Apocalyptic' Storm Floods Sardinia, 17 Dead

http://www.weather.com/news/apocalyptic-storm-floods-sardinia-17-dead-20131119

The Mediterranean island of Sardinia, prized by the jet-set for its white sand beaches and crystal-clear seas, was a flood-ravaged mud bath Tuesday after a freak torrential rainstorm killed at least 17 people, downed bridges and swept away cars.

Italian Premier Enrico Letta declared a state of emergency and set aside $27 million for emergency relief, saying the priority was reaching remote areas, saving the lives of those still unaccounted for and providing for those left homeless.

The island, which draws royals, entrepreneurs and ordinary tourists alike during the dry, peak summer months, received more than 17 inches of rain in 24 hours Monday — half the amount it normally receives in a year, officials said.

(MORE: Heartwarming Reunion: Tornado Survivor Finds Missing Dog Under the Rubble)

Italy's civil protection chief, Franco Gabrielli, said the death toll may still rise as crews reach isolated areas in the countryside where some homes are submerged.

Transport was hampered by rivers of cocoa-colored mud gushing over roads that forced the closure of several major thoroughfares, including a tunnel into the city of Olbia, according to the Anas company which runs Italy's roads and highways.

Olbia Mayor Gianni Giovannelli said the city had been destroyed by the "apocalyptic" storm, with bridges felled and water levels reaching 10 feet in some places. He described the ferocity of the storm's rains as a "water bomb."

Gabrielli defended the civil protection's alert system, which had signaled an "elevated" risk of the storm on much of Sardinia, the highest level of alert. He warned against day-after finger-pointing, saying evacuation orders had been issued and ignored and that no weather forecast could have predicted the "exceptional" degree of devastation.

Sardinia's governor, Ugo Cappellacci, said the 17 dead included a family of four, reportedly of Brazilian origin, in Arzachena.

(MORE: Faces Of The Storm: Survivors Share Their Stories Of the Washington, Ill., Tornado)

Local newspaper L'Unione Sarda said a policeman helping to escort an ambulance died when the car he was travelling in was submerged in the collapse of a bridge in Dorgali. In hard-hit Gallura, three people died after their car was swept away in the collapse of another bridge, the paper said.

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and is one of Italy's autonomous regions. While it's known to tourists for its pristine Costa Smeralda beaches, the island's interior is known for its sheep and pastoral life. Sardinians are famed for their exceptional longevity.

Other parts of Italy were also hit by heavy rains Tuesday, including the capital, Rome, and Venice in the north, where residents and tourists donned rubber boots to slosh through a St. Marks' Square flooded from the "acqua alta" high tides that periodically submerge the lagoon city.

'Unlikely we'll ever know': A grim, chaotic count after Philippines typhoon

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/11/18/21523361-unlikely-well-ever-know-a-grim-chaotic-count-after-philippines-typhoon?liteCounting the dead in the Philippines is grim, slow, and frustratingly inexact work.

Since the monster Typhoon Haiyan slammed into the scattered Pacific islands a week and a half ago, the toll has fluctuated wildly — a few hundred at first, then a nightmarish estimate of 10,000, then a smaller figure given by the president that quickly proved too optimistic.

On Tuesday, the Philippine government put the count at just under 3,982, but no one seemed to believe it would stay there. The United Nations warned that crews have still not reached some remote islands.

“It is unlikely we’ll ever know the exact total,” even after a final and official figure is reached, Steven Rood, the Philippines country representative for the nonprofit Asia Foundation, said by email from Manila.

Casualty reporting after any natural disaster is tricky, subject to logistical challenges that grow with the severity of the disaster itself — downed power lines, telephone outages.

In the Philippines, the problem was compounded by a highly decentralized government and a communications network that relies heavily on mobile technology, Rood said. Radio backup, thought to be unnecessary, was abandoned by civilian offices years ago.

Adding to the chaos was the myth — not unique to the Philippines — that cadavers pose such a health risk that they must be buried before before they can be identified, he said. In fact, health officials say, human remains pose a relatively minor risk of infection and contamination after a disaster.

On the islands, the result was statistical confusion that made it harder for the world to get a grip on just how hard the islands had been hit.

On the day after the storm, a regional police director said that the death toll could climb to 10,000. An administrator in the devastated city of Tacloban said that the count could reach 10,000 there alone.

Then last week, President Benigno Aquinopredicted that the toll would come out to 2,000 to 2,500. He said that the more dire estimates might have been influenced by “emotional drama.”

The police official who had cited the figure of 10,000 was relieved of his duties, according to the Philippines News Agency.

By last Thursday, it became clear that the president’s figure was too low. The United Nations, which said it was relying on figures from the government of the Philippines, put the count at 4,460. A day later, the U.N. pulled back to 3,600.

Three Extreme Climates That Inspire Innovation

http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/three-places-that-have-adjuste/19731508

In order to survive, it is necessary for people to adapt to the climates that they live in. However, these adjustments can be extreme when places have unusually severe climates.

1. Lack of Sunlight: Rjukan, Norway

Large mirrors were recently installed on mountains surrounding the town of Rjukan, Norway, in order to reflect sunlight into the town center.

This small town is located deep in a narrow valley of the Gaustatoppen Mountains. Due to its location, the town is cut off from direct sunlight during five to six months of the year, according to a press release by Solar Tower Systems (STS), the company that installed the mirrors.

This solar mirror technology, referred to as Heliostats, is able to provide both warmth and sunlight to the town for the first time in more than 100 years, according to STS.

Heliostats are programmed and guided by computers to follow the course of the sun, according to STS. This enables the mirrors to reflect the optimum amount of sunlight into the town during daylight hours.

Exposure to sunlight is very important because it enables vitamin D absorption. Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption, and a deficiency can cause bones to become thin and brittle, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

Vitamin D also prevents rickets in children and can help prevent osteoporosis in adults, according to the NIH.

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2. Extreme Heat: Arizona, United States

Arizona is one of the hottest places on Earth from May to September.

The record high temperature of 128 F for the state of Arizona was recorded on June 29, 1994, according to Matthew Roach, environmental epidemiologist for the Extreme Weather & Public Health Program of the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS).

"Some parts of Arizona regularly receive over 100 days over 100 degrees Fahrenheit," Roach said.

This extreme heat brings many health risks including heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, according to the ADHS. These health concerns can become serious or even fatal.

United States Postal Service letter carrier Brian Johnson, 55, takes a break from his 400-house mail route to hydrate with some water Monday, July 1, 2013, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ralph Freso)

From 1993-2002, the rate of death from heat exposure was three to seven times higher in Arizona than the overall U.S., according to the Center for Disease Control.

The Arizona heat also brings dangerous environmental conditions that can lead to droughts and other dangers.

"During drought, there is an increased risk for wildfires and dust storms," Roach said.

The state of Arizona has therefore responded to these threats by introducing a heat emergency response plan, a bilingual heat brochure and a drought preparedness plan.

"There is also a heat alert system in place," Roach said.

People are able to sign up for email alerts that will let them know when and how to be prepared for extreme heat conditions.

3. Flooding: The Netherlands

After the storm surge of 1953 reached the southwest coast of the Netherlands, causing more than 1,800 people to drown from flooding, the country has taken drastic measures to avoid future devastation, according to Risk Management Solutions (RMS).

A fallen mature tree blocks the Herengracht canal in Amsterdam, Monday, Oct. 28, 2013. A major storm with hurricane-force gusts lashed southern Britain, the Netherlands and parts of France on Monday, knocking down trees, flooding low areas and causing travel chaos. (AP Photo/Margriet Faber)

The original plan put into place by Dutch water authorities (Rijkswaterstaat) after the storm surge was to increase the height of all dikes and levies in the Netherlands, according to Environmental History Resources (eh-resources). However, this plan was not successful.

Serious technical problems evolved from building up levies and dikes. Eh-resources said that sandbanks formed in the river, obstructing the flow of water. Also, ice jams in the winter led to a rapid rise in the water level. The rising water level led to flooding in agricultural areas that severely impacted the lifestyle of Dutch citizens.

The Netherlands is now moving in a new direction in flood management toward a more natural solution.

One of the latest innovations is the Sand Engine, a giant mound of sand that the Rijkswaterstaat is hoping nature will take to the "right place" and serve as a buffer, protecting the coastline for the next two decades, according to Yale Environment 360. Since the coast is an area that normally sees a lot of erosion, the Rijkswaterstaat is hoping the reservoir of sand will re-nourish the coastline naturally.

Another technology being utilized are "Smart Dikes"- sensor-embedded levees that relay real-time status reports via cell towers to decision-makers, according to Yale Environment 360. This is meant to give people more time to react to possible flooding threats and provide more time to evacuate or prepare.

Aus to face stronger El Nino patterns

AUSTRALIA will face fiercer El Nino weather patterns - causing severe drought - as a result of human-induced global warming, world-first research led by Sydney scientists has shown.http://www.theland.com.au/news/agriculture/general/news/aus-to-face-stronger-el-nino-patterns/2678925.aspx

While the El Nino cycles typically trigger drought in the eastern states, so-called super El Ninos - such as those in 1982 and 1997 - have been detected since the mid-1970s.

These extraordinary events involve sea-surface temperatures warming in the west of the Pacific Basin and spreading eastwards, the reverse of more typical El Ninos.

In a study published in Nature, researchers led by authors from the University of NSW found the trigger for the unusual patterns was a weakening of westward-flowing currents along the Pacific equator.

Eastward-spreading El Ninos matter because the pool of heat over the western Pacific is likely to shift to the east during such events, taking rainfall with it and exacerbating drought conditions over Australia, said lead author Agus Santoso, a senior research associate at the university's Climate Change Research Centre.

As the world heats up, the eastern Pacific is expected to warm faster than the west. Since winds respond to pressure differences - with trade winds blowing east to west - the current flows are likely to weaken as conditions across the Pacific become more similar, Dr Santoso said.

Even with relatively modest levels of global warming in the future, the number of eastward-propagating El Ninos is expected to double.

The findings are likely to trigger further research to understand how much rainfall patterns are likely to change, he said.

The 1982 and 1997 events led to highly unusual weather events causing disruption in fisheries and agriculture costing tens of billions of dollars globally and leading to the deaths of tens of thousands of people, the university said in an accompanying statement.

During the 1982 event, US crop losses alone were estimated at as much as $26 billion in current dollars.

"While more frequent eastward-propagating El Ninos will be a symptom of a warming planet, further research is under way to determine the impact of such events in a climate that is going to be significantly warmer than today," co-author Dr Wenju Cai, a senior scientist at CSIRO, said.

Weather Bureau says consistency of recent severe storms on mid north coast is 'unusual'

The Bureau of Meteorology said it is unusual to have so many severe storms on the mid north coast at this time of year.

That was the whitest I've ever seen it and a lot of the residents said they'd never seen quite that

Judith Ellam, Bellingen SES Controller

Afternoon thunderstorms have struck parts of the coast every day for the past week.

Many parts of the region have already exceeded their average monthly rainfall for November.

Forecaster Michael Logan said storms at this time of year are to be expected but not quite as many.

"It is the time of year where we're going into the Summer season, and we often see really big storms with really severe weather up in the Northern parts of NSW at this time of the year," he said.

"But to have every afternoon for a week back to back to back without a break is pretty rare."

Fruit and vegetable growers on the Coffs Coast are still assessing the costs from last weekend's violent hailstorm, and many say they've lost everything.

A number of banana, stonefruit and blueberry crops suffered enormous damage, and farmers are now sorting out what can be saved.

Coffs Coast lettuce grower Dave Saunders said this year's crop has been entirely destroyed - and he's not sure it's worth replanting.

"I'll just have to reassess what my goals are and I'll have a look," he said.

"It's certainly going to take a lot of time and money to get it back up to an operating farm again.

"It's probably more time than money."

The Dorrigo Plateau was covered in a blanket of white after a severe hailstorm yesterday afternoon.

The State Emergency Service says crews were called to fix roof damage at homes, business, schools and the district hospital.

Local SES controller Judith Ellam said the rural residential nature of the area means not a large number of homes damaged.

But MS Ellam said she grew up in Dorrigo and has never seen anything like yesterday's hail.

"That was the whitest I've ever seen it and a lot of the residents said they'd never seen quite that," she said.

"When we drove up there to help out yesterday afternoon it was like driving into a town covered in snow.

"Because it was just white everywhere.

"The hail on the roads made the roads slippery and there were cars slipping, an enormous amount of hail."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-19/weather-bureau-says-consistency-of-recent-severe-storms-on-mid-/5101180?&section=news

String of tornadoes flattens Midwest

In one of the worst November storms to hit the Midwest in decades, 81 powerful tornadoes brought down power lines, damaged buildings, flipped cars, and injured dozens.

Illinois was hardest hit with some towns completely leveled by the storm. Many residents, such as home-owner Scott Gundy, had their homes destroyed.

"I got glass flying all over the place. Shrapnel, you know, all kinds of stuff. I have a two-by-four that's, like, through two or three walls inside of my house."

The National Weather Service said there were at least two high-speed storms with winds that reached as high as 200 mph. One of those storms hit Washington, Illinois where local resident Gundy described to NBC's Today Show the scene of his neighborhood:

"I've got cars and trees, I've got my '07 Galant three houses down. I've got neighbors crawling out of their basements," said Gundy.

Michael Perdun depicted his own personal nightmare.

"A war zone. There's debris everywhere. Other than craters, it looks like it got shelled."

Hundreds of thousands of residents sought shelter at local community centers, churches and schools. Firefighters and vehicles were sent to Washington by the National Guard while the American Red Cross set up shelters for water and food. 

Washington, Illinois Mayor Gary Manier says the community is pulling together to help one another.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn says that the state is now moving towards the recovery phase for communities.

"We continue our search and rescue of any victims who are still in harm's way," said Quinn. "Our state police are on the scene as well as local law enforcement. But we are beginning the process of recovering." 

Meanwhile power is still out for thousands of residents as crews struggle to reach areas where power lines are torn down.

Missouri electric company Ameren spokesman Kent Martin says that the devastation caused by the storms have been a major challenge for the company to contain.

"When you actually have tree limbs and an entire tree falling our line, that literally interrupts an entire circuit and that's when our crews have to go out there, free our line from the trees or the branches in order to restore the power," said Quinn. 

Intense November twisters are unusual for the region. The peak for severe storms usually occurs in April and May.

However, Patti Thompson with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency says despite the lateness of the event, they were prepared and were able to forewarn residents several days in advance. 

"The weather service had been in contact with us over the last few days so we knew that there was a potential for severe weather," said Thompson.

But despite the ferocity of the storm, Mayor Manier says that it was a miracle that so many people were spared.

"It's god's presence. I mean, we're a blessed community. I think we're very fortunate," said Manier.

President Barack Obama has issued a statement saying he has been briefed on the disaster and will work with state, local and federal officials on the situation

http://voiceofrussia.com/us/2013_11_19/String-of-tornadoes-flattens-Midwest-7140/

Climate change's influence on tornadoes is a mixed bag

http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn24605-climate-changes-influence-on-tornadoes-is-a-mixed-bag.html#.UowEV81wFD8

They are unwelcome at the best of times. But why are tornadoes in the US increasingly popping up at unusual times of the year, and in unusual areas? The question is troubling meteorologists and tornado watchers as citizens in the Midwest count the cost of last weekend's tornado outbreak that killed at least eight people and devastated many towns in 12 states including Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky.

The three largest twister outbreaks in the past year have been in November, January and October – outside the usual tornado season, says Jeff Masters, who runs the Weather Underground website.

"These types of storms with that severity are rare in November, as the tornado season is normally in spring," says Martin Hoerling of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, adding: "The northerly location in Illinois makes it particularly unusual."

The climate effect

Because severe tornadoes are rare during cold seasons, it is difficult to say anything definitive about how they are being affected by climate change.

Twisters tend to be spawned by warm, moist air in the lower atmosphere, says Hoerling.

You also need a powerful jet stream in the upper atmosphere to draw a tornado upwards. Climate change is leading to more water vapour and warmer temperatures in the lower atmosphere. But it also reduces the intensity of the jet stream.

So climate change is having mixed effects some of which promote and some of which counter tornadoes.

In affected US states, the clear-up continues. The most violent tornadoes, given an EF-4 rating – corresponding to the second strongest tornadoes on the Enhanced Fujita scale used to measure them – hit the Illinois towns of New Minden and Washington, where at least 250 homes have been damaged or destroyed, and about 200 people injured