WEATHER ANOMALIES: Strange Days - Tornado Activity In The United States At 60-Year Low As The Country Records The Third Coldest Start To A Year EVER!

April 22, 2014 - UNITED STATES - Tornado activity in 2014 so far is at its lowest level since 1953, according to the National Weather Service's (NWS) Storm Prediction Center (SPC). "2014 has likely established a new low in tornado activity through the 21st of April," according to SPC warning coordination meteorologist Greg Carbin.

Carbin also pointed out that the time gap between the worst tornadoes is also the fourth largest since 1953. "At 152 days on April 18, 2014, the span between EF-3 or stronger tornadoes is the 4th longest span... in the last 60 years," Carbin noted. The longest gap was 249 days in 2004.

The NWS defines an EF-3 (Enhanced Fujita scale) tornado as one with winds between 158 and 207 mph capable of causing "severe damage," including blowing off roofs, overturning trains, and uprooting trees.

Between 2001 and 2010, 563 Americans were killed by tornadoes, which occur 1,200 times a year on average.

Although Texas experienced the highest number of twisters per year (142 on average) between 1981 and 2010, compared to less than five in 15 Northwest and Western states, Alabama had the nation's highest annual number of tornado fatalities (6 per year), the NWS reported.

The deadliest tornado day in U.S. history was March 18, 1925 when 695 people were killed by twisters in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. - CNS News.


US Having The Third Coldest Start To A Year On Record

US temperatures through April 23 are the third coldest on record.

 Generated by:

./ghcn.exe US23042014.txt through=0423 > US23042014_through_0423.csv

YearTDeptUS.png (688×531)

- Real Science.

EXTREME WEATHER: Australian Open Halted Because Of Extreme Heat - It's So Hot In Melbourne, That People Are Frying Eggs On The Tennis Courts!

January 17, 2014 - AUSTRALIA - Having already taken enough heat for not stopping matches earlier, blistering temperatures finally halted play on Day 4 of the 2014 Australian Open as a high temperature of 110 degrees Fahrenheit was recorded nearby.

Kei Nishikori of Japan wraps an ice pack around his head during a break in his first round match against
Marinko Matosevic of Australia at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne,
Australia, Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014.(AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

The Extreme Heat Policy was enacted at Melbourne Park just before 2 p.m. Thursday, suspending all matches on outer courts until the early evening and requiring the closure of the retractable roofs at Rod Laver and Hisense arenas before play could continue on the show courts.

It was the first time since 2009 play had been halted due to heat at the Australian Open.

"This heat is roughly on par with what was in place in early June in Phoenix," said weather.com senior meteorologist Jon Erdman. "The MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks would have the roof closed and air conditioning on when playing home games in similar conditions."

For Maria Sharapova, playing at Rod Laver Arena, the call came too late. The rule dictates the roof can't be closed until the end of a set in progress, so she was forced to finish a grueling third set against Italian Karin Knapp under the blazing sun.


WATCH: Heat Makes Pro Athletes Cry.

"Everyone knows there is no tiebreaker in the third set (at the Australian Open), so once you start that set, you're going to be out there until you're done," she said after closing out the 3 1/2-hour match, 6-3, 4-6, 10-8.

Other players wilted in the heat. American Varvara Lepchenko received medical treatment during her match against 11th-seeded Romanian Simona Halep, lying flat on her back during a changeover as trainers rubbed iced on her body.

"At first I didn't understand what was going on but then my legs, my arms started to get heavier. I couldn't focus at one point and started feeling dizzier and dizzier," she said.

She continued but only won one more game in a 4-6, 6-0, 6-1 defeat.

"They definitely should have just not started the matches in the first place," she said. "And the same goes for a couple of days ago when I played my (first) match."

The heat wave began Tuesday when the temperature peaked at 42C (108F). The tournament referee did not halt play then because the Extreme Heat Policy also takes into account other factors, such as humidity and wind speed.

The distinction is lost on the players, who have grumbled all week about the conditions which some have described as inhumane and dangerous. On Tuesday, Canadian Frank Dancevic blacked out and hallucinated during his match, while China's Peng Shuai vomited and suffered cramps.

No. 25-seeded Alize Cornet of France sobbed on court Thursday after her draining 6-3, 4-6, 6-4 victory over Italian Camila Giorgi, then blasted officials for not halting play sooner.

Weatherman reports on the heat wave.

"On Tuesday, I don't know why they didn't stop matches," she said. "It was an oven. An oven. It was burning. Why today and not Tuesday?"

Play finally got under way again on outer courts shortly after 6 p.m. local time, but 14 matches were later suspended again due to lighting.

The heat hasn't just affected players - it's also kept fans away. Total attendance was just 53,226 on Thursday, down from Monday's high of 63,595.

The unshaded seats on the outer courts were virtually empty Thursday, with spectators congregating under trees or in the upper reaches of stands where temporary covers provided a little relief.

New Zealander Helen Naylor escaped the sun after watching fellow Kiwi Marina Erakovic play for a bit on Court 13.

"Even the seats are really hot - God knows how (the players) are running around out there."

Relief is as least in sight. Friday will be another scorcher, with an expected high of 44C (111F), but Saturday it will only reach 23C (73F). That may feel downright chilly by comparison. - TWC.



You know how hot it is at the Australian Open? A photographer pulled out a pan and a couple of eggs and attempted to fry them on the boiling court on Thursday.

Temperatures are so high, you can literally fry eggs on the boiling court. Twitter.

Lucky for us, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga was in a spirited mood after his second round win over Thomaz Bellucci and snapped this picture of the photographer attempting to make some breakfast inside the Hisense Arena.

The roof was actually closed at Hisense because of the ridiculous heat in Melbourne, but that didn't stop this guy from showing us exactly how hot it is on court for some of these players.

Friday looks like the last day temperatures will reach triple digits, with a serious cold front blowing through Melbourne after that to help cool off the courts and help the players survive these nasty conditions. - Yahoo Sports.

EXTREME WEATHER: Dry Lightning Sparks 256 Fires Amid Heatwave In Victoria, Australia - Total Fire Ban Across The State As Temperatures Are Expected To Exceed 46C!

January 15, 2014 - AUSTRALIA - Crews have worked throughout the night extinguishing hundreds of fires in the driest parts of Victoria sparked by dry lightning from electrical storms.

Electrical storm in Craigieburn last night. Photo: Supplied.

CFA state duty officer Scott Purdy told 3AW radio crews responded to 256 fires between 5pm and 12am.

The Mallee and Wimmera received the most strikes as electrical storms hit the region and continued to other parts of the state including the central Victorian towns of Castlemaine, Daylesford, Woodend, Macedon, and metropolitan Melbourne.

There are still 22 fires burning in the Mallee. Waterbombing helicopters are monitoring the region and central Victoria to identify strikes before conditions worsen later in the week.

The CFA fears more dry lightning, which means lightning with not enough rain to combat its effect, will hit the state today.

The CFA battled several grass fires yesterday, with the most serious at Kangaroo Ground which is now under control.

There is a total fire ban across the state.

Hot night

Victorians endured a hot night and are facing another scorcher today.

The temperature stayed in the 30s for most of the night, dipping to 29.3C just after 5am - close to the January record of 30.6C in 2010.

The Bureau of Meteorology revised today's forecast for Melbourne from 39C to 41C after the mercury came close to 43C yesterday.

Firefighters battles a blaze at Penny's pine factory.  Photo: News Limited.

The bureau said the heat would increase quickly this morning, and Melbourne should be close to 40C soon after midday.

Temperatures will continue to peak above 40C tomorrow and Friday, with wind gusts of up to 100km/h expected to create dangerous fire conditions on Friday.

The heat was expected to reach 45C in parts of the state yesterday, but Mr Russell said Avalon, southwest of Melbourne, was among locations sweltering in temperatures exceeding 46C.

Police probe arson as houses saved

Waterbombing helicopters and dozens of fire trucks contained the blaze at Kangaroo Ground, north of Melbourne, that was believed to have been started by a bonfire.

Police are also investigating whether a fire bug was responsible for another fire at Little River.

Residents whose homes came within metres of the raging Little River grassfire said fire bugs had been a constant concern in the area.

A cluster of households in Little River, 51km southwest of Melbourne, were told to evacuate as several fire crews aided by waterbombing aircraft battled to control the fast-moving inferno.

Smoke billows from the Little River fire. Photo: News Limited.

At Kangaroo Ground an army of 31 fire trucks and three waterbombing aircraft battled to control a bushfire on difficult terrain as the inferno spread in several directions.

At Little River Stephen Baines said he returned home from work to find fire trucks screaming down the road and his neighbours being evacuated as firefighters tried to halt the flames at Bulban Rd.

"It was bloody scary," Mr Baines said.

He said the community suspected arson with the fire occurring exactly a year after grass fires in the same area which police believe were sparked by fire bugs.

"Mate this one was deliberately lit, just like the last one.

"We're all keeping an eye out," he said.

Victoria Police arson chemists have been at the scene trying to determine whether or not the blaze was suspicious.

Historic home damaged by fire

Heronswood historic homestead was engulfed by flames yesterday afternoon after a grassfire spread through the Mornington Peninsula suburb of Dromana.

The CFA said the home's freestanding cafe had been destroyed in the blaze, but the main house which dates back to 1864, suffered only minor damage.

CFA incident controller David Gibbs said the property's heritage farm and gardens were unlikely to have been damaged by fire.

Flames first reached the property and popular tourist attraction at around 5.45pm, but a water bomber soon put out the blaze.

Visitors to the house who were on site at the time were not injured by the fire, but the nearby freeway was closed.

The remains of the cafe at Heronswood. Photo: News Limited.

Power cut 'for planned maintenance'

Meanwhile, a power company cut off thousands of sweltering customers.

SP AusNet pressed ahead with planned blackouts to ­almost 1000 properties in 14 towns to carry out "essential bushfire mitigation" maintenance, robbing householders of aircon, fans and running water for up to six hours.

Upwey, Cockatoo, Glenrowan West and Thoona were hardest hit by the power pole replacements along with other upgrades.

"We couldn't do the work any earlier because we were doing other critical maintenance. We don't take the ­decision lightly and we do apologise," said spokesman Jonathon Geddes.

AEMO says there is enough reserve supply for today's heat, barring an "extreme" event.

SP AusNet expected more "planned outages" to affect about 190 customers in towns including Wangaratta and Narre Warren East today.

Beryl Wooller from Thoona in the state's northeast, said: discovered the power was out when she got up to water the garden at 7am yesterday. "Surely it was not that desperate? The power poles were not going to fall down".

"I have a freezer and fridge stacked full of food. If we had known we would have planned to get out for the day and put off the weekly shop," Mrs Wooller said.

Despite SP AusNet saying residents were sent letters two weeks ago, some claimed they were not notified. Others said they did not receive an SMS advising works were being brought forward several hours to avoid the hottest part of the day.

Left: Waterbombing was used to combat the fire at Kangaroo Ground. Right: Beaufort firefighter Robin Hill cools off.
Photo: Jay Town / News Limited

Acting Premier Peter Ryan said the company had advised the work was urgent.

"If they put the work off and it is of an urgent nature and then some disaster occurs then of course there is the obvious commentary to be made," Mr Ryan said.

Thousand of customers in Bayswater were affected by a heat-related network fault for less than an hour from 2pm yesterday.

More than 1000 customers in Powercor and Jemena areas including Port Fairy, Point Cook, Stawell, Coburg and Somerton also suffered outages in stifling conditions.

The Australian Energy Market Operator expects Victoria's daily electricity consumption to exceed 10,000 megawatts from today until Friday - 50 per cent more than a typical January weekday - as millions crank up the air conditioning. - Herald Sun.

EXTREME WEATHER: Victoria, Australia Buckles Under The Most Unrelenting Heatwave - High Threat To Power Supply; Temperatures Reach 44C; On Course To Peak Above 40C For FOUR Consecutive Days, For The First Time In 100 YEARS!

January 15, 2014 - AUSTRALIA - Engineers are racing to repair a crippled power generator and prevent statewide blackouts as Victorians brace for a new high in the record heatwave.

People sunbath at St Kilda Beach earlier this week. Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

Melbourne is set to sizzle through 44C on Thursday as temperatures are on course to peak above 40C for four consecutive days, for the first time in 100 years.

Heart attacks are expected to soar between 5am and 11am as the heat escalates the danger for the most vulnerable.

As demand for power stretches capacity this week, the Australian Energy Market Operator signalled it may cut the amount of electricity provided to Victoria to prevent the entire system failing.

A State Government warning that up to 100,000 homes and businesses could be blacked out during Wednesday's peak failed to eventuate.

Basel Khalil, Ali Khouzam and Moe Kheb keep cool at Elwood Beach earlier in the week.
Picture: Getty Images Source: Getty Images

But the energy regulator said it would continue to closely monitor power use in the coming days.

At Gippsland's Loy Yang, power station crews were battling to repair a broken generator needed to produce a quarter of the plant's electricity.

The Government was on Wednesday advised the generator should be fixed by midmorning on Thursday, otherwise the state could again come under threat of widespread power cuts.

A bat cools off in the Yarra River. Source: News Limited

While a normal January day sees Victoria using 6600MW, the state is forecast to exceed 10,000MW each day these week, peaking at 10,300 MW on Thursday.

Premier Denis Napthine urged Victorians to use their power as efficiently, warning that authorities may still be forced to cut electricity in the coming days.

"With those two hot days to go, we're going to be very, very much in the high electricity usage stage," Dr Napthine said.

"It's up to all Victorians to do their bit and … make sure we use our electricity wisely."

Extra paramedics have been called in this morning as cardiac arrests jumped 40 per cent across Melbourne the past two days.

Ambulance Victoria operations manager Paul Holman said crews were being called to more than 80 heat-related call-outs a day, including 27 cardiac arrests across Melbourne on Tuesday and Wednesday.

"It is not the daytime temperature that is the concern, it is the overnight temperature when the body does not get time to recover," he said.

The last string of extreme days during February 2009 claimed 374 Victorians.

Victoria's Chief Health Officer Dr Rosemary Lester said eight of the state's nine districts are now covered by heat health alerts, with the greatest fears for the elderly, children and those with chronic medial conditions.

"We know there are serious consequences from extreme heat and that can be increased hospitalisations and, unfortunately, increased deaths," Dr Lester said.

The Bureau of Meteorology has revised its projection from 41C to 44C after computer modelling signalled temperatures would climb even higher.

Mildura and Horsham are forecast to reach 44C, while Ouyen and Swan Hill are set to soar to 45C despite light winds later in the day.


WATCH: Threat to power supply as Victoria buckles under a heatwave that won't let up.

Up to 4pm on Wednesday, Ambulance Victoria paramedics treated 62 cases of heat exhaustion or heat stroke and five cases of children locked in cars.

Two girls, aged five years and 18 months, were found in a car unattended outside a Cobram shopping centre.

Senior Sergeant Mary-Jayne Kane said the mother had been spoken to and was on Wednesday afternoon still under investigation.

"It's a warning to people: don't leave your children in cars in the heat," she said.

Meanwhile hot and bothered commuters faced a third day of peak-hour train pain with 15-minute delays affecting services across the entire metropolitan train network.

The Cranbourne and Pakenham lines suffered major peak-hour delays on Wednesday night while the Sunbury line was partly suspended following a lightning strike.

Buses replaced trains between Mordialloc and Frankston. - Herald Sun.

EXTREME WEATHER: Unprecedented Heatwave & Wildfires Ravage Australia - Temperatures Soar Above 50C; Heatwave Spreads From West To Deliver Record Heat To Southeastern States; 52 Properties Destroyed By Fire In Perth Hills; Power Outages Hit Public Transport; Shoe-Melting Temperatures At The Australian Open; Tennis Organizers Warn That They Might Pull The Plug On Matches!

January 14, 2014 - AUSTRALIA - A heatwave has swept from Western Australia across South Australia, Victoria and parts of western NSW, prompting health warnings for the very young and elderly.  Adelaide is set for one of its fiercest bouts of temperatures on record, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting five consecutive days above 40C this week, peaking at 43C on Wednesday.  It will be the longest stretch of 40C days in Adelaide since 2009, when the South Australian capital experienced six consecutive days above this mark.

Heatwave Spreads From West To Deliver Record Heat To Southeastern States

Firefighters battle the devastating blaze in Perth Hills. Picture: DFES Source: Supplied

Melbourne is also in the grip of escalating temperatures, with temperatures set to reach 41C on Tuesday, dipping to 39C before ending the week on 40C.  Regional areas of South Australia, Victoria and NSW are experiencing even warmer temperatures, with Swan Hill in Victoria set for three consecutive days of 44C this week, while Waikerie in South Australia will reach 45C on Thursday. Broken Hill in NSW will bake in temperatures above 40C all week, according to the bureau.  South Australia’s state emergency service has urged the public to drink plenty of fluids, stay indoors, not leave children or pets in cars and prepare for potential power outages due to the scorching temperatures.  The SES said people should visit elderly relatives and protect young children from the heat, given the vulnerability to hot weather of very young and older people.  Scott Turner, acting deputy chief of the SES, said the heat has a “huge impact” on the body, warning that the mortality rate rises when temperatures rise precipitously.  In Melbourne, temperatures are expected to peak at 35C around 6pm on Monday, making for an uncomfortable home commute, although Metro Trains has confirmed there will be no alterations to its timetable. It looks unlikely that Melbourne will beat its record of five consecutive days over 40C, set in 1908.

Amy 16, cools off from the oppressive heat in the Garden Square fountain during the Australian Open.
Picture: David Caird Source: News Limited

The heatwave has been caused by a warm front that has spread from Western Australia. The state is currently battling bushfires which have destroyed 44 homes. Alasdair Hainsworth, assistant director for weather services at the Bureau of Meteorology, said the heatwave was picked up by its new pilot heatwave forecast service. “What is unusual about this event, which the pilot heatwave forecast shows, is that when high maximum temperatures and above average minimum temperatures are sustained over a number of days, there is a build-up of ‘excess’ heat," he said.  "Extreme heatwave conditions can be seen in southern NSW, Victoria and Tasmania."  Victoria's chief health officer Dr Rosemary Lester said: “The body normally sweats to cool down but sometimes sweating isn't enough and rising body temperature can lead to heat stress.  “The effects of heat-related illnesses can range from mild conditions such as a rash or cramps to very serious conditions such as heat stroke, which can be fatal.  “Importantly, heat may worsen the condition of someone who already has a medical condition such as heart disease.”  - Guardian.

52 Properties Destroyed By Fire In Perth

Firefighters battle against the devastating bushfire in Perth’s Hills.
Picture: Department of Fire and Emergency Services Source: Supplied

Fire authorities say a devastating bushfire in the Perth hills that has destroyed more than 50 properties was probably sparked by a power pole on private land.  Overnight, firefighters have managed to control the blaze that the Department of Fire and Emergency Services says has destroyed 52 homes and two sheds in the Perth hills.  "I can confirm that 52 properties have been destroyed by the fire over the course of the last two days,'' DFES Superintendent Gary Baxter told ABC radio.  He said the fire was most likely due to a power pole.  "All our indicators and our investigation team have led us to believe that,'' Mr Baxter said.  The blaze, which tore through 650 hectares in the Shire of Mundaring on Sunday, was contained yesterday and brought under control early this morning.

A watch and act alert remains today for the eastern part of Parkerville, Stoneville and Mount Helena and several roads remains closed. The Incident Controller is conducting a reconnaisance of the fire ground but there is still the potential for strong gusty winds to cause flare ups. Four people who were feared missing in the blaze were accounted for yesterday and the only fatality was a 62-year-old man in Hovea who collapsed on the roof of his house on Sunday while preparing for the fire.

A fire in Stoneville has led to evacuations and loss of property. A house on Narla Retreat is lost to the flames.
Source: News Limited

Pregnant resident Sian Musgrove, 31, doesn’t know if her family house of 50 years is still standing.
Picture: Colin Murty Source: News Limited

The loss of homes and property in the Perth Hills region can be seen from the air after a massive fire swept
through the region on Sunday. Picture: Matthew Poon Source: News Limited

One resident tried to get back to their house on Monday afternoon and suffered burns to their hands and feet.  People who lost their homes are expected to be escorted to the ruins later on today. Further information will be revealed at a community meeting at 10am.  Fire and Emergency Services Authority said it was waiting to assess the entire disaster zone.  "We should have limited access back in by Wednesday," FESA's Craig Waters told Macquarie Radio in Sydney.  "One of the issues we do have is working with western power. They do have 140 power poles to replace, so we're still working through that process.''

The WA government will donate $1 million to the Lord Mayor's Distress Relief Fund to help victims.  It will also provide $3000 to those whose homes had been destroyed and $1000 for damaged houses.  Attorney-General George Brandis says the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment will also be provided to eligible residents.  People can claim a payment of $1000 per adult and $400 for each child.  Insurers have declared the fire a catastrophic event.  - Herald Sun.

Temperatures Soar In Melbourne

Parts of Melbourne have soared past 40C as some Victorian towns face temperatures up to 45C today.  Melbourne Airport hit 40.2C at 1.15pm, with Essendon Airport, Moorabbin Airport and Laverton among other areas above 40C.  Temperatures are threatening to peak above 40C across the state for the next four days, with wind gusts of up to 100km/h.  The Bureau of Meteorology has predicted 43C today in Melbourne, 41C on Thursday and 40C on Friday.  It was 42.9C in Geelong at 12.30pm, 43.2C in Mildura, 42.5C in Horsham and 40.3C in Warrnambool. 


WATCH:  Unprecedented heatwave and wildfires hit Australia.

The bureau said Melbourne should hit 43C at 5pm.  Mildura, Horsham and Warrnambool could hit 45C, the bureau said.  Forecasters have been predicting a cautious 39C for Wednesday but said there was a high chance the mercury could rise, creating the heatwave record of a century.  Total fire bans are in place today in the Wimmera, Mallee, South West, Northern Country, North Central, Central and West and South Gippsland districts.  Fire Services Commissioner Craig Lapsley said severe fire ratings have been set for the South West, Central and North Central regions.  A very high rating fire rating has been set for the rest of the state.  A cool change is predicted to hit Victoria on Friday night. - Herald Sun.

Tennis Organizers Warn That They Might Pull The Plug On Matches At The Australian Open

Bernard Tomic works up a sweat during his practice session.
Picture: Ellen Smith Source: News Limited

Tennis chiefs have warned they may pull the plug on matches at the Australian Open with extreme heat likely to test players and fans.  Tournament referee Wayne McKewen will become the most powerful man at Melbourne Park as temperatures soar beyond 40 degrees on centre court. His decision could impact a string of showcase matches, including the round one clash between Aussie James Duckworth and Roger Federer.  "When it's high humidity and high temperature, that's when it starts to affect players, staff and patrons," McKewen said.

"We have used the heat policy before, we have implemented it. It's there not just for the players but also for fans, spectators, officials and staff on site.'' The Australian Open is the only tournament with a heat policy. The last time it was invoked was in 2009 when the average temperature for the tournament was 34.7C.  The main concern for players will be muscle meltdown - where the muscles heat up so much they release chemicals that can damage vital organs.  But tournament medical officer Tim Wood warned drinking too much water could become the greatest threat to players.

"We have never had players die from dehydration," Dr Wood said.  "We have almost had players die from drinking too much. The danger is over drinking.'' He said players didn't need to be warned about the weather because received an advice sheet on how best to prepare.  But not everybody seemed to have got the message. "We don't get advice sheets Dr Tim," US tennis star Bethanie Mattek-Sands tweeted.  "But I guess we can look on our weather app.'' Ambulance Victoria emergency management chief Paul Holman said this week's forecast was the worst since Black Saturday and feared a repeat of the 2009 summer stretch where about 520 people died in a single week.  "We want people to respect the weather and take it seriously," he said. He urged people to drink plenty of water, wear loose clothing, apply sunscreen and avoid calling 000 for minor medical ailments as emergency services were stretched to the limit. - Herald Sun.

"Inhumane Conditions" Cause Tennis Player Frank Dancevic To Collapse On Court.

Dancevic keeps cool with ice packs during a break in play in
his men's singles match at the Australian Open.

Canadian Frank Dancevic slammed Australian Open organizers for forcing players to compete in "inhumane" conditions after he collapsed on court as temperatures rose to 41 degrees Celsius (108 degrees Fahrenheit) on Tuesday.  Dancevic, who collapsed during the second set of his first round match against France's Benoit Paire on the uncovered court six at Melbourne Park and passed out for a minute, said conditions were plainly dangerous for the players. 

"I think it's inhumane, I don't think it's fair to anybody, to the players, to the fans, to the sport, when you see players pulling out of matches, passing out," he told reporters.  "I've played five set matches all my life and being out there for a set and a half and passing out with heat-stroke, it's not normal. 

"Having players with so many problems and complaining to the tournament that it's too hot to play, until somebody dies, they're just keep going on with it and putting matches on in this heat.  "I personally don't think it's fair and I know a lot of players don't think it's fair." 

Official attends to a ball boy who collapsed
during a tennis match.

The tournament's "extreme heat" contingency plan was put into force for women's matches on Tuesday, allowing an extra 10-minute break between the second and third sets.  Under a change to the rules for this year, however, the decision on whether to stop matches at the tournament is now at the discretion of tournament director Wayne McKewen.

Rather than use the raw Celsius readings to assess the heat, organizers prefer to use the Wet Bulb Global Temperature composite, which also gauges humidity and wind to identify the perceived conditions. Organizers said temperatures peaked at 42.2 degrees Celsius in the early evening on Tuesday and conditions had never reached the point where play would be stopped.  "We have to reach a minimum threshold and have a forecast that it will be sustained for a reasonable time," McKewen said in a statement.  "That didn't happen. While conditions were hot and uncomfortable, the relatively low level of humidity ensured play would continue." - Yahoo Sports

AUSTRALIAN WEATHER ANOMALIES: The Unprecedented Heatwave, Record Flooding, Widespread Wildfires, Wettest Year Ever - Government Advisors Illogically And Stupidly Link Australia's "Angry Summer" Of Extreme Weather To Global Warming?!

March 10, 2013 - AUSTRALIA - The hottest summer on record. The hottest January on record. The hottest day on record for Australia as a whole. Bushfires in every state and territory. Daily rainfall records and major flooding. Over a period of 90 days, these were some of the 123 extreme weather records broken during Australia's "angry summer".

Map of extreme weather events that hit Australia during summer 2012/2013. Click on the image for a larger view. Photograph: Australia Climate Commission.

Despite the dramatic headlines and "flame-seared images" that documented extreme weather over the summer, the Australian media largely failed to make the link to climate change. Of 800 articles published on the heatwave over a period of five days in January, fewer than 10 also discussed global warming. In the US and the UK, by comparison, the relationship between global warming and extreme weather events such as hurricane Sandy and the UK's second wettest year on record became a major talking – and election – point.

But a report by Australian government advisers this week unequivocally and directly links the summer's extreme weather to climate change, and should make the link harder to ignore in future. Climate scientists have been historically reluctant to link the two – particularly in a country like Australia which has naturally occurring cycles of drought and floods and is naturally a land of weather extremes.

But the report "Angry Summer", released by the Australian government's independent Climate Commission, argues that this summer's conditions were different due to their record-breaking intensity and duration, and "were all influenced to some extent by a climate that is fundamentally shifting".
Author Prof Will Steffen wrote:

"Australia's angry summer shows that climate change is already adversely affecting Australians. The significant impacts of extreme weather on people, property, communities and the environment highlight the serious consequences of failing to adequately address climate change."

Fellow commissioner Tim Flannery said:

"I think one of the best ways of thinking about it is imagining that the baseline has shifted. If an athlete takes steroids, for example, their baseline shifts, they'll do fewer slow times and many more record-breaking fast times. The same thing is happening with our climate system. As it warms up, we're getting fewer cold days and cold events and many more record hot events."

Angry summer shows that 2012-13 was Australia's hottest summer since records began in 1910. Temperature records were set in every state and territory, and the national daily average temperature rose to unprecedented levels. Meteorologists were even forced to add two new colour categories to Australia's weather prediction maps as the heat rose.

In early January, major bushfires burned in the states of Tasmania, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. "Climate change is aggravating bushfire conditions and thus increasing the risk of fire," said the report. It also cited the introduction of a new category – "catastrophic" – for ranking bushfire risk following Australia's devastating 2009 Black Saturday fires, as "concrete evidence of this increasing risk".

Some 26 daily rainfall records were broken at weather stations across Australia over the 2012-13 summer. Five river-height records were broken and there was major flooding throughout south-east Queensland and northern NSW. "Extreme rainfall is consistent with the type of events scientists expect to see more often in a warming climate," the report says.

Despite some of the staggering records set, the worst is yet to come, the report suggests:

"Looking towards the future, it is virtually certain that extreme hot weather will continue to become even more frequent and severe around the globe, including Australia, over the coming decades. It is also likely that the frequency of heavy rainfall will increase over many areas of the globe … In Australia and around the world we need to urgently invest in clean energy sources and take other measures to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. This is the critical decade to get on with the job."

- Guardian.

EXTREME WEATHER: Las Vegas Hits Record High as Heat Wave Continues Unabated - Highest Temperatures Since the 1930s!

High temperatures will be flirting with the record books again today in Las Vegas, with the afternoon high soaring close to the 100-degree mark.

Las Vegas hit a high of 99 degrees at 3:37 p.m. Sunday, breaking the old record for that date of 98 degrees, set in 1939, according to the National Weather Service.  Today’s high is expected to be 98, which would tie the old high temperature record for today’s date set 18 years ago.  The strong ridge of high pressure bringing the hot weather will move east today, with a weak weather system crossing through the ridge, the weather service said. That weather system might bring isolated thunderstorms to the Spring Mountains and Sheep Range this afternoon, forecasters said.

Temperatures will cool a bit on Tuesday as the ridge moves farther east and a low pressure system approaches the coast, they said.  The low will bring much cooler air, clouds and a chance for showers Wednesday through Thursday, they said. Highs will reach 90 on Tuesday, 82 on Wednesday and 73 on Thursday, they said.  This morning’s low at McCarran was expected to be 71 degrees. The normal low for today's date is 58 degrees. The record low was 36 degrees, set in 1937.  Temperatures at McCarran were to rise today to 83 degrees by 9 a.m., to 92 degrees by noon and reach a high of 97 degrees by 3 p.m., forecasters said. The normal high for today's date is 81 degrees and the record high was 98 degrees, set in 1994.  Temperatures are expected to drop to 96 degrees by 6 p.m., to 89 degrees by 9 p.m. and to 78 degrees by midnight, forecasters said.  Tuesday's morning low will be 67 degrees and Tuesday's high will climb to 90 degrees, they said. - Las Vegas Sun.