FIRE-EARTH Summation: Blocks 2, 4 and 6

CJ Members

• This session will be broadcast on Ch-10 starting Monday, February 29, 2016 at 08:45UTC.

Multiple Crop Disasters Hit Eight U.S. States

Multiple disasters destroy or damage crops in 130 counties across eight states

USDA has designated 29 counties across four states—Nevada, California, Idaho and Oregon—as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by drought that occurred from Jan. 1, 2015, through Dec. 31, 2015. Those counties are:

Nevada. Carson City, Churchill, Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Lincoln, Lyon, Mineral, Nye, Pershing, Storey, Washoe and White Pine counties.

California. Alpine, El Dorado, Inyo, Lassen, Modoc, Mono, Nevada, Placer and Sierra counties.

Idaho. Owyhee County.

Oregon. Harney, Lake and Malheur counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Feb. 17, 2016.

Crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by multiple disaster conditions

USDA has designated 101 counties across four states—North Dakota,  South Dakota,  Montana and Minnesota—as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by multiple disaster conditions.

Disaster Number 1: USDA has designated the following counties as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of excessive heat, excessive rain, frost, excessive snow, drought, hail, flooding, high winds, lightning, weather-related insects and diseases that occurred from Jan. 1, 2015, and continues.

North Dakota. Benson, Burke, Burleigh, Cavalier, Divide, Eddy, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, McHenry, McLean, Mountrail, Nelson, Pembina, Pierce, Ramsey, Renville, Sheridan, Steele, Towner, Traill, Walsh, Ward, Wells, and Williams counties.

Disaster Number 2: USDA has designated the following counties as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of freeze, frost, and drought that occurred from March 1, 2015, through Oct. 1, 2015.

North Dakota. Benson, Billings, Burke, Cavalier, Divide, Dunn, Eddy, Foster, Golden Valley, Grant, Griggs, Hettinger, McKenzie, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Ramsey, Slope, Stark, Towner, Walsh, Wells, and Williams continues.

Montana. Fallon, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan and Wibaux counties.

Disaster Number 3: USDA has designated the following counties as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of drought, excessive heat, high winds and hail that occurred from March 15, 2015, through Oct. 30, 2015.

North Dakota. Benson, Billings, Burleigh, Dunn, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Golden Valley, Kidder, LaMoure, Logan, McHenry, McIntosh, McKenzie, McLean, Mercer, Morton, Mountrail, Nelson, Oliver, Pierce, Ramsey, Sheridan, Sioux, Slope, Stutsman, Towner, Ward and Wells counties.

Montana. Fallon and Wibaux counties.

South Dakota. Campbell and Corson counties.

Disaster Number 4: USDA has designated the following counties as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain that occurred from April 1, 2015, and continues.

North Dakota. Burleigh, Cavalier, Emmons, Grand Forks, Kidder, McLean, Morton, Nelson, Oliver, Pembina, Ramsey, Sheridan and Walsh counties.

Minnesota. Marshall County.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas on Feb. 24, 2016.

Links to previous disaster listings posted at

• Crop Disasters Declared in Montana February 25, 2016
• Crop Disasters Declared in the U.S. States of North Carolina and Virginia February 11, 2016

• Crop Disasters Declared in Two U.S. States February 5, 2016
• Extreme Weather Events Destroy Crops in Georgia & the Carolinas January 24, 2016
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in Three U.S. States January 9, 2016
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

 

FIRE-EARTH Summation: Blocks 1, 3 and 5

CJ Members

• This session will be broadcast on Ch-10 starting Sunday,  February 28, 2016 at 12:15UTC.

Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Georgia

Federal Disaster declared for Georgia

Georgia Severe Storms and Flooding (DR-4259)

• Incident period: December 22, 2015 to January 13, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration declared on February 26, 2016

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Georgia in the areas affected by severe storms and flooding during the period of December 22, 2015 to January 13, 2016.

The destructive weather events—severe storms and flooding— caused substantial damage across the state, especially in Baker, Carroll, Chattahoochee, Crawford, Dade, Decatur, Douglas, Fannin, Fayette, Gilmer, Greene, Haralson, Harris, Jeff Davis, Lamar, Macon, Marion, Meriwether, Montgomery, Morgan, Muscogee, Newton, Oglethorpe, Pickens, Stewart, Talbot, Taliaferro, Taylor, Towns, Troup, Upson, Webster, and Wilkes counties.

Federal funding is also being made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the entire the entire State of Georgia.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected areas.

Federal Disaster Declarations (2015)

The federal government proclaimed 43 Major Disaster Declaration [DR 4205-4247] for a U.S. state/tribal area/territory in 2015, two Emergency Declarations, EM-3372 and EM-3373 and 34 Fire Management Assistance Declarations [FM-5084 to FM-5117.]

Major Disaster Declarations (2016)

• Major Disaster Declared for Oregon February 19, 2016

• Major Disaster Declared for Alaska February 18, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Oklahoma February 12, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Texas February 10, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Arkansas [DR-4254] February 6, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Louisiana (EM-3376) February 6, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Washington [DR-4253] February 3, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Idaho [DR-4252] February 2, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Alabama [DR-4251] January 23, 2016
• Oklahoma Oak Grove Fire (FM-5118)
• Major Disaster Declared for Missouri [DR-4250] January 22, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared in Michigan [EM-3375] January 17, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration for Washington [DR-4249] January 16, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Mississippi [DR-4248] January 5, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Missouri [EM-3374] January 3, 2016
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

 

FIRE-EARTH Submissions: Cases 13700 – 14200

CJ Members

Cases 13700 – 14200

• This session will be broadcast on Ch-10 starting Friday,  February 26, 2016 at 16:00UTC.

 

Eighth ZIKV Case Confirmed in Australia

ZIKV infected man staying in area infested with Aedes aegypti mosquitoes

Authorities are on high alert in Queensland, Australia after the eighth person in the country contracted Zika virus.

A Rockhampton man has become the eighth Queenslander to be diagnosed with Zika virus, but is the first to have brought it back to an area inhabited by the type of mosquito that could spread it.

Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, the main Zika vector, have been found around the hotel in Rockhampton where the infected patient is staying, prompting the health alert.

“This is the most concerning case of Zika so far in Queensland because it’s someone who has the virus in an area where there is the mosquito capable of transmitting the virus,” said Queensland Health Minister.

Authorities are now spraying chemicals designed to kill mosquitoes in a 200-meter radius of the hotel, said a report.

*

M5.0 Quake Strikes Planet of the Abes

Strong tremors reportedly felt at  Fukushima triple meltdowns site

Magnitude: 5.0Mw [USGS/EHP]
Location: 38.316°N, 141.877°E; depth=44.9 km (27.9 mi)
Time: 2016-02-24 16:10:50 (UTC)
Nearby Cities:

• 51km (32mi) ESE of Ishinomaki, Japan
• 59km (37mi) ESE of Yamoto, Japan
• 69km (43mi) ESE of Wakuya, Japan
• 71km (44mi) E of Matsushima, Japan
• 350km (217mi) NNE of Tokyo, Japan

Fiji Forecast

FIRE-EARTH Alert 

Fiji Forecast broadcast on CH11 today at 14:32 UTC

Crop Disasters Declared in Montana

Frost, hail and high winds destroy crops in Montana counties

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated four counties in Montana as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by frost, hail and high winds that occurred on July 4, 2015, through July 5, 2015.

Those counties are Blaine, Chouteau, Hill and Liberty.

All counties listed above were designated crop disaster areas on Feb. 17, 2016.

Links to previous disaster listings posted at

• Crop Disasters Declared in the U.S. States of North Carolina and Virginia February 11, 2016

• Crop Disasters Declared in Two U.S. States February 5, 2016
• Extreme Weather Events Destroy Crops in Georgia & the Carolinas January 24, 2016
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in Three U.S. States January 9, 2016
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

M4.0 Shock Shakes Oqulahoma

M4.0 quakes strikes 7km SW of Langston, Oklahoma

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 4.0Mw
Location: 35.898°N, 97.319°W; depth=5.0 km (3.1 mi)
Nearby Cities

• 7km (4mi) SW of Langston, Oklahoma
• 9km (6mi) ENE of Guthrie, Oklahoma
• 30km (19mi) NNE of Edmond, Oklahoma
• 33km (21mi) SW of Stillwater, Oklahoma
• 50km (31mi) NNE of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Fiji Declares a State of Disaster

TC WINSTON kills 48, leaves 45,245 displaced

Category 5, Severe Tropical Cyclone WINSTON struck the island nation of Fiji on 20 and 21 February  cutting a path of destruction across the country.

Summary from NDMO SITREP NO. 26

• The cyclone is estimated to be the most severe ever to hit Fiji, and probably the South Pacific.

• 48 people have been confirmed dead, 167 injured [including 45 hospitalized.]

• Some 45,245 people are currently sheltering in 763 evacuation centers.

• 104 schools have been damaged or destroyed.

• 100 per cent of crops are reported destroyed in the worst affected areas.

• Entire communities/villages have been wiped out.

• A 30-day State of Disaster has been declared.

Terminal building in Koro and Vanuabalavu airports are completely destroyed, the fire station in Savusavu is severely damaged.

 

M4.9 Quake Strikes SoCal

Earthquake jolts Bakersfield, CA

Centered at 35.542°N, 119.373°W (37km NW of Bakersfield) the event occurred at a depth of 22.1 km (13.8 mi), reported USGS/EHP.

The quake was followed by at least two aftershocks.

EQ Details

Magnitude: 4.9Mw
Location: 35.542°N, 119.373°W; depth=22.1 km (13.8 mi)
Time: 2016-02-24 00:02:23 (UTC)
Nearby Cities:

• 6km (4mi) SSW of Wasco, California
• 10km (6mi) WNW of Shafter, California
• 37km (23mi) NW of Bakersfield, California
• 128km (80mi) NNE of Santa Barbara, California
• 142km (88mi) N of Ventura, California

Deadly Storm System Slams Southern US

Tornadoes kill or injure up to 50 people

A powerful storm system pummeled southern U.S. spawning deadly tornadoes that left at least eight people dead and dozens more injured.

At least 27 tornadoes have raked across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida  and Georgia, destroying homes, businesses and just about anything else standing in their paths.

The deaths occurred in Louisiana and Mississippi. A tornado destroyed 90% of the homes in a trailer park in Convent, southern Louisiana.

“These travel trailers were picked up, thrown a considerable distance and just mangled,” Louisiana Gov. Edwards said.

At least 27 tornadoes have hit Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida  and Georgia, according to the reports received by SPC.

Severe weather continues on Wednesday

The NWS Storm Prediction Center expects severe weather to continue on Wednesday. For the early morning hours, the greatest risk will be in the Southeast. By Wednesday afternoon, the threat shifts to the Eastern United States, particularly the Carolinas, where strong tornadoes are possible.

Members Notice Feb. 23, 2016

CJ Members

Program in progress on FIRE-EARTH Channels…

For details of program and the Q & A session, tune in to your local channels.

• Starting Feb. 23, 2016 at 17:00 – 23:00, and 22:32 – 04:32 UTC

Catastrophic Global Water Shortages Affecting Children Mostly —World Vision

Six million people need clean water, sanitation aid: Ethiopian Government

Severe water shortages are putting millions of lives at risk and forcing mass migration as people search for water, says international humanitarian aid agency World Vision.

Life-threatening drought conditions persist globally, including in Central and South America, Southern and Eastern Africa and the Pacific Islands.

“In parts of Ethiopia and Somalia, water is in such short supply that villagers are abandoning their homes and migrating in search of water. Children are absent from school as they search for water or move with their families to find it,” says World Vision.

“Across Africa alone, at least seven million people are without clean water as a result of El Nino weather,” warns World Vision Ethiopia Country Director, who is also a water specialist. “The actual number of people suffering from acute water shortages is probably much higher,” he said. “We have heard a lot about the widespread food shortages, but water shortages caused by El Nino are just as catastrophic. A person can survive for much longer without food than they can without water,” he added.

“If El Nino isn’t causing drought, it is causing floods – either way, the result is unsafe water or no water…  Not only can a lack of water kill, but contaminated water can kill just as quickly. Diarrhea, which is often caused by unclean water and sanitation, can kill small children very quickly. The result is that water shortages hit children harder than anyone else.”

• Zimbabwe. Water rationing is in effect in every city and town. 15, 000 boreholes have run dry and another 160 need to be drilled.
• Lesotho. Rains have been delayed by more than two months and some rivers have completely dried up. The Ministry of Health reports that a number of elderly people have died from dehydration as they were less able to cart water from water points.
• South Africa. Some 2.7 million households are facing water shortages – even hospitals are running out of water. Seven of the nine provinces have declared disasters and some have water rationing in place.
• Honduras. World Vision staff report that desperate communities are digging wells in an attempt to find water, children are falling ill with diarrhea from drinking dirty water and villagers queue in the middle of the night at waterholes due to demand.
• Papua New Guinea. Water supplies have been contaminated as people dig wells in order to find water and schools are also closing due to water shortages. An outbreak of typhoid and cholera in one area has killed at least 30 people.

Read more…

Related Links

• Drought, Rat Infestations to Plague 85% of Philippines February 21, 2016
• Drought Affecting 2.7 Million Households in South Africa February 19, 2016
• One million children require treatment for severe acute malnutrition in Eastern and Southern Africa February 17, 2016
• ‘State of Disaster’ Declared in Zimbabwe over Drought February 8, 2016

Deadly Unrest in India Leaves 10 Million Without Water

Caste Riots in India Paralyzes a Northern State Kills at Least 19 People

The Indian Army has intervened to regain control of New Delhi’s water supply following days of deadly rioting and looting by Jats, a rural caste, which is demanding better access to government jobs.

Delhi government has announced closure of schools on Monday as part of water rationing to deal with crisis

With water supply to the national capital, Delhi, under threat amid the ongoing Jat agitation for quota, the Haryana government on Sunday rushed paramilitary forces and technical teams to Sonepat. However, reports coming in suggested that the teams were not able to wrest control of Munak canal. Thousands of protesters forced the security personnel including Army men to retreat.

Jat protesters have laid siege to the Akbarpur-Barota point and taken over control of the local irrigation office at Munak canal — a major source of water supply to Delhi.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/haryana-rushes-teams-to-restore-water-supply-to-delhi/article8264762.ece

Drought, Rat Infestations to Plague 85% of Philippines

Worst drought in memory spreading across southern Philippines

As of 31 January, about a quarter of the Philippines was experiencing drought, and the authorities forecast that drought would soon plague 85 percent of the country.

State of Calamity

Mindanao, the second largest and southernmost major island in the Philippines, which supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s food, is the worst affected area, reported the Food and Agriculture Organization, said a report.

The province of Maguindanao declared a “state of calamity” on 29 January, said UNOCHA, adding that 27,300 farmers in Mindanao are affected by drought and a rat infestation.

 

WINSTON Devastates Fiji

TC WINSTON, strongest ever storm to hit Fiji, wreaks destruction across the island nation

Authorities in Fiji say the most powerful storm on record to hit the country has killed at least five people, razing  entire villages and destroying hundreds of homes.

TC WINSTON slammed the tiny nation with 330-km winds, torrential rain and tsunami-like waves of up to 15m, according to FIRE-EARTH Models.

The destructive storm prompted the government to impose a nationwide curfew and declare a 30-day state of national disaster, said reports. [The declaration would empower police to arrest people without a warrant.]

Spokesman for Fiji’s National Disaster Management Office told reporters that about 80% of the population were without electricity.

Fiji PM described the storm as “an ordeal of the most grievous kind.”

 

Another Nuclear Reactor in Japan Leaking Radioactive Water

Takahama nuclear power plant west of Tokyo leaks radioactive water

A pressurized water reactor (PWR) at Japan’s Takahama nuclear power plant, located in Fukui Prefecture, about 120km northwest of Osaka metropolitan area (pop: ~ 19 million) and 380km west of Tokyo, is leaking radioactive water.

The reactor would have been the fourth resume operation after the the nationwide shutdown of nuclear power stations that followed the triple  meltdown at Fukushima in March 2011.

At least 34 liters of radioactive water (about 64,000 becquerels of radioactivity) have escaped Takahama’s reactor No. 4, said the plant operator, Kansai Electric Power.

Unit 3 was restarted January 29, 2016, despite strong objections by various rights groups. “Restart of the Takahama plant is a human rights injustice toward children and those with handicaps,” said Aileen Mioko Smith, executive director of the antinuclear group Green Action.

“There is no evacuation plan in place for the tens of thousands of people with special needs — inpatients and outpatients at hospitals and various facilities, those in day care, and those with handicaps living at home. When others can flee, there are no vehicles to transport these people nor medical care prepared at the evacuation site.”

[More than 180,000 people live in 12 towns and cities within 30km radius of the leaky reactor, in Fukui, Kyoto and Shiga prefectures.]

The government introduced additional “safety measures” soon after the Fukushima disasters; however, reactors that didn’t meet the new safety standards were somehow made exempt from the regulation, and allowed to restart.

In April 2015, the Fukui District Court overturned an earlier decision approving the restart the of Takahama reactors 3 and 4 and ordered them to remain offline due to “safety concerns.” The court ruled that guidelines issued by Japan’s governmental Nuclear Regulation Authority.

“The new regulations are not reasonable, therefore there is no need to study whether the Takahama plant satisfies them. There is little rational basis for saying that an earthquake with a magnitude that exceeds the safety standard will not occur. It is an optimistic view,” ruled the local judge.

The court also rejected an appeal by Kansai Electric Company in May, 2015.

Map of Japan’s Nuclear Power Plants. Click image to enlarge.

Unsurprisingly, influential members of Japan’s “fifth Column”, which support the Abe government and the nuclear mafia, namely a former Tokyo high court judge and current Chou Law School Professor Jun Masuda, as well as Japan’s newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun, heavily criticized the presiding Judge Hideaki Higuchi.

Masuda said: “It seems the judge has already had the idea of demanding absolute safety from the beginning. Judges are not experts on nuclear power plants, so it is imperative that they humbly pay attention to scientific knowledge. I doubt the presiding judge took that into consideration.”

The reactionary newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun pinioned: “We have no choice but to call it an irrational decision,” and, “Such a stance seeking zero risk is unrealistic.”

Abe’s government overrode the judge’s ruling and ordered the reactors’ restart.

M4.3 Quake Strikes ENE of Lucerne Valley, California

Earthquake strikes Camp Rock-Emerson-Copper Mountain fault zone

The quake struck Camp Rock-Emerson-Copper Mountain fault zone at Emerson section, NE of Red Hill, reported SGS/EHP.

Magnitude: 4.3Mw
Time: 2016-02-20 06:13:20 (UTC)
Location: 34.610 °N 116.629 °W depth=7.6 km (4.7 mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 36km (22mi) ENE of Lucerne Valley, California
• 44km (27mi) NNE of Big Bear City
• 47km (29mi) SE of Barstow city

Cat. 5 Cyclone WINSTON Buffeting Fiji Islands

Powerful Cyclone packing destructive winds moves towards Fiji capital, Suva

WINSTON, a category five storm packing destructive winds, is impacting Fiji’s biggest islands as it moves towards the capital, Suva.

Fijian authorities have issued a curfew for the entire Fiji, effective 6:00pm local time, said a report.

“This latest measure is designed to restrict movement and ensure the safety of all Fijians. Only essentials services will be permitted to travel,” the government said in broadcast.

The storm has already lashed the outer islands of Fiji after pummeling Tonga twice earlier in the week.

WINSTON, packing sustained winds of about 290 km/hr ( max. gusts of 330 km/hr) was located about 175km NNE of Suva at 04:00 UTC, moving west at 25 km/hr, and generating MSW of about 15m.

Check interactive Earth map at http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/surface/level/orthographic=-179.79,-16.72,408/loc=179.047,-18.034

Drought Affecting 2.7 Million Households in South Africa

Five SA provinces have already been declared drought disaster areas

Authorities have declared drought disaster in five South African provinces—Limpopo, North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Mpumalanga—as worst drought on record continues to plague much of the country.

Drought has decimated the nation’s agricultural output, killing livestock, pushing up food prices and increasing unemployment.

Speaking to the parliament, President Zuma said the drought issue was a big problem affecting millions of people across the country.

“The impact on the agricultural sector is severe and it will affect us for a long time to come.

“Farmers are facing serious challenge of dying livestock due to the drought… fact is, the drought is here…”

Related Stories

• Zuma on corruption and drought
• Worst drought on record spells disaster for Jacob Zuma’s dysfunctional presidency
• At least R20bn will be needed to import maize – Grain SA

Major Disaster Declared for Oregon

Federal Disaster Declared in the State of Oregon

Oregon Severe Winter Storms, Straight-line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, and Mudslides (DR-4258)

• Incident period: December 06, 2015 to December 23, 2015
• Major Disaster Declaration declared on February 17, 2016

The White House has declared a major disaster exists in the State of Oregon in the areas affected by severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of December 6-23, 2015.

The destructive weather events—severe winter storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides— caused substantial damage across the state, especially in Clatsop, Columbia, Coos, Curry, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Washington, and Yamhill counties.

Federal funding is also being made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures for the entire the entire State of Oregon.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said the Federal Coordinating Officer for federal recovery operations in the affected area.

Federal Disaster Declarations (2015)

The federal government proclaimed 43 Major Disaster Declaration [DR 4205-4247] for a U.S. state/tribal area/territory in 2015, two Emergency Declarations, EM-3372 and EM-3373 and 34 Fire Management Assistance Declarations [FM-5084 to FM-5117.]

Major Disaster Declarations (2016)

• Major Disaster Declared for Alaska February 18, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Oklahoma February 12, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Texas February 10, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Arkansas [DR-4254] February 6, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Louisiana (EM-3376) February 6, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Washington [DR-4253] February 3, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration Proclaimed for Idaho [DR-4252] February 2, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Alabama [DR-4251] January 23, 2016
• Oklahoma Oak Grove Fire (FM-5118)
• Major Disaster Declared for Missouri [DR-4250] January 22, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared in Michigan [EM-3375] January 17, 2016
• Major Disaster Declaration for Washington [DR-4249] January 16, 2016
• Major Disaster Declared for Mississippi [DR-4248] January 5, 2016
• Federal Emergency Declared for Missouri [EM-3374] January 3, 2016
• Federal Disaster Declarations
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

January Breaks Global Temperature Records

January 2016 temperature breaks 2007 record —NOAA

The January 2016 globally-averaged temperature across land and ocean surfaces (SST) was 1.04°C (1.87°F) above the 20^th century average of 12.0°C (53.6°F), the highest for January in the 137-year period of record, breaking the previous record of 2007 by 0.16°C (0.29°F).

• This departure from average is the second highest among all months on record. December 2015 was the highest at 1.11°C (2.00°F) above average.
  • These two months are the only two to-date to surpass a monthly temperature departure of 1°C.

• January 2016 also marks the ninth consecutive month that the monthly temperature record has been broken and the 14^th consecutive month (since December 2014) that the monthly global temperature ranked among the three warmest for its respective month.

The global land surface temperature was 1.56°C (2.81°F) above average, the second highest on record for January, behind only 2007.

• Record warmth was observed across a swath of northern Siberia where temperatures rose at least 5°C (9°F) above the 1981–2010 monthly average.

• Parts of southeastern Asia, southwestern Asia and the Middle East, most of southern Africa, and areas of Central and South America, and Nearly all of the South American continent were much warmer than average.

• Northern Mexico, Scandinavia, and Central Asia around Mongolia were cooler than average, with a couple of areas that experienced much cooler-than-average temperatures, while parts of far western Russia and central Asia observed temperatures at least 5°C below average for the month.

SST

Record warmth was observed in all major ocean basins. The SST globally-averaged temperature departure of +0.86°C (+1.55°F) from the 20^th century average was the highest on record for January, surpassing the previous record of 2010 by 0.25°C (0.45°F).

NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, State of the Climate: Global Analysis for January 2016, published online February 2016, retrieved on February 18, 2016 from http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/global/201601.

Ankara Blast a False Flag by Turkish President, Allies?

Sent by a reader

Powerful explosion in Ankara leaves more than 100 dead or injured

Erdogan and his allies are inciting the Turkish military to cross the border into Syria to protect their assets, the terrorist groups that are losing the war to Syrian government forces. And what better way to realize  their evil plot than by bombing the military’s own!

Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has vowed to retaliate against the perpetrators of a powerful explosion in the capital Ankara that killed about 30 people and injured more than 60 others, most of them soldiers.

“Turkey will not shy away from using its right to self-defense at any time, any place or any occasion,” Erdogan said.

“Our determination to retaliate to these attacks, in Turkey and abroad, which aim at our unity, togetherness and future, is increasing with such actions.”

A key to Turkish president’s state of mind is the phrase “any place,” which indicates the extent of his Machiavellian scheme.

Unsurprisingly, no group has so far claimed responsibility for the explosion. Any future claims of responsibility may well be a part of the false flag operation.

In a separate explosion in the Swedish capital Stockholm, a building housing a Turkish cultural center was damaged on Wednesday, officials said.

Double-suicide bombing at a Kurdish peace rally in Ankara

In October 2015, more than a hundred people were killed in a double-suicide bombing at a Kurdish peace rally in Ankara. That bombing was also sanctioned by Erdogan.

Eyewitnesses said the explosions were carried out by suicide bombers and that there were no police personnel present near the crime scene when the bombing occurred. The riot police arrived at the scene about 15 minutes later, according to HDP Foreign Affairs Commission.

Related Links

• Pro-Kurdish HDP party pins Ankara bombing massacre on President Erdogan October 10, 2015
• Indict NATO – Stop Global Terrorism!  November 27, 2015