"Temperatures as low as -22C (-8F) have left 122 dead in Poland this winter and the main river, the Vistula, has frozen over, causing fears of flooding.
In the UK, thousands of schools are closed and travellers have been hit by major delays after heavy snowfall affected large parts of the country.
In the Swiss Alps avalanches have killed at least seven people.
Western France has issued a weather alert for 14 regions hit by heavy snow.
Extreme or severe weather warnings are still in place across the UK, which is in the grip of its longest cold snap for almost 30 years.
UK travel chaos
Its hospitals have implemented major incident plans to deal with the extreme weather.
On Tuesday up to 20cm (8in) of snow fell in parts of Scotland and northern England, causing travel chaos for millions of people.
Another 40cm (16in) has been forecast in some areas as the snowfalls spread from north to south.
Gatwick airport was closed on Wednesday morning, while Heathrow, Birmingham, Luton and Southampton were open but suffering delays and cancellations.
Forecasters at the UK's Met Office said the bitterly cold weather was forecast to continue for the next couple of weeks, with further snowfall expected at times."
LINK to BBC
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Arctic chill covers most of the northern hemisphere. Doomed? Yes.
"
Arctic air and record snow falls gripped the northern hemisphere yesterday, inflicting hardship and havoc from China, across Russia to Western Europe and over the US plains.
There were few precedents for the global sweep of extreme cold and ice that killed dozens in India, paralysed life in Beijing and threatened the Florida orange crop. Chicagoans sheltered from a potentially killer freeze, Paris endured sunny Siberian cold, Italy dug itself out of snowdrifts and Poland counted at least 13 deaths in record low temperatures of about minus 25C (-13F).
The heaviest snow yesterday hit northeastern Asia, which is suffering its worst winter weather for 60 years. More than 25 centimetres (10in) of snow covered Seoul, the South Korean capital — the heaviest fall since records began in 1937.
In China, Beijing and the nearby port city of Tianjin had the deepest snow since 1951, with falls of up to 8in and temperatures of minus 10C. In the far north of China, the temperature fell to minus 32C. More than two million Beijing and Tianjin pupils were sent home and 1,200 flights were delayed or cancelled at Beijing’s international airport."
LINK to Times Online
Arctic air and record snow falls gripped the northern hemisphere yesterday, inflicting hardship and havoc from China, across Russia to Western Europe and over the US plains.
There were few precedents for the global sweep of extreme cold and ice that killed dozens in India, paralysed life in Beijing and threatened the Florida orange crop. Chicagoans sheltered from a potentially killer freeze, Paris endured sunny Siberian cold, Italy dug itself out of snowdrifts and Poland counted at least 13 deaths in record low temperatures of about minus 25C (-13F).
The heaviest snow yesterday hit northeastern Asia, which is suffering its worst winter weather for 60 years. More than 25 centimetres (10in) of snow covered Seoul, the South Korean capital — the heaviest fall since records began in 1937.
In China, Beijing and the nearby port city of Tianjin had the deepest snow since 1951, with falls of up to 8in and temperatures of minus 10C. In the far north of China, the temperature fell to minus 32C. More than two million Beijing and Tianjin pupils were sent home and 1,200 flights were delayed or cancelled at Beijing’s international airport."
LINK to Times Online
Crikey. This sounds surprising and really unpleasant!
"Officials in a remote Baffin Island community said Saturday conditions appear to have stabilized after a flash flood looked as though it might wash the community away from underneath.
Heavy rain and unusually warm 13-degree temperatures produced rapid snow melt in the surrounding mountains and hills and led to a flood last weekend.
So much water blasted down the Duvall that it carved a 10-metre channel through the permafrost, right down to bedrock. It damaged both of the town's bridges sufficiently that a majority of the community's 1,600 residents were cut off from the water reservoir, sewage lagoon and garbage dump.
Fears of subterranean erosion were then raised as large cracks and sinkholes began to appear between the town and the river.
"More large cracks (were) appearing, more sinkholes,'' said Mongeau. "We had a telephone pole that literally, before our eyes, dropped 15 feet into the ground.''
With more rain and warm temperatures forecast, Mongeau is unsure whether the current stability will last.
"At this point they're stable; tomorrow, who knows,'' he said.
So much water blasted down the Duvall that it carved a 10-metre channel through the permafrost, right down to bedrock. It damaged both of the town's bridges sufficiently that a majority of the community's 1,600 residents were cut off from the water reservoir, sewage lagoon and garbage dump.
Fears of subterranean erosion were then raised as large cracks and sinkholes began to appear between the town and the river.
"More large cracks (were) appearing, more sinkholes,'' said Mongeau. "We had a telephone pole that literally, before our eyes, dropped 15 feet into the ground.''
With more rain and warm temperatures forecast, Mongeau is unsure whether the current stability will last.
"At this point they're stable; tomorrow, who knows,'' he said.
Private geo-tech companies should be on site shortly to use ground-penetrating radar to find out exactly what's stirring beneath their feet. Science professionals already studying the situation are dumbstruck by what's happening.
Although Mongeau stresses his opinion is not scientific, he believes the root cause of this occurrence, and many other in the eastern Arctic, is global warming. He said ice patterns have been shifting and locals are noticing the arrival of new species to the area, like capeline -- a small fish used to catch cod.
"Fishermen have been fishing these waters for 40 years and they've never seen one,'' he said. "We're pulling them out in large numbers right now.'' LINK
Although Mongeau stresses his opinion is not scientific, he believes the root cause of this occurrence, and many other in the eastern Arctic, is global warming. He said ice patterns have been shifting and locals are noticing the arrival of new species to the area, like capeline -- a small fish used to catch cod.
"Fishermen have been fishing these waters for 40 years and they've never seen one,'' he said. "We're pulling them out in large numbers right now.'' LINK
Actual headline: "Snowstorms in China wreck an area of forest larger than England"
"Snowstorms have destroyed or damaged a 10th of China's forests, officials reported this weekend, as clearing up continued amid warnings of further severe weather. Gales and the weight of snow and ice tore down trees as well as bamboo across 60,000 square miles - an area larger than England. The forestry administration said more than half of the country's provinces were affected, with 90% of the land ruined in some areas, reported the official media.
But officials were bracing themselves for more problems as forecasters warned of more snow in the south during the next few days. China's meteorological administration said more storms might hit Guizhou province and Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, which are still struggling to recover from the previous bad weather, and that in other areas rising temperatures could lead to floods and landslides as snow melted." LINK
Also, I seriously have to recommend looking at Xinhua- their special coverage of China's War on Snow Havoc is pretty interesting (not least for the wording!) and the photos are amazing. A few of my favorite headlines below:
and my favorite headline yet
Xinhua's Special Coverage site China's War on Snow Havoc
Unbelievable scenes from China snow crisis
This is pretty extreme weather
This pic is from Guangzhou train station where
In the booming southern province of Guangdong, many power plants had just two days of coal left, the official Guangzhou Daily reported on Wednesday, and authorities were shipping in emergency supplies on a fleet of 125 cargo ships." LINK
This pic is from Guangzhou train station where "In the southern city of Guangzhou, as many as 500,000 train passengers were stranded the past few days when a power failure in neighboring Hunan province crippled the regular train services, local officials said. About 100,000 passengers packed the square in front of the train station while others found shelter in schools and other public buildings while 
waiting for their trains. " LINK
waiting for their trains. " LINKThis car showroom is among 100,000 buildings that have collapsed. Another 400,000 are reported to have been damaged. LINK
"The freakish weather has already affected 67 million people and economic losses so far have been placed at 18.2 billion yuan (£1.3 billion)." LINK
"Blocked roads and railways have also choked coal shipments, magnifying energy shortages that have caused power brownouts in 17 of China's 31 provinces and province-status cities.
In the booming southern province of Guangdong, many power plants had just two days of coal left, the official Guangzhou Daily reported on Wednesday, and authorities were shipping in emergency supplies on a fleet of 125 cargo ships." LINK
More weather modification stuff out of China.
They made it snow! Yup.
"China claimed yesterday to have caused a snowfall for the first time as part of its increasingly ambitious attempts to control the weather.
Officials in the meteorological bureau in Tibet said they had used "rain-seeding" techniques to trigger a snowfall over the city of Nagqu last week.
"This proves it's possible for humans to change the weather on the world's highest plateau," said Yu Zhongshui. The bureau said it had produced just under half an inch of snow at a height of 15,000ft." LINK
"China claimed yesterday to have caused a snowfall for the first time as part of its increasingly ambitious attempts to control the weather.
Officials in the meteorological bureau in Tibet said they had used "rain-seeding" techniques to trigger a snowfall over the city of Nagqu last week.
"This proves it's possible for humans to change the weather on the world's highest plateau," said Yu Zhongshui. The bureau said it had produced just under half an inch of snow at a height of 15,000ft." LINK
No snow for Tokyo
"The Japanese capital has experienced its first winter without snow for 131 years, weather officials say.
The Japan Meteorological Agency said it had recorded no snow in central Tokyo between December and the end of February, the official winter months.
This the first time no snow has fallen in winter since records began in 1876, the agency said. " LINK
The Japan Meteorological Agency said it had recorded no snow in central Tokyo between December and the end of February, the official winter months.
This the first time no snow has fallen in winter since records began in 1876, the agency said. " LINK
More ski resorts suffering, people out of work in California
Bleak. Employment that depends on the seasons has always been iffish, but I bet thtat's just going to get worse.
"Snow-starved June Mountain shut down nearly two weeks ago after a season that lasted all of 23 days. The closure threw 175 seasonal employees out of work and left local businesses desperate to hang on until the fishing crowd jams the streets this summer.Nobody knows whether the cause is global warming or the meteorological glitch of a high-pressure area hanging on, like a deranged houseguest, for months. " LINK
Mmm, those deranged houseguests, just sticking around.
"Snow-starved June Mountain shut down nearly two weeks ago after a season that lasted all of 23 days. The closure threw 175 seasonal employees out of work and left local businesses desperate to hang on until the fishing crowd jams the streets this summer.Nobody knows whether the cause is global warming or the meteorological glitch of a high-pressure area hanging on, like a deranged houseguest, for months. " LINK
Mmm, those deranged houseguests, just sticking around.
Climate change in Finland. Oh, my gosh.
Eeeek. LINK I can't tell you how wrong those photos look. I remember a few years ago it snowed every day from September on, lightly, but constant. They did't bother plowing it, it just thickened, and they added gravel to the latest layers. It was so unreal and so beautiful. They must miss the snow so much. I miss the snow.
World cup ski events canceled, moved.
"WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) -- Overnight rain and warm temperatures forced organizers to scrap a World Cup super-combi on Friday.
A lack of snow forced the International Ski Federation to move men's races from Chamonix next week to another french resort Val d' Isere."
LINK
A lack of snow forced the International Ski Federation to move men's races from Chamonix next week to another french resort Val d' Isere."
LINK
Big storm brewing!
We might even see some snow here in Rhody out of this one- well, maybe that's wishcasting, but a lot of the country will get ice and snow!
LINK
LINK
Avalanche closes Canadian Highway
"Avalanche Closes TransCanada Highway In Rockies
Jan, 09 2007 - 5:50 PM
CALGARY/AM770CHQR - For the second time in a week, a massive avalanche has closed the TransCanada Highway in the rockies.This time, the road is shutdown between Revelstoke and Golden in B.C. because of the snowslide.No word yet, when that stretch will be cleared and re-opened.A long stretch of the No. 1 was closed last week because of bad weather and the avalanche risk."
LINK
Jan, 09 2007 - 5:50 PM
CALGARY/AM770CHQR - For the second time in a week, a massive avalanche has closed the TransCanada Highway in the rockies.This time, the road is shutdown between Revelstoke and Golden in B.C. because of the snowslide.No word yet, when that stretch will be cleared and re-opened.A long stretch of the No. 1 was closed last week because of bad weather and the avalanche risk."
LINK
No snow, no money? If you think global warming is too expensive to fight, how much will it cost to give up?
The animals are dying, but economically, people are hurting with this screwy weather. From winter sports to winter wear, the market isn't there.
"Ontario's largest ski resort has laid off 1,300 workers after closing down its ski operations in the middle of the winter season for the first time in the resort's 65-year history." LINK
"At the height of a typical season, about 1,200 people work on Liberty Mountain [Pennsylvania]. This year, the resort isn't hiring the normal cadre of part-time and seasonal workers, and even the 60 regular employees aren't putting in a full week." LINK
" Retailers are calling it the Coat Crisis of 2006. They are even starting to grumble about the first "global warming Christmas." LINK
""It's not just this industry," said Joe Gagne, owner of Roosevelt Trail Nursery and Garden Center. "It's incredible how much the economy in Maine is based on Mother Nature and snow. But a season with little snow can be difficult on small businesses. Gagne employs 11 people and has about nine trucks used for plowing as well as delivering goods. He said there are a lot of overhead costs." LINK
"William Strange, a professor with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and an expert in urban economics, said the effects of climate change on municipal budgets have been largely overlooked.
"It's a very interesting issue and I don't know how local governments would budget for that," he added." LINK
"Ontario's largest ski resort has laid off 1,300 workers after closing down its ski operations in the middle of the winter season for the first time in the resort's 65-year history." LINK
"At the height of a typical season, about 1,200 people work on Liberty Mountain [Pennsylvania]. This year, the resort isn't hiring the normal cadre of part-time and seasonal workers, and even the 60 regular employees aren't putting in a full week." LINK
" Retailers are calling it the Coat Crisis of 2006. They are even starting to grumble about the first "global warming Christmas." LINK
""It's not just this industry," said Joe Gagne, owner of Roosevelt Trail Nursery and Garden Center. "It's incredible how much the economy in Maine is based on Mother Nature and snow. But a season with little snow can be difficult on small businesses. Gagne employs 11 people and has about nine trucks used for plowing as well as delivering goods. He said there are a lot of overhead costs." LINK
"William Strange, a professor with the Joseph L. Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and an expert in urban economics, said the effects of climate change on municipal budgets have been largely overlooked.
"It's a very interesting issue and I don't know how local governments would budget for that," he added." LINK
It's not often a meteorologist calls the weather "ridiculous" and "insane."
"Pittsburgh had less than an inch of snow in December which borders on the ridiculous. Equally insane is the near lack of any snow at all along the I-95 Corridor from Boston to Washington. The continuing dominance of the Pacific jet stream assures that most of the nation won't experience any of the rigors of winter this week, either."
Story By AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
It's 5.30 pm, on New Year's day, and it's 55 freaking degrees outside. When it was raining so hard earlier today, it felt and looked like April- rainy, muddy, greening grass, leafing trees, daffodil leaves peeking out of the soil.
Story By AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet.
It's 5.30 pm, on New Year's day, and it's 55 freaking degrees outside. When it was raining so hard earlier today, it felt and looked like April- rainy, muddy, greening grass, leafing trees, daffodil leaves peeking out of the soil.
Dr. Master's weather blog
is usually awesome, and I love to read what he has to say. Today he scared the hell out of me, though. I'll put a couple of quotes, but seriously, his blog is a joy to read- clear, not-too-technical writing about weather from a seriously respected meteorologist. The forums there can be fun, but watch out for the nutjobs- cyclonebuster, I'm talking about you. Actually, unless you have epic patience, avoid the forums, but go for Dr. Master's blog. Quotes in bold.
The lack of snow across the entire Northern Hemisphere has been remarkable both in its areal coverage and depth, thanks to December temperatures 5-20 degrees F above normal. Minneapolis, Minnesota--which normally receives over 18 inches of snow by this time of year--has had a paltry one inch of snow so far this winter.
When my nephew Cody eagerly unwrapped his new snow board this Christmas and asked me when he might get a chance to use it, I told him, "What are you thinking? This is Michigan in the 21st century! There's not going to be any more snow." I exaggerate slightly, but I don't recommend that anyone invest in the winter sports equipment industry this year. The latest 2-week forecast from the GFS model shows no end in sight for the warm conditions in North America.
Now, let's talk about sea ice in the Arctic. The Arctic Ice Cap has shrunk by about 20% since 1979, and at the end of November this year, the amount of sea ice in the Arctic was about 2 million square kilometers less than had even been seen in any previous November. December has also seen the lowest sea ice coverage for any December on record. All this exposed water provides a huge source of heat and moisture in the Arctic that retards the formation of the usual cold air masses over the adjacent regions of Canada and Siberia. It's impossible to know how much of an effect this has without doing some detailed model studies, but I think the record low sea ice in the Arctic is probably a significant contributor to this winter's record warmth. The Arctic Ice Cap is expected to continue to decline, due to human-caused global warming, according to the 2004 study by 300 scientists, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). Many of us who are used to the reality of a white Christmas will find it only a dream in the coming years. I expect that the unnaturally warm winters we've experienced the past two years in the U.S. will become the norm ten years from now--and may already be the new norm.
The lack of snow across the entire Northern Hemisphere has been remarkable both in its areal coverage and depth, thanks to December temperatures 5-20 degrees F above normal. Minneapolis, Minnesota--which normally receives over 18 inches of snow by this time of year--has had a paltry one inch of snow so far this winter.
When my nephew Cody eagerly unwrapped his new snow board this Christmas and asked me when he might get a chance to use it, I told him, "What are you thinking? This is Michigan in the 21st century! There's not going to be any more snow." I exaggerate slightly, but I don't recommend that anyone invest in the winter sports equipment industry this year. The latest 2-week forecast from the GFS model shows no end in sight for the warm conditions in North America.
Now, let's talk about sea ice in the Arctic. The Arctic Ice Cap has shrunk by about 20% since 1979, and at the end of November this year, the amount of sea ice in the Arctic was about 2 million square kilometers less than had even been seen in any previous November. December has also seen the lowest sea ice coverage for any December on record. All this exposed water provides a huge source of heat and moisture in the Arctic that retards the formation of the usual cold air masses over the adjacent regions of Canada and Siberia. It's impossible to know how much of an effect this has without doing some detailed model studies, but I think the record low sea ice in the Arctic is probably a significant contributor to this winter's record warmth. The Arctic Ice Cap is expected to continue to decline, due to human-caused global warming, according to the 2004 study by 300 scientists, the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). Many of us who are used to the reality of a white Christmas will find it only a dream in the coming years. I expect that the unnaturally warm winters we've experienced the past two years in the U.S. will become the norm ten years from now--and may already be the new norm.
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