January 7, 2015 - ROMANIA -
The crash and burn of a meteorite into the Earth atmosphere may have
been seen and captured on different recordings in Romania last night at 3
AM, according to Romanian media. Many
Romanians noticed a bright light, similar to day light, which lasted
for several seconds during the night, and the unusual phenomena was
captured on surveillance cameras,including on the Otopeni airport in Bucharest - videos below.
Internet users and bloggers reported they have seen something that may
have been a meteorite disintegrating into the atmosphere, which resulted
into the bright light. Some people who happened to be driving in
Bucharest at the time of the incident reported the same phenomena.
Photo: Romania Insider
It is yet uncertain where the meteorite may have fallen, but, according
to ProTv, this could have happened somewhere around the counties of
Buzau or Vrancea, where the intensity of the light, as seen on local
surveillance cameras, was also the highest.
According to
specialized websites, several meteorites will pass Earth in January, so
meteorite showers are expected; six of them have already been
discovered, and scientists expect 10 or so to be discovered by the end
of January. Most of these however will pass within very big distance
from the Earth - at least some 10 Lunar Distances, or 3.8 million
kilometers. Every month a high number of meteorites and asteroids pass
by Earth.
January 7, 2015 - NEW ZEALAND / AUSTRALIA -
13 skydivers parachute to safety as New Zealand plane crashes into lake.
14 skydivers were caught in an intense hail and wind storm in
Australia.
New Zealand skydivers bail out over Lake Taupo as plane crashes
Skydive Taupo which operated the flight said everyone had evacuted safely
All
13 people on board a small plane, including the pilot, parachuted to
safety before the aircraft crashed into a lake on New Zealand's North
Island.
The aircraft was taking them on a tandem skydive excursion over Lake Taupo when it suffered engine problems, said the authorities.
No-one was seriously injured, but the case is being investigated.
A spokesman for the Civil Aviation Authority, Mike Richards, said it was a miracle no-one was killed.
Taupo Mayor David Trewavas said the had plane lost power about 1,300m off the ground and the pilot called for the passengers to evacuate.
"All the precautions were taken and they evacuated the plane safely. The plane then crashed into the lake at a place called Loafer's Paradise," Mr Trewavas told the New Zealand Herald.
Roy Clements, chief executive of Skydive Taupo which organised the trip, said in a statement: "A skydiving plane encountered an engine problem shortly after take-off.
"All parachutes including the pilot exited the plane and landed safely," the statement added.
One witness told local media he heard a loud bang and then saw skydivers leaving the plane.
"It sounded like an engine blowing up. It would've been no longer than 15 seconds between the bang and when the skydivers started jumping out of the plane," he told the Herald.
"It was pretty amazing that they could get out, it's amazing that they're safe." - BBC.
Surprise hail storm sends 14 skydivers hurtling to the ground in Melbourne, Australia
Many onlookers ran into the sea to rescue one on the victims who slammed into the water
14
skydivers have been ripped out of the sky by wild winds, with two
victims rushed to hospital and 12 others treated by paramedics after the
terrifying crash landings.
After a 38-degree sunny day, a
fierce storm quickly took hold with the skydivers suddenly facing an
intense hail storm and violent winds.
Horrified members of the
public looked to the sky as skydivers fell at a rapid pace, battered
onto St Kilda beach in Melbourne.
WATCH: The terrifying moment 14 skydivers fall violently through the air.
The skydivers fell through the
sky with force, with two crashing into the ocean and another 12 landing
across the beach and pier, spread over a wide area.
Senior Paramedic Team Manager, Jo Wilton, said that it was a chaotic scene when they arrived.
During the free fall many were blown across the sky like rag dolls, lucky to escape with only minor injuries.
Gail force winds forced the skydivers to tumble through the air, crashing into the ground or water
The
first two survivors were found on St Kilda Pier just after 3pm and were
treated by Metropolitan Fire Brigade marine firefighters.
'They were all incredibly lucky. Witnesses say they hit the water or the
ground really hard so it could have been a lot worse than what it was,'
Senior Paramedic Team Manager Jo Wilton said.
It's understood
that two people were sent to Albert Hospital, whilst others were treated
at the scene, administered with pain relief and treated for welts and
soreness, primarily caused by the hail storm.
'It would have been very frightening for those involved, but they were well cared for at the scene and kept calm.' - Daily Mail.
January 7, 2015 - EARTH - The following list constitutes the latest reports of high tides, heavy rainfall, flash floods, widespread flooding, sea level rise and catastrophic storms.
Bolivia Floods – 2 Dead in Santa Cruz, Flood Warnings in Beni
The department of Santa Cruz in Bolivia
has experienced heavy rainfall over the last few days, with 66 mm
recorded in 24 hours on 05 January 2015 in San Ignacio de Velasco.
Local media are reporting that levels of the Piray and Grande rivers are dangerously high. Two people have died in the flooding in the last 2 days, and a community of around 20 people has been left isolated by the floods in the municipality of San Pedro. A team of relief and rescue workers has been deployed to provide food and provisions for the affected community.
Elsewhere in Bolivia, the department of Beni is once again faced with severe flooding after heavy rainfall increased river levels. Nearly 100 mm of rain fell in 24 hours in Riberalta on 05 January 2015.
According to local media Deputy Minister of Civil Defense, Oscar Cabrera said that orange level alerts have been issued for areas near the rivers of Mamoré, Madre de Dios, Ibare and Yacuma.
The population of Beni suffered greatly in the massive and seemingly endless flooding that struck in February 2014. See our report “No Home, No Land – The Tragedy of Beni, Bolivia” for an account of the suffering experienced by the people of Beni.
10 Killed in Severe Weather Since October 2014
The rainy season in Bolivia usually runs from October to March. According to a statement
made by the Deputy Minister of the Civil Defence, rains, hailstorms and
floods in Bolivia since October 2014 have left 10 people dead, 3
missing, more than 5,700 families homeless and damaged 4,609 hectares of
crops.
Flooding, landslides and power outages hit Washington state, United States
Anunusual burst of heavy rainfall in western Washington state caused landslides and flooding early on Monday,knocking three homes off foundations and forcing the evacuation of a nursing home, officials said.
Several landslides in rain-soaked coastal Grays Harbor County pushed
muddy floodwater and debris across key state highways, county and rural
roads, most of which remained closed at nightfall in and around Aberdeen
and Hoquiam, the county's largest cities.
"It's not one of these snow-melt events, it's the inundation of rain over the last 24 hours,"said Dave Porter, a spokesman for the Grays Harbor County Sheriff's Office, adding no injuries have been reported.
Drier forecasts for Monday night and Tuesday could aide emergency crews
working to clear roadways, although it was uncertain when roads would
be re-open, Porter said.
Officials warned of possible severe flooding for downtown Aberdeen and other areas with high-tide early on Tuesday.
In Hoquiam, where 7 inches of rain fell in 24 hours,some
60 nursing home residents were ordered to leave due to flooding, Porter
said. Officials at local schools, including Grays Harbor College,
canceled classes and sporting events.
Outside of Seattle, in
the Fall City area, two people died and one suffered
non-life-threatening injuries after a car crash, the King County
Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.
There was no word on the
cause of the crash but broadcast images showed a car and a truck with
their fronts smashed near a guardrail of a turning, rain-slicked
roadway.
Several roads would be closed due to flooding in
Snohomish County, northeast of Seattle, and a flood warning was declared
through Wednesday evening for the Snohomish River, the county sheriff
said on Twitter. Some
1,000 customers were without power on Monday morning in Seattle-area
communities, local media reported, citing Puget Sound Energy. About 50 customers remained without power by nightfall, the utility's website said. - Reuters.
Zimbabwe – 10 Dead after Floods in 6 Provinces
Car in flood water in Zimbabwe, January 2015. Photo: Zimbabwe Red Cross
Several days of heavy rainfall has resulted in flooding across wide areas of Zimbabwe. As many as 20 houses have been completely destroyed, with a further 30 or more damaged by the floods. At least 10 people have died in the flooding and around 200 families have been displaced.
Affected Areas
At
least 6 provinces have been affected by the floods so far, including
Mashonaland West, East and Central, Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo.
Ten people are said to have died as result of the flooding in Mashonaland West province. Some reports claim at least 8 of the deaths occurred when a car drove into a swollen river.
In Mashonaland Central, 60 families in Mbire and Kanyemba have been displaced while in Muzarabani 80 households need assistance, according to local Red Cross sources.
Nineteen houses have collapsed as a result of flooding in the Gokwe districts, Midlands province.
One young girl is reported to have drowned in flood water in Manicaland province. The Save River and tributaries are close to overflowing, threatening wide areas of the province, including the Tongogara refugee camp, home to thousands of refugees.
In the Chiredzi district in Masvingo province, 32 houses have been damaged by flooding. Floods are also thought to be affecting wider areas of Masvingo province, although details are as yet unclear.
Aid and Relief
On
Monday 5 January 2015, a statement from the Zimbabwe Red Cross said
that Zimbabwe Red Cross Society provincial structures around the country
are responding and continue monitoring the situation. They are working
with officials from the Civil Protection Unit (CPU) and the Ministry of
Health and Child Welfare on planning a response.
The statement went on:
Urgent
needs for the victims include tents and tarpaulins for shelter, food,
health and hygiene materials and blankets among other necessities. The
Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is working on averting the challenges in
affected areas and has called on local stakeholders like Corporates,
churches and individuals to partner them in their efforts to alleviate
human suffering.
Malaysia Floods – Kelantan Flooding Worst Recorded as Costs Rise to RM1 Billion
From late December onwards
heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding in the Malaysian states of
Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang and Perak. At least 21 people died in the
floods, which forced 200,000 people to evacuate their homes. According
to the Malaysian Government, as of 2 January, almost 85,000 remained in
shelters.
Kelantan Floods Labelled Worst in History
Malaysia’s
National Security Council (NSC) said that the recent floods in Kelantan
were the worst recorded in the history of the state. River levels in
December 2014 exceeded those of recent record floods of 2004 and 1967.
Local media
reported that in their report on the floods, the water level of Sungai
Kelantan at Tambatan DiRaja, which has a danger level of 25 metres,
reached 34.17 metres last month compared to 29.70 metres in 2004 and
33.61 metres in 1967.
The levels at Tangga Krai, which has a
danger level of 5 metres, reached 7.03 metres compared to 6.70 metres in
2004 and 6.22 metres in 1967.
Costs
Damage
caused by the recent flooding in parts of north and eastern Malaysia is
likely to exceed RM1 billion (almost $300 million), according to
Malaysian newspaper Berita Harian.
Kelantan’s Flood Disaster
Operations Committee chairman Datuk Seri Mustapa Mohamed was quoted as
saying that flood damage in Kelantan alone would reach RM200 million.
According to local media
Malayan Railways – Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB) has estimated
that losses and damage caused by the floods will reach almost RM250
million.
Further Heavy Rain Predicted
The Malaysian Meteorological Department said earlier today that the monsoon surge that brought flooding to many eastern states late in December
is set to move south. Johor and Sarawak states are likely to see heavy
rainfall in the next 48 hours, lasting up to 3 days, with possible
flooding as a result.
Severe weather warnings have already been
issued for the districts of Lawas, Mukah and Dalat in Sarawak after
thunderstorms struck earlier today, 05 January 2015.
Disease
The
flooding in many areas has now receded and the clear up begun. However
some remain without clean drinking water and electricity. There is also
fear of the spread of water-borne diseases.
The Malaysian Star reported that:
…residents are worried about diseases caused by contaminated water, rubbish and carcasses. The stink from rotten food and garbage is pervasive everywhere, from the town centre to the villages.
The
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak has been one of the first to
suffer. His office announced today that the Prime Minister has
contracted E. coli and after visiting the flood-affected areas.
Flood clean up in Temerloh, Pahang, Malaysia. Photo: CRSM
Illegal Logging and Lack of Investment Blamed
NSC
secretary Datuk Mohamed Thajudeen Abdul Wahab blmaed the floods and
landslides on the extensive (and in many cases illegal) logging and land
clearing in Pahang, according to Malaysian Media.
Elsewhere there is anger at the lack of investment in flood defences, particularly in Kelantan. In her article in Free Malaysia Today, Mariam Mokhtar says:
The
reason for the flooding in Kelantan is not just the extensive logging,
nor is it God’s wrath or climate change or PAS or Umno Baru. The real
reason for the disastrous floods in Kelantan is decades of neglect and
under-investment by the government – both state and federal. It is also
the people’s lack of will to force Putrajaya to provide the badly needed
national funds to build flood defences and develop the state.
Sri Lanka Floods Recede but Thousands Remain in Relief Camps
File photo: Sri Lanka Floods. Photo credit: tro-kilinochchi
Earlier
today Sri Lanka’s Disaster Management Centre (DMC) reported that the
flood situation has returned to normal in all but a few districts.
However, flooding still remains a problem in the districts of Manna (Northern Province), Matale, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy (Central Province), Anuradhapura (Eastern Province) Moneragala and Badulla (Uva Province).
Over 60,000 people are still affected by the floods, which have destroyed 6,133 houses and damaged at least 16,000 more. DMC report that 37 people have died in the flooding, 20 have been injured and a further 2 people are still missing. It is estimated that the floods, have affected over 1 million people across Sri Lanka since they first struck over 2 weeks ago in late December 2014.
Currently 8,942 people remain in one of the 114 relief camps still in operation – 4,443 in Uva Province, 3,000 in Eastern Province, 1319 in Central Province and 180 in Northern Province.
Heavy snowfall, strong winter storm hits Middle East
A Syrian man, right, walks between tents covered in snow at a refugee
camp in Deir Zannoun village, in the Bekaa valley, east Lebanon,
Wednesday, Jan. 7,
2015. While the storm disrupted life for everyone, it
proved particularly trying for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian
refugees who live in tents and
makeshift shelters in the Bekaa. The
storm dumped rain and hail on Lebanon’s coast and heavy snows in the
mountains and central Bekaa Valley,
where gas stations, banks, schools
and most shops closed. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Snow
fell in parts of the Middle East on Wednesday as a powerful winter
storm swept through the region, killing two Syrian refugees in Lebanon
and forcing thousands who have fled their country's civil war to huddle
for warmth in tents in refugee camps.
In Syria, the guns fell silent as snow fell in the cities of Damascus and Aleppo and government warplanes remained on the ground because of bad visibility.
The storm dumped rain and hail on Lebanon's coast and heavy snows in the mountains and central Bekaa Valley. Gas stations, schools, banks and shops shuttered and power was cut throughout Lebanon, but it was particularly trying for the hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees who live in tents and makeshift shelters.
In eastern Lebanon, security officials said a Syrian shepherd, Ammar Kamel, 30, and a 7-year-old boy, Majed Badawi, died in the storm Wednesday as they made the dangerous trek through the rugged, snow-covered mountains from Syria to the Lebanese border town of Chebaa. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Near the town of Anjar, on the border with Syria, refugees used brooms and sticks to try to clear heavy snow from the tops of their tents, fearing the shelters would collapse. Inside, adults huddled around wood-burning stoves to try to keep warm.
In Beirut's slum of Shatila, residents waded through dirty water and floating garbage that clogged the narrow alleys while children played, trying to catch hail.
Ibtisam Mohammed, a 37-year-old mother of seven, managed to get her rusting diesel stove working again on Wednesday, in an effort to warm her home. The wind had ripped away the plastic sheet used for windows and water dripped on the floor from the tin roof.
A Syrian man removes the snow from his tent at a refugee camp in Deir
Zannoun village, in the Bekaa valley, east Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 7,
2015.
(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
A Syrian boy looks out through his tent door covered in snow at a
refugee camp in Deir Zannoun village, in the Bekaa valley,
east Lebanon,
Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Syrians stand between their tents as they prepare to remove the snow from the top of their tents at a refugee camp in Deir Zannoun village,
in the Bekaa valley, east Lebanon, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)
Children make a snowman in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. (AP Photo)
People play with snow accumulated on a vehicle in Damascus, Syria, Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2015. (AP Photo)
"We dragged the mattress to that corner, it's the only dry place in the house," she said, adding she hoped the cold wouldn't make her sicker — she has throat cancer and relies on charity for medical care.
Nearby, Abu Hussein, 32, huddled under blankets in his tiny one-room home with his two children. "This is how we keep warm," he laughed.
Elsewhere, Palestinian authorities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip declared a state of emergency over the storm. An eight-month-old Palestinian infant in the Tulkarem refugee camp died in a fire caused by a heating stove, said Palestinian civil defense ministry spokesman Louay Bani Odeh.
Snow also accumulated in the Golan Heights and northern Israel. Jerusalem schools closed ahead of a forecast warning of 10 inches (25 centimeters) of snowfall. The weather dominated Israeli media newscasts as snow fell in repeated bursts in Jerusalem, with media promising more snowfall later.
Israeli police closed roads in the country's north as Jerusalem city officials directed snow preparations from a "war room" in a bunker underneath city hall, and deployed about 150 snowplows. The military readied armored personnel carriers to help the police.
WATCH: Strongest snowstorm for many years sweeping the Middle East.
A downtown supermarket said it stored up on five times the amount of provisions, and employees were to spend the night at the store because of road closures.
In Egypt, a sandstorm engulfed Cairo for a second day, followed by a brief rainfall Wednesday while in the Mediterranean port city of Alexandria, gusty winds toppled a minaret. The state MENA news agency reported no casualties, adding that the mosque was subsequently shut down for repair work.
In Syria, snow blanketed Qassioun Mountain, which overlooks the capital, Damascus. The snowfall also brought traffic to a near standstill in the city and the Education Ministry shuttered schools and universities for two days.
Heavy fog also blanketed parts of Pakistan on Wednesday morning. Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority said officials temporarily closed Islamabad's Benazir Bhutto International Airport due to bad weather, diverting incoming flights to Lahore.
In Amman, Royal Jordanian cancelled some of its Thursday and Friday flights due to bad weather, including those to Iraq, Tel Aviv, Dubai, Riyadh and Cairo.
Some found joy amid the stormy weather. Abdul-Hamid Ayash, a 32-year-old trader stranded in Beirut after snows closed the route to his mountain home, smoked a cigarette by the sea, watching waves crash against concrete breakers."I'm not sorry I'm stuck here," he said. "Is there anything nicer than walking in the rain?" - Yahoo.
Rohtang Pass in India closed due to 5 foot of snowfall
The
Rohtang Pass at 13,050 ft in Himachal Pradesh, which acts as a key road
link between Manali and Keylong, has been closed due to heavy snowfall
in the area.
The pass has 5 foot snow due to heavy snowfall for
the last two days due to which traffic has been closed on the Rohtang
Pass, government officials informed.
Rohtang Pass is also used
to transport supplies to the Indian Army posted along the China and
Pakistan borders in the Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir.
GREF (General Reserve Engineering Force), a Border Roads Organisation (BRO) wing has removed its posts from the Pass.
The Pass will now open around May at the onset of summer. - News 24.
Heavy snowfall disrupts life in Nepal
The continuous snowfall occurring here for two days has badly affected the life. The electricity supply is disrupted and air flights postponed. The 76-km long Beni-Jomsom roadway linking the district to the national highway has been fully blocked.
Although the snowfall decreased on Friday night, it is yet to be melted. People are not able to go out of their homes. Similarly, the shops in the district headquarters are closed.
A local Kul Bahadur Thakali said, "The life is thrown out of gear here. All are dormant. Here is no light, no drinking water."
Technician at Nepal Electricity Authority in Mustang, Baburam Thapa,
informed that more than half dozen electricity poles were crumbled
thereby disrupting electricity supply.
Even the telephone wires are snapped. With the electricity cut off, mobile phone and internet are fully disturbed.
According to him, the snow is piled up to three feet. He added that if
the snow is not melted quickly and rainfall stopped, it would take time
for repair.
In Jajarkot, Dolpa and Rukum also, the life is badly affected due to the snowstorm.
Nayakbada, Sakla, Ramidanda, Rokayagau, Khagenkot (east), Ragda, Talegau, Daha areas witnessed the blizzard.
Dolpa has seen the snowfall since last Friday. Most of the VDCs in the district are covered with snow. - Nepal Mountain News.
Sub-zero cold wave set to lash Saudi Arabia with snow and wind
A
wave of bitterly cold weather accompanied by wind, sub-zero
temperatures and snow is expected to hit the Kingdom on Wednesday and
last until Sunday, the Presidency of Meteorology and Environmental Protection (PME) said on Monday.
The
extreme cold is forecast strike the north and northwest areas of the
Kingdom as a result of storms coming from Europe and America. The inclement weather is expected to move across the entire country.Hussain Al-Qahtani, spokesperson of the PME, said this would be the coldest weather for the year.The
northern areas would be struck first, including Tabuk, Turaif and
Al-Jouf, where sub-zero temperatures and light snow is expected. The PME
also expects wind that would limit visibility.
The
temperatures would likely drop in Madinah, Jeddah and Makkah,
accompanied by strong winds. The cold wave would reach its peak on
Thursday in Hail, Qassim, the Eastern Province and Riyadh.
On Friday, the storm would reach the Kingdom's southern areas such as Najran, Jazan, Asir and Baha, said Al-Qahtani.
He urged fishermen, drivers using mountain roads and the Kingdom's
residents and citizens to take extra precautions to prevent accidents.
He advised people to wear warm clothes, especially those suffering from
asthma and rheumatism. Al-Qahtani said citizens and expatriates must
also keep a close eye on weather forecasts on the Internet and look out
for any SMS messages sent out by the various government agencies.
According to weather.com, the temperature in Madinah was 20 degrees
Celsius on Monday and would become partly cloudy and drop by Thursday to
18 during the day and 8 at night.
In Riyadh, the weather was
21 degrees Celsius and would drop to 16 during the day and 4 at night by
Thursday. In Jeddah, the temperature was 25 degrees Celsius, and would
hover at this level throughout the week, and around 16 at night. - Arab News.
Heavy
snowfall descended on large parts of Turkey on Tuesday, January 6,
snarling road and air traffic and leading to closures of schools,
reports said.
In the northern province of Karabuk, a school bus
went off the road and turned over on to its side in slick conditions
caused by snow, leaving a student dead and 18 others injured, the Dogan
news agency reported.
The
snowfall also seriously disrupted road traffic across Turkey and caused
trouble with the electricity network causing some power cuts,
particularly in the northern parts of the country.
Turkey's
national flag-carrier Turkish Airlines cancelled 44 international and
domestic flights in and out of Istanbul and some other cities including
the capital Ankara.
In mega-city Istanbul, the
authorities appeared to take every precaution including closing down
schools. But the snow has so far failed to appear in the city in the
quantities predicted.
WATCH: Snow blankets the Middle East in rare cold snap.
Some ferries across the Bosphorus have been cancelled.
Schools have also been shut down in some parts of Ankara where the snowfall reached 15-20 centimeters in some areas.
Dozens of people were injured in accidents caused by poor weather
conditions that caused traffic snarl-ups, media reports said. The snow led to the closure of the Istanbul-Izmir highway, with hundreds of cars being stuck on the road.
Authorities have been warning for days that the cold spell would be unprecedented, saying the temperatures might drop to as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius for Istanbul.
Dangerous cold, snow and ice in the northern hemisphere
A snow-covered Grand Canyon
is beautiful to behold. People in the U.S. began the New Year by
digging out from winter storms. Typically, warm regions, like
California, Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon, are all seeing snow. Record
low temperatures across the U.S. southwest brought a rare winter storm
to Arizona, blanketing the Grand Canyon with snow on New Year's Day.
This week a dangerously cold arctic air mass moved across the U.S. Just how cold will it get? In Chicago, the wind chill will make it feel as if its 23 degrees below zero. That
is downright balmy compared to parts of the upper Midwest, where
forecasters are predicting wind chills of 50 below zero. Sounds like all
that hot Arctic air that is melting the icecap, in many people's
imaginations, is actually cold after all and the ice is back big time to
prove it.
It was actually easier to talk about cold climate change last summer, when winter came extremely early to the northern hemisphere. It was also easier to talk about the coming ice age in the fall when it was already winter.
Now that its winter, when it is supposed to be, things should seem
normal, but they are not. It is colder because we are living through
cold climate change not global warming.
Last winter was intense and this year the promise is of the same though because winter started months early it is going to be a long winter. It is interesting that major media channels are billing this week's cold winter blast as a first taste of winter. I wonder where they were these past few months when winter arrived so prematurely.
Reports from around the world tell us that climate change is intensifying and in the northern hemisphere, it is snow, ice and more extreme cold. Authorities in Israel
have urged residents to prepare water, dry goods, emergency flashlights
and batteries, warm clothes and blankets, a radio with batteries, a
fully charged cellphone and spare battery, and a generator, in addition
to checking gutters and tree branches that could fall during the storm
that is hitting them this week.
We are living in a cooling world because we revolve around a cooling sun
and because many cooling activities are happening earth side because of
dramatically increased volcanic activity, continued commercial air
traffic (global dimming effect), the loss of ozone in the stratosphere
and because of the insane spraying (contrails) of the atmosphere for
arrogant purpose.
Humankind knows no limits. In Western states,
water providers, ski areas and power companies interested in
hydroelectric generation have all injected silver iodide droplets
into winter clouds for decades. A 2003 National Research Council report
called "Critical Issues in Weather Modification Research" sharply
criticized the core idea. Although human activities can clearly affect
weather, "there is still no convincing scientific proof of the efficacy
of intentional weather-modifications efforts," the committee wrote in
the report. Geoengineering is like nuclear engineering; both have
humanity in trouble. Intense Winter Conditions
Record cold in Hawaii - Coldest January 5 in more than 120 years. The
mercury fell to 57 F Monday morning at Honolulu Airport, breaking the
previous record of 58 for that date set in 1893. Hilo's low temperature
of 59 on Sunday broke the record of 60 set for that date in 1999. And a
low of 57 degrees at the Lihue Airport on Kauai on Monday tied a record
set in 1993.
"Yesterday's high temp in Phoenix, Arizona, was
just 46," says reader H.B. Schmidt. "This is a record minimum high for
the date, beating the previous record of 47 set in 1906 - six years
before the territory became a state." In metro Atlanta, wind chills
below 5 F (-15 C) are expected. Even in Cordele in South Georgia, the
wind chill could hit 8 degrees (-13 C).
The website Ice Age Now reports (and translates) on the headlines from Bulgaria:
"Unprecedented" - Snow and ice block the Central Railway Station in Sofia, Bulgaria. Snow hell in northwestern Bulgaria - Six-foot drifts block more than 1,000 cars. The U.K. already colder
than during "a good chunk of last winter." Romania - Temperatures to
plunge to -25C giving them their coldest New Year Eve in the last 50
years.
The weather in this and many other places in the north
have been very cold, especially during nights and mornings. Temperatures
in Romania will drop below -15 degrees, and even below -25 degrees (-13
F) in isolated areas. Daytime highs will be mostly negative, generally
between -10 and 0 degrees, forecasters convey.
In many areas,
snow depth reached 69 cm (more than 2 feet). Vehicles stranded. Power
outages. Food shortages. Schools closed. Life in the cold is more
difficult than in the warm. With all the technology of the 21st century
at their disposal, hundreds of thousands of people have lost their power
leaving them to endure what it would be like in a pre-industrial
winter.
"The air will be beyond painful, reaching dangerous and
life-threatening levels in the Midwest and Northeast for those who spend
a significant amount of time outdoors without proper protection," said
Frank Strait, senior meteorologist for AccuWeather.com. Treatments for cold and damp conditions
is important not only for doctors to know but every parent needs to be
armed with useful medical tools to be used in cases of overexposure.
Personally, I recommend everyone get a BioMat,
which is a medical device that not only keeps you warm at night, when
you are cuddled up in bed, but it also treats and comforts people
suffering from all diseases while they sleep. There are many ways to
prepare ahead of time for the cold but read my lips about keeping warm
with infrared technology.
The Pope is going to weigh in on climate change
and it will surprise no one if he comes in on the side of the global
warming crowd. If he does, he will repeat the foolhardiness of early
Popes who also ignored the central role of the sun in the solar system.
James Howard Kunstler
writes, "I don't know how anyone can trust the statistical bullshit
emanating from our government reporting agencies, or the legacy news
organizations that report them. Yet the meme has remained firmly fixed
in the popular imagination." He was talking about finance and economics
but he could have been talking about global warming.
Kunster
continues saying, "No one - with the exception of a few "doomer" cranks -
wants to believe that industrial civilization is in trouble deep. The
staggering credulity this represents would be a fascinating case study
in itself if there were not so many other things that demand our
attention right now." One of those other things is global cooling, which
will have its own cooling effect on human activity thus the economy.
It is summer in Antarctica, and naturally the ice is diminishing, but
only because it is colder can we see record ice as the graph below show.
People and organizations, who are still insisting it is global warming
we are now facing, are in for some well-deserved trouble.
Food Shortages
Many have been on alert for the diminishing food stocks and now we read of a panic in Russia over buckwheat,
which is running in short supply. A poor buckwheat harvest has seen
Russians across the country bulk-buy the grain amid the national
economic crisis. What
is happening there will spread around the world as the already
shortened growing season diminishes grain and other agricultural
products. No matter how much deflation hits the world economy we are
going to only witness inflation in food prices.
Food security is vanishing from the world as ideal agricultural
conditions of the past half century disappears. 2014 saw the extension
of a historic drought across the US West. Croplands withered or were
fully abandoned. Water rationing was enforced. Well tables dropped. The
price of many vegetables and meats have skyrocketed. California's
agricultural output is critical to feeding the rest of America.
"The cold (this week) put wheat crops in danger in parts of Nebraska,
Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio and Kansas," says the Associated Press.
Global Warming Gone Forever
"We're now well into the second decade of the pause (in global
warming)," said Benny Peiser, director of the Global Warming Policy
Foundation. Two years ago he said, "If we don't see convincing evidence
of global warming by 2015, it will start to become clear whether the
models are bunk. And, if they are, the implications for some scientists
could be very serious. " It is 2015, unbelievably, and all signs from
the winter of 2014-2015 are blowing global warmers out of their mentally
created sweatboxes.
Two years ago, UK's Mail Online
published that data indicated that we are heading for a mini ice age to
rival the 70-year temperature drop that saw frost fairs held on the
Thames in the 17th Century. Based on readings from more
than 30,000 measuring stations, the data, issued two years ago, without
fanfare by the Met Office and the University of East Anglia Climatic
Research Unit confirms that the rising trend in world temperatures ended
in 1997. Global warming addicts still see the rising trend when there
is none.
Climate scientists were telling The Mail two
years ago "that, after emitting unusually high levels of energy
throughout the 20th Century, the sun is now heading towards a 'grand
minimum' in its output, threatening cold summers, bitter winters and a
shortening of the season available for growing food. Solar output goes
through 11-year cycles, with high numbers of sunspots seen at their
peak."
Many astrophysicists have weighed in on what is
happening in the sun and how that will effect growing and living
conditions on earth. This is all science, and even though global warming
fanatics, and all the people they have hypnotized into believing in it
are not interested in real science, I will be publishing Cold Climate Change - Preparing for the Next Ice Age, sometime soon this winter.
My book will present over 200 pages of hard information about what is
actually happening with climate change. This is important and practical
information and includes things like 23 Low-Tech Ways To Stay Warm
Without Wasting Energy This Winter. This makes sense for winter in
general but with a mini ice age upon us, even before we know it,
preparing for the cold becomes more vital. - Dr. Sircus.
January 7, 2015 - SPACE
- Comet Lovejoy (C/2014 Q2) continues to brighten, and it can now be
seen with the naked eye even from light-polluted urban areas. Science
journalist and longtime comet watcher Mariano Ribas reports from the
Planetario de Buenos Aires: "Last night, I could see Comet Lovejoy with
my unaided eyes in the sky of Buenos Aires. Barely, and only using
averted vision. But I saw it!"
"Comparing the comet to nearby background stars, I estimate the comet's visual magnitude to be about 4.2," he continues. "The comet was very bright with my 10x50 binoculars. Also, I could see a hint of its tail. The comet's atmosphere (or 'coma') looks clearly gray/green, and it appears more condensed than one week ago."
What is merely pleasing to the unaided eye transforms into something gorgeous in the focus of a mid-sized telescope. Gerald Rhemann took this picture using a remotely-controlled 12-inch 'scope in Farm Tivoli, Namibia:
The comet's blue tail is so long, only 1/3rd of it fits in the space provided above. The whole thing stretches more than 7 million km from end to end.
On Jan. 7th, Comet Lovejoy was at its closest to Earth: 0.47 astronomical units (70 million km) away. Although the comet will be moving away from us for the rest of the month, it will continue to grow in brightness because it is still moving closer to the sun.
"Surely," says Ribas, "the best is still to come!"
This week, observers can find Comet Lovejoy passing by the constellation Orion en route to Taurus. For accurate pointing of telescopes, an ephemeris from the Minor Planet Center is available. - Space Weather.
January 7, 2015 - SPACE - The Space Weather Prediction Center issued a warning for a large geomagnetic storm on Wednesday morning.
The NOAA organization said the primary areas that would be affected would be in the northern portion of the northern hemisphere.
Some of the storm's potential effects were power system voltage irregularities, possible false alarms triggered on security systems, and problems with GPS systems.
(NOAA image)
The storm could also impact spacecraft and cause orientation problems in satellites.
The warning also said that the storm could push the area where the Aurora could be seen as far south as Pennsylvania to Iowa to Oregon.
The main intensity of the storm was supposed to have affected the planet just before 6:30 a.m. but the storm was reported to still be in progress at 9 a.m.
The storm was listed as a G3 on the NOAA storm scale, which is considered large, but not the most severe. - MYFOXNY.
UNEXPECTED GEOMAGNETIC STORM
A strong G3-class
geomagnetic storm erupted during the early hours of Jan. 7th, sparking
bright auroras around the Arctic Circle. What happened? The
interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) near Earth tipped south, opening a crack in our planet's magnetosphere. Solar wind poured in to fuel the storm. - Space Weather.
Strong Geomagnetic Storm Observed
The
Bz component of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) tipped sharply
south on Wednesday morning and triggered a strong (G3) geomagnetic storm
at high latitudes. This allowed the solar wind to more freely interact
with our geomagnetic field, thus leading to the sharp increase in
auroral activity. Strong storm conditions have since subsided. Sky
watchers should remain alert for visible aurora if it is dark outside as
a minor G1 geomagnetic storm watch remains in effect.
A nice aurora photo captured early this morning (January 7) by Marketa Murray in Alaska
EXTENDED WARNING: Geomagnetic K-index of 5 expected Valid From: 2015 Jan 07 0700 UTC Now Valid Until: 2015 Jan 07 2100 UTC Warning Condition: Persistence ALERT: Geomagnetic K-index of 7 Threshold Reached: 2015 Jan 07 1125 UTC Synoptic Period: 0900-1200 UTC
Two gunmen involved in the #Paris attack in #CharlieHebdo
January 7, 2015 - PARIS, FRANCE
- Twelve people, 10 journalists and two policemen, have been killed,
and 10 others wounded in the shooting massacre at the Paris headquarters
of satirical newspaper Charlie Hebdo. Three of the wounded are in
critical condition.
The hooded gunmen stormed the offices at 11.30 am Paris time (10.30 am GMT), reportedly having forced a staff member to open the door at gunpoint.
“They shot Wolinski, Cabu… it lasted about five minutes… I took cover under a desk… they spoke perfect French… they said they were Al-Qaida,” cartoonist Corine Rey, aka “Coco”, was quoted as saying by the weekly Humanité. The woman told the paper she was the one who let the men inside, with them pointing a gun at her.
WATCH:Gunshots heard in Paris attack on Charlie Hebdo.
WATCH: Raw Video - Moment of shooting on Charlie Hebdo.
A witness, Benoit Bringer, told TV station iTELE two black-hooded men were seen entering the building with Kalashnikovs rifles, with "lots of shots" being heard a few minutes later. One of the men was captured on video shouting "Allah!" as four shots rang out, Reuters reported.
Two assailants were then seen leaving the scene, and exchanging fire with police officers, killing one, before fleeing in a car towards the eastern Paris suburbs. The car was later found in the nearby 19th district, in northeastern Paris. The attackers are still on the run.
French President Francois Hollande arrived at the scene of the shooting, and will shortly hold an emergency government meeting, according to Reuters, citing a source at the president’s office.
Armed gunmen face police officers near the offices of the satirical newspaper #CharlieHebdo Photo: Anne Gelbard
Hollande confirmed the deaths, and said that at least 40 were “saved.”
The numbers of victims is likely to rise, the French president added.
Hollande also stated that "several terrorist attacks have been prevented in recent weeks."
Security levels in Paris have been stepped up.
WATCH:Raw Video - Charlie Hebdo attackers shoot, then make their getaway by car.
Amchai Stein, the deputy editor of Israeli IBA Channel 1, has been posting photos from the scene of the shooting.
About thirty shots were fired, according to Reuters.
According to some sources, there were three armed men involved in the shooting.
A witness told France Info media outlet that the assailants said: “We will avenge the Prophet.”
"It's a massacre. There are dead!" an employee of the newspaper told French media outlet 20minutes, and then the call disconnected.A manhunt is currently underway in Paris, Le Point reported, with the anti-crime brigade (BAC) chasing two armed men in the eleventh district of Paris.
WATCH: Charlie Hebdo attack - 'Who dares to publish anything after this?' - cartoonist Lars Vilks'.
The attack has been condemned at the highest levels internationally. In a White House statement, the US said it condemned the shooting in the “strongest possible terms," adding that its senior officials "have been in close touch with their counterparts in France" and were ready to "help them probe the attack."
Russia condemns terrorism in all of its forms, said presidential Press Secretary Dmitry Peskov. He told RIA Novosti that there is never a justification for terrorism and we must unite and cooperate in the fight against it.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel named the act an attack not only on people lives, but also "on freedom of speech and the press, core elements of our free democratic culture." The Muslim Council has also condemned the attack as a "barbaric act" against "democracy," according to Le Monde.
Charlie Hebdo (Charlie Weekly) is a controversial French satirical newspaper that came under attack over the publication of caricatures of Muslim leaders and the Prophet Mohammed in 2011. The attack in the newspaper offices - as yet unclaimed - is the worst militant attack in recent decades in France, which has a five-million-strong Muslim population - Europe's largest.
WATCH:Charlie Hebdo massacre - 'Attack will heighten anti-Islamic tensions across Europe'.
In December, at least 10 people were injured, two gravely, as a minivan crashed into a Christmas market in Nantes. The driver was allegedly shouting "Allahu Akbar" ("God is greatest"). French officials said several other attacks have been prevented in the country in recent weeks.
In the mid 1990s, the Algerian Armed Islamic Group (GIA) carried out a series of attacks in Paris, including the bombing of a commuter train in 1995, which killed eight people and injured 150. - RT.
January 7, 2015 - JOEBLOW, LIBERIA
- For 11-year-old Montgomery Philip, childhood is over. Six months ago
he would have been playing football with his schoolmates, but now his
job is to care for his 10-monthold baby brother Jenkie. The pair are
both victims of the Ebola
virus. Not because they caught the disease, but because they live in
Joeblow, Liberia, where the devastating outbreak has killed every mother
in the village.
The women died because social convention decrees it is they who tend to the sick and bury the dead.
When a man brought Ebola to the village and passed it on to his wife, it was 14 mothers who cared for her and eventually laid out her body. One by one they caught the disease and died, leaving 15 children orphaned.
Chloe Brett, 28, from Norwich, has been working with the British charity Street Child to try to find homes for the children left behind in the aftermath of the outbreak.
Chloe Brett at the charity's HQ in BishopsgatePhoto: Julian Simmonds/The Telegraph
"Seeing Montgomery struggle to change the baby's nappy without any guidance is something that made me realise just how devastating this disease can be on those left behind," she said. "He was a helpless 11-year-old having to become a man well before his time.
"Although it feels like Liberia is coming out of the end of the crisis, it is now dealing with the aftermath, and what it has left behind is huge groups of children who are on their own. When we visited Joeblow, it seemed normal at first, with children in the street, men, a couple of old women. But then we realised there were no other women anywhere.
"We talked to a man who had survived Ebola and he told us what had happened.
All of the women had caught the disease.
"It's now a village of no mothers and very confused children with blank looks on their faces."
Nearly 7,000 people have died from Ebola and more than 18,000 have caught the disease, mainly in West Africa. Liberia has been hit the hardest, with 3,290 deaths so far compared with 2,085 in Sierra Leone and 1,525 in Guinea.
Street Child been working in Liberia to find homes for orphaned children over the past five years, but the Ebola crisis has made the situation far worse.
The charity estimates that the disease has left 30,000 orphans in West Africa. So far, it has helped 8,000 find new homes with relations or neighbours. Many children are being looked after in two shelters in the country's capital, Monrovia.
Children with sick parents also need to be quarantined for 21 days to make sure they have not contracted the illness.
The orphans are placed in groups of three, but if a child starts to show symptoms of Ebola, they are isolated immediately - a terrifying prospect for a youngster who has just lost their parents.
According to Unicef, just 800 children have been resettled in Liberia to date.
"The future for these children is bleak if they do not find new homes," added Miss Brett, who is the Liberia programme director at Street Child.
"I saw Montgomery carrying his 10-month-old brother - that is life for him now. He won't be able to go back to school if he is looking after his brother.
"All the children wear rags because all their clothes and possessions have had to be burnt as a precaution because of the disease.
"We try to find relatives or neighbours to take the children in, but the community is scared.
"We went to one slum where every home had been affected. Every door we knocked on, we found more children who needed homes."
Chloe Brett has been working to find homes for children left behind in the aftermath of the outbreak
Miss Brett has come across households in the back streets of Monrovia where children have been sleeping with the dead body of their father for three days.
Neighbours had turned away the youngsters, fearing they could be infected.
Many simply cannot afford to feed another mouth. Ebola has caused the price of rice to increase by at least 20 per cent in Monrovia, and in some locations it has almost doubled.
Tom Dannatt, Street Child's chief executive, said: "Thirtythousand children in West Africa will have spent this Christmas mourning the loss of a mother or father as a result of Ebola.
"They want for the most basic of human needs while the majority of us in the UK have been enjoying indulgence and celebration."
He added: "I have no doubt that aid from larger organisations is coming, but there is an immediate need which we at Street Child can meet right now. We just need the financial support.
"On my last trip to Sierra Leone in November, when I spent time with Street Child teams visiting some of the hardest-hit communities, I learnt three things.
"Firstly, we know about Western aid and medical Ebola heroes, but the heroism of so many Sierra Leoneans at community level is inspiring - and underreported. We should invest more in these people.
"Secondly, the medical and military effort is impressive, but the pure humanitarian aid response appears to have hardly begun.
"Thirdly, not enough Sierra Leoneans know 'enough' about Ebola - especially in the most rural and poorest places."
"Montgomery looks after his brother now. That is his life".
January 7, 2015 - EARTH - The following constitutes the new activity, unrest and ongoing reports of volcanoes across the globe.
Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The volcano is starting the new year with a phase of comparably intense
activity. During the past few days, about 6-8 vulcanian explosions have
occurred each day, often with ash plumes exceeding 10,000 ft (3 km)
altitude.
Ash plume from Sakurajima volcano this morning
Milder, but near constant ash emissions occur during most of the intervals between the explosions.
WATCH: Sakurajima volcanic activity - January 5, 2015.
Kilauea (Hawaii):
The June 27th lava flow front has stayed at approx. 1 km distance
(approx. 1 km) from Pahoa, but the flow itself remains active and
continues to expand laterally with several breakouts:
Map showing the location of the lava flow near Pahoa as of 6 Jan 2015 (HVO/USGS)
"Surface
breakouts along the distal part of the flow were scattered between 1 and
3.5 km (0.6 and 2.2 mi) upslope from the Pahoa Marketplace and posed no
immediate threat. Amongst this activity, a narrow flow lobe (about 2.5
km (1.6 mi) upslope from Pahoa Marketplace) was advancing toward the
north-northeast.
This lobe has entered a drainage that leads to
the steepest-descent path that crosses Highway 130 about 1 km (0.6 mi)
south of the Makuʻu Farmer's Market, but the flow is still 3.5 km (2.2
mi) uplsope from that point and moving slowly. Small breakouts were also
active in an area of persistent activity about 7 km (4 mi) upslope from
Pāhoa." (HVO status update).
Soputan (North Sulawesi, Indonesia):
The volcano erupted this morning at 02:45 local time with a strong
explosion from the summit lava dome. It sent an 6 km tall ash column to
approx. 26,000 ft (8,5 km) altitude.
The eruption of the volcano Soputan observed from the volcano observatory post (images: PVMBG / twitter)
The eruption followed an
increase in seismic activity in December, when so-called "drumbeat"
earthquakes appeared - a type of volcanic tremor typically associated
with movements of viscous magma at shallow depths,- in this case new
lava rising beneath the existing lava dome (in place since 1991). As a
consequence, the alert status of the volcano had been raised to the
second highest level "Siaga" (3 on a scale of 1-4, alert).
Today's
explosion caused parts of the summit dome that occupies the crater,
open to the western flank, to collapse and produce a glowing avalanche
that traveled approx. 2000 m, remaining within the volcano's caldera. It
seems that no pyroclastic flow (which could sweep over the caldera
walls and into inhabited areas below) occurred. No damage to people or
infrastructure was reported.
Continued glow from the summit dome after the explosion suggests that magma has and continues to arrive now there.
Aso (Kyushu):
The strombolian eruption continues at the Nakadake crater with little
changes. The main vents has frequent small to moderate strombolian
explosions.
Strombolian eruption from Nakadake crater this evening
A second vent is glowing and producing a dense steam plume.
Suwanose-jima (Ryukyu Islands):
Intermittent activity continues at the volcano. A small eruption was
reported to have occurred this morning, producing an ash plume that rose
to 1.8 km and drifted NE.
Small plume from Suwanosejima volcano this morning
Etna (Sicily, Italy): (3 Jan)
Yesterday a dense pulsating ash column was emitted by deep-seated
strombolian activity at the New SE Crater. The emissions produced a
plume bended over by wind towards the SW and forcing the closure of
Catania's airport.
The lava flow of the last paroxysm on the eastern flank(photo: Emanuela / VolcanoDiscovery Italia)
The lava flow of the last paroxysm on the SW flank ( (photo: Emanuela / VolcanoDiscovery Italia)
Strombolian activity at Voragine crater this evening seen from Bronte (nicola76.beepworld webcam)
This morning ash emissions from the New SE Crater ended.
With
the return of good weather it has been possible to observe two eruptive
fissures opened during last paroxysm: one on the southern side of the
New SE Crater and one on its eastern flank. The fissure on the southern
side produced a lava flow that descended directed toward the western
side of mount Frumento Supino splitting into 2 branches and reaching an
altitude of about 1900 metres above sea level. The fissure on the
eastern side produced a lava flow that reached the base of the Valle del
Bove. They are not active now
During the last days, glow was
observed above the Voragine crater and now this strombolian activity is
increasing with pyroclastic material ejected over the crater.
Bardarbunga (Central Iceland):
The eruption at the Holuhraun fissure goes strong into the new year and
might continue for a while. No significant changes have occurred
recently.
Map of the Nornahraun lava field as of 29 Dec 2014 (Univ. Iceland)
The lava field is now well over 82 square km large, a mapping from 29 Dec. shows.
Seismic
activity remains concentrated around the summit caldera of Bardarbunga
central volcano, while it is very low beneath the erupting dyke - magma
has an open conduit towards the surface.
Fogo (Cape Verde):
The eruption continues at reduced pace. After slowing down, lava
effusion and small explosive activity at the vents appear to have
increased again on 31 Dec. The western lava flow remains active with its
northern front advancing through farmland in the Cha caldera.
Map of the lava flow field 28 Dec 2014. (Copernicus / European Union)
Kliuchevskoi (Kamchatka): The volcano entered a new phase of activity which is taking place in the summit crater.
Glow from Klyuchevsky this morning (KVERT webcam)
On
29 December, Tokyo VAAC reported that fresh ashes were observed on the
slopes of Klyuchevskoy. KVERT now changed the status level from green to
yellow, as additional signs of volcanic activity have been gathered
recently:
Increased seismic activity has been noted since 19
Dec. A small plume could be detected from Klyuchevskoy volcano on
satellite imagery from 2 January. A thermal anomaly is visible o
satellite data as well, and last, but not least, during clear weather,
glow can be seen from the summit at night.
Most likely, the type
of activity (for now) is mild strombolian explosions is occurring in
the summit crater, a typical behavior of Klyuchevskoy volcano, one of
the most active volcanoes in the world, which often has long-lasting
phases of continuous activity as well.
Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia):
Activity continues at the lava dome feeding a viscous flow on the upper
southern slope. A moderately large pyroclastic flow occurred this
morning.
Colima (Western Mexico):
Activity of the volcano remains stable at low to moderate levels.
Viscous lava is being extruded at the summit crater, forming a flat lava
dome that is overspilling in several places, producing a short lava
flow and incandescent rockfalls.
The summit of Colima volcano with its active lava dome on 31 Dec 2014 (Protección Civil Jalisco @PCJalisco / twitter)
Intermittent small explosions occur as well, producing occasional ash plumes.
Popocatépetl (Central Mexico):
Activity continues essentially unchanged. A small lava dome continues
to grow inside the inner summit crater, with glow visible at night.
Glow from Popocatépetl's summit crater
Frequent steam emissions and occasional small explosions (1 or 2 per day) produce steam and sometimes ash plumes.
