Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.0 Earthquake hits Nepal.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Hurricane Fred is located about 35 mi...55 km S of Rabil in the Cape Verde Islands and about 65 mi...100 km NE of Praia in the Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 320 mi...515 km E of Hilo Hawaii and about 500 mi...805 km E of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...115 mph...185 km/h. Present movement...NW or 325 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Hurricane Kilo is located about 530 mi...855 km S of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...135 mph...215 km/h. Present movement...NNW or 330 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Jimena is located about 1430 mi...2295 km E of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...150 mph...240 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

Invest 90 is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Global Warming

Rising Tides

Sea levels around the world have risen by an average of nearly 3 inches since 1992, with some areas experiencing a rise of more than 9 inches, according to a NASA analysis of satellite observations.

Experts say that changes in sea level vary widely around the world due to local conditions, but climate change is the main driver.

Scientists estimate about a third of the rise is due to expansion caused by warming oceans, while the remainder is evenly divided between ice loss of the massive Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets and the melting of mountain glaciers.

NASA scientists told a press conference that they now have data to help planners determine what coastal areas will be threatened by sea level rises over the next century.

NASA says rises of up to 3 feet during that period are “unavoidable.”

Even today, normal spring high tides cause street flooding in sections of Miami, something that didn’t happen regularly just a few decades ago.

Tragic Cleansing

About the only promising development to come out of the conflict-ravaged Middle East in the past few years is a pronounced drop in greenhouse gas emissions.

With untold thousands of refugees fleeing to Europe from Syria and Iraq, the shattered economies they leave behind are in no shape to burn the volume of fossil fuels they did prior to the onset of the Syrian civil war.

Nitrogen dioxide emissions have plunged 40 percent over Damascus and 50 percent over Aleppo since Arab Spring protests reached Syria in 2011.

Writing in the journal Science Advances, Jos Lelieveld of Germany’s Max Planck Institute for Chemistry says the cleaner air observed by atmospheric monitoring from space is due to “international boycotts, armed conflict and related mass migration of people.”

But he adds that air pollution reductions instituted by neighboring Israel, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates have also contributed to the region’s overall drop in carbon emissions.

This graphic of nitrogen dioxide measurements from space illustrates the trend toward less greenhouse gas emissions.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Manam (Papua New Guinea): A volcanic ash plume at estimated 7,000 ft (2.1 km) altitude extending 70 km north from the volcano was reported this morning (VAAC Darwin).

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): The eruption continues at the volcano: it is characterized by Strombolian activity at the summit crater and lava extrusion that forms frequent incandescent avalanches.

Dukono (Halmahera): Continuous ash emissions are being observed from the volcano, generating plumes at 2-3 km altitude that drift up to 70-80 km to the east (Darwin VAAC).

Lokon-Empung (North Sulawesi, Indonesia): A small eruption occurred again last Saturday, producing an ash plume that rose approx. 2 km and drifted northeast, caused a temporary closure of the Manado airport. The explosion occurred around 23:50 local time a vent in or or near Tompaluan crater. The volcano remains at alert level 3 ("siaga") on a scale of 1-4 and a safety zone of 2.5 km around the crater is recommended as similar, sudden explosions are likely to occur again from time to time.

Kilauea (Hawai'i): No significant changes have occurred at the ongoing eruption on both the summit vent (Halema'uma'u lava lake) and the east rift zone. During the past days, lava flows have resurfaced most of the interior of what is left of Pu'u 'O'o crater. The lava lake at Kīlauea's summit remains active, and periodically rises and falls along with cycles of inflation and deflation. At the moment, summit tilt meters have been recording deflation. The new East Rift Zone lava flow northeast of Puʻu ʻŌʻō remains active within 8 km (5 mi) of the vent. The flow does not currently pose a threat to communities. Low levels of seismic activity continue across the volcano (HVO).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Ryukyu Islands off Japan.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Lombok, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Fred is located about 405 mi...650 km ESE of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 495 mi...800 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 705 mi...1135 km ESE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...145 mph...230 km/h. Present movement...NW or 315 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Kilo is located about 500 mi...800 km WNW of Johnston Island and about 665 mi...1070 km S of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...140 mph...220 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Hurricane Jimena is located about 1365 mi...2200 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...130 mph...215 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Invest 90 is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 97E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Disease

Anthrax in Morrocco

Health officials in Morocco are investigating an outbreak of anthrax in the town of Imilchil in Midelt province.

Nine people have been diagnosed with cutaneous anthrax linked to exposure to handling diseased cows.

Anthrax is a serious infectious disease caused by gram-positive, rod-shaped bacteria known as Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax can be found naturally in soil and commonly affects domestic and wild animals around the world. Although it is rare, people can get sick with anthrax if they come in contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products.

Cutaneous anthrax occurs when the spore (or possibly the bacterium) enters a cut or abrasion on the skin. It starts out as a raised bump that looks like an insect bite. It then develops into a blackened lesion called an eschar that may form a scab. Lymph glands in the area may swell plus eodema may be present. This form of anthrax responds well to antibiotics. If untreated, deaths can occur if the infection goes systemic. 95% of cases of anthrax are cutaneous.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Oregon, USA

Evacuation orders are in place for parts of Prairie City, a town of approximately 900 people near John Day in Eastern Oregon. Fire officials said the strong winds Saturday morning pushed the Canyon Creek Complex both north and east, and they’re worried that windy conditions will test efforts throughout the day.

Wildfires - Idaho, USA

The Tepee Springs Fire is burning about 48,000 acres as of Saturday, with some flames jumping north across the Salmon River, according to fire officials. Residents near Riggins have been told to evacuate amid two days of aggressive growth, and the fire also prompted the emergency closure Thursday of nearly 18 miles of the Lower Salmon River to all recreational use.

In North Idaho, a group of blazes, now dubbed the Clearwater -Municipal-Motorway North Complex that earlier destroyed 42 homes near Kamiah is now 75 percent contained and at about 130 square miles.

The Rapid Fire has burned 6,422 acres in subalpine and mixed conifer forest about 12 miles southeast of McCall as of Saturday. It is 40 percent contained. The fire grew about 1,000 acres due to winds and heavy fuel Thursday. With air support crews worked to strengthen containment lines around the southern part of the fire Friday and Saturday.

The 1,237-acre Cougar Fire, about 20 miles northeast of Cascade in Valley County,was about 90 percent contained as of Saturday. Fire crews continue to be released over time, though fire managers remain watchful for strong winds, reaching gusts of 30 mph Saturday that could scatter embers outside the containment lines.

The Campbells Fire was reported at 6,720 acres Friday in the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness southeast of Dixie. It is burning through timber in Fall, Ruf, Moore and Trout creeks, and now includes Burnt Knob. Crews are doing structure protection at Campbells Ferry.

Wildfires - Montana, USA

About 20 residences in rural areas south of Libby were told to evacuate Saturday morning because of one of several fires burning in the Kootenai National Forest, fire spokeswoman Jennifer McCully said.

Elsewhere, the towns of Essex in Flathead County and Heart Butte on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation remain under evacuation orders.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits the Volcano Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Maug Islands in the North Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Erika is located about 75 mi...125 km S of Guantanamo Cuba with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 20 mph...31 km/h.

Erika has devastated Dominica where nine inches of rain fell late on Wednesday, and six more early on Thursday, causing floods and landslides. At least 20 people have died with Katy least 31 more still missing.

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 660 mi...1060 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 870 mi...1400 km ESE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...90 mph...150 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Hurricane Kilo is located about 260 mi...420 km WNW of Johnston Island and about 765 mi...1230 km SSE of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...75 mph...120 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Hurricane Jimena is located about 1220 mi...1965 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...150 mph...240 km/h. Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Invest 99L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Global Warming

Thousands of walruses wash ashore as global warming devastates Alaskan Arctic

The extreme loss of Arctic sea ice due to climate change is forcing thousands of walruses to crowd ashore on a remote barrier island off Alaska, and threatening their survival.

The first reported sighting of animals forced to come ashore in the Chukchi Sea was by a photographer on 23 August, and confirmed by villagers in the remote hamlet of Point Lay late on Thursday, the US Fish and Wildlife Service said.

Such landings, forced by the absence of sea ice on which to rest and feed, put the animals at risk of stampede in the limited space of the barrier island.

The animals are easily spooked by aircraft or onlookers, government scientists warned. Trampling deaths are one of the biggest natural risks.

Sea ice cover in the winter months fell to a new low this year because of climate change and abnormal weather patterns.

Some scientists believe the Arctic could be entirely ice-free in the summer months by the 2030s – with profound effects for local indigenous communities that rely on the ice, as well as wildlife that depend on extreme conditions.

Since 2000, the forced migration of walruses and their young to barrier islands such as Point Lay — known as a “haul out” — has become an increasingly regular occurrence, according to US government scientists.

Last year, as many as 40,000 animals, mainly females and their young, were forced ashore. It was the biggest known haul-out of its kind in the US Arctic, according to government scientists. The Federal Aviation Authority re-routed flights and bush pilots were told to keep their distance to avoid a stampede.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Siberia

Wildfires destroy forest around the world's oldest and deepest fresh-water lake, Lake Baikal in Russia. By Thursday over 25,000 hectares of forest had been scorched.

Wildfires - DR Congo

At least three people have been killed and thousands left homeless by bush fires raging in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Disease

Legionnaire’s Disease in Quebec, Canada

Health authorities in Quebec's Lanaudière region said an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease has killed two people and infected another 16.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits the Kuril Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.0 Earthquake hits southern Peru.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Alamagan region in the North Mariana Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Erika is located about 155 mi...250 km ESE of Santo Domingo Dominican Republic and about 430 mi...690 km ESE of Great Inagua Island with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

Tropical Storm Erika lashed Puerto Rico early Friday with heavy rains and wind after killing four people and causing devastating floods in the eastern Caribbean island of Dominica, where several people remained missing.

The storm was expected to dump up to 12 inches (31 centimetres) of rain across portions of the drought-stricken northern Caribbean as it carved a path toward the U.S. Forecasters said Erika might fall apart over Hispaniola or Puerto Rico or possibly strengthen into a hurricane as it nears South Florida early next week.

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 890 mi...1430 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii and about 1100 mi...1770 km ESE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...90 mph...150 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 295 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Tropical Storm Kilo is located about 35 mi...55 km NW of Johnston Island and about 905 mi...1460 km se of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...70 mph...110 km/h. Present movement...WSW or 255 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

Hurricane Jimena is located about 1045 mi...1680 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...80 mph...130 km/h, Present movement...W or 270 degrees at 14 mph...22 km/h

NewsBytes:

Nepal - A heavy downpour in Bhaktapur on Thursday inundated at least 60 houses. The flooding caused by the swollen Hanumante river has flooded temporary shelters for earthquake survivors in the district.

Wildlife

Birds Sing Louder, Lower to Be Heard Over Human Noise

The din of modern life has gotten so loud that male bluebirds have learned to “shout” louder when the human-generated noise becomes too blaring.

Researcher Caitlin Kight of the U.K.’s University of Exeter and colleagues made the discovery after recording songs produced by 32 male bluebirds.

Writing in the journal Integrative and Comparative Biology, Kight says they found the male bluebirds were able to make real-time adjustments to be heard over noise by producing songs that are both louder and lower-pitched.

The finding suggests the birds are able to perceive the louder background noise and alter their songs accordingly to be heard by potential mates or rivals.

Co-author John Swaddle, from the college of William and Mary, cautions against interpreting the findings as proof that noise pollution has no adverse impacts on wildlife.

“Unfortunately, the world is getting so noisy that even the most flexible of species will eventually reach a threshold beyond which they will have difficulty communicating, which will impact their ability to breed successfully,” said Swaddle.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 122.0 degrees Fahrenheit (50.0 degrees Celsius) at Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 111.8 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 79.9 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 22 and 23 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 13 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection. Twelve (12) of these reported cases are associated with a MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Riyadh city.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits Norfolk Island, Australia.

5.2 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.1 Earthquake hits northern Xinjiang, China.

5.0 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

Fracking in British Columbia

Fracking triggered a 4.4-magnitude earthquake in northeastern B.C. last year, making it one of world's largest earthquakes ever triggered by the controversial process.

B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission confirmed the cause of the earthquake in an email statement this week, saying it was "triggered by fluid injection during hydraulic fracturing."

The 4.4-magnitude quake was felt in Fort St. John and Fort Nelson in August 2014. It was preceded by a 3.8-magnitude earthquake in late July, also caused by fracking.

B.C.'s Oil and Gas Commission said that several companies were doing hydraulic fracturing in the area at the time, and several more were disposing of fracking waste.

Hydraulic fracturing, often called fracking, is the process of injecting water, sand and chemicals at high pressure deep underground to break rock and free gas.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Erika is located about 35 mi...55 km N of Guadeloupe and about 30 mi...45 km se of Antigua with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.

Hurricane Ignacio is located about 1205 mi...1940 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...85 mph...140 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 13 mph...20 km/h.

Tropical Storm Kilo is located about 125 mi...200 km NE of Johnston Island and about 610 mi...985 km WSW of Barking Sands Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...WSW or 245 degrees at 1 mph...2 km/h.

Tropical Storm Jimena is located about 845 mi...1365 km SSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

NewsBytes:

North Korea - Heavy rain in North Korea killed 40 people, stranded thousands in flash floods and caused "massive" damage on the weekend after 250 mm (9.5 inches) of rain fell over the weekend. About 155mm (6 inches) fell in just three hours on Saturday. More than 11,000 people were forced from their homes or otherwise affected by the floods, which hit the northeastern city of Rajin, near the border with Russia and China, on Saturday and Sunday.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 18 and 21 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 29 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 6 deaths.

Twenty-four (24) of these reported cases are associated with a MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Riyadh city.

First Native Case Of Mosquito-Borne Tropical Disease Chinkungunya Confirmed In Spain

The European Centre for Disease Prevention & Control (ECDC) confirmed the first case of the tropical disease chinkungunya to be transmitted in Spain on August 21.

"This is the first chikungunya case reported from Spain without travel history to endemic areas,˝ said the ECDC report.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Lava extrusion into the volcano's lava dome continues at moderate intensity. Small incandescent avalanches are sometimes visible on night-time webcam images. Steaming and weak to moderate ash emissions accompany this activity.

Manam (Papua New Guinea): Ash emissions occurred Tuesday (25th), producing a plume at 8,000 ft (2.4 km) altitude that extended 100 km to the west. (Darwin VAAC)

Raung (East Java): A few days ago, the official alert level of the volcano has been lowered to 2 (out of 4). It seems that no, or almost no eruptive activity has taken place at the volcano over the past days. What probably was the volcano's most significant eruption in at least 100 years, is probably over.

Dukono (Halmahera): Activity remains intense. Darwin VAAC spotted ash emissions that rose 1-2 km above the volcano and drifted up to 100 km to the west.

Colima (Western Mexico): Activity seems to have decreased over the past days. Explosions have been much weaker and almost absent recently.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): No significant changes have occurred. The volcano continues to produce near-continuous ash plumes that rise 1-2 km above the summit and drift into westerly directions. Volcanic tremor is continuous at the moment.

Tungurahua (Ecuador): Activity at the volcano increased since Tuesday (25 Aug), the volcano observatory reported. From 03:05 local time, seismic activity increased with the appearance of tremor accompanying ash emissions. Black, hence likely juvenile (from fresh magma) ash fell on Chontapamba Pillate, Bilbao and Juive Grande is recorded. Subsequently, 5 explosions were recorded starting at 05:57. The intensity of these increased progressively, the strongest occurring at 08:05.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The eruption that began last Monday continues. Lava output is much lower now (approx 10 cubic meters / second) than in the beginning (30 cu m/s), but more or less stable. Bad weather during the past two days prevented more detailed observations. A heavy cloud of volcanic fog (SO2 droplets) encompasses most of the Enclos and parts of the southern La Réunion island.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits north of Ascension Island.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Erika is located about 390 mi...630 km E of Antigua with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 18 mph...30 km/h. Hazards affecting land: wind: tropical storm conditions are expected to first reach the warning area in the Leeward Islands tonight, and reach the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico on Thursday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area tonight and early Thursday. Rainfall: Erika is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 2 to 4 inches with maximum amounts of 8 inches across portions of the Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico through Friday morning.

Tropical Storm Ignacio is located about 1485 mi...2385 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 260 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

Tropical Depression Kilo is located about 160 mi...255 km NE of Johnston Island and about 585 mi...940 km WSW of Barking Sands Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WSW or 240 degrees at 5 mph...7 km/h.

Tropical Storm Loke is located about 370 mi...595 km NNE of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...NW or 325 degrees at 21 mph...33 km/h.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Alaska - Searchers in Alaska on Tuesday recovered the third and last body of three people who went missing after a landslide last week on Aug. 18. The landslide that carried mud and trees sweeping down a road occurred after 24 hours of heavy rain in the mountainous community in Alaska's southeastern tip.

Environment

Garbage Islands Are Swamping Oceans

In the oceans, you can find eight million tonnes of garbage, which is enough to choke five carrier bags for every foot of coastline in the world. As these are carried by ocean currents, they pile up to five giant 'garbage islands' that swirl around the world's major ocean gyres.

Annually, the planet spews between 8 million and 12.7 million tons of plastic bottles, bags, toys and other plastic rubbish into the oceans.

Nasa has now created a "visualisation of this pollution" showing how humanity is degrading the oceans. Scientists are releasing some buoys into the oceans to track the progress of the garbage.

Visualisation can be watched here .

Global Warming

Huge Chunk Breaks Off Greenland Glacier

The evidence that climate change and global warming are real and a threat to mankind continues to pile up. The most recent piece of evidence is news that Greenland's famous Jakobshavn Glacier has just calved off a huge chunk, in one of the largest glacier calvings ever recorded. The iceberg that sank the Titantic is thought to have broken off from the Jakobshavn glacier.

Based on data from the European Space Agency, the iceberg that separated from the glacier has an area of 12.5 square kilometres and is nearly 1,400 meters deep. The total volume of the massive iceberg is projected at close to 17.5 cubic kilometres. The ice chunk broke off from Greenland's Jakobshavn Glacier between August 14 and 16.

There is no doubt that Greenland is a huge contributor to the current rise in sea levels (around a millimetre per year), and all of its ice together represents a potential 20 feet of total sea level rise. However, given all of the area involved and technical limitations, researchers are simply not able to monitor all of the losses of Greenland's ice sheet with great accuracy.

Wildlife

Rare Sea Creature Spotted In South Pacific

A type of a sea creature known as a nautilus, not seen for more than 30 years and thought perhaps extinct, has been spotted in the South Pacific, researchers say.

Nautiluses - small, distant relatives of cuttlefish and squid -- are ancient animals, sometimes referred to as "living fossils" because the creatures' distinctive spiral shells have been showing up in the fossil record for the last 500 million years.

The particular nautilus in question, Allonautilus scrobiculatus, was rediscovered in waters of Papua New Guinea's Ndrova Island by University of Washington biologists Peter Ward after originally discovering it in 1984.

Considered one of the rarest animals on Earth, it hasn't been seen since.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Santiaguito (Guatemala): A stronger than usual explosion occurred yesterday morning at 08:43 local time, producing a plume that rose approx. 2 km above the lava dome and generated small pyroclastic flows. INSIVUMEH reported that the lava flow to the east side of the dome remains weakly active, generating small avalanches.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): The eruption continues with similar activity as during the past days, with a gradually increasing trend. Accompanied by near-continuous tremor, the volcano now produces almost constant, dense ash plumes rising up to 2 km and drifting into westerly directions, reaching the Pacific Ocean. The current phase of near-continuous emissions started during the night 22-23 Aug, when volcanic tremor appeared suddenly at 21:41 local time. The next day, after 18 hours, 2 mm of new brown ash fall had accumulated on the western side in the Cotopaxi National Park.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): The eruption that started yesterday continues, but only one of several fissures (east of the Rivals crater), that opened last night remains active over a length of 100 m. A small cone has been built at its upper end, approx. 140 m east of Rivals crater. Strombolian activity occurs from this vent, while 3 other vents lower on the fissure continue to produce lava fountains and feed a lava flow that slowly advances towards the Grandes Pentes. The volcano observatory reports that both tremor and lava effusion rates have been dropping, first rapidly after the first, most intense two hours last night and more slowly since.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.5 Earthquake hits Tonga.

5.5 Earthquake hits off the west coast of northern Sumatra, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical Storm Erika is located about 750 mi...1205 km E of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 20 mph...31 km/h.

Tropical Storm 17w (Atsani), located approximately 1065 nm south of Petropavlovsk, Russia, is tracking east-northeastward at 20 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 81 nm northwest of Iwakuni, Japan, is tracking north-northeastward at 13 knots.

Tropical Depression Kilo is located about 185 mi...300 km NE of Johnston Island and about 640 mi...1035 km WSW of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...N or 360 degrees at 8 mph...13 km/h.

Hurricane Loke is located about 205 mi...335 km E of Midway Island and about 120 mi...195 km ENE of Pearl and Hermes Atoll with maximum sustained winds...75 mph...120 km/h. Present movement...NNE or 25 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

Tropical Depression Twelve-E is located about 1610 mi...2595 km ESE of Hilo Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 275 degrees at 5 mph...7 km/h.

Invest 96E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Australia - A tornado in the New South Wales town of Dubbo has damaged at least seven houses, scattered debris and uprooted trees. Roads were flooded across Sydney and the Illawarra, with the emergency services rescuing people stranded in cars after driving into floodwaters.

Turkey - At least eight people have died and two are missing due to floods and landslides in Turkey's Black Sea province of Artvin. Heavy rainfall has paralysed life in Artvin and its districts of Arhavi, Hopa and Borça. The main road linking the three districts has also been blocked to traffic due to the floods.

Kent, England - Dead rats are floating in the streets of Tunbridge Wells after flash floods swept the town last evening and more rain is expected to fall tonight.

Wildlife

Micro-sensors on honey bees to help solve mass deaths

Australian scientists revealed on Tuesday they are using micro-sensors attached to honey bees as part of a global push to understand the key factors driving a worldwide population decline of the pollinators.

There has been a sharp plunge in the population of honey bees, which pollinate about 70 per cent of global crops, or one-third of food that humans eat including fruits and vegetables, raising fears over food security.

Researchers have said the falling hive numbers were caused by threats such as the sudden death of millions of adult insects in beehives — known as “colony collapse disorder” — a bloodsucking mite called Varroa, pesticides and climate change.

The sensors, 2.5 millimetres (0.1 inches) in width and breadth and weighing 5.4 milligrams (0.0002 ounces) — lighter than pollen that bees collect — are glued to the back of European honey bees. Sophisticated data collection receptors are also built into hives.

About 10,000 bees and their hives in the southern island state of Tasmania have been tagged, with others set to be monitored in the cities of Sydney and Canberra.

Around the same number of bees in Brazil were also being monitored by researchers, with interest expressed from scientists in Europe and North America, Fitt said.

Australia’s bee populations have not been devastated as the island continent has yet to be affected by the Varroa mite.

In countries such as the US, beekeepers lost 42 per cent of colonies over the 12 months to May this year — the second-worst year on record for US bee mortality, with the worst season reported in 2012-13, the US Department of Agriculture have estimated.

Environment

Tropical forests almost the size of India set to be axed by 2050

Tropical forests covering an area nearly the size of India are set to be destroyed in the next 35 years, a faster rate of deforestation than previously thought, a study warned on Monday.

The Washington-based Centre for Global Development, using satellite imagery and data from 100 countries, predicted 289 million hectares (714 million acres) of tropical forests would be felled by 2050. The results will have dangerous implications for accelerating climate change, the centre’s study said.

Deforestation contributes to climate change as forests store carbon while acting as a filter taking the heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas out of the atmosphere.

If current trends continue, tropical deforestation will add 169 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by 2050, the equivalent of running 44,000 coal-fired power plants for a year, the study’s lead author said.

Disease

Southern Taiwan hit by dengue fever outbreak

The authorities in Taiwan are struggling to cope with an outbreak of dengue fever in the south of the island, with 2 000 infections reported.

More than 100 new cases of dengue fever have been reported everyday in the city of Tainan since Monday last week. The outbreak has killed four people in the city, all elderly in their 70s who had chronic disease.

Dengue fever is spread by mosquito bites and early diagnosis markedly lowers the risk of serious illness, according to the World Health Organisation.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Aso (Kyushu): Activity has been low during the past days, with only intense steaming and dilute ash emissions from the Nakadake crater. Incandescence continues to be visible from the main vent, suggesting magma remains close to the surface.

Sangeang Api (Indonesia): A thermal hot spot of moderate intensity from the volcano's summit continues to be visible on satellite data, suggesting some weak activity continues there. A steam plume can be seen rising from the volcano's summit where a small lava dome might be growing.

Ubinas (Peru): A series of small explosions occurred today, producing ash plumes that rose up to approx. 700 m above the crater and drifted northeast.

Piton de la Fournaise (La Réunion): A new eruption started at the volcano this evening. Following a brief seismic crisis that triggered an eruption alarm, an eruptive fissure opened south of Dolomieu crater at 18:50 local time. It is producing impressive lava fountains and a branching lava flow.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits offshore Coquimbo, Chile.

5.2 Earthquake hits Coquimbo, Chile.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Komandorskiye Ostrova region, Russia.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 500 nm east-southeast of Yokosuka, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 11 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 82 nm north-northwest of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking northeastward at 21 knots.

Tropical Depression Danny is located about 20 mi...30 km S of Guadeloupe with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 275 degrees at 12 mph...19 km/h.

Tropical Depression Kilo is located about 695 mi...1120 km SW of Lihue Hawaii and about 160 mi...255 km se of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NW or 315 degrees at 7 mph...11 km/h.

Tropical Storm Loke is located about 270 mi...435 km S of Midway Island and about 275 mi...440 km WSW of Lisianski Island with maximum sustained winds...65 mph...105 km/h. Present movement...NE or 35 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

Invest 97L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 98L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 95E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

China - At least three people died and eight people remain missing in a landslide in Yunnan Province in China. Some 200 rescue workers using excavators and sniffer dogs have been searching for the eight people who are unaccounted for.

Turkey - A continuous downpour that began late on Saturday in Istanbul caused flash floods and disrupted traffic and daily life in some parts of the city up until Sunday afternoon.

Global Warming

Climate change and Earth's Boreal Forests

Boreal forests cover the northernmost regions of Canada, Russia, Alaska, and Scandinavia, and make up about 30 percent of the planet’s total forest area. But now experts say that they are being threatened by warmer temperatures brought on by climate change.

The boreal forest, which is sometimes called by its Russian name “the taiga,” is a belt of coniferous trees that sprawl across North America and Eurasia. Lying atop formerly glaciated areas and places with patchy permafrost, these forests are subject to varying environmental conditions.

Although he boreal forests remain largely intact, they face the most severe expected temperature increases anywhere on Earth. Some parts of Siberia are likely to eventually become 11 C warmer. That will bring greater precipitation, but not enough to compensate for the dryness caused by hotter weather. A drier boreal will suffer new diseases, insect infestations and vast wildfires.

The forests can't go so far to the north. The speed at which forests can move forward is very slow, about 100 metres a decade.

Environment

New map reveals how the world would appear without humans

Researchers have created the first estimate of how the world's mammal diversity map would have appeared if modern man had never existed.

The world map constructed for the natural diversity of large mammals shows far greater distribution of high large-mammal diversity across most of the world, with particularly high levels in North and South America, areas that are currently relatively poor in large mammals.

The natural diversity of large mammals as it would appear without the impact of modern man (Homo sapiens). The figure shows the variation in the number of large mammals (45 kg or larger) that would have occurred per 100 x 100 kilometre grid cell. The numbers on the scale indicate the number of species.

The current diversity of large mammals. It can clearly be seen that large numbers of species virtually only occur in Africa, and that there are generally far fewer species throughout the world than there could have been.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The likelihood of a feared larger eruption seems to be decreasing as the volcano has slowly been resuming small explosive activity and shots of the crater show the presence of fresh lava. This could mean that the conduit is not as strongly blocked as feared and could allow the volcano to return to a more regular eruption style, where pressure is released more gradually.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): Small pyroclastic flows were observed during the past days, mostly originating from the active eastern lava lobe. Recent photos of the summit show no major changes during the past weeks, but suggest that lava effusion continues to slowly build up the dome and the two active lobes, which are now prone to potentially larger collapses and associated flows. A safety radius of 7 km from the volcano is recommended.

Fuego (Guatemala): The volcano's activity remains low to moderate.

Reventador (Ecuador): The volcano's activity remains at similar levels as during the past weeks. Lava continues to be extruded from the summit crater, producing frequent small to moderate explosions. No sustained lava flow is currently active.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): Ash emissions have been increasing and producing plumes that rose 2 km above the summit and drifted west for over 50 km. Ash fall occurred in several populated areas including Mulalo, Chaupi, Lasso, Machachi, Aloag, Tambillo. Activity at the volcano remains more or less similar with moderately strong, near continuous ash emissions producing a plume rising approx. 2 km and drifting in a westerly direction.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.2 Earthquake hits offshore El Salvador.

5.1 Earthquake hits Nepal.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 445 nm southeast of Yokosuka, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 07 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 281 nm west-southwest of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking westward at 06 knots.

Tropical Storm Danny is located about 360 mi...580 km E of Guadeloupe and about 395 mi...635 km ESE of Antigua with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 275 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

Tropical Depression Kilo is located about 510 mi...820 km SW of Honolulu Hawaii and about 490 mi...785 km E of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 285 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.

Tropical Storm Loke is located about 615 mi...985 km SSW of Midway Island and about 670 mi...1080 km WNW of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...40 mph...65 km/h. Present movement...NNW or 345 degrees at 9 mph...15 km/h.

Invest 97L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 98L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 95E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

India - Monsoon flooding killed at least 14 people and forced around 200,000 to leave their water-logged homes and take shelter in state-run camps this past week in India's northeastern Assam state, officials said Saturday. The army used boats to rescue marooned people in northern and western parts of the state. The flooding is the worst in the past three years, affecting nearly 600,000 people in 19 of the state's 27 districts, officials said.

Wildlife

Lions Mysteriously Fall Ill in Northern Uganda

Wildlife officials in Uganda are stumped by a mysterious illness among the lions of Kidepo Valley National Park that has left the big cats emaciated and “docile”.

Kampala’s The Observer newspaper reports that within the past month, the sickness has affected almost all of the park’s lions, located in the north of the country near the borders of South Sudan and Kenya.

Charles Tumwesigye, the deputy director in charge of conservation at the Uganda Wildlife Authority, says experts will examine samples taken from some of the sick lions.

“We have a feeling that it could be partly starvation because we don’t seem to have very many prey animals for the lions in Kidepo,” Tumwesigye told the daily.

He adds that the larger animals currently roaming the park, like buffaloes, are not easy for a lion to take down.

A regal male lion photographed earlier this year in Uganda's remote Kidepo Valley National Park, where the bigcats have mysteriously fallen ill.

Bats facing extinction on Western Ghats, India

Wildlife experts and conservationists have warned that bats are facing extinction in India's Western Ghats due to increasing human activities and destruction of forests. Several species of bats residing in India are finding it increasingly difficult to adjust with varying landscape resulting due to deforestation. They cites reasons including increased use of agricultural land and growing human population for the impact on bats. A team of experts from University of Leeds in Britain, Nature Conservation Foundation, Mysore and National Centre for Biological Sciences conducted a survey of different bats species in the southern Western Ghats in order to study the impact of plantation and rainforest fragmentation on them.

The study showed that some bat species can adjust with coffee plantations. Experts said that the reaming part of the forest and wildlife friendly agriculture can help save the bats from extinction. Western Ghats is among the most biodiverse regions in the world and it is also densely populated. The modern development and land-use transformation have left just 6 per cent of the natural habitat. The experts used Geographic Information System (GIS) computer modelling to study association between different bat species.

Wildfires

Wildfires - USA

Reduced winds on Saturday helped firefighters gain the upper hand against a series of giant wildfires in north-central Washington that earlier left four firefighters dead.

The Okanogan Complex of wildfires was measured at 355 square miles on Saturday, about 100 miles larger than Friday, fire spokesman Rick Isaacson said. But the flames were moving away from population centers in Okanogan County, which by land area is the largest in Washington state. Thousands of people in the county remained under evacuation orders of various levels after strong winds drove flames across parched ground earlier this week.

Northwest Oregon is currently experiencing fire danger not seen in recent memory and weather forecasts don't provide any relief. Forest fuels are at record dry levels and forecasts for this weekend indicate it will continue to be hot and dry. Everyone should be concerned.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.2 Earthquake hits Rota, North Mariana Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 528 nm south-southeast of Yokosuka, Japan, is tracking northward at 06 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 447 nm southwest of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking westward at 06 knots.

Typhoon Goni claims six lives after torrential rain triggers landslides and floods in Luzon in the northern Philippines.

Hurricane Danny is located about 740 mi...1195 km E of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds...100 mph...155 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Tropical Depression Kilo is located about 450 mi...725 km SSW of Hilo Hawaii and about 560 mi...900 km S of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.

Tropical Storm Loke is located about 765 mi...1235 km S of Midway Island and about 510 mi...820 km W of Johnston Island with maximum sustained winds...45 mph...75 km/h. Present movement...N or 360 degrees at 5 mph...7 km/h.

Invest 97L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 95E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Argentina - Argentine wheat output will likely fall this season after record storms lashed the Pampas grains belt, making it difficult for Argentina to compete in a global export market saturated by bumper harvests in western Europe and the Black Sea region. A key supplier of wheat to neighbouring Brazil and the world's top exporter of soymeal livestock feed, Argentina is one of a handful of key international food suppliers at a time when both global demand and weather-related risks are rising.

Global Warming

Irrigation and Climate Change Threaten African Crops

While the prediction of a warmer and wetter climate for sub-Saharan Africa over the next 20 years holds the promise of a better life for the region’s farmers, researchers warn it could also attract an invasion of foreign pests.

The use of irrigation, combined with climate change, could create conditions that lure insects like the tomato leaf miner, according to researchers from Kenya’s International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre.

The troublesome pest attacks crops such as peppers, potatoes, eggplant and tobacco. Native to South America, the insect reached Europe in 2006 and has since spread across the Middle East and into Africa.

Writing in the journal PLOS ONE, researchers warn that irrigation and climate change to the south of the Sahara will create a warm and moist environment in which crop-eating insects from other tropical countries and continents can thrive.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

A so-called fire rainbow filled the sky with a haze of colors over South Carolina on Sunday (Aug. 16). Tthe halos of light have nothing to do with fire or rainbows, and form when sunlight hits ice crystals rather than raindrops.

Environment

Electrojet Threatens Tropical Power Grids

Electricity grids in parts of the world once thought to be safe from power surges brought on by solar storms are actually at considerable risk, according to a new study.

Powerful geomagnetic storms triggered by solar flares have crashed grids across parts of North America and Europe, while those in the tropics have always been thought to be safe.

But, writing in the journal Geophysical Research Letters, Boston College space physicist Brett Carter says that a naturally occurring flow of current about 60 miles above Earth’s equatorial region can be amplified enough even during relatively quiet periods of space weather to damage power grids.

This primarily affects grids in low-latitude developing countries that have typically not been built to withstand such a geomagnetic shock.

The equatorial electrojet streaks across the daytime side of the planet above parts of Africa, South America, Southeast Asia and southern India.

Carter’s findings are likely to prompt other scientists to examine the potential weakness of power infrastructures in the developing countries that lie beneath the electrojet’s path.

“I think this is cause for a new way of looking at the impact of adverse space weather in a largely unstudied region, where health and economic well-being are increasingly reliant on dependable power infrastructure,” said Carter.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 13 and 17 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 19 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death. Fifteen (15) of these reported cases are associated with a MERS-CoV outbreak currently occurring in a hospital in Riyadh.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): According to Japanese scientists, the scenario of a major eruption at the volcano is becoming more and more likely. The Asahi Shimbun news agency sent a drone to photograph the crater, confirming that a flat dome is currently blocking the conduit.

This blockage explains the near absence of explosions since mid July and suggests that internal pressure is increasing. The question is, simply put, when will it blow up and how much will come out?

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits eastern New Guinea, Papua New Guinea.

4.8 Earthquake hits Kahule in Nepal and triggers a landslide in Kushav Tamang which killed one person.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 261 nm east of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking north-northwestward at 09 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 292 nm north-northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking westward at 05 knots.

Tropical Storm Danny is located about 985 mi...1590 km ESE of the Leeward Islands with maximum sustained winds...85 mph...140 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 290 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Tropical Depression Three-C is located about 570 mi...915 km SSE of Hilo Hawaii and about 760 mi...1220 km se of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...WNW or 300 degrees at 15 mph...24 km/h.

Tropical Depression Four-C is located about 505 mi...810 km W of Johnston Island and about 870 mi...1400 km S of Midway Island with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NNE or 30 degrees at 6 mph...9 km/h.

Invest 97L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

China - Flooding in three central Chinese provinces has left at least 13 people dead and 13 others missing and disrupted the lives of nearly 1 million people, state media reported Thursday. Heavy rains and flooding struck Sichuan, Guizhou and Hunan provinces starting Sunday, causing widespread damage, the Xinhua News Agency reported. Worst-hit was Sichuan's Xuyong county, where mud and debris filled streets up to the second floor of some buildings and about half a million people were affected. Mudslides also destroyed dozens of homes and cut power and communications to the area, which lies in a flood plain at the base of steep mountains.

India - The army was called out to assist the civil authorities in Kokrajhar and a few other districts as the flood situation in Assam turned grim on Thursday, affecting about three lakh people in 13 districts. Over 85,000 people have been shifted to 124 relief camps set up in the flood-affected districts.

Wildlife

Gray Wolf Returns to California

On a Northern California hiking trail near the Cascades’ Mount Shasta, two all-black adult wolves and five 4-month-old pups have been captured on film. It’s the first time in modern history that a gray wolf pack has been seen in the state since its population was hunted to extinction nearly a century ago.

California’s gray wolf population was believed to be wiped out in the 1920s. Across the United States, settlers had done their best to kill them off to protect livestock and use their charcoal-colored coats. As a result, the species was listed as endangered in 1973 and, although California had no known gray wolves left, the state declared them endangered just last year.

Environment

Global Temperature Extremes

The week's hottest temperature was 123.0 degrees Fahrenheit (50.5 degrees Celsius) at Death Valley, California, USA.

The week's coldest temperature was minus 109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 78.3 degrees Celsius) at Russia's Vostok Antarctic research station.

Temperatures were tabulated from the more than 10,000 worldwide synoptic weather stations. The United Nations World Meteorological Organization sets the standards for weather observations, and provides a global telecommunications circuit for data distribution.

Environment

July was Earth's hottest month on record

July was the hottest month on Earth since records began, averaging 16.6 C (61.9 F), according to US scientists.

That is 0.08 degrees higher than the previous record, set in July 1998 - a significant margin in weather records.

Wildfires

Wildfires - USA

Here's a look at the large wildfires burning in several Western states:

WASHINGTON

Authorities say three firefighters died after their vehicle crashed and was apparently caught by a "hellstorm" of flames as they battled a blaze in Washington state. Four other firefighters were injured near Twisp.

The news came after officials urged people in the popular outdoor-recreation centers of Twisp and Wintrop, in the scenic Methow River valley about 115 miles northeast of Seattle, to evacuate.

Firefighters on several fronts were fighting against wildfires advancing on towns in the north-central part of the state.

A larger group of fires burning to the east covered about 50 square miles and prompted the evacuation of Conconully, home to about 200 people — with further urgent evacuation orders issued Wednesday night for an area south of Conconully to the Omak town line.

Authorities warned that more high winds Thursday could make conditions very challenging. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for the eastern portion of the state until 5 p.m. Friday. Officials said temperatures will climb above 90 degrees and relative humidity will drop as low as 14 percent.

CALIFORNIA

There are 16 wildfires burning in California with more than 10,000 firefighters on the front lines as crews contend with abnormally high temperatures for the season and drought-stressed fuels that haven't burned in 30 years.

Among the blazes is a fast-moving grass fire that has scorched nearly 4 square miles of dry brush near Livermore.

At least one unoccupied home was destroyed in the rural area Wednesday. The Carnegie State Vehicular Recreation Area, a popular motorbike terrain park, was evacuated after the flames were reported Wednesday afternoon. The fire is about 5 percent contained.

A blaze burning for nearly three weeks on the western slope of the Sierra Nevada surged in size in a recreation area outside Kings Canyon National Park where more than 2,500 campers, hikers, employees and residents have been evacuated this week.

OREGON

Crews gained ground overnight in their battle against a wildfire in eastern Oregon that destroyed 36 homes and was threatening 500 more.

Since starting from a lightning strike last week, the fire has burned through 84 square miles, mostly in the Malheur National Forest. It was 10 percent contained Thursday morning. Various evacuation orders remained in effect.

There are 649 firefighters assigned to the blaze, one of 11 large fires burning across Oregon.

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell and Gov. Kate Brown were to be visit the fire command post on Wednesday at the Grant County Fairgrounds, where food, clothing and household goods for victims were being handed out.

IDAHO

Firefighters battling blazes in Idaho braced for tough conditions Thursday with temperatures expected in the 90s along with winds of 25 mph and low humidity.

Nearly 700 firefighters supported by 39 fire engines and aircraft continue to work on a group of fires near Kamiah in northern Idaho that has destroyed 42 homes. But containment is only 30 percent on the fires that have scorched 61 square miles.

In west-central Idaho, federal officials closed a portion of the Payette National Forest due to a 10-square mile fire burning about 20 miles northwest of McCall.

Local authorities have lifted evacuation notices along the U.S. Highway 95 corridor.

Fire officials say fire lines were bolstered overnight but list the fire as having no containment due to heavy fuel loads in the area and expected strong winds.

MONTANA

Fourteen homes threatened by fire were being evacuated Wednesday in northwestern Montana's Kootenai National Forest.

The houses are in a canyon on a highway north of the small town of Noxon. One fire is burning about a quarter-mile away from the nearest home, fire spokesman John Head said.

The residents of at least 20 more residences south of the evacuation area have been given notice that they may have to leave, too.

Multiple lightning-caused fires are burning more than 3 square miles in the largely rural area.

Disease

Typhoid in Syria

Typhoid has broken out among residents of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in Syria, the United Nations said on Wednesday, warning of further disease outbreaks unless aid reached the camp because of the appalling conditions there.

Eleven cases of typhoid were confirmed by the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA), which gained access to residents from the Yarmouk camp for the first time since June in nearby Yalda, where it carried out more than 200 medical consultations.

Typhoid is contracted by drinking or eating contaminated matter and symptoms include nausea, fever, and abdominal pain. Untreated, the disease can lead to complications in the gut and head which can kill up to one in five patients.

Foot and Mouth Disease - Zimbabwe

International beef exports remain suspended for nearly 15 years due to continued outbreaks of the foot and mouth disease across the country. Government efforts to eradicate the disease have proved fruitless.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Etna (Sicily, Italy): Etna has been mostly calm during the past months. However, signs of unrest have appeared in the form of dilute ash emissions from the central crater (Voragine). The emissions originate probably from older material, but according to volcanologists, magma is not far from the surface.

Karymsky (Kamchatka): The volcano is currently in a comparably more active phase. Reports of ash plumes from stronger strombolian to vulcanian type explosions have become more frequent. This morning, Tokyo VAAC reported a plume reaching 12,000 ft (3.6 km) altitude drifting north from the volcano.

Shiveluch (Kamchatka): Slow growth of the lava dome continues although the volcano has been comparably calm recently. Only smaller collapses and associated pyroclastic flows and ash plumes (such as one on 19 Aug) occurred.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): A pancake-shaped flat dome of lava has been detected inside the Showa summit crater. This type of dome is typical for moderately viscous and gas-poor lava (typically andesitic composition) extruded at subduction-zone stratovolcanoes. The alert level of the volcano remains at 4 out of 5. One possibility is that the dome corresponds to older lava from the upper conduit that has been pushed out by a rising batch of fresher lava still inside the volcano.

Manam (Papua New Guinea): A small explosion occurred this morning. Darwin VAAC reported an ash plume to 7,000 ft (2.1 km) altitude extending 8 km ESE from the volcano.

Sinabung (Sumatra, Indonesia): An explosion from the summit dome occurred yesterday morning, producing a plume that rose approx. 2 km. Occasional smaller pyroclastic flows continued to occur during the past weeks as well, as the lava dome and its active lobes remain weakly active.

Merapi (Central Java, Indonesia): A reported ash plume yesterday has been confirmed to be from a bush fire. The volcano remains calm.

Dukono (Halmahera): Several ash plumes have been observed during the past days rising from the volcano and drifting up to 50 km NE.

Colima (Western Mexico): Explosions every few hours continue to occur, sending plumes of ash to 2-3 km above the volcano's summit crater.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): The volcano continues to be relatively calm. Modest ash emissions occurred yesterday morning producing plumes that rose a few 100 m above the summit and were then pushed down by strong winds along the flank of the volcano.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.7 Earthquake hits the Molucca Sea.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Lake Mweru region, Congo-Zambia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Super Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 436 nm east-southeast of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 315 nm north-northeast of Manila, Philippines, is tracking westward at 06 knots.

Tropical Storm Danny is located about 1200 mi...1930 km E of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 10 mph...17 km/h.

Invest 93C is an area of disturbed weather in the Central Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 94C is an area of disturbed weather in the Central Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 97L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Washington, USA

The Okanogan County Sheriff's Office says three firefighters have died and four more have suffered injuries as raging wildfires advance on the towns of Twisp and Winthrop in north-central Washington. The three firefighters who died were engaged in the initial firefighting attack near Twisp and were involved in a vehicle accident before the fire overtook their vehicle.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): The most recent radar measurements done by ALOS-2 satellite of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) show that the summit of the volcano has inflated by the enormous amount of approx. 16 cm during the interval 4 Jan - 17 August this year. This suggests that a significant batch of new magma is currently stored in the volcano's upper plumbing system and the question remains when and how it might erupt. While surface activity at the volcano has remained very calm, authorities continue to prepare for the possible scenario of a major eruption in the near future. More worrying signs of volcanic unrest started to appear: according to FNN News, volcanic gas releases have been detected at the sea floor of the Futatsumata Port on the northern shore of Sakurajima peninsula (located approx 4 km from summit).

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): volcano remains calm. Only low-energy degassing is being observed from the summit crater. During yesterday's overflight, no significant changes to the crater morphology have been detected. The explosions from Friday and Saturday were likely phreatic in origin, i.e. did not involve fresh magma directly.

Barren Island (Indian Ocean): An ash plume was reported this morning, at estimated 5,000 ft (1.5 km) altitude, extending 50 km to the east from the island (VAAC Darwin). This suggests that a new phase of activity is occurring at the volcano. A moderately strong hot spot also visible on satellite data since mid August.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Barat Daya, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Super Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 678 nm east-southeast of Iwo To, Japan, is tracking northwestward at 11 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 457 nm south of Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan, is tracking westward at 14 knots.

Tropical Storm Danny is located about 1445 mi...2325 km E of the Lesser Antilles with maximum sustained winds...50 mph...85 km/h. Present movement...W or 280 degrees at 14 mph...22 km/h.

Invest 93C is an area of disturbed weather in the Central Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

India - A massive landslide in Manikaran Sahib Gurdwara in Himachal Pradesh, India has claimed the lives of at least 8 people and injured 10 others.

Uruguay - Following a period of drought, Uruguay has been hit by two weeks of heavy rains causing floods that have forced a record 5,132 people, mostly children and elderly, to leave their homes and take refuge in government-assisted shelters where they are provided with food and accommodation, according to Uruguay's news agency El Pais. While to date no casualties have been reported, the number of evacuees is expected to rise. Two weeks of heavy rains have caused the country's rivers Olimar, Yi and Uruguay to rise above the level defined by authorities as safe and have provoked floods in different provinces. The floods come after a period of drought that forced Uruguayan authorities to limit the use of drinking water late July.

Hungary - A downpour in Budapest triggered flash floods in the Hungarian capital, disrupting electricity and snarling public transport.

Wildfires

Wildfires - USA - Overview

Wildfires continue to rage along the United States' West Coast, endangering people and property and stretching thin the resources available to fight them.

The National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) reports about 30,000 wildland firefighters and support personnel are fighting wildfires in 10 states. And it appears to be only getting worse – on Tuesday, 16 new large fires were reported, mostly in Idaho and Montana.

The total number of large active fires stands at 88, with 21 in Idaho, 17 in Washington, 16 in California, 14 in Montana and 11 in Oregon.

The NIFC has requested 200 active duty military personnel to help battle the wildfires.

The year-to-date acres burned is now about 7.1 million acres. This is the earliest the number of national acres burned has been more than 7 million in the past 20 years. About 72 percent of the current year-to-date acres burned are from the large fires in Alaska earlier this summer. The NIFC reports active fires are spread over 1,186,753 acres.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Karymsky (Kamchatka): The volcano had an explosion this morning that produced an ash plume that rose to 15,000 ft and drifted SE.

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Activity has actually decreased and been relatively low at the volcano during the past days. However, the risk of a major eruption remains according to the Japan Meteorological Agency who maintains alert level 4 (preparation for evacuation).

Karangetang (Siau Island, Sangihe Islands, Indonesia): Thermal signals from the volcano have been increasing over the past days, suggesting that the lava output at the summit crater has increased. This could again again to dangerous pyroclastic flows if the lava dome or lava flows become unstable on the steep upper flanks of the volcano. Such flows can easily reach inhabited areas. During the past months (at least since May) the volcano has been constantly active with a weakly alimented lava flow on the upper southern flank, which has been generating frequent incandescent rock falls. It decreased during July, but a new phase of more violent activity might be in the making now and could make new evacuations necessary. Alert level of the volcano remains at 3 (out of 4).

Raung (East Java): It seems that at least some activity has resumed again. Several observers reported a light ash plume rising from the volcano and drifting SW.

Dukono (Halmahera): Ash emissions from the volcano continue to be intense. This morning, an ash plume extended 50 km ENE.

Colima (Western Mexico): Explosive activity continues with sometimes relatively strong eruptions every few hours.

Popocatépetl (Central Mexico): Activity at the volcano, relatively low at the moment, has remained more or less unchanged. Lava is slowly being extruded in the inner summit crater and occasionally produces small explosions and less vigorous degassing events ("exhalations"). CENAPRED reported yesterday: "In the last 24 hours the seismic records of the survillance system of Popocatepetl volcano registered 9 very-low-intensity exhalations. Through mounted cameras on the volcano, the cloudy conditions not allow to observe the volcano continuously, and it was noticed that some of these were along with emissions of steam and gas.

Santiaguito (Guatemala): Activity at the Caliente lava dome remains essentially unchanged. Some explosions produced ash plumes of up to 500 m height and the eastern blocky lava flow remains weakly active.

Pacaya (Guatemala): Weak strombolian activity continues inside the Mackenney crater and produces small plumes of gas and light ash. Glow is visible at night.

Fuego (Guatemala): Activity has decreased during the past days. INSIVUMEH reported only few and relatively weak explosions occurred during yesterday.

Turrialba (Costa Rica): After 3 months of relative quiet, a small eruption occurred at the volcano on Saturday (15 Aug). At 01:47, an explosion of gas and ash generated a plume that rose 500 m. The activiy was preceded by more than five hours of sustained volcanic tremor and increased seismic activity since early on 14 Aug.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): During the night and this morning, some relatively small explosions occurred at the volcano, producing plumes of up to 700 m height.

Tupungatito (Central Chile and Argentina): A volcanic-tectonic earthquake of magnitude 3.2 Richter occurred under the volcano yesterday. The epicenter was at 8.2 km depth 25 kilometers northwest of the main crater. This might announce a period of unrest at the volcano. SERNAGEOMIN keeps alert level at "green", but with "special attention", according to a newspaper article. Tupungatito, the northernmost historically active volcano of the central Chilean Andes, is located on the Chile/Argentina border 99 km east of Santiago capital. It is one of the country's more active volcanoes. Since 1829, frequent small explosive eruptions have been recorded, last in 1986.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Mariana Islands.

5.3 Earthquake hits the Gulf of Aden.

5.1 Earthquake hits Kyushu, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Flores region, Indonesia.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 622 nm east-northeast of Andersen AFB, Guam, is tracking west-northwestward at 09 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 827 nm east-southeast of Taipei, Taiwan, is tracking west-northwestward at 15 knots.

Post-Tropical Cyclone Eleven-E is located about about 1000 mi...1610 km W of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.

Invest 96L remains an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

Invest 93C is an area of disturbed weather in the Central Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

Space Events

Space Weather - Sprites And Trolls At The Edge Of Space

We all know what comes out of the bottom of thunderclouds: lightning. But rarely do we see what comes out of the top. On August 10th, astronauts onboard the International Space Station were perfectly positioned to observe red sprites dancing atop a cluster of storms in Mexico. They snapped this incredible photo:

This shows just how high sprites can go. The photo shows their red forms reaching all the way from the thunderstorm below to a layer of green airglow some 100 km above Earth's surface. This means sprites touch the edge of space, alongside auroras, meteors and noctilucent clouds. They are a true space weather phenomenon.

Global Warming

Central Asian glaciers shrinking fast

Central Asian glaciers have melted at four times the global average since the early 1960s, shedding 27 per cent of their mass, according to a study released today.

By 2050, warmer temperatures driven by climate change could wipe out half the remaining glacier ice in the Tien Shan mountain range, reported the study, published in Nature Geoscience.

At stake is a critical source of water for people in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, as well as a section of northwest China.

“Glaciers are actually huge water stores. They can balance water between wet and dry years,” said co-author Doris Duethmann, a researcher at the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences in Potsdam.

Tien Shan glaciers have lost an average of 5.4 billion tonnes of ice per year since the 1960s, totalling some 3,000 square kilometres (1,158 square miles).

The rate at which the glaciers shrank greatly accelerated in the 1970s and 1980s.

Climate models point to higher summer temperatures in coming decades along the 2,500 kilometres of the Tien Shan range, thus making the glaciers even more vulnerable, the study said.

Environment

Heat Wave in Israel

Forecasters say high humidity levels to intensify heat; Jordan Valley gears up for temperatures up to 48º. A punishing heat wave wracking Israel was set to peak on Sunday, with temperatures projected to rise above 40°C (104°F) in some areas.

In the southern resort city of Eilat, vacationers were expected to brave a sweltering 46ºC (115ºF), while cities and towns in the Jordan Valley will endure a combination of high humidity and blazing heat, with temperatures up to 48ºC (118ºF). In Tiberias, temperatures are expected to climb to 45°C (113ºF). But with 35 percent humidity in the afternoon hours, it will feel more like 58° (136ºF). Meanwhile, at the Dead Sea, the 44ºC weather (111º F) will feel more like 48°C (119ºF) when factoring in humidity. Tel Aviv’s relatively benign 35°C (95ºF) will feel more like 45°C (113ºF), given a whopping 60% humidity rate. Elsewhere in Israel, temperatures were predicted to climb to 42ºC (108º F) in Beersheba, 39ºC (102º F) on the Golan Heights and 35ºC (95º F) in Haifa.

Disease

Middle East Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) – Saudi Arabia

Between 10 and 12 August 2015, the National IHR Focal Point for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia notified WHO of 12 additional cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection, including 1 death.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Reventador (Ecuador): Activity at the volcano remains high, both internally (seismicity) and at the summit crater where viscous lava is being extruded. Occasional explosions and incandescent avalanches, possibly also a short lava flow result from this process.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): No new explosions of significant size have occurred at the volcano during the past 48 hours. Seismic activity remains elevated and suggests that smaller ash emissions continue, however. Whether this is only a pause before another, possibly more violent phase of the eruption or already an end of this episode is too early to say. Ecuador's ministry of civil protection maintains yellow alert for the communities of Francisco, Rumipamba, San Ramón, Mancheno, José Guango Bajo, and San Agustín del Callo (Mulaló).

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.3 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Bonin Islands off Japan.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Typhoon 17w (Atsani), located approximately 326 nm north-northwest of Ujelang, is tracking west-northwestward at 08 knots.

Typhoon 16w (Goni), located approximately 322 nm northwest of Andersen AFB, is tracking west-northwestward at 13 knots.

Tropical Depression Eleven-E is located about 670 mi...1075 km WSW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NW or 310 degrees at 17 mph...28 km/h.

Invest 96L remains an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

India - Six people drowned in flash floods in West Godavari district as heavy rains lashed parts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Sunday.

Wildfires

Wildfires - USA

Wildfires ravaged four Western states Sunday, with scores of homes and cabins lost, and many more menaced by flames.

In Idaho, the Soda Fire has covered 283,686 acres in Owyhee County, in the southeast corner of the state. The fire was 25% contained with 860 people working to bring it under control.

The Lawyer Complex Fire near Kamiah, in northwest Idaho, has destroyed an estimated 50 homes and 75 outbuildings, according to the state's Department of Lands. So far, it is 15% contained, with more than 770 people working to bring the flames under control. It includes the Old Greer, Kamiah Gulch, Lawyer 6 and Adams Grade fires, across a combined total of around 20,759 acres.

Wind-pushed fires around Chelan and McNeil Canyon, in central Washington state, burned 38,793 acres and were 30% contained Sunday afternoon.

300 people are battling the Canyon Creek Complex Fire, which covers 34,143 acres in eastern Oregon. Homes have been lost and crews are doing structural assessments now to figure out how many.

In California's Angeles National Forest, the Cabin Fire started Saturday. By Sunday afternoon, it had burned 1,448 acres and was 20% contained.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Kyushu, Japan): Japanese volcanologist monitoring the volcano warned that a larger eruption could occur in the near future. The alert level of the volcano was raised to the second highest, 4 out of 5, meaning that preparations for evacuations of nearby areas (within a few km from the Showa crater) are in progress. The alert was based on a strong swarm of shallow volcanic earthquakes located beneath the Showa crater. The seismic swarm started around 7 am on 15 Aug (local time), and peaked with almost 180 quakes per hour around noon. It gradually waned, but continues with weaker intensity until now. At the same time, a significant inflation of the Showa crater has been detected. These both are likely caused by the rising of a new batch of magma, which could result in a larger-then-usual eruption.

Raung (East Java): Activity has strongly decreased at the volcano. When we visited Raung during 14-15 August, we observed pulsating, often near-continuous ash emissions that produced plumes of several hundred meters. They often consisted of dark jets of ash, presumably from phreatomagmatic activity inside the conduit. This activity originated from the lower, southwestern vent of the large, double-crater new cinder cone in the eastern part of the caldera. The larger vent to the NE was almost entirely inactive, except two small, very weakly active effusive vents on its inner walls. Occasionally, glowing lava blocks were pushed out from these. The recent lava flow was no longer active. Like a giant pancake, it has completely covered the caldera floor surrounding the large cinder cone. The explosive ash emissions described above stopped during the afternoon of 14 Aug and so far, it seems have not resumed. It appears likely that the eruption has more or less come to an end.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador): The volcano started to erupt, for the first time after more than 70 years, on 14 Aug with a series of 6 very strong explosions. The volcano last erupted in 1940 and possibly 1942. A major hazard of glacier-clad Cotopaxi's eruptions are melt-water floods that can turn in to devastating lahars and threaten an area with approx. 300,000 inhabitants. The first explosion on 14 Aug occurred at 10:50 local time with an ash plume that rose approx. 8000 meters above the summit crater. During the same day, it was followed by 5 more explosions of similar or smaller size. Some of the explosions produced pyroclastic flows. The volcano calmed down a bit during yesterday, but had another explosion in the afternoon. The Ecuadorian government has declared a state of emergency for the area around the volcano and ordered evacuations. During 14 Aug, more than 400 people were evacuated from Loreto del Pedregal village on the northern foot of the volcano.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.4 Earthquake hits the Andreanof Islands in the Aleutian Islands.

5.2 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Pacific-Antarctic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 17w (Atsani), located approximately 289 nm north of Ujelang, is tracking west-southwestward at 04 knots.

Tropical storm 16w (Goni), located approximately 96 nm north-northwest of Andersen AFB, is tracking west-northwestward at 06 knots.

Tropical Depression Eleven-E is located about 475 mi...765 km SW of the southern tip of Baja California with maximum sustained winds...35 mph...55 km/h. Present movement...NW or 305 degrees at 16 mph...26 km/h.

Invest 96L is an area of disturbed weather in the North Atlantic that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Pakistan - Floods in the lower sections of River Indus have affected over 50,000 people in Jamshoro, Sujawal, Thatta. Warnings were also issued to people living in low-lying areas and close to the river bed in Vehari.

Sudan - At least four people died when their houses collapsed during heavy rainfall in Sudan's Sennar state this week.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

6.4 Earthquake hits the Solomon Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

5.6 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

5.5 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.5 Earthquake hits Kepulauan Tanimbar, Indonesia.

5.2 Earthquake hits southern Sumatra, Indonesia.

5.1 Earthquake hits south of Fiji.

5.0 Earthquake hits Papua, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Kermedec Islands.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Tropical storm 17w (Atsani), located approximately 316 nm north of Ujelang, is tracking west-northwestward at 02 knots.

Tropical storm 16w (Goni), located approximately 64 nm east of Rota, is tracking northwestward at 12 knots

Invest 94E remmains an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Britain - Flood warnings have been issued for parts of Staffordshire and Lancashire as heavy rain continues to cause disruption across swaths of the UK.

Niger - At least four people have died and more than 20,000 have been affected by floods in Niger caused by weeks of heavy rain.

Environment

Deadly Air Pollution in China

Outdoor air pollution contributes to the deaths of an estimated 1.6 million people in China every year, or about 4,400 people a day, according to a newly released scientific paper.

The paper maps the geographic sources of China's toxic air and concludes that much of the smog that routinely shrouds Beijing comes from emissions in a distant industrial zone, a finding that may complicate the government's efforts to clean up the capital city's air in time for the 2022 Winter Olympics.

The Chinese government is sensitive about public data showing that air pollution is killing its citizens, or even allusions to such a conclusion.

Researchers concluded that much of the smog afflicting Beijing came not from the city, but from coal-burning factories 200 miles southwest in Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei province and a major industrial hub. Promises to clean up Beijing's air were a center-piece of the nation's bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Nature - Images

Interesting Images:

Photograph of a rare duo — an eerie flash of lightning framed by a glorious rainbow — in Tucson, Arizona on August 9.

Disease

Measles Outbreak in DRC

A major outbreak of measles has killed almost 320 people and infected more than 20,000 in the southeast of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations has announced.

"The toll is heavy and worrying: since January 1, 2015, more than 20,000 cases of measles have been registered in Katanga province alone" and "almost 320 people have died", the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement this week.

"Dozens of others may have succumbed to the illness but they don't figure on official records," the statement added.

The outbreak in mineral-rich Katanga is the worst since 2011.

Wildfires

Wildfires - Idaho, USA

Wildfire season accelerated in Idaho on Thursday as evacuations were ordered in the northern part of the state and a massive fire straddling the Idaho-Oregon border grew to 340 square miles.

In southwest Idaho, giant swaths of grassland and sagebrush were consumed by the giant blaze that has intermittently closed U.S. Highway 95, which was reopened Thursday. Winds and temperatures around 100 degrees were expected.

In central Idaho, crews were fighting a 500-acre fire burning in heavy timber about 13 miles north of Crouch.

Wildfires - Washington, USA

Hundreds of people were evacuating Friday from the central Washington city of Chelan as lightning-sparked wildfires threatened homes.

Volcanos

Roundup of Global Volcanic Activity

Sakurajima (Japan) Japan raised an eruption warning for a volcano on the southern island of Kyushu to the second-highest level, days after restarting a nuclear reactor 50 kilometres (31 miles) away. The Japan Meteorological Agency increased the alert level for the volcano Sakurajima to 4 from 3, advising people within 3 kilometres of the crater to prepare to evacuate. It detected multiple earthquakes in the area on Saturday.

Cotopaxi (Ecuador) The volcano not far from the Ecuadorean capital of Quito, spewed ash several times, sending large gray puffs 3 miles into the sky, officials said. Ash could reach Latacunga, Machachi and Quito on Friday. They have declared a yellow alert, but said there is no impending probability of a major eruption.

Earthquakes

Magnitude 5+ Earthquakes – Global

5.6 Earthquake hits New Ireland, Papua New Guinea.

5.5 Earthquake hits offshore Bio-Bio, Chile.

5.5 Earthquake hits Taiwan.

5.3 Earthquake hits south of the Kermedec Islands.

5.1 Earthquake hits the Izu Islands off Japan.

5.1 Earthquake hits Hokkaido, Japan.

5.1 Earthquake hits the South Sandwich Islands.

5.0 Earthquake hits Guatemala.

5.0 Earthquake hits near the east coast of Honshu, Japan.

5.0 Earthquake hits the Nias region, Indonesia.

5.0 Earthquake hits the northern Mid-Atlantic ridge.

Storms and Floods

Tropical Storms - Roundup of Tropical Storms:

Post Tropical Storm Hilda is located about 275 mi...440 km S of Hilo Hawaii and about 400 mi...645 km SSE of Honolulu Hawaii with maximum sustained winds...30 mph...45 km/h. Present movement...WSW or 250 degrees at 14 mph...22 km/h.

Tropical Storm 15w (Molave), located approximately 873 nm east of Misawa, Japan, and is tracking east-northeastward at 22 knots.

Tropical Depression 16w (Sixteen), located approximately 297 nm east-southeast of Andersen AFB, is tracking westward at 05 knots.

Tropical Depression 17w (Seventeen), located approximately 326 nm southwest of Wake Island, is tracking northward at 05 knots.

Invest 94E is an area of disturbed weather in the East Pacific that has the potential for tropical development.

NewsBytes:

Britain - Brighton has been hit by flooding following heavy rain today, hitting the city's station and shops. Floods did temporarily disrupt trains elsewhere in Sussex, with services halted between Eastbourne and London, along with services between Lewes and Wivelsfield. Kent was also affected by the flooding.

Myanmar - Myanmar was evacuating parts of Hakha on Wednesday after mudslides wiped away hundreds of houses and torrential rain threatened further damage in the worst floods to hit the country in decades. The government in Hakha, the capital of impoverished Chin state in northwest Myanmar, was moving nearly 4,000 people to safety after landslides caused by rains destroyed 375 houses. At least 103 people have been killed and more than one million "critically affected" by the flooding, according to the government. Five out of six townships in Hakha, population 50,000, had been hit by landslides and another 900 houses were in danger of being damaged. Myanmar has halted all rice exports.

Pakistan — Update - The floods across Pakistan have over the past month left at least 202 people dead and injured 157 others affecting nearly 1.5 million people.