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CO2 levels reach new global monthly record of 400ppm

Yet another greenhouse gas benchmark has been reached globally.

Global atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have reached a new monthly record of 400 parts per million (ppm), the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced.

“We first reported 400 ppm when all of our Arctic sites reached that value in the spring of 2012. In 2013 the record at NOAA’s Mauna Loa Observatory first crossed the 400 ppm threshold. Reaching 400 parts per million as a global average is a significant milestone,” said the lead scientist of NOAA’s Global Greenhouse Gas Reference Network.

CO2 has risen about 120 parts per million since preindustrial times, with about 50 percent of the increase occurring since 1980.

On April 3, FIRE-EARTH forecast that the weekly average atmospheric CO₂ at Mauna Loa could hit 400ppm by May 2013.

Last 5 days of preliminary daily average CO₂

May 06 – 404.34
May 05 – 404.13
May 04 – Unavailable
May 03 – 403.63
May 02 – 403.59

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

Week beginning on April 26, 2015:     403.78 ppm
Weekly value from 1 year ago:     401.73 ppm
Weekly value from 10 years ago:     382.52 ppm
Last updated: May 7, 2015

Recent Monthly Average Mauna Loa CO₂

April 2015:     403.26 ppm
April 2014:     401.29 ppm
Last updated: May 5, 2015

Recent Global CO₂

March 2015:     400.83 ppm
March 2014:     398.10 ppm
Last updated: May 5, 2015

Related Links

• Weekly Average CO2 at Mauna Loa Tops 400ppm June 4, 2013
• CO2 Tops 400ppm at Mauna Loa as Forecast May 11, 2013
• 400 PPM April 3, 2013

The March Hares and Rising CO2 at Mauna Loa

Trends in Atmospheric CO2: Sky Is the Limit!

Up-to-date weekly average CO2 at Mauna Loa [Last updated: April 17, 2014]
Week beginning on April 6, 2014: 401.25 ppm
Weekly value from 1 year ago: 397.67 ppm
Weekly value from 10 years ago: 380.52 ppm

Recent Global CO2 [Last updated: April 8, 2014]
February 2014:     398.06 ppm
February 2013:     395.61 ppm

Recent Monthly Average Mauna Loa CO2
March 2014: 399.65 ppm
March 2013: 397.31 ppm

Last 5 days of preliminary daily average CO₂
April 16 – 401.24
April 15 – 402.02
April 14 – 402.16
April 13 – 401.71
April 12 – 401.09

 

The graph shows recent monthly mean carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii. The last four complete years of the Mauna Loa CO₂ record plus the current year are shown. Data are reported as a dry air mole fraction defined as the number of molecules of carbon dioxide divided by the number of all molecules in air, including CO₂ itself, after water vapor has been removed. The mole fraction is expressed as parts per million (ppm). Example: 0.000400 is expressed as 400 ppm.

In the above figure, the dashed red line with diamond symbols represents the monthly mean values, centered on the middle of each month. The black line with the square symbols represents the same, after correction for the average seasonal cycle. The latter is determined as a moving average of SEVEN adjacent seasonal cycles centered on the month to be corrected, except for the first and last THREE and one-half years of the record, where the seasonal cycle has been averaged over the first and last SEVEN years, respectively.

The last year of data are still preliminary, pending recalibration of reference gases and other quality control checks. The Mauna Loa data are being obtained at an altitude of 3400 m in the northern subtropics, and may not be the same as the globally averaged CO2 concentration at the surface. Source: ESRL/NOAA

 

 

Weekly Average CO2 at Mauna Loa Tops 400ppm

Accelerating Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week beginning on May 26, 2013:     400.03 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     396.43 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     378.57 ppm

Recent Monthly Average Mauna Loa CO₂

• April 2013:     398.40 ppm
• April 2012:     396.18 ppm

Recent Global CO₂

• March 2013:     396.52 ppm
• March 2012:     393.57 ppm

Related Links

• CO2 Tops 400ppm at Mauna Loa as Forecast May 11, 2013
• 400 PPM April 3, 2013

 

Global CO2 Emissions Up 2.5 Pct

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,214 Days Left 

[November 14, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,214 Days Left to the most Fateful Day in Human History
• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

.

Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Global 2011 CO2 emissions top 34 billion metric tons: IWR

Global CO2 emissions again reached a new record in 2011 rising 2.5 percent to 34 billion metric tons (bmt), compared with 33.2 bmt in 2010, as humanoids continued to consume ever-increasing amounts of fossil fuels, according to IWR, a renewable energy institute based in Germany.

• Global CO2 emissions have risen by more than 50 percent in two decades.
• In 1990,  some 22.7 bmt of carbon dioxide were emitted globally, IWR reported.

• “China comes highest in the CO2 ranking of countries for 2011 with 8.9 bn metric tons of carbon dioxide (2010: 8.3 bn metric tons). That is 50 percent more than the USA with 6.0 bn metric tons (2010: 6.2 bn metric tons), which ranked second. At 1.8 bn metric tons (2010: 1.7 bn metric tons), India ranks third ahead of Russia with 1.67 bn metric tons (2010: 1.7 bn metric tons) and Japan with 1.3 bn metric tons (2010: 1.3 bn metric tons). Germany ranks 6th with 804 m metric tons (2010: 828 m metric tons). Among the top 10 largest emitters, the USA, Russia and Germany reduced their CO2 emissions in comparison to the previous year (all national results at http://www.cerina.org/de/co2-2011),” said IWR.

Monthly mean atmospheric carbon dioxide at Mauna Loa Observatory. Source: ESRL

Annual mean carbon dioxide growth rates for Mauna Loa. Decadal averages of the growth rate are plotted as horizontal lines for 1960 through 1969, 1970 through 1979, and so on. Source: ESRL

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

GLOBAL WARNING

• WARNING: Human impact 2.85 x Earth’s diminishing carrying capacity
• WARNING: RAPID DECLINE IN PROGRESS!

Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States

Extreme Weather Events Cause Agricultural Disasters in  Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Wisconsin

Damage and losses caused by the combined effects of blizzards, excessive snow, excessive heat, excessive rain, high winds, hail, freeze, frost, tornadoes, flooding and lightening that occurred between January 1 and May 11, 2012 prompted USDA to declare disaster in 94 counties across 4 states.

List of the 72 Michigan counties declared Primary Disaster Areas

List of 10 Michigan counties declared Contiguous Disaster Areas

The following 12 counties in Indiana, Ohio and Wisconsin have also been designated as disaster areas because they are contiguous.

• Indiana: Elkhart, Lagrange, La Porte, St. Joseph and Steuben counties.
• Ohio: Fulton, Lucas and Williams counties.
• Wisconsin: Florence, Forest, Marinette and Vilas counties.

March Heat, April Freezes

According to a report by the Central Region Climate Response Team, March Heat, April Freezes, March 2012 “was the warmest March on record for 25 states east of the Rockies, and for 15 other states this March ranked among the ten warmest.”

“During the middle of March maximum temperatures were averaging 40 degrees F above normal. Maximum temperatures regularly reached the low and mid 80s
well north into Wisconsin. Many locations broke daily records by more than 20 degrees F.”

However, April 2012 experienced “at least three significant cold air masses” that crept into the Midwest and caused freezing temperatures.

• Iowa. The freeze caused a 50% destruction of the grape crop, about 90% damage to the apple and fruit tree blossoms and caused significant damage to corn and other crops.

• Illinois. The 2012 apple crop in parts of the state was a total loss due to freeze on April 11.
  • “Sweet corn grower in Vermilion County planted sweet corn on March 19. Plants were up a couple of leaves when back‐to‐back freezes hit (26F and 27F), reducing stand by 5,000 plants per acre.
  • “Sleepy Creek Vineyard in Vermilion County reported earliest budding grapevines had 100 percent damage, and others had 80 percent damage.”

• Michigan. “Thousands of acres of this year’s grape crop have been lost across southwest lower Michigan.
  • “A surveyor for National Grape Cooperative, better known as Welch’s Foods, said he went through hundreds of acres before even finding a live bud.  John Jasper estimates more than 10,000 acres were destroyed April 12, mostly in Berrien, Cass and Van Buren counties.
  • “Many apple, peach, cherry and blueberry orchards have also had substantial losses across northern Indiana and southern Lower Michigan.”

• Wisconsin.  “Cherry growers in Door County, WI, anticipate losses of 70% …”

• Kentucky.  Frost damaged apples, peaches, pears, plums, blackberries, blueberries, strawberries, and grapes to varying degrees across the state.
  • “Wheat harvest began two weeks early in Kentucky due to warm weather, but warm temperatures, and then a brief cold snap, have wreaked havoc on the crop’s yield, which some farmers say has been cut nearly in half. Some farmers are getting 12 bu/acre, compared to a normal of 80 bu/acre,” said the report (PDF file).

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week of June 24, 2012:     395.33 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.50 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.08 ppm

Recent Mauna Loa CO₂

• May 2012:     396.78 ppm
• May 2011:     394.16 ppm
• May 2002:    375.65 ppm
• May 1962:     321.01 ppm
• [1-year increase: 2.62 ppm; 10-year increase: 21.13 ppm; 50-year increase: 75.77 ppm]

Recent Global CO₂

• April 2012:     394.01 ppm (1-year increase: 2.18 ppm)
• April 2011:     391.83 ppm

New Zealand Earthquake

• A Richter magnitude 7.0 quake struck the Cook Strait, west coast of North Island, NZ, about 100km SSW of New Plymouth and 170 km north-west of Wellington (40.00°S, 173.75°E), at a depth of about 230km on Tuesday, July 3 2012 at 10:36UTC.
  • NO tsunami warning was issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center.
  • NO report of casualties, as of posting.
  • The quake shook Wellington and was felt as far away as the Bay of Plenty and Christchurch, reports said.

U.S. Heat Wave

US Weather Hazards Map, July 3, 2012. “The heat wave continues for a large portion of the central and eastern U.S., with high temperatures this afternoon forecast to be 10-15 degrees above normal. Combined with high levels of humidity, this will create dangerous heat index values as high as 100-110 degrees for locations such as Minneapolis, Chicago, Kansas City and St. Louis,” said NWS.

The core of the record heat in the central United States is forecast to move gradually to the east this week, however heat alerts and heat indices to 105 degrees will continue. “Much of the eastern half of the country will continue to bake under clear skies, high temperatures and a lack of significant rain,” said NOAA forecasters.

Continued relentless heat through most of the week from the Plains to the Atlantic Coast will dominate the weather events.

Current Warnings Prompted by Unrelenting Heat

Red Flag Warnings, Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories issued in parts of 26 states from Wyoming to North Carolina.

Heat Advisories

Heat Advisories are in effect until this evening for parts of the Northern Plains, Ohio Valley and the Southeast:

• North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida.

Record Daily High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012

All Time Record High Temperatures Nationwide – June 2012

Mid-Atlantic Derecho

• Death toll has climbed to 22 after the weekend derecho that ravaged the Mid-Atlantic region, with at least 2 million utility customers, or an estimated 7 million people, experiencing power outages amid the continued heat.

Drought Emergency

• Nebraska.  Gov. Heineman has declared a state emergency due to the drought conditions throughout the state of Nebraska.
  • “This declaration is important for continued efforts of state officials to ensure the safety of Nebraskans,” Heineman said. “This action is necessary as dry conditions are presenting an imminent threat to the ability of local governments to respond to drought conditions. Additionally, actions such as haying along the roadsides in Nebraska help with drought conditions.”
  • Nebraska has broken or tied scores of record high temperatures in recent days.
  • Extreme temperatures will continue over central and western Nebraska through at least Friday due to high pressure lingering over the Central Plains, NWS reported.
  • “As excessive heat and dry conditions continue, fire danger is high again today. In addition, isolated thunderstorms are possible this afternoon and evening in north central Nebraska and in the Panhandle. The very dry conditions will continue to make the use of fireworks and even power equipment hazardous.”

Map of U.S. Precipitation (7-day total)

Map of U.S. Precipitation as Percent of Normal (7-day total)

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Encephalitis Kills 200 in Bihar, India

Death toll exceeds 200 in AES outbreak in Bihar, eastern India

An outbreak of Acute Encephalitis Syndrome (AES) has claimed at least 200 lives in India’s eastern state of Bihar since May, reports quoting government sources said.

State health officials in Bihar have identified 10 districts where the mosquito-borne disease has spread. Most of the dead are children.

The disease has killed thousands of people in India since the late 1970s, reports said.

Encephalitis is an acute inflammation of the brain, which can be caused by a bacterial infection, e.g, bacterial meningitis, spreading directly to the brain.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of a brain with encephalitis. It has resulted in a large lesion (orange). Source: NHS/UK

Acute viral encephalitis

Acute viral encephalitis is most often caused by a viral infection from a large list of viruses that include rabies virus, herpes simplex virus (the virus that causes cold sores and the sexually transmitted infection, STI, genital herpes), poliovirus, measles virus, JC virus, West Nile Virus, mumps, varicella zoster virus (the virus which is responsible for chickenpox in children and shingles in adults), and rubella.

Exposure to viruses can occur through

• Breathing in respiratory droplets from an infected person
• Contaminated food or drink
• Mosquito, tick, and other insect bites
• Skin contact (Source A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia and others

Other causes may include an allergic reaction to vaccinations, autoimmune disease, bacteria, such as Lyme disease, complication of an existing infectious disease such as syphilis and tuberculosis, parasitic infestations, such as malaria, roundworms, cysticercosis, and toxoplasmosis in AIDS patients and other people who have a weakened immune system, or the effects of cancer.

For a list of other acute infections and symptoms click HERE.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic. An Excessive Heat Warning remains in effect from 1 pm Wednesday  to 6 am EDT Friday for New Castle-Mercer-Gloucester-Camden-Northwestern Burlington-Chester-Montgomery-Bucks-Delaware-Philadelphia- including the cities of Wilmington, Trenton, Glassboro, Camden, CherryHill, Moorestown, Mount Holly, West Chester, Norristown, Doylestown, Media and Philadelphia. NWS has forecast Heat Index Values of up yo 103ºF (39.4ºC).
• Arizona and California.  An Excessive Heat Watch remains in effect through Friday for east-central, southwest and south-central Arizona deserts and lower deserts of far southeast California. Cities include the Phoenix Metro area, Yuma, El Centro, Casa Grande, Wickenburg, Parker and Blythe. NWS has forecast temperature high of up to 115ºF (~46ºC).

• North Carolina.A wildfire that is burning in Croatan National Forest has grown to 10,800 acres, a fire official said.
  • “Ash has been falling from the sky in areas near the forest, and high levels of particle pollution have spurred two agencies to issue alerts. The National Weather Service has issued a Code Red Air Quality alert for Craven County until 8:15 PM on June 19. And the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources has issued a Code Red Air Quality Action Day for Craven, Jones, and Pamlico Counties,” said a report.

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week of June 10, 2012:     396.37 ppm  (1-year increase:  2.75 ppm)
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.62 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.41 ppm

Recent Mauna Loa CO₂

• May 2012:     396.78 ppm  (1-year increase: 2.62 ppm; 10-year increase: 21.13 ppm; 50-year increase: 75.77 ppm)
• May 2011:     394.16 ppm
• May 2002:    375.65 ppm
• May 1962:     321.01 ppm

The graph shows recent monthly mean carbon dioxide measured at Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii.

The last four complete years of the Mauna Loa CO₂ record plus the current year are shown. Data are reported as a dry air mole fraction defined as the number of molecules of carbon dioxide divided by the number of all molecules in air, including CO₂ itself, after water vapor has been removed. The mole fraction is expressed as parts per million (ppm). Example: 0.000400 is expressed as 400 ppm.  In the above figure, the dashed red line with diamond symbols represents the monthly mean values, centered on the middle of each month. The black line with the square symbols represents the same, after correction for the average seasonal cycle. The latter is determined as a moving average of SEVEN adjacent seasonal cycles centered on the month to be corrected, except for the first and last THREE and one-half years of the record, where the seasonal cycle has been averaged over the first and last SEVEN years, respectively. [Source: NOAA/ESRL]

Recent Global CO₂

• April 2012:     394.01 ppm (1-year increase: 2.18 ppm)
• April 2011:     391.83 ppm

The graph shows recent monthly mean carbon dioxide globally averaged over marine surface sites. The Global Monitoring Division of NOAA/Earth System Research Laboratory has measured carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases for several decades at a globally distributed network of air sampling sites [Conway, 1994]. A global average is constructed by first fitting a smoothed curve as a function of time to each site, and then the smoothed value for each site is plotted as a function of latitude for 48 equal time steps per year. A global average is calculated from the latitude plot at each time step [Masarie, 1995].   Source: NOAA/ESRL

• Typhoon GUCHOL and TS TALIM

Source: SSEC

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 13 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,372 Days Left

[June 13, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,372 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Colorado Blaze Devours 42,000 Acres in 60 Hrs

High Park Fire in Larimer County, CO, consumes 42,000 acres in 2½ Days

The High Park Fire in Larimer County about 15 miles west of Fort Collins was sparked by lightning on Saturday June 11 and has already consumed an estimated 42,000 acres (~ 65 sq miles, 170 km²), destroying at least 120 structures. 

Flame lengths of 300 feet have been reported, with the fire moving at up to 40 feet per minute at times, Inciweb reported. The blaze is currently zero percent contained and the activity is expected to increase due to the “very, very dry fuels,” wind and fire weather conditions.

“The hope for containment today is tenuous — totally dependent on the weather,” said the incident commander. “We may be at zero percent tonight.”

Thousands of people have abandoned their homes amid demands by Colorado’s congressional delegation that the U.S. Forest Service commits more resources to the fire.

The blaze has claimed at least one life, as of posting.

Panorama of High Park fire from the 3rd floor of Rigden Farm Senior Living Complex, Southeast Fort Collins, 6:15 p.m. June 10, 2012.  Photo courtesy of Jane Thomson

Inciweb said,

Pre-evacuation planning is underway with Glacier View Fire but no pre-evacuation orders have been sent.

Fire movement toward the northwest portion of Horsetooth Reservoir has subsided, however fire activity has the potential to increase in the afternoon.

The evacuation center is located at the McKee Building at The Ranch.

Evacuation orders remain in place for the following areas:

-South of County Road 38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road (325 notifications).

-County Road 38E is now closed from Masonville to Harmony Road at the junction of Taft Hill Road.

-Crystal Mountain area including Crystal Mountain Road and the Upper Buckhorn (24 notifications).

-Bonner Peak Subdivision (183 notifications)

-Buckhorn Rd from CR27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4-1 mile. (69 notifications).

-North of CR38E, from Horsetooth Reservoir to Redstone Canyon to Lory State Park. (326 notifications)

-Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it. All of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road.

-Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118.

-Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon.

-Sunday include all residents from County Road 27E to Bellvue and for the area south and west of Bellvue, including Lory State Park and Red Stone Canyon, and Buckhorn Road from Masonville up to Stove Prairie School. Evacuation ordered for CR 29C and McMurry Ranch Road (33 notifications).

Approximately 2,600 notifications (contacts, not residents) have been sent for evacuations on this fire.

An undetermined number of structures have been damaged or destroyed in Rist Canyon, Paradise Park, Stove Prairie, Poudre Park, Old Flowers, Stratton Park, Kings Canyon and Cloudy Pass. There could be structure damage in other locations, including Soldier Canyon and Mill Canyon. No details about the structures are available. Firefighters will continue to evaluate the area as it is safe to do so.

Evacuations have happened quickly.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• The U.S. Gulf Coast.Parts of Alabama and Florida received up to 2 feet of rain between midnight Saturday and 8:00am Monday, which caused severe flooding and extensive damage.
  • Numerous communities from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle have already been inundated, with the worst of flooding yet to follow as runoff continues and rivers begin rising.
  • Additional rainfall is expected in the area again today.

• China.

Mustard Gas-like smog  envelops Wuhan, capital of central China’s Hubei Province, June 11, 2012. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu)

A flooded village in Huitong County, central China’s Hunan Province. Torrential rains pummeled southern China. As of noon Monday, 112,000 people had been affected and 26,000 people evacuated in Huitong county, which borders Guizhou province. The county is believed to have suffered direct economic losses of 230 million yuan. (Xinhua/Zhao Haibo. 

Related Links

• Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows
• Thousands Evacuated as U.S. Wildfires Grow

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 11 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,374 Days Left

[June 11, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,374 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Thousands Evacuated as U.S. Wildfires Grow

Wildfires in New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming and California force thousands to evacuate, consume hundreds of structures

New Mexico. The Little Bear Fire located in Smokey Bear Ranger District, Lincoln National Forest, and the White Mountain Wilderness, has now grown to more than 26,000 acres (~ 41 sq miles; 105km²), destroying or damaging dozens of structures.

Evacuations: All campgrounds west of Bonito Lake; subdivisions of Villa Madonna, Enchanted Forest, Nogal Canyon (Forest Road 400, campground and summer homes), Angus, Sierra Vista, Sontara (1,2 and 3), Rancho Ruidoso, Copper Canyon, and Loma Grande; Eagle Lakes Campground, Eagle Creek summer homes, Ski Run Road (State Highway 532) at mile marker 3, State Highway 48 to Capitan, and State Highway 37 to Highway 380 and Ski Apache.

Shelters: First Baptist Church on Country Club Road, Church of Christ on Sudderth Road in Ruidoso, and Trinity Baptist Church in Capitan. Pets and livestock may be taken to J&J Country Church in Ruidoso, or the fairgrounds in Capitan.

The blaze is 0% contained, and is aided by air temps of 82ºF, relative humidity of less than 6 percent, and westerly winds of 20mph.

Colorado. The High Park Fire, located approximately 15 miles west of Fort Collins, was sparked Saturday June 9th  and has consumed  more than 20,000 acres (~ 31 sq miles; 81km²); the blaze continues to grow rapidly.

• The blaze has a HIGH growth potential among areas of rough terrain and beetle killed trees.
• The fire has damaged or destroyed at least 2 dozens structure, threatening many more.
• New evacuation order for the area south of County Road 38E from Gindler Ranch Road west to Milner Ranch Road (325 notifications). This area is located south and west of the Horsetooth Reservoir inlet. The High Park Fire is moving rapidly in this direction, Inciweb reported.
• Other evacuation orders include:
  • Crystal Mountain area including Crystal Mountain Road and the Upper Buckhorn. The burning pattern of High Park Fire could potentially cut off exit routes for residents in this area and they should leave now (24 notifications).
    
  • Any residents who have not already left the Crystal Mountain Area must now evacuate to the west on Buckhorn Road. County Road 27 is no longer passable so evacuation to the east is impossible.
  • Evacuation orders have also been issued for the Bonner Peak Subdivision (183 notifications), Buckhorn Rd from CR27 to Pennock Pass and residents to the south approximately 3/4-1 mile. (69 notifications). Evacuation order issued for the area North of CR38E, from Horsetooth Reservoir to Redstone Canyon to Lory State Park. (326 notifications)
  • Evacuations have been ordered for Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it.
  • All of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road.
  • At 11:10 P.M. an evacuation alert has been sent to the Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118.
  • Additionally Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon. Additional evacuations as of approximately 5 a.m. Sunday include all residents from County Road 27E to Bellvue and for the area south and west of Bellvue, including Lory State Park and Red Stone Canyon, and Buckhorn Road from Masonville up to Stove Prairie School.
  • Evacuation ordered for CR 29C and McMurry Ranch Road (33 notifications). Approximately 2,200 notifications (contacts, not residents) have been sent for evacuations on this fire.

Gila National Forest wildfire

New Mexico’s Gov. Martinez has already declared state of emergency in Catron County, where the largest wildfire in state’s history,  Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater Baldy Complex fire), has consumed about 280,000 acres, with 37% contained.

The fire is currently aided by air temps of 86ºF, relative humidity of less than 7 percent.

See also: Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows

Wyoming. A wildfire in Wyoming’s Guernsey State Park has consumed ABOUT 4,000 acres and forced the evacuation of up to 1,000 campers and visitors, AP reported.

Other Major Fires include

• Arizona. Gladiator – 16,240 acres – Prescott National Forest – 45% contained.

• California.  George Bush Fire – 1,707 acres – George Bush Tree/Golden Trout Wilderness – Sequoia National Forest – 85% contained.

• Colorado. Little Sand – 8,238 acres – San Juan National Forest – 13 miles NW of Pagosa Springs – 30% contained.

• Utah. Box Creek Fire – 5 miles west of Greenwich – 2,018 acres – 75% contained.

• Utah. Lost Lake Fires – 2,076 acres – Fishlake National Forest – 55% contained.

• Wyoming.  Cow Camp Fire – 8,493 acres – Medicine Bow – Routt National Forest – 20 Miles NE of Wheatland –  70% contained.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• China.  Extreme rain events in southern China have left large parts of Jiangxi, Hunan and Guizhou provinces submerged affecting millions of people.
  • Thousands of homes have been damaged or destroyed.
  • Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated.
  • Tens of thousands of hectares of crop have been destroyed.
  • Flooding in Hunan province triggered massive landslides blocking major railroads, including Hukun Railway, which connects Shanghai and Kunming, capital of southwest China’s Yunnan Province, a report said.
  • The authorities reported about a dozen dead or missing.

• Hindu Kush, Afghanistan.Two earthquakes measuring 5.4 and 5.7Mw struck Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan, about 175km north of Kabul.
  •  The quakes destroyed dozens of homes in Dara Azara, a remote village in the Baghlan province, burying about 100 people in the rubble, reports said.

Up-to-date weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa (ESRL/Global Monitoring Division)

• Week of June 3, 2012:     395.38 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     393.69 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     375.82 ppm

The graph, updated weekly, shows as individual points daily mean CO₂ up to and including the week (Sunday through Saturday) previous to today. The daily means are based on hours during which CO₂ was likely representative of “background” conditions, defined as times when the measurement is representative of air at mid-altitudes over the Pacific Ocean. That air has had several days time or more to mix, smoothing out most of the CO₂ variability encountered elsewhere, making the measurements representative of CO₂ over hundreds of km or more. The selection process is designed to filter out any influence of nearby emissions, or removals, of CO₂ such as caused by the vegetation on the island of Hawaii, and likewise emissions from the volcanic crater of Mauna Loa. The weekly mean (red bar) is simply the average of all days in the week for which a background value could be defined. The average standard deviation of day to day variability, calculated as the difference from the appropriate weekly mean, equals 0.38 ppm for the entire record. As a visual aid, the blue lines present monthly means of background data as they are presented under Recent Monthly CO₂ at Mauna Loa. PDF Version. ESRL/Mauna Loa Global Monitoring Division.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Calendar – 10 June 2012

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,375 Days Left

[June 10, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,375 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History…

Recent Mauna Loa CO2

• May 2012:     396.78 ppm
• May 2011:     394.16 ppm

• April 2012:     396.18 ppm
• April 2011:     393.28 ppm

Recent Global CO2 (ESRL/NOAA)

• April 2012:     394.01 ppm
• April 2011:     391.83 ppm

• March 2012:     393.87 ppm
• March 2011:     391.46 ppm

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Disaster Declared as Little Bear Fire Grows

Western wildfires consume dozens of structures, force hundreds to evacuate

A lightning-sparked blaze, the Little Bear Fire, located in White Mountain Wilderness above Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, has so far consumed dozens of structures as it ballooned to more than 10,000 acres almost overnight.

The fire, which started on June 4, is yet to be mapped by GPS for a more accurate estimate of size, the authorities said, as Lincoln County commissioners declared the fast-growing blaze a disaster.

As many as several hundred people have been evacuated from various areas including summer homes and campgrounds close to the fire, and shelters have been set up in Ruidoso and Capitan.

Meantime, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued red flag warning for parts of 10 states.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map.  Portal

Gila National Forest wildfire

New Mexico’s Gov. Martinez has already declared state of emergency in Catron County, where the largest wildfire in state’s history,  Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater Baldy Complex fire), has consumed about 280,000 acres, with less than a third contained.

NM fires are currently aided by air temps of 82ºF and humidity of less than 4 percent.

 Latest available map for Gila National Forest wildfire (Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire). Source: US Forest Service Gila National Forest

[Manmade Volcano] Gila forest, south side of Big Dry.  Photo taken by JoDee Goatz. Credit USFS Gila National Forest

Colorado. The High Park Fire, a fast-moving wildfire which has exploded to more than 8,000 acres since Saturday, is located 15 miles west of Fort Collins. “The fire has crossed County Road 27 south of the Stove Prairie School. High winds are fueling this fire and causing evacuations.” Inciweb reported.

“Evacuations have been ordered for Stove Prairie Road north along County Road 27 to Highway 14, east along Highway 14 to approximately mile marker 111, southeast to Rist Canyon Fire Station 1, then back west to to include Wilderness Ridge Way, Rist Creek Road, Spring Valley Road and County Road 41 and all of the roads that run off of it. Additionally, all of Rist Canyon (west of 27E) and all roads off of it, including Whale Rock Road and Davis Ranch Road. South 3 additional miles on County Road 44H to just north of Stringtown Gulch Road. (Over 800 notifications (contacts, not residents) sent.) A pre-evacuation alert was issued for the Buckhorn Road between mile markers 25 and 27. (5 notifications) At 11:10 P.M. an evacuation alert has been sent to the Poudre Park (along Highway 14) area from mile marker 111 to mile marker 118 (Kings Canyon/Boyd Gulch area). (31 notifications).Additionally Highway 14 from Ted’s Place to Stove Prairie is closed, as well as Stove Prairie Road and Rist Canyon. Ten structures are confirmed lost or damaged and others are threatened.” The report said.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Florida, USA.  Escambia County in Florida’s panhandle has declared a state of emergency amid an extreme rain event which triggered severe flooding, with the damage so far estimated at $20million, authorities said.
  • A storm moving across the Gulf Coast pummeled parts of Alabama and Florida.
  • Pensacola received up to 18 inches of rain by Saturday, reports said.
  • “Emergency shelters were opened at a few local schools for people who were urged to evacuate from low-lying areas, the newspaper reported. Thousands were without power. Neighboring Santa Rosa County had about 40 homes flooded.” AP reported.
  • “Mobile, Alabama, saw 15 inches (38 cm) of rain that stranded people in cars and caused a dam to break on a private lake, officials said,” Reuters reported.
  • NWS has forecast “a prolonged period of heavy rainfall” and possibility of  flooding “across portions of the Central Gulf Coast from Louisiana to the Florida Panhandle.”

• NY, USA.  Mega brigades of armyworms have destroyed acres of feed in a Buffalo farm and elsewhere in New York and Pennsylvania.
  • “A storm system, about a month ago, brought adult Armyworm moths to Western, New York (from the south),” said Walter Nelson, Program Leader Agriculture & Horticulture at Cornell Cooperative Extension Monroe County.
  • The worms have also been reported in across upstate, in Livingston, Monroe and Orleans counties, as well as in Clarence, Evans, Genesee, Marilla, Newstead  and Wyoming counties.
  • Armyworms invade Pennsylvania lawns!
  • See video.

• Greece. Magnitude 6.1 quake centered at 28.94°E 36.35°N and depth of 10km struck Dodecanese Islands, Greece at 12:44:14.6 UTC (2012-06-10), GEOFON Program reported.
  • The quake struck about 60 km E of Rodos, Dodecanese Islands, Greece and 100km SSE of Mugla, Turkey.
  • The quake may have caused at least moderate damage and casualties; however, there were  and NO reports available as of posting.

Earthquake Map – Dodecanese Islands, Greece.

• Burma.  Burma’s president has declared a state of emergency in the western state of Rakhine, after a week of sectarian violence in the region, which has left at least 17 people dead and hundreds of properties destroyed or damaged, reports said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar

Global CO2 Update

Current Global Monthly Mean CO₂

Weekly average CO₂ at Mauna Loa

• Week of May 27, 2012:     396.46 ppm
• Weekly value from 1 year ago:     394.11 ppm
• Weekly value from 10 years ago:     376.20 ppm

The graph, updated weekly, shows as individual points daily mean CO₂ up to and including the week (Sunday through Saturday) previous to today.

Recent Mauna Loa CO₂

• April 2012:     396.18 ppm
• April 2011:     393.28 ppm

Recent Global CO₂ (ESRL/NOAA)

• March 2012:     393.87 ppm
• March 2011:     391.46 ppm

The graph shows recent monthly mean carbon dioxide globally averaged over marine surface sites, as measured by the Global Monitoring Division of NOAA/ESRL.  The dashed red line with diamond symbols represents the monthly mean values, centered on the middle of each month. The black line with the square symbols represents the same, after correction for the average seasonal cycle.

Other Global Disasters, Significant Events

• Virginia, USA.  City of Hampton declared a state of emergency after a tornado struck Petersburg and Hampton, destroying or damaging dozens of building and causing injuries to residents.
  • The tornado left several families displaced and caused millions of dollars in damage.

• U.K.   Britain has undergone a moral decline over the past six decades, the Bishop of London has decried.
  • Ironically, the period coincides with Queen Elizabeth’s 60 year reign on the throne.
  • Promiscuity has reached “epidemic” levels. “Literally millions of children grow up without knowing a stable, loving, secure family life …,” he said.
  • “Dr Chartres also called for action to tackle ‘depressingly high’ youth unemployment in Britain,” said a report.
  • “The extent of youth unemployment is appalling. The waste of human talent is unsustainable morally and economically,” he said.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

• 2010 Disasters [Links to 2010 Disaster Calendar]
• Mega Disasters
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• 2012 Disaster Calendar