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Archive for May 8th, 2010

Violent Storms Kill at least 65 in S China

Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

Violent storms and torrential rains devastated southern China killing at least 65, and leaving thousands homeless.

Deadly storms and torrential rains claimed at least 65 lives leaving about 200 people injured and 14 others  missing, with more than  50 thousand people made homeless, the official Xinhua reported the authorities as saying.


Original Caption: Photo taken on May 7, 2010 shows the scene of landslide in Tianxin Village, Egong Town of Dingnan County in east China’s Jiangxi Province. Seven people were dead and five were missing after floods and landslides wreaked havoc in Jiangxi over the past two days.(Xinhua/Zhou Ke). Image may be subject to copyright.

“As of Friday, the storms had affected up to 2.55 million people and 100,000 hectares of arable land, leaving 65 people dead, 14 missing, 9,900 buildings damaged, said the Office of State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters in a statement on its website.” Xinhua said.

Two days of heavy downpour caused floods and triggered landslides and mud flows  in south China’s provinces of Guangdong, Sichuan and Guizhou.

Fire-Earth had forecast a major disaster in China on May 4, 2010, though the blog did not release any specific details.

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Posted in Climate Change, flooding, Landslide, mudslide, storm | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

April had 195 reported tornadoes

Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

U.S. April Weather Was Hot and Dry

April Saw Above-Normal Temperatures and Below-Normal Precipitation: NOAA

According to NOAA’s State of the Climate report, the April 2010 average temperature for the contiguous United States was 54.3 degrees F, some 2.3 degrees F above the long-term (1901-2000) average  making it the 14th warmest April on record. The average precipitation was 2.18 inches, or 0.25 inch below the long-term average.

NOAA monthly analysis is prepared by NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, NC.

U.S. Temperature Highlights


Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

  • Above-normal temperatures caused by warm and dry weather from high-pressure areas experienced by most states east of the Rocky Mountains. Only California, Nevada and Oregon experienced cooler-than-average temperatures last month.
  • Northeast and the East North Central Region: Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin and Michigan experienced their second warmest April ever.
  • Central climate region: West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri had their  fourth warmest April for that region. [link to regional map]
  • Northeast: Illinois Maine, Connecticut, Rhode Island and New Jersey had their warmest April on record. I
  • A total of 31 states experienced above-normal temperatures.
  • February to April period: The record warmest in Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
  • January to April period: Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire had their warmest year-to-date on record. “Conversely, Florida had its coolest, while South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas’ average temperature ranked among their 10 coolest.”
  • “The cooler-than-normal temperatures that prevailed during the latter part of the winter season in the south and southeast were still evident in the three-month (February-April) period. Florida had its coolest such period, while Louisiana and Alabama had their sixth coolest, Georgia its seventh coolest and both Mississippi and Texas their eighth coolest February-April.”

U.S. Precipitation Highlights


Source: NOAA. Click image to enlarge.

  • Below average precipitation in most areas east of the Mississippi River.  West Coast was wet, and the Northwest higher than normal precipitation.
  • “Many Mid-Atlantic states observed much-below-normal precipitation. Both Louisiana and South Carolina experienced their sixth driest April. It was also abnormally dry in Connecticut (eight), North Carolina (ninth), Virginia (ninth) and Maryland (tenth). Conversely, it was Oregon’s tenth-wettest April on record.”
  • Michigan saw its second driest January to April period on record. “The year-to-date period was also the seventh driest for Wisconsin and Kentucky and the eighth driest for Louisiana.”

Other Highlights

  • North American snow cover extent was the lowest on record for April since 1966. “It was also the largest negative anomaly, meaning distance below long term average, on record for any month.”
  • “NCDC’s Climate Extremes Index (CEI) for January-April was about 6 percent higher than the historical average for that time period. The CEI measures the occurrence of several types of climate extremes (like record or near-record warmth, dry spells, or rainy periods). Factors contributing to this year’s value: a very large footprint (three times larger than average) of extreme wetness and twice the average area with warm minimum temperatures.”
  • NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center reported 195 tornadoes in April. Subject to confirmation, “it would be the eighth highest number of April tornadoes.”
  • “The most significant tornado of the month, which was rated EF-4 on the Enhanced Fujita scale, devastated areas near Yazoo City, Miss. According to a preliminary analysis by the National Weather Service, the tornado’s path was 149 miles long and stretched from extreme northeastern Louisiana to northeastern Mississippi. The damage path was up to 1¾ miles wide at points.” [More than a dozen people were killed by the tornado.]
  • The U.S. Drought Monitor said 9 percent of the United States was affected by drought on April 27.

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    Posted in US Precipitation, US Snow Cover, US temperature, US tornadoes, US weather | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

    70 Killed in Afghanistan Flash Floods

    Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

    Fresh flash floods in Afghanistan claim up to 70 lives and hundreds of livestock, destroying many homes and cropland

    Fresh flash floods have claimed up to 70 lives, destroying hundreds of homes in Afghanistan, the Afghan authorities said.

    Torrential rain in northern and western Afghanistan caused extensive flooding, killing about a thousand livestock , according to the head of the local National Disaster Management Authority.

    “Twenty-three people have died in Badghis, 21 in Ghor and another 22 in Herat province,” said a government spokesman, citing the three worst-affected provinces.

    Many mud homes have been damaged or destroyed, and up to a thousand acres of agricultural land devastated, affecting thousands of families in one of the world’s poorest areas.

    “The Afghan government and the UN have mobilized air and ground teams to help those affected with food and non-food aid,” head of Afghanistan’s department for disaster management, Abdul Mateen Edrak, told the BBC.

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    Posted in Fire-Earth Disaster Calendar 2010, flood, flooding, Landslide, mudslide | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

    Landslides Leave 55 Dead or Missing in Tajikistan

    Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

    Landslide and floods triggered by torrential rains kill at least 15, leave 40 missing, cause $100million damage

    Torrential rains caused the Tebalei River to burst its banks resulting in widespread flooding and landslides, destroying 12 bridges, severely damaging at least 1,500 residential units in several districts of the southern Khatlon region. Many roads were destroyed by the floodwater, which also inundated fields and devastated 2,500 hectares of crop fields.

    “Preliminary reports estimate the damage at over 100 million dollars. Russian servicemen from a Russian military base deployed in Tajikistan are rendering assistance in rescue operations.” Moscow Times reported.


    US Govt Political Map of Tajikistan. Approximate location of the affected area is marked by Fire-Earth.

    The causalities from flooding and mudslides in Tajikistan stands at 15 dead, with 40 people still missing, the republic’s Emergencies Ministry said in a statement.

    Up to 100 people are believed to have been injured, and many others are reported on rooftops awaiting evacuation.

    The area was devastated by a large quake measuring 8.0Mw, which struck on October 21, 1907 killing an estimated 12,000 people.

    Related News:

    Mudslides, floods in southern Tajikistan kill 16, 40 reported missing

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    Posted in Climate Change, climate change fallout, climate disasters, extreme rain, Landslide | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

    Gulf of Mexico Oil Disaster: Satellite Photo – Update May 8

    Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

    Already, the Gulf oil spill and the subsequent application of dispersant have caused incalculable damage to seafood

    Oysters, shrimp, crabs and other shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico generate at least $6.5 billion in revenues annually.

    “It [oyster] is not only the economic engine of this region, it is a real indicator of the environmental and ecological health of the Gulf Coast area,” said Jamie R. Clark, former head of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and executive VP of  Defenders of Wildlife, a local conservation group.

    NOAA Fishing Restriction News UPDATE:

    NOAA has expanded commercial and recreational Fishing closure in oil-affected sections of Gulf of Mexico.  The closed area restricts fishing in about 5 percent of the Gulf waters. The earlier closure, which came into effect  last Sunday, covered  less than 3 percent of the Gulf of Mexico federal waters.  The fishing restriction will remain in place until May 17, NOAA said.

    Oil Spill Reaches Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana


    Light tan streamers snake across Chandeleur Sound in this detailed natural-color satellite image from May 5, 2010. The streamers surround Freemason Island and arc through Chandeleur Sound west of the Chandeleur Islands. The image is from the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on NASA’s Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite.

    The Chandeleur Islands are low, sandy barrier islands that are constantly being reshaped by storms, wind, and waves. Together with the Breton Islands to their south, they form the Breton National Wildlife Refuge. A variety of seabirds and shorebirds inhabit the islands, including the endangered brown pelican, least tern, and piping plover. Thousands of brown pelicans and other shorebirds are currently nesting on the islands and sea turtle nesting season is approaching, says the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Image and Caption: NASA E/O. Download large image (3 MB, JPEG)

    Trajectory Forecast

    Mississippi Canyon 252 -NOAA/NOS/OR&R
    Estimate for: 0600 CDT, Monday, 5/10/10 — Date Prepared: 1300 CDT, Friday, 5/07/10


    This forecast is based on the NWS spot forecast from Friday, May 7 AM. Currents were obtained from the NOAA Gulf of Mexico, Texas A&M/TGLO, and NAVO/NRL models; and HFR measurements. The model was initialized from satellite imagery and analysis provided by NOAA/NESDIS obtained Thursday morning, and Thursday/Friday
    overflight observations. The leading edge may contain tarballs that are not readily observable from the imagery (hence not included in the model initialization).     Click image to enlarge.

    News and Updates:


    Two lines of oil booms are set up around one of the Chandeleur Islands, Louisiana May 7, 2010 as seen from a plane used by the environmental group Mobile Baykeeper and Southwings to look at the damage caused by the oil spill.  Credit: REUTERS/Brian Snyder. Image may be subject to copy right. Click image to enlarge.

    Oysters, shrimp, crabs and other shellfish in the Gulf of Mexico generate at least $6.5 billion in revenues annually.

    Oyster, high on the list of seafood gourmet, “is also the backbone of marine life along the U.S. Gulf Coast and among the most vulnerable creatures now threatened by a giant oil spill.”  More at Spill could devastate U.S. Gulf Coast oyster reefs

    BP says its best chance is to use the giant dome to contain and pump out the oil spill.

    The 98-ton steel monstrosity has been lowered to the seabed about 1.5km below the surface with the container suspended over the leak . The is conducted using remote-controlled devices.  “It will hover there until they are ready. They hope to lower to sea floor today, but they need to finish prepping the surface,” the Unified Command Center late update said. More at Containment dome suspended just above U.S. Gulf leak

    Robots have fail to shut the valves on the leaking BP oil wellhead. BP said it has abandoned its efforts to close valves on the failed blowout preventer using underwater robots. “We’ve essentially used up all those options,” Doug Suttles, chief operating officer for BP US said.  “We don’t want to do anything that would make the situation worse.”  More at Robots fail to close valves at leaking BP oil well

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    Posted in fishing restriction, gulf of mexico, gulf of mexico oil leak, Gulf of Mexico oil Spill, Louisiana seafood | Tagged: , , , , | 7 Comments »

    Seismic Cluster Strikes Offshore Oregon

    Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

    Larger Shocks May Occur

    Cluster of at least 9 shocks strike offshore Oregon

    Earthquake measuring about 5.4Mw struck the offshore Oregon about 500km west of Eugene on Friday, May 07, 2010 at 17:46:15UTC.

    Epicenter of the earthquake was located near 44.396°N, 129.437°W and occurred at a depth of  10 km (6.2 miles). The initial shock was followed by at least 8 other events [aftershocks] measuring a mean magnitude of about 4.4Mw.

    Center of the cluster was about 1,000km (600 miles) south of  a magnitude 8.1 shock that occurred on the Queen Charlotte Fault off Queen Charlotte Island on August 22, 1949. That event was Canada’s largest earthquake since 1700.

    10-degree Map Centered at 45°N,130°W


    Earthquake Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP. Map enhanced by Fire-Earth.

    Earthquake Details

    • Magnitude [USGS Estimate]: 5.1 [Fire Earth Estimate: 5.4, or greater]
    • Date-Time:
      • Friday, May 07, 2010 at 17:46:15 UTC
      • Friday, May 07, 2010 at 08:46:15 AM at epicenter
    • Location: 44.396°N, 129.437°W
    • Depth: 10 km (6.2 miles)
    • Region: OFF THE COAST OF OREGON
    • Distances:
      • 424 km (263 miles) W (273°) from Yachats, OR
      • 427 km (265 miles) W (271°) from Waldport, OR
      • 427 km (265 miles) WNW (288°) from Barview, OR
      • 505 km (314 miles) W (276°) from Eugene, OR
      • 549 km (341 miles) W (259°) from Portland, OR
    • Location Uncertainty: horizontal +/- 6 km (3.7 miles)
    • Source: USGS NEIC (WDCS-D)
    • Event ID: us2010vzbx


    Cascadia Subduction Zone

    Cascadia Subduction Zone. Source: USGS

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    [* Reference Only. Research suspended see: Calif Earthquake Forecast – Update 4]

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    Posted in earhquake forecast, earthquake, earthquake 2010, Earthquake cluster, environment | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »

    Eyjafjallajökull Eruption – MODIS Image – UPDATE May 8

    Posted by feww on May 8, 2010

    BREAKING NEWS: VOLCANIC ASH CLOUD FORCES CLOSURE OF 15 AIRPORTS IN PORTUGAL AND SPAIN

    See Below for details.

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    Eyjafjallajökull Glacier Volcano Continues to Eject Dense Plume of Ash


    Iceland’s Eyjafjallajökull volcano continued to emit a dense plume of ash and steam on May 7, 2010. The plume extends southeast from the volcano, but curves south beyond the lower edge of the image. The large image, which includes a wider area, reveals that the ash is blowing over the Atlantic Ocean west of Ireland. On Iceland, low-level winds pick up ash that had settled on the land. This plume of resuspended ash blows south from the island. The higher-elevation volcanic plume casts a dark shadow on the lower-elevation resuspended ash. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite captured this image on May 7, 2010. Image and caption: NASA E/O. Download large image (3 MB, JPEG)

    Eruption in Eyjafjallajökull Status Report: 16:00 GMT, 07 May 2010

    The following is a brief summary of the report:

    • Decrease in explosive activity since yesterday.
    • Plume height lower (7.6km max), ash color lighter.
    • Steam still rising from lava front under Gígjökul.
    • Large ash fallout reaching up to 60 km from the crater.
    • No sign eruption might be  ending.
    • Earthquakes are occurring at 5-13 km depth, frequency of occurrence lower than yesterday.
    • Surface deformation stabilized since yesterday.
    • Only 5 % of particles smaller than 10 micron (aerosols)


    21-hour animation of ash cloud from Eyjafjallajökull volcano drifting from Iceland to Ireland and Scotland. Source: IMO . See also The initial ash cloud on 15th April. Click image to enlarge.

    Eyjafjallajökull volcanic ash cloud shuts 15 airports in Europe

    As the 2,000km (1,200mile) ash cloud further encroaches into European airspace, targeting tourist destinations, more  airport closures expected in northern Portugal and southern France.

    List of the airports that have been affected, as of posting, includes Asturias, Bilbao, Burgos, La Coruna, Leon, La Rioja, Pamplona, Salamanca, San Sebastian,  Santander, Santiago, Valladolid, Vigo, Vitoria and Zaragoza.

    UK’s Met Office said the Icelandic volcano was sending ash up to heights of 9.1km (30,000 ft ) at about 10:00UTC today.


    Eyjafjallajökull Ash Cloud drifting toward southern Europe.     © Copyright EUMETSAT/Met Office

    Volcanic Ash Advisory from London – Issued graphics (UK Met Office)


    Click image to enlarge.


    Webcame images by Mila.      Click image to enlarge.

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    Posted in Eyjafjallajökull, Eyjafjallajökull eruption, Eyjafjallajökull glacier, Eyjafjöll, volcanic ash, volcanic eruption | Tagged: , , , | Leave a Comment »