>22 May, 2011

TODAY’S TOP WEATHER STORIES
On Weather & Climate Through the Eyes of Mark Vogan

Iceland volcano: Grimsvotn eruption hits flights
BBC

TODAY’S WEATHER ACROSS UK & EUROPE By Mark Vogan

Damaging winds likely across portions of Scotland tomorrow, European mainland much the same

There is little to talk about with regard to the mainland Europe weather pattern as high pressure remains in contol, however, it’s northern Britain where things are going downhill rather fast…

GALES ARE TO EFFECT MUCH OF SCOTLAND WITH SEVERE GALKE-FORCE WINDS LIKELY IN EXPOSED COASTS AND THE HIGH PEAKS OF THE HIGHLANDS

Today, the northern half of the UK remains unsettled with sunshine in between very heavy showers, feeling chilly in a brisk west, southwest wind.

Tomorrow looks to become stormy across much of the northern half of the UK with the low getting close to mainland Scotland. Winds could pick up to 60-70mph over the western coastal fringes and higher ground but for a time, even the Central Lowlands and Southern Uplands may experience sustained gale-force winds and gusts beyond 50 or 60mph. Very heavy rain will accompany these strong winds. Temps will have a tough old time reaching 11-13C. As for southern half of the UK, it will remain fairly unsettled but much less windy with highs topping out at around 17 or 18C for central and southern areas, perhaps 20C over London and the southeast.

The majority of the European mainland remains sunny with warm to hot sunshine.

Here is a rainbow I captured looking east from my house this evening.

WEATHER TALK
By Mark Vogan

Looking back at the

ASIAN TSUNAMI OF DECEMBER 2004

Extracts From Wikipedia

This earthquake was the biggest in the Indian Ocean in some 700 years, or since around A.D. 1400.

The energy released on the Earth’s surface only (M_E, which is the seismic potential for damage) by the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was estimated at 1.1×10¹⁷ joules,^[25] or 26.3 megatons of TNT. This energy is equivalent to over 1502 times that of the Hiroshima atomic bomb, but less than that of Tsar Bomba, the largest nuclear weapon ever detonated.

The shock waves of the earthquake were felt across the planet; as far away as the U.S. state of Oklahoma, where vertical movements of 3 mm (0.12 in) were recorded.

The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake was an undersea megathrust earthquake that occurred at 00:58:53 UTC on Sunday, December 26, 2004, with an epicentre off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. The quake itself is known by the scientific community as the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake.[3][4] The resulting tsunami is given various names, including the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, South Asian Tsunami, Indonesian Tsunami, and Boxing Day Tsunami.

The earthquake was caused by subduction and triggered a series of devastating tsunamis along the coasts of most landmasses bordering the Indian Ocean, killing over 230,000 people in fourteen countries, and inundating coastal communities with waves up to 30 meters (100 feet) high.[5] It was one of the deadliest natural disasters in recorded history. Indonesia was the hardest hit, followed by Sri Lanka, India, and Thailand.

With a magnitude of between 9.1 and 9.3, it is the third largest earthquake ever recorded on a seismograph. This earthquake had the longest duration of faulting ever observed, between 8.3 and 10 minutes. It caused the entire planet to vibrate as much as 1 centimetre (0.4 inches)[6] and triggered other earthquakes as far away as Alaska.[7] Its hypocentre was between Simeulue and mainland Indonesia.[8]

The plight of the many affected people and countries prompted a worldwide humanitarian response. In all, the worldwide community donated more than $14 billion (2004 U.S. dollars) in humanitarian aid.

VAGARIES OF THE WEATHER
INDIA & SUB-CONTINENTAL ASIA WEATHER
BY RAJESH KAPADIA

Sunday, 22nd May, 2011:

Pakistan maintains its 50c trend. Turbat topped the Asian chart on Sunday with 50c. Other hotspots were a little better, with Sibbi recording 47c, Nawabshah at 46c.

As estimated yesterday, Karachi is back to 35c.

In India, it seems the highest on Sunday was 42.3c at Machlipatnam and Gannavaram, A.P. Thats as per the available information as yet.

Anyway, most of the North Indian cities were between 35-38c, and a few stations in Rajasthan saw around 38-40c.

Its a definite M3 cooling down effect. Mild rainfall in Kullu-Manali and snowfall in high altitude peaks around the district have sent the mercury plummeting.

The weather tower installed at Dhundi near Manali indicated that the hill resort recorded minimum temperature of 12.2c on Saturday. The maximum day temperature was recorded at only 14.3c, around 10c below the normal. Kalpa was the lowest in H.P. at 4.8c. Mandi received 64 mms of rain in 24 hrs.

Rohtang pass, Deo Tibba, Hanuman Tibba, Makarved, Shikarved, Hamta Pass and adjoining peaks continued receiving more snow.

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WHAT’S REACHING TODAY’S BLOGS?

Grimsvotn becomes the fifth high latitude eruption since 2008 – reaches over 12 miles high
Joe D’Aleo, WeatherBell Annalytics

Storms Wrecks Havoc in Punjab!!
Pakistan Weather Portal

Extreme Heat Slaps Karachi
Pakistan Weather Portal

THE EXTREMES OF THE DAY

TODAY’S US EXTREMES
COURTESY OF ACCUWEATHER

HIGH: 106 degrees at Laredo, TX

LOW: 24 degrees at Alta, UT

TODAY’S UK EXTREMES
COURTESY OF THE MET OFFICE

HIGH: 68 degrees (20C) at Heathrow (Greater London)
LOW: 38 degrees (3.4C) at Drumnadrochit (Loch Ness)

TODAY’S GLOBAL EXTREMES
COURTESY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLOGNE

HIGHEST

50C (122F) at Turbat, Pakistan (Asia)
47C (117F) at Sibbi, Pakistan (Asia)
46C (115F) at Menaka, Mali (Africa)
44C (111F) at Doha, Qatar (Asia)

LOWEST

-70C (-94F) at Vostok Station, Antarctica
-36C (-33F) at Summit Camp, Greenland

TODAY’S EXTREMES HERE AT MY HOUSE

HIGH: 54 degrees
LOW: 47 degrees

Thanks for reading.
-Mark