Deadly Heatwave Intensifies in India, Odisha Broils at Record 48.5ºC

Record-breaking heat claims more lives in eastern India

Mercury rose to a record 48.5ºC in Titlagarh (aka, Titilagarh) in the Indian state of Odisha on Sunday, breaking the town’s highest temperature record  for April set 17 years, said reports.

“Titlagarh had crossed 50 degree Celsius mark in 2003 on June 5 when it posted 50.1 degrees Celsius. Also, for the month of April, it is the highest since 1999 when on April 30 that year the place had registered 48.1 degrees Celsius,” said the director of meteorological center in the state capital Bhubaneswar.

The Odisha government has confirmed at least 88 deaths due to the heatwave across  the state, said a report.

Record or near-record temperatures have also been reported in dozens of towns and cities along the eastern seaboard.

Heatwaves have killed about 300 people in India, so far this year, local media reported.

Meanwhile, bout 45,000 people have been affected by flooding as the first wave of floods inundated more than 1,000 hectares of crops across four districts of Assam, said the state disaster management authority.

Related

• Significant Events – April 23, 2016
•  330 Million People Affected by Severe Drought: Indian Govt  April 20, 2016

Exceptional Drought Plagues Central, Northern China

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
RISING TEMPERATURES
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
CROP DISASTERS
FOOD INSECURITY
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 808, 800, 555, 444, 123, 111, 100, 033, 011, 08, 04, 03, 02
.

Water Famine Severely Affecting Parts of China

Persistent drought in north China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and central China’s Henan Province has dried up rivers and reservoirs, causing power and water shut-offs and severe drinking water shortages, said Xinhua.

In Inner Mongolia, about 600,000 people in seven prefectures and cities have been affected by the drought since April, with half of them lacking drinking water, according to the regional civil affairs department.

Some 150,000 hectares of farmland and 16.4 million hectares of pastures have been affected in the worst drought in three years. About 1.34 million heads of cattle also lack drinking water.

The worst drought since 1961, caused by more than 140 consecutive days without precipitation, has severely affected about 98 percent of pastures in Araxan prefecture, said the report.

Large swathes of Henan province have seen only about 10 percent of the average annual precipitation, making it the driest year since 1975.

About a million hectares of crops in the province had been affected by the drought as of July 26, 2014, said the report.

Pingdingshan City has had its worst drought since 1975. The Baiguishan Reservoir, the major source of drinking water in the city, was at dead storage level.

Water supply for car wash businesses, commercial swimming pools and public baths has been cut off in the city. Major water-consuming enterprises were ordered to restrict their consumption.

In the provincial capital of Zhengzhou City, the municipal power grid decided to restrict power supply for some residential compounds, enterprises and business operators for four days starting on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the temperatures are  forest to soar above above 35ºC in most  parts of the region this week,   according to the local meteorological office.

Freezing Temperatures Impact U.S. Deep South to Mid-Atlantic

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
DEEP FREEZE
.

Temperatures fall as much as 20 degrees below normal over Northern Plains

A powerful cold front has brought freezing temperatures to the central and eastern U.S. —NWS

Freezing temperatures will dive into the Deep South and to the Mid-Atlantic through Wednesday morning. This will be damaging to sensitive vegetation. Numerous Frost Advisories and Freeze Warnings are in effect. —NOAA

US Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap). UPDATE 

Related Links

• Another Round of Extra Terrestrial Weather Hits U.S. April 15, 2014

ITA Caused at least $1B in Damage

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
SUPER CYCLONIC FORCE
MASS EVACUATIONS
MAJOR DISASTER
CATASTROPHE ZONE DECLARED
.

Cyclone ITA affected 1,000km of QLD Coastline

Damage from Super Cyclone ITA has been estimated at $1bn, after the massive cyclone hit the Queensland coast near Cooktown in Queensland on Friday.

The cyclone severely affected the  coastline areas with high winds, and torrential rain, causing widespread flooding and destroying thousands of hectares of crops including bananas, beans, corn, capsicums, cucumbers, melons, sugarcane and tomatoes.

Much of the sugarcane crops in Ingham region were devastated and the town cut off by flooding.

About 90% of the region’s income depends on sugarcane, authorities said.

Super Cyclone ITA approaching QLD coast. Credit NOAA

Related Links

• ITA Could Become another Super Cyclone to Remember April 10, 2014
• Cyclone ITA Intensifying April 8, 2014

• YASI TAIL BUFFETS VICTORIA Posted on February 5, 2011
• Cyclone YASI Rainfall Rates – Satellite Images Posted on February 4, 2011
• MEGA CYCLONE YASI CAUSING MUCH DESTRUCTION Posted on February 3, 2011
• YASI a Mega Cyclone Posted on February 2, 2011
• YASI Could Become Super Cyclone Posted on February 1, 2011
• YASI: If the ‘Devil’ Were a Cyclone Posted on January 31, 2011

Federal Disaster Declared for Tennessee (DR-4171)

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENT
SEVERE WINTER STORM
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
.

White House Declares Major Disaster in Tennessee 

The 3-0 has declared a major disaster in the State of Tennessee in the areas affected by a severe winter storm during the period of March 2-4, 2014.

Areas worst affected by the  severe winter storm were the counties of Carroll, Cheatham, Dickson, Haywood, Houston, Madison, Shelby, and Tipton.

Latest Major Disaster Declarations

• Federal Disasters
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Major Disaster Declared for Maryland (DR-4170)

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENT
MAJOR SNOWSTORM
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
.

White House Declares Federal Disaster in Maryland

The 3-0 has declared a major disaster in the State of Maryland in the areas affected by a snowstorm during the period of February 12-13, 2014. 

Areas worst affected by the snowstorm were the counties of Baltimore, Carroll, and Howard.

Additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the state and warranted by the results of further damage assessments, said Fema.

Latest Major Disaster Declarations

• Federal Disasters
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disasters Declared for 11 U.S. States

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT
FREEZE, EXCESSIVE SNOW
CROP DISASTERS
.

Drought and Freeze Cause Crop Disasters across Dozens of Counties in 11 States

Crop Disasters Caused by DROUGHT

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated dozens of counties across 10 states—Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Kansas, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah—as crop disaster areas due to the drought.

Those areas are

• California. Imperial, Riverside and San Diego counties.
• Arizona. La Paz and Yuma counties.
• Colorado. Phillips, Baca, Kiowa, Prowers, Cheyenne, Kit Carson, Sedgwick and Yuma (2 designations) counties.
• Idaho. Cassia, Owyhee and Twin Falls counties.
• Kansas. Cheyenne, Greeley, Morton, Scott, Decatur (2 designations), Hamilton Norton, Seward, Graham, Haskell, Phillips, Sheridan, Grant, Meade, Rawlins , Sherman, Wallace, Wichita,Clark Gove, Lane, Smith, Finney, Gray, Logan, Stanton, Ford,  Kearny, Rooks, Stevens, Thomas  and Trego counties.
• Nebraska. Arthur, Chase (2 designations), Custer, Dawson, Deuel, Dundy (2 designations), Furnas (2 designations), Garden, Gosper, Harlan, Hayes (2 designations), Keith  (2 designations), Franklin, Frontier (2 designations), Hitchcock (3 designations), Lincoln (2 designations), Red Willow (3 designations),  Logan, McPherson and Perkins (2 designations) counties.
• Nevada. Elko, Eureka, Humboldt, Lander, Nye and White Pine counties.
• Oklahoma. Beaver, Cimarron and Texas counties.
• Texas. Crockett, Menard, Schleicher, Irion, Reagan, Sutton, Concho, Glasscock, Mason, Sterling, Upton, Crane, Kimble, Midland, Terrell, Val Verde, Edwards, McCulloch, Pecos and  Tom Green counties.
• Utah.  Box Elder and Tooele counties.

Crop Disasters Caused by FREEZE

USDA has also designated 20 counties in New York as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by freeze and excessive snow that occurred Dec. 1, 2013, and continues.

Those counties are Onondaga, Ontario, Schuyler, Seneca, Wyoming, Allegany, Cortland, Madison, Tompkins, Cattaraugus, Erie, Monroe, Wayne, Cayuga, Genesee, Oswego, Yates, Chemung, Livingston and Steuben.

Drought Disasters 2014

Since January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 1,010 counties across 16 states as crop disaster areas.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

• Crop disasters have been declared in an additional 42 counties in the states of New York and Pennsylvania due to  Freeze.

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. A number of counties may have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on April 2, 2014.

Related Links

• Crop Disaster Declared for 45 Counties in Texas, Oklahoma April 3, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 5 States as Drought Worsens March 27, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

What’s Your Story?

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXCEPTIONAL DROUGHT
WATER FAMINE
.

Drought worsens in southwest China

Lives of more than 60,000 people depend on this reservoir!

Chuanqian Reservoir in Heba Town, Fenggang County, southwest China’s Guizhou Province, March 22, 2014. (Photo: Xinhua/Luo Xinghan)

State of Emergency Declared in Mississippi

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
SEVERE STORMS
WIDESPREAD FLOODING
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Multiple counties in Mississippi  impacted by severe storms

Gov. Bryant has declared a state of emergency in 12 Mississippi counties that have been impacted by flooding and severe storms that battered the state beginning April 3. 

The declaration is for Chickasaw, Covington, Hinds, Holmes, Jones, Kemper, Marion, Neshoba, Newton, Noxubee, Simpson and Yazoo counties, said the governor in a statement. However, the declaration can be expanded to include additional counties if they are impacted.

“Multiple counties in Mississippi have been impacted by these storms. High water remains in many areas and could continue to rise if we see additional rainfall. Residents should avoid floodwaters and take all necessary safety precautions,” said Bryant. “MEMA and other state agencies are working to assist the counties and residents that have been impacted, and this state of emergency declaration will allow the use of additional tools and resources as we respond to this weather event.”

Meanwhile, the National Weather Service (NWS) forecast rivers would crest by Friday.

Missouri Declares a State of Emergency

On April 3, Gov. Nixon declared a statewide State of Emergency as a widespread severe weather system continued to batter the state of Missouri with at least three tornadoes, torrential rain, huge hail and high winds, causing flooding and flash flooding.

Tornadoes, high winds, torrential rain and softball-size hail  pounded U.S. South, Midwest.

 

 

Crop Disaster Declared for 45 Counties in Texas, Oklahoma

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Worsening Drought Causes More Crop Disasters in Texas, Oklahoma

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated a total of 45 counties in Texas and Oklahoma as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought.

Those areas are

• Texas. Bell, Dallas, Hamilton, McLennan, Comanche, Eastland, Hill, Mason, Coryell, Fannin, Lamar, Bosque, Erath, Lampasas, Palo, Pinto, Brown, Falls, Limestone, Red River, Burnet, Gillespie, Llano, Rockwall, Callahan, Grayson, McCulloch, San Saba, Collin, Hunt, Menard, Shackelford, Delta, Johnson, Milam, Stephens, Denton, Kaufman, Mills, Tarrant, Ellis, Kimble, Navarro and Williamson counties.

• Oklahoma. Bryan and Choctaw counties.

Drought Disasters 2014

Since January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 909 counties across 16 states as crop disaster areas due to worsening drought.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

• Crop disasters have been declared in an additional 22 counties in the states of New York and Pennsylvania due to  Freeze.

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. A number of counties may have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations posted above were approved by USDA on April 2, 2014.

Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared in 5 States as Drought Worsens March 27, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

‘Black Storm’ Warning as XL Hail Hammer HK

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
LARGE HAIL STORM
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
BLACK RAINSTORM WARNING
SEVERE FLOODING
.

Huge Hailstones Hammer Hong Kong

Hong Kong residents have been warned of more extreme weather as torrential rains and near hurricane-force winds batter the region.

Hong Kong Observatory issued the “Black Rainstorm” warning, their highest, after the system dumped more than 70mm of rain over Hong Kong Island and Kowloon in less than an hour, causing flash flooding.

The system unleashed fierce thunderstorms accompanied by 8,703 lightning strikes, with more than 3,500 in an one hour, said the observatory.

“Because of a low pressure trough affecting the south east region of Guangdong, we are expecting the region to continue to be affected with this weather over the next couple of days,” said a senior forecaster at the Observatory, warning of more thunderstorms, heavy rain, high winds , flooding and landslides.

“Over the next few days, heavier rain is expected to persist around the coastal region, including Hong Kong.”

 

 

U.S. Drought Conditions Continue to Worsen

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Drought spreads to nearly 52 percent of Contiguous US

Drought conditions D0 (Abnormally Dry) to D4 (Exceptional Drought) cover 51.95 percent of land area in the U.S., up more than 0.5 percent since last week, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Drought Monitor

US Drought Conditions D0 – D4

• West:  71.88% (up from 71.51% last week)
• South: 66.29% (up from 65.34%; D3 and D4 conditions rapidly expanding)
• High Plains: 47.65% (from 46.94%;  D1, D2 and D3 spreading)
• Midwest: 35.15%  (D1 condition spreading)
• Southeast: 6.02% (from 5.07%; D1 spreading from 0.0 to 0.61%)
• Northeast: 3.95% (unchanged)
• Contiguous US: 51.95% (from 51.47%)

Weekly Drought Map for the Contiguous United States. Sourced from US Drought Monitor. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Crop Disasters Caused by Drought

Since January 10, 2014, at least 864 counties across 16 states have been declared as crop disaster areas by USDA due to worsening drought.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. A number of counties may have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The latest disaster designations were issued by USDA for a total of 59 counties in five states—Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Arizona—on March 26, 2014.

Related Links

• California Drought Continues to Intensify March 20, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disasters Declared in 5 States as Drought Worsens

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop Disasters Declared in Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas, Arizona due to Worsening Drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture USDA has designated a total of 59 counties in five states—Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, Kansas and Arizona—as multiple crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought.

Those areas are

Texas: Hall, Briscoe, Collingsworth, Donley, Childress, Cottle and Motley counties.

Oklahoma: Alfalfa, Caddo, Major, Blaine, Custer, Grady, Kiowa,
Canadian, Dewey, Grant, Washita, Comanche, Garfield, Kingfisher, Woods and Woodward counties.

Kansas: Barton, Ellsworth, Kiowa, Mitchell, Edwards, Jewell, Lincoln, Osborne, Smith, Russell, Barber (2 designations), Ellis, Ottawa, Republic, Clark, Ford, Pawnee, Rice, Cloud, Hodgeman, Phillips, Rooks, Comanche, McPherson, Pratt, Stafford, Saline, Rush and Harper.

Nebraska: Franklin, Nuckolls and Webster counties.

Arizona:  Santa Cruz, Cochise and Pima counties.

Drought Disasters 2014

Since January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 864 counties across 16 states as crop disaster areas due to worsening drought.

• Those states are: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas and Utah.

Notes:
i. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

ii. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. A number of counties may have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

iv. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

v. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on March 26, 2014.

Related Links

• Crop Disasters Declared for Texas, Oklahoma, Idaho March 21, 2014
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disaster Declared in Three States

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop Disaster Declared for 20 Counties in Three States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 20 counties in three states as crop disaster areas, in two separate designations, due to the recent drought.

The disaster designations are for the states of California, Arizona and New Mexico.

• California: Riverside, San Diego, Imperial, Orange,  and San Bernardino counties.
• Arizona: Cochise, Graham,  Pima, Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, Apache Greenlee, Navajo, Yavapai, Coconino,  La Paz (2 disaster designations), Santa Cruz and Yuma counties.
• New Mexico: Hidalgo County.

Between January 10 and February 26, 2014 USDA has declared 674 counties as crop disaster areas due to drought.

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

4. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on February 26, 2014.

State of Emergency

Governor Brown proclaimed a State of Emergency on January 27  amid the worsening statewide drought.  He called the “really serious,” adding that 2014 could be California’s third consecutive dry year. “In many ways it’s a mega-drought.”

57 California Counties Declared Crop Disaster Areas

All but one of the 58 counties in the state of California have been declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Extreme Drought conditions.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 57 counties in the state of California as crop disaster areas due to the worsening drought, since the beginning of the year.

California State Resources

• Electronic snowpack readings –  http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/snowapp/sweq.action
• Electronic reservoir readings – http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action
• Water Conditions – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/
• California Drought Page – http://www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/drought/

2014 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• Crop Disaster Declared in 3 States February 14, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared For 8 States Due to Extreme Weather  February 7, 2014
• UPDATE: Drought Causes Crop Disaster in 25 Counties across 4 States February 6, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Forest Fires Rage Out of Control in Sichuan, SW China

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
RAGING FOREST FIRES
.

What little forest left …

Photo dated February 15, 2014 shows a forest fire raging out of control on a mountain in Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China’s Sichuan Province. Source: Xinhua/Cheng Xueli

Crop Disaster Declared in 3 States

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
DROUGHT
CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop Disaster Declared for 33 Counties in Three States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 33 counties in three states as crop disaster areas, in three separate designations, due to the recent drought.

The disaster designations are for the states of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico.

• Texas:  Andrews, Gaines, Winkler, Cochran, Loving, Yoakum, Donley, Lipscomb,  Roberts, Armstrong, Collingsworth, Hansford, Ochiltree, Briscoe, Gray, Hemphill, Wheeler, Carson, Hall and Hutchinson counties.
• Oklahoma: Beaver, Ellis, Dewey, Blaine, Ellis, Roger, Mills, Custer, Major and Woodward counties.
• New Mexico: Lea, Chaves, Eddy and Roosevelt counties.

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

4. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on February 12, 2014.

2014 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• Crop Disaster Declared For 8 States Due to Extreme Weather  February 7, 2014
• UPDATE: Drought Causes Crop Disaster in 25 Counties across 4 States February 6, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Severe Drought Forces Kosovo to Ration Water

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
SEVERE DROUGHT
.

Worst drought in decades strains Kosovo water supply

Authorities in Kosovo started rationing water to the capital Pristina and its suburbs on Monday amid worst drought in more than three decades, said reports.

The country’s reservoirs are at worrying levels due to abnormally low levels of precipitation, Reuters reported the state water company Prishtina as saying.

Prishtina supplies water to about 400,000 people, or a quarter of Kosovo’s population, said the report.

Jobless in Kosovo

Kosovo is one of the poorest countries in Europe. Up to 45% of the workforce in Kosovo are unemployed with only a fraction  of the 30,000 people entering the job market each year able to find work.

On Sunday Pristina police used tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters at the country’s main public university.

Drought Links

• Istanbul Running Out of Water in 100 Days January 23, 2014

Flooding Kills Scores of People in Burundi Capital

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
.

Deadly Flooding and Landslides Hit Burundi Capital

Flooding and landslides triggered by Extreme Rain Events in the Burundi capital of Bujumbura swept away hundreds of homes, cutting off roads, leaving many people dead or missing, and many more injured, according to officials.

“The rain that fell in torrents overnight on the capital caused a disaster,” Security Minister Nizigama told reporters.

“We have already found the bodies of 51 people killed when their houses collapsed or were swept away.”

An Extreme Rain Event , which lasted more than 10 hours overnight, caused widespread flooding, cut power to the entire city, washed away roads and destroyed crops.

“The road leading out of the capital to neighboring Rwanda was blocked because of a landslide while a bridge was washed away on the road to the Democratic Republic of Congo,” said a report.

Bujumbura (Population: ~ 900,000)is the capital, largest city, and main port of Burundi, located on the northeastern shore of Lake Tanganyika.

Bushfires Destroy Homes across SE Australia

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
RAGING BUSHFIRES
.

Bushfires spark emergency warnings across Victoria and South Australia

Scores of bushfires have consumed large swathes of Victoria and South Australia, destroying homes and farms amid the worst fire conditions since Black Saturday.

On and around February 7, 2009 (Black Saturday) bushfires killed at least 173 people, left more than 400 others injured, and destroyed about 2,000 homes.

“There has been no official confirmation of the number of properties lost but ABC reporters saw homes razed in the Gisborne, Craigieburn and Warrandyte areas,” reported ABC Australia.

Bushfires near Craigieburn, north of Melbourne, Victoria, February 9, 2014. Credit: Darren Arthur/ Audience submitted via ABC Aus.

Many residents have been ordered to leave their homes as flames spread to the outer suburbs of Melbourne, Australia’s second largest city.

• At least 70 bushfire are burning across the state of Victoria.
• More than 140 Emergency Warnings have been issued.

Authorities have closed roads across the devastated areas and told residents who evacuated their homes not to return, said the report.

Smoke rises from the Bangor bushfire in South Australia, February 9, 2014. Image Credit: Kendall Jackson/Audience submitted via ABC Aus.

South Australia

Meanwhile, the Bangor fire, which has consumed more than 30,000 hectares in South Australia, is slowly creeping  towards the towns of Beetaloo, Beetaloo Valey, Laura, Stone-Hutt, Wirrabara and Wirrabarra Forest, having breached its containment lines on Saturday, the report said.

Emergency Warnings: http://www.emergency.vic.gov.au

Developing story …

Related Links

• Southern Australia Burning in Another Day of Extreme Temperatures January 17, 2014
• Adelaide World’s Hottest City at 43.3°C January 16, 2014
• Uncontrolled Bushfires Rage in Victoria and South Australia January 15, 2014
• Australia: Temperatures Continue to Soar January 14, 2014
• Extreme Heat Wave Setting Australia on Fire January 13, 2014
• Record Heat Scorching Australia January 3, 2014

• Major Heatwave Enters 5th Day in Australia December 16, 2013
• Australia’s Bushfire Losses Top 1,000 October 25, 2013
• Costs of Back-to-back Disasters in Australia Continue to Mount October 22, 2013
• Australia Declares Emergency as NSW Bushfires Destroy “Hundreds of Homes” October 17, 2013

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast [Index of related links since 2007]

See also:

• Stick the Policies, Stop the Climate Change! February 12, 2009

Flooding Forces Thousands of Evacuations in Buenos Aires

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
.

Extreme Rain Events dumped up to 157mm (6 inches) of rain on  parts of Buenos Aires province on Friday triggering widespread flooding in the Argentine capital, as well as the cities of San Nicolás, San Pedro, Arrecifes, Ramallo, La Plata, Ensenada and Berisso.

Provincial districts of La Matanza, Berisso, Lomas de Zamora, Moreno, Ituzaingó and Luján were also severely affected, said a senior  official.

The floods have left at least 1 person dead and thousands displaced, according to local reports.

Authorities in Buenos Aires have advised citizens to avoid touching electric cables or lamp posts, reported Buenos Aires Herald.

“Buenos Aires City also lived through a day of chaos with flooded streets and more than 100 stoplights out of service. Much of the subway stopped operating due to the floods and train services and flights were delayed.”

White House Signs Pennsylvania Emergency Declaration

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Severe Winter Storm in Pennsylvania Prompts Federal Emergency Declaration

The White House has declared an emergency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania due to the emergency conditions resulting from a severe winter storm beginning on February 4, 2014, and continuing.

Areas worst affected by the severe winter storm are the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Lancaster, Montgomery, Philadelphia, and York.

The storm knocked power to nearly a million homes and businesses in Pennsylvania , according to the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency.

“The storm that we had yesterday is pretty much done for Pennsylvania,” said a forecaster with the National Weather Service in State College, Pennsylvania.

Related Links

• Never Mind the Salt, Propane Shortage Biting Hard February 6, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, Pennsylvania February 6, 2014

Energy Emergency

• Deadly Winter Storm Prompts States of Emergency in Georgia, Carolinas  January 29, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi …  January 28, 2014

• Wisconsin Declares State of Emergency over Extreme Cold, Fuel Shortage January 26, 2014
• Louisiana Declares 2nd State of Emergency due to Dangerous Cold January 25, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared for Louisiana January 24, 2014

• Energy Emergency Declared for Alabama January 24, 2014
• Tennessee Declares Statewide Energy Emergency January 22, 2014
• Ohio Declares Statewide Energy Emergency January 20, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in Oklahoma due to Propane Shortage January 8, 2014

Crop Disaster Declared For 8 States Due to Extreme Weather

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
MULTIPLE CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop disasters declared in 43 counties due to drought, flash flooding, flooding, excessive heat, excessive rain, lightning, high wind…

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated ten counties in two states—Maine and New Hampshire—as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by flash flooding, flooding, excessive heat, excessive rain, lightning and high wind that occurred April 1 – October 31, 2013.
Those counties are

• Maine: Androscoggin, Oxford, Sagadahoc, Cumberland, Franklin, Kennebec, Lincoln and York counties.

• New Hampshire: Carroll and Coos counties.

Excessive Moisture and Heat

USDA has designated a total of eight counties in Massachusetts and Connecticut as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive moisture and heat that occurred during the 2013 crop year.

Those counties are

• Massachusetts: Hampden, Hampshire, Berkshire, Franklin and Worcester counties.

• Connecticut: Hartford, Litchfield and Tolland counties.

Crop Disaster Declared for 25 Counties in Four States due to Drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 25 counties in four states as crop disaster areas due to the recent drought. The disaster designations are for the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado.

• The disaster designation areas in California are Del Norte, Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.

• Oregon: Curry and Josephine counties.

• New Mexico:  DeBaca, Harding, Rio Arriba, Taos, Chaves, Los Alamos, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Colfax, Mora, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Guadalupe, Quay, San Juan, Union and  Lincoln counties.

• Colorado: Archuleta, Conejos and Costilla counties.

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

4. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on February 5, 2014.

2014 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• UPDATE: Drought Causes Crop Disaster in 25 Counties across 4 States February 6, 2014
• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

UPDATE: Drought Causes Crop Disaster in 25 Counties across 4 States

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTER
.

Crop Disaster Declared for 25 Counties in Four States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 25 counties in four states as crop disaster areas due to the recent drought.

The disaster designations are for the states of California, Oregon, New Mexico and Colorado.

• The disaster designation areas in California are Del Norte, Humboldt and Siskiyou counties.

• Oregon: Curry and Josephine counties.

• New Mexico:  DeBaca, Harding, Rio Arriba, Taos, Chaves, Los Alamos, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Colfax, Mora, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Guadalupe, Quay, San Juan, Union and  Lincoln counties.

• Colorado: Archuleta, Conejos and Costilla counties.

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

4. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on February 5, 2014.

2014 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disaster Declared for 20 Counties in Two States

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
WORSENING DROUGHT
CROP DISASTER
.

Drought Causes Crop Disaster in 20 Counties across Two States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 20 counties in two states as crop disaster areas due to the recent drought.

The disaster designations are for the states of New Mexico and Colorado.

• The drought disaster areas in New Mexico are the counties of DeBaca, Harding, Rio Arriba, Taos, Chaves, Los Alamos, Roosevelt, San Miguel, Colfax, Mora, Sandoval, Santa Fe, Guadalupe, Quay, San Juan, Union and  Lincoln.

• The disaster areas in Colorado are the counties of Archuleta, Conejos and Costilla.

Notes:
1. USDA trigger point for a countywide disaster declaration is 30 percent crop loss on at least one crop.

2. The total number of counties designated as agricultural disaster areas includes both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

3. The U.S. has a total of 3,143 counties and county-equivalents.

4. A number of counties have been designated crop disaster areas more than once due to multiple disasters.

5. The disaster designations were approved by USDA on February 5, 2014.

2014 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• California Drought Worsens February 6, 2014
• California Drought Could Paralyze the U.S.  February 2, 2014
• California Drops State Water Allocation to Zero  February 1, 2014
• California Drought Intensifies January 30, 2014
• California Communities Could Run Out of Water in 60 to 120 Days January 29, 2014
• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• California Declares Drought State of Emergency January 18, 2014
• California Governor to Declare Drought Emergency January 17, 2014
• High Fire Danger in Southern California amid Driest Conditions on Record January 17, 2014
• 520 Counties across 16 States Declared Crop Disaster Areas due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Southern Australia Burning in Another Day of Extreme Temperatures

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
.

Hundreds ordered to evacuate as  bushfires continue to rage out of control

A massive 45,000-hectare bushfire in Victoria is creating its own weather system, as authorities  declare multiple emergency warnings in the worst hit areas.

A 12-km convection column, known as a pyrocumulonimbus cloud [pyro-cb,] has been creating its own weather above the Grampians fire, including thunderstorms and lightning, said a report.

The American Meteorological Society describes pyro-cb as “a cumulus cloud formed by a rising thermal from a fire, or enhanced by buoyant plume emissions from an industrial combustion process.”

Image shows a pyro-cb column forming above the Grampians fire. Screen dump from ABC Australia Video clip.

Hundreds of bushfire are burning across Australia including more than 70 in the state of Victoria, which are raging out of control. Dozens more blazes are burring in South Australia, West Australia and at least 45 in New South Wales.

Officials have confirmed that a woman was killed in the Grampians fire at Roses Gap, whilst a number of homes were destroyed in South Australia’s Eden Valley northeast of Adelaide, said a report.

The flames are spreading so fast, they were described as being like “running water” by a helicopter crew monitoring the disaster areas.

Authorities also fear that up to 25 fires currently burning uncontrollably east of Victoria could join to form a mega fire measuring at least 500,000 hectares (1.2 million acres).

More than 1,000 fires across Southern Australia have been sparked by lightning since last week.

Developing story …

• Australia’s National Warnings Summary

Related Links

• Adelaide World’s Hottest City at 43.3°C January 16, 2014
• Uncontrolled Bushfires Rage in Victoria and South Australia January 15, 2014
• Australia: Temperatures Continue to Soar January 14, 2014
• Extreme Heat Wave Setting Australia on Fire January 13, 2014
• Record Heat Scorching Australia January 3, 2014

• Major Heatwave Enters 5th Day in Australia December 16, 2013
• Australia’s Bushfire Losses Top 1,000 October 25, 2013
• Costs of Back-to-back Disasters in Australia Continue to Mount October 22, 2013
• Australia Declares Emergency as NSW Bushfires Destroy “Hundreds of Homes” October 17, 2013

• Back-to-Back Disasters Could Hit Australia: FIRE-EARTH Forecast [Index of related links since 2007]