Historic Cold Continues across Eastern U.S.

Dangerously low temperatures affecting much of the eastern U.S.

Historic cold with dangerously low temperatures impacting much of the eastern half of the U.S., with many locations experiencing temperatures as low as 45 degrees below average, and some records threatened, said the National Weather Service (NWS).

A massive surge of arctic air later this week will impact most of the U.S., as another cold front slides south from Canada, said NWS.

“There are indications that this could be some of the coldest weather since the mid-1990s for some parts of the Southeast U.S., Mid-Atlantic, and central Appalachians. An eddy of the polar vortex will add to the potency of the surface cold front, thus creating a deep layer of bitterly cold air. Highs on Thursday and Friday will struggle to get out of the teens for many of these areas, and overnight lows could reach zero degrees or even lower in some places! Wind chill advisories and warnings are currently in effect. The overnight lows on Thursday night will be the coldest in those areas where the wind goes calm, allowing for additional
radiational cooling.”

• Historic cold impacting eastern U.S. through Friday.
• Another storm system developing over the southern U.S.
• Dangerous wind chills are forecast from the northern Plains to the Gulf Coast.
• Temperatures will be as low as 45 degrees below average for much of region.
• Heavy snow is forecast for parts of Northern New England.
• Rain/freezing rain and sleet could affect parts of the Lower/Middle
  Mississippi Valley/Tennessee Valley.

Low temperature ending February 19, 2015 (NWS).

National High and Low Temperature (for the contiguous United States)
Issued 7 am EST Thursday, February 19, 2015

High Temperature for Wednesday, February 18, 2015
29.4ºC (85 degrees F) at Thermal, CA

Low Temperature for Thursday, February 19, 2015
-40.5ºC (-41 degrees F) at Embarrass, MN
NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

[Temperature spread: 70ºC (126 degrees F), as calculated by FIRE-EARTH]

40 Degrees Below Average

Images of the Day:

Temps as much as 40 degrees below average from the Rockies to the Plains

Unseasonably cold temperatures brought by a polar vortex [arctic airmass] will continue to surge southward through the central U.S. Temperatures are forecast to drop by ass much as 40 degrees below climate average for areas east of the Rockies into the Great Plains: NWS/NOAA

Great Falls, Montana – Great Falls International Airport (KGTF)

Temperature: -20°C [-4°F]
Humidity: 86%
Wind Speed: SW 7 MPH
Barometer: 1044.0 mb [30.53 in]
Dewpoint: -22°C [-7°F]
Wind Chill: -18°F (-28°C)
Tuesday Night Forecast Low: -26°C [-15 °F]

• Wind chill values:  as low as -35°C [-31 °F]

Last Update by NWS on 11 Nov 7:53 am MST

 Related Links

• Polar Vortex to Scythe through the U.S.  November 10, 2014

⊆⊗⊇

June 27th Lava Flow Ignites First Home in Pahoa, Hawaii

Active lava has moved to within about 20 meters (22 yards) of the transfer station fence and also continued to expand through private property across the street from the station. At 11:55 AM, HST, an unoccupied home on that lot was set on fire by advancing lava. Source: HVO

Helicopter view looking west across the lower part of the June 27th lava flow. Smoke plumes show areas of active lava breakouts. The transfer station is in the middle of the image (white roofed structures). At upper left, smoke rises from the margin of a new, northeastward directed finger of lava. Source: HVO

 Related Links

• Kilauea Lava Flow Could Affect Thousands on Hawaiʻi Island  September 5, 2014
• Lava Flow from Kilauea Advancing AGAIN on Big Island Communities October 7, 2014
• Kīlauea Lava Flow Consuming Everything Along Its Paths October 27, 2014
• Lava Flow Nearing Residences in Pāhoa, Hawaii October 28, 2014
• Lava Enters Two Residences in Pāhoa October 29, 2014
• Federal Disaster Declared due to Hawaii Eruption, Lava Flow November 4, 2014
• ‘Misunderestimated’ November 9, 2014

Climate and Weather Extremes Plaguing the World

EXTREME CLIMATIC & WEATHER EVENTS
.

Deadly cold and heavy snow pervade U.S. northeast

Deadly cold and heavy snowfall have paralyzed much of the U.S. northeast, leaving at least 12 people dead, closing  schools and government, disrupting  transport networks, and forcing thousands of flight cancellations and delays.

• No of people affected  in the U.S. by the extreme winter storm: 110 million

Up to 46cm  (18in) of snow blanketed major cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Boston and Portland, Maine, as dangerously low temperature continued to dip into the frigid zone.

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

On Friday, the Office of Personnel Management in Washington told more than half million federal employees they could work from home or take the day off because of the deadly storm. “The United Nations in New York and federal courts in New York, New Jersey, and Boston shut down. Schools closed across much of the region,” said a report.

Minnesota Governor ordered all public schools to close on Monday as forecasters warned of extreme low temperatures. It will be the first time Minnesota public schools will be closed statewide since January 1997.

The national Weather Service (NWS) issued a Blizzard Warning for the entire state of North Dakota, parts of South Dakota, and Minnesota on Friday.

U.S. Satellite Composite – 04:30UTC on Saturday, January 4, 2014. Source: SSEC

Meantime, NWS has warned of yet another round of dangerous storms barreling throughCentral and Eastern U.S. this Weekend.

Dangerous Winter Blast Plunging into Central and Eastern U.S. this Weekend

On the heels of the departing Northeast winter storm is yet another powerful blast of winter this weekend. This storm will bring blizzard conditions and extreme cold to parts of the northern Plains and Midwest. Significant snow is forecast from the central Plains to the Great Lakes as the bitter cold spreads eastward.

Highlights from NWS Forecast

• Well below normal temperatures will impact the Northeast on Friday

• The next arctic surge will plunge into the Northern Plains by Saturday

• Lows across the Mid Atlantic and Northeast will be 20 to 30 degrees below normal Friday night [into Saturday]

• A strong cold front will push southward out of Canada this evening leading to temperatures plummeting as much as 50 degrees across the region tonight. By Sunday, high temperatures will be in the -20s and -30s with wind chills as cold as -50s.

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

High Temperature for Friday, January 3, 2014

• 80 degrees (30.5ºC) at Riverside, CA

Low Temperature for Friday, January 3, 2014

• -36 degrees at Embarrass, MN

Issued 7 pm EST Friday, January 3, 2014 – NWS Weather Prediction Center, College Park, MD

Temperature Spread: 116 degrees [The spread does NOT appear to be consistent.  Editor]

Seven IL Counties Declared Disaster Areas after Deadly Storms

“We are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state” —IL Gov. Quinn

Sunday’s deadly storms killed at least six people and injured scores of others, while damaging and destroying hundreds of homes and businesses and cutting power to tens of thousands of residents.

The counties declared disaster areas are Champaign, Grundy, LaSalle, Massac, Tazewell, Washington and Woodford, according to the Disaster Proclamation issued by Gov. Pat Quinn’s office on Monday.

“Although we are still receiving reports of massive damage to communities across our state, we want to make sure people are getting the assistance and resources they need as quickly as possible,” said the governor. “As we pray for the families of those who have lost their lives and others who are injured, the state of Illinois will do everything necessary to help these communities recover.”

A large swarm of storms brought destructive winds and tornadoes to Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania and New York.

Illinois took the brunt of the ferocious weather system, which spawned a total of 76 confirmed tornadoes, and 451 storm reports.

Washington (Population: 16,000), a small city in Tazewell County, about 140 miles southwest of Chicago, was the hardest hit area, with up to 500 homes damaged or destroyed, according to reports. of 16,000.

EF4 Tornadoes

Two of the deadly twisters were rated EF-4 tornadoes, reported the National Weather Service (NWS).

EF4 tornadoes pack destructive winds of between 166 and 260 mph (267 – 322kph), and can leave well-constructed houses leveled, blowing away structures with weak foundations blown away some distance;  throwing cars and generating large missiles.

F4 F touch down in IL November 17, 2013.

Tacloban City, Philippines or the State of  Illinois?

IL deadly tornadoes aftermath – Image credit: Natalie Martinez

Powerful tornadoes tore through large swathes of Illinois on Sunday. Image credit: @WCL_Shawn

Latest Weather Forecast

Strong winds in the Northeast and across the Great Lakes will subside today as the powerful storm system responsible for yesterday’s severe weather continues to move farther away into Canada. Meanwhile, another storm system will move into the Pacific Northwest bringing rain and mountain snow. NWS

“You don’t need temperatures in the 80s and 90s to produce severe weather [since] the strong winds compensate for for the lack of heating,”  said a forecaster at NWS. “That sets the stage for what we call wind shear, which may produce tornadoes.”

Enhanced Fujita Scale (EF scale)

Fujita-Pearson Tornado Scale

F-0  [39%]
40-72 mph, chimney damage, tree branches broken

F-1 [35%]
73-112 mph, mobile homes pushed off foundation or overturned

F-2 [20%]
113-157 mph, considerable damage, mobile homes demolished, trees uprooted

F-3  [5%]
158-205 mph, roofs and walls torn down, trains overturned, cars thrown

F-4 [0.9%]
207-260 mph, well-constructed walls leveled

F-5 [<0.1%]
261-318 mph, homes lifted off foundation and carried considerable distances, autos thrown as far as 100 meters

Source: US gov. [Figures in brackets represent long-term relative frequencies— revised by FIRE-EARTH]

Related Links

• Deadly Tornadoes Attack U.S. Midwest November 18, 2013

Tornadoes, Severe Thunderstorms, Heavy Snow

“A very active weather day,” NWS forecast

SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS EXPECTED OVER PARTS OF THE SOUTH-CENTRAL PLAINS

The NWS Storm Prediction Center in Norman OK has forecast the development of

• Strong Tornadoes
• Very Large Hail
• Damaging Winds

Areas most likely to experience this activity include

• W Arkansas
• SE  Kansas
• Extreme SW Missouri
• E  Oklahoma
• Extreme NE Texas

Severe storms also possible from the central Plains to the Mid-South.

Click image to enter NWS portal.

“A disturbance will emerge from the Four Corners region to the southern and central High Plains this afternoon, where it will begin a rapid intensification as it is fed by a strong surge of moisture from the Gulf of Mexico. Strong to severe thunderstorms are expected in the south-central Plains today with a strong possibility of tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds. Heavy rainfall is also possible.” NWS said.

• Tornado Warning

Little Rock, AR,  Base Reflectivity Radar. Click image to enlarge. Click here to update.

Click image to enlarge.

TEXAS Wildfires

Meanwhile, large wildfires continue to burn across portions of Texas. As of posting, 33 states are helping Texas to fight some 21 large to major wildfires.

Picture of the Swenson fire in Stonewall County taken on April 7, 2011.  Photo is courtesy of the Texas Forest Service.

• Red Flag Warnings

Related News Links

• Texas Faces Historic Wildfire Year
• Wildfire not yet contained  (Video Clip)
• Critical fire danger causes flare-ups among active area wildfires

Related Link

• US Tornadoes – UPDATE
• Mega Tornadoes to Bombard U-S Tornado Alley

• TEXAS ON FIRE
• Global Disaster Forecast – UPDATE 17 Mar
• 2011 Disaster Calendar
• Extreme fire danger, continued major flooding in the US

• US Wildfire Pattern Consistent with Drought
• Denver wildfire forces evacuation of 10,000 homes
• Wildfires Wreaking Havoc Across the U.S.
• World on Fire

• US Severe Weather Forecast: T-Storms, Tornadoes
• Deadly EF2 Tornado Strikes Louisiana Town
• U-S Attacked by Continued Severe Weather
• Fierce Storm Dumps 160mm of Rain over SoCal

US Weather Forecast: Heavy Snow, Heavy Rain

Serial No  1,539. If any posts are blocked in your country, please drop us a line.

Possible Heavy Snow, More Snow, Rain and Thunder Storms,  Flash Flooding, Severe Thunder Storms and More Rain

Click Image to enlarge. (24-Hr FE ED).

• Click HERE to Animate Image. (Source: SSEC/Wisc-Uni)

Current Weather (Java Needed)

Forecast Map April 5  (PM)

Forecast Map Now

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Precipitation Forecast (5-day)

Valid 12:00UTC  04/05/10 –  12:UTC 04/10/10
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Precipitation Forecast (5-day)

Valid 00:00UTC 04/06/10 – 00:00UTC 04/11/10
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National Weather Hazard (Snapshot)

• National Weather Hazard (Current)
  

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Pacific storm moves across the Northwest

Pacific storm causing heavy rain and snow from Washington and Oregon to Intermountain West

A Pacific storm  in the Northwest is generating heavy rain and high-elevation snow as it moves from  the coast of Washington and Oregon to the Intermountain West.

The cold front is moving also southward  (see image above) into N. Calif, with rain and high-elevation snow expected as far south as the San Francisco Bay Area.

Near Real Time US Composite Satellite Image

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Predominant Weather

GOES West Unenhanced Satellite Image

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Weather Forecast

GOES Infrared Image for North America

6Hr Precipitation Accumulative Amount  (in)

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• For additional satellite images click  Satellite Imagery