Southern U.S. Freezes Over!

Hard Freeze Warnings and Freeze Warnings Issued for 12 Southern States

A strong cold front is sweeping through parts of the central and eastern U.S. Winter-like temperatures will reach the East Coast and Deep South by Tuesday, said forecasters at NOAA.

Daytime highs are expected to fall as much as 10 to 20 degrees below normal across these regions with nighttime temperatures dipping into the 20s or 30s, even as far south as Texas!

US weather Hazards Map for 11/12/13 at 14:15. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Freeze Warning 101

Freeze Warnings are issued when minimum temperatures are forecast to be 32 degrees or less during the local growing season. This means that confidence is high that freezing temperatures will occur.

The first and last freeze can have a significant impact on the economy across crop-growing regions, especially areas heavily dependent on agricultural interests. These freezes do not cause extraordinary problems when they occur near the “normal” time frame. However, an early autumn or late spring freeze can have tremendous affects, especially when they are preceded by warm periods.

What is the growing season?

The local growing season is defined by both climate and elevation. It is technically described as the time during which native vegetation, ornamental plants, and crops can be grown. This is loosely defined as the period between the last hard freeze of the spring and the first hard (or killing freeze) of the fall.

Hard Freeze Warning

A Hard Freeze Warning means sub-freezing temperatures are imminent or highly likely. These conditions will kill crops and any remaining outdoor vegetation

Stench of Death Permeates the Philippines Disaster Zone

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Scope of the Disaster Widens

Surviving victims of the Philippines mega disaster began their fifth day on Tuesday with no food, water, medicine, electricity or communication lines in the worst-affected provinces of Eastern Samar, Leyte, Oriental Mindoro, Masbate, Sorsogon, Negros, Capiz, Romblon and Busuanga in Palawan.

Significant damage to housing have been reported in northern Negros Oriental province. In Cadiz City, for example, about 5,000 houses. Nearly all corn and sugar crops surrounding the city have been destroyed. The neighboring city of Sagay has also experienced much of the same fate.

Survivors of the Super Typhoon HAIYAN trying to identify the dead in Tacloban city, Philippines, November 12, 2013.  Image credit: Screenshot from  Reuters video clip/Romeo Ranoco.

Disaster Stats

• Tacloban City remains the worst affected area with at least 10,000 dead and counting, according to the government estimates.
  • [The Philippine NDRMC has confirmed the number of dead at 1,774, with 2,487  others injured and 82  missing so far. Senior officials have estimated the death toll at more than 10,000.  FIRE-EARTH Disaster Models estimated the casualties at up to 40,000. ]
• Nearly 10 million people have been affected by the HAIYAN, including 3.5 million who lived directly in the path of the deadly typhoon, who have been hit severely.
• The official number of those who have lost their homes has increased to about two-thirds of a million people (the actual number of people displaced is 659,268, as of posting).
• Most of the disaster zone lacks clean water, food, shelter, sanitation, medical supplies, transportation or communication links.
• Large numbers of victims are roaming around like “zombies” begging for help, and scavenging for food, water and medicine.
• Significant devastation has been reported along the northeast coast of Iloilo province, especially in Conception and San Dionisio municipalities.
• Many roads throughout the disaster zone are still inaccessible, due to significant amounts of debris.
• Dozens of towns and villages in the Cebu province have suffered up to 90% devastation.
• The town of Guiuanin (population: 44,000) in Samar province is almost entirely flattened.
• The city of Baco (Population 37,000) in Oriental Mindoro province was 80% under water, according to the UN.
• There is still no information available on the condition of people in remote areas of the country.

NDRC Update [ November 12, 2013 ]

Source: Philippines National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRMC). [$1 = 43.20 Philippine pesos]

Vietnam

Typhoon HAIYAN was the 14th storm to hit Vietnam this year, leaving at least 14 dead, 4 missing and 81 others injured, according to the country’s National Committee for Search and Rescue.

China

HAIYAN killed at least 7 people in China, including five people in Hainan and two in Guangxi, and left 4 others missing. The cyclone destroyed 900 houses and damaged 8,500 others. It also destroyed 25,500 hectares of crops, with the direct economic losses estimated at 4.47 billion yuan ($734 million), said Xinhua.

“The National Disaster Reduction Commission announced that more than 3 million people in China’s southern provinces of Hainan and Guangdong and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region had been affected by the typhoon.”

Previous UPDATE [13:30UTC on November 11, 2013 ]

• President Benigno Aquino has declared a state of national calamity and deployed more than 300 soldiers in Tacloban City to quell looting.

• Aid agencies say about 3.5 million people directly in the path of the typhoon have been severely affected.

• More than 300 people are confirmed dead and about 2,000 others have been reported as missing in the town Basey, Samar province, according to the provincial governor.

• “The situation is bad, the devastation has been significant. In some cases the devastation has been total,” a senior politician told reporters.

• HAIYAN has destroyed up to 90 percent of structures in its path. Some 350,000 homes have been destroyed according to an aid worker. This figure dwarfs the disaster estimates issued by the NDRMC.

• Dazed survivors are begging for help and scavenging for food, water and medicine on Monday, reported Reuters.

• “There’s an awful lot of casualties, a lot of people dead all over the place, a lot of destruction,” Richard Gordon, head of the Philippine Red Cross, told the BBC.

Tropical Depression ZORAIDA

Meantime, Tropical Depression ZORAIDA was located about 216km southeast of Hinatuan, Surigao Del Sur, or 192km East of Davao City, dumping moderate to heavy rain at rates of up to 15mm per hour within a 300-km radius, as of 5:00am local time, said PAGASA.

This post will be updated throughout the day as more information becomes available.

Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Chronology of Disaster

• Tropical Depression ZORAIDA Striking Mindanao, Philippines November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Update – November 11 November 11, 2013
• Typhoon HAIYAN Strikes Northern Vietnam Near China Border November 11, 2013
• Philippine Disaster Zone: “It’s Like the End of the World.” November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN – NOV 10 Update November 10, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN: Casualties Could Top Many Thousands November 9, 2013
• Extraterrestrial Typhoon Force Generating 20-Meter “Tsunami” November 8, 2013
• Super Typhoon HAIYAN’S Arm Battering the Philippines November 7, 2013
• “Extraterrestrial” Typhoon HAIYAN – Image Update November 6, 2013
• HAIYAN Intensifying to “Extraterrestrial” Levels November 6, 2013
• Potential Super Typhoon Headed for the Philippines November 4, 2013
• Typhoon KROSA Destroys or Damages 19,000 Homes in Philippines  November 2, 2013

Other Related Links

• FEWW New Hurricane Scale
• Satellite Imagery

Hundreds Dead or Missing after Storm Hits Somalia

State of Emergency declared in Puntland, Somalia amid storm disaster

Hundreds are dead or missing after a tropical cyclone, known as 03A, hit Somalia’s semi-autonomous Puntland region on Saturday, according to the government.

“A tropical cyclone storm (has) wreaked death and destruction… the storm brought high wind speeds and torrential rains, causing flash floods,” said the government of the of Puntland.

“Information collected from coastal areas via irregular telephone contact over the past 48 hours indicates that up to 100 people might have been killed, while hundreds of other people remain unaccounted for.”

Puntland President Farole said the scale of “crisis was immense,” as his government declared the calamity a “disaster,” proclaiming a state of emergency.

“Houses and livestock were swept into the ocean by the floods,” said the President at a news conference in the capital Garowe.

“We urge United Nations aid agencies to assist the victims. As Puntland, we have established a committee to investigate the loss and damage. Electricity, communication and fishing boats were all destroyed.”

The storm hit the eastern coast of the country, destroying entire villages and  sweeping at least 100,000 livestock and scores of people into the ocean.

“Preliminary information also indicates that homes, buildings, boats and entire villages have been destroyed and over 100,000 livestock lost, endangering the livelihoods of tens of thousands of local people,” the government said.

High Winds and Heavy Rains

High winds and heavy rains hit a vast area causing flash floods and cutting off roads, as the immediate impact of the storm was forecast to continue until Wednesday.

“I have buried 10 members of my family, the icy storm and rain killed more than hundred people here,” Reuters quoted a villager as saying.

“I have never witnessed such fatal cold. Some people were blown away and others died after their houses collapsed on them. Some people, and the animals they were looking after, are still missing,” he said.