Florida Wildfire Threatens Thousands of Homes, Forces Mass Evacuation

Large wildfire in SW Florida threatens 2,000 homes

A large wildfire in southwest Florida is threatening more than 2,000 homes, prompting mass evacuation.

The blaze has already consumed about 5,000 acres (2,000 hectares) and at least two dozen homes and other structures in Collier County, forcing residents in several areas to flee their homes and prompting the governor to deploy National Guards.

“These wildfires are dangerous and if you’re within the evacuation area, do not stay in your home,” said Florida governor.

A spate of wildfires that have plagued the drought-stricken Sunshine State since late March prompted the governor to declare a state of emergency last week.

Other Reports from the U.S.

• Massive power outage cripples San Francisco for seven hours.
• New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco Suffer Simultaneous Power Outages

Has it come down to this?

Submitted by a reader

Two US judges killed in two days!

The first African American female appointed to New York’s highest court was found dead on the bank of the Hudson River on Wednesday.

New York State Supreme Court Judge Sheila Abdus-Salaam, 65, was the first Muslim female judge in US history, reports said.

Cook County Judge Raymond Myles was fatally shot outside his Chicago home on Monday. His partner was also shot in the leg in what police believe was a “targeted robbery.”

Chicago Police arrested one of the shooters on Wednesday and charged him with first-degree murder, local media reported.

Indian Point 3 Shuts Down after ‘Electrical Disturbance’

20 Million people live or work within a 50-mile radius of 41-yo Indian Point NPP

Indian Point’s Unit 3 nuclear power plant shut down Monday evening around 7:20 p.m. following an electrical disturbance external to the plant, said the operator, Energy Nuclear.

The unit’s main electrical generator shut down as a protective measure following the disturbance, the cause of which is not immediately understood, said the operator.

“There was no release of radioactivity and no threat to the safety of workers or the public.”

Indian Point Energy Center

Indian Point Energy Center, in Buchanan, N.Y., houses two active nuclear power plants, unit 2 and unit 3, which together generate about 2,080 megawatts of electricity for New York City and Westchester County.

Unit 3 caught fire on May 9 [reportedly spilling about 25,000 of the transformer’s dielectric fluid] and returned to service May 24 following replacement of a main electrical transformer which had failed, according to the operator.

At least 9 incidents involving the two reactors have been reported since 1972, just five months after Indian Point 2 began operating.

Unit 2 is more than 41 years old and Unit 3 was commissioned about 40 years ago.

The average age of U.S. commercial reactors is about 34 years. The oldest operating reactors are Oyster Creek in New Jersey, and Nine Mile Point 1 in New York. Both entered commercial service on December 1, 1969, according to EIA.

Currently 104 commercial nuclear power plants operate on 64 sites in the 48 contiguous United States. Sixty-nine of the 104 are pressurized water reactors (PWR) and the remaining 35 are boiling water reactors (BWR).

Operating Nuclear Power Plants vs. Major Metropolitan Areas

Source: Prepared by CRS and the Library of Congress Geography and Maps Division based on U.S. Census Bureau data 2011.

State of Emergency Declared in NE U.S.

‘Crippling snow’ and ‘life-threatening’ blizzard:  States of Emergency declared in five states

A paralyzing blizzard is buffeting northeaster US with massive, possibly record, snowfall amounts and life-threatening blizzard conditions, prompting eight states—New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsylvania* and Maine—to declare states of emergency.

Thousands of flights into and out of the Northeast have been canceled with snowfall amounts of 1 – 3 feet or more forecast for many parts of the region, while hurricane-force winds are forecast to batter the coastal areas.

Up to 30 million people will face blizzard conditions Monday/Tuesday,  while up to 60 million people could see 6 – 12 inches or more of snow as the storm system, dubbed “Winter Storm Juno,” barrels across the region, forecasters said.

NYC Mayor said 2,300 snowploughs will be deployed to clear the city, while urging residents to stay out of their way.

Driving bans have been imposed across dozens of cities and counties in the NE, including NYC and Boston.

[*Pennsylvania Gov. issued a disaster emergency proclamation, and called up the National Guards.]

NWS said:

“A storm system off the East Coast will continue to strengthen as it develops into a major nor’easter on Monday. As the storm moves up the coast, it is expected to bring snowfall of 1-3 feet or more to many parts of the Northeast through Tuesday evening, including New York City and Boston. Strong, gusty winds will combine with the snow to create blizzard conditions along and near the coast.”

• High-impact winter storm expected to bring crippling snowfall amounts and life-threatening blizzard conditions to much of the Northeast
• Blizzard warnings are in effect for the coastal areas of New Jersey through Maine.
• Winter storm warnings are in effect from New Jersey to Maine. Winter storm warnings are also in effect for an area of the Appalachians in West Virginia.
• Coastal flood warnings and advisories are in effect from Delaware to the coast of Maine.

Crop Disasters Declared for 7 New York Counties

DISASTERS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
RECORD SNOWFALL
FLOODING
HIGH WINDS
CROP DISASTERS
SCENARIOS  887, 560, 477, 444, 177, 111, 063, 027, 025, 023, 02
.

Record snow, freeze, flooding and high winds destroy crops in NY

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated seven Western New York counties as crop disaster areas, due to losses caused by record snow, freeze, flooding and high winds that occurred November 17-24.

The crop disasters declaration is for Genesee, Erie, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,775 counties across 41 states.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. Some 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 December 10, 2014.

Latest/ Recent Crop Disaster Declarations

• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in Five States November 27, 2014
• Drought Destroys Crops in Five States November 21, 201
• Drought Destroys Crops in Georgia, Florida October 17, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States October 10, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in New England October 4, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Occur in 11 States October 3, 2014
• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States September 25, 2014
• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters [Index]

U.S. Freezes!

DISASTERS CAUSED BY CLIMATE CHANGE
EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
PARALYZING WINTER STORM
STATE OF EMERGENCY
SCENARIOS  887, 785, 666, 560, [500,] 444, 187, 177, 157, 111, 078, 063, 027, 023, 02
.

NY Declares State of Emergency Amid Deadly Snowstorm

All 50 U.S. states experience freezing temperatures or colder weather as a polar vortex pushes arctic air across the country.

Every U.S. state, including Hawaii, saw temperatures plunge to freezing point or lower on Tuesday, said the National Weather Service (NWS).

State of Emergency Declared in New York

The arctic blast also prompted NY governor to declare a state of emergency in western and central New York due to heavy snow.

The counties included in the executive order are Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Franklin, Genesee, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Oswego, Wyoming, and contiguous counties.

“This storm may persist until Friday morning with the potential for another two feet of snow,” said Cuomo, dispatching the National Guard. “New Yorkers in these areas should exercise extreme caution, and stay off the roads until conditions are clearer and safer.”

Up to 1.2 meters of snow is forecast for large swathes of western New York, while several areas could receive as much as 1.8 meters, said NWS.

Deadly Snowstorm

“Four people have died as a result of the snowstorm. Three of them succumbed, apparently from heart problems, two of them while shoveling the deep snow. Another was killed while attempting to push a car out of a drift,” said a report.

Surreal Storm

A New York highway superintendent called the snowstorm “surreal.”

“I’ve been here 33 years and this is one of the top ones,” he told The Buffalo News. “It’s surreal … this is one of the worst I’ve seen.”

Historic Event
“This will be a historic event. Absolutely. It is a historic event,” said a forecaster with NWS.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States)
NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD
Issued 7 pm EST Tuesday, November 18, 2014

High Temperature for Tuesday, November 18, 2014

• 28°C (83 degrees F) at Homestead AFB, FL

Low Temperature for Tuesday, November 18, 2014

• -30°C (-22 degrees F) at Lamar Ranger Station, WY

Related Links

• First Paralyzing Winter Storm Arrives November 15, 2014
• 40 Degrees Below Average November 11, 2014
• Polar Vortex to Scythe through the U.S.  Nov. 10, 2014

Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in 10 States

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
CROP DISASTERS
DROUGHT
FROST, FREEZE
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
HAIL, FLASH FLOODING, FLOODING, STANDING WATER
LIGHTNING
TORNADOES, HIGH WINDS
MAIN SCENARIOS 900, 888, 800, 797, 311, 555, 444, 187, 178, 177, 157, 111, 097, 088, 066, 064, 027, 023, 03, 02
.

Extreme Weather and Climate Disasters Destroy Crops in 147 Counties across 10  States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared multiple crop disasters for an additional  147 counties in 10 states due to the losses and damage caused by extreme weather and climatic events that have occurred during the 2014 crop year, so far.

Losses caused by freeze that occurred from Feb. 1, 2014, through April 30, 2014

• New York. Broome, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware and Tioga counties.
• Pennsylvania. Susquehanna and Wayne counties.

Damages and losses caused by excessive rain, flash flooding, flooding, high winds and hail that occurred from April 1, 2014, through July 8, 2014

• New York. Albany, Allegany, Bronx, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Chemung, Columbia, Cortland, Delaware, Dutchess, Erie, Fulton, Genesee, Greene, Hamilton, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Madison, Monroe, Montgomery, Nassau, Niagara, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Orange, Orleans, Oswego, Otsego, Putnam, Rensselaer, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Seneca, St. Lawrence, Steuben, Sullivan, Tioga, Tompkins, Ulster, Wayne, Westchester, Wyoming and Yates counties.

• Connecticut. Fairfield and Litchfield counties.
• Massachusetts. Berkshire County.
• New Jersey. Bergen County.
• Pennsylvania. Bradford, Potter and Tioga counties.

Damages and losses caused by the combined effects of frost and drought that occurred from Jan. 1, 2014, through Aug. 12, 2014

• Tennessee. Blount, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Jefferson, Knox and Sevier counties.

Damages and losses caused by flooding and excessive rain that occurred from June 29, 2014, through July 9, 2014

• Tennessee. Chester, Fayette, Hardeman, Hardin, Haywood, Madison, McNairy,  Shelby and Tipton counties.
• Mississippi. Alcorn, Benton, Marshall and Tippah counties.
  

Damages and losses caused by tornadoes, high winds, hail and lightning that occurred from July 27, 2014, through July 28, 2014

• Tennessee. Carter, Greene, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi and Washington counties.
• Virginia. Bristol, Scott and Washington counties.

Losses due to the combined effects of heavy rainfall, flooding, ground saturation, standing water and colder than normal temperatures that occurred from May 1, 2014, through July 1, 2014

• Minnesota. Aitkin, Anoka, Beltrami, Benton, Blue Earth, Carlton, Carver, Cass, Chisago, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Dakota, Douglas, Grant, Hennepin, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Le Sueur, Marshall, McLeod, Meeker, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Nicollet, Otter Tail, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Rice, Roseau, Scott, Sherburne, Sibley, St. Louis, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Waseca, Washington, Wilkin and Wright counties.
• Wisconsin. Burnett, Douglas and Polk counties.

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared at least 2,532 separate crop disasters across 38 states. Most of those designations are due to the drought.

• Those states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. [FIRE-EARTH has documented all of the above listings. See blog content.]

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

ii. The counties designated as agricultural disaster areas, as listed above, include both primary and contiguous disaster areas.

iii. 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 September 24, 2014.

Crop Disaster Links

• Drought Crop Disasters Declared in U.S. West  September 18, 2014
• FREEZE Destroys Crops in Ohio, Pennsylvania  September 18, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Five States September 12, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Six States Posted on September 5, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in Three States August 15, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 7 States August 7, 2014
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

 

Record Rainfall Causes Flash Floods in NY Suburbs

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC HAZARDS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
SEVERE FLOODING
SCENARIOS 888, 023
.

Up to 33cm of rain turns roads into rivers in New York Area

Record rainfall in parts of New York’s Long Island triggered severe flash floods turning roads into rivers during the morning rush hour on Wednesday.

Up to 33 cm of rain was recorded at MacArthur Airport in Islip over a 24-hour period, according to the National Weather Service (NWS) breaking the previous record of 29 cm that was set in August 2011 in the Hudson Valley during Tropical Storm Irene.

During a particularly intense two-hour period the area received “more than two months of rainfall in two hours,” said NWS.

The record rainfall contributed to at least one fatality.

Flooding shut down parts of major commuter routes and forced the closure of the Long Island Rail Road, the largest commuter railroad in the U.S.

Floodwaters reportedly destroyed a number of homes and caused sewage backup, forcing dozens of people to evacuate in southern New Jersey.

The same weather system was responsible for extreme rain events in Washington and Baltimore on Tuesday,  said NWS.

Earlier this week, at least one person died in Detroit floods after record rainfall.

Federal Disaster Declared for New York

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
MAJOR DISASTERS
SCENARIOS 444, 111, 088, 066, 023
FEDERAL DISASTER DECLARED
.

New York Declared Major Disaster Area (DR-4180)

Federal disaster has been declared for the state of New York in 11 counties affected by the severe storms and flooding during the period of May 13-22, 2014.

Areas worst affected by the disasters are the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Delaware, Herkimer, Lewis, Livingston, Ontario, Otsego, Steuben, and Yates.

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 in a statement released by White House.

Latest Federal Disaster Declarations

• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Deadly Storms Hit US East Coast

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
DAEDLY STORMS
SCENARIOS 111, 066
.

Destructive storms kill at least 5 in New York, Maryland

Fierce, tornado-spawning storms have killed at least 5 people, destroying homes, uprooting trees and downing power lines across larges swathes of the country from the Ohio Valley to the mid-Atlantic region.

The storms cut power to more than 500,000 homes and businesses, mostly in New York and Pennsylvania, according to reports.

Tornado, Wind and Hail Reports for July 6-8, 2014

 

 

Earthquakes Strike California, New York, Oklahoma…

SEISMIC HAZARD
HEIGHTENED GLOBAL SEISMICITY
SCENARIOS 08, 07
.

M4.6 Quake Strikes East of Big Bear City

Centered at 34.281°N, 117.027°W the quake occurred at a depth of about 8.7km, according to USGS/EHP. The mainshock was followed by at least 4 dozen aftershocks with the largest measuring 3.4Mw, as of posting.

Earthquake Details

Magnitude: 4.6Mw
Event Time: 2014-07-05 16:59:34 UTC
Location: 34.281°N 117.027°W depth=8.7km (5.4mi)
Nearby Cities:

• 11km (7mi) WNW of Big Bear Lake, California
• 15km (9mi) ENE of Lake Arrowhead, California
• 16km (10mi) W of Big Bear City, California
• 23km (14mi) NE of Highland, California

EQ Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

Oklahoma Earthquakes

Meanwhile, a magnitude 3.3 shock occurred in Oklahoma at 36.219°N, 97.522°W at a signature depth of 5km.

New York Earthquakes

M2.5 quake occurs ESE of Highland Falls, New York. Centered at41.364°N, 73.934°W the quake struck at a depth of 5Km.

Heightened U.S. Seismicity continues

About 96 percent of all earthquakes worldwide have struck the United States (including Puerto Rico) over the past day.

1 Day All Magnitudes Global: 272 earthquakes  Updated: 2014-07-06 02:26:51 UTC
261 earthquakes in map area. Source USGS/EHP

About 95 percent of all earthquakes in the past 7 days have also occurred in the U.S.  (including Puerto Rico).

FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecasts for California

FIRE-EARTH Science Team has suspended its research on California seismicity, Japan ditto.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE: FIRE-EARTH EQ Forecast

For detailed FIRE-EARTH Earthquake Forecasts tune into UDCCpf daily @ 06:32UTC.

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 Related Links

• 95 Percent of All Earthquakes Strike U.S. July 2, 2014
• 90 Percent of All Quakes Strike U.S. June 30, 2014
• U.S. West Shaking Like Jelly  June 30, 2014

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

Freeze, Freezing Temperatures Destroy Crops in NY, PA

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENT
FREEZE & FREEZING TEMPERATURES
CROP DISASTER
.

Crop Disaster Declared in New York, Pennsylvania due to Freeze and Freezing Temps

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated a total of 22 counties in New York and Pennsylvania as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by a freeze and freezing temperatures that occurred Dec. 1, 2013, and continues.

Those areas are

New York: Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Oswego, Yates, Allegany, Jefferson, Onondaga, Seneca, Cortland, Lewis, Ontario, Steuben, Erie, Oneida, Schuyler, Tompkins, Wayne and Wyoming counties.

Pennsylvania: Erie, McKean and Warren counties.

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

• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

State of Emergency Declared for New York

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
BLIZZARD WARNING
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

NY Declares a State of Emergency following Blizzard Warnings

Gov. Cuomo has declared a state of emergency in 14 counties, after the National Weather Service (NWS) issued blizzard warnings for those counties.

The counties are Allegany, Cattaraugus, Cayuga, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Oswego, Wayne and Wyoming.

Up to 61cm (24 inches) of snow was expected to fall across the region, with strong winds of up to 75km/hr (45mph), causing  “nearly impossible” travel conditions, said NWS.

“These areas are expected to continue to receive heavy snow that may accumulate at rates of around one to two inches per hour, which will make it difficult for plows to keep some roads clear,” said Cuomo. “New Yorkers in these areas should exercise caution until the worst of the storm has passed.”

States of Emergency Declared for NY & CT

EXTREME WEATHER AND CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATES OF EMERGENCY
DEADLY ICE & SNOWSTORM
.

Major Storm Continues to Pound U.S. Northeast

States of emergency have now been declared for 12 states in the south, southeast and northeast since the weekend, as a deadly storm continues to track up U.S. Northeast.

New York: Gov. Cuomo declared a state of emergency Thursday, his  fifth so far this year, as the deadly snowstorm impacted much of New York and the East Coast.

Cuomo’s  declaration is for Clinton, Essex, Franklin and St. Lawrence counties and covers the mid-to-lower Hudson Valley, New York City and Long Island, as well as the North Country, central New York and the Capital Region.

“The roads are dangerous,” declared Cuomo!

Connecticut: Gov. Malloy declared a State of Emergency in Vermont as the storm dumped up to 12 inches of snow on parts of the states, straining Vermont’s reserves of road salt.

Additional snow was forecast to fall early morning Friday, keeping schools closed.

120 Million of People Affected

The massive storm system has affected an estimated 120 millions people in 22 states from Texas to Maine, leaving at least 14 people dead and many injured, as of posting.

Winter Storm Warnings, Watches and Advisories were in effect from Georgia to Maine, Tuesday through Friday. Forecasters have warned the powerful system could dump up to 18 inches (46 cm) of snow over the Atlantic Coast through Saturday.

• 7-day Storm Animation [valid February 8 – 14, 2014 ]

Latest Weather Forecast by NWS

Winter Storm Moving through the Northeast

The same storm that brought heavy snow and significant ice accumulations to the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic has moved up the East Coast, bringing significant winter weather to the Northeast. Heavy snow and gusty winds are expected in parts of the Appalachians and New England into Friday. Conditions will begin to improve as the storm pulls away into the Canadian Maritimes by Friday afternoon.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Thursday, February 14, 2014. Issued at 3:32UTC. Source: NWS. UPDATE

States of Emergency Declared for 12  States

Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Tennessee, New York and Connecticut have now declared States of Emergency due to the massive storm.

“This is not the storm we had two weeks ago, where we were playing in the snow and building snowmen. This is an ice storm,” said Gov Haley, as she declared a State of Emergency for South Carolina.

Flight Cancellations and Delays

More than 12,000 flights into, within, or from the United States have been canceled and thousands more delayed Tuesday through early Friday. The trend is expected to continue through weekend.

Federal Emergency Disaster Declared for the State of Georgia

The White House has declared a federal emergency in the State of Georgia resulting from a severe winter storm beginning on February 10, 2014, and continuing.

The emergency disaster declaration will provide federal disaster relief to “lessen or avert the threat of a catastrophe” in the counties of Banks, Barrow, Bartow, Carroll, Catoosa, Chattooga, Cherokee, Clarke, Cobb, Dade, Dawson, DeKalb, Douglas, Elbert, Fannin, Floyd, Forsyth, Franklin, Fulton, Gilmer, Gordon, Gwinnett, Habersham, Hall, Haralson, Hart, Jackson, Lincoln, Lumpkin, Madison, Murray, Oconee, Oglethorpe, Paulding, Pickens, Polk, Rabun, Stephens, Towns, Union, Walker, Walton, White, Whitfield, and Wilkes.

White House Issues Federal Emergency Disaster Declaration for South Carolina

The White House has declared a  Federal Emergency Disaster in the State of South Carolina resulting from a severe ice and snowstorm beginning on February 10, 2014, and continuing.

Energy Emergency

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) extended on Wednesday the regional States of Emergency Declarations, Waivers, Exemptions & Permits for transporting propane throughout the United States.

A total of at least 36 states and District of Columbia are currently impacted by shortages of propane and other heating fuels.

States covered by the emergency declarations include:

• Western Service Center: North Dakota and South Dakota
• Southern Service Center: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee
• Eastern Service Center: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and West Virginia
• Midwestern Service Center: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin

Colorado Gov Issued Emergency Declaration to Authorize Temporary Exception to Hours of Service Regulations for CMVs Used for Propane Transport on February 7, 2014.

Texas Gov Renews Proclamation Declaring Liquefied Petroleum Gas Emergency [Feb. 4, 2014.]

Connecticut Provides Emergency Exemption from Hours of Service of Drivers [Feb. 11, 2014.]

S. Carolina Gov Issues Emergency Declaration for Severe Winter Weather Impact [Feb. 11, 2014.]

S. Carolina Gov Issues Executive Order to Waive Truck Restrictions  [Feb. 11, 2014.]

N.  Carolina Governor Temporarily Suspends Motor Vehicle Regulations … [Feb. 11, 2014.]

Related Links

• State of Emergency Declared in Tennessee February 13, 2014
• NJ Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Deadly Snowstorm February 13, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in Maryland February 12, 2014
• Virginia Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Deadly Storm February 12, 2014
• Deadly Ice and Snow Blanket U.S. South February 12, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States February 11, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, Pennsylvania February 6, 2014
• Disaster Emergency Declared in Multiple States Feb. 5, 2014
• State of Disaster Emergency Declared in Kansas Feb. 5, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in New Jersey  February 4, 2014

Energy Emergency Links

• Never Mind the Salt, Propane Shortage Biting Hard Feb.  6, 2014
• 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

States of Emergency Declared in New York, Pennsylvania

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

State of Emergency Declared for New York

“Mother Nature came and visited us again last night and this morning, and she’s going to visit us all throughout the day,” said Gov Cuomo [we’d almost forgotten that she even existed!!]

The Empire State was battered by the second of three snowstorms to strike within a week. The massive snow storm disrupted subway service and road travel on Wednesday. Meanwhile Gov. Cuomo revealed the Big Apple was running out of salt  and declared a state of emergency.

Pennsylvania Gov Corbett has declared a State of Emergency

The massive winter storm which battered two-thirds of the United States, knocked out power to more than 750,000 customers in the Coal State.

The massive storm system had dumped 6 to 12  inches of snow over portions of of Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine by Wednesday evening.

Thousands of people in New York and Long Island were also without power, as of posting.

[Note: According to the Office of Secretary of Transport for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Gov Corbett declared a state of emergency on February 3, 2014; however, there is no additional record of the Declaration available.]

Flight Cancellations and Delays

More than 6,600 flights into, within, or out of the United States have been canceled Monday through Wednesday, and at least 16,000 other flights  delayed, impacting an estimated 4 million air travelers.

Related Links

• Disaster Emergency Declared in Multiple States February 5, 2014
• State of Disaster Emergency Declared in Kansas February 5, 2014
• State of Emergency Declared in New Jersey  February 4, 2014

Polar Déjà vu

UPDATED at 09:30UTC – January 22, 2014

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
.

New York, New Jersey, Delaware Declare States of Emergency as Polar Vortex II shuts down DC,  grounds thousands of flights

New York: Governor Cuomo declared a state of emergency Tuesday for the following counties: Suffolk, Nassau, Richmond, Kings, Queens, New York, Bronx, Westchester and Rockland as a major winter storm battered the tristate area, bringing serious snow and extremely cold temperatures. A dangerous polar vortex is chasing the storm.

“This winter storm will bring a one-two punch of snow and extreme cold. I urge all those in the affected regions to exercise caution, and avoid travel if possible,” said Cuomo. “State resources are deployed to clear snow and help those impacted by the storm, but above all it is important that New Yorkers remain safe both during and after the storm.”

New Jersey

Governor Christie declared a State of Emergency in New Jersey, authorizing the emergency services to activate, coordinate and prepare  response to the storm.

“Today’s winter storm is expected to produce heavy snow, dangerous conditions and travel hazards throughout the state,” said Christie. “I’ve authorized state officials to take all necessary action to prepare, and my Administration will continue monitoring conditions throughout the remainder of the storm. I encourage all New Jerseyans to stay off the roads if possible so that our first responders and public safety officials can safely respond to any emergency situations.”

Delaware

Delaware’s governor Markell has declared a state of emergency as the winter storm brought snow and high winds to the East Coast.

The storm, which forced  schools, government offices and businesses in Delaware to close early, is forecast to  bring up to 16 inches of snow to mid-Atlantic region.

• Maryland declared a snow emergency.

Govt Shutdown

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers in DC area were ordered to stay home Tuesday. Schools and offices were also shut down throughout the region.

• The storm forced Governments in Delaware and Maryland to shut down.
• Connecticut sent home nonessential state workers.
• Philadelphia schools and offices were closed.

NWS Forecast

A Powerful winter storm continues to intensifying off the East Coast with bitter cold spreading into the Eastern U.S., said the National Weather Service (NWS).

“A storm system will strengthen overnight in the Atlantic waters off the East Coast spreading heavy snow and strong wind into coastal sections of New England and the Northeast. Blizzard conditions are possible in eastern Massachusetts. In addition, temperatures across the eastern U.S. will be 10 to 25 degrees below average with bitter wind chills.”

The forecast also warned of

• Heavy snow from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast Coast

• Temperatures will be 15 to 30 degrees below average over parts of the Upper Midwest

• Temperatures will be 15 to 25 degrees below average for the Mid-Atlantic/Central Appalachians into the Lower Great Lakes

• Storm along the Mid-Atlantic Coast will deepen rapidly while moving northeastward to the Canadian Maritimes paralleling the Coast by Wednesday evening.

• … another storm over the Upper Midwest will move southeastward to the Central Appalachians by Thursday morning.

Hazardous Weather Warnings

Hazardous conditions extended along a 1,700-km front from Kentucky to Massachusetts on Tuesday, snarling  transport and triggering multiple weather Warnings, Watches and advisories including Blizzard Warning, Winter Storm Warning, Storm Warning, Special Marine Warning, Flood Warning, Gale Warning, Wind Chill Warning, Hard Freeze Warning and Freeze Warning among others.

Flight Delays and Cancellations

More than 6,000 flights within, into, or out of the United States were canceled or delayed on Tuesday, according to FlightAware.com. An additional 1,400 flights have been canceled for Wednesday.

National Low and High Temperature [contiguous United States]

Issued 7 pm EST Tuesday, January 21, 2014

• -38ºC (-37 degrees) at Embarrass, MN

• 29ºC  (84 degrees) at Camarillo, CA

Source: NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature spread 67ºC (121 degrees).

On January 7, 2014 FIRE-EARTH said [Google and WordPress censored]:

FIRE-EARTH Models show more Extreme Weather Events could wreak havoc across North America in the coming days and weeks.

• More Extreme Weather Events to Hit North America

 

States of Emergency Declared in Illinois, New York, Indiana, Tennessee

State Of Disaster Declared in Illinois
.

Gov Quinn has declared a state of disaster for Illinois following a paralyzing snowstorm and a massive polar vortex causing extreme cold.

“As we continue to monitor weather conditions and work nonstop to respond to this winter storm, we will ensure that critical state services continue,” said Quinn in a statement posted on his website. “To protect the safety of our employees and the people they serve, I am directing state employees whose duties are not critical to state services to stay home and off the roads on Monday.”

The disaster declaration follows a major snow storm that dumped more than a foot new snow in many areas. The storm was followed by a polar vortex that plunged the temperature to dangerously low levels of about -45 degrees (-43ºC) and forced the closures of schools, businesses and government agencies.

In the last few days, the state of Illinois has used 9,400 tons of salt and 1,900 tons of liquid chloride to de-ice the roads, reported CBS Chicago.

Some 130 vehicle crashes were reported and up to 650 motorists had to be rescued through Sunday night, said CBS.

Polar Vortex drives east, States of Emergency declared for multiple areas

Gov. Cuomo has declared states of emergency for multiple counties as the polar vortex moves into western New York.

The emergency declaration covers 14 counties including Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Erie, Genesee, Jefferson, Lewis, Livingston, Monroe, Oneida, Orleans, Oswego, Wayne and Wyoming.

• A wind chill warning is in effect for Allegany,  Chautauqua, Cattaraugus, Genesee, Erie, Niagara, Orleans and Wyoming counties, as of posting

• A blizzard warning is in effect for Erie, Genesee and Wyoming counties, as of posting.

• The vortex is expected to produce wind gusts up to 45 mph, with wind chill temperatures as low as -40 degrees.

• Total snowfall of about 36 inches is forecast for parts of the affected region over the next 36 hours.

• Some 300 New York Army and Air National Guard citizen Soldiers and Airmen in western and central New York have been mobilized to help local authorities if needed.

“As this new winter storm develops, bringing heavy snow and high winds, I strongly urge all citizens in these regions to exercise caution, avoid travel, and stay indoors,” Cuomo said. “To ensure an effective and rapid response to this winter storm, I am declaring a state of emergency, so resources can get to communities where they are needed as quickly as possible.”

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Tuesday, January 7, 2014. Issued at 10:54UTC. Source: NWS. UPDATE

State of Emergency Declared in Indiana

Gov. Pence has declared a state of Emergency in  29 Indiana counties, as  record snowfalls and record-low temperatures plagued Indiana last Monday night.

The list of counties includes: Clinton, Delaware, Elkhart, Fulton, Grant, Howard, Jasper, Kosciusko, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Madison, Marshall, Montgomery, Newton, Noble, Porter, Pulaski, Rush, St. Joseph, Starke, Steuben, Sullivan, Tipton, Vermillion, Vigo, Wabash, White and Whitley.

UPDATE: Tennessee cancels its state of emergency

Extreme cold and sub-zero wind chills were forecast to continue into Tuesday; however, Tennessee canceled its state of emergency on Monday afternoon, AP reported.

Related Links and Chronology

• 2014: Year Five of Human-Enhanced Natural Disasters  January 1, 2014
• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey January 3, 2014
• Climate and Weather Extremes Plaguing the World January 4, 2014
• Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• UPDATED: Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• Giga Arctic Blast Affecting 250 Million in 40 States January 5, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in NW Indiana, Tennessee January 6, 2014
• More Extreme Weather Events to Hit North America  January 7, 2014

More Extreme Weather Events to Hit North America

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
.

Dangerously cold temperatures moving east

FIRE-EARTH Models show more Extreme Weather Events could wreak havoc across North America in the coming days and weeks.

Temp (F) – Real Time Mesoscale Analysis. Source: NWS

Polar Vortex

In the northern and central US temperatures felt as low as -60 degrees (-51ºC)  due to wind chill, according to the National Weather Service.

Illinois Governor Quinn called the Polar Vortex “one for the record books,”  as New York Governor Cuomo declared on Monday that parts of major highways would be closed due to the extreme conditions.

In Minneapolis, an emergency room doctor said he was treating frostbite injuries that had occurred even through protective clothing, AP reported.

U.S. Daily Lowest Min Temperature Records set January 1-5, 2014

• Records Broken: 125
• Records Tied: 28

VAN BUREN 2, a National Weather Service station located in Maine, set a new daily record -47 degrees (-44ºC) on January 2, smashing the previous record set in 1999 by 21 degrees.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States)

High Temperature for Thursday, January 6, 2014

• 85 degrees (-29ºC) at Fort Lauderdale, FL
• 85 at Hollywood, FL
• 85 at Miami, FL
• 85 at Opa Locka, FL
• 85 at West Kendall, FL

Low Temperature for Thursday, January 6, 2014

• -37 degrees (-38ºC) at Babbitt, MN

Issued 7 pm EST Thursday, January 2, 2014 – NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature spread:  124 degrees

A Silver Lining?

In Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport about 60 percent of the flights were canceled as fuel supplies froze, leaving crews unable to fill aircraft tanks, reported Reuters.

Total flight cancellations on Saturday:  1,771 (from or into the U.S., 1,507)
Total flight cancellations on Sunday: 3,905  (US: 3,517)
Total flight cancellations on Monday: 4,459 and  (US: 4,018)
Total cancellations on Tuesday, as of posting: 1,522 and (US: 1,376)
Total Flight delays for the period, as of posting:  47,765 (US: 26,574)
(Source: FlightAware.com)

Related Links and Chronology

• 2014: Year Five of Human-Enhanced Natural Disasters  January 1, 2014
• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey January 3, 2014
• Climate and Weather Extremes Plaguing the World January 4, 2014
• Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• UPDATED: Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• Giga Arctic Blast Affecting 250 Million in 40 States January 5, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in NW Indiana, Tennessee January 6, 2014

States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS
.

Major Snow Storm and Dangerous Cold Prompt States of Emergency Declarations in States of New York, New Jersey

Authorities in northeastern US have warned residents to stay indoors, as the region braces for a major winter storm forecast to dump up to 14in (35cm) of snow on many areas.

The governors of New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency and advised residents to stay indoors.

“As this winter storm unfolds, bringing heavy snow and high winds to many parts of the state, I strongly urge all New Yorkers to exercise caution, avoid travel and stay indoors,” said New York Governor Cuomo.

Blizzard conditions, with wind gusts of up to 76 km/h are forecast for New York, and throughout  much of New England.

Massachusetts Governor Patrick sent all non-emergency government employees home two hours early, warning residents to stay indoor and avoid dangerously low temperatures.

Thousands of flight cancellations and delays have been reported throughout the region.

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States)

High Temperature for Thursday, January 2, 2014

• 87 degrees (30.5ºC) at Fort Lauderdale, FL

Low Temperature for Thursday, January 2, 2014

• -47 degrees (-44ºC) at Babbitt, MN
• -47 degrees at Embarrass, MN
• -47 degrees at Van Buren, Maine

Issued 7 pm EST Thursday, January 2, 2014 – NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature spread:  134 degrees 

Meantime, the temperatures in Canada also fell to dangerously low levels, with central Quebec recording -51 degrees (-46ºC).

Related Links

• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014

Major Blackouts in U.S., Canada as Deadly Storms, Tornadoes Kill 18

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Deadly storms pummel northern US, eastern Canada leaving a million homes dark, cold

Deadly storms cut power to about a million homes in the U.S. and Canada, leaving at least 18 people dead, grounding hundreds of flights, delaying thousands more and causing major disruptions to transport networks throughout vast regions.

Ice storm has caused massive outages in the state of Michigan as well as in western and northern NY, leaving more than 2 inches of ice on trees and many roads.

On Monday, up to half a million homes and businesses in Michigan, upstate New York and northern New England and as many in eastern Canada remained without electricity as thick ice continued to fell trees and bring down power lines, according to reports.

Toronto’s Mayor has called the ice storm “one of the worst storms in Toronto history.”

The ice storm also battered New York state, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine, forcing New York Governor to declare a winter ice storm emergency on Friday in four counties where were more than 2 inches of ice covered the roads.

The Storm Prediction Center has recorded at least 12 confirmed tornado reports and more than 320 wind reports since Friday, December 20, 2013.

High and Low Temperatures for the contiguous U.S. on Monday 

• High Temperature: 86 degrees (30ºC) at Fort Myers/Southwest Florida, several other locations in FL

• Low Temperature:  -37 degrees (-38ºC) at 13 miles northeast of Poplar, MT

Source: NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD – Issued 7 pm EST Monday, December 23, 2013

Temperature Range for Monday: 123 degrees

Related Links

• Deadly Ice Storm Paralyzes Eastern Canada December 23, 2013
• Ice Storm Emergency Declared for NY December 22, 2013
• Multiple Hazard Warnings in Effect Across Much of The U.S. December 21, 2013

Ice Storm Emergency Declared for NY

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

Cuomo declares Ice Storm Emergency for northern and western New York

Gov. Andrew Cuomo has declared an ice storm emergency for portions of northern and western New York ahead of the storm as forecasters warn ice accumulation could top one inch.

Cuomo also activated the state Emergency Operations Center on Saturday

Winter Storm Warnings and Watches are in effect for multiple counties across the state,  said the National Weather Service (NWS).

State of Energy Emergency Declared For UP, Michigan

Gov. Snyder has issued an executive order proclaiming a State of Energy Emergency in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula (UP).

The Order allows drivers to exceed the driving duration and frequency limits imposed so  law so that they can deliver propane in Michigan due to a temporary shortage of the fuel in parts of the UP.

Propane is used for heating homes in rural areas that are not connected to the  natural gas pipelines.

“Michiganders and those visiting the Upper Peninsula who rely on propane for heat and other uses are in our thoughts,” said Snyder after issuing the Order. “This executive order will help make sure that there is enough supply in the coming days and weeks until problems are resolved.”

Other States of Emergency Declaration

Dozens of other counties, cities, towns and communities have declared states of emergency due to the extreme weather brought by the ice storm including

• Cities of Beloit and Sun Prairie in Wisconsin, see related report
• City of Rockford, Illinois (Snow Emergency)
• City of North Liberty, Iowa (Snow emergency)

Related Links

• Multiple Hazard Warnings in Effect Across Much of The U.S. December 21, 2013

Crop Disaster Areas Declared across 4 States

22 Counties across four states declared crop disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 22  counties in four states as agricultural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rains and flooding that began May 5, 2013, and continues.

The disaster areas are

Vermont: Addison, Chittenden, Grand Isle, Rutland, Bennington, Essex, Orange, Caledonia, Franklin, Orleans, Windham, Washington, Windsor and Lamoille counties.

Massachusetts: Berkshire and Franklin counties.

New Hampshire: Cheshire, Coos, Grafton and  Sullivan counties.

New York:  Rensselaer and Washington counties.

Crop Disaster 2013

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 3,924 county-level agricultural disaster areas across 44 states, so far this year.

The crop disasters for year 2013 include losses and damages caused by

• DROUGHT
• FLOOD
• Flash flooding
• Excessive rain, moisture, humidity
• Severe Storms, thunderstorms
• Ground Saturation
• Standing Water
• Hail
• Wind, High Winds
• Fire, Wildfire
• Heat, Excessive heat
• High Temp. (incl. low humidity)
• Winter Storms, Ice Storms, Snow, Blizzard
• Frost, FREEZE
• Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tropical Storms
• Tornadoes
• Volcano
• Mudslides, Debris Flows, Landslides
• Heavy Surf
• Ice Jams
• Insects
• Tidal Surges
• Cold, wet weather
• Cool/Cold, Below-normal Temperatures
• Lightning
• Disease

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 between January 9 and November 20, 2013.

Recent Crop Disaster Designations

• Crop Disasters
• Crop Disaster Declared in Five States November 14, 2013
• Crop Disaster Declared in Maine and Montana November 1, 2013
• Crop Disaster Declared for 123 Counties in 10 States Posted on October 18, 2013

1ST Anniversary of Superstorm SANDY

Superstorm SANDY left hundreds of thousands of people homeless

SANDY hit the US east coast last year, killing scores of people and causing damage estimated at $65 billion—the second costliest hurricane ever.

[Note: At least 286 people were killed across the United States, the Caribbean, and Canada, as a result of SANDY. Total damage estimated at $68 billion.]

Atlantic Hurricane Season

The 2010 season (the third most active season on record jointly with 1887 and 1995) experienced 19 named storms, 12 of which developed into hurricanes (second most active hurricane season jointly with 1969.)

About 40 million people in the coastal regions of the US, from  North Carolina to Texas, are most at risk of hurricanes.

FIRE-EARTH Forecast [May 20, 2011]

Based on the blog models, recent trends set by the impact of weather extremes on population centers, especially since late 2009, and other geophysical and planetary factors, FIRE-EARTH believes 2011 could  prove less lucky than the last two years. We forecast a particularly costly hurricane season for the Atlantic Basin in 2011. 

What we told you last year

On October 18, 2012, FIRE-EARTH said

WARNING: The United States is now one major disaster away from the onset of large scale collapse!

• United States: The First Phase of Collapse Has Begun  October 31, 2012

• SANDY: Fisheries Disaster Declared for NY, NJ November 17, 2012
• Hurricane SANDY Could Become a Super Storm
•  October 27, 2012

NE U.S. Blizzard, Rainstorm GOES Movies

Late winter rainstorms pummeled  NE U.S.

And the severe weather season hasn’t even begun yet!

The northeastern U.S. was pummeled by blizzards, swamped by heavy flooding, and battered by late winter storms. Two movies of the events were captured by NASA Satellite GOES-12 between February 1 and 16, and March 8 and 16, 2010.

This is a still image of the well-developed storm on March 15, 2010 at 2115 UTC (4:15 p.m. ET) the New England coast. Source: NASA GOES Project

“Following the Nor’easter ‘parade of blizzards’ in February this year, another week-long parade of storms flooded the upper Midwest and Northeastern U.S. in March,” said a NASA GOES Project official. “The merge of three storms in the Midwest was unusual, where the normal pattern is a series of spring storms carried by the prevailing westerlies (winds).”

“The movie was created by overlaying the clouds observed several times per hour by NOAA’s GOES Imager onto a true-color map previously derived from NASA’s Moderate Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land-mapping instrument. The infrared channels on GOES detect clouds day and night, which are portrayed as grey for low clouds and white for high clouds. The movie compresses nine days into two minutes. It illustrates how continental-scale land/sea/air phenomena come together to make large late winter storms.” NASA Website said.

“Heavy rains that hit the northeast cause flooding, fatalities, power outages and damages. Downed trees from rain-soaked roots toppled power lines. Outages were reported in Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. Literally thousands of trees were reported felled in Connecticut and New York. Flooding forced evacuations and put roadways under water. As far north as Maine, parts of the state received more than eight inches of rain. ”

Total rainfall for the first 19 days of March:

• Boston: 7.45″
• Bridgeport, Conn: 4.02″
• Newark, NJ: 5.24″
• New York City: 4.72″
• Portland, Maine: 3.57″ of rain.

Most of that rainfall was caused by the storms.

The link to the movies: (Unfortunately, the movie were available only in one format, MP4, as of posting.)

1. GOES Movie of the Northeastern US Floods
2. GOES Blizzard movie

Note: The second movie linked to above, is a 2-minute movie compressed from GOES satellite data recorded February 1-16, 2010, capturing two blizzards which hit the Baltimore, Md. and Washington areas.

During the first two weeks of February, Washington, DC,  was put out of action by two blizzards which dumped heavy wet snow as follows:

• 5 inches fell on February 3
• 24 inches fell on February 6
• 12 inches on February 10.
• A second, back-to-back storm followed on February 16 dumping 10 inches on Philadelphia and New York, but spared Washington and Baltimor.

“These storms are called Nor’easters because the counter-clockwise circulation around a low pressure system on the Atlantic coast pushes moist sea air from the north-east into arctic air over the land. This windy mixture creates a very efficient snow-making machine from Boston to Washington. ‘The GOES movie illustrates how succeeding storms form along the Gulf coast, travel up the Atlantic coast, pause over the mid-Atlantic states, and finally slide out to sea,’ said a NASA official with GOES Project.” Source: NASA/EO website.

Related Links:

• Winter Officially Starts Today!
• Ready to Welcome Climate Refugees?
• Global Weather Chaos
• The World Is Rapidly Collapsing
• Deadly Winter Storm Paralyzes United States
• Deadly Weather in Your Area?
• US Northeast Snow Records Broken
• Humongous Snowstorm Paralyzes Eastern U.S.
• ‘Humongous’ storm spreads across the US