Storm Atiyah: South West battered by 73mph winds

People were warned to stay indoors and avoid the roads unless necessary after gusts of more than 70mph (112km/h) battered parts of the UK overnight.

Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service issued the advice as it dealt with a number of storm-related incidents. A similar warning was issued on Jersey.

Hundreds of homes in Devon and Cornwall were without power.

In Bude, a road was closed after part of a Sainsbury's supermarket roof came off on Sunday night.

The supermarket said the store remained closed on Monday morning but staff were working hard to reopen. The spokesman said the popular Bude supermarket tunnel, which topped TripAdvisor ratings last year, was safe.

There were reports of fallen trees blocking a number of roads in Cornwall, where winds reached speeds of 73 mph (117 kmph), while Highways England said 29 trees came down in Devon overnight.

The A377 at Umberleigh, Devon, was closed by a landslip and several large fallen trees.

In another incident at Topsham, Devon, a police officer tweeted photos of a colleague lifting a tree out of the way of a dark road, writing: "Topsham you are most welcome."

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-50711238

Tornado rips through olive oil factory in Greece, sending debris in the air

A violent tornado took aim at an olive oil factory in Greece on Monday, sending debris into the air as the dozens of workers inside managed to escape serious injury.

The twister touched down shortly after 1 p.m. local time in the city of Kalamata, located about 145 miles southwest of Athens.

Security cameras captured the moment the violent winds sweep across the factory, sending metal panels and debris up in the air, some hitting cars parked on the side of the factory.

Even with the dramatic footage, no casualties were reported from Monday's incident.

Local media reported, however, that the storm destroyed a warehouse at the olive oil factory, which is also a major producer of balsamic dressing.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/tornado-greece-olive-oil-factory-debris-severe-weather

Tornado at 13,200 feet in Bolivia occurred at a higher altitude than any on record in U.S.

A rare tornado touched down near the El Alto International Airport in Bolivia on Sunday, tossing debris into the air and possibly swirling its way into record books as one of the highest-altitude tornadoes ever observed.

The tornado descended Sunday afternoon, causing minor damage as it passed along the northern periphery of the airport and into nearby neighborhoods. El Alto International Airport is the highest international airport in the world at 13,313 feet, serving the city of La Paz.

The whirlwind reportedly came without warning from El Servicio Nacional de Meteorología e Hidrología, Bolivia’s equivalent to the National Weather Service. The main weather hazard highlighted before the tornado had been river flooding well to the east amid recent heavy rainfall.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2019/12/09/tornado-feet-bolivia-occurred-higher-altitude-than-any-record-united-states/

Fresno County hit by heavy rain along with lightning and thunder

The National Weather Service has issued Significant Weather and Flood Advisories for Central Fresno County.

The Significant Weather Avisory is expected to expire at 1 p.m., but with heavy rain coming down in the area, it might be extended.

There is lots of lightning and thunder in the area as well.

A Flood Advisory has been issued for areas with poor drainage in Central Fresno County.

https://kmph.com/news/local/central-valley-hit-by-heavy-rain-along-with-lightning-and-thunder

Man seriously hurt in lightning strike in north

A 19-year-old man sustained serious injuries Sunday in a lightning strike in northern Israel, less than two months after a fatal bolt killed a teenager.

The man, who was struck near Kibbutz Ramat HaShofet, was taken to the Rambam Medical Center in Haifa for treatment.

His friends told the Magen David Adom ambulance service that there heavy rain followed by a bolt of lightning, after which they noticed their friend lying on the ground. The group were standing in an open field at the time.

https://www.timesofisrael.com/man-seriously-hurt-in-lightning-strike-in-north/

A storm brought some of the largest waves ever recorded off the California coast last week.

The bomb cyclone that pounded the West Coast last week brought with it some of the tallest waves ever recorded off the California coast.

A monstrous 75-foot wave was recorded about 20 miles off the coast of Cape Mendocino in northern California, according to the University of California, San Diego's Coastal Data Information Program.

In the 15 years the program has operated a station in that location, the significant wave height -- or the average height of the tallest third of waves that occur over 30 minutes -- typically doesn't exceed 10 feet tall during the winter.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/12/06/us/75-foot-wave-california-bomb-cyclone-wxc-trnd/index.html

Northern California Storm Causes Rockslide and Flooding; Two Hurt When Tree Falls in San Francisco

A winter storm caused a rockslide and flooding Saturday that closed highways across Northern California and damaged several homes.

Two people were hurt when a tree fell on them on a sidewalk in San Francisco.

Northbound Highway 101 was closed by floodwaters for hours Saturday evening, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. At least three cars were stalled, and traffic inched along until after 8 p.m. when the freeway reopened.

Thigh-high water washed into homes in San Francisco’s West Portal neighborhood, KPIX reported.

“The storm hit, and the sewers backed up, literally and water just came cascading out of the drains, cascading down, and nothing could handle it,” Sarah Glover told the TV station.

A 30 to 40-foot tall tree, likely knocked down by wind, fell on two people about 1 p.m. Saturday in San Francisco’s Presidio Heights neighborhood, The Associated Press reported. The man and woman were taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

https://weather.com/news/news/2019-12-08-northern-california-storms-rockslide-flooding

Drenching rain, ice among dangers a significant late-week storm will unleash in East

A stormy weather pattern has evolved in the eastern United States during the second week of December, and forecasters say it's likely to culminate in a significant weather system later this week.

Despite a blast of Arctic air and an episode of wintry precipitation at midweek, temperatures are forecast to quickly rebound ahead of the next major storm in most but not all areas of the East Friday and Saturday.

AccuWeather meteorologists expect a narrow zone of heavy snow to develop on the back side of the storm, but most areas can expect a dose of rain rather than snow over the eastern third of the nation.

Instead of an intense storm traveling up the spine of the Appalachians or hugging the coast with cold air nearby and heavy snow in the eastern part of the Ohio Valley, a more moderate storm will travel in the swath between the Appalachians and the Atlantic coast during Friday and Saturday.

Enough cold air will remain rooted in parts of the East to allow for some wintry precipitation and travel.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/drenching-rain-ice-among-dangers-a-significant-late-week-storm-will-unleash-in-east/642121

November's extreme weather

Countries around the world were hit by extreme weather this November.

Seasonal rains in parts of Central and East Africa were devastating, with landslides and floods triggered by heavy rainfall killing dozens of people in Kenya and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In Italy, Venice suffered some of its worst flooding in history as a combination of high tides, extreme winds and heavy rain push much of the historic city underwater.

Parts of Australia also suffered from rampant bushfires amid soaring temperatures and water scarcity due to an ongoing drought.

In the United States, wildfires burned for weeks in California as dry and extremely gusty winds fuelled the flames.

The month ended with extreme winter storms moving across the US during the Thanksgiving holiday, one of the busiest travel periods of the year, causing havoc for tens of millions.

https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/inpictures/pictures-november-extreme-weather-191129093103959.html

Israel to hold extreme-weather exercise as winter arrives

Israeli authorities will conduct nationwide drills on December 10-11, to deal with extreme weather scenarios.

The drills are being run by the Public Security Ministry, in collaboration with the IDF, Israel Police, Israel Prison Service, Fire and Rescue Commission and the Interior Ministry as well as other bodies. The exercise has been named “Storm Suit.”

The “Storm Suit” exercise includes scenarios for extreme wintry weather conditions that will test the efficiency of inter-organizational competence and the level of national preparedness in responding to such weather in Israel.

On Wednesday, a field exercise will take place at Kiryat Anavim, a kibbutz in central Israel, simulating the collapse of guest facilities leading to many injuries. The scenario will be led by the Israel Police, with the participation of the Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan, the Deputy Commissioner of Israel Police and other officials. During the exercise, a field tour will be held.

Later that afternoon, another exercise will take place at the Shlomo Group Arena in Tel Aviv with Erdan and Internal Affairs Minister Arye Deri, during which a situational assessment and review will be conducted by the Interior Ministry’s director of emergency services, the head of the Israel Police and other bodies involved.

Israel’s Environmental Protection Ministry released a report last week during a UN Climate Change Conference in Madrid, detailing the impact of climate change on Israel’s climate, and projected potential future natural disasters. The report focuses on four climate trends expected to negatively impact Israel: higher temperatures, higher humidity, rising sea levels and more extreme weather fluctuations.

Israel has also been preparing for a long overdue, large-scale earthquake, leading to IDF and Navy drills taking place, as well as government-funded projects to help Israelis prepare for any future earthquake or resulting tsunami.


https://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Israel-to-hold-extreme-weather-exercise-as-winter-arrives-610363

NASA's Eyes on Extreme Weather

Global climate change, or the overall warming of our planet, has had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up and melting earlier in the year, precipitation patterns have changed, plant and animal habitat ranges have shifted, and trees are flowering sooner, exposing fruit blossoms to damaging erratic spring hail and deadly late frost. Effects that scientists had predicted in the past are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea-level rise, shifting storm patterns and longer, more intense heat waves.

Some of the most visible and disruptive effects of global climate change are extreme weather and resulting in disasters such as wildfires and flooding. These events vary by geographic location, with many regions, such as the Southwest United States and parts of Central and South America, Asia, Europe, Africa, and Australia, experiencing more heat, drought and insect outbreaks that contribute to increased wildfires. Other regions of the world, including coastal areas of the United States and many island nations, are experiencing flooding and saltwater intrusion into drinking water wells as a result of sea-level rise and storm surges from intense tropical storms. And some areas of the world, such as the Midwestern and Southern United States, have been inundated with rain that has resulted in catastrophic flooding.

https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/edu/news/2019/10/18/nasas-eyes-on-extreme-weather/

Extreme Weather 2019: Freezing Temperatures, Snow Expected From South Texas To Northeast US From Arctic Blast

much of the eastern U.S. braces for a week of chilling weather due to an arctic blast that’s expected to break records across the country.

The arctic blast began Monday when temperatures began to drop rapidly in the Great Plains as it continued moving east. By Monday night, winter temperatures were reported from South Texas to the Canadian border, along with some areas being hit with a foot of snow.

Temperatures were also expected to drop further into the week and break up to 300 daily records for the season across the U.S.

“You are talking single digits in Chicago, Indianapolis, Detroit,” AccuWeather meteorologist Tyler Roys told USA Today. “Atlanta will see the mid-20s. Low 20s in Birmingham, some other parts of Alabama. We will be challenging records everywhere.”

Chicago was one of the worst areas hit, with a reported temperature of 20 degrees and scattered snow showers. The temperature broke the previous record low of 28 degrees while the combinations of cold and snow proved hazardous for some travelers. An American Eagle flight into Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport reportedly slid the runway while landing. Another 1,300 flights had been canceled by 8 p.m. Monday night due to worsening weather conditions.

https://www.ibtimes.com/extreme-weather-2019-freezing-temperatures-snow-expected-south-texas-northeast-us-2864647

The impact of climate change on extreme weather events

As the first puffs of fossil-fueled exhaust began rising through the atmosphere, Svante Arrhenius, a Swedish physicist, and a chemist was busy estimating the net impact on global temperature from a tripling of CO2. He didn’t have access to general circulation models or even an electronic calculator, but he still came up with a plausible estimate of a rise in global temperature of 8–9º C.

It’s not clear if anyone took him seriously then or even showed any concern. But since that time, climate scientists with increasingly more sophisticated tools have been estimating not only climate change impacts on global temperature but also regional impacts on extreme weather, wildlife, natural habitats, and even the economy.

Despite the long history of scientific studies and concerning results, governments, urban planners, and others have been taking note of climate change only in the last two to three decades. And industries, including the insurance industry, have largely been showing greater concern only in the last several years.

A likely few reasons for the delayed industrial response include a lack of confidence in the studies, the gradual nature of climate change, and no real evidence of extreme weather that could be attributed to climate change.

https://www.propertycasualty360.com/2019/11/05/the-impact-of-climate-change-on-extreme-weather-events/?slreturn=20191005135713

North Texas home damaged by recent severe weather damaged by morning fire

 a house that was under repair following last month's severe weather was damaged by a fire on Saturday morning.

Just after 4 a.m., firefighters were called out to a fire on Harvest Hill Lane in Lancaster, south of Dallas.

Crews had trouble finding water in one hydrant, so they had to run several lines.

Lancaster firefighters were assisted by crews from Red Oak and Desoto.

No one was in the home at the time of the fire, and authorities say no injuries were reported.

Investigators are still trying to figure out what caused the fire.

https://www.fox4news.com/news/north-texas-home-damaged-by-recent-severe-weather-damaged-by-morning-fire

Gov. Newsom Declares Statewide Emergency Due to Fires, Extreme Weather Conditions

Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a statewide emergency on Sunday, due to extreme high-wind events that have resulted in fires and evacuations across California.

The Tick Fire in the Sand Canyon area of Santa Clarita has burned through a total of 4,615 acres as of Sunday morning and destroyed 22 structures, according to a multiagency update released Sunday. More than 900 firefighters remained on-scene at the Tick Fire on Sunday, with more of them ready should further need to arise, officials said.

The Kincade Fire in Sonoma County has burned more than 30,000 acres and has left nearly 200,000 people under evacuation orders, authorities said. There are over 3,000 local, state and federal personnel, including fire responders working on the blaze that destroyed 79 structures.

“We are deploying every resource available, and are coordinating with numerous agencies as we continue to respond to these fires. It is critical that people in evacuation zones heed the warnings from officials and first responders, and have the local and state resources they need as we fight these fires,” Gov. Newsom said.

Earlier this week, Gov. Newsom secured Fire Management Assistance Grants to help ensure the availability of resources for fighting the Tick Fire in Southern California and the Kincade Fire in Northern California.

The governor met with first responders, health officials and residents of Los Angeles, Napa and Geyserville this week to discuss the ongoing fire threats and the need to hold utilities accountable for the consequences of their decisions to shut off power throughout the state, the governor’s office said.

The latest evacuation orders of nearly 200,000 people in Northern California came after Pacific Gas & Electric, the state’s largest utility, shut off power to 2.3 million people across 36 counties starting Saturday evening, authorities said.

https://ktla.com/2019/10/27/gov-newsom-declares-statewide-emergency-due-to-fires-extreme-weather-conditions/

Southern California Will Experience Strongest Santa Ana Winds Yet in New Round of Dangerous Fire Weather Conditions

Parts of California will experience their third round of dangerous fire weather conditions in seven days beginning on Tuesday. The setup includes what could be one of the most powerful windstorms in years for the Los Angeles area.

The new round of high fire danger commences Tuesday in Northern California and then spreads toward Southern California Tuesday night into Wednesday. Red flag warnings for the fire danger have been posted by the National Weather Service in these areas.

These dangerous conditions will be triggered by a strong high-pressure system and southward plunge of the jet stream diving into the West from Canada. When this happens, strong offshore flow exists in California, contributing to gusty winds and low humidity.

Southern California is predicted to see strongest Santa Ana winds so far this fall beginning Tuesday night and lasting into Thursday, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Wind gusts of up to 80 mph are possible in the mountains and foothills, and relative humidity could drop into the single digits. Gusts could reach 70 mph in other parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

"These winds will result in a significant threat for large fast-moving fires and wind damage (like downed trees, power lines, and broken signs or overhangs)," warned the Oxnard/Los Angeles NWS forecast office.

Fire danger will also increase again in Northern California Tuesday into Wednesday, including the area where the Kincade Fire is burning in the North Bay region.

Winds from this third round of fire danger in Northern California won't be as strong as what happened there this past weekend, but a combination of low humidity and gusty winds will still make conditions hazardous for fire growth. Critical fire weather conditions may cover a large part of the region Tuesday into early Wednesday.

https://weather.com/forecast/regional/news/2019-10-28-california-wildfire-danger-forecast

Rivers, roads flooded as heavy rains drench Western Wash.

Flooded rivers are wreaking havoc across parts of Western Washington, and waters are still rising as heavy rain struck the region overnight.

There was enough rain to drive the Snoqualmie River above its major flood stage. It was upgraded to major severity at 4:30 a.m. and continues to rise.

Chris Burke with the National Weather Service says the Snoqualmie River is flowing at twice the volume considered "flood stage."

"The major flooding we’re calling for in the Snoqualmie River is pretty significant," he says.

The river is expected to crest at over 59 feet around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Burke says this event was caused by the surprise weekend snowfall in the Cascades combined with the sudden rainstorm and a major front of warm air.

https://komonews.com/news/local/major-flooding-on-snoqualmie-river-as-heavy-rains-drench-region

Tornado turned waterspout damages homes near Shelton, Weather Service says

The National Weather Service confirmed Saturday night an EF-1 tornado hit near Shelton on Friday night with winds between 90 and 100 miles per hour.

The twister started on land near Shelton traveling more than a half-mile before moving over Pickering Passage and becoming a waterspout.

The Weather Service completed a survey of the area on Saturday before releasing its findings.

The tornado cut a path about 90 yards wide and was on the ground for approximately five minutes.

No one was injured but the twister uprooted trees and falling trees damaged at least two homes.

https://komonews.com/news/local/ef-1-tornado-waterspout-hit-near-shelton-weather-service-confirms

Coastal Storm Will Bring Rough Surf, Wind and Rain to Parts of East Coast Late This Week

Low pressure will form this week in the western Atlantic Ocean, where it will move slowly and bring several coastal impacts to the Eastern Seaboard, including rough surf, coastal flooding, rain and wind. This future system is also being monitored by the National Hurricane Center for possible subtropical development.

The area of low pressure is forecast to develop well off the mid-Atlantic coast by Wednesday. It will then crawl northward and linger off the Northeast coastline through late this week.

Winds will persistently blow toward the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts between the counterclockwise flow around the area of low pressure and the clockwise flow around high pressure to its north.

That onshore wind will create several impacts along the Eastern Seaboard from mid- to late week. Details are still uncertain, but here's a general overview of what you can expect along parts of the Northeast coast from Wednesday into Saturday.

-Surf: Rough surf conditions and rip currents will likely impact the East Coast for an extended period. Some beach erosion and minor to moderate coastal flooding will also likely impact the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts.

-Rain: Periods of rain will pivot into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts from Wednesday through late week. Parts of southeast New England could see the heaviest rainfall totals.

-Wind: The onshore flow mentioned earlier will likely create prolonged windy conditions near and just inland from the mid-Atlantic and Northeast coasts. The strongest winds with gusts greater than 40 mph are expected along the immediate coastline.

https://weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/2019-10-06-atlantic-east-coast-low-area-to-watch

Three dead as extreme weather batters southeastern Spain

A third person has died in Spain as extreme weather continues to sweep across the southeast of the country.

The latest fatality occurred in the city of Almeria, where a man drowned when his car became trapped in a tunnel, the AFP news agency reported.

The latest death follows those of two siblings on Thursday -- a 61-year-old man and his 51-year-old sister died when their vehicle was swept away by fast-moving waters in Caudete, about 60 miles southwest of Valencia, AFP reported, citing the emergency services.

Large sections of the southeastern Spain have been battered by storms and heavy rainfall since Wednesday. The AEMET has issued an "extreme risk" weather warning for Valencia, Alicante, Murcia, Almeria and the Balearic Islands.

Flash flooding is causing widespread road closures and serious disruption to public transportation.

The closure of local train networks, dozens of roads and the airports in Almeria and Murcia has led to long delays, according to Spanish airport operator Aena.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/13/europe/flash-flooding-spain-scli-intl/index.html