April 12, 2016 - GUATEMALA - The volcanic activity of the Fuego volcano is increasing in Guatemala.
The
last loud eruption on April 12, 2016 was heard over an area of 15km,
rocked the roof and windows of houses located 15 km from the volcanic
peak and sent a column of ash and gases 4km in the air.
It's not only the Santa Maria volcano, but also the Fuego volcano that shows an enhanced explosive activity in Guatemala these days .
According to Insivumeh, the National Institute for Seismology, Vulcanology, Meteorology and Hydrology of Guatemala, the Fuego volcano heavily exploded four to 6 times on April 12, 2016 sending a column of ash 4800 meters above sea level.
WATCH: Here a timelapse video showing the explosions.
The explosion were accompanied by moderate to strong rumblings as well as ash falls in Panimache, Morelia, Sangre de Cristo, Santa Sofía, Chimaltenango.
Lava was ejected up to 200 m above the crater.
The eruptions produced a roaring noise similar to a jet engine
that lasted 2 to 5 minutes and was heard over a broad radius of 30 km.
WATCH: Here another video captured by a camera located at La Reunion Golf Resort, Guatemala about 7 km southeast of the summit of Fuego.
The resulting shock waves rocked the roof and windows of houses located 15 km from the volcanic peak.
This enhanced activity at Fuego is disturbing the local population.
Seismometers show that the magma is rising inside the crater, which may cause a major eruption in the next few days.
WATCH: And this major eruption could look like this one in January 2016 - Fiery and furious! .
Guatemala's Fuego volcano, seen from San Juan Alotenango municipality, erupts on November 10, 2015 (AFP Photo/Johan Ordonez)
March 2, 2016 - GUATEMALA - Guatemalan authorities issued a
warning Wednesday as the country's Fuego volcano, located near the
capital, spewed ash into the air.
A spokesman for the country's disaster response agency, David de Leon, said the 3,763-meter (12,346-foot) high volcano had entered a new eruptive phase with increasing explosive activity, prompting an orange alert indicating danger.
The volcano sent ash plumes billowing more than 2,000 meters (6,561.68 feet) above the crater; they then spread as far as 40 kilometers to the west, southwest and north, the spokesman said.
He added that rural communities surrounding the volcano, as well as the urban municipalities of San Pedro Yepocapa and Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa de Escuintla, reported fine ash particles falling from the sky.
De Leon said his agency was in touch with local authorities and that so far no evacuations had been deemed necessary.
The Fuego volcano is located some 45 kilometers (30 miles) southwest of the capital Guatemala City.
Guatemala's Vulcanology Institute has instructed civil protection authorities to step up their vigilance and recommended precautionary measures for air traffic.
The Fuego volcano has long been active. A powerful eruption in February 2015 prompted an alert and the closure of Guatemala City's airport. - Yahoo.
Strong strombolian explosion / lava fountain at Fuego volcano. (Photo: Edgar Barrios)
February 10, 2016 - GUATEMALA - A new paroxysm (the 3rd this year) is occurring at the volcano.
Over the past days, strombolian and effusive activity had gradually
increased into now pulsating lava fountains and well-alimented lava
flows.
The latter are mostly traveling down the southeastern flank into the
large Las Lajas canyon where they have reached approx. 2 km length.
Another flow seems to be active on the southern slope towards the
Trinidad drainage.
Most likely this activity will result in pyroclastic flows, as parts of the lava flows on the steep slope tend to collapse.
Volcanologist Edgar Barrios from INSIVUMEH's volcano observatory (OVF)
kindly sent us these photos of the ongoing activity of Fuego volcano.
The images, taken early morning of February 10, show very strong
strombolian explosions, at the point to merge into pulsating lava
fountains.
Increase in activity, strombolian explosions,reported at Guatemala’s Fuego volcano.
January 5, 2016 - GUATEMALA - Fuego volcano has again put on an incredible display of fire and smoke
as it continued to light up the skies over Guatemala.
Here is its most
recent eruption, when lava and ash shot 7 kilometers (4 miles) into the
air.
The truly dramatic volcanic activity took place on Sunday night.
Located some 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the capital, Guatemala City,
the mountain, which literally means the Volcano of Fire in Spanish, has
been occasionally erupting across 2015.
Fuego volcano is having it's first effusive eruption of the year. Here seen on today's Landsat 7 image
It has been especially active
for at least a month now.
No evacuation was declared, but locals had been warned to be
watchful and stay away.
WATCH: Spectacular Guatemala volcano eruption.
Guatemala's Volcanological Institute warned
flights to avoid any contacts with the ash cloud.
In February 2015, Fuego volcano's eruption forced evacuation of nearly
100 residents and brief cancellation of several flights as Guatemala's
main airport. - RT.
December 16, 2015 - GUATEMALA - Another phase of strong, increased activity was observed at the Fuego
volcano, Guatemala on December 14, 2015, Volcano Discovery reported.
Frequent, intense explosions and ash plumes accompanied with loud shock
waves marked the 13th paroxysmal episode of the 2015 volcano activity.
Two new lava flows were observed at the Fuego volcano, accompanying
intense and frequent explosions on the evening of December 14 (local
time).
Between 4 and 6 explosions per hour were reported with
ash plumes, followed by loud shock waves, rising up to 1 km (3 280.8
feet) above the volcano summit. New lava flows were 800 m (2 624.7 feet)
long and have started to head towards the Santa Teresa on west flank,
and Trinidad on south flank drainages.
The reported event is the 13th paroxysmal episode of this year, and
should the activity of the volcano increase further, dangerous
pyroclastic flows could take place over the coming hours or days.
Residents have been advised to avoid the river beds and valleys at the
feet of the mountain at all times.
INSIVUMEH reported that on November 29, 2015 activity at Fuego
increased significantly, characterized by large and strong explosions,
ash plumes, and lava flows. Ash plumes rose as high as 2.2 km (7 217.8
feet) above the crater and drifted 40 km (24.9 miles) W and SW. Lava
fountains rose 500 m (1 640.4 feet) above the crater, feeding four lava
flows that traveled 3-4 km (1.9-2.5 miles) down the Ceniza, Trinidad,
Las Lajas, and Santa Teresa drainages.
Ash fell in Panimache I and II (8 km (5 miles) SW), Morelia (9
km (5.6 miles) SW), Santa Sofía (12 km (7.5 miles) SW), El Porvenir (8
km (5 miles) ENE), Yucales (12 km (7.5 miles) SW), Rochelle, Ceylon, and
other neighboring communities. Activity declined on November 30; lava
fountains rose 100-150 m (328-492.1 feet), and ash plumes rose 1 km
(0.62 miles) and drifted 25 km (15.5 miles) WSW. Lava flows were active
in five drainages, including the Honda drainage (E flank).
On December 1, weak-to-moderate explosions generated ash plumes that
rose 400-800 m (1 312.3-2624.7 feet) and drifted 10-12 km (6.2-7.5
miles) W and SW. Lava fountains continued rising as high as 150 m (492.1
feet). The five lava flows were at most 3 km (1.9 miles) long, and
small pyroclastic flows descended the Honda drainage.
Geological summary
Volcán Fuego, one of Central America's most active volcanoes, is one of
three large stratovolcanoes overlooking Guatemala's former capital,
Antigua. The scarp of an older edifice, Meseta, lies between 3 763 m (12
345.8 feet high Fuego and its twin volcano to the north, Acatenango.
Construction of Meseta dates back to about 230 000 years and continued
until the late Pleistocene or early Holocene. Collapse of Meseta may
have produced the massive Escuintla debris-avalanche deposit, which
extends about 50 km (31 miles) onto the Pacific coastal plain.
Growth of the modern Fuego volcano followed, continuing the southward
migration of volcanism that began at Acatenango. In contrast to the
mostly andesitic Acatenango, eruptions at Fuego have become more mafic
with time, and most historical activity has produced basaltic rocks.
Frequent vigorous historical eruptions have been recorded since the
onset of the Spanish era in 1524, and have produced major ash falls,
along with occasional pyroclastic flows and lava flows. - The Watchers.
November 11, 2015 - GUATEMALA - Emergency service officials in Guatemala on Tuesday issued an orange
alert over increasing eruptions from the country's southeastern Fuego
volcano and ordered the evacuation of a nearby hotel.
The 12,346-foot high colossus, whose name means "fire" in Spanish ,
showed heightened activity overnight, sending columns of ash high into
the sky, spilling lava down its side and provoking small tremors.
Fine ash was falling on at least six villages and on the town of San
Pedro Yepocapa, in the indigenous province of Chimaltenango, a state
spokesman for the Disaster Reduction National Coordination Committee,
David de Leon, told reporters.
The country's Seismology and Vulcanology Institute urged authorities to consider taking precautionary measures for air traffic.
Thick, airborne ash can clog planes' engines and cause them to fail. In
February, the volcano erupted with such force and so much ash that
Guatemala was forced to close the airport serving its capital.
Guatemala and neighboring countries lie on what is known as the Central
American Volcanic Arc, a chain of hundreds of volcanoes that forms part
of the Pacific "Rim of Fire". Most are dormant, but some spectacular,
and dangerous, eruptions do happen.
The Fuego volcano lies near Guatemala's colonial-era city of Antigua
Guatemala and is about 40 kilometers southwest of the capital Guatemala
City. - The Express Tribune.
May 17, 2015 - GUAM - Many Guam residents were left without power or water yesterday while hundreds remained in island storm shelters.
More than 3,300 Guam Waterworks Authority subscribers experienced water
outages and 40 percent of Guam Power Authority customers experienced
power outages that lasted through yesterday, according to GPA and GWA
spokeswoman Heidi Ballendorf.
Ballendorf said more than five of the emergency generators used to power
water wells experienced malfunctions, which left about 8.2 percent of
the agency's 41,000 customers without water.
According to Ballendorf, crews installed the emergency
generators before Dolphin's approach when they discovered more than five
generators would not start.
In response, GWA electricians were deployed yesterday while the island
was still in Condition of Readiness 1 to fix the downed generators.
GWA and Guam EPA lab technicians also were out yesterday at some of the
400 points along a 700-mile-long GWA water line to test water quality.
All residents, particularly those who lost water, are being advised to boil tap water used for cooking and drinking.
WATCH: Typhoon Dolphin strikes Guam.
At 3 a.m. yesterday, GPA crews were deployed to restore power to scattered areas.
"Our crews are working in 12-to-14-hour shifts day and night to solve the outages," Ballendorf said.
Ballendorf said the crews' priorities were "feeder" lines, which she said service the most customers.
Prior to the storm hitting the island, Ballendorf said GPA is able to
detect the locations of outages as they occur and the moment they happen
through smart grids and a remote operating system called SCADA.
"We know where the outages are and we're working diligently to get those back up," Ballendorf said.
Deanne Criswell, a senior federal official from Federal Emergency
Management Agency headquarters said the agency didn't receive any
reports of fatalities or injuries on Guam or in the CNMI.
Criswell said, once the team from Region 9 and the 35-person Incident
Management Assistance Team finish their assessments, FEMA will know what
types of assistance will need to be provided. FEMA's Region 9 serves
Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada and Pacific islands.
More than 100 people were moved yesterday from the Maria Ulloa
Elementary School shelter to the Astumbo shelter, which housed about 336
residents. The Machananao Elementary School shelter, which housed 199
residents, also remained open.
The other six shelters used during the typhoon were closed.
Once people are situated, officials will work out the next plan of
action, governor's spokesman Julius Santos said. Priorities are set on
trying to find solutions for these residents, and opening schools by
Monday.
National Weather Service meteorologist Chip Guard said Guam was well prepared for Dolphin.
"It was unusual to see a small storm like that expand at the last
minute," Guard said. "Regardless, I think the island got by really well
because of the preparations people made."
Guard added: "This was probably the strongest storm we've had in 10 years."
Typhoon Dolphin is seen near Guam in this RGB satellite image taken Friday, May 15, 2015. NOAA.gov
May 16, 2015 - GUAM / ROTA - More than 1,100 people took refuge in shelters early Saturday as the
center of a powerful Pacific typhoon glanced off Guam, hammering the
U.S. territory with high winds, rain and huge waves.
The storm knocked out power, downed trees and canceled flights
Friday as it lumbered through a channel between Guam and the tiny
tropical island of Rota. It packed maximum winds of 110 mph (177 kph).
The National Weather Service said gusts were expected to gradually decrease to "non-damaging" winds by sunrise.
One injury resulted from Typhoon Dolphin, and that person was taken to a
Guam hospital, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Jenna
Gaminde said. She had no additional information on the injury.
There also were reports of broken power transformers, said Oyaol
Ngirairikl with the Joint Information Center. Ngirairikl said more would
be known about damage from the typhoon Saturday.
Weather service meteorologist Patrick Chen said earlier that the weather service
lost radar, but based on satellite imagery, he said the storm's center
was moving away from the Marianas Islands, which includes Guam.
He advised residents to stay indoors: "Don't venture outside because of down power lines or trees."
Guam is home to about 160,000 people. It is known for white beaches and
historic World War II battle sites, and it depends heavily on tourism.
Residents began seriously preparing for the typhoon Thursday when Gov.
Eddie Calvo ordered agencies to take special precautions. That set off
longer lines at service stations and increased sales of bottled water.
Eight public schools served as emergency shelters. Three were at capacity early Saturday.
Charles Henry, 28, Clayton Faubion, 25, Charles Harstad, 23, and Jamal Arurag, 19, observe barreling waves behind the University of Guam Marine Lab on the island's
eastern coast during a powerful Pacific typhoon on Friday, May 15, 2015. The National Weather Service said the center of Typhoon Dolphin had
passed through a 50-mile-wide channel between Guam and the island of Rota. AP Photo/Grace Garces Bordallo
Trees bend and sway in the increasing winds at the Paseo during the approach of Typhoon Dolphin on Friday, May 15, 2015, in Hagatna, Guam. Residents in Guam are
bracing for potentially damaging winds and flooding as Typhoon Dolphin approaches the U.S. territory Friday. Rick Cruz/The Pacific Daily via AP
Twenty-four pregnant women checked into Guam Memorial Hospital as a precaution, according to Calvo's office.
Dayann Henry, 28, and 15 family members sought refuge in an emergency shelter at George Washington High School in central Guam.
"When they said the typhoon is going to be big, we went to the mayor and
asked for help. The mayor brought us here," said Henry, who lives in a
wood- and tin-framed house.
Charleen Betwell, 30, also checked in at George Washington with several family members.
"I've been through typhoons, but this is my first time in a shelter,"
she said. "I'm just enjoying looking at the kids play around. It's good
they're not scared."
Earlier in the day, Guam was getting some surf, with a beach on the eastern coast reporting 16-foot waves.
National Weather Service meteorologist Genny Miller said the agencies
likely will maintain high-surf advisories for 24 hours after the typhoon
passes.
Airlines canceled flights scheduled to arrive or depart the island
Friday, though Guam International Airport stayed open for stranded
passengers. Gaminde said she did not know when flights would resume.
Authorities warned residents in low-lying areas to be on the lookout for flooding and to move to higher ground if necessary.
Typhoons are the same as hurricanes and cyclones. Distinctive terms for the storms are used in different parts of the world.
Tropical weather frequently affects Guam, so much so U.S.
military officers like to say it's in "Typhoon Alley." Two typhoons and
one tropical storm have affected Guam in the past eight months,
including Dolphin.
Shelter seekers sleep in their assigned spaces at the Astumbo Elementary School during the early morning hours of Friday, May 15, 2015, in Dededo, Guam. The school was
designated as a typhoon shelter for residents needing a safe place of refuge during the passage of Typhoon Dolphin. Rick Cruz/The Pacific Daily via AP
The island rarely gets direct hits from typhoons because its land area
is so small. The last direct hit was in 2002, when a super typhoon,
Pongsona, killed one person and caused about $250 million in damage.
There are two U.S. military bases in Guam, Andersen Air Force Base and
Naval Base Guam. Both were closed Friday to everyone except for
essential personnel.
Anderson reported maximum gusts of 106 mph (170 kph).
Guam and Rota, 50 miles (80 kilometers) away, share a common heritage
and native language. Rota has about 2,500 residents, and many buildings
there are made of concrete. - PHYS.
Typhoon causes power outage on Rota
Photo courtesy of LJ Castro, public information
specialist for the CNMI Office of the Governor.
Rota residents are recovering from Typhoon Dolphin, the most severe storm in recent memory that caused damage to many homes and schools on the island.
Rota has been without power since Friday afternoon and there is no timetable for when it will be restored.
“It may take some time,” Brien Nicolas, Jr., lead member of the CNMI Homeland Security and Emergency Management team in Rota, said. “It could be three days to two weeks.”
There were no reported injuries due to the storm on Rota but many of the homes suffered apparent severe damage. This was most apparent in tin houses and concrete houses with tin roofs.
Nicolas said Rota Mayor Efraim Atalig is now working with the American Red Cross in CNMI to develop a long-term strategy for residents who lost their homes.
John Hirsh, executive director of ARC for CNMI, said the group has 20 volunteers currently working. Thirty more are on stand-by in Hawaii ready to respond if it becomes necessary.
Thus far the ARC has been visiting neighborhoods to assess damage and deliver tarps and cleaning kits to damaged homes, Hirsh said.
Most housed overnight in shelters in Songsong and Sinapalo returned to their homes — only six remained at island’s primary shelter, the Rota Aging Center, as of noon today, Nicolas said — but many left the shelter to join friends and relatives rather returning to their own homes.Long-term shelters have been identified for Rota, Saipan and Tinian, Hirsh said, but it's not yet known if they will be needed or if the current short-term shelter at the RAC will be sufficient. Rota Junior-Senior High School was also used as a shelter and could be available through the weekend before classes start back up Monday, Hirsh said.
Sinapalo has been without power since around 11:30 Friday and Songsong since about 2:30 Friday.
Total damage on the island is still being assessed but Nicolas said the mayor and residents are working quickly to battle back.
WATCH: Typhoon Dolphin Lashes Rota Island Near Guam.
Residences and educational buildings are taking precedent, he said, and roads are still being cleared to allow for emergency access. “At the end of the day the one thing the mayor wants out of this is normalcy, to return Rota to the condition it was before the storm,” Nicolas said. “I’ve been very impressed with the people of Rota since I stepped foot here for this typhoon.” - Guam PDN.
AFP/AFP/File - Ash billowing from the Fuego volcano is seen from the
Palin municipality, Escuintla departament, 40 km south of Guatemala City
on February 13, 2015
May 15, 2015 - GUATEMALA - Guatemala's Fuego volcano is becoming more active, belching out increasing amounts of smoke and ash, officials said on Friday.
Fearing a full-blown eruption of the volcano, located just 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the capital of Guatemala City, disaster officials warned that aircraft should exercise caution when flying over Fuego.
Conred, the national disaster coordination agency, said the volcano's eruptions could range in intensity from weak to moderate, and that columns of ash could reach 4,500 meters (15,000 feet) above sea level.
Authorities also warned that wind-borne ash particles could travel as far as 12 kilometers from the volcano, possibly causing respiratory and other health problems for some Guatemalans.
Fuego, which translates to "fire" in Spanish, measures more than 3,700 meters and is located in southwestern Guatemala on the borders of Chimaltenango, Escuintla and Sacatepequez departments.
Officials said for the moment there is no need to prepare for evacuations, but will continue to monitor the volcano since the situation could change quickly.
Fuego reawakened earlier this year, raining soot and ash on adjacent towns and forcing the temporary closure of a nearby airport. - Yahoo.
Guatemala's Fuego volcano belched black ash. Photo: AP
February 8, 2015 - GUATEMALA
- Guatemala's Fuego volcano belched black ash into the sky on Saturday,
causing the government to evacuate 100 nearby residents and forcing the
closure of the capital's international airport, President Otto Perez
told reporters.
Cars covered in ash. Credit: AP
Guatemala's
Fuego volcano belched black ash into the sky on Saturday, causing the
government to evacuate 100 nearby residents and forcing the closure of
the capital's international airport, President Otto Perez told
reporters.
Streets have been covered in ash. Credit: AP
The
volcano, about 25 miles (40 km) southwest of the capital, forced the
cancellation of several flights as Guatemala's main airport shut down
and workers sought to clear the runways of ash.
The airport was closed. Credit: AP
Officials
said the amount of falling ash was moderate but urged nearby residents
to use masks or wet cloth to guard against breathing dangerous
contaminants.
Residents have been urged to use masks or wet cloth. Credit: AP
The airport is expected to reopen by early Sunday morning. - ITV.
A man removes snow from a sidewalk in Nagoya in Aichi prefecture,
central Japan on December 18, 2014 as heavy snow hit wide areas of
Japan.
(JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)
December 18, 2014 - ASIA
- A massive storm system dropped feet of snow on parts of Asia this
week, leading to travel problems and at least 11 deaths in Japan.
Japan Snowstorm Dumps Feet of Snow, Kills 11; Hundreds of Flights Canceled
"As
of late Thursday night, local time, Tsunan, Japan reported a snow depth
of 81.5 inches (207 centimeters)," said weather.com meteorologist Jon Erdman. "Seven
other locations in western Honshu reported at least 150 centimeters
(about 59 inches) of snow depth, according to the Japan Meteorological
Agency."
News Australia reported an elderly woman was killed when she was hit by a snow plow in Hokkaido, and a 68-year-old man died when he fell off the roof of his home in Niigata while removing snow.
Japan's Nagoya castle is covered with snow in Nagoya in Aichi
prefecture, central Japan on December 18, 2014 as heavy snow hit wide
areas of Japan.
(JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)
A woman walks on a snow covered road in Obihiro in Japan's northern
island of Hokkaido on December 17, 2014. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)
Children play in a snow covered park in Sapporo in Japan's northern
island of Hokkaido on December 17, 2014. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty Images)
Vehicles are seen on a snow-covered street in Obihiro in Japan's
northern island of Hokkaido on December 17, 2014. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty
Images)
Vehicles are seen on a snow-covered street in Obihiro in Japan's
northern island of Hokkaido on December 17, 2014. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty
Images)
The storm also trapped three men on Mount Shiraga
on the island of Shikoku in western Japan, according to NHK. The report
said the men became stuck on the mountain because of heavy snowfall,
and a rescue was planned for Thursday morning.
WATCH: Video footage of a blizzard which struck the northern Japanese island of Hokkaido on Wednesday, December 17, 2014.
Travel was also affected by the big storm, both in the air and on the ground. Some 550 flights have been canceled Wednesday and Thursday, News Australia reported, and dozens of cars were stuck underneath huge snow drifts on city roads.
"The current sea-effect snow event should wind down by Friday," said Erdman. "However, another strong frontal system this weekend could reactivate the sea-effect snow machine in Japan through Monday. Snow cover by early next week could be very impressive in the most typically hard-hit sea-effect areas."
American Airlines Flight Hits Turbulence Flying Through Powerful Winter Storm Near Japan; As Many As 14 Reported Injured
Earlier,
a U.S.-bound passenger jet was forced to make an emergency landing near
Tokyo Tuesday night after encountering severe turbulence while flying
through a rapidly intensifying winter storm. Five people on the flight
were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries, according to a
statement released by American Airlines, and as many as nine other
passengers were treated at the scene.
American Airlines Flight 280, which originated at Incheon International Airport near Seoul, South Korea, was flying east when it hit severe turbulence around 8 p.m. Tuesday Japanese time (6 a.m. Eastern Standard Time). Public broadcaster NHK said the jet was flying over Japan between Ishikawa and Ibaraki prefectures, north of Tokyo, at the time.
NHK said the plane, which was en route to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport, continued its planned flight over the Pacific Ocean to a point about 1,300 kilometers (800 miles) east of Japan's coast before making a U-turn. The plane landed safely at 12:55 a.m. Wednesday (10:55 a.m. Eastern Standard Time Tuesday) at Narita International Airport near Tokyo, according to ABC News. WATCH: Meteorologist Ari Sarsalari explains how jet streak may have caused extreme turbulence on a recent flight, injuring at least 5.
NHK initially said 10 passengers and four crew members were injured on the plane, but later lowered that figure to 12. The broadcaster said one of the crew members had a suspected bone fracture, but the other injuries were minor.
"American's primary concern at this time is for our passengers and crew on board the airplane and our team in Narita is providing assistance. We will provide additional information as it becomes available," said the airline in a statement released after the incident.
A powerful winter storm over Japan, associated with a powerful ribbon of 200- to 240-mph winds in the jet stream, some 35,000 feet above sea level. The center of low pressure was moving north near the Pacific coast of northern Japan. It became a meteorological "bomb" as its central pressure plummeted at least 44 millibars in 17 hours while it tracked along Japan's Pacific coast from south of Osaka to the eastern tip of the country's northernmost major island, Hokkaido.
The storm system was developing over the flight path of the American Airlines jet, which appeared to be crossing through a section of the powerful jet stream winds.
On The Ground: 90-mph Winds Stoke Blizzard, Storm Surge Fears
The
storm itself prompted blizzard warnings for parts of 11 prefectures in
northern and western Japan. Parts of Hokkaido reported more than 2 feet
of snow from the storm, with snowfall rates as high as 5 inches per
hour. The city of Obihiro, shown in the photo below, reported 60 cm (24
inches) of snow.
More heavy snow was expected in Japan Wednesday as cold winds in the wake of the storm blow across the Sea of Japan, generating bands of heavy sea-effect snow. Some of the world's snowiest places are in the mountains of northern and central Japan due to frequent sea-effect snows in the winter months.
Vehicles are seen on a snow-covered street in Obihiro in Japan's
northern island of Hokkaido on December 17, 2014. (JIJI PRESS/AFP/Getty
Images)
In the village of Hinoemata in western Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, more
than 30 inches of snow covers the ground following a large storm,
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. (Instagram/@marn_9)
In the village of Hinoemata in western Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, more
than 30 inches of snow covers the ground following a large storm,
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. (Instagram/@marn_9)
In the village of Hinoemata in western Fukushima Prefecture, Japan, more
than 30 inches of snow covers the ground following a large storm,
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. (Instagram/@marn_9)
High wind warnings were posted for several regions, including coastal areas near Tokyo. Winds gusted as high as 93 mph over the Izu Islands just south of Tokyo Bay, where tornado warnings were issued Tuesday evening local time.
As the storm "bombed out" -- that is, intensified rapidly -- it brought an 89-mph gust to the city of Nemuro, near the eastern tip of Hokkaido, around 5 a.m. local time Wednesday. Three hours later, the barometric pressure plummeted to 951.6 millibars (28.10 inches of mercury) in that city. The winds damaged roofs and broke windows in Nemuro, according to NHK, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
The Japan Meteorological Agency issued storm surge warnings for the Pacific coast of Hokkaido in advance of the storm, warning that water levels could rise 4 feet above normal tide levels. NHK said authorities were recommending evacuations for parts of Nemuro Wednesday morning due to storm surge concerns.- The Weather Channel.
Heavy snowfall strands about 6,000 tourists in the India, Himachal, resort of Manali
About
6,000 tourists were stranded in the popular resort of Manali as on
Monday, even as electricity supply in the area remained disrupted for
the second day after Sunday’s snowfall.
Landline phones have been out of order since Saturday evening, while mobile phone service is partially operational in the area.
A majority of the roads leading to Manali town remained closed for traffic. Traffic on the Kiratpur-Manali national highway (NH-21) remained disrupted, even as the Himachal Pradesh government made use of excavators to clear snow-laden roads. The main roads connecting Manali from the left and right banks of the Beas river could not be opened for traffic on Monday.
The road on the right bank had been cleared of snow till Kalauth, about 7km from Manali town, while the one on the left had been cleared till Naggar village, nearly 20km from the tourist resort.
“Hopefully, these roads will be opened for traffic on Tuesday morning,” said Lalit Bushan, superintending engineer, public works department (PWD), Kullu.
Manali recorded 65cm snowfall and sub-zero night temperature on Sunday. The minimum temperature was recorded at -2.2C, while the maximum on Monday was about 2C. “Though we were delighted to witness snowfall, it has become difficult for us without electricity and telecommunication service,” said Madan Lal, a tourist from Faridabad (Haryana).
Madan, who got stuck in a snowstorm on the Rohtang Pass, walked 10-15km from Marhi to reach Manali. Nearly 2,500 tourists were stranded at Rohtang on Saturday when it snowed heavily. All tourists were rescued by the police and the district administration; 28 of them were lodged at the rescue hut at Marhi.
“There are nearly 6,000 tourists stuck in Manali,” deputy superintendent of police, Manali, Puran Chand told Hindustan Times. In the absence of electricity, some hotels relied on power generators, while there were many which had no arrangement for heating rooms. The main 132-KW line supplying electricity to Kullu and Manali was snapped at Bajuaru following heavy snowfall.
“The lines are being restored. It would take another day or so to restore electricity supply,” said Partap Negi, chief managing director of the Himachal Pradesh Electricity Board Limited.
Disruption of traffic has severely hit the supply of daily commodities in the area. “Hoteliers and shopkeepers have stocks of commodities. We have given directions to the police and civic administration to ensure that tourists are not overcharged by hoteliers and eateries,” said additional district magistrate Vinay Thakur.
In the wake of the heavy snowfall, chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Monday chaired a meeting to take stock of the situation. He directed the authorities concerned to restore water and power supply and other essential services within two days.
“The damage to roads should be assessed and steps taken to open all routes, wherever they are blocked due to heavy snowfall and landslides,” he said. It was decided to release Rs. 5 crore to the PWD through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) to undertaken necessary measures to clear the roads. - Hindustan Times.
Heavy snowfall in Korea as temperatures drop sharply
A
mix of rain and snow hit the entire nation on Monday, weather
forecasters said, adding that heavy snowfall will continue through
Tuesday morning in Seoul and nearby regions.
The Korea
Meteorological Administration said that Gangwon Province and the
surrounding mountainous area saw up to 20 centimeters of heavy snowfall,
while Seoul and Gyeonggi Province received 1 to 5 centimeters of snow.
Jeolla Province and the west coast area got 3 to 8 centimeters of snow.
Weather forecasters said that snow may turn into rain due to relatively milder temperatures throughout this week.
With
the chances of rain at 60 to 90 percent in Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon and
South Chungcheong provinces, forecasters encouraged people to keep an
umbrella handy before heading out.
The morning low in Seoul on Monday stood at minus 3 degrees Celsius and the afternoon temperature rose to 3 degrees Celsius.
Other cities including Daegu, Gwangju and Busan saw milder afternoons at 6, 8 and 9 degrees Celsius.
The
KMA said that heavy snowfall this week is due to a wave of cold air
moving southward, causing snowfall in mountainous regions.
For
Wednesday, temperatures are expected to drop as much as 10 degrees
Celsius following the heavy snow and rainfall. The KMA said most regions
will see strong wind and freezing subzero temperatures.
The
morning low on Wednesday is forecast to hit minus 16 degrees Celsius in
Gangwon Province, while Seoul’s morning temperature is expected to
plunge to minus 12 degrees Celsius.
Incheon, Suwon and Daejeon
are forecast to experience chilly weather as well, with the temperatures
forecast to be at minus 11, 12 and 8 degrees Celsius, respectively.
The KMA said the wind chill would lower the actual temperature people feel outside to hit as low as minus 20 degrees Celsius.
As
the cold weather warnings may be issued for the central areas of
peninsula on Wednesday, the KMA said people should make sure outdoor
facilities do not freeze. - Korea Herald.
WATCH: Mini Ice Age 2015-2030 - From India to Japan, Trapped Tourists and 120cm Snowfalls.
February 06, 2014 - UNITED STATES - A spate of freezing and inclement
weather wreaked havoc on the nation's airline system in January, leading
to an estimated 49,000 canceled flights, 300,000 delayed flights, and
costing passengers more than $2.5 billion.
Halle Crawford rests on her bag Lambert-St. Louis International Airport
after her flight to New York
was cancelled because of snow Sunday, Jan.
5, 2014, in St. Louis.
The total disruption was
greater than during Hurricane Sandy, according to an analysis by
masFlight, a software company specializing in airline operations.
The
travel snafus resulting in headaches and hassles and an increase of
approximately 18 hours to passenger travel times. Passenger costs
included productivity losses, time spent and difficulty rebooking, and
additional expenses, such as hotel rooms and meals.
Regional airports bore the brunt of the cancellations, accounting for two-thirds of the total.
Compounding
the issue were new federal safety rules that limit the number of hours
pilots can be on duty, whether or not they fly. Intended to prevent
accidents involving pilot fatigue, such as a 2009 Colgan Air crash that
left 50 dead, the 2012 regulations can make it harder for airlines
without increased staffing levels and modified operating procedures to
recover from big storms. - NBC News.
January 23, 2014 - UNITED STATES - A massive winter storm packing up to a foot of snow, strong winds and icy temperatures slammed into the northeastern United States on Tuesday, canceling flights, closing government offices and sending children home from school.
Winter Storm Sweeps U.S., Hits Mid-Atlantic And Northeast, Causing Flight Chaos And Government Office Shutdown.
A man is covered in snow as he tries to clear a path after a snow storm. (Charles Dharapak/Associated Press)
A snowman made with cookies and a red plastic cup sits in front of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.
(Charles Dharapak/Associated Press)
The sprawling storm, which stretched for a 1,000 miles between Kentucky and Massachusetts, could bury Boston in up to 15 inches of snow while delivering 10 to 14 inches to Philadelphia, a foot in New York City and up to 10 inches in Washington, D.C. area, the National Weather Service and Fox affiliates reported. Authorities warned of heavy winds and hazardous driving conditions along the east coast as the storm, which began mid-morning, was expected to continue through the late evening hours, with the heaviest snow expected Tuesday afternoon and evening. Schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky sent students home early on Tuesday or stayed closed for an extra day after the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day holiday. The storm put a damper on New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's inauguration, forcing the cancellation of an evening party on Ellis Island. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick postponed his annual State of the State address, while the Philadelphia Flyers postponed their Tuesday night hockey game. Both chambers of Delaware's General Assembly canceled sessions Tuesday.
Nearly 3,000 flights were canceled Tuesday, with airports from Washington to Boston affected. An additional 885 flights for Wednesday were called off as well. Amtrak planned to cut back train service in the afternoon. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation reduced speeds on interstates and other major roads, and said it had already blown through more than half of its $189 million winter weather budget. "Lots of nuisance storms this season have meant that Penn DOT crews have been plowing and treating roads more frequently this winter," agency spokeswoman Erin Waters-Trasatt said. The storm is part of a bitter blast of arctic air that is expected to sweep south into Iowa and as far east as Maine by Tuesday night, and remain entrenched through Thursday. Paul Collar, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said highs could be in the single digits. "It's not to the extent of the last outbreak, but it's still bitterly cold," he told The Associated Press. Some areas across the U.S.-Canada border could see nighttime lows in the negative double digits in the next few days, he said.
Henderson County Sheriff's deputies attend the scene of a car crash off state road 136 in Henderson, Ky. Snow
and wind brought hazardous winter conditions to a large swath of Kentucky on Tuesday, creating a slow,
messy morning commute. (Mike Lawrence/The Gleaner/AP)
Crews clear the runways at Stanfield International Airport in Halifax where flights remained grounded
on Jan. 22. (Andrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)
Despite snowplow crews round-the-clock efforts beginning last night, whiteout conditions across Nova Scotia
were blamed for several accidents. Here, emergency workers tend to an injured person after a pickup truck
left the highway near Halifax on Wednesday. (Anddrew Vaughan/Canadian Press)
Portions of Minnesota, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine were under wind chill warnings, meaning wind chills could be 34 degrees below zero or colder. "With these temperatures you're going to have issues with exposed skin and frostbite, but not to the degree of severity of the last outbreak," he said, describing it as "a normal cold event you'd see in a typical winter." The last blast of arctic air caused a propane shortage in several states, with some declaring energy emergencies to speed up deliveries. David Field, the executive vice president of the Ohio Propane Gas Association, told Fox8.com that the Department of Transportation has issued a regional order loosening rules for propane transportation in 10 Midwest states. A similar order is in effect for 14 Eastern states, he said. “The month of December brought historically cold weather, ice and snow, which further inhibited the transportation of propane. Demand for residential, commercial and agricultural heat soared,” Field told the station. "All these combined to prevent regional inventories from recovering and the existing pipeline and terminal infrastructure has been unable to recover.” According to the Washington-based Propane Education & Research Council, more than 14 million families use propane to fuel their furnaces, water heaters, air conditioners, outdoor grills, fireplaces, clothes dryers, and ranges. Across the east coast, people tried their best to cope with the cold conditions.
Standing in Philadelphia's LOVE Park with snow swirling around her, visitor Jenn Byrne of Portland, Ore., said the nasty weather put a crimp in her plans to do a "giant walking tour" of the city. But she vowed to soldier on, taking cabs instead of trudging. She wasn't wearing snow boots. "I'll keep going. Just the means of transportation will change a bit," Byrne said. Others shrugged off the snow as well. In Herndon, Va., where voters were casting ballots in a special election that was likely to determine control of the state Senate, Earlene Coleman said she felt obligated to make her selection: "It only made sense to come out and do my duty." Construction worker Tony Cockrell, stopping for coffee at a Hagerstown, Md., gas station, said he planned to continue driving to work sites in western Maryland and northern Virginia to supervise the installation of insulation in building projects. "If you don't work, you don't get paid," he said, adding that deep cold is good for business. "We're trying to get stuff insulated so it doesn't freeze up." - FOX News.
Deep Freeze In Midwest, Northeast To Be Prolonged
Bitterly cold air is again settling southward from the Arctic into a
large part of the Eastern states. Unlike the outbreak from early
January, this time the cold will have more staying power. Into the first part of next week, the polar vortex will hover just north of the United States border causing waves of frigid air to blast into the Midwest and much of the East. The polar vortex is a commonly used term among the meteorological community to describe an intense storm with frigid air and strong winds that spends much of its time above the Arctic Circle. Occasionally, during the autumn, winter and spring, this storm can dip farther south, approaching the mid-latitudes.
Already Tuesday morning, RealFeel® temperatures plunged to minus 40 F over the Upper Midwest and were below zero as far south as portions of the Ohio Valley and as far east as northern New England. The advancing cold will be severe enough to bring life-threatening conditions, hypothermia and the risk of frostbite to areas from the northern Plains to New England. The penetrating cold has the potential to cause water main breaks as far south as the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic and to freeze pipes into parts of the South.
Heating systems may struggle to keep up, and people will spend more money keeping their homes and businesses warm. In parts of the South, where electricity is the primary source of heat, the demand for electricity will skyrocket. While widespread power outages are not anticipated during the cold outbreak, strong winds during and in the wake of the snowstorm in the Northeast will bring the risk of sporadic power outages as temperatures plummet. School delays and closures are possible even in areas that receive little or no snow, due to the cold and low RealFeel temperatures.
In the Northern states, temperatures will dip low enough to inhibit the effectiveness of most inexpensive ice melting compounds. Rock salt will not work when the temperature drops to 15 degrees or lower. The combination of the cold and open waters of the Great Lakes will lead to rounds of lake-effect snow and whiteout conditions. The frigid air is advancing in the wake of an Alberta Clipper storm that tracked through the Midwest and will strengthen into a blizzard near the East Coast. This type of storm is so named for its origin in the western provinces of Canada.
A total of three waves of arctic air will blast across the Midwest and Northeast into next week. The next blast of arctic air will reach the Upper Midwest by Wednesday. While temperatures will briefly rebound in between the reinforcing waves of cold air, the rebounds will be much less pronounced from the Midwest to New England and may be barely noticeable in the northern tier states. Temperatures may stay below freezing in Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Cleveland through the end of the month, where highs most days will be in the teens.
In Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York City and Indianapolis, temperatures may only surpass the freezing mark on one or two days through Jan. 31. The persistent cold will cause a renewed buildup of ice on rivers in the Northern states. Ice jams could again become a problem during the coming weeks. At least two of the cold waves will reach into the South.
In much of the South, temperatures will not be as low as that of the first week of January. However, many areas over the interior will have multiple nights where the temperature spends multiple hours well below freezing. Temperatures will dip to near freezing during a few nights along the upper Gulf Coast. - AccuWeather.
Bombogenesis, The Latest Winter Weather Event To Wreak Havoc
Only a few weeks after the polar vortex surged through portions of
the United States, yet another wintry weather phenomena is mounting
concerns across the nation: bombogenesis.
WATCH: As a snowstorm bears down on regions from the mid-Atlantic up through
New England, the term bombogenesis has come to the forefront, but what
is bombogenesis?
"It's a rapidly intensifying storm that is usually over the water," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. In order for the storm to develop, a warm and a cold air mass must
clash, causing the storm to strengthen in a very short amount of time.
While this scenario is not necessarily uncommon during the winter
months, in order to be classified as a bombogenesis the central pressure
of the storm must drop 24 millibars in just 24 hours, according to
Anderson.
The impacts of a bombogenesis can include rapidly strengthening winds and high precipitation rates, as well as thundersnow. - AccuWeather.
April 09, 2013 - UNITED STATES - The storm that dumped snow across parts of the Rockies and northern Plains on Tuesday was expected to bring more severe weather on Wednesday.
The central and southern Plains areas were at risk for severe weather, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.
A
man crosses the street during a winter storm that brought snow and a
fast plunge in temperature overnight to downtown Denver on Tuesday.
Brennan Linsley / AP
Swaths of land from New Mexico to Wisconsin were under winter storm warnings,while parts of Utah were under blizzard warnings.
According to the National Weather Service, Oklahoma City and Wichita Falls, Texas, were at risk for tornadoes and possible hailstorms Tuesday night and into Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, blizzard warnings were in effect in Colorado, where the temperature plunged more than 50 degrees in less than 24 hours and the wind chill approached zero. Wyoming got more than a foot of snow.
The culprit is a deep dip in the jet stream that swung west and pulled arctic air far into the country. As it collides with warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, strong storms and tornadoes are possible in the Great Plains and Texas.
“It’s just brutal to be outside,” said Eric Fisher, a meteorologist for The Weather Channel.
WATCH: A big storm is moving across the US – on one side of the system it's snowy and windy with temperatures below average. Meanwhile, warm air in parts of the Midwest leaves the region bracing for tornadoes. The East Coast, however, experienced record-highs. Weather Channel meteorologist Mike Seidel reports from Aurora, Colo.
In Denver, the temperature plummeted from 71 degrees at 2 p.m. Monday to 16 degrees at 7 a.m. Tuesday, with a wind chill of 1. More than 250 flights were canceled into and out of Denver on Tuesday alone.
In Wyoming, authorities closed two stretches of interstate more than 100 miles long — I-25 between Cheyenne and Douglas and I-80 between Laramie and Rawlins. More than a foot of snow fell by midmorning in the city of Lander, and one town near the Nebraska state line reported 2-foot snow drifts.
Snow was also falling at midday Tuesday in Colorado, Utah, the Dakotas and Minnesota.
The calendar may say spring, but April is the second-snowiest month of the year in Denver. The city has averaged 9 inches in April since 1882, second only to the 11.5 inches it gets in an average March, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather pattern threatened to bring damaging wind, large hail and perhaps tornadoes to parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska and Iowa, and weaker storms later in the day in the Ohio Valley.
“We’re looking at the gamut today for severe weather,” Weather Channel meteorologist Kevin Roth said.
As the system moves east, severe storms are possible Wednesday across a boomerang-shaped swath of the country from the Texas Gulf Coast north through Indiana and into western Pennsylvania.
Severe storms could move into Georgia, West Virginia and the Carolinas on Thursday. - NBC News.
WATCH: Storm chasers move into Colorado just ahead of wild spring weather as others are fleeing. KUSA's Kevin Torres reports.
465 Flights Cancelled At Denver International Airport As City Gets Slammed With Spring Storm.
A storm that toppled trees, whipped up blinding dust storms and might have spawned some tornadoes brought blizzard conditions to parts of Colorado, where up to 20 inches of snow was possible in the mountains through Tuesday, April 9.
The storm has so far proved less potent than originally predicted in Colorado because a cold front has been lingering to the north. Wyoming has been hit harder, with over a foot falling in Lander.
Up to around 10 inches of snow had fallen in Colorado’s mountains by dawn. Another 5 to 10 inches was possible in some locations but final snowfall amounts would vary quite a bit, National Weather Service forecaster Jim Daniels said.
Up to a foot had been in expected in Denver but forecasters are now calling for around 5 inches.
The storm has canceled 465 flights at Denver International Airport and deicing was causing departing flights to be delayed by as much as a half hour.
Blizzard warnings are also in effect from south of Denver to the New Mexico line and in northwestern Colorado. Winds gusting up to 50 mph were expected there.
As the storm moved in Monday night, April 8, spotters reported two tornadoes near Akron in eastern Colorado.
Northern California was first to feel the lashing blasts of the storm Monday, which spread to the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys.
At least a dozen trees came down in San Francisco, police officer John Tozzini told KGO-TV, which reported that more than 20,000 utility customers lost power in the region. A swath of outages occurred across the Sacramento Municipal Utility District, the Sacramento Bee reported.
A tree smashed into a Sacramento home where four friends were playing bridge, but they didn’t stop playing their game Monday, according to KCRA.
Gusts topped 80 mph at some places in Southern California. The blustery system was being fueled by a cold front.
“It’s just a cold, really strong upper low,” said Carol Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, Calif.
Whitecaps flecked the Pacific Ocean along the California coast, where gale warnings and small craft advisories were posted. Recreational boaters were warned to stay in port. Wind-driven swells slapped over the tops of breakwaters and turned waves into a churning froth under piers at points such as Redondo Beach and Manhattan Beach on the Los Angeles County coast.
The wind turned small wildfires into big problems in some areas, including a blaze in Fillmore about 50 miles northwest of Los Angeles that burned two homes and forced the evacuation of 84 homes.
Blowing dust forced the closure of state Route 14 in the high desert Antelope Valley north of Los Angeles due to low visibility. Officer Michael Farrell said motorists who stopped on the road were hit from behind by other cars, but no major injuries were reported.
The power went out for more than 13,000 Southern Californians because of the winds and the weather.
The rush of air had an upside: California’s main power grid manager, the Independent System Operator, reported that turbines spinning within the ISO grid produced a record of 4,196 megawatts Sunday, April 7. The previous record was 3,944 megawatts on March 3.
In Arizona, gusty winds produced by a cold front enveloped Phoenix in a dusty haze and closed 34 miles of Interstate 40 in the northern part of the state for several hours Monday. At least four people were injured in a pileup when two semi-trucks jackknifed in a dust storm on I-10 in southern Arizona. The injuries were not life-threatening. - Lubbock Online.
Pueblo Harley Davidson Store Damaged By High Winds.
High wind literally blew apart the Outpost Harley Davidson store in Pueblo. The City of Pueblo Fire Department responded to the Outpost at 5001 N. Elizabeth around 07:30 Tuesday morning. An hour later, firefighters say they saw the front façade wall extending from the second floor through the roof tear away from the building. Although employees were inside as the initial wind damage occurred, no injuries were reported. Damage to the front of the structure is extensive. Wind gusts were reported by the National Weather Service station in Pueblo at up to 64 mph overnight and 62 mph at the time of the destruction. Sustained winds were over 40 mph.
The building is expected to be closed until repairs can be made. The 5000 block of North Elizabeth Street is also closed Tuesday morning between the La Quinta Inn and Kohl's department store. The northbound and southbound lanes are closed due to debris flying from the building.Debris from the building is flying eastbound. 9NEWS partner KOAA says Pueblo Police Colorado State Patrol are monitoring the situation. The closure of I-25 is a possibility if the situation gets worse. - 9NEWS.
