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

Snow Emergencies Declared in Midwest, Northeast

EXTREME WEATHER EVENT

Heavy snow affects 18 States in Midwest, Northeast

About 53 percent of the continental U.S. was covered by snow, including all or parts of 18 states in the Midwest and Northeast exactly a week before the first official day of winter.

Heavy snow prompted authorities in dozens of counties, cities and towns across Midwest and Northeast to declare snow emergencies. The snowstorm trekked more than 1,000 miles across the Midwest on Saturday and into the Northeast states overnight, affecting every major city, town and rural area in the region. States affected include Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

Snow Cover by Region [December 15, 2013]

• Continental U.S.: 53.0%
• Northeast: 99.1%
• Midwest: 61.3%
• Allegheny Front: 99.6%
• Northern Great Lakes: 100%
• Southern Great Lakes: 100%
• Southern Appalachia: 23.3%
• Upper Midwest: 95.5%
• Great Basin: 77.7%
• Northwest: 50%
• Intermountains: 81.4%
• Northern Rockies: 95.5%
• Sierra Nevada: 54.0%

Map of National Snow Cover. Source: nohrsc.noaa (Animate: Season – Two weeks – One Day)

Flight Delays and Cancellations

Extreme Weather Events have forced thousands of flight cancellations as well as very many delays.

• Total flight cancellations within, into, or out of the United States so far this week:  8,141
• Total flight cancellations globally: 11,609
• Total flight delays this week:  100,373 -source: FlightAware

Two Winter Storms Impacting the U.S.

EXTREME WEATHER EVENTS

DEADLY WINTER STORM continues battering eastern U.S. while a second system begins impacting the West

The deadly ice storm has been described as the worst winter storm to strike the U.S. in years.

Texas governor declared a State of Disaster in 143 counties across the state on Thursday, due to “the imminent threat of disaster.”

States of Emergency were declared in Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee ahead of the ice storm.

Minnesota declared Snow Emergency in Minneapolis and St. Paul. Other cities also proclaimed emergencies including Crystal, West St. Paul, Plymouth, St. Paul, Robbinsdale, Mendota Heights, Bloomington, Minneapolis and St. Louis Park.

The storm has been battering much of the US, killing at least a dozen people, so far, including the mayor of Granby, Missouri, whose car skidded off an icy state highway and struck a tree on Thursday.

• The storm cut power to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses  in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tennessee Thursday and Friday, and forced about 2,000 flight cancellation on Friday alone.

• The authorities closed thousands of schools from Texas to Wisconsin.

“Snow, sleet, freezing rain and heavy rainfall will continue to impact the eastern third of the U.S. through the weekend. Extremely cold temperatures will continue to settle into the western two-thirds of the country behind this storm system. In the meantime, a reinforcing shot of cold air is beginning to impact the West Coast as the next system approaches,”  said NWS.

Near Real-Time U.S. Composite Satellite Image. Recorded at 08:00UTC on December 7, 2013. (Source: SSEC/Wisc-Uni)

Multiple Warnings for Extreme Weather

Multiple Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Extreme Weather Events are in effect across the entire country. The warning include Winter Storm Warning,  High Wind Warning, Storm Warning, Flood Warning, Lake Effect Snow Warning, Gale Warning, Wind Chill Warning, Hard Freeze Warning and Freeze Warning, as of posting.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Friday, December 7, 2013. Source and Update: NWS/CRH. Hazmap enhanced by FIRE-EARTH Blog.

Selected Highlights from NWS Weather Forecast

• Freezing rain and sleet forecast from parts of the Lower Mississippi
  Valley to the Central Appalachians/Northern Mid-Atlantic

• Snow from the Middle Missouri Valley to the Upper Great Lakes and over parts of the Mid-Atlantic

• Heavy rain possible from the Lower Mississippi Valley to the Tennessee Valley

• Temperatures will plunge as much as 35 degrees below average from the High Plains to Great Lakes/Central Gulf

• A band of freezing rain/sleet will develop over parts of the Tennessee Valley and the Mid-Atlantic on Sunday.

• Snow will cover parts of the Ohio Valley on Sunday morning expanding into the Upper Great Lakes to the Northern Mid-Atlantic by Sunday evening.

A three-inch layer of ice and sleet will stay on roads in the Dallas-Fort Worth area through Sunday, forecasters said.

Recent Extreme Weather Events

• Major Winter Storm Battering Southern Plains through Ohio Valley December 6, 2013
• Major Winter Storm Affecting Much of the U.S. December 5, 2013
• Massive Winter Storm Engulfs Much of Western, Central and Northern U.S. December 4, 2013
• Massive Storm System Impacting Western and Central U.S. December 3, 2013
• Nor’easter Spawned by Deadly Thanksgiving Storm November 27, 2013
• Deadly Thanksgiving Storm Moves East November 26, 2013

Deadly Snowstorm Heads East

Thousands of flights cancelled as deadly snowstorm pummels US Midwest

The storm is moving east over the Ohio Valley and is forecast to affect the central Appalachians and mid-Atlantic region before hitting Washington, D.C., said NWS.

• The deadly, late winter storm began in Montana dumping heavy snow on the Midwestern U.S., causing hundreds of accidents on the highways, and moving east.
• At least six people were killed in weather-related accidents, as of posting.
• Dozens of additional towns and cities have declared snow emergencies.
• Winter storm warnings were in effect in large portions of the Upper Midwest and the Mid-Atlantic states on Tuesday.
• “The storm system impacting the Midwest will shift into the northeast U.S. on Wednesday, bringing a plethora of weather hazards. Heavy snow, especially in the central Appalachians and northern Mid-Atlantic, strong winds, coastal flooding and rough seas are a few of the weather hazards which may lead to dangerous travel conditions, localized power outages and property damage.” NWS said.

US Weather Hazards Map, March 5, 2013. Source: NWS

Related Links

• Snow Emergencies Declared across Upper Midwest  March 5, 2013

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March 6, 2013 – DISASTER CALENDAR SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,102 Days Left 

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

• SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,102 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

Snow Emergencies Declared across Upper Midwest

Winter Storm Affecting Midwest and Ohio Valley

A ferocious winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow to parts of the Upper Midwest into the Ohio Valley starting Monday into Tuesday, NWS said. “As much as 4-8 inches of snow is possible. Meanwhile, showers and thunderstorms will develop from the Tennessee Valley to the Gulf Coast.”

• Snow could blanket parts of Ohio Valley.
• Heavy rain possible for parts of northern California (Source: NWS).

US Weather Hazards Map, March 5, 2013. Source: NWS

Local Links

• SE Wisconsin towns declare snow emergency
• Town of Beloit to declare snow emergency
• The City of Clinton has declared a snow emergency
• Snow emergency declared Tuesday in Northfield, MN
• Iowa communities declare snow emergencies as storm starts to hit