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Where’s the snow?

Usually at this time of year there’s a winter storm story to report from somewhere in this country. But this year, records are being set for how little snow there’s been. That’s bad news for the ski industry and other businesses. NBC’s Mike Taibbi has more.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45809978

By Mark Guarino Staff writer

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Santa Ana winds cause extensive damage

Fierce winds blasted the West overnight and Thursday, knocking down trees in California and forcing some schools to close as gusts reached 102 mph in Utah. The winds left hundreds of thousands of people without power, mainly in California. NBC’s Miguel Almaguer reports.

http://video.msnbc.msn.com/nightly-news/45516444

Will Canary Islands Volcano Heat Surface Waters Giving a Surge to Hurricane Formations?

It appears there is a volcano going on right off the coast of the Canary Islands. As you know the Canary Islands are owned by Spain and over the last hundreds of millions of years these islands have grown due to volcanic activity. In fact, right now the underwater volcano there has risen 100 meters, and is now only 70 meters from the surface of the water, while the gases are causing the sea water to gush up like a water feature about 20 meters above the surface. There is a good chance that the Canary Islands will add one more island to their chain.

Meanwhile, underwater volcanoes do heat the surface of the water and in doing so they cause changes in weather currents, cloud formations, and localized precipitation. Could this effect next year’s hurricane season, if it continues? Yes, in several ways. It could provide more gases and gas compounds into the atmosphere, which will lead to more precipitation blocking the trade winds, and allowing tropical storms to form earlier, before they make their way across the Atlantic.

Although this is a somewhat smaller eruption, it is big enough to make localized changes, and much more than a butterfly flapping their wings. We must remember that the airflows moving around in that region do combine with the greater airflows of the region. So it will be interesting for climatologists and weather scientists to study just what happens here. We may find that it doesn’t matter at all, and causes very little change. Or there may be enough change for us to actually measure it, which would be a significant finding, and well worthy of many research papers on the topic.

Such a finding could also help us better understand how under water volcanoes change our weather cycles, and global flows. It is amazing that something on the other side of the Atlantic can have an impact which eventually grows into a hurricane as it approaches the Caribbean, or then marches northward towards our continent. Everything affects everything else, and an event like this is well worth studying using our supercomputer models, satellites, and our latest and greatest technologies. Therefore we should keep an eye on it, see what develops, and learn from these experiences and observations.

In the past many global warming theory climatologists have suggested that underwater volcanoes are not the cause of climate change, but maybe they are more significant than we think. And judging by all the data coming in from the volcanoes in Iceland, Indonesia, the Canary Islands, and along the Pacific Rim of fire perhaps we might learn something. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Lance Winslow has launched a new provocative series of eBooks on Future Concepts. Lance Winslow is a retired Founder of a Nationwide Franchise Chain, and now runs the Online Think Tank; http://www.worldthinktank.net

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Extreme weather events becoming more frequent

Climate experts say global warming is likely to spawn more weather extremes, such as the recent October snowstorm, at a huge cost. NBC’s Anne Thompson reports.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21134540/vp/45125894#45125894

If you’re like me, you get a little worried sometimes about mother nature, especially if you live somewhere that’s frequently hit with hurricanes, tornadoes, flooding, or snow and ice storms.

A lot of people still aren’t sure what to do when it comes to severe weather. Following are some tips and advice on being prepared for bad weather, so hopefully the next time a hurricane or snow storm is on the way, you won’t be, literally and figuratively, in the dark.

So, severe weather events run the gamut, from extreme drought, which, granted, is not very sudden and not really the issue here, to hurricanes, twisters, and on to snow and ice storms, like we have here in the northern parts of the country. These events all have different characteristics, and thus require different preparation.

Hurricanes

Hurricanes can be killers and devastating to property. Just a couple of months ago, Hurricane Irene barrelled through the northeast causing intense flooding and property damage. Luckily, hurricanes, unlike tornadoes, give advance notice of their appearance, giving us plenty of time to be prepared.

When the meteorologists are warning about an impending hurricane, you should act as quickly as possible. By waiting until the last minute you run the risk of coming up empty at the gas station in case you have to evacuate, not to mention getting stuck in traffic as other people try to get out. This is especially true for areas near the shore or prone to flooding.

Tornadoes, unlike hurricanes, can strike anywhere, anytime, without notice. You never know when a tornado will hit. The best that the weatherman can do is tell you if the conditions are ripe for the production of a tornado, in generalized areas. If there’s a tornado watch or tornado warning for your area, you really need to act immediately. Please do not hesitate.

It’s really best to already have a plan of action in mind now, so that when a tornado does strike, you know exactly what to do. Things to consider are where your family should go to in case a tornado strikes. The best place is an enclosed windowless room in the interior of the home. It’s a good idea to have some cushions in there, and blankets as well, to protect in case of debris flying around.

The next type of weather to be prepared for is a snow storm. Because snow storms can leave you stuck in your house for extended periods of time, due to the snow making roads unpassable, you need to stock up on food and batteries, and a flashlight in advance. Fortunately, most snow storms, like hurricanes, can be predicted in advance.

It’s also important to be able to remove the snow as quickly and painlessly as possible. If you have a lot of propery or a long driveway, using a shovel can take forever, and really be a pain in your back. In addition, many people have heart attacks every year while they are shoveling. We therefore recommend that you use a quality gas-powered snowblower for your snow removal needs. A snowblower will get rid of snow quickly and with far less strain to your back and heart, making the roads accessible to you quickly.

These are just a few actions to take during severe inclement weather. Always pay attention to the news, and take all necessary precautions. Remember, be prepared!

If you are in an area with heavy snowfall, you might have a Snapper Snowblower. If so, on occasion you might need to get some Snapper snowblower parts. For information and reviews of Snapper and Ariens snowblowers, click http://www.snappersnowblower.net.

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It was Labor Day weekend and many Texans celebrated what traditionally marks the end of the summer. However, on this year’s holiday, many could not celebrate as they normally would. For over a month the temperature rose above 100 degrees causing many to stay indoors under the comfort of air conditioning. For all those that normally would have taken to the lake, conditions were not in their favor. According to the Lower Colorado River Authority, from October 2010 to July 2011 it has been the driest period in Texas since rainfall records began to be kept back in 1895. As the months continued, rain still has not come as it has been needed. The water levels in many lakes created hazardous conditions for boaters and authorities had to close down the boat ramps. Many popular restaurants on the lake shut their doors all together due to the drought. Under these conditions of such persistent heat and dryness it comes as no surprise that wildfires would find a welcome breeding ground. According to the Texas Forest Service there are now 250 out of 254 Texas counties to have issued burn bans. By their observations, the vast majority of fires were set by people, mostly in cases of arson, though some accidentally as well. In an effort to weigh in on the matter whilst staying busy focusing on his presidential bid outside the state, Governor Rick Perry has recognized the arson problem and has called for the Texas State Legislature to increase the maximum prison term for arson from 30 years to life.

So far this year there have been well over 10,000 fires in Texas. By mid April it was up to 8,000 and by late June nearly 13,000. According to Texas Forest Service reporting up to September 2 there has now been over 18,612 fires in the state with 3,486,124 acres burned. Thousands upon thousands of homes have been lost and so far there are two confirmed casualties. Right now as the fires continue to burn throughout the state, with the Bastrop fires near Austin being among the largest, a state-wide search and rescue operation is in effect with officers moving from house to house to estimate the damage and look for additional casualties. After hearing of the two deaths, Governor Perry deployed the elite search and rescue unit Texas Task Force 1 to join the search. Nearly every year parts of Texas experience drought-like conditions and counties throughout the state issue burn bans as a precaution against wildfires. To date the highest number of burn bans throughout the state was in 2006 when it was set at 221. This year nearly every single county has issued one. Many climatologists have examined the situation in Texas to see the makings of a perfect storm as it applies to the requisites for wildfires. Added to the historic drought conditions and low humidity come the high winds of Tropical Storm Lee. All it needs is a match to be thrown to start an uncontainable fire, and it seems that many arsonists have been more than willing to do just that.

So far there has been a full court press coming from all relevant local, state and federal agencies, according to the Texas Forest Service. After over $5 billion in damages, over 3,000 homes and structures lost over the last year and 5000 homes evacuated, many agencies are stepping in to stop the blaze. President Barack Obama has tasked the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and the U.S. Forest Service to provide direct support to Texas. Moreover, at Governor Perry’s request, Texas has received eight federally funded Fire Management Assistance Grants to help pay the costs of the firefighting. So far for 2011, this makes 53 such grants to the state of Texas and allows FEMA to pay 75 percent of state and local government firefighting costs. This money is allocated through the President’s Disaster Relief Fund.

While the damage continues to spread, there does appear to be some relief as some of the larger fires in Bastrop have been marginally contained. The year of 2011 has set numerous records in the area of fires and firefighting. Out of 254 counties, the Texas Forest Service has fought wildfires in 199. The most gallons of water and retardant dropped in firefighting efforts on record occurred on 1 September 2011 with 1,188,883 gallons. While there are no doubt larger issues regarding state preparation for drought and wildfires, or even long-term considerations of climate change, it does appear that progress is being made in the here and now with stopping the fires.

http://www.Austincitystop.com is the true source of news and entertainment for all Austinites as well as those who wish to be one, if only for a little while.

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Israel Weather – A Hot Topic
By Sara Turgeman

In Israel, weather is a “hot” topic – a bad summer means particularly high temperatures and humidity, unlike Europe where it means a particularly cold and rainy season. While tourists flock to Israel to lie in the sun, Israelis leave the country in droves to get away from the summer heat.

In 2010, Israel weather forecasters saw the hottest year since records began. It started in early Spring with excessive heat waves and reached a peak in August with average temperatures over two degrees higher than in previous years. On one of the days, the meteorological office in Be’er Sheva, in the south of the country, recorded an all time high of 43.8 degrees celsius!

According to a study conducted at Tel Aviv University in Israel, weather in the Middle East is being affected by global warming, as everywhere else. Hotter summers and shorter, drier winters are going to be the trend for the future. The study also predicts more extreme weather conditions with heavy rains and storms in the winter and hot, dry heat waves in the Spring and Autumn.

Even though it is such a small country, Israel’s varied topography means it has more than one type of climate. The hot, humid summers and winter rains are typical of the Mediterranean climate in the northern and central areas of the country. But in the south, in the Arava and the Judean deserts, the desert climate means hot, dry summers with low humidity and some rainfall in the winter. Mount Hermon and the surrounding mountainous region in the far north, has a temperate climate with generally cooler temperatures year round and even some snow on high ground in the winter.

But even on Mount Hermon, there has been less snow in recent years, and therefore less water from melted snow and ice flowing into the tributaries which feed the Sea of Galilee (also known as Lake Kinneret) and the Dead Sea. The combination of higher temperatures and lower rainfall is endangering these two beautiful wonders of nature. Water is lost through vaporization during the hot, dry summer months and despite the relatively high rainfall at the end of the winter and the more moderate summer temperatures in 2011, the Sea of Galilee dropped 32 cm in August alone and the water level continues to be below the red danger line.

For a solution to the water shortage in Israel, the weather forecast for winter, 2012 needs to be rain, rain and more rain.

Sara Turgeman is the editor of http://www.this-is-galilee.com an insider guide to the Galilee and Northern Israel. More information about the water shortage in Israel can be found at http://www.this-is-galilee.com/water-shortage.html

Copyright: you may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact. Any changes must have written authorization from the author who can be contacted at the above website (Contact Me).

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With hurricane season on the rise, it’s more important than ever to know how to protect your home and property from the severe damage that can result from flooding. The following are a few tips to ensure that you are prepared if the next hurricane or flood hits:

• Make sure you have a stocked emergency preparedness kit at your home. This is not only important during hurricane season, but all year. Each kit may vary from house to house, but should include the basics such as a flashlight, portable radio, extra batteries, a supply of non-perishable foods and bottled water, a first aid kit, extra prescription medication, and extra food and supplies for infants and pets. It should also be noted that waiting to gather these things until emergency warnings have been issued may be too late. Stores’ supply of water, food and first aid supplies are usually wiped clean right before a natural disaster and you don’t want to be caught unprepared. Put your emergency kit together now. In the event that you have to leave your home, it is also important to have a “go bag” that is completely stocked with everything you might need if you had to leave your home.

• Make sure to find out if you live in an area that is at a high risk for flooding. If you are, it would be wise to buy flood insurance in the event that your property is damaged from a flood. Flood insurance often requires you to make a record of all your personal property. This is easier to do prior to being struck by disaster, so make an itemized list of your furniture, clothing and valuables – including photographs or video of each. Protect these insurance policy documents in a waterproof and fireproof box or make electronic copies and store them online.

• Be sure to keep your rain gutters free of debris in order to help with sediment control in the event of a flood. Hurricanes often bring large amounts of rain, so having clear drainage will help the water drain and prevent unnecessary flooding.

• Keep trees and shrubbery surrounding your home from being overgrown in order to keep tree limbs that could be blown down and cause damage during a storm to a minimum.

• Make sure that any outdoor furniture you have (i.e. sheds, patio furniture, playhouses, etc.) are anchored securely to the ground to prevent them from being blown away or into your home during a storm. You could make a list of the items that you need to bring inside during a storm to make this process faster.

Protect your home and real estate with CWA-compliant sediment control solutions and be prepared for the harsh winter weather.

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I Survived Hurricane Irene: An Eye Witness Account From Turks and Caicos
By Tami Santini

Hurricane Irene Timeline in Turks and Caicos:

As you know, my family and I were in Turks and Caicos on our vacation/business trip. We actually made it through our 7 nights fine, but as we watched the Weather Channel on Sunday Aug 21st, we noticed that there was a possibility of Tropical Storm Irene turning into a hurricane and heading in our direction. On Monday at around 11:00am, we found out are flights were cancelled for going home on Tuesday. We also found out that Tropical Storm Irene was now Hurricane Irene and would be heading right for us. Yikes!!

Resort Meeting:

At 2:00pm on Monday, there was a resort meeting at the Italian restaurant with the resort’s General Manager. He let everyone know what the resort was going to be doing to keep all of the guests as safe as possible, and to keep everyone as comfortable as possible. He told us that the resort had two huge 5 million dollar generators at their disposal in case the power was to go out, and they had enough food and water for 30 days. He told us that the storm would hit around 2pm on Tuesday and that we would want to stay in our rooms and that there would be restaurants open for us to eat, and many indoor activities available for the both kids and adults to enjoy while we waited out the storm.

Waiting for Hurricane Irene:

Hurricane Irene was only moving about 9 miles an hour and had turned into a category 2 hurricane as it left Puerto Rico and headed toward Turks and Caicos. We had a fairly nice day of weather on Monday, but as the day went on, we noticed higher winds, the waves in the ocean were getting more choppy and there was some on and off again showers that we had not experienced the previous 7 days. I decided to start giving video updates from the resort to keep people informed of how the weather conditions were going at in Turks and Caicos.

Irene Finally Arrives:

Monday ended up being very uneventful and even quite nice in the evening. On Tuesday Morning, the sky was a curtain of thick grey clouds, and the wind was starting to pick up. The resort workers were working hard to put all of the pool furniture away and trying to tie everything up and secure in preparations of Hurricane Irene’s arrival. About 3pm (when our flight was supposed to leave), the wind really started picking up, and the rain started to come down in torrents. I tried to find a high point on the resort to do a quick update.

Stay In Your Rooms

At this point, most people were starting to stay in their rooms, and only going out for food. My daughters actually went to the coffee shop to get their daily fix of gourmet cappuccino. My daughter Josie posted on Face book that she “walked through a hurricane for her coffee.” Around 5pm, before the sun started to set, I decided to do another post. Now the wind was really blowing and the rain was becoming a wall of blowing water.

Dinner Time: Irene “kicks it up a notch”

We quickly ran from our room and through the corridors until we got to the English Pub, called Cricketer’s. At this point I have to say that the staff at the resort did a fantastic job of helping keep all of us feeling safe, and they were keeping the restaurants open for us, even though it was really scary outside. The worst of the Hurricane came while we slept. The wind and rain really intensified Tuesday night into Wednesday morning. When we awoke, I took a quick video from our bedroom slider door.

Skeleton Staff Works Around the Clock

On this day, I really have to say that I was amazed at the resorts management and staff, and how they took care of us. Only 95 employees out 1,200 could make it in to work that day. Many were stranded at home, because of the rain and flooding going on, but also their own houses were flooding. One of the hardest working women on the whole resort was a single parent of two young children. She is hoping to become a nurse and she is working long hours and saving her money so that she can take nursing classes in the U.S. She was supposed to come in at work at 10am, and as she drove to work, she could barely see with all the rain coming down, but she was there by 9:45am to carry out her duties. I was very impressed with her.

Dealing with Crabby People

Anyway, the resort was able to keep 3 large restaurants open, and have some great buffet food available for us. There were a lot of people complaining, but I couldn’t believe that these people could have such bad attitudes in the situation we were in. I feel bad saying this, but sometimes we Americans don’t do ourselves any favors by the way we act when visiting other countries. I know that the resort staff definitely did not want a Hurricane to hit them and make their life 10 times harder. At this point, on Wednesday, we were the only place on the Island that had electricity, food, and water. We were in the safest place to be during a Hurricane.

Hurricane Irene is Finally Over

It wasn’t until about 3pm on Wednesday that Hurricane Irene finally was over, and I went around with my husband looking at the damage left behind by Hurricane Irene. From what we could see, there was a lot of tree damage, roof leaks, shingles on the ground, an estimated 7 million dollars in damage was shared with us. The Italian restaurant had some water damage on the ceiling that may need some time to fix.

The Airport is Flooded

We had re-scheduled our flight for Thursday afternoon. At this point the airport in Turks and Caicos was still closed, and the crews were working feverishly to get the water off of the runways. The airport in Turks and Caicos floods very easily I was told, after only 45 minutes of heavy rain. The Island’s irrigation system is designed not to run off into the ocean to prevent pollution into the ocean.

Some Good News

We were hoping the airport would be open by Thursday, so that we could go home. We loved our vacation, but we were ready to be back home after having our flight cancelled two days earlier. We were told that the airport would open at 11:00am on Thursday, and that flights out would begin that afternoon.

The Sun is Sighted

On Thursday morning, the crews were out in force starting the massive cleanup of the fallen trees and water-logged buildings. The skies began to clear and the sun started shining. We checked out of our room, and Jenna, the reservation supervisor, did a fantastic job of helping all of the many stranded guests. She had to handle many angry and frustrated guests who’s travel arrangements had changed and been re-scheduled. I thought that she kept everything running smoothly, and had great people skills to keep people happy and feeling better. She seemed to have a great grasp of our situation, and if I had an issue or question, she always knew exactly what was going on with our rooms and accounts. She was Fantastic!

To the Airport:

On the way to the airport, I was very surprised to see how many roads were still flooded. Our concierge told us that she had not been home in three days, because the roads that lead to her house were flooded. I actually took some video of the flooding. I have the video of the flooding on my blog and YouTube.

CNN Contacts Lou!!!!!! NO Way!

I submitted the video to CNN, and they actually accepted it as a news story! My husband actually got his name on it, since he was the one who submitted the video for me and got to answer the call from the reporter. (Attention hog) LOL

Many People Caught Off Guard

There were many travelers there who didn’t have travel protection to cover them during this unfortunate situation. It is crucial to have some sort of coverage when traveling during hurricane season…anytime really. It is best to work with a travel professional who can work on your behalf while you aren’t able (obviously phone lines were down and internet intermittent) as well as someone to guide you in purchasing proper coverage. Any money we were charged for our extension would be initially paid by us and then sent in as an insurance claim for reimbursement. Some guests were purchasing new flights out because their airline didn’t have availability for them for several days. This would also be reimbursed by insurance (but initially paid by the traveler). Please do not travel without emergency funds available!

We Survived

My family and I still can’t believe we actually were in a hurricane. If I hadn’t taken video and pictures, I don’t think I would have believed it even now. It all seems so unreal. We had a lot of people praying for us, and I feel that God protected us and helped the situation go so much better than it could have been. Our prayers go out to everyone that has been affected by Hurricane Irene.

To view the original article with video posts please go to http://www.getawayinparadise.com/uncategorized/hurricane-irene-roars-through-beaches-all-inclusive-resort-in-turks-and-caicos/

Tami Santini is the Owner and lead travel agent of Paradise Getaways LLC in Portage Mi.

Phone: 877-686-0397

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