Earth & Space Weather

Long-term effects of megadrought on Amazonian forests

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

Source: The Watchers - 1/19/13, By Chillymanjaro

The rainforests in southern and western Amazonia may be showing the first signs of potential large-scale degradation due to climate change as Amazon rainforest continues to suffer from the effects of a megadrought that began in 2005, attributed to the long-term warming of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures. During the summer of 2005, more than 700,000 square kilometers or 70 million hectares (270,000 square miles) of old-growth forest in southwestern Amazonia experienced an extensive, severe drought which caused widespread changes to the forest canopy that were detectable by satellite. The changes suggest dieback of branches and tree falls, especially among the older, larger, more vulnerable canopy trees...

The rainforests in southern and western Amazonia may be showing the first signs of potential large-scale degradation due to climate change as Amazon rainforest continues to suffer from the effects of a megadrought that began in 2005, attributed to the long-term warming of tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.

~ Space Weather Update~ CHANCE OF STORMS

Lia's picture

Submitted by Lia on

CHANCE OF STORMS: NOAA forecasters estimate a 30% chance of polar geomagnetic storms today. The reason is an incoming CME, which could deliver a minor blow to Earth's magnetic field during the next 24 hours. Arctic sky watchers should be alert for auroras. Aurora alerts: text, voice.

Even before the CME arrives, Arctic skies are glowing. Göran Strand sends this picture, taken on Jan. 17th, from Kall, Åre, Sweden:

 

 

"Two friends and I went out last night to capture the aurora that was forecast," says Strand. "It turned out to be a fantastic night with a half moon lighting up the landscape in a lovely way. In the distance you can the mountain Åreskutan, the biggest ski resort in Sweden."

Realtime Aurora Photo Gallery

Big Story Weather – January 18, 2013

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

RedOrbit.com - 1/18/13, by Joshua Kelly

Big Story Weather from January 17: The headlines from yesterday included the heavy snow that moved through the Southeast including places in Mississippi where they saw up to five inches of snowfall along with places through Alabama before the snow pushed into Virginia and the Carolinas. High pressure over the West brought milder weather to the Western US.

Weather Outlook for January 18: High pressure over the Tennessee River Valley will bring partly cloudy skies to the region. A low pressure system is beginning to move through the Great Lakes which will bring snow to the region before pushing into the Northeast by this evening bringing with it the chance for snow as well. High pressure over the Rockies will make for a nice day in the west. Below is the weather for a few select cities.

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

South Africa Record High Put to the Test

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

Accuweather.com - 1/16/13, Jim Andrews

Searing heat over the Kalahari Desert has hiked the temperature to near all-time highs in northwestern South Africa.

The recognized claimant to the nation's all-time high, Vioolsdrif, reached at least 48 C, or 118 F, on Wednesday. This followed Tuesday's high of 45.8 C, or 114 F.

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

UK snow: Schools and transport hit by disruption

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

BBC News - 1/18/13

Woman in the snow in Bristol More than 220 schools have been closed in the Bristol area, while bus services have been suspended
 

More than 3,000 schools have been closed in England and Wales as a band of heavy snow affects most of the UK.

Transport is disrupted with flights at Heathrow, Bristol and Southampton airports cancelled and hazardous conditions reported on many roads.

To watch the video and read the rest of this story, visit BBC News.

West Coast villages swamped after unusual high tides

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

StarbroekNews.com - 1/17/13, By Starbroek Staff

A home in Cornelia Ida still flooded yesterday, two days after the overtopping of the sea defences by unusually high tides. (Photo by Arian Browne)

A home in Cornelia Ida still flooded yesterday, two days after the overtopping of the sea defences by unusually high tides. (Photo by Arian Browne)

Strong winds and unusually high tides swamped Cornelia Ida and Anna Catherina, on the West Coast of Demerara on Monday afternoon.

The villages were flooded after the enormous waves surged over the sea defences leaving some homeowners contending with water that was waist-high.

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

Cassini Spacecraft Reveals Unprecedented Saturn Storm

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

Scientific American - John Matson, 1/17/13

Saturn storm, 2011

A true-color image captured by Cassini in February 2011 shows the head of the storm overtaking the fainter, turbulent tail. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI

Just as regions of our planet have monsoon season, or tornado season, so too does Saturn have its own stormy season.

Once every Saturn year or so—which corresponds to roughly 30 Earth years—a giant, churning storm works its way through the clouds of Saturn’s northern hemisphere, sometimes encircling the entire planet like a belt. Lasting a few dozen days or more, these storms have been documented as far back as 1876.

Sydney Sizzles in Record Heat as Fires Threaten Victorian Towns

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

Bloomberg - 1/18/13, Jason Scott

Sydney, Australia’s largest city, posted its highest temperature ever recorded today, reaching 45.8 degrees Celsius (114.4 degrees Fahrenheit), as wildfires burned in five of the nation’s states, destroying homes.

The record, reached at 2:55 p.m. local time today, eclipses the previous high of 45.3 degrees on Jan. 14, 1939, according to the Bureau of Meteorology. Canberra, the national capital, posted its second-highest temperature of 41.6 degrees Celsius.

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

What’s causing Australia’s heat wave?

Rain's picture

Submitted by Rain on

Science Alert - 1/18/13, Australian Bureau of Meteorology 

KLH49_heatwave_istock

Although Australia's temperature has gone above 48 degrees before, the current heat wave has been far from typical. Image: KHL49/iStockphoto
 

Australia has started 2013 with a record-breaking heat wave that has lasted more than two weeks across many parts of the country. Temperatures have regularly gone above 48°C, with the highest recorded maximum of 49.6°C at Moomba in South Australia. The extreme conditions have been associated with a delayed onset of the Australian monsoon, and slow moving weather systems over the continent.

Australia has always experienced heat waves, and they are a normal part of most summers. However, the current event affecting much of inland Australia has definitely not been typical.

To read the rest of this story, visit Science Alert. 

Pages

Subscribe to RSS - Earth & Space Weather