Tag Archives: weather

Snow in Namibia Desert

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Snow falls in the desert of Namibia, Africa this week

Published on June 9, 2011 11:20 pm PT
– By Kevin Martin – Senior Meteorologist
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


TheWeatherSpace.com) — I wouldn’t believe it if I didn’t see it, snow has fallen in the African Desert of Namibia.
While snow in Namibia is not unheard of, it is a rare event. It snows on average in Namibia every 10 years.

It appears that the air mass over Central Namibia was cold enough to put the temperatures into the 30s. This combined with the drier low levels of the desert can cause snow to fall to the desert floor.

to read more, go to:    http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-06_10_2011_namibiasnow.html

 

Lost Opportunity for Louisiana

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In Historic Flooding On Mississippi River, A Missed Opportunity To Rebuild Louisiana

by Chris Kirkham of the Huffington Post

PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. — For decades, a mixture of industrial development and erosion has carved away at southern Louisiana, eliminating nearly 2,000 square miles of land and making the area increasingly vulnerable to storms that sweep in from the Gulf of Mexico.

Every day the Mississippi River delivers the raw materials required to replenish this lost territory: mud and sand that drop at the mouth of the waterway and would amass there, were nature allowed to run its course.

But nature has proven no match for the century-long federal governance of the Mississippi as a vital marine highway: Five enormous ships operated by the federal government dredge the sediment collecting at the mouth of the river daily, then carry much of it into open waters offshore and dump it there, sending it into oblivion.

This year’s historic flooding along the Mississippi River resonated as a threat to low-lying communities, sending families scrambling to preserve homes and property. But it was also a missed opportunity on an epic scale, say conservationists: The heavy rains that swelled the Mississippi loaded it with a massive supply of natural building materials that could have buttressed the Gulf Coast land. Instead, levees built to tame the river directed this sediment down to the mouth, where the federal ships are hauling it away.

To read more and see the images, go to: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/06/09/in-historic-flooding-on-m_n_873623.html

 

Hurricane Season Begins

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Two systems battle for the first name of the Hurricane Season, Adrian developing fast

Published on June 6, 2011 12:40 am PT
– By Kevin Martin – Senior Meteorologist
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


Click for larger image

(TheWeatherSpace.com) — Both basins are battling it out for the first named system of the year, which one will it be?

Invest 91e is in the most favored location, west of Mexico. This system is in perfect position for rapid development over the next 48 hours and I would not be surprised to see it become a named system this week. The system will be named Adrian. Adrian would move to the northwest.

The system in the Caribbean Sea, Invest94l, has been affecting Jamaica, and the other islands surrounding it, with flooding rains as it just floats out there not moving much at all.

to read more go to:    http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-06_06_2011_tropical.html

A Break for Tornado Alley

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Tornado Alley escapes what could have been a major tornado outbreak

Published on June 6, 2011 1:25 am PT
– By Dave Tole – Writer
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


Click for larger image

(TheWeatherSpace.com) — A strong storm system moving into California today could have caused a major tornado outbreak across Tornado Alley if the ridge was not there.

According to TheWeatherSpace.com Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin’s study, the ridge causing all the hot temperatures in the Southern Plains and Southeastern United States (Article Here)is better than what would have happened had it not been there.

To read more go to:   http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-06_06_2011_block.html

Mammatus Clouds over Minnesota

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Fr/spaceweather.com

MAMMATUS OVER MINNESOTA: On May 10th, a severe storm captured national attention when it dumped golf-ball-sized hail on a Minnesota Twins baseball game. “I missed the hail,” reports John Rogers of New Hope, Minnesota, “but I got a nice view of the clouds that formed after the storm passed.” He snapped this picture in waning twilight at 8:30 pm local time:

These are mammatus clouds. Named for their resemblance to a cow’s underbelly, they sometimes appear at the end of severe thunderstorms when the thundercloud is breaking up. Researchers have called them an “intriguing enigma,” because no one knows exactly how and why they form. The clouds are fairly common but often go unnoticed because potential observers have been chased indoors by the rain. If you are one of them, dash outside when the downpour stops; you could witness a beautiful mystery in the sky.

 

Social & Economic Impacts of Severe Space Weather

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Severe Space Weather–Social and Economic Impacts

(fr.2009, but still interesting and of note)

January 21, 2009: Did you know a solar flare can make your toilet stop working?

see captionThat’s the surprising conclusion of a NASA-funded study by the National Academy of Sciences entitled Severe Space Weather Events—Understanding Societal and Economic Impacts. In the 132-page report, experts detailed what might happen to our modern, high-tech society in the event of a “super solar flare” followed by an extreme geomagnetic storm. They found that almost nothing is immune from space weather—not even the water in your bathroom.

Right: Auroras over Blair, Nebraska, during a geomagnetic storm in May 2005. Photo credit: Mike Hollingshead/Spaceweather.com.

The problem begins with the electric power grid. “Electric power is modern society’s cornerstone technology on which virtually all other infrastructures and services depend,” the report notes. Yet it is particularly vulnerable to bad space weather. Ground currents induced during geomagnetic storms can actually melt the copper windings of transformers at the heart of many power distribution systems. Sprawling power lines act like antennas, picking up the currents and spreading the problem over a wide area. The most famous geomagnetic power outage happened during a space storm in March 1989 when six million people in Quebec lost power for 9 hours: image.

 

According to the report, power grids may be more vulnerable than ever. The problem is interconnectedness. In recent years, utilities have joined grids together to allow long-distance transmission of low-cost power to areas of sudden demand. On a hot summer day in California, for instance, people in Los Angeles might be running their air conditioners on power routed from Oregon. It makes economic sense—but not necessarily geomagnetic sense. Interconnectedness makes the system susceptible to wide-ranging “cascade failures.”To estimate the scale of such a failure, report co-author John Kappenmann of the Metatech Corporation looked at the great geomagnetic storm of May 1921, which produced ground currents as much as ten times stronger than the 1989 Quebec storm, and modeled its effect on the modern power grid. He found more than 350 transformers at risk of permanent damage and 130 million people without power. The loss of electricity would ripple across the social infrastructure with “water distribution affected within several hours; perishable foods and medications lost in 12-24 hours; loss of heating/air conditioning, sewage disposal, phone service, fuel re-supply and so on.”

“The concept of interdependency,” the report notes, “is evident in the unavailability of water due to long-term outage of electric power–and the inability to restart an electric generator without water on site.”

see caption

Above: What if the May 1921 superstorm occurred today? A US map of vulnerable transformers with areas of probable system collapse encircled. A state-by-state map of transformer vulnerability is also available: click here. Credit: National Academy of Sciences.

to read more, go to:http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2009/21jan_severespaceweather/

 

May 1-7

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Overall Color for the Week:    Bright Blue

The Earth is speaking very loudly right now.  In some cases she is shouting.  It is time to listen. It is time to see where then shifts and movements are happening.  There is a pattern and there is a reason. Things are coming together now in new ways, and as part of this, the old must be cleansed and washed out.  There is no anger in this, for the Earth is in all things just and connected to the Universal Consciousness.  We must, likewise, tune into that Universal Consciousness.  Honor your intuition and connect.

You know what is right and you know what is wrong.  The only thing that separates one from the other is action.  This is a week in which your actions can determine many things, including how the next seven months will turn out for you.  There are challenges on the horizon.  There are distractions.  There are people both on your side and otherwise.  Use your intuition this week and be wise in your actions; discriminate.  More can come out of this than you think.

On the larger scene, the world has turned into Tea Party types and people of integrity,  You will be seeing this more and more on the political scene,  not just here in the States, but throughout the world.  There is a cloud of darkness heading towards the Earth and those who are looking for control and who are ruled by ignorance are working to make sure that ir prevails.  It is most important that you, in everything you do and everything you are,  be aware of the truth.  Look beneath the surface and trust your inner knowing. There is work being done in all areas, some to blind and to distract, and some to make clear and unveil.  Know which is which.  This week some of the individuals who have been keeping a low profile while controlling things will find themselves being brought to the forefront.  They will not understand how or why this has happened, but it is a result of the thrust of the energy. They can no longer manipulate from behind the scenes.  And there is a light on the horizon.  Something incredibly positive is on its way, something unbelievable, like out of a myth.  Again, back up your electronics, be prepared for outages, and open up lines of communication with friends and neighbors.

Sunday, May 1:    Light Apricot

Beltane/May Day:     This is a day for getting to the core of things, however when you do, you may just find that the core needs to be broken open.  In order to do that, you need to know what its most important for you.  That is your key. There is a certain kind of magic in the air today that can take you outside of the quotidian into the more-than.  This can be very scary, but it is also liberating.  It is a place for you to move beyond the seeming into what really has meaning.  If you are ready, then go for it.  If you are not, know that the opportunity will return, and it behooves you to prepare for it.  And if you choose not to be a part of this, then that is okay for you.  There is no judgment.  It is all about what you are ready for.

Crystal Energy:    Chlorite Included Quartz—aka “The Potato Crusher”—As a digestive aid, works to break down carbs and allow for proper assimilation of nutrients. Generally, it assists with healing on all levels. Heart Chakra.

Monday, May 2:    Rose Pink

There is a quiet and a comfort in the air today.  It brings remembrance of things past, of a beloved grandparent, a favored pet, a time when things seemed ‘sweetness and light’.  These are memories to be treasured, to be savored.  They will act as support in the times to come.  Tears may be close to the surface today.  It is well to let them flow.  These times bring forth emotions, and it will just become more intense as times progress;  It is best to allow whatever is within to come forth when the feeling arises. This is not a time for storing for later.  This is a time for letting things flow. “To everything there is a season.”  And the season is now.

Crystal Energy:    Cerussite—-This mineral can assist with connection especially between the physical and the non-physical.  It resonates to the chakras above the seventh.

Tuesday, May 3:    Matte Silk

New Moon:    There is a kind of magic in the air today.  It is quiet and elusive, sylph-like.  You can catch it if you will just be open to the potentials all around you.  Under any circumstances, there is change in the air today and you will feel it from the moment you awake.  Whether you choose to make use of it or not is your choice.  This is a time of revision and moving beyond, bit everything happens in the time you so choose.  Take time today to feel what it is that is important for you.   Take time today to look around yourself and see what you can see.  Things may have changed.  You may see some unexpected things.

Crystal Energy:    Purple Aragonite—The energy of this stone is tuned to the double helix frequencies on all levels and in all permutations.  It assists in rising energy through the body and teaches the lessons of birth and death.  It resonates with all chakras.

Wednesday, May 4th:    Light Aquamarine

Today is a day to stand up for what it is that you are passionate about.  If you have enough energy and conviction, then no one can take you down.  It is time to know just what it is that makes you tick.  For too long we have let other persons and institutions dictate to us what is right for us.  Now it is time to do some soul searching and figure what it is that is most important for you.  Then be ready to go out and let the world know.  If you are strong in WHO you are, you will find that you are realizing your dreams much more quickly than you thought was possible.

Crystal Energy:    Black Tourmaline—The energy of this mineral assists with grounding and with clearing.  It works to draw together like minded individuals in harmony.  Root chakra.

Thursday, May 5:    Frosty White

Things will become clearer in the energy of this day.  The question is one of how much do you truly want to know.  There are things that have been happening around you, of which you were not aware, however you did have some sense that something was going on.  In the current energy, these things will drift to the surface.  This is a day for knowing what you can deal with and how much you are prepared to act when things become uncomfortable.  The choice is, as always, yours.  There is no blame in the energy of the day, only a caution.  Look at things before you act and act only when you are ready to have whatever happens happen.  If you prefer not to deal, then look away.

Crystal Energy:    Hemimorphite—-The energy of this silicate assists with the full functioning of the brain.  It resonates with the Third Eye and Crown Chakras.

Friday, May 6:    Dark Purple

Thoughts, ideas, dreams, and illusions are all part of what will be happening today.  You will find that your take on things will be different from what it usually is.  Your perspective is shifting, almost imperceptibly, and that slight bit of difference is what will intrigue you and cause you concern. It brings with it the feeling of having lost a bit of control, and at this time, people find it very important to be in control.  Furthermore, things will be coming your way today that will bring up to you truths about yourself that you would rather not acknowledge.  The best course today is to be open to what comes.  Allow it to be there, and see it for what it is.  Take hold of the lessons there, and move on.  By so doing, you will have learned a lot and progressed even more.

Crystal Energy:     Psilomelane—-The energy of this element is very grounding, giving one the sense of coming home.  It resonates with the first two chakras.

Saturday, May 7:    Dark Cerulean

Derby Day:    Know what it is that you stand for.  Know what it is that is important for you.  Be strong in that knowing and be assured that righteousness will ultimately prevail.  This is a day on which old values and new knowing can clash. You may find yourself having to make a choice between friends, between family members.  Be strong in WHO you are and you will win the day.  This is not to be the heavy, rather to let you know how much power you have in every situation when you decide to act on what you know in your heart to be right.

3D Satellite View of Storms

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Satellite Captures 3-D View of Violent Storms that Ravaged the US on April 27-28

by NANCY ATKINSON on APRIL 28, 2011

A simulated 3-D flyby of the TRMM satellite around severe storms on Aprill 28, 2011. Credit: NASA/SSAI, Hal Pierce

NASA’s Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite captured 3-D images of severe thunderstorms that were spawning tornadoes over the eastern United States on April 28, detecting massive thunderstorms and very heavy rainfall. Tornadoes associated with this extremely unstable weather left at least 202 dead across the Eastern U.S, with injuries numbering over a thousand.

To read the rest of the article and view the other images, go to:

http://www.universetoday.com/85244/satellite-captures-3-d-view-of-violent-storms-that-ravaged-the-us-on-april-27-28/