Vote Suppression Helped Trump Win Wisconsin: Report

Wisconsin’s Voter-ID Law Suppressed 200,000 Votes in 2016 (Trump Won by 22,748)

Voter-ID laws decreased turnout among African-American and Democratic voters in Wisconsin, says a new study.

“A new study by Priorities USA, shared exclusively with The Nation, shows that strict voter-ID laws, in Wisconsin and other states, led to a significant reduction in voter turnout in 2016, with a disproportionate impact on African-American and Democratic-leaning voters. Wisconsin’s voter-ID law reduced turnout by 200,000 votes, according to the new analysis. Donald Trump won the state by only 22,748 votes.”

“Priorities USA study is consistent with a 2014 study by the Government Accountability Office, which found that strict voter-ID laws in Kansas and Tennessee reduced turnout by 2 percent, enough to swing a close election…”

“[V]oter-ID laws are designed [to] make it harder for certain communities to vote.  [Some] 87 bills to restrict access to the ballot have been introduced in 29 states this year, including voter-ID laws in 19 states. Arkansas and Iowa have already passed strict voter-ID laws in 2017. ”

Read More…

Freeze Warning in Effect for NE Minnesota, Douglas County Wisconsin

Temperatures forecast to drop to as low as 20s (F)

These conditions will kill crops and other sensitive vegetation, according to the NWS Forecast.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DULUTH MN
The areas covered by the Freeze Warning includes the cities of International Falls, Ely, Basswood Lake, Bbutterfly Lake, Eagle Mountain, Forest Center, Isabella, Murphy City, Sawbill, Landing, Bigfork, Hhibbing, Virginia, Chisholm, Two Harbors, Silver Bay, Ggrand Marais, Walker, Cass Lake, Remer, Backus, Hackensack, Grand Rapids, Cohasset, East Gull Lake, Lake Shore, Pine River, Pillager, Brainerd, Baxter, Hill City, Aitkin, Duluth, Pine City, Sandstone, Hinckley, Rock Creek, Lake Nebagamon, Solon Springs, Poplar, Superior and Oliver, said NWS in Duluth.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE GRAND FORKS ND
Freeze Warning areas includes the cities of Roseau, Warroad, Greenbush, Baudette, Newfolden, Middle River, Grygla, Red Lake, Redby, Ponemah, Thief River Falls, Red Lake Falls, Fosston, Fertile, Mcintosh, Erskine, Bagley, Clearbrook, Bemidji, Mahnomen, Naytahwaush, Waubun, Alida, Ebro, Lake Itasca, Long Lost Lake, Lower Rice Lake, Roy Lake, Upper Rice Lake, Park Rapids, Wolf Lake, Wadena and Menahga.

Frost Advisory is in effect for a wide band of areas encircling the locations under Freeze Warning in the two states as well as eastern North Dakota.

‘Unprecedented’ Flu Outbreak Baffles Scientists

Millions of birds killed as AI spreads across 15 states

This is so unusual that we can’t help but think something different must be going on —avian medicine expert

A lethal strain of avian influenza (AI) has been detected at an egg-laying facility in NW Iowa, the top U.S. egg-producing state, forcing the health authorities to destroy millions of laying hens, according to USDA.

Iowa has a $2 billion egg-laying industry with about 50 million hens that supply 1 in every 5 eggs consumed across the U.S.

The latest outbreak has occurred at an egg production facility with at least 3.8 million laying hens in Osceola County, which has been placed under quarantine. The quarantine covers an area of about 10km (6 miles)  around the farm, a division of Sonstegard Foods Co., based in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The outbreak has also prompted Wisconsin to declare a state of emergency after three poultry flocks became infected in the past week.

There are now 15 states with infected birds: Arkansas, California, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

As of Monday, at least 2.6 million birds had been killed.

The strain has also led to the deaths of at least 2.4 million turkeys nationwide (birds either killed by the disease or by authorities working to prevent the spread of virus).

“Authorities have confirmed N5N2 outbreaks at more than 30 commercial poultry farms in the Midwest, including 22 in Minnesota. All were turkey operations except for one chicken farm in Wisconsin,” said a report.

“Minnesota, the nation’s largest turkey producer, is the epicenter of the highly pathogenic H5N2 bird flu. The state annually produces about 46 million turkeys, meaning 4 to 5 percent of Minnesota’s annual production has now been affected by the flu,” said a report.

The virus can kill an entire flock within 48 hours, experts say.

AI spread from Asia to the Netherlands, Germany and Great Britain into the North American poultry farms.

Rapid spread of the virus has alarmed scientists who have so far been unable to unravel the mystery of how the deadly virus have infected so many turkey farms in such a short period of time, said a report.

“It’s been really troubling to understand how in the world this can possibly be happening,” said Carol Cardona, a professor of avian medicine at the University of Minnesota.

“This is so unusual that we can’t help but think something different must be going on,” she said.

“Since December 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways (or migratory bird paths). The disease has been found in wild birds, as well as in a few backyard and commercial poultry flocks,” said USDA

“The H5N8 virus originated in Asia and spread rapidly along wild bird migratory pathways during 2014, including the Pacific flyway.  In the Pacific flyway, the H5N8 virus has mixed with North American avian influenza viruses, creating new mixed-origin viruses.  This is not unexpected.  These mixed-origin viruses contain the Asian-origin H5 part of the virus, which is highly pathogenic to poultry.  The N parts of these viruses came from North American low pathogenic avian influenza viruses.”

State of Emergency Declared in Wisconsin

Risk of significant large fires expected to extend

Gov. Walker has issued an Executive Order (#157) declaring a State of Emergency in Wisconsin in response to ongoing drought and elevated wildfire conditions.  Abnormally dry weather conditions throughout the state are increasing likelihood of wildfires, with the risk of significant large fires expected to extend at least through the end of May, said a statement issued by the governor’s office.

“Much of our state is in a moderate drought at this time, and we’re not expecting that will improve very soon,” Walker said. “The recent dry weather, in combination with other factors such as wind speeds and low humidity, create the perfect environment for volatile wildfires, which is a potential danger to the people of Wisconsin and their property, as well as our natural resources. Therefore, I am calling upon the Wisconsin National Guard to assist the Wisconsin Emergency Management and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in wildfire suppression efforts.”

The DNR is currently monitoring weather conditions and fire behavior, and fire departments and fire suppression resources are on high-alert, said the statement.

A copy of Executive Order #157 is posted HERE.

U-S Bird Flu Outbreak Continues to Spread

Millions of bird flu cases found in 15 states since December

A lethal strain of bird flu has been detected at an egg-laying facility in NW Iowa, the top U.S. egg-producing state, forcing the health authorities to begin destroying more than 5.3 3.8 million laying hens, according to USDA.

Iowa has a $2 billion egg-laying industry with about 50 million hens that supply 1 in every 5 eggs consumed across the U.S.

The outbreak has also prompted Wisconsin to declare a state of emergency after three poultry flocks became infected in the past week.

There are now 15 states with infected birds: Arkansas, California, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin.

As of Monday, at least 2.6 million birds had been killed.

The strain has also led to the deaths of at least 2.4 million turkeys nationwide (birds either killed by the disease or by authorities working to prevent the spread of virus).

“Authorities have confirmed N5N2 outbreaks at more than 30 commercial poultry farms in the Midwest, including 22 in Minnesota. All were turkey operations except for one chicken farm in Wisconsin,” said a report.

“Minnesota, the nation’s largest turkey producer, is the epicenter of the highly pathogenic H5N2 bird flu. The state annually produces about 46 million turkeys, meaning 4 to 5 percent of Minnesota’s annual production has now been affected by the flu,” said a report.

The virus can kill an entire flock within 48 hours, experts say.

“Since December 2014, the United States Department of Agriculture has confirmed several cases of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5 in the Pacific, Central, and Mississippi flyways (or migratory bird paths). The disease has been found in wild birds, as well as in a few backyard and commercial poultry flocks,” said USDA

“The H5N8 virus originated in Asia and spread rapidly along wild bird migratory pathways during 2014, including the Pacific flyway.  In the Pacific flyway, the H5N8 virus has mixed with North American avian influenza viruses, creating new mixed-origin viruses.  This is not unexpected.  These mixed-origin viruses contain the Asian-origin H5 part of the virus, which is highly pathogenic to poultry.  The N parts of these viruses came from North American low pathogenic avian influenza viruses.”

Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in Michigan, Wisconsin

Dozens of counties in MI, WI declared crop disaster areas

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated dozens of additional counties in Michigan and Wisconsin as crop disaster areas due to due to damages and losses caused by multiple disasters that occurred during the 2014 crop year.

Disaster Designation #1

USDA has designated 51 counties in Michigan as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of excessive rain with cooler than normal temperatures that occurred on April 1, 2014, and continues. Those counties, both primary and contiguous disaster areas, are:

Wisconsin. Florence, Forest, Marinette and Vilas counties in Wisconsin have also been designated as crop disaster areas  because they counties are contiguous.

Disaster Designation #2

USDA has designated 19 counties in Michigan as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of excessive rain, a drought, and cooler than normal temperatures that occurred on April 1, 2014, and continues. Those counties, both primary and contiguous disaster areas, are:

Crop Disasters 2015

Beginning January 7, 2015 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 1,014 counties across 20  states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Majority of the 2015 crop disaster designations so far are due to drought.

Crop Disasters 2014

In 2014, USDA declared crop disasters in at least 2,904 counties across 44 states. Most of the designations were due to drought.

Those states were:

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 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 as 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 March 25, 2015.

Related Links

• Drought Crop Disaster Declared in Oklahoma March 26, 2015
• Federal Disasters
• Drought
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Multiple Crop Disasters Declared in Eight U.S. States

Drought, freeze, frost, high winds, extreme cold, record snowfall, ice and blizzard destroy crops in 111 counties

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 104 counties in eight states as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by drought, freeze, frost, high winds, extreme cold, record snowfall, ice and blizzard.

1. Crop disasters declared due to damages and losses caused by excessive snow, freeze, frost, high winds, extremely cold temperatures, record snowfall, ice and blizzards that occurred from January 1, 2014, through May 17, 2014.

• Michigan. Alger, Allegan, Alpena, Antrim, Arenac, Baraga, Barry, Bay, Benzie, Berrien, Branch, Calhoun, Cass, Charlevoix, Cheboygan, Chippewa, Clare, Clinton, Crawford, Delta, Dickinson, Eaton, Emmet, Genesee, Gladwin, Gogebic, Grand Traverse, Gratiot, Hillsdale, Houghton, Huron, Ingham, Ionia, Iron, Isabella, Jackson , Kalamazoo, Kalkaska, Kent, Keweenaw, Lake, Lapeer, Leelanau, Lenawee, Livingston, Luce, Mackinac, Macomb, Manistee, Marquette, Mason, Mecosta, Menominee, Midland, Missaukee, Monroe, Montcalm, Montmorency, Muskegon , Newaygo, Oakland, Oceana, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Osceola, Oscoda, Otsego, Ottawa, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Saginaw, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, Shiawassee, St. Clair, St. Joseph, Tuscola, Van Buren, Washtenaw, Wayne and Wexford counties.

• Indiana. Elkhart, Lagrange, La Porte, St. Joseph and Steuben counties.
• Ohio. Fulton, Lucas and Williams counties.
• Wisconsin. Door and Marinette counties.

2. Crop disasters declared due to damages and losses caused by drought that occurred from July 1, 2014, and continuing.

• Connecticut. Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland and Windham counties.
  
• Massachusetts. Hampden and Worcester counties.
• New York. Suffolk County.
• Rhode Island. Kent, Providence and Washington counties.

3. Crop disasters declared due to damages and losses caused by excessive snow, flooding, freeze and high winds that occurred from Nov. 17, 2014, through Nov. 24, 2014.

See Crop Disasters Declared for 7 New York Counties

Crop Disasters 2014

Beginning January 10, 2014 USDA has declared crop disasters in at least 2,879 counties across 44 states.

Those states are

• Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan. Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, 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.

States of Emergency Declared in Wisconsin, South Dakota, Ontario…

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
EXTREME RAIN EVENTS
TORNADOES
HIGH WIND
HAIL
STATES OF EMERGENCY
SCENARIOS 111, 088, 066, 023
.

State of Emergency declared in three Wisconsin counties

Gov. Walker has declared a state of emergency for three Wisconsin counties after six tornadoes touchdown in Dane, Green and Grant Counties.

The tornadoes ranged from F-1 to F-3, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Damaging winds and hail were also reported in the affected areas.

SD Declares a State of Emergency

Gov. Daugaard has declared a State of Emergency following severe flooding affecting southeastern South Dakota.

Canada

Ontario: The town Angus is currently under a state of emergency after a tornado touched down Tuesday night, tearing up fences and shearing off the tops of homes, said a report.

Alberta: Nine communities remain under states of emergency amid floods that have affected thousands of people. The communities that had declared states of emergency include Claresholm, Coalhurst, Cardston, Coaldale, the Blood Indian Reserve, Medicine Hat, the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass, the Municipal District of Willow Creek and Lethbridge County, according to the provincial officials.

Deadly Bat Disease Found in Michigan, Wisconsin

DEADLY BAT DISEASE
UNPRECEDENTED BAT MORTALITY
WNS SPREADS IN THE U.S.
.

White-nose syndrome (WNS) has now spread across 23 U.S. states

White-nose syndrome (WNS) had killed an estimated 6.7 million bats by January 2012.

“White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a devastating disease of hibernating bats that has caused the most precipitous decline of North American wildlife in recorded history. It is caused by the fungus Psuedogymnoascus destructans, and is rapidly spreading through cave bat populations across the country causing unprecedented mortality.”

WNS has affected at least 11 cave-hibernating bats, including four endangered species and subspecies of insect-eating bats in the eastern and southern U.S., causing population declines of up to 100 percent, wild life officials said.

A cluster of little brown bats (Myotis lucifigus). Little brown bats often form clusters of up to hundreds of bats in order to maintain constant temperatures while hibernating. Source: Wisconsin Dept of Natural Resources.

“In February 2006, some 40 miles west of Albany, New York, a caver photographed hibernating bats with an unusual white substance on their muzzles. He noticed several dead bats. The following winter, bats behaving erratically, bats with white noses and a few hundred dead bats in several caves came to the attention of New York biologists, who documented white-nose syndrome (WNS) in January 2007. Named after the distinctive white growth that appears on the nose and wings of affected bats, WNS reached Wisconsin in spring 2014.”

Human Health and Economy

Bats play a vital role in the ecosystems by eating insects and pests that can damage crops, forests and transfer diseases like West Nile Virus. Several of the upper Midwest’s largest bat hibernation sites, estimated to host about half a million bats, are found in Wisconsin.

“[WNS] has significant environmental, economic and public health implications. Insectivorous bats consume large numbers of agricultural pests, which cost farmers and foresters billions of dollars yearly. Bats play an important role in sustaining many unique and fragile cave ecosystems. For example, bats are the primary source of nutrients in many cave systems, and many cave-obligate species depend on such input for survival. Thus, the loss or significant reduction of bat populations from caves could have cascading affects that impact the status of many other cave species.”

WNS is mainly spread from bat to bat, but the spores can also be transported by humans from fungus contaminated sites to healthy bat colonies.

Little brown bats in a hibernation cave in New York show fungal growth on their muzzles. Bats have been dissappearing at alarming rates due to white-nose syndrome, which scientists now know is caused by a specific fungus. (Photo Credit: Nancy Heaslip, New York Department of Environmental Conservation)

WNS Spread Map

 

State of Emergency Declared in Wisconsin ahead of Severe Winter Storm

EXTREME WEATHER & CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
SEVERE WINTER STORM
.

Blizzard to hit Wisconsin

Gov. Walker has issued an executive order declaring a State of Emergency ahead of a severe winter storm forecast to impact Wisconsin on Thursday, February 20. Heavy snowfall, freezing rain, and strong winds are expected, and some areas of west central and northwest Wisconsin could receive more than 12 inches of snow.

“… an extremely dangerous winter storm with associated heavy snow, freezing rain, ice accumulation, and sleet exacerbated by winds gusting to 40mph is expected to move across the entire state of Wisconsin … due to this prolonged extreme weather, conditions are expected to worsen throughout the day on February 20, 2014 … there is an ongoing shortage of of road salt available to local units of government that will impact their ability to manage snow and ice on public roadways …,” said Walker. “This executive order ensures we are prepared for this potentially dangerous winter storm.”

• 7-day Storm Animation [valid for the duration of storm]

Meanwhile, the NWS has issued the following forecast for the region:

Multiple Weather Impacts Behind Strong System on Thursday

A strong weather system will continue to move through the central U.S. towards the East Coast. On Thursday, severe weather is possible from the Gulf Coast to the Great Lakes with damaging winds as the primary threat however, tornadoes will also be possible. Farther south and west, dry and windy conditions will lead to fire weather concerns. And behind the system, winter weather makes a return.

U.S. Weather Hazards Map (Hazmap)  for Thursday, February 20, 2014. Issued at 11:33UTC. Source: NWS. UPDATE

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

• States of Emergency Declared for NY & CT February 14, 2014
• 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

Wisconsin Declares State of Emergency over Extreme Cold, Fuel Shortage

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
STATE OF EMERGENCY
.

Walker declares a State of Emergency due to extreme cold, propane shortages in Wisconsin

Gov. Walker has declared a State of Emergency in response to potentially life-threatening temperatures expected to plague Wisconsin this week and dangerously low propane levels impacting the state.

More than quarter of a million Wisconsinites depend on propane to heat their homes and businesses.

Proclamation declaring a State of Emergency in Response to Severe Winter Weather and a Propane Shortage

… an extremely dangerous winter storm with associated bitter
and potentially life-threatening temperatures, exacerbated by
brutal wind chill values at thirty to fifty degrees below zero, will
be moving across the entire State of Wisconsin … and the supply of
propane gas for heating purposes is dangerously low throughout the
State of Wisconsin, affecting the safety of citizens and property…

The entire Midwest is experiencing a propane shortage, including Wisconsin.

The supply shortage in the upper Midwest has caused delivery delays and reduced delivery amounts for propane customers in America’s Dairyland, as well as ALL Midwestern states. The propane shortage has been caused by a combination of unusually cold winter temperatures, closure of a major pipeline supplying propane to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa and increased propane demand for grain drying due to a wet fall, said the Office of Governor Scott Walker in a statement.

National Heating Fuel Shortages

“Last week, the U.S. Department of Energy reported that cold weather led to record-high natural gas storage withdrawals, as well as propane.  These are the largest drawdowns in the 20-year history of the survey and the second time this year the record has been broken. Efforts are underway with the U.S. Department of Energy to acknowledge that emergency conditions could be forming, as consumers and businesses in dozens of state are faced with higher electricity and gas costs due to persistent cold weather,”  said the National Propane Gas Association (NPGA) in its latest Statement on Propane Supply, Demand, and Distribution.

Some of the propane gas retailers have run out of supplies in the worst hit areas in the South, East and Midwest, said NPGA.

US-DOT: Current – Emergency Declarations, Waivers, Exemptions & Permits

In addition to the State of Emergency in Louisiana, numerous other states of emergencies and/or executive orders, wavers and exemptions have been issued  for 33 states in the U.S. South, East and Midwest and District of Columbia, according to the Department of Transportation.

The following Emergencies are currently in effect:

Regional Emergency Declaration Issued by Southern Service Center (PDF)

Affected States: Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and Oklahoma.  (Effective Date:  1/21/2014 – In effect for the duration of the emergency or until 2/11/2014, whichever is less).

Regional Emergency Declaration Issued by Eastern Service Center (PDF)

Affected States: Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Jersey, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont and West Virginia.  (Effective from 1/19/2014 In effect for the duration of the emergency or until 2/11/2014, whichever is less).

Regional Emergency Declaration Issued by Midwestern Service Center (PDF)

Affected States: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio and Wisconsin.   (Effective from 1/19/2014 In effect for the duration of the emergency or until 2/11/2014, whichever is less).

Related Links

• 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

Multiple Crop Disasters Declared for Michigan

EXTREME CLIMATIC EVENTS
MULTIPLE CROP DISASTERS
.

Crop Disasters Hit 89 Counties Across Three States

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 86 counties in Michigan, two counties in Wisconsin and one in Ohio as agricultural disaster areas in three different designations due to multiple disasters.

Designation #1

USDA has designated 56 counties in Michigan as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive rain with cooler than normal temperatures that began April 1, 2013, and continues.

Alcona, Chippewa, Gratiot, Mackinac, Arenac, Clare, Houghton, Midland, Baraga, Crawford, Huron, Monroe, Bay, Emmet, Iosco, Muskegon, Charlevoix, Gladwin, Luce, Newaygo, Cheboygan, Gogebic, Ogemaw, Ontonagon, Oscoda, Presque Isle, Roscommon, Alger, Isabella, Marquette, Oceana, Alpena, Kalkaska, Mason, Osceola, Antrim, Kent, Mecosta, Otsego, Clinton, Keweenaw, Missaukee, Ottawa, Ionia, Lake, Montcalm, Saginaw, Iron, Lenawee, Montmorency, Sanilac, Schoolcraft, Shiawassee, Tuscola, Washtenaw and  Wayne counties.

The designation includes also the following areas in neighboring states:

• Ohio: Lucas County.

• Wisconsin: Iron and Vilas counties.

Designation #2

USDA has also designated 5 counties in Michigan as crop disaster areas  due to damages and losses caused by drought with cooler than normal temperatures that occurred August 1 – September 28, 2013.

The disaster areas are:

Grand Traverse, Leelanau, Manistee, Wexford and Benzie counties.

Designation #3

USDA has further designated 25 counties in Michigan as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by the combined effects of excessive rain that occurred April 1 – July 29, 2013, and returning October 15, 2013, and continuing. The designation also includes drought that occurred July 30 – October 15, 2013, and cooler than normal temperatures which spanned the entire disaster period. The counties are:

Alpena, Grand Traverse, Mecosta, Montmorency, Antrim, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Osceola, Otsego, Wexford, Alcona, Cheboygan, Isabella, Manistee, Benzie, Clare, Lake, Montcalm, Charlevoix, Crawford, Leelanau, Newaygo, Oscoda, Presque Isle and Roscommon.

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

2. 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 on January 22 and released on January 24, 2013.

2014 Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• Drought Disaster Declared for Multiple Counties in Four States January 25, 2014
• Crop Disaster Declared in 40 Counties due to Drought January 16, 2014
• Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States January 10, 2014

Related Links

• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

Crop Disasters Declared in 6 States

46 Counties across six states designated as crop disaster areas by USDA

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 46 counties in six states—Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia—as crop disaster areas in two separate declarations.

Drought conditions and lack of moisture

USDA has declared the following counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin as crop disaster areas due to losses caused by drought conditions and lack of moisture that occurred September 1 – November 15, 2013.

• Minnesota:  Kanabec, Morrison, Pine, Aitkin, Carlton, Chisago, Isanti, Benton, Cass, Crow Wing, Mille Lacs, Stearns and Todd counties.

• Wisconsin: Douglas and  Burnett counties.

Excessive rain and flooding

USDA has also designated the following counties in The Carolinas, Tennessee and Virginia  as crop disaster areas due to excessive rain and flooding that began January 1, 2013, and continues.

• North Carolina: Alleghany,  Granville, Polk, Ashe, Harnett, Wilkes, Alexander, Franklin, Moore, Vance, Caldwell, Henderson, Person, Wake, Chatham, Iredell, Rutherford, Watauga, Cumberland, Johnston, Sampson, Yadkin, Durham, Lee and Surry counties.
• South Carolina:  Greenville and Spartanburg

• Tennessee: Johnson County.

• Virginia:  Grayson, Halifax and Mecklenburg counties.

Crop Disasters 2013

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 4,447 county-level agricultural disaster areas across 46 states in 2013.

State and County level records of calendar year 2013 disaster designations made by the USDA include losses and damages caused by one or more of the following

• 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 December 18, 2013.

Recent Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• Multiple Crop Disasters Declared for 4 States December 20, 2013
• Crop Disaster Declared for 387 Counties in 16 States December 13, 2013
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

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 Disasters Declared for 28 Counties across 4 States

Severe storms, excessive wind, rain and hail cause crop disaster in four states

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated 28 counties across four states as agricultural disaster areas in three separate disaster declarations.

Disaster Declaration No. 1

Montana: Glacier County, which includes the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, together with the counties of Flathead, Pondera, and  Toole have been declared crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by several severe storms and hail that occurred June 18 – September 30, 2013.

Disaster Declaration No. 2

USDA has designated a total of 17 counties in three states–Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin– as crop disaster disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rainfall that occurred April 1 – August 5, 2013.

Those counties are

• Iowa: Allamakee, Cerro Gordo,  Floyd, Bremer, Clayton, Hancock, Winnebago, Butler, Fayette, Howard, Winneshiek, Chickasaw, Franklin and Mitchell counties.
• Minnesota: Houston County.
• Wisconsin: Crawford and Vernon counties.

Disaster Declaration No. 3

USDA has also designated seven counties in Oregon as crop disaster areas due to damages and losses caused by excessive wind, rain, and hail that occurred August 25, 2013.

Those counties are: Jefferson, Crook, Linn, Wasco, Deschutes, Marion and Wheeler counties.

All counties listed above were designated natural disaster areas Nov. 27, 2013.

“Secretary Vilsack also reminds producers that Congress has not funded the five disaster assistance programs authorized by the 2008 Farm Bill.These are SURE; the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP); the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish (ELAP); the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP); and the Tree Assistance Program (TAP). Production losses due to disasters occurring after Sept. 30, 2011, are not eligible for disaster program coverage,” said USDA.

Crop Disaster 2013

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has declared 3,954 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 Federal and Agriculture Disaster Declarations

• Illinois Declared Federal Disaster Area November 27, 2013
• Nebraska Declared Federal Disaster Area November 27, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared for South Dakota November 9, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in North Dakota November 1, 2013

• North Carolina Declared Federal Disaster Area October 31, 2013
• Major Disaster Declared in New Mexico October 30, 2013
• Kansas Declared Federal Disaster Area October 30, 2013
• Blizzard Kills 80,000 Cattle in S. Dakota October 14, 2013
• New Mexico Declared Federal Disaster Area October 2, 2013

• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 194 Counties in 13 States September 20, 2013
• N. Colorado Declared as Federal Disaster Area September 14, 2013
• Agricultural Disaster Declared for 138 counties in 14 States
• Drought 2013
• Agricultural Disasters Index

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

Drought: State of Emergency Declared in Wisconsin

Drought conditions prompt Wisconsin Gov to declare a state of emergency in 42 southern and central counties

Drought has hit plants during the most vulnerable time in their growing cycle, killing their pollen.

“The lack of rainfall since May in the southern half of the state has hit hard in a crucial part of the growing season,” Walker said in a statement. “Wisconsin Agricultural Statistics Service reports this week that most of the land in these counties is short or very short of soil moisture.”

• With 78,000 farms across the state, Wisconsin is the nation’s top producer of cranberries, oats and snap peas and is among the top-five producing states of potatoes, maple syrup, sweet corn, green peas, cucumbers for pickles, and other crops, said Wisconsin Department of Agriculture.

• The state is also home to about 13,000 dairy farms with an average of 100 cows.

• All counties in the southern half of the state are affected.

U.S. Drought Map. Released July 5, 2012

Links to Recent Related Entries

• U.S. Corn Belt Hit by Drought, Heat Wave Posted on July 9, 2012
• Record Heatwave Kills Dozens in U.S. Posted on July 8, 2012
• Drought Disaster Declared in Montana Posted on July 5, 2012
• Colorado Declared Agri Disaster Area Posted on July 4, 2012

• Disaster Declared in 94 Counties across 4 States Posted on July 3, 2012
• Deadly Heat Blankets Eastern U.S. Posted on July 2, 2012
• States of Emergency Declared in 4 States and DC as Storm Death Toll Rises Posted  on July 1, 2012
• Deadly Heat Wave Affects Third of U.S. Population Posted on June 30, 2012
• The record-setting heat wave continues to expand Posted on June 30, 2012
• Explosive Wildfires Continue Erupting Across the U.S. Posted on June 29, 2012
• Destructive Wildfire Activity Intensifies in Colorado Posted on June 28, 2012
• Drought 2012 Posted on January 8, 2012

Other Global Disasters/ Significant Events

• China.  Epic flooding and massive landslides spawned by extreme rain events have buried parts of 8 provinces in China affecting about 20 million people. Deaths, destruction and evacuations are occurring in Jiangsu, Anhui and Shandong provinces in east China, Henan and Hubei provinces in central China, Chongqing Municipality and Sichuan Province in southwest China and Shaanxi Province in northwest China,Xinhua reported. The official weekly toll currently stands at:
  • Dead or missing:  100 people
  • Displaced: 1.17 million people
  • Houses destroyed: 66,000
  • Destroyed or damaged crops: 982,400 hectares
    
  • A mile-wide landslide in Sichuan province is currently burying everything in it path, threatening to block rivers and cause additional disasters.
  • More than 113.36 million people, about 9 percent of the China’s population, have been affected by natural disasters (floods, hail and landslides has had the greatest impact, followed by droughts, earthquakes, snowstorms and typhoons), with at least 465 dead and and 97 missing in the first half of this year, the report said.

Listeria Suspected, Cheese Recalled

The Wisconsin Cheeseman® Recalls Cheese Logs/Cheese Balls

FDA News Release Update:   01/21/2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Sun Prairie, WI. The Wisconsin Cheeseman® announced today that it is recalling cheese log/cheese ball products in conjunction with the voluntary recall initiated by Parkers Farm, Inc. on January 15, 2010. Parkers Farm, Inc., located in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, believes some of its food items have the potential to be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. The recall was a result of a sampling done by the state of Wisconsin and the state of Minnesota.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria. Source: koolielu.edu.ee

Nine of the recalled products are cheese logs/cheese balls purchased from Parkers Farm, Inc. and then distributed by The Wisconsin Cheeseman®. These products bear the Parkers Farm logo. None of the other recalled products at Parkers Farm, Inc. was purchased or distributed by The Wisconsin Cheeseman®.

The Wisconsin Cheeseman® Food Gifts Impacted by Recall:
Sausage ‘N Cheese Logs – Gift #11
Cheese Logs & Cutting Board – Gift #87
Smorgasbord – Gift #325
Cheese Log Trio – Gift #365
Cheese Logs – Gift #411
Cheese Ball Trio – Gift #441
Cheese Logs – Gift #509
Snacker Pack – Gift #751
Cheese Balls & Sausages – Gift #876

Consumers who have these products in their possession should not consume them. Product should be returned to The Wisconsin Cheeseman® for a refund or replacement. Consumers who believe they may have become ill after consuming these products should contact their health care provider. The Wisconsin Cheeseman® has not received any complaints or reports of illness associated with these products.

Listeria monocytogenes bacteria is an organism which can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems. Healthy persons infected with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria often experience fever, severe headaches, stiffness, diarrhea, nausea and abdominal pain. In rare circumstances, infection with Listeria monocytogenes bacteria can result in miscarriage or stillbirth among pregnant women.

Source: Bacterial Meningitis. Image may be subject to copyright.

Group B Streptococcus, Escherichia coli, and Listeria monocytogenes comprise the most common causes of meningitis in neonatals. About 17,500 cases of bacterial meningitis are reported in the U-S annually. (Source)

O0O

Company Contact:
Lindsey Decker
608-837-5166, ext.364
Customer Service Contact:
800.698.1751

Photos: Product Labels

Related Links:

• Premature births caused by Virgin Blue airline food
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008

• How old is your ecoli-burger?
• Beef Recall in Six States
• E. coli in Beef May Have Killed Two
• Beef recall, E.coli O157:H7 suspected
• Imported Food Alert 22 Oct 2008
• Naples Garbage: First Commercial Dividends

• USDA
• CDC Press Release: E. coli Outbreak Investigations
• Questions & Answers: E. coli
• Sudden worldwide increase in antibiotic-resistant bacterium

Arctic Weather for Northern US

US Weather Forecast: Cold, Freezing Cold!

The National Weather Service (NWS) forecast a combination of freezing winds and cold temperatures for much of the central and Northern Plains, as well as the Upper Midwest resulting in dangerous wind chill values of 30 degrees below zero or colder.

Map of Forecast Temperatures for the US.  Source: NWS/NOAA

The cold snap is expected to begin Tuesday morning with temperatures of -15 in the north and wind chills of -15 to -30. The Arctic spell will remain in the state for about a week. The wind chills may drop to -40 in parts of the northwest, the coldest weather in 20 years.

Environmental Disasters: Too Close for Comfort?

submitted by a reader

“You ain’t seen nothing yet!”

Beginning to feel that the environmental disasters are getting up close and personal?

One minute you are in your comfortable home near Paradise, north of Sacramento, the next minute you are being consoled by the firefighters as you stand in the front garden watching your home turn into blackened cinder. They apologize for failing to help you, but it wasn’t their fault. They ran out of water!

Wondering why?

Butte Valley fire, Humboldt, Thursday night. Image: Jason Halley / Chico Enterprise-Record. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Into the SUV with what little you could snatch away from the mouth of the fire heading east to Iowa to stay with Aunt Molly. On interstate 29 a twister is about to touch down. Whoosh! You swerve out of the way just in time.

Parkersburg Tornado. Photo AP. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Aunt Molly’s house in Cedar Rapids wasn’t so lucky. It didn’t have wheels to drive away and avoid the floodwater; it is completely deluged.

An aerial photo shows a flooded area of downtown looking North over Cedar Rapids, Iowa June 13, 2008. Interstate I-380 can be seen at top while Mays Island, with Cedar Rapids City Hall, is seen on the left with its bridges under water. Floodwaters have inundated about 100 city blocks of Cedar Rapids, Iowa’s second-largest city with 200,000 residents. REUTERS/Ron Mayland. Photo AP. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Five hours and a dozen phonecalls later, you are finally heading to the calm of Wisconsin to stay with Cousin Thelma and her family. Turn the radio on. Homes on Lake Delton in central Wisconsin have been ripped apart by deadly storm and washed away by floodwaters. Chilly gooseflesh grow on your forearms. Something tingles deep inside your gut, that uncomfortable feeling something is wrong. And you are right! Well, It’s Friday the 13th, you hear yourself murmuring.

Lake Delton is a popular tourist spot south of the Wisconsin Dells. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Distant Cousin Joe and his family are in deep mourning in Loveland. Two of their kids with four of their classmates and a teacher didn’t make it back from a fishing trip. And his 5,000 acre cornfield is submerged in floodwater …

Corn crop submerged in floodwaters near Loveland, Iowa, June 12, 2008. REUTERS/Dave Kaup. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Back to Iowa to stay with an old classmate who lives in Marshal Town, Iowa, and who invited you to visit her last summer. A rain check is as good as … a rain check! Finally you arrive in Marshal Town. But the whole town has been evacuated and the power plants have been shut down!

Well, at least you have the good old, reliable SUV, and it’s not as if the world is running out of corn to make ethanol for you!

Related Links:

• Failing Ecosystems
• The Root Cause Matrix
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities

feww

The Climate Change Crusades

Are YOU a Climate Change Crusader?
How Do YOU Fight Climate Change?
Should YOU Crusade Against the Climate Change, or just STOP heating the globe?

A Shrinking World Series

Make No Mistake: Nature Always Has the Last Word!

Midwest Flood Update:

A dam near the Wisconsin Dells resort area broke on Monday, causing mudslides that swept away homes, as torrential rains caused more flooding across the U.S. Midwest.

Wisconsin Gov. Jim Doyle declared a state of emergency in 30 counties in the south of the state. In Iowa, where 33 counties were flooded, and Indiana, where flooding forced hundreds of people to evacuate homes in the central and western parts of the state, similar declarations have been made. Parts of Illinois, Michigan and Minnesota have been affected by flooding.

“This is an area that’s been bombarded with rain over the weekend, anywhere from 5 to 10 inches, and you’re dealing with saturated soils. So any rain that falls becomes run-off,” the National Weather Service’s Pat Slattery said.

OUCH! Too Close to the bank! Like the Kubeniks and the Pekars (see image caption), rivers are “living” creatures; they need room to complete their cycle of life!

The homes of the Kubeniks (R) and the Pekars are damaged after a dam broke at man-made Lake Delton, Wisconsin June 9 2008. REUTERS/Allen Fredrickson. Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice.

“Flood damage estimated in the tens of millions of dollars were being added to recent storm damage in Iowa, including a tornado that flattened the town of Parkersburg two weeks ago.” Reuters reported.

In Iowa:

• The water treatment plant in Mason City was swamped by the Winnebago River.
• Three of four bridges in the town of Charles City were swept away by flooding of the Cedar River.
• The town of New Hartford was evacuated.

Corn and soybean fields were submerged under the floodwater in Midwestern states. Iowa and Illinois account for about 35% of U.S. corn and soybeans, usually the world’s largest harvests of those crops. However, the prospects of a bumper crop year were further eroded, following a wet spring that had already delayed planting. (Source)

Related Video:

• Home washed away in floods [like a matchbox!]

Related Links:

• US Tornado Brief
• UN Hypocrisy: Kick the CO2 Habit!
• Will California turn to desert by 2011?

• Italy: Submerged in Floodwaters, Sinking in Garbage

• Failing Ecosystems
• State of the World
• Future Scenarios
• First Wave of World’s Collapsing Cities
  
• Nuking Earth for Lifestyle

• Giga Trends
• World Problems: The Root Cause Matrix
• Tipping Point
• Topsoil
• Drying Aquifers, Sinking Cities

• The Economy
• Energy
• Food Security
• Future in the Making: A Shrinking World

• Flood Puts City in Iowa ‘at God’s Mercy’ Iowa, June 12, 2008
  

The World’s one harvest from starvation!

US Tornado Brief

A Shrinking World Series

Updates:

• First lock on Mississippi River closes amid flood June 12, 2008

• Tornado kills four and injures up to 40 at Iowa boy scout camp June 12, 2008
• Midwest hit with floods June 11, 2008
• Midwest floods drowning crops; corn prices soar 11 Jun 2008
• Tornado kills four at Iowa boy scout camp 11 Jun 2008
• Midwest battles flood waters 11 Jun 2008
• Flooded Midwest braces for more rain 10 Jun 2008

• Video: Severe weather pounds U.S.
• Video:Holding a river at bay

What Tornado Headlines Say:

Copyright Editors or the News Agencies [Some editing by FEWW]

Deadly storms flood Midwest

At least five people were reported killed as heavy rains continued to pound the American Midwest on Sunday, flooding towns from Iowa to Michigan and threatening levees as lakes and rivers swelled.

Early Death Toll:

• Two delivery workers for The Grand Rapids Press in Michigan were killed Sunday when their car fell into a deep ravine created when a rain-swollen creek washed out a road.

• A woman died in Lansing Michigan, when a small trailer blew over on top of her.

• At least one person died as the result of rising waters, police spokesman in Columbus, Indiana said.

Meanwhile, storms in Nebraska spun out an early-morning Omaha tornado about a quarter-mile wide that moved northeast. As much as 11 inches of rain flooded central Indiana over the weekend.

Most towns south of Indianapolis and further west in Terre Haute received 6-10 inches of rainfall, said a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. He said some affected areas hadn’t seen a such flooding for 100 years.

Flood waters continued to rise throughout Iowa on Sunday, with the northern part of the state receiving up to 5 inches of rain from a single afternoon storm.

Two delivery workers in Michigan were killed when their car fell into a ravine. (Photo: AP/ The Grand Rapids Press) Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Tornadoes maul homes, flip vehicles

A series of tornadoes destroyed homes, toppled power lines and flipped vehicles Saturday as a small but powerful storm system moved through the region, cutting just south of Chicago before weakening and moving over Lake Michigan.

Some of the damage in Monee. (Photo: Scott Stewart/Sun-Times) Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

“It was kind of like a train coming through the living room,” An eye witness said. “The building was shaking. There was a lot of commotion.” He said his neighborhood looked like a war zone, with siding, branches and debris strewn everywhere.

Lightning strikes pavilion as storms blow through Connecticut state park; 1 killed, 4 hurt

Lightning struck a pavilion at a Connecticut state park killing one person and injuring four others. Strong thunderstorms moved through the state Sunday leaving thousands of homes without power.

Powerful storms swamp U.S. Midwest, spawn tornadoes

Heavy rains caused flooding that forced hundreds of evacuations in Indiana, and a tornado raked Chicago’s suburbs on Saturday as violent thunderstorms pummeled the already soggy U.S. heartland, authorities said.

The U.S. Coast Guard was called out to help rescue stranded homeowners and motorists, and near-record flooding was forecast for rivers and creeks in western and central Indiana where Gov. Mitch Daniels declared an emergency in 10 more counties, added to the 41 counties declared earlier. At least one person was injured and some 29,000 households were without power.

“We’ve had some reports of houses destroyed,” said Andrew Krein of the National Weather Service.

Tornadoes also struck in Iowa and Wisconsin, capping a season that has seen a parade of storms spawning tornadoes, hail and destructive winds. According to the weather service, 112 people have died in tornadoes since the beginning of the year, the most in the United States in a decade.

Weather service warns of ‘violent’ tornadoes in Plains

Large hail, strong winds and heavy rain are reported in northwest Kansas in a powerful storm system that could produce large tornadoes in the state before nightfall.

In a strongly-worded statement Thursday, the National Weather Service warned that parts of Kansas could see hail bigger than baseballs, 80-mph-plus winds and “a few strong to violent long-lived tornadoes.”

Forecasters say severe thunderstorms will form by late afternoon in central and south-central Kansas and move toward eastern Kansas, Nebraska, northwestern Missouri and Iowa.

68 Tornadoes Have Hit Mississippi In 2008

The Storm Prediction Center – the National Weather Service office responsible for severe weather forecasts and tallies – says that 1,330 tornadoes have been reported this year. Not all of those tornadoes have been confirmed yet, but even still the numbers of confirmed tornadoes are already nearly three times that of the most active periods of previous years.

The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Jackson says 68 tornadoes have been confirmed to have touched down in Mississippi so far this year. In 2007, a total of 33 tornadoes touched down. In less than half the time the number of tornadoes has more than doubled.

Tornadoes and heavy rain struck Northern Minnesota

At least two tornadoes broke loose Friday morning in the far northeastern corner of Minnesota, where heavy overnight rains led to flash flooding throughout Cook County and the city of Grand Marais. About 5 inches of rain fell at Grand Marais.

Water coming down the hill next to Highway 61, west of Grand Marais. (Photo: Stephan Hoglund/ Star Tribune). Image may be subject to copyright. See FEWW Fair Use Notice!

Related Links:

• Deadly Storms Hit US Midsection
• Will 2008 be year of the tornadoes, too?
• 2008: Year of the Fire