Drought Disaster Declared in 6 California Counties

USDA designates 6 Calif counties disaster areas amid ongoing drought

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated six counties in California as agricultural disaster areas, both primary and contiguous, due to damages and losses caused by the recent drought.

• The designated counties are Kings, Fresno, Kern, Monterey,  San Luis Obispo and Tulare.

U.S. Monthly Precipitation Map, February 12 – March 13, 2013 (Total Precipitation, Last 30 Days). Source: HPRCC

Related Links

• US: Drought Disaster 2013 [FIRE-EARTH Drought Links]
• Drought Disaster Spreads to Dozens of Counties across 10 States February 28, 2013

Other Disasters, Significant Events

HIV Epidemic in South Africa

More than 28 percent of schoolgirls are HIV positive in South Africa, according to the latest official figures.

• About 4 percent of schoolboys are also HIV positive.
• “It is clear that it is not young boys who are sleeping with these girls. It is old men. We must take a stand against sugar daddies because they are destroying our children,” SA Health Minister told reporters.
• More than 94,000 schoolgirls fell pregnant across the country in 2011.
• “Some (pregnant pupils) are known to the department of education, but there is a number which the education department does not know about. (About) 77,000 girls had abortions at public facilities. We can no longer live like that. We want to put an end to it,” the minister said.
• “There is also a high number of TB infections … there is a lot of death and a lot of illness here. It is for this reason that we chose the district to be one of the 11 in the country where the National Health Insurance program will be piloted.”

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DISASTER CALENDAR — March 14, 2013 —  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,094 Days Left 

Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,094 Days Left to ‘Worst Day’ in the brief Human  History
• The countdown began on May 15, 2011 …

GLOBAL WARNINGS

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

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

Severe Flooding Displaces 600,000 in Nigeria

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,254 Days Left

[October 9, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,254 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011 ...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Hundreds of communities inundated following mega-flooding in Nigeria’s Kogi State

At least a dozen people are dead or missing and there is rising concern about outbreaks of waterborne diseases. 

• Widespread flooding triggered by extreme rain events have severely affected at least 18 of the country’s 38 states in recent weeks, destroying public infrastructure and impacting health, education and agriculture, 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 WARNING

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

Mega Freeze Could Paralyze Northeast

DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,273 Days Left

[September 20, 2012] Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016. 

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,273 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Symbolic countdown to the ‘worst day’ in human history began on May 15, 2011...

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Global Disasters/ Significant Events

Northeastern U.S. Could Become Arctic: FIRE-EARTH

Rapid climate change could ‘permanently’ transform Northeastern United States, bringing extreme cold and freezing up the entire region in the next couple of years (2013-2015), FIRE-EARTH Models show.

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!

Image of the Day: ASIE

Northern Hemisphere Ice Cover falls below 3.6 million km² —FIRE-EARTH 

As of September 5, 2011, the Arctic sea ice extent (ASIE) was 3,686,199.43 km² according to NSIDC.

• Daily average ice melt for September currently stands at more than 87,000 km², NSIDC data shows.

Arctic sea ice extent fell below 3.6 million square kilometers (1.39 million square miles) on September 6, 2012, FIRE-EARTH estimates.

FEWW model shows the Arctic sea ice extent could fall to about 3 million km² (1.15 million square miles) during the 2012 melt season with a probability of 0.5 [P = 54%]

Multi sensor Analyzed Sea Ice Extent – Northern Hemisphere (MASIE -NH), September 5, 2012.  Source: The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC)

Related Links

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Could Fall to 3M Km² Posted September 3, 2012

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Down to 3.87M km² and Melting Posted August 31, 2012

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Breaks Record Low and Melting Posted August 28, 2012
• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Rapidly Decreasing Posted August 21, 2012

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!

Arctic Sea Ice Extent Could Fall to 3M Km²

UPDATED September 4, 2012 @ 01:44UTC

Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Cover Shrinking Rapidly

Arctic sea ice extent shrank to about 3.65 million square kilometers (1.41 million square miles) on September 2, 2012, FIRE-EARTH estimates.

FEWW model shows the Arctic sea ice extent could fall to about 3 million km² (1.15 million square miles) during the 2012 melt season with a probability of 0.5 [P = 54%]

Arctic sea ice extent as of September 1, 2012.  Image Source: NSIDC

Arctic sea ice extent, September 1, 2012. FIRE-EARTH estimates the NH ice cover fell below 3.65 million km² (1.41 million square miles) on September 2, 2012.  Image Source: NSIDC

Arctic Sea Ice Cover:  Denmark’s Center for Ocean and Ice (DMI)

Original caption:  Current Sea Ice extent. Total sea ice extent on the northern hemisphere since 2005. The ice extent values are calculated from the ice type data from the Ocean and Sea Ice, Satellite Application Facility (OSISAF), where areas with ice concentration higher than 30% are classified as ice.        The total area of sea ice is the sum of First Year Ice (FYI), Multi Year Ice (MYI) and the area of ambiguous ice types, from the OSISAF ice type product. However, the total estimated ice area is underestimated due to unclassified coastal regions where mixed land/sea pixels confuse the applied ice type algorithm. The shown sea ice extent values are therefore recommended be used qualitatively in relation to ice extent values from other years shown in the figure.

Related Links

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Down to 3.87M km² and Melting Posted August 31, 2012

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Breaks Record Low and Melting Posted August 28, 2012
• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Rapidly Decreasing Posted August 21, 2012

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!

Arctic Sea Ice Extent Down to 3.87M km² and Melting

Northern Hemisphere Sea Ice Cover Continues Shrinking

Arctic sea ice extent shrank to about 3.87 million square kilometers (1.49 million square miles) on August 29, 2012 and continued melting, FIRE-EARTH estimates. The new record low was 100,000 km² below the September 18, 2007 daily extent of 4.17 million km².

FEWW model shows the Arctic sea ice extent could fall below 3.8 million km² during the 2012 melt season with a probability of 0.8 [P≥77%]

Arctic sea ice extent, August 29, 2012. FIRE-EARTH estimates the NH ice cover has fallen below 3.87 million km².  Image Source: NSIDC

Arctic sea ice extent as of August 29, 2012. The ice extents is now the lowest in the satellite record.  Image Source: NSIDC

Related Links

• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Breaks Record Low and Melting Posted August 28, 2012
• Arctic Sea Ice Extent Rapidly Decreasing Posted August 21, 2012

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!

ISAAC Landed in SE Louisiana, Heading Toward NO

Hurricane ISAAC landed in Louisiana with 80MPH winds

ISAAC has forced tens of thousands to evacuate, and is forecast to strike New Orleans. The storm triggered widespread  flooding and damage in the Caribbean, claiming at least 24 lives in the Dominican Republic and Haiti.

Hurricane ISAAC landing in SE Louisiana. Image source: UW-SSEC – Animate this image

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• California.  Yosemite National Park has warned about 2,000 visitors who stayed in its canvas and wood cabins in Curry Village this summer that they may have been exposed to the deadly hantavirus.
  • Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome has killed at least two campers who stayed at the park earlier this year.
  • Two other campers have acquired the infection.
  • Symptoms of hantavirus include aches, chills, dizziness and fever.
  • Hantavirus is carried in the feces, saliva and urine of infected deer mice, and has no specific treatment.
  • The virus has a 30% fatality rate.

• U.S. Corn and Soybean Crops. The U.S. corn and soybean conditions have both deteriorated by an additional one percent, according to the USDA’s latest Crop Progress for the week ending August 26, 2012.
  • The amount of corn crops considered to be in very poor or poor conditions increased to 52 percent, an increase of 1 percent from the previous week. It was 19 percent last year.
  • Soybean crops in very poor or poor conditions also increased by 1 percent to 38 percent since last week.   It was 15 percent last year.

Previous Corn Progress

• U.S. Corn Condition Continues Worsening Posted August 14, 2012
• More Corn Grilled on the Cob Posted on August 7, 2012
• Half U.S. Corn in Very Poor or Poor Condition Posted July 30, 2012
• Deadly Drought Worsens Corn, Soybean, Pasture and Range Conditions Posted July 24, 2012

GLOBAL WARNING

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