Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

A wildfire fire sparked by mistake and fed by drought burned more than 1,200 acres in South Florida’s Everglades and continues to smolder despite pockets of drenching rain over the weekend. The so-called Sunday Afternoon fire that has seared sawgrass prairie, melaleuca and Australian Pine in Everglades National Park began April 19 and was 70 percent contained as of Monday.

Fires on adjacent state-owned land were mostly extinguished, but concerns are mounting that relaxed coronavirus orders could mean more unintended ignitions with 65 percent of the state in moderate to severe drought.

Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

Florida currently has 39 active wildfires sweeping across the state; this is down from the 51 fires that were recorded as of 9 a.m. on Wednesday, March 25, 2020. These fires are actively burning 1 688.7 acres of land statewide.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Depression Nineteen-E is located about 105 mi…170 km s of Manzanillo Mexico with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…n or 355 degrees at 7 mph…11 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean : Typhoon 21w (Neoguri), located approximately 142 nm south-southeast of Kadena AFB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 14 knots.

Typhoon Bualoi (22w), located approximately 334 nm east-southeast of Andersen AFB, Guam, is tracking northwestward at 11 knots.

NewsBytes:

Russia – At least 15 people have died and 13 others have been missing after a dam collapse at a gold mine in Siberia. The dam, on the Seiba river in the region of Krasnoyarsk, burst after heavy rain on Saturday.

Niger – Floods in southeast Niger have forced 23,000 people to flee their homes since early October, officials said Saturday, threatening a new humanitarian crisis in a region already wracked by Boko Haram Islamist violence. Heavy rains have caused the Komadougou Yobe river that flows through the semi-desert Diffa region into Lake Chad to burst its banks, inundating villages, flooding fields and damaging crops. Two villages near the city of Diffa were “completely submerged” and 2,500 households have been forced to move.

UK – Drivers in the north east have been warned to take care after severe flooding left vehicles submerged and roads closed off. Emergency services were called out to incidents across Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen overnight with firefighters pumping water away from homes.

Florida, USA – The streets in St Marks, Florida were flooded by Tropical Storm Nestor on Saturday as the storm moved across the panhandle.

Wildlife

Iguanas Take Over Florida, USA

Iguanas thrive in warmer weather. And now Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has issued a notice encouraging homeowners to “kill green iguanas on their own property whenever possible.”

A proliferation of iguanas comes with a host of problems biologists say, including erosion, degradation of infrastructure (such as canal banks, sea walls, building foundations), and harm to landscaping and indigenous plants.

According to scientists, climate change is helping iguanas spread further north and more quickly. Between 2000 and 2018, for example, Grand Cayman island saw its iguana population expand from almost none to an estimated 1.6 million. Now, Florida is trying to take control before things in the state become similarly explosive.

Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

The Florida Forest Service (FFS) continue to battle a 450-acre wildfire outside Jacksonville. According to the Florida Forest Service, two separate wildfire broke out two day ago approximately 48 off U.S. 17 and Yellow Bluff Road near Jacksonville. Helicopters, 13 firefighting bulldozer crews, and 29 wildland firefighters were deployed to battle the blazes.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 02a (Vayu), located approximately 264 nm south-southwest of Karachi, Pakistan, is tracking south-southeastward at 04 knots.

NewsBytes:

Florida, USA – Heavy rain across South Florida impacted people’s commute and caused some roads in Aventura to flood. The rain swept through parts of Miami-Dade and Broward counties, Friday afternoon. Some drivers found themselves stranded while the water rose quickly.

Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

A more than 600-acre wildfire in Bay County is a preview of the coming months as millions of tons of downed trees remain strewn across parts of Northwest Florida after Hurricane Michael, the state’s agriculture commissioner warned Monday. The blaze near the city of Callaway required homes to be evacuated and was about 50 percent contained by Monday morning.

This weekend’s blaze, if it occurred a year ago, may have been limited to three to five acres. But like many parts of the heavily rural region where Hurricane Michael caused massive damage in October, the downed trees have caused problems for firefighters to gain access, along with providing fuel for the fire.

Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

Firefighters were continuing late Friday afternoon to battle two wildfires that began Thursday on the Eglin Air Force base’s test ranges in Santa Rosa County and had consumed a total of 2,400 acres as of the last report from Eglin’s Wildland Support Branch.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

NewsBytes:

Philippines – Landslides and flash floods hit at least three towns in Davao Oriental early Tuesday following a heavy downpour overnight, authorities said. Tarragona and Caraga towns were affected by landslides while most of Manay town was swamped by floodwaters after river channels burst their banks.

Florida, USA – An exceptionally high tide accompanying the Blood Moon flooded numerous beaches along Florida’s coast.

New Jersey, USA – Another storm brought more flooding to Ocean City, as snow, heavy rain and chaotic winds pushed through New Jersey last weekend.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Leslie is located about 480 mi…770 km ssw of the Azores and about 480 mi…770 km ssw of the Azores with maximum sustained winds…90 mph…150 km/h. Present movement…ene or 65 degrees at 28 mph…44 km/h.

Post Tropical Cyclone Michael is located about 185 mi…300 km ene of Norfolk Virginia and about 275 mi…445 km sw of Nantucket Massachusetts with maximum sustained winds…65 mph…100 km/h. Present movement…ene or 65 degrees at 29 mph…46 km/h.

Tropical Storm Nadine is located about 740 mi…1190 km w of the southernmost Cabo Verde islands with maximum sustained winds…50 mph…85 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 295 degrees at 8 mph…13 km/h.

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm Sergio is located about 130 mi…210 km nw of Cabo San Lazaro Mexico and about 125 mi…200 km sw of Santa Rosalie Mexico with maximum sustained winds…50 mph…85 km/h. Present movement…ne or 45 degrees at 24 mph…39 km/h.

In the Indian Ocean: Tropical cyclone 05a (Luban), located approximately 239 nm southeast of Salalah, Oman, is tracking westward at 03 knots.

NewsBytes:

Honduras – Heavy rains that started on 4 October in Honduras have caused flooding and landslides across the country. Most damage has been reported in Francisco Morazán, Valle, and Choluteca departments, where a red alert was issued by the government. 12,076 people have been affected by the floods. 963 homes were damaged, including 169 flooded, and nine completely destroyed. Among them, 7,234 people have been evacuated, and 6,789 moved to 78 temporary shelters.

Florida, USA – Hurricane Michael left a trail of devastation along a huge swathe of the Florida Panhandle. At least two deaths have been reported from Michael, which made landfall on Wednesday afternoon as a Category 4 storm and has since been downgraded to a tropical storm as it moves into the Carolinas. The resort town of Mexico Beach, where the hurricane made landfall, suffered massive destruction from the 155 miles per hour (250 kph) winds. Home after home was razed from its foundations in the town of around 1,000 people. Others were missing roofs or walls. Roads were impassable and canals were choked with debris.

France, Spain and Italy – A flash flood on France’s south coast killed two people in Sainte-Maxime while a woman was found dead after a storm in Sardinia, Italy. Meanwhile the death toll in the floods in Majorca has risen to twelve.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Tropical Storm Florence is located about 1205 mi…1940 km wnw of the Cabo Verde islands and about 1300 mi…2090 km ene of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds…70 mph…110 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.

Tropical Storm Gordon is located about 190 mi…305 km ese of the mouth of the Mississippi river with maximum sustained winds…65 mph…100 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 300 degrees at 15 mph…25 km/h.

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean: Hurricane Olivia is located about 630 mi…1015 km sw of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds…80 mph…130 km/h. Present movement…w or 275 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Typhoon 25w (Jebi), located approximately 147 nm west of Cape Fuji, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 34 knots.

In the Central Pacific Ocean: Hurricane Norman is located about 870 mi…1400 km e of Hilo Hawaii and about 1050 mi…1690 km e of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds…85 mph…140 km/h. Present movement…w or 275 degrees at 17 mph…28 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Japan – The strongest typhoon to hit Japan in 25 years made landfall on Tuesday, with more than a million people urged to evacuate to escape violent winds and heavy rainfall. Typhoon Jebi, with winds of up to 216km/h, made landfall around midday in southwestern Japan near areas still recovering from deadly record rain earlier this summer. It was moving fast on a northeast track, reaching the city of Kobe by early afternoon. More than 700 flights were cancelled, including several international flights departing and arriving at Nagoya and Osaka, along with ferries, local train services and some bullet train lines.

Florida, USA – Tropical Storm Gordon formed in the Florida Keys Monday morning and lashed South Florida with rain and tropical storm force winds. Parts of South Florida are already under water including Homestead. The area of 328th Street is pretty waterlogged. In some areas the water was more than a foot deep, making driving very difficult. Tropical Storm Gordon is forecast to strengthen over the next 48 hours and could be near hurricane strength when it makes landfall along the central Gulf Coast.

Wildfires

Wildfires – Florida, USA

The Big Cypress National Preserve brush fire continues to burn. Meanwhile the massive Faka Union brush fire is burning in the Picayune Strand State Forest. At last check, the nearly 10,500 acre fire is now 95% contained.

Wildfires

Wildfires – New Mexico, USA

The Stateline Fire burning in Union County, north of Clayton, New Mexico, is currently estimated at 21,253 acres, of which 7,160 acres has crossed over into Colorado. The fire started Thursday morning March 8 on private property in New Mexico. There is no immediate threat to structures at this time.

Wildfires – Florida, USA

Saturday’s rains did little to stop the Big Cypress National Preserve brush fire, which has grown to 3,019 acres, closing trails and campgrounds, the National Park Service reported Sunday.

Nature – Images

Interesting Images

It’s snowing iguanas in Florida. The good news is they probably aren’t dead.

As a so-called bomb cyclone continues lashing the U.S. East Coast with historic cold temperatures, weird weather abounds. In south Florida, temperatures dipped below 40 degrees Fahrenheit (4 degrees Celsius) on Jan. 3, giving Tallahassee its first measurable snowfall in 28 years. On Jan. 4, Floridians reported an even stranger sight: frozen iguana bodies falling out of trees and littering the ground around the suburbs.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

There are no current tropical storms.

Newsbytes:

Malaysia – Some 129 people from villages in flood prone Kota Belud district were evacuated overnight after Sungai Kadamaian overflowed its banks following heavy rains in west coast Sabah since late Monday. More monsoon rains are expected to hit the state over three to four days. Several roads were also flooded with some not passable to light vehicles.

Florida, USA – As South Florida raises groundwater levels to fight saltwater intrusion, the threat of inland flooding will only increase, according to newly published research results. Although high groundwater levels in South Florida are a major contributor to inland floods, especially during the wet season or extreme rain events, traditional flood models don’t account for the groundwater beneath our feet, scientists have found. South Florida protects its drinking water sources from saltwater intrusion by keeping groundwater levels high. As sea level rises, groundwater levels may need to be raised even higher, which could cause yet more flooding.