The Land of Rising Heat

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

2012 warmest year on record for continental U.S.

The Lower 48 experienced its warmest year on record in 2012 as the average temperature rose to 12.9°C (55.3°F), some 1.8°C (3.2°F) above the 20^th century average, and 0.6°C (1.0°F) above 1998, the previous warmest year, NOAA reported.

Every state in the contiguous U.S. had an above-average annual temperature for 2012. Nineteen states had a record warm year and an additional 26 states had one of their 10 warmest. Source: NOAA

Other Highlights

• 2012 was the 2nd most extreme year on record for the country, according the U.S. Climate Extremes Index. “The index, which evaluates extremes in temperature and precipitation, as well as landfalling tropical cyclones, was nearly twice the average value and second only to 1998. To date, 2012 has seen 11 disasters that have reached the $1 billion threshold in losses, to include Sandy, Isaac, and tornado outbreaks experienced in the Great Plains, Texas and Southeast/Ohio Valley.”
• The average precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. for 2012 was 67.5 cm (26.57 inches), 6.5 cm (2.57 in) below average.
• The 2012 drought plagued 61 percent of the U.S. at its peak in July. “The dry conditions proved ideal for wildfires in the West, charring 9.2 million acres — the third highest on record.”

Annual Extremes: Several locations throughout the United States experienced temperature and precipitation extremes in 2012. Most striking was the number of locations across the country that broke their average annual temperature record. These records were primarily driven by extremely warm maximum day time temperatures or daily highs, especially during the spring and summer months. More than a dozen of these locations also experienced their driest year on record. In those areas, the combination of the extreme warm and dry period resulted in a drought comparable to the drought episodes of the 1950s. Source: NOAA/NCDC

Significant weather and climate events- Preliminary

Significant weather and climate events- preliminary

GLOBAL WARNINGS

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!
• Europe: The First Phase of Collapse Has Started 
• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun

.

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,158 Days Left 

[January 9, 2013] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,158 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

Freezing Weather Kills Scores in Eastern Europe

Temperatures plunge to -36ºC (-33ºF) in parts of Eastern Europe

Heavy snow and a severe cold snap have killed at least 90 people across central and eastern Europe and left more than a thousand others suffering from hypothermia and frostbites. 

Disaster Calendar 2012 – February 1

[February 1, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,505 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Eastern Europe.  A severe cold snap across central and eastern Europe has killed at least 90 people since last Sunday and left more than a thousand others hit by hypothermia and frostbites. 
  • Temperatures have plunged to as low as -36ºC (-33ºF) in some areas, the coldest in living memory.
  • Freeze-related deaths have been reported throughout the region including in Bosnia, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Turkey and Ukraine.
  • The air temperature in some parts of the republic of Yakutia (Siberia) has fallen to as low as -50C (-58F), a report said.
  • In Moscow, the temperature fell below -30C, Wednesday morning, about 14 degrees below normal.
  • Heavy snow has made roads impassible, cutting off power to many areas, forcing hundrdes of schools to close down and prompting various governments to enact emergency measures.
  • In Bulgaria, 25 of the country’s 28 districts have declared states of emergency.
  • In Ukraine, tens of thousands of homeless have sought refuge in makeshift shelters.
  • In Czech republic capital of Prague, about 5,000 homeless people huddled up in an emergency tent set up by the authorities outside the City Hall.
  • In Serbia, at least 20 municipalities have declared states of emergency.
  • In Turkey, all flights out of Istanbul airport have been canceled.
  • In Romania, blizzard cut electricity to more than 50 cities.
  • Snowfalls were reported in southern Italy and the island of Corsica in the Mediterranean.
  • [NOTE: The actual death figure is probably in the hundreds.]
  • More heavy snow is forecast for the region, as the cold snap intensifies.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

• States of emergency declared in Bulgaria
• Thousands of Chinese displaced amid deep freeze

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

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

When Disasters Strike

Store Shelves Go Empty!

Images of the Day:

Britain’s Big Freeze Continues

The shelves are bare: Shortages have meant milk is running out in supermarkets like this store in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. Source: Mail Online. Image may be subject to copyright.

Empty milk shelves at a shop in Sevenoaks, Kent, UK (Enterprise). Shoppers have been stocking up on winter essentials following reports of near-empty shelves in some areas and further freezing weather.  Source Metro. Image may be subject to copyright.

Related Links:

• Europe Freezes Over 3 Weeks Early