Massive Sunspot Rapidly Forming on the Sun

Wunderground.com-2/20/ 2013

A giant sunspot that's at least six times the diameter of Earth has formed on the sun in less than 48 hours, according to NASA.Sunspots form when the sun's magnetic fields rearrange and realign. They tend to be unstable and can lead to solar flares.

According to a news release, scientists from NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory watched the sunspot rapidly grow on February 19 and 20. The agency says it could even be larger than six times the diameter of Earth "since the spot lies on a sphere not a flat disk."

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Galactic Free Press

Hand of God in Weather

Weather.com - 2/21/13, Jess Baker

In the Wake of Disaster

Mother Nature is volatile and violent, with the power to change lives in a matter of moments.

In the wake of disaster, it's not uncommon for people to say they saw the hand of a higher power at work. Survivors will often tell friends and family that "someone was watching over" them and protecting them from the worst of a storm.

To read the rest of this story, visit Weather.com.

Earth & Space Weather

Forecasters Say Tornado Spotted In Northern California

CBS SF Bay Area - 2/20/13

An eyewitness spotted this tornado touching down in Tehama County near Red Bluff on February 19, 2013. (CBS)

RED BLUFF, Tehama County (CBS / AP) — The National Weather Service said a tornado was sighted in Northern California as a winter storm passed through the area.

According to the weather service, a “weak” tornado was spotted north of Red Bluff on Tuesday shortly after 1:30 p.m.

To watch the video and read the rest of this story, visit sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.

Earth & Space Weather

Strong winter storm dumps 20 inches of snow on northern Michigan

The Times Herald - 2/20/13, Associated Press

Marlene Decio enjoys a snowy walk with her Welsh Terriers, Max and Rudy, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2013, along the John and Dede Howard Recreational Trail in St. Joseph, Mich. (AP Photo/The Herald-Palladium, Don Campbell) / AP

MARQUETTE — A strong winter storm has dumped more than 20 inches of snow in parts of northern Michigan, forcing officials to close some roads and many schools in the Upper Peninsula.

State police say snowdrifts of up to 8 feet and 40-mph wind gusts led to the closing of a stretch of M-28 between Marquette and Munising, and it remained closed indefinitely Wednesday night.

Earth & Space Weather

Etna volcano current activity: new paroxysms from New SE crater

Volcano Discovery Thursday Feb 21, 2013 11:11 AM

The characteristic tall tremor peak of Etna's tremor signa

A 4th paroxysm from the New SE crater just ended. It followed the previous one with only about 18 hours interval. It will be interesting to see how long Etna will keep up this busy pace.