Extreme Weather, Climatic Events Plague Japan, U.S.

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
HEATWAVE
MAJOR STORMS
SCENARIOS  777, 088, 067, 066, 023
.

Derecho, Hail, Tornadoes and Dust Storms Hit Central US 

Extrme Rain Events triggered severe flash flooding Tuesday for a wide swath of eastern Nebraska and southwest Iowa, prompting  Iowa Gov. Branstad to declare Pottawattamie County a disaster area.

Severe storms producing baseball-sized hail, up to 12 tornadoes and a dangerous derecho pounded the US Midwest on Tuesday causing damage to buildings and vehicles.

The hail caused substantial damage to 4,300 vehicles at Woodhouse Auto Family car dealership in Nebraska, said a report.

Storm Prediction Center received at least 12 reports of possible tornadoes in Nebraska, Iowa, Wyoming and Kansas by late Tuesday evening.

Japan

An unusually intense heatwave continued to grip Hokkaido and other parts of Japan since Monday, with temperatures soaring to a 90-year record.

The temperature soared to 37.8°C in the town of Otofuke at about 2 p.m. on Teusday matching Hokkaido’s highest temperature, recorded in Obihiro on July 12, 1924, said Japan Meteorological Agency.

On Wednesday, temperatures exceeded 36.8°C for the first time this year at many observation stations throughout the prefecture.

Meanwhile, a rain front approaching from the west has dumped enormous  amounts of precipitation on Kyushu, Okinawa and Amami islands in the country’s southwest, triggering numerous landslides.

CHRISTINE Even Fiercer than She Looks

CHRISTINE Could Develop to Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone: FIRE-EARTH

FIRE-EARTH Models show Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE could intensify to a Category 3 Severe Tropical Cyclone with sustained winds of 140 km/h or higher, and wind gusts in excess of 180 km/h over the next 24 -36 hours, subject to favorable conditions.

Tropical Cyclone CHRISTINE. Water Vapor [FIRE-EARTH Enhancement] Satellite Image.  Recorded at 12:32UTC on Saturday December 28, 2013. The original Image Sourced from: CIMSS/SSEC/WISC.

At 13:00UTC on December 28, 2013 CHRISTINE was located about 505km north northeast of Port Hedland, Australia moving SSW at 11 km/h parallel to the coast. Maximum significant wave hight was about 4 meters.

“Ports in Australia’s Pilbara region, through which almost half of the world’s seaborne iron ore is shipped, were sending ships out to sea on Saturday ahead of a tropical cyclone that is forecast to reach the coast by Tuesday,” reported Reuters.

More than 40 vessels in the anchorages and harbor at Port Hedland will be leaving by early Sunday, according to the port authorities.

UPDATE
Embedded Thunderstorms

“A large area of embedded thunderstorms over the Kimberley, the western Top End and waters to the north, is associated with Tropical Cyclone Christine,” said  Australian BOM.

BOM has issued a  Cyclone Warning for coastal areas from Cape Leveque to Whim Creek, including Broome and Port Hedland and a Cyclone Watch for coastal areas from Whim Creek to Exmouth, including Karratha and Onslow, extending inland to Paraburdoo, Western Australia (WA).

States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises

District of Columbia, Maryland, Ohio and the two Virginias declare States of Emergency amid rising storms toll

Deadly storms across Eastern U.S. have claimed at least 13 lives and left many injured, hundreds homeless and about 6 million utility customers, or an estimated 20 million people, without power amid sweltering heat wave.

Widespread damage and power losses have been reported across a vast region ravaged by deadly storms since Friday.

The storms have left a trail of destruction from Indiana to New Jersey, with the worst-hit areas being in Washington Metropolitan area, Maryland, West Virginia, and suburban Virginia.

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell called the widespread power losses as “the largest non-hurricane power outage in Virginia history,” as more storms threatened. “This is a very dangerous situation,” the governor said, “the next few days in Virginia are going to be very, very difficult.”

• The deadly storms claimed at least 6 lives across Virginia (pop: ~ 8.1 million), and left about 2.5 million customers, or an estimated 7.5 million people, without power. [Includes about 120,000 customers in Richmond area and 680,000 in northern Virginia.]
• More than 3.5 million homes and businesses supplied by Dominion Virginia Power in Indiana, Ohio and Virginia have been affected.

In Ohio, excessive heat, widespread power losses and utility damages prompted Gov.  Kasich to declare a state of emergency. As of Saturday morning, about 1 million homes and businesses, or an estimated total of 3 million people, still faced power outages.

“I’m very concerned with the problems created by the combination of power outages and severe heat, and so I’ve declared an emergency for all of Ohio so that state resources and personnel can help local governments meet the needs and challenges that they face.” Kasich said.

• The Disaster President [Barrack Obama] has since declared Ohio a Federal Disaster Area.

In Maryland, at least 800 people were left homeless after storms tore off the roofs of two apartment buildings in Riverdale Park, said Mayor Vernon Archer.

• Governor O’Malley declared a State of Emergency following the devastation.
• About 1 million utility customers in Maryland, an estimated 3 million people, were still without power early Saturday morning, “similar to the number that lost power in 2003 when Tropical Storm Isabel hit the state,” said a report.

Across West Virginia (pop: ~1.9 million), where Gov. Earl Ray had already declared a state of emergency, some 700,000 customers, or an estimated 1.7 million people, were without power in 53 of the state’s 55 counties.

• “Those winds were so strong and over such a wide area,” the governor told reporters. “It’s going to take several days to get power back on.”
• The Disaster President declared West Virginia a Federal Disaster Area on Saturday.

In Washington, the utility company Pepco reported more than 440,000 outages in the Capital.

In Indiana, at least 135,000 customers, or an estimated half a million people, lost power.

Atlantic County, New Jersey, declared a state of emergency due to the violent storms which left more than 200,000 customers, or an estimated 750,000 people, without power.

• In Salem County NJ, officials declared a state of emergency after storms left at least 2 people dead, causing widespread damage and cutting power to at least 10,000 homes and businesses.
• The Mayor of Vineland (Pop: 65,000), a city in Cumberland County, New Jersey, also declared a disaster emergency.

Pennsylvania: about  40,000 customers lost power.

Kentucky and North Carolina:  at least 2,500 homes and businesses lost power.

Illinois: Commonwealth Edison power utility reported more than 210,000 outages.

FirstEnergy, AEP Ohio and BGE (Maryland) had reported a total of about 1.6  million power outages.

See links for details of heat wave and the new record high temperatures set in the U.S.

• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand

Risk of Severe Thunderstorms Continues Tonight As Heat Continues Across South: NWS

Scattered thunderstorms expected tonight and Sunday over the Central Plains, Midwest and East Central States. Some thunderstorms will be severe with damaging winds, large hail, and isolated tornadoes.

US Weather Hazards Map, July 1, 2012

Mega Heat Wave

Dangerous heat is forecast to continue throughout the South.  Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories remain in effect  in parts of more than 2 dozen states across the southeast and lower half of the Mississippi Valley with triple-digit temperatures forecast across the southern third of the U.S., said NWS.

About 150 all-time high temperature records have been broken in recent days.

Millions of people have been urged to seek out shelter amid triple-digit heat and large-scale power outages.

High Temperature Forecast for July 1, 2012.

Spring Officially Starts Today

 It’s Flooding Awareness Week nationwide!

Life-threatening Floods Possible in the Plains and Mississippi Valley: NWS

“A tremendous setup for heavy rainfall is unfolding in the central/southern Mississippi River Valley and Plains. The weather pattern is very slow-moving, so thunderstorms with heavy rain will repeatedly move over the same area resulting in some locations receiving a foot of rain through midweek.”

US Natural Hazards Map. Source: NWS. Map enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

Disaster Calendar 2012 – March 20

[March 20, 2012]  Mass die-offs resulting from human impact and the planetary response to the anthropogenic assault could occur by early 2016.  SYMBOLIC COUNTDOWN: 1,457 Days Left to the ‘Worst Day’ in Human History

• Mid-Americanweather expected to include rain, flash floods, wild fire danger, severe storms: NWS
• Mississippi River Valley. Severe weather, torrential rains and flash flooding could occur across the southern Plains and lower to middle Mississippi River Valley, NWS reported.
• “An increased risk for wildfires is expected over much of the high plains.”

• “To the north and west of the rain and flash flood area, Red Flag Warnings have been posted across the northern High Plains, where little precipitation is expected.”
• “Critical fire danger has been forecast today for parts of the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas.”
• Rain and thunderstorms expected from the eastern Great Lakes to the Eastern Seaboard and from southern New England to northern South Carolina.
• “Heavy snow is possible over several areas of western Washington, central Montana, northwest Wyoming and southwest Colorado.”

• Oklahoma, USA. Power outages reported as flood warning is issued for Oklahoma City area, flash flooding in Norman
• Idaho.  Flood warnings or advisories have been issued for most of south-central and southeastern Idaho: NWS.
  • Torrential rains  over the weekend intensifies the flooding in Fremont County
• Illinois. Flood warnings have been issued for the Illinois River Basin: NWS
  • Risk of severe weather extends over a large area from southwest to northeast Texas, southeastern Oklahoma and part  of southwest Arkansas.
  • “The Storm Prediction Center received 14 reports of tornadoes Sunday – 13 in Nebraska and 1 in South Dakota. Twelve of the Nebraska tornadoes were reported in and around North Platte in Lincoln County with the other reported near Valentine in Cherry County. The South Dakota tornado was reported 21 miles south of Mission in Todd County. Hail at 4.25-inch diameter was reported 19 miles south-southeast of Mission, which joined Quinn in Pennington County, SD, reported a peak wind of 80 mph.”
• Texas.  At least 3 tornadoes touched down in Texas. The largest hit near the town of Natalia injuring two people and damaging 6 homes, according to SPC.
  • However, the Medina County Sheriff’s Office “received over 300 calls indicating there is damage or injuries” due to the storm, said a woman from the sheriff’s office, local media reported.
  • “It struck us pretty hard,” she said from the county, which is about 30 miles west of San Antonio. “At this point, we have unknown (amount) of injuries, but we have a lot of damage.”

Other Global Disasters

• Queensland, Australia.  Townsville in the Australian state of Queensland has been declared a disaster zone after a “freak storm” described as “mini tornado” left a 500m path of destruction, leaving at least 60 homes and businesses with major structural damage, a report said.
  • The tornado reportedly packed wind of higher than 111km/h [an EF2 tornado on the Enhanced Fujita Tornado Scale.]
  • The worst affected areas were suburbs of Vincent, Gulliver, Currajong and Pimlico, which remain in blackout.

• North Island, New Zealand.  A severe storm with high winds pounded New Zealand’s North Island felling trees, knocking out power lines and causing extensive flooding.
  • The storm dumped more than two months’ worth of rain on parts of the region, a report said.
  • Severe weather closed schools and forced dozens of flight cancellations in and out of Auckland Airport.
  • More wild weather, torrential rains and flooding are forecast for the region.

• Germany.  The number of farms reporting Schmallenberg virus have jumped up by more than 10 percent in seven days. [up from 847 farms on March 5, and 908 farms on March 12]
  • Sheep, cattle and goat from 1,000 farms [up from 847 farms on March 5, and 908 farms on March 12] have been tested positive for Schmallenberg virus (SBV) as of March 19, 2012.
  • “The cases occurred in 160 cattle holdings, 799 sheep holdings and 41 goat holdings.”  FLI reported.

© 2010 Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Bundesforschungsinstitut für Tiergesundheit

• France. A total of 824 farms have reported SBV infection in France as of March 16, 2012. That is a rise of 23% in reported SBV cases in a week. (Source: Centre de ressources épidémiosurveillance).

Map of farms in France with reported SBV cases. Source: survepi.org; enhanced by FIRE-EARTH

• United Kingdom.  Schmallenberg virus (SBV) infection has been identified on 190 farms [up from 158 farms on March 12 and 92 farm on March 2] located in 22 counties. The rise represents a jump of more than 20 percent since March 12, 2012. “Fourteen of the positive cases have been diagnosed in cattle, 176 in sheep,” DEFRA reported.

Global Disasters: Links, Forecasts and Background

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

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

WILDFIRES: Red Flag Warnings in 6 States

Dangerous wildfire conditions will exist across the South Plains today: NWS

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE LUBBOCK TX 5:05 AM CDT SUN APR 10 2011

URGENT: DANGEROUS WILDFIRE EPISODE EXPECTED TODAY

MORE THAN A DOZEN WILDFIRES BURNT THOUSANDS OF ACRES AND DESTROYED HOMES ACROSS PORTIONS OF WEST TEXAS AND SURROUNDING STATES YESTERDAY.

EARLY THIS MORNING, LARGE WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO BURN ON THE SOUTH PLAINS IN CROSBY, KENT,  AND KING COUNTIES. TODAY, AN INTENSE STORM SYSTEM WILL EJECT OVER THE PLAINS BRINGING VERY STRONG WESTERLY WINDS BETWEEN 30 AND 40 MPH WITH GUSTS NEAR 60 MPH. ALTHOUGH TEMPERATURES WILL BE COOLER THAN RECENT DAYS, RELATIVE HUMIDITIES WILL REMAIN CRITICALLY LOW BETWEEN 5 AND 15 PERCENT. THIS WEATHER WILL COMBINE WITH AN EXTREME AMBIENT FIRE DANGER IN GRASSES TO RESULT IN A DANGEROUS ENVIRONMENT FOR WIND-DRIVEN GRASSLAND WILDFIRES. IN ADDITION TO THE ONGOING FIRES, ADDITIONAL IGNITIONS ARE LIKELY TODAY GIVEN THAT WINDS WILL BE STRONG ENOUGH TO ARC OR DAMAGE ELECTRICAL LINES. DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY LIFE THREATENING FIRE WEATHER WILL EXIST ON THE SOUTH PLAINS TODAY. RESIDENTS ARE URGED TO EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE OUTDOORS. STRICTLY OBEY BURN BANS. AVOID ACTIVITIES THAT MAY PROMOTE OPEN FLAMES OR SPARKS. DO NOT THROW CIGARETTES ONTO THE GROUND OR OUT OF VEHICLES…AND KEEP VEHICLES ON DRIVING SURFACES AWAY FROM GRASS. MONITOR THE LATEST NEWS AND WEATHER INFORMATION, AND BE PREPARED TO ADHERE TO EVACUATION ORDERS FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS SHOULD WILDFIRE THREATEN YOUR AREA. IF YOU SMELL SMOKE OR SEE FIRE, .SEEK A SAFE LOCATION IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE FIRE IMMEDIATELY.

US Weather Hazard Map

Click image to enter NWS portal.

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK:

• FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTH CENTRAL ARKANSAS, SOUTHWEST ARKANSAS, NORTH CENTRAL LOUISIANA, NORTHWEST LOUISIANA, SOUTHEAST OKLAHOMA, EAST TEXAS AND NORTHEAST TEXAS.
• PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN ILLINOIS, SOUTHWEST INDIANA, WESTERN KENTUCKY, AND SOUTHEAST MISSOURI.
• FOR NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST WISCONSIN.

Click image to enlarge.

Related Weather News

• Results of Storm Damage Surveys from Severe Weather on April 4, 2011

Related Links

• Extreme Weather Conditions in the US Posted on April 9, 2011
• 2011 Disaster Calendar – APRIL

U-S: Risk of Severe Thunderstorms

Another Red Flag Warnings Day!

Moderate Risk of Severe Thunderstorms Today: NWS

The NWS Storm Prediction Center has issued a moderate risk for severe thunderstorms for today over parts of the lower Mississippi and lower Tennessee Valleys. The areas most likely to experience this activity include much of Arkansas, western Kentucky, northern Mississippi, and western and middle Tennessee. The storms will have the potential to grow into one or more long-lived bands that could produce a few strong tornadoes in addition to swaths of damaging wind and hail. Details…

National Weather Warnings

Click image to enter NWS portal.

Weather Forecast Map – NOAA

Click image to enlarge.

Predominant Weather

Click image to update.

Related Blog Pages

• Weather
• World Now
• Satellite Imagery

Your World Under Siege

Sandstorms and Extreme Weather Kill 31 in Egypt

Death toll from sandstorms and extreme weather events in Egypt rises to 31, dozens injured

Dust storms, snowstorms, thunderstorms, heavy rain, strong winds and high waves struck the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East on December 11 and 12, 2010, killing at least 31 people in Egypt and several others elsewhere in the region.

Dust and Violent Weather in the Eastern Mediterranean

A natural-color image of the eastern Mediterranean taken by MODIS on NASA’s Aqua satellite on December 12, 2010.  “Clouds almost cover the Mediterranean Sea, as well as parts of Israel and Lebanon. Along the margin of the cloudbank, dust blows toward the northeast. Source points of dust plumes appear in Egypt and Jordan, and a thick plume of dust blows over Syria. In Egypt, dust nearly hides the Nile River, and completely covers the Nile Delta.” Source: NASA/E-O.  Click image to enlarge. Download larger image (7 MB, JPEG).

A major sandstorm blanketed Cairo on December 11, 2010. Photo: Reuters/Amr Abdallah Dalsh. Image may be subject to copyright.

Another powerful sandstorm hit Riyadh the capital of Saudi Arabia on December 13, 2010. It’s now just a matter of time…  A freeze frame from CNN viewer video.

Related Links:

• Megadisasters Loom
• Wisconsin Wind Chill Temps to Drop to -33ºC

• 2010 Disasters
• The First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
• Index of Human Impact on Nature (HIoN) March 2008
• 2010: The Year of Disasters
• Earth’s Human Induced Antiphase Nears Completion

• FEWW DISASTER FORECAST 2011
• Earth: Wounded and Feverish
• 2011 SIX TIMES MORE DISASTROUS THAN 2010

Deadly storms kill at least 7 in Tenn., 5 in Miss.

Deadly line of thunderstorms strikes Tennessee and northern Mississippi, killing at least 12 people, damaging homes and closing most of highways

The storms were accompanied by an extreme rain event forcing thousands of people to evacuate, while hundreds of others had to be plucked from rooftops, as flood waters from overflowing rivers and creeks submerged neighborhoods throughout the region.

At least 33cm (13 inches) of of rain fell in Nashville over the weekend, almost double the previous record of 17cm that fell in 1979 when Hurricane Fredrick. struck.

“That is an astonishing amount of rain in a 24- or 36-hour period,” Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen said, adding that it was an “unprecedented rain event.”

Schools, hospitals and government buildings also were flooded, forcing many schools in middle Tennessee to close for Monday.

According to one emergency official and long term resident of Nashville,  it was the worst flooding in living memory. “I’ve never seen it this high,” said  Donnie Smith. “I’m sure that it’s rained this hard at one time, but never for this much of an extended period.”

Meanwhile, tornadoes obliterated homes, “overturned vehicles and uprooted trees were scattered across central Arkansas on Saturday after several tornadoes ripped through the state, killing a woman and injuring two dozen others,” AP quoted authorities as saying.

Video footage show the extent of deluge, and a large building being washed away.

Related Links:

• Deadly tornadoes Kill at least 3 in Arkansas
• Giant Tornado Kills at least 10 in Mississippi
• U.S. Warmer, Drier in March
• Saturn-like Storms Strike Southeast U.S.
• Imminent Flood Threat in the U.S. Midwest

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East Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook

THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC TS OUTLOOK

East Pacific Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook. NHC. NOAA.

TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
500 AM PDT WED AUG 13 2008

FOR THE EASTERN NORTH PACIFIC…EAST OF 140 DEGREES WEST LONGITUDE..

1. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
CENTERED ABOUT 200 MILES SOUTH OF MANZANILLO MEXICO HAS INCREASED
IN ORGANIZATION THIS MORNING.  ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS APPEAR
SOMEWHAT FAVORABLE FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION AND THIS SYSTEM
COULD BECOME A TROPICAL DEPRESSION LATER TODAY OR TONIGHT.  RAINS
ALONG THE SOUTHWEST COAST OF MEXICO SHOULD DIMINISH AS THE SYSTEM
MOVES WEST-NORTHWESTWARD AT 10 TO 15 MPH.

2. THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
LOCATED ABOUT 800 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE SOUTHERN TIP OF BAJA
CALIFORNIA MEXICO REMAINS DISORGANIZED.  UPPER-LEVEL WINDS ARE
EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNFAVORABLE FOR TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION OVER
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS THE LOW MOVES SLOWLY WESTWARD.

ELSEWHERE…TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS. — FORECASTER PASCH/BROWN

Tropical Cyclones

What’s a Tropical cyclone?

A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a low pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and flooding rain. A tropical cyclone feeds on the heat released when moist air rises and the water vapor it contains condenses.

The term “tropical” refers to both the geographic origin of these systems, which form almost exclusively in tropical regions of the globe, and their formation in Maritime Tropical air masses. The term “cyclone” refers to such storms’ cyclonic nature, with counterclockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise rotation in the Southern Hemisphere. Depending on their location and strength, tropical cyclones are referred to by other names, such as hurricane, typhoon, tropical storm, cyclonic storm, tropical depression and simply cyclone.

Map of the cumulative tracks of all tropical cyclones during the 1985–2005 time period.

Tropical cyclones can produce extremely powerful winds and torrential rain, as well as high waves and devastating storm surge. They develop over large bodies of warm water, and can cause significant damage to coastal regions flooding up to 40km from the coastline. Although inland regions are relatively safe from receiving strong winds, heavy rains can produce significant flooding inland. (Source)

Cyclones can relieve drought conditions

Known for devastating human populations, tropical cyclones can also relieve drought conditions. They also carry heat and energy away from the tropics and transport it towards temperate latitudes, which makes them an important part of the global atmospheric circulation mechanism. As a result, tropical cyclones help to maintain equilibrium in the Earth’s troposphere, and to maintain a relatively stable and warm temperature worldwide. (Source)

Structure of a tropical cyclone (Source: NOAA)

Cyclone Structure

Tropical cyclones are areas of low atmospheric pressure near the Earth’s surface. The pressures recorded at the centers of tropical cyclones are very low. Tropical cyclones are driven by the release of large amounts of latent heat of condensation, which occurs when moist air is carried upwards and its water vapor condenses.

Eye and inner core

A strong tropical cyclone will harbor an area of sinking air at the center of circulation. If this area is strong enough, it can develop into an eye. Weather in the eye is normally calm and free of clouds, although the sea may be extremely violent. The eye is normally circular in shape, and may range in size from 3 km to 370km in diameter. (Source)

Brief History:

The 1970 Bhola cyclone is the deadliest tropical cyclone on record, killing more than 300,000 people and potentially as many as 1 million after striking the densely populated Ganges Delta region of Bangladesh on November 13, 1970. Its powerful storm surge was responsible for the high death toll. The North Indian cyclone basin has historically been the deadliest basin, with several cyclones since 1900 killing more than 100,000 people, all in Bangladesh. Super Typhoon Nina caused major damage and deaths in China, mainly from the collapse of the Banqiao Dam. Hundreds of thousands of people died due to the resulting floods, making it one of the deadliest tropical cyclones recorded in history. The collapse of the dam due to heavy floods also caused a string of 60 or so smaller dams to collapse. (Source)

Global Warming and Hurricanes

Source: Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

The strongest hurricanes in the present climate may be upstaged by even more intense hurricanes over the next century as the earth’s climate is warmed by increasing levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. […]
According to a new simulation study by a group of scientists at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL), a 5-12% increase in wind speeds for the strongest hurricanes (typhoons) in the northwest tropical Pacific is projected if tropical sea surfaces warm by a little over 2°C (Figure 1). Recent preliminary findings indicate that these results may apply to the other tropical cyclone basins as well. […] (Source: OAR NOAA)

Recent Cyclones and Hurricanes:

• The most intense tropical cyclone ever recorded (watch this space for the record breakers!)
  
• List of notable tropical cyclones
• List of Atlantic hurricanes
• List of Pacific hurricanes
• List of tropical cyclones

• ist of Atlantic hurricane seasons (2008 season)
• List of Pacific hurricane seasons (2008 season)
• List of Pacific typhoon seasons (2008 season)
• List of North Indian Ocean cyclone seasons ( 2008 season)
• List of Southern Hemisphere cyclone seasons (2007-08 Southern Hemisphere)