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012

All Time Record High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012

Mid-Atlantic Derecho

• Death toll has climbed to 22 after the weekend derecho that ravaged the Mid-Atlantic region, with at least 2 million utility customers, or an estimated 7 million people, experiencing power outages amid the continued heat.

Drought Emergency

• Nebraska.  Gov. Heineman has declared a state emergency due to the drought conditions throughout the state of Nebraska.
  • “This declaration is important for continued efforts of state officials to ensure the safety of Nebraskans,” Heineman said. “This action is necessary as dry conditions are presenting an imminent threat to the ability of local governments to respond to drought conditions. Additionally, actions such as haying along the roadsides in Nebraska help with drought conditions.”
  • Nebraska has broken or tied scores of record high temperatures in recent days.
  • Extreme temperatures will continue over central and western Nebraska through at least Friday due to high pressure lingering over the Central Plains, NWS reported.
  • “As excessive heat and dry conditions continue, fire danger is high again today. In addition, isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening in north central Nebraska and in the Panhandle. The very dry conditions will continue to make the use of fireworks and even power equipment hazardous.”

Map of U.S. Precipitation (7-day total)

Map of U.S. Precipitation as Percent of Normal (7-day total)

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S.

Millions swelter following ‘catastrophic damage’ to power grids caused by derecho

At least 18 people are dead since Friday as a result of severe weather and millions are still without power, while more than 160 locations across 12 states tied or set all-time record high temperatures.

Electric utilities in Maryland, Ohio and Virginia said the weekend derecho caused ‘catastrophic damage’ to their power grids.

It may take a week or more before power is restored to millions of people in the Mid-Atlantic region amid blistering heat.

Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories were in effect in parts of at least 26 states, as of posting.

US Weather Hazards Map

Relentless Heat to Remain in Place

A surface boundary separating excessive heat (temperatures above 100 degrees) in the southern United States with a milder airmass to its north will continue to be the focus for severe thunderstorms today. There are three main areas of concern, including the northern Rockies, the Mid-Mississippi River to Ohio Valleys and portions of the Mid-Atlantic into the Southeast, particularly the eastern Carolinas. The primary threats will be large hail and damaging winds, however an isolated tornado can not be ruled out across southern Minnesota and Wisconsin as well as northern Iowa and Illinois. -NWS

Excessive heat warnings and advisories are forecast to continue into the beginning of the week over much of the mid-Mississippi valley and southern state, NWS said.

Hundreds of daily high temperature records were broken this weekend; dozens of all-time high temperature records were set.

High Temperature Forecast for July 2, 2012.

Links to Recent Related Entries

• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises
• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• Valencia, Spain.  Two mega forest fires about 30 kilometers west of Valencia on Spain’s eastern coast have consumed at least 50,000 hectares (~124,000 acres), forcing more than 2,500 people to evacuate the area.
  • The Spanish authorities raised the forest fire warning to the highest level in Valencia region as temperatures topped  104 degrees (40ºC).

• China. Torrential rain continues to batter large swaths  of  SW China causing major widespread damage and mass evacuations, Xinhuanet reported.
  • Ludian County in Yunnan Province is among the worst hit areas, the report said.
  • Since late June, extreme rain events and flooding throughout China have left hundreds of people dead or injured, displaced or affected at least a million others, destroyed thousands of homes, inundated hundreds of thousands of hectares of farmland and caused hundreds of million of dollars in crop damage.
  • The worst-hit areas are east China’s Zhejiang province, its neighboring Jiangxi province, central China’s Hunan province, China’s Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region and the entire southwest.
  • “More rain and storms are expected to hit Zhejiang, Fujian and Anhui provinces in south China, as well as Yunnan, Sichuan and Guizhou provinces in the southwest, over the next three days. Precipitation in some areas may total as much as 160 mm, according to the National Meteorological Center,” the report said.

• Assam, India.   Mega Floods caused by unusually intense monsoon rains across eastern India’s Assam state have left about 100 people dead, and displaced at least two million people.

• Bangladesh.  Intense monsoon rains in Bangladesh have claimed at least 120 lives, with many more injured,  an unknown number missing and at least 1.5 million people displaced.
  • The majority of victims were children, who were drowned in flash floods, buried by landslides or house collapses, or struck by lightning, reports said.
  • Flooding and landslides have destroyed thousands of homes and businesses , submerged entire villages and left at least 100,000 without work.
  • Many of the displaced are without food and water.
  • Chittagong port, the largest seaport in Bangladesh, received nearly 16 inches of rain in a single 12-hour period last week.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

• Mega Disasters
• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar
• Mass Die-offs

States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises

District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio and the two Virginias declare States of Emergency amid rising storms toll

Deadly storms across Eastern U.S. have claimed at least 13 lives and left many injured, hundreds homeless and about 6 million utility customers, or an estimated 20 million people, without power amid sweltering heat wave.

Widespread damage and power losses have been reported across a vast region ravaged by deadly storms since Friday.

The storms have left a trail of destruction from Indiana to New Jersey, with the worst-hit areas being in Washington Metropolitan area, Maryland, West Virginia, and suburban Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell called the widespread power losses as “the largest non-hurricane power outage in Virginia history,” as more storms threatened. “This is a very dangerous situation,” the governor said, “the next few days in Virginia are going to be very, very difficult.”

• The deadly storms claimed at least 6 lives across Virginia (pop: ~ 8.1 million), and left about 2.5 million customers, or an estimated 7.5 million people, without power. [Includes about 120,000 customers in Richmond area and 680,000 in northern Virginia.]
• More than 3.5 million homes and businesses supplied by Dominion Virginia Power in Indiana, Ohio and Virginia have been affected.

In Ohio, excessive heat, widespread power losses and utility damages prompted Gov.  Kasich to declare a state of emergency. As of Saturday morning, about 1 million homes and businesses, or an estimated total of 3 million people, still faced power outages.

“I’m very concerned with the problems created by the combination of power outages and severe heat, and so I’ve declared an emergency for all of Ohio so that state resources and personnel can help local governments meet the needs and challenges that they face.” Kasich said.

• The Disaster President [Barrack Obama] has since declared Ohio a Federal Disaster Area.

In Maryland, at least 800 people were left homeless after storms tore off the roofs of two apartment buildings in Riverdale Park, said Mayor Vernon Archer.

• Governor O’Malley declared a State of Emergency following the devastation.
• About 1 million utility customers in Maryland, an estimated 3 million people, were still without power early Saturday morning, “similar to the number that lost power in 2003 when Tropical Storm Isabel hit the state,” said a report.

Across West Virginia (pop: ~1.9 million), where Gov. Earl Ray had already declared a state of emergency, some 700,000 customers, or an estimated 1.7 million people, were without power in 53 of the state’s 55 counties.

• “Those winds were so strong and over such a wide area,” the governor told reporters. “It’s going to take several days to get power back on.”
• The Disaster President declared West Virginia a Federal Disaster Area on Saturday.

In Washington, the utility company Pepco reported more than 440,000 outages in the Capital.

In Indiana, at least 135,000 customers, or an estimated half a million people, lost power.

Atlantic County, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency due to the violent storms which left more than 200,000 customers, or an estimated 750,000 people, without power.

• In Salem County NJ, officials declared a state of emergency after storms left at least 2 people dead, causing widespread damage and cutting power to at least 10,000 homes and businesses.
• The Mayor of Vineland (Pop: 65,000), a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, also declared a disaster emergency.

Pennsylvania: about  40,000 customers lost power.

Kentucky and North Carolina:  at least 2,500 homes and businesses lost power.

Illinois: Commonwealth Edison power utility reported more than 210,000 outages.

FirstEnergy, AEP Ohio and BGE (Maryland) had reported a total of about 1.6  million power outages.

See links for details of heat wave and the new record high temperatures set in the U.S.

• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand

Risk of Severe Thunderstorms Continues Tonight As Heat Continues Across South: NWS

Scattered thunderstorms expected tonight and Sunday over the Central Plains, Midwest and East Central States. Some thunderstorms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes.

US Weather Hazards Map, July 1, 2012

Mega Heat Wave

Dangerous heat is forecast to continue throughout the South.  Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories remain in effect  in parts of more than 2 dozen states across the southeast and lower half of the Mississippi Valley with triple-digit temperatures forecast across the southern third of the U.S., said NWS.

About 150 all-time high temperature records have been broken in recent days.

Millions of people have been urged to seek out shelter amid triple-digit heat and large-scale power outages.

High Temperature Forecast for July 1, 2012.

Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population

Deadly storms pummel mid-Atlantic, knock out power to 3 million customers

A day of record-setting heat spawned deadly storms across Washington metropolitan area, leaving at least 7 people dead, and millions without power.

The storms cut power to about 3 million customers, or an estimated 10 million people, across Washington, D.C., Maryland, and the two Virginias.

West Virginia Gov. Tomblin has declared a state of emergency after storm damage which left more than half a million customers in 27 counties without power.

“The damage from today’s storms is widespread and in many places severe,” Tomblin said.

Record Breaking Heat

More than 20 million people were in areas under excessive heat warnings and almost a third of the population  in areas under heat advisories.

• At least 1,000 high temperature records have been broken across the country in recent days.

• The Washington area on Friday broke a record high temperature set 8 decades ago.  The early afternoon temperature at Washington Reagan National Airport rose to 104 degrees (40ºC) smashing the record 101 degrees set in 1934, NWS reported.

• Norton, Kansas, was the hottest location in the U.S. with 118 degrees (47.8ºC), NCDC reported. Some 22 other locations across the state topped 110 degrees on Thursday.

• Columbia, South Carolina and Nashville, Tennessee reached all-time records of 109 degrees  (42.8ºC) on Friday

• Atlanta, Georgia and Louisville, Kentucky also saw temperature soaring to 104ºF (40ºC)

• In addition to the fatalities caused by wildfires, which were intensified by the heat, at least a dozen people have died directly as a result of the intense heat including 3 children, two in Tennessee and a third in Missouri.

High Temperature Map of the U.S.

More than 1,000 high temperature records have been broken across the country in the last 7 days.

Daily Maximum Heat Index – Forecast

Indiana.  Oppressive heat is churning up storms across central Indiana with the entire region placed under a severe thunderstorm watch.

• Storms knocked out power to at least 100,000 customers.
• A record high temperature of 104 degrees was recorded at Indianapolis International Airport on Thursday, the highest ever in the month of June in the city, a report said.

Earlier, NWS issued Severe Thunderstorm Warnings for the region

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS PRODUCE DAMAGING WIND IN EXCESS OF 60 MILES PER
HOUR...LARGE HAIL...DEADLY LIGHTNING...AND VERY HEAVY RAIN.

Related Links

• Severe Thunderstorm Warning
• Excessive Heat Warning
• Severe Thunderstorm Watch
• Excessive Heat Watch

Storms and floods Cause Chaos in the UK‎

Fierce storms, lightning, ‘giant’ hail stones, torrential rains, and flash floods in parts of the UK  prompt evacuations and power cuts

Flash floods have inundated thousands of homes and businesses and forced evacuations in Northern England, the Midlands, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Lightning storms have cut power to tens of thousands of people in the North East, derailed a train and closed the railway between Scotland and England.

Torrential downpours and flash floods have caused major travel disruption across a wide region.

“There was also widespread disruption on rail services and roads, with many routes under several inches of water. A number were closed,” said a report.

“Flooding and landslips are causing heavy delays on routes between Northern England and Scotland, with very limited travel options,” the railway operators reported.

Since the begging of June, heavy rain and flash floods have brought havoc to communities in west Wales, and across northern England flooding thousands of homes and businesses.

Extreme rain events have dumped more than a month’s rain in less than 24 hours in some places.

There are also reports of damage from squalls and tornadoes in the region.

Record Number of Lightning Strikes

More than 110,000 lightning bolts struck the UK, with more than 200 strikes recorded every minute during peak activity, the UK Met Office reported.

“Experts said this was 40 times higher than an average lightning storm and was the equivalent of four months’ worth of strikes in one day,” said a report.

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

United States.

• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand. “Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories will be in effect throughout the Plains, the Midwest, the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic. Critical fire weather conditions will continue for the central Great Basin and the Plains with several large wildfires burning in Colorado, Utah, Montana, Idaho, Wyoming and New Mexico,” NWS reported.

US Weather Hazards Map, June 30, 2012

• Record high temperatures are expected to continue, while excessive heat also continues to worsen the air quality in various areas. “One of the worst areas is the lower end of Lake Michigan from the Wisconsin-Illinois state line to Montague, Mich,” NWS said.

NESDIS Map of Analyzed Fires from Satellite Data

Current Hazard Mapping System Fire and Smoke Analysis – NOAA/NESDIS – June 29, 2012 – Time: See inset.

• “Excessive Heat Warnings cover the eastern half of Kansas, the western fourth of Missouri and parts of southwest Missouri, southern Illinois, southwest Indiana and western Kentucky. Heat Advisories cover parts of 16 states, including:  Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Washington, D.C. An Excessive Heat Watch is in effect today for most of the Atlantic Coast,” NWS reported.

U.S. Wildfires

• Waldo Canyon Fire in Pike and San Isabel National Forests, El Paso County, CO. State of Disaster has been declared by the President. Size revised down to 17,073 acres; the deadly fire has caused at least two fatalities, destroyed at least 346 homes and damaged two dozens more. The blaze is reportedly 25% contained.

• Pine Ridge Fire. The town of De Beque remains under evacuation as the explosive blaze grows to 12,047 acres with an estimated 10% contained. Lightning ignited the blaze on Wednesday June 27th, 2012. Fire conditions are said to be extreme with high temperatures, high winds, low humidities, and extremely dry fuels.

• Wyoming.  Arapaho Fire in Medicine Bow National Forest & Thunder Basin National grassland is one of three fires believed to have been ignited by lightning in the Laramie Peak area.
  • “Due to the fast-moving nature of this fire, evacuations were initiated in the Cottonwood Park, Friend Park, North Laramie Trailhead and Harris Park areas. At this time it is unknown if structures were burned. Residents in and south of Esterbrook were notified of possible evacuations, but have not been evacuated at this time,” USFS reported.
  • The 2-day old blaze has consumed an estimated 5,000 acres and is said to have extreme growth potential, with plume dominated behavior, rapid rate of spread (1 – 1.5 miles/hour), and long range spotting.

Arapaho Fire Map.  Medicine Bow National Forest & Thunder Basin National Grassland, Wyoming.  “The fire has been creating its own weather.”

• Utah.Clay Springs Fire, Fishlake National Forest, Clay Springs, East of Oak City, Utah.
  • A super explosive blaze has consumed 68,309 acres in two days.
  • Fire Behavior: Today the fire made extreme runs with spotting to 1/2 a mile and growing from 50000 acres to 68000 acres, with potential for similar rates of spread tonight. … running crown fire and intense ground fire with nearly complete combustion occurring in all fuel types. Extreme resistance to control and high probability of ignition …
  • Significant Events: Fire spread down Wide Canyon to the east as well as running down the back of Canyon Mountains towards I-15 and the towns of Scipio and Mills.
  • Current Weather:  SW winds of 17-25 mph; 98 degrees heat; 11% humidity.

• Utah.  Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon has declared a state of emergency due to the Rose Crest Fire in Herriman. The blaze has destroyed or damaged 5 houses and forced mandatory evacuation of some 948 houses in an area, a report said.
  • The fire started mid afternoon when “a car with a hot exhaust parked on top of some dry weeds” and and set them on fire. The temperature in Herriman was 92 degrees and the relative humidity just 11 percent when the blaze ignited.

• List of Impacted Properties
• Map of Impacted Properties
• Complete listing of impacted streets

Dozens of active wildfires across the country are burning about 1 million acres in a dozen states. For details of some of the other fires see

• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S.
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado
• U.S. Overwhelmed by Excessive Heat, Fire, Flooding, Extreme Weather Events
• Fire, Flood and Red Flag Warnings, Storm Emergency Force Evacuations
• Thousands Evacuated as Utah Wildfire Explodes

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

• Mega Disasters
• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar
• Mass Die-offs

TS DEBBY: Florida Declares State of Emergency

More flooding and tornadoes could strike Florida, as DEBBY hovers off the Gulf Coast

Florida Governor declared statewide emergency stating that “the broad impact of Tropical Storm Debby” could affect “virtually every county in Florida.”

As of Monday, DEBBY had forced Gulf of Mexico oil and gas operators to shut down about half of oil and more than a third of natural gas production.

• The storm is forecast to dump at least a foot of rain in the coastal parts of the state, with some areas receiving as much as 25 inches, the hurricane center said.
• Debby is also forecast to drench southern areas of Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.
• Tornadoes spawned by DEBBY have killed at least one person and injured two others, destroying or damaging two dozen homes in Highlands County, Fl.

TS DEBBY: Tropical Storm Force Wind Speed Probability.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Colorado.  The state of Colorado is becoming a raging inferno due to record heat which is causing the worst fire weather conditions in living memory.
  • Record heat is forecast for southern Plains this week, with heat advisories issued for Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.
  • The temperature at Denver International airport reached a record 102 degrees (ºF) on Sunday, June 24, breaking  the old record of 100 degrees set in 2007,  NWS office in Boulder reported.
  • The tinder-dry conditions are contributing to at least in dozen wildfires burning in Colorado today including
    • Waldo Canyon Fire, west of Colorado Springs – 2,800 homes are in immediate danger; 11,000 residents have evacuated 4,000 homes; about 3,500 acres burned; ZERO containment.
    • High Park Fire west of Fort Collins – the second-largest and the most destructive blaze ever recorded in the state has destroyed at least 248 homes; burned 83,205 acres; up to 5,000 people remain evacuated; 45 percent contained.
    • Little Sand Fire near Pagosa Springs, Weber Fire in Montezuma County, State Line Fire  southeast of Durango, Treasure Fire near Leadville, Trout Creek Fire near Rainbow Falls in Douglas County, Woodland Heights Fire near Estes Park southwest of the High Park Fire, and Elbert Fire have so far consumed about 30,000 acres.
    • Wood Hollow fire. The blaze about 1 mile south of Fountain Green in Utah State Division of Forestry Fire & State Lands has exploded to about 40,000 acres destroying numerous structures and scores of farm animals, mostly sheep.
      • Evacuations: Up to 2,000 people have been evacuated. Indian Ridge, Elk Ridge, Big Hollow, and Oaker Hills communities are under mandatory evacuation.
      • Closures: Highway 89 closure is in effect.
      • Weather: “The big worry now is the weather. Everything that can be done is being done,” Gov Herbert said in a televised conference.

Wood Hollow Fire. Photo credit: Utah State Division of Forestry Fire & State Lands

US Weather Hazards Map, June 26, 2012.

• Meantime, Colorado legislators have asked USDA to open up additional land for emergency livestock grazing as farmers, ranchers battle the severe drought affecting the state, a report said.
  • The entire state of Colorado is currently experiencing abnormally dry or drought conditions.

Colorado Drought Map – June 2012 – US Drought Monitor

• Vermont.  Crops in the state of Vermont are under attack by armyworms, a report said.
  • “They are definitely eating, that is what it looks like,” said Heather Darby an agronomist with the University of Vermont Extension.
  • “We get that first call from a farmer who says I don’t know where my corn went. Can you come out and look? And we come out and look around and you can see the worms essentially so bad the ground’s moving.”
• New York.   Armyworms have invaded farm fields throughout Jefferson County, NY,  with a major outbreak of the worms threatening widespread damage to crops, reports said.
  • “This year, it just seems like the moths got a head start on ‘em and that’s what’s happened. So we’re starting to get a buildup of these parasitic flies and these fungal diseases now, but it’s a little, you know, too little, too late right now to control what we’ve got going on now,” said an expert with with Cornell Cooperative Extension.

• Alaska.  The Bear Creek fire which was ignited by lightning about 14 miles south of Clear Airforce Base, AK, on June 23, had grown to about 1,500 acres by Sunday local time. On Monday, the blaze exploded by more than 12 folds, consuming more than 20,000 acres.
  • The fire is aided by strong winds, high temperatures and low humidity, burning in black spruce and hardwoods.
  • At least three other fires are burning within close proximity, fire authorities said.

• British Columbia, Canada.  Weekend storms forced at least 700 people to flee their homes, while 1,200 others were placed on evacuation alert.
  • “Weeks of rapid snowmelt and wet weather caused river levels to rise in the B.C. Interior, the Kootenay region and the Fraser Valley, and a weekend of heavy rain and violent thunderstorms pushed many rivers and creeks in those areas to the brink,” said a report.
  • Flooding has left at least one man dead, causing widespread devastation in the region with many homes, businesses and public infrastructure destroyed.
  • The municipality of Sicamous declared a local state of emergency on Saturday, a report said.

• Montana.  Pony Fire in Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, ignited on June 24th, has grown to more than 2,500 acres threatening numerous structures.
  • The town of Mammoth and South Boulder north to the Indiana University Geology Field Station are under mandatory evacuation, Inciweb reported.
  • At least 2 other wildfires, Antelope Lane fire and Corral fire, are burning nearby.

State of the Climate – Global Analysis for May 2012

• The globally-averaged land surface temperature for May 2012 was the all-time warmest May on record, at 1.21°C (2.18°F) above average
• The Northern Hemisphere land and ocean average surface temperature for May 2012 was the all-time warmest May on record, at 0.85°C (1.53°F) above average.
• The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for May 2012 was 0.66°C (1.19°F) above the 20^th century average of 14.8°C (58.6°F). This is the second warmest May since records began in 1880, behind only 2010.

Temperature Anomalies Maps for May 2012 - [Source: NCDC/NOAA]

See also: Hottest U.S. Spring on Record

Today’s Record Temperatures

NOAA/NCDC reported 58 high temperature records broken Monday across nine states: Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Wyoming, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Kentucky. The temperature records included

• Colorado: 31 records broken, 7 tied; highest temp 110 degrees at La Junta Airport; old record 107 in 1990

• Kansas: 10 broken, 4 tied; highest temp 114 degrees  northeast of Hill City, old record 108 in 1971

• Kentucky: tied record 94 degrees at London, KY; old record set in 1988

• Missouri:  1 tie, 95 degrees at Kirksville, old record set in 1971

• Nebraska:  4 broken, 1 tied; 105 degrees near Harrisburg in Banner County; old record 98 in 2001

• Wyoming:  6 broken, 8 tied; highest temp 107 at Gillette; old record 99 in 1988

• Texas:  3 broken, 2 tied, highest 102 degrees at Victoria tied 102 in 2009

• Oklahoma: 1 broken, 101 degrees at Ralston in Pawnee County, old record 100 in 1988

• Arkansas:  3 broken, two tied, highest 101 at Little Rock Forecast office and Little Rock airport; old record 99 and 100 in 1988

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

• Mega Disasters
• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar
• Mass Die-offs

State of Emergency Declared for 35 Oklahoma Counties

Tornadoes, severe storms, hail and flooding force OK governor to declare State of Emergency

The storms crossed Okla. Tuesday night and continued battering the state into Wednesday morning causing severe damage to homes, businesses and vehicles, as well as numerous power outages.

“The severe storms that crossed the state on Tuesday left behind massive damage to personal and business property that will need to be repaired,” state Attorney General said.

The declaration has also activated the state’s price-gouging statute, which prohibits increases of more than 10 percent in the price of goods and services during the emergency period.

• The counties included in the disaster declaration are Alfalfa, Blaine, Bryan, Caddo, Canadian, Cleveland, Comanche, Cotton, Creek, Custer, Dewey, Ellis, Garfield, Garvin, Grady, Grant, Harper, Kingfisher, Kiowa, Latimer, Lincoln, Logan, Love, Major, McClain, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Pittsburg, Pottawatomie, Stephens, Tillman, Tulsa, Washita, Woods and Woodward.
• Additional counties may be added to the declaration if conditions warrant.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Southwestern USA.Record warmth is expected for the Southwestern U.S. Thursday and Friday, NWS reported.
  • “The warming trend continues this week across the southwestern United States. High temperatures will reach or exceed record values Thursday and Friday for the lower deserts of southwest Arizona and southeast California. On Thursday, temperatures are expected to range from 109 degrees in Phoenix to 113 degrees in Parker, Arizona with even higher readings expected on Friday.” NWS said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Back to the Primordial Future
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs
• Mass Die-offs

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – July 21, 2011

2011 Disaster Calendar – July 21 entry

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,700 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Obama’s war on Afghanistan. From April to mid July 2011, special operations raids in Afghanistan has resulted in the killings of 834 Afghans, said a report.

• USA. Death toll from the ongoing extreme heat in the United States has climbed to more than 61.  At least 22 more people have died as a result of the ongoing extreme heat in the past few days, NOAA said. The death toll was 39 on  July 13, 2011, UPI said.

[KUDOS to USA Today for journalistic integrity!! The paper has gone out of its way to convince readers why fatalities from the prolonged heatwave are so low, as the official death toll suggests, against not just common sense and investigative instincts, but despite the big white elephant under the heat dome.]

[Death toll grows as heat persists in KC: "The new deaths would mean 13 people have died from the heat this summer in Jackson County, already surpassing the previous three years’ totals combined."]

• Ohio, USA. Summit County in Ohio has declared a state of emergency after flood damage caused by the storms earlier this week, a report said.

• Ontario, Canada. Aski Nation Grand Chief Stan Beardy is asking the provincial and federal governments to declare a state of emergency amid growing wildfires in the province, a report said. “More than 115 forest fires are raging across northwestern Ontario, and Beardy says thousands of residents are in immediate danger from the growing flames and dense smoke.”

At least 115 forest fires are raging across northwestern Ontario. Hundreds of people have already been evacuated from the region and thousands more are “in immediate danger from the growing flames and dense smoke.” Some 2,000 firefighters from across Canada have been deployed. Credit: CTV

• Chile. The Chilean President has declared large parts of La Araucania in Chilean Patagonia  a disaster areas following  four days of continuous and intense snowfall which have left some areas buried under 9 feet of snow, a report said.
• “The government has resolved to help those affected, especially those living in Lonquimay,” Chile’s president said. “We declare the zone a disaster area in order to give us greater tools to help our fellow Chileans.”
• “In four days we have had four months worth of snowfall,” said Regional Governor Miguel Mellado. “We’ve got a very difficult situation here.”
• The disaster declaration covers the following area: Lonquimay, Curralehue, Melipeuco, Curacautín, Pucón, Cunco, Vilcún and Villarrica, the report said.
• It’s estimated that at least 6,500 people living in the disaster zone are currently isolated.

• Tennessee, USA. The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Tennessee because of the widespread damage caused by severe storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of June 18-24, 2011.

Related Links

• Disaster Calendar July 2011
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• FEWW DISASTER FORECAST 2011
• 2011 Much More Disastrous
• 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010
• Megadisasters Loom

• 2010 Disasters
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• 2010 Disaster Calendar
• The Fate of Energy Dinosaurs

Dangerous heat, exceptional drought, severe storms, major flooding

U.S. Weather Forecast, July 14 – 25

A 15-state area of the southern Plains have been experiencing “dangerously oppressive heat,” which has continued from the weekend and could last through the week.

U.S. Weather Hazards Assessment Map. Source: NWS. Click image to enlarge.

National Weather Summary

• Dangerously oppressive heat today through Wednesday throughout the southern Plains, the Gulf Coast states and the southern Atlantic Coast
• Exceptional to sever drought across the South
• Flooding continues along the Missouri River

Killer Heat!

Dangerously oppressive heat is forecast to linger on through the forecast period in Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, Arkansas, Louisiana, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, the Florida Panhandle, Georgia, Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

Many of the locations could continue experiencing record-setting temperatures, forecasters said.

[NOTE: An earlier list for the heat advisory included 23 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.]

The U.S. Weather Hazards Map.  Source: NWS. Click image to enlarge.

Weekend highs included:

• Kansas
• 113 degrees (45ºC) in Ashland
• 108 in Pratt
• 112 degrees in Anthony
• 111 degrees in Wichita, Kansas*
• Oklahoma
• 111 degrees in Altus Dam, Freedom and Guthrie
• 110 degrees in Billings
• 109 in Enid and Seminole
• Texas
• 111 degrees at Lake Kemp
• 104 degrees in Dimmitt and Tulia

[*NOTE: In Wichita, Kansas, temperatures of 111 degrees have occurred only 10 times since July 1888, NWS said.]

Severe Weather

An area at Moderate Risk for severe weather development today extends from the southern half of Lake Michigan to the Ohio Valley. The area includes southeastern Wisconsin, northeastern Illinois, southwestern Lower Michigan, the northern two-thirds of Indiana, the western half of Ohio and extreme north-central Kentucky, NWS said.

On Sunday SPC received 320 reports of severe weather: 280 reports of high winds, 28 reports of large hail and 12 tornado reports. There were seven tornado reports from North Dakota, three from Colorado and two from Minnesota.

Flooding

As of this morning, 17 gauges were at Major Flooding levels, 29 were at Moderate Flood and 45 were at Minor Flood. Another 95 sites were Near Flood.

Flood Map for the U.S.

Related Links

• Mega Heatwaves Could Kill Thousands in the U.S.

• Back to the Primordial Future
• Brace for the Worst Ever
• WARNING: Global Disasters to Intensify
• Global Climate Extremes INTENSIFYING

• Another Wild Weather Day Across the U.S.
• 2011-2012:  A TIME FOR MEGADISASTERS

Mega Heatwaves Could Kill Thousands in the U.S.

Heat: The number one weather-related killer in the United States

Deadly heatwaves of unprecedented intensity could strike the U.S. in 2011 and beyond, claiming tens of thousands of lives and affecting millions more: FIRE-EARTH Climate Model

Please cite FIRE-EARTH as the source for above forecast, if you’re copying/re-writing this information.

Billion Dollar Weather Disasters 1980 – May 2011

Billion Dollar Weather Disasters 1980 – May 2011. Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge

Heat-Related Fatalities

• Heat is the number one weather-related killer in the United States
• More than 1,250 people died in the heatwave of 1980.
• In the heatwave of 1995 at least 700 deaths in the Chicago area were attributed to heat.
• A record heatwave in Europe claimed about 50,000 lives in August 2003.
• The Moscow heatwave claimed an estimated 15,000 lives in August 2010.

Map of Billion Dollar Weather Disasters 1980 – 2010. Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge

The U.S. has sustained 99 weather-related disasters over the past 31 years in which overall damages/costs topped $1 billion, with the total normalized losses exceeding $725 billion. ~ NOAA

Table of Disasters by Type and Frequency

Source: NCDC/NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

Map of Disasters by State

U.S. South has experienced the highest numbers of billion-dollar disasters since 1980. Image Source: NCDC/NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

Billion-Dollar Disasters 2011 (Preliminary List)

2011 is already highest damage cost-to-date in the U.S. for any year since 1980 when NOAA started  tracking billion-dollar disasters.

8 billion-dollar disasters have occurred in the U.S.  so far this year:

• Groundhog Day Blizzard Jan 29-Feb 3 . Total cost: at least $3.9 billion; 36 deaths.
• Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes April 4-5. Total cost: $2.0 billion; 9 deaths.
• Southeast/Midwest Tornadoes April 8-11. Total cost: $2.2 billion; numerous injuries, no known deaths,  (59 tornadoes).
• Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes April 14-16. Total cost:  $2.0 billion; 38 deaths (160 tornadoes).
• Southeast/Ohio Valley/Midwest Tornadoes April 25-30. Total cost: $10.0 billion; 320 deaths (305 tornadoes).
• Midwest/Southeast Tornadoes May 22-27: Total cost: $7.0 billion; 172 deaths [180 tornadoes reported; at least 18 more people have since died as a result of Joplin tornado, raising the official toll to 159.]
• Texas Drought & Wildfires Spring-Summer 2011. Fighting/suppression costs are around $1 million /day; total losses to agriculture and cattle are estimated to range between $1.5-3.0 billion. This cost estimate reflects losses as of 16 June, and will likely rise as the event continues.
• Mississippi River flooding Spring-Summer 2011 Estimated economic loss ranges from $2.0-4.0; the flooding continues. Preliminary cost as of 6/16:
• $500 million to agriculture in Arkansas
• $320 million in damage to Memphis, Tennessee
• $800 million to agriculture in Mississippi
• $317 million to agriculture and property in Missouri’s Birds Point-New Madrid Spillway
• $80 million for the first 30 days of flood fighting efforts in Louisiana [Source of data: NOAA/NCDC]

Max Heat Index and Probability Forecast – July 13, 2011

Image Source: NOAA/HPC. Click image to enlarge.

Related Sites

• Billion Dollar U.S. Weather Disasters, 1980 – 2010 – The Narrative [PDF File]
• Heat: A Major Killer

Related Links

• Moscow Heat, Smog Claim Many Lives
• Another Wild Weather Day Across the U.S.
• 2011-2012:  A TIME FOR MEGADISASTERS

Updated July 12, 2011

U.S. Climate June: Extremes of Temp and Precipitation

Oppressive heat wave and worsening  drought conditions smashed temperature records in the South and Southwest: NOAA

The average U.S. temperature in June climbed by1.4ºF above the long-term (1901-2000) average to 70.7ºF, while the average precipitation fell to 2.48 inches, 0.41 inch below the long-term average—the average was subject to wide variations across the country.

June 2011 temperature “divisional rank” maps. Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

Summary of U.S. Climate Highlights – June

• All-time high temperature records:
• Amarillo, Texas, 111ºF,  June 26 (previous record: 109ºF set two days earlier!)
• Tallahassee, Fla., 105ºF, June 15.
• 42 U.S. locations tied or broke all-time maximum high temperatures.
• Texas recorded average temperature of 85.2ºF, 5.6ºF above normal (1953 was previously the warmest June in 117-year recorded history).  Texas experienced the fourth consecutive June with temperatures at least 2ºF above the long-term average.
• Both Louisiana and Oklahoma (tied) had their second warmest June.

Drought

• Parts of the Southwest through much of the Southern Plains and Gulf Coast experienced ongoing intense drought.
• New Mexico had its driest June on record.
• According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 63 percent of the Southeast was in moderate-to-exceptional drought at the end of June, compared to 51 percent at the end of May.
• The worst category of drought, exceptional drought, rose from 28 percent to 47 percent area in the South.

Wildfires

• Above average wildfire activity continued across the Southern tier of the United States broke all time records in June.
• Arizona and Mexico experienced their largest wildfire in recorded history.

For an accurate record of wildfires Jan – Jun 2011 see: US Wildfires Consume 7.7 Million Acres in 6 Months

US Precipitation Map – June 2011

June 2011 precipitation “divisional rank” map. Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

FIRE-EARTH Forecast for 2011 – 2012: FEWW Models show  the extremes of temperature and precipitation/drought intensifying over the next 12 to 18 months.

Related Links

• Los Alamos Fire Breaks NM Record
• The Wildfire that Broke Texas’s Back

Calif Record-breaking Heat Wave Continues

2nd Heat Wave in a Month Hits SoCal

L.A. heat wave breaks all time record

A scorching heat wave sent temps soaring to a record high of 45ºC (113ºF) in downtown Los Angeles.

Previous record of 44.4ºC (112ºF) was set in June 1990. Temperature records for the L.A. area started in 1877.

Max Temps. Click Image to enlarge and update. (24-Hr FE ED).

Tremendous power demand yesterday caused several transformers to explode resulting in a massive power blackout, which left about 30,000 people in Los Angeles area without electricity today,  L.A. Department of Water and Power said.

“At the Santa Fe Dam, NWS’s online tracking system recorded a high of 116 degrees at 2:57 p.m.,” According to a report.

Three-digit temperatures are stretching as far north as the state capital, Sacramento, reports say.

Related Links

• Earth: Wounded and Feverish
• Drought and Deluge

• 20 Nations Facing Record Temps
• Drought and Deluge: Major Mechanisms Of Collapse
• Decadal Temp Avg Up by 74 pct on 1990s
• Will it be drought?
• A Heated Planet on Fire!

Decadal Temp Avg Up by 74 pct on 1990s

Average decadal temp rose by 74 percent compared with the 1990′s

Decadal temp average rose by 0.4ºC in the last decade (2000 – 2009) compared with 3 decades 1961 to 1990, while the 1990s decade was 0.23 degrees higher.

Global Annual Mean Surface Air Temperature Change
Click images to enlarge

Line plot of global mean land-ocean temperature index, 1880 to present. The dotted black line is the annual mean and the solid red line is the five-year mean. The green bars show uncertainty estimates. [This is an update of Fig. 1A in Hansen et al. (2006)] January-September (9 months) mean is used for 2009 data. Credit: NASA/GISS.

Annual Mean Temperature Change for Hemispheres

Annual and five-year running mean temperature changes for the northern (red) and southern (blue) hemispheres. Credit: NASA/GISS.

Annual Mean Temperature Change for Land and Ocean

Annual and five-year running mean temperature changes for the land (green) and ocean (purple). Credit: NASA/GISS.

Global Mean Surface Temperature vs. Year and Month

Diagram should be self-explanatory. Credit: NASA/GISS.

2009 Likely to Be Fifth Warmest Year  on Record

This year is set to be the fifth warmest, and this decade the hottest ever on record —WMO

WMO head Michel Jarraud, speaking in Copenhagen, said 2009 was likely to be the fifth warmest year on record, and the first decade of this century the hottest ever.  Referring to the world’s worst hotspots, he added that Australia had experienced its third warmest year since 1850, “with three exceptional heatwaves.”

“I could go on. There was the worst drought in five decades which affected millions of people in China, a poor monsoon season in India causing severe droughts, massive food shortages associated with a big drought in Kenya,” he said.

Jarraud also referred to extreme floods throughout the world, including the deluge  in Burkina Faso, which broke a 90-year record, as well as  the third lowest summer Arctic sea ice cover on record, marking the trend for the third consecutive year.

When will a new record be set?

1998 was the hottest year on record, which coincided with a powerful El Nino. 2009 saw a new El Nino developing.

“It’s getting warmer and warmer. The warming trend is increasing.” Jarraud said.  “Its just a matter of years before we break the [1998] record.”

“It’s difficult to say [when a new record will be set] because of the variability. The first time there will be a strong El Nino the temperature will be greater than before.”

“Jarraud rejected a ‘climategate’ row over leaked emails from Britain’s [rent-a-scientist] University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit (CRU), which showed some scientists’ efforts to boost the credibility of climate change at the expense of skeptics.”

The WMO temperature analysis used two U.S. data sources, as well as the British CRU. “The three separately show almost identical results,” said Jarraud.

“The fact that the record for the hottest year has not been broken since 1998 has helped fuel arguments from a small minority of scientists that climate change may not be as severe as feared.” Reuters reported.

UK MetOffice Hadley Centre’s head, Vicky Pope said the temperatures had “climbed slightly” in the past decade. “There hasn’t been a cooling [since the 1998 record.]“

Analyzed on a decadal basis, the temperature rose by 0.4 degrees Celsius in the last decade (2000 – 2009) compared with the average in the three decades 1961 to 1990, while the 1990s decade was 0.23 degrees higher, according to Pope.

“Essentially what’s happened is we’ve gone into [a permanent?] El Niño,” she said.  [El Niño weather pattern can cause havoc in global weather system.]

Related Links:

• El Niño
• Drought and Deluge
• Famine in China, India If Himalayan Melt Continues
• Drought and Deluge: Major Mechanisms Of Collapse
• British Scientists Are Politicians First
• What Florida Might Look Like in 2014