Breathtaking Beijing in ‘Maroon Alert’

Beijing Air Pollution Shoots off the Chart, AGAIN

Beijing Air Pollution: Real-time Air Quality Index (AQI). Source: aqicn.org

AQI in Beijing Municipality and Surrounding Areas

Air pollution in Beijing Municipality and surrounding areas @ 21:00 local time on October 4, 2013.  Source: aqicn.org

Typhoon FITOW Makes Minor Detour

Vicious-looking FITOW headed toward northern Taiwan, southeastern China

Typhoon FITOW has intensified to a Cat 2 typhoon, looking set to make a big impression in northern Taiwan and southeastern China, via Ryukyu Islands.

Typhoon FITOW  (TS 1323; TY 22W) as of 12:00UTC on October 4 
Location: Near 23.3N, 129.4E
Movement and speed: NW (330 degrees), 10km/hr
Central pressure: 960hPa
Max wind speed: 165km/hr (90kt)
Max sustained wind: 205km/hr (110kt)
Source: FIRE-EARTH and others

Typhoon FITOW. IR Satellite Image recorded at 11:32UTC on October 4, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC. FIRE-EARTH Enhancement.

Typhoon FITOW. IR/WV Diff.  Satellite Image with the track and projected path superimposed. Recorded at 11:32UTC on October 4, 2013. Source: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

List of Tropical Cyclones in the Western North Pacific [October 4, 2013]

1. SONAMU
2. SHANSHAN
3. YAGI
4. LEEPI
5. BEBINCA
6. RUMBIA
7. SOULIK
8. CIMARON
9. JEBI
10. MANGKHUT
11. UTOR
12. TRAMI
13. PEWA
14. UNALA
15. KONG-REY
16. YUTU
17. TORAJI
18. MAN-YI
19. USAGI
20. PABUK
21. WUTIP
22. SEPAT
23. FITOW
24. DANAS (TS1324)

Related Links

• Two Cyclones Moving Toward Japan October 1, 2013
• WUTIP Hammers Central Vietnam October 1, 2013
• Typhoon WUTIP Headed for Vietnam, Laos, Thailand September 29, 2013
• USAGI Disaster Update: 25 Dead; 7,100 Homes Destroyed September 23, 2013
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale September 3, 2008
• Satellite Imagery

FL, LA Declare States of Emegency as TS KAREN Progresses

TS KAREN prompts Florida, Louisiana Govs. to declare states of emergency 

Scott declares a state of emergency for 18 Panhandle counties as KAREN approaches

Gov. Scott has declared a state of emergency for 18 Panhandle counties in preparation for Tropical Storm KAREN.

KAREN is forecast to hit the northern Gulf Coast over the weekend as a weak hurricane or tropical storm, dumping up to 8 inches of rain in some areas.

The storm is expected to reach hurricane or near hurricane force by late Friday/ early Saturday, said NHC.

A hurricane watch is currently in effect from Grand Isle, LA, to west of Destin, FL.

TS KAREN – GOES-EAST Satellite Image IR Channel 4 – JSL2 enhancement – recorded at 02:45UTC on October 4, 2013.

Louisiana Gov. declares state of emergency due to TS KAREN

Gov. Jindal has declared a state of emergency in Louisiana in response to the Tropical Storm KAREN. The state of emergency will extend from October 3 through November 1, 2013 unless it’s terminates sooner by the government.

His proclamation reads: “Tropical Storm Karen is currently moving up the Yucatan Peninsula and is moving slowly northwestward toward the State of Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, posing a threat of extremely heavy rainfall resulting in very high tides for coastal parishes and the possibility of flash floods for coastal parishes and inland parishes through the weekend of Saturday, October 5, 2013.

“The National Weather Service predicts this storm has the potential to develop hurricane force winds and make landfall between Southeast Louisiana and the Florida panhandle on Saturday.”

Jindal said an emergency declaration was warranted since the National Weather Service “has issued a Hurricane Watch, a Tropical Storm Watch and a Coastal Flood Advisory for the next 72 hours for parts of southeastern Louisiana, placing the lives and property of the citizens of this State in jeopardy.”

Related Links

• Tropical Storm KAREN Forms Over The Southeastern Gulf Of Mexico October 3, 2013

State of Emergency Declared in Chile as Frost Destroys Crops

Estimated $1 Billion worth of damage to fruit crops in Chile due late frost

Chile declared a state of emergency on Thursday after a late frost caused widespread damage to fruit crops in the country’s central region, potentially hitting wine production, reports said.

The frost has caused substantial agricultural losses, said Chilean Agricultural Minister in a press release. Exporters have estimated the losses at about US$1billion dollars.

“These frosts are the worst that agriculture has faced in 84 years, impacting the area from Coquimbo to Bio Bio,” said the national agricultural society.

Temperatures have dipped to as low as minus 8 degrees Celsius below zero (18ºF) since the start of spring  in the southern hemisphere, destroying much of the crops in Chile’s central O’Higgins region, a major fruit and wine producing area.

Some growers have lost up to a half of their fruit crops including grapes, peaches, nectarines, kiwis, apricots, almonds and avocados as well as vegetables, which will result in hiring far fewer farmhands.

“Fruit and wine are some of Chile’s largest industries after copper. Fruit exports were worth $4.3 billion in 2012 and wine exports were valued at $1.8 billion, according to government figures. Agriculture Minister Luis Mayol said 30 percent of the fruit that Chile exports has been affected,” said a report.

The frost has damaged up to 61 percent of stone fruit crops, 57 percent of almonds, 48 percent of kiwi crops and 20 percent of table grapes, said the report.

However, most crops have not yet reached full flower and the exact extent of damage is not yet known, according to a major exporter.

The Chilean government says about 50,000 jobs may have been lost in the wine industry, said a report.