Environment

Climate Disasters Now Happening Daily: UN

Weather-related disasters have nearly doubled over the past 30 years — now occurring almost daily somewhere in the world, according to a new report.

Published by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNISDR), The Human Cost of Weather Related Disasters (PDF copy) fell short of directly blaming climate change for the increase.

But it did warn, “predictions of more extreme weather in the future almost certainly mean that we will witness a continued upward trend in weather-related disasters in the decades ahead.”

The report found that 600,000 people have died as a result of floods, storms, heatwaves, droughts and other weather-related events since 1995.

About 4.1 billion others being injured, left homeless or in need of emergency assistance.

There were an average of 335 weather-related disasters annually between 2005 and this year, up 14 percent from 1995 to 2004 and almost twice as many as during the years from 1985 to 1994.

The report ranked the United States, China, India, Philippines and Indonesia as being hit by the highest number of disasters.

Environment

Arctic Ice Loss May Drive Extreme Weather Patterns

Several researchers say that warming conditions in the Arctic may be weakening jet stream currents and causing extreme weather systems to linger in northern mid-latitudes.

Climate scientists have blamed melting sea ice for causing extreme winter in North America and Europe during this winter. Thickness of the ice is also a concern among the environmental scientists.

The jet stream is a band of very strong winds that blow from west to east, several miles above the earth's surface. Normally, these powerful winds push weather systems around, preventing them from staying in one place for very long.

However, the loss of sea ice in recent decades has allowed Arctic waters to absorb more heat energy from the sun, which has in turn heated the atmosphere above the water.

This heating influences atmospheric pressure and appears to be slowing the westerly jet stream. Instead of flowing quickly and in a relatively straight line, like a river down a mountain, the winds mimic a slower, meandering river.

Arctic sea ice is referred to as the planet's air conditioner, due to its influence on global temperatures. Last year, Arctic sea ice reached its lowest level in the satellite age.

This rate of sea ice loss is faster than what models predicted. Now, some experts say, the Arctic could experience a nearly ice-free summer by 2020.

Environment

Arctic sea ice is shrinking at a rate much faster than scientists ever predicted and its collapse, due to global warming, may well cause extreme weather this winter in North America and Europe.Decades ago, Arctic ice covered about 6 million square miles of sea in the winter, and would shrink to about 3 million square miles in the summer. The rate of summer melt increased enormously around 2005, however, and today scientists say Arctic ice covers only about 1 million square miles.

The loss of Arctic ice has several effects. Ice reflects heat and solar energy back into space. With less ice cover, that heat energy is instead absorbed by the ocean, which warms and melts more ice. Currently, the Arctic region is the fastest-warming region on the planet, and the change in temperature will probably influence weather patterns here and in Europe.

The heating and cooling of Arctic seawater has been affecting the jet stream – the river of air that flows from west to east high above the Earth’s surface – and has slowed it down, Francis said. The jet stream controls the formation and movement of storm systems, so when its movement slows, weather conditions persist for longer periods of time over the same area. They get “stuck.”

Environment

The first eight months of 2012 have been the warmest of any year on record in the contiguous United States.

Storms

Tropical storm Vicente is heading for China. Expected to make landfall tomorrow, 23rd July.

Tornado hits Locustville, Virginia, USA.

Tornado hits Verona, Italy.

 

Storms

Tropical Storm Fabio weakens and heads for California, USA. Expected to bring rain.

Tropical storm Khanun is about to make landfall in South Korea.

 

Storms

A wave of freak tornadoes has hit northern and western Poland. At least 1 person is reported to have died in the storms with 10 having been injured. More than 100 houses were destroyed as well as 400 hectares of forest.

 

Floods

Floods swamp southern Texas, USA after heavy rains. Dozens of homes are flooded.

 

Storms

Tropical Storm Emilia forms 480 miles SSW of Acapulco, Mexico, moving away from land.

Storms in Germany kill 3 people, injure 20.

 

Floods

Serious floods in Metro Manila in the Philippines after heavy rains.

The monsoon floods in Assam, India worsen. 81 people have now lost their lives with almost 2 million affected.

 

Storms

A severe summer storm, known locally as a 'derecho' hits the US midwest to Washington DC. At least 12 people have been killed with more than 3 million left without power in the Washington DC area, while the area suffers from a heatwave with temperatures of more than 40 degrees C.

 

Tornadoes

A spate of tornadoes kill at least four people in the Free State in South Africa.

Tornado in Naples, south-western Florida, USA.

Tornado in Ardmore, South Dakota, USA.

 

Floods

Flood rips through Duluth, Minnesota, USA. About 14 zoo animals drown while a bear and the seals escape.

 

Technology

The  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is going to employ small crew less watercraft 'robots' to sail into tropical storms and hurricanes to gather data that will be used to improve forecasts.

The robot craft will help scientists to gain a better understanding of hurricanes by observing the storms from the surface of the ocean. The unmanned vessels will be able to record how water heat fuels a storm and how a storm meshes with the atmosphere – low-level interactions that high-flying hurricane hunter aircraft are unable to capture. Satellite communication will be used to transfer the data to the National Hurricane Centre west of Miami, Florida.

 

Storms

Tropical Storm Talim is expected to hit Taiwan and batter the southern and eastern coast of China. China has issued a sea warning for the South China Sea.

Japan is hit by typhoon strength storm, killing at least three people and injuring 306. Thousands of travelers have been stranded as airlines cancel more than 600 flights both domestic and Asia bound.

Tornado and storm with hail the size of golf balls hits southern Minnesota, USA on Sunday.

 

Tropical Storms

Tropical storm Guchol/Butchoy has strengthened to become a super typhoon with wind speeds over 150 mph. The system is heading for Japan about 500 miles away.

Tropical Storm Carlotta hits Mexico's Pacific coast as hurricane, bringing strong winds and heavy rain. At least 2 people die.

 

Storms

Alberta, Canada experiences a small tornado, heavy rain and a freak spring snowstorm.

Tornado hit Alabama, USA on Sunday.

 

Tornadoes

Tornadoes hit Wyoming and Colorado, USA. Damage to homes reported.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes tear through suburban Perth, Australia. Damage to homes and power outages.

Storms

At least 3 tornadoes have been confirmed in southern Alberta, Canada.

Tornado reported in Hobson area, Montana, USA.

The recent severe storms off the coast of eastern Australia generated huge 14 metre waves off Sydney.