Month: August 2019

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Dorian is located about 470 mi…755 km e of West Palm Beach Florida and about 305 mi…490 km e of the northwestern Bahamas with maximum sustained winds…140 mph…220 km/h. Present movement…wnw or 290 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.

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Wildfires

Wildfires – Alaska – Update

As of Thursday night, more than 200 wildfires were blazing in our most northern state, including a monster-sized wildfire, The Swan Lake fire that was ignited by lightning on June 5. The Swan Lake fire, near Sterling on the Kenai Peninsula, has become the country’s largest wildfire, growing to over 161,000 acres, as of Thursday night. Meanwhile the Ethel Creek Fire near Koliganek that has now burned over 18,000 acres.

Wildfires – California, USA

A wildfire in California’s high desert near Susanville is expected to burn for another week. The R-1 Ranch Fire was started Wednesday evening by a lightning strike in Hagata Canyon, east of Eagle Lake. Twenty-four hours later, it had burned 1,800 acres and was 10 percent contained.

The biggest wildfire currently burning in California is the Springs Fire, south of Mono Lake. Started on July 26 by a lightning strike, it has burned 3,844 acres and is 50 percent contained.

Wildfires – Brazil

Brazil’s government is banning most legal fires, used for land-clearing, for at least 60 days in the wake of the massive blazes that ravaged the Amazon rainforest.

Currently, farmers and others are allowed to set some fires as long as they have licenses from environmental authorities, the country’s forest code states.

This year, however, there’s been a 77 percent uptick in fires compared to the same period last year — a total of 83,000 blazes, the network reported, citing data from the National Institute for Space Research.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Screen Shot 2019 08 30 at 12 56 41 PM

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Dorian is located about 260 mi…420 km ene of the southeastern Bahamas and about 530 mi…850 km e of the northwestern Bahamas with maximum sustained winds…105 mph…165 km/h. Present movement…nw or 320 degrees at 12 mph…19 km/h.

NewsBytes:

Russia – Over a dozen cities and districts on Russia’s Pacific coast have declared a state of emergency over torrential rains that have caused severe floods this week. Footage showed flooded roads and homes, as well as dangerous mudslides, in the major Far Eastern city of Vladivostok. Weather forecasters say a month’s worth of rainfall has descended on the city in two days, with more precipitation expected in the coming days.

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Nature – Images

Interesting Images

Tumbleweed Invasion

A huge hybrid tumbleweed that can grow up to 6 feet in height is spreading across California, burying neighborhoods, causing traffic accidents and helping to spread wildfires.

Experts had predicted the hybrid would go extinct. But Salsola ryanii is now tumbling into new areas of California and could expand its territory even farther.

The thistle inherited extra sets of chromosomes from each parent, which scientists believe is why it has grown larger and more vigorous than either of its parents.

EWCOLOR

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Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week’s hottest temperature was 120 degrees Fahrenheit (48.9 degrees Celsius) in Al Qaysumah, Saudi Arabia.

The week’s coldest temperature was minus 101.0 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 73.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia’s Vostok base, Antarctica.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

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Disease

Anthrax – Canada

The Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture is reminding producers to be on the lookout for anthrax in their animals after an anthrax case was confirmed in the RM of Golden West in southeastern Saskatchewan. Anthrax was confirmed by laboratory results on August 29, 2019, as the cause of sudden death in seven animals.

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Volcanos

Global Volcanic Activity – Ongoing Activity for the week of 21 August – 27 August 2019

Aira | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that very small eruptive events at Minamidake crater (at Aira Caldera’s Sakurajima volcano) occasionally occurred during 19-26 August. The Alert Level remained at 3 (on a 5-level scale).

Asosan | Kyushu (Japan) : JMA reported that during 18-23 August ash plumes rose from Asosan and drifted N and NW. Crater incandescence was visible at night. An eruption recorded during 1130-1945 on 25 August generated ash plumes that drifted E. The sulfur dioxide emission rate was 1,800 tons per day on 21 August and remained high on 25 August. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-5).

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) : Based on satellite and wind model data, and information from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 21-27 August ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted mainly E, NE, N, and NW. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 2-km exclusion zone.

Ebeko | Paramushir Island (Russia) : Volcanologists in Severo-Kurilsk (Paramushir Island), about 7 km E of Ebeko, observed explosions during 17-23 August that sent ash plumes up to 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted SE. A thermal anomaly was identified in satellite images on 16 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Ibu | Halmahera (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that at 0704 on 22 August an ash plume from Ibu rose at least 800 m above the summit and drifted W. Seismicity was characterized by an explosion signal and earthquakes indicating rock avalanches. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to stay at least 2 km away from the active crater, and 3.5 km away on the N side.

Karangetang | Siau Island (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 19-25 August lava continued to effuse from Karangetang’s Main Crater (S) and Dua Crater (N). Avalanches of incandescent material traveled 1-1.5 km SW down the Nanitu and Pangi drainages, as far as 2 km down a drainage W of Pangi, and as far as 1.8 km down the Sense drainage. Sometimes dense white plumes rose to 200 m above the summit. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that ash plumes from Karymsky were visible in satellite images drifting 500 km SW during 20-22 August. Explosions on 21 August produced ash plumes that rose to 6 km (19,700 ft) a.s.l. A thermal anomaly over the volcano was visible during 21-22 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a weak thermal anomaly over Klyuchevskoy was visible in satellite images during 17-23 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Krakatau | Indonesia : PVMBG reported that Anak Krakatau’s seismic network recorded 27 eruptive events during 19-25 August. The events were not followed by visible ash emissions, even though there were favorable weather conditions for viewing. An eruption recorded by a summit webcam at 0755 on 22 August produced a white, gray, and black ash plume that rose 100-400 m from the crater rim and drifted N and NW. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and the public was warned to remain outside of the 2-km-radius hazard zone from the crater.

Merapi | Central Java (Indonesia) : PVMBG reported that during 19-25 August the lava-dome volume at Merapi did not change and was an estimated 461,000 cubic meters, based on analyses of drone images on 8 August. Extruded lava fell into the upper parts of the SE flank, generating block-and-ash flows that traveled as far as 1.9 km down the Gendol drainage: twice on 20 August, once each on 22 and 24 August, and 10 times during 25-27 August. At 1809 on 27 August a block-and-ash flow traveled 2 km. Diffuse white plumes rose as high as 350 m above the summit. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4), and residents were warned to stay outside of the 3-km exclusion zone.

Reventador | Ecuador : IG reported that during 21-27 August seismic data from Reventador’s network indicated a high level of seismic activity, including explosions, long-period earthquakes, harmonic tremor, and signals indicating emissions. Weather often prevented views of the summit area, although during clear conditions ash-and-steam plumes were visible rising as high as 1 km above the crater rim and drifting W, NW, and N. Crater incandescence was periodically observed at night. Blocks were observed rolling 800 m down the flanks during 26-27 August.

Sangeang Api | Indonesia : The Darwin VAAC reported that during 21-26 August intermittent ash plumes from Sangeang Api were identified in satellite images rising to 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifting W and WNW. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a scale of 1-4).

Semisopochnoi | United States : AVO reported that during 17-23 August seismicity at Semisopochnoi remained elevated and was characterized by periods of continuous tremor and discrete low-frequency earthquakes; seismic data went offline starting sometime on 17 August, though was available by around 22 August. Ground-coupled airwaves, indicative of explosive activity, were sometimes recorded in seismic data; an infrasound signal was recorded during 23-24 August. Cloudy weather often prevented satellite views of the volcano, though a steam plume was visible on 18 August and sulfur dioxide emissions were detected during 21-22 August. The Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch and the Aviation colour Code remained at Orange.

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) : KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly over Sheveluch’s lava dome was identified daily in satellite images during 17-23 August. The Aviation colour Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale).

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) : The Tokyo VAAC reported that on 26 August a plume from Suwanosejima was visible in satellite images rising to 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l. The Alert Level remained at 2 (on a 5-level scale).

Ubinas | Peru : IGP reported that during 20-26 August blue-coloured gas plumes from Ubinas rose above the crater and eight thermal anomalies were recorded by the MIROVA system. The number of seismic events was 1,736 (all under M 2.4), and there was an increase in the magnitude and number of hybrid and long-period events. Around 1030 on 26 August an ash emission rose to heights below 2 km above the crater rim. Continuous ash emissions on 27 August were recorded by satellite and webcam images drifting S and SW. The Alert Level remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-colour scale) and the public were warned to stay outside of a 15-km radius.

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Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms – Roundup of Tropical Storms:

In the Atlantic Ocean: Hurricane Dorian is located about 150 mi…240 km nnw of San Juan Puerto Rico and about 425 mi…685 km ese of the southeastern Bahamas with maximum sustained winds…85 mph…140 km/h. Present movement…nw or 325 degrees at 13 mph…20 km/h.

Post Tropical Cyclone Erin is located about 225 mi…365 km ene of Cape Hatteras North Carolina with maximum sustained winds…35 mph…55 km/h. Present movement…nne or 25 degrees at 15 mph…24 km/h.

In the Western Pacific Ocean: Tropical Storm 13w (Podul), located approximately 134 nm northeast of Da Nang, Vietnam, is tracking westward at 17 knots.

NewsBytes:

Morocco – At least seven people were killed in flash floods in Morocco on Wednesday, following torrential rains in mountains in the south of the country near Taroudant, 600 kilometers (373 miles) south of Rabat, local authorities said.

Caribbean – Hurricane Dorian is gaining strength at it approaches Florida, with forecasters warning it could grow into a dangerous storm before it hits the east coast state. The hurricane has moved out into open waters after hitting Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, where it caused power cuts and flooding in places.

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Global Warming

Global Warming, Drought Drying Up Siberian Rivers, Cutting Off Far North

Global warming combined with the most serious drought in more than 30 years has led both to massive forest fires throughout Russia east of the Urals and to an abnormal drop in the water levels of major rivers, putting a halt to most river traffic and thus leaving many in the far north without the supplies they will need for the coming winter.

The hardest hit of the rivers is the Lena, 77 percent of whose route crosses through the rapidly melting permafrost; and the hardest hit of the regions are the northernmost portions of the Sakha Republic, many of which are beyond any rail or highway and depend on the river.

In Yakutsk, the republic capital, the water level of the Lena has fallen two and a half meters, leaving many vessels stranded in the mud and killing off the fish on which residents depend. As a result, Russian experts say, villages and towns will have to be supplied by air or be put at risk of depopulation.

If the river fleet dies, it is likely that almost all of those who moved into the region in Soviet and post-Soviet times will leave and the remaining population of indigenous peoples will be forced to return to a life of subsistence. If that occurs, a large part of what is shown as Russia on the map won’t be Russian at all.

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Disease

Ebola – DR Congo

In the past week, from 19 August to 25 August, 77 new confirmed Ebola virus disease (EVD) cases, with an additional 54 deaths, have been reported from nine health zones in three affected provinces in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

Tularemia – Sweden

In a follow-up on a report about two weeks ago, Swedish health officials are reporting a significant rise in tularemia cases since the end of July. As of Monday, about 560 human cases have been reported.

Malaria – India

Cases of falciparum malaria has spiked in Bareilly district in Uttar Pradesh state, with officials reporting 550 Plasmodium falciparum (PF) cases in the past month compared to about 150 in the first seven months of 2019.

According to reports, the less serious Plasmodium vivax (PV) malaria has accounted for more than 18,000 cases in the district year to date, including 5,600 in the past month. In addition dozens have been infected with both malaria strains.