Record Low Temps. Reported across Asia

Deadly cold spell kills dozens of people in Taiwan Japan, Vietnam, China, S. Korea…

Taiwan. Record cold over the weekend has killed about 100 people.

• A sudden drop in Taipei city temperature plunged the mercury to a record low of 4ºC (39F)on Sunday.

South Korea. About 1,000 flights were cancelled, stranding more than 90,000 tourists on Jeju  island, as temperatures fell to record lows.

• Seoul temperature fell to -18ºC, the lowest since Jan. 15, 2001, the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) said.
• Temperature in North Korea’s northeastern tip fell to -37.5ºC on Saturday night, said the South Korean weather agency.
• Pyongyang temperature fell from -15ºCon Saturday to -19ºC early Sunday.
• Radio Free Asia reported Saturday that more than 40,000 North Korean workers had been withdrawn from construction sites due to big freezing, said the report.

Vietnam and Thailand. Record or near-record low temperatures affected much of the two countries.

Southern and eastern China.  First snow in fifty years blanketed Guangzhou, capital of south China’s Guangdong Province, over the weekend.

• “China’s national observatory on Sunday evening renewed its orange alert for a cold wave as most parts of the country experienced the coldest weather in decades in the weekend.”
• At least four fatalities have been reported.
• In Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the fisheries authorities reported the loss of 54 tons of product as of Sunday due to the cold.

Hong Kong. Temperature fell to a record low of

Japan. Snowstorms hammered large portions of Japan, killing at least 8 people, leaving hundreds injured, and forcing scores of flight cancellations.

• Snow reported in Okinawa for the first time ever.

Major Snowstorms Forecast in China, U.S.

Cold wave sweeps across China

[Source: Xinhua]

Much of China will experience a rapid drop in temperatures together with heavy snow and rain in the coming days as a strong cold front approaches the country.

The National Meteorological Center forecast sharp drops in temperatures across northwestern, northern and northeastern China, with the mercury plunging by as much as 14 degrees Celsius.

“The center warned of snow and rain in central and eastern provinces, which will see their coldest days so far this winter.

“Meteorological authorities in eastern Jiangxi Province forecast a cold snap from Wednesday, adding rain and snow to the coldest week since 1992.”

“The temperature will stay minus zero for several days. Only ten percent of the vegetables will survive,” said a farmer.

Major cities in the affected regions including Shanghai and Changsha are expected to see record low temperatures.

In Beijing, the freezing weather catapulted power demand, raising the grid peak load to a record winter high of 16.6 gigawatt Monday evening, said the report.

Meanwhile, back in the U.S., NWS forecasters issued the following alert:

Potential major winter storm for the Eastern U.S. later this week

NWS forecasters are monitoring the possibility of a major winter storm affecting the
Northeast later this week, including the possibility of heavy snow for the urban corridor extending from Washington, DC, to New York and Boston Friday into Sunday. Based on the anticipated storm track, as much as 1 to 2 feet of snow is possible near and northwest of I-95. Coastal flooding is also likely.

Giga Arctic Blast Affecting 250 Million in 40 States

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
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Deadly Arctic storm affecting 250 million people in 40 states —FIRE-EARTH

Life-threatening wind chill is plunging temperatures to as low as minus 60 degrees (-51ºC). The coldest temperatures in 20 years are spreading into the northern and central U.S. on Sunday following an arctic cold front.

Combined with gusty winds, these temperatures will result in life-threatening wind chill values as low as 60 degrees below zero. Also, heavy snow will develop from the eastern Plains to the Great Lakes today, with up to a foot of accumulation possible. —NWS

A massive blast of Arctic Air [aka “Polar Vortex”] is expected to set new lowest temperature records from the Northern/ Central High Plains to the Upper Mississippi Valley.

• Hard Freeze Warnings, Freeze Warnings and multiples of other Weather Hazard Warnings, Watches and Advisories are in effect throughout the eastern two-thirds of the country, extending into the deep South and spanning along almost the entire Gulf Coast.

• The giga winter storm has killed at least 2 dozen people so far.
• Up to 250 million people in 40 states are affected by the Arctic blast, according to FIRE-EARTH Models.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Sunday, January 5, 2014. Issued at 14:54UTC. Source: NWS. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH. UPDATE

Related Links

• UPDATED: Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey January 3, 2014
• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014

UPDATED: Deadly Cold Plagues U.S.

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
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DEADLY COLD REACHES THE HEARTS AND MINDS OTHER WARNING CALLS FAIL TO REACH – PROBABLY!

UPDATED @ 10:00UTC.

Parts of northeastern U.S. and Canada buried under 60+ cm (2 feet) of snow as deadly wind chill continues to plunge temperatures.

A massive blast of Arctic Air [aka “Polar Vortex”] is expected to plunge temperatures by up to 60 degrees (F) below average from the Northern/ Central High Plains to the Upper Mississippi Valley.

• Hard Freeze Warnings, Freeze Warnings and multiples of other Weather Hazard Warnings, Watches and Advisories are in effect throughout the eastern two-thirds of the country, extending into the deep South and spanning along almost the entire Gulf Coast.

“It may feel as cold as negative 50 to negative 60 on Sunday night over sections of the north-central states,” said a meteorologist  with NWS.

“In those conditions, frost bite sets in on exposed skin within five minutes. A person not properly dressed could die easily in those conditions.”

The mega winter storm is said to be the worst in two decades, caused by a “polar vortex.”

“It’s just a large area of very cold air that comes down, forms over the North Pole or polar regions; [it] usually stays in Canada, but this time it’s going to come all the way into the eastern United States,” said a meteorologist  with NWS.

• Heavy snow has paralyzed large parts of the northeast and Canada, claiming up to two dozen lives, grounding at least 6,000  flights and delaying twice as many since Thursday, and shutting down transport systems.

Schools and government offices have been forced  to close throughout the states of New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The governors of New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency on Thursday and have since advised residents to stay at home.

• The mayor of Bridgeport also  declared a state of emergency.
• Boston Declared a Snow Emergency.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Sunday, January 5, 2014. Source: NWS. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH. UPDATE

“The last really big Arctic outbreak was 1994,” said a forecaster with NWS. “Outbreaks like this don’t occur every day.”

Record-breaking cold expected over much of Eastern U.S. (NWS)

“The coldest weather in years will be making its presence known from the Upper Mid-West to the Mid-Atlantic region,” said the US National Weather Service (NWS), adding that Ohio, South Dakota and Illinois would be among the worst-hit areas.

Incredibly Cold and Possibly Record Breaking Temperatures, Heavy Snow and Ice Are Expected for the Eastern Two-Thirds of the Country Through Next Week.

Potentially record breaking cold temperatures will continue dropping through the northern-tier states today. As the airmass moves into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, moderate to heavy snow will be possible on Sunday. With cold air already entrenched over much of the eastern U.S., freezing rain is possible from the Deep South, along the Appalachians into New England for the next couple of days.

Wind chill is forecast to plunge the effective temperatures to as low as -51ºC (-60 degrees) in the Midwest.

U.S. Daily Lowest Min Temperature Records set January 1 – 3, 2014

• 65  records Broken, 14  tied
  

On Friday, temperature plunged to -45ºC  (-49.0 degrees) in Van Buren, Maine, breaking a previous record of -35.6ºC ( -32.1 degrees) set in 1999,  said NCDC.

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

High Temperature for Thursday, January 4, 2014

• 76 degrees (24.4ºC) at Miami, FL
• 76 degrees at Kingsville, TX
• 76 degrees at Alice, TX

Low Temperature for Thursday, January 4, 2014

• -36 degrees (-37.8ºC) at Big Black River, ME

Issued 7 pm EST Thursday, January 4, 2014 – NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature spread:  112 degrees  [The spread remains inconsistent.  Editor]

Related Links

• Deadly Cold Plagues U.S. January 5, 2014
• States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey January 3, 2014
• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014

Deadly Cold Plagues U.S.

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
.

DEADLY COLD REACHING PARTS OTHER WARNING CALLS FAIL TO REACH – PROBABLY!

Parts of northeastern U.S. and Canada buried under 60+ cm (2 feet) of snow as deadly wind chill continues to plunge temperatures

Heavy snow has paralyzed large parts of the northeast and Canada, claiming up to two dozen lives, grounding at least 6,000  flights and delaying twice as many since Thursday, and shutting down transport systems.

Schools and government offices have been forced  to close throughout the states of New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut.

The governors of New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency on Thursday and have since advised residents to stay at home.

• The mayor of Bridgeport also  declared a state of emergency.
• Boston Declared a Snow Emergency.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Sunday, January 5, 2014. Source: NWS. Map Enhanced by FIRE-EARTH. UPDATE

“The last really big Arctic outbreak was 1994,” said a forecaster with NWS. “Outbreaks like this don’t occur every day.”

Record-breaking cold expected over much of Eastern U.S. (NWS)

“The coldest weather in years will be making its presence known from the Upper Mid-West to the Mid-Atlantic region,” said the US National Weather Service (NWS), adding that Ohio, South Dakota and Illinois would be among the worst-hit areas.

Incredibly Cold and Possibly Record Breaking Temperatures, Heavy Snow and Ice Are Expected for the Eastern Two-Thirds of the Country Through Next Week.

Potentially record breaking cold temperatures will continue dropping through the northern-tier states today. As the airmass moves into the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, moderate to heavy snow will be possible on Sunday. With cold air already entrenched over much of the eastern U.S., freezing rain is possible from the Deep South, along the Appalachians into New England for the next couple of days.

Wind chill is forecast to plunge the effective temperatures to as low as -50ºC (-59 degrees) in the Midwest.

U.S. Daily Lowest Min Temperature Records set January 1 – 3, 2014

• 65  records Broken, 14  tied
  

On Friday, temperature plunged to -45ºC  (-49.0 degrees) in Van Buren, Maine, breaking a previous record of -35.6ºC ( -32.1 degrees) set in 1999,  said NCDC.

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

High Temperature for Thursday, January 4, 2014

• 76 degrees (24.4ºC) at Miami, FL
• 76 degrees at Kingsville, TX
• 76 degrees at Alice, TX

Low Temperature for Thursday, January 4, 2014

• -36 degrees (-37.8ºC) at Big Black River, ME

Issued 7 pm EST Thursday, January 4, 2014 – NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature spread:  112 degrees  [The spread remains inconsistent.  Editor]

Related Links

• States of Emergency Declared in New York, New Jersey January 3, 2014
• Major Winter Storm to Batter Midwest, Northeast January 2, 2014