Snow storm in Upper Midwest!!

A snow storm hit the upper Midwest Sunday dumping more than a foot of snow in some areas.  In Minneapolis the storm system dropped 10.6 inches of snow where Menomonie, WI got 13.8 inches and Eau Claire 13 inches by Sunday night.  These conditions made roads treacherous and unsafe, leading to at least one fatal crash in Minnesota.  This has been Minneapolis' heaviest snowfall since the blizzard two years ago that caused the Metrodome roof to collapse.  Stadium officials took precautions and blasted the heat in an effort to melt the snow from the roof as quickly as possible.  Minnesota state patrol reported more than 600 crashes by Monday morning, 1,140 spinouts, and 63 other accidents which also reported injuries.  Many schools were closed Monday across Minnesota and Wisconsin.  Around 150 flights were cancelled on Sunday at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, but flights were operating on time Monday morning.  Snowplows worked on clearing highways, ramps, and bridges for drivers, but many crashes still occurred.   According to meteorologist Paul Douglas, Every storm is different, and this one was especially fickle, for a number of reasons. Usually a thick layer of cold air needs to be in place for a major snowfall. We didn’t have that with this storm, temperatures aloft fairly close to freezing this morning. But the upward motion, the vertical velocities associated with this storm are unusually intense. Not only does this create moderate to heavy snow, but strong upward motion cools the column of air overhead, preventing a changeover to ice or rain, which would keep final amounts down.  Nevertheless, many people are welcoming the snow because there was not much snow last winter and it is getting people more into the Christmas spirit!!

 http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2012/12/10/upper-midwest-minnesota-snow/1758335/
 http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/50143431/#50143431
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/post/snowstorm-buries-minneapolis-northern-plains/2012/12/10/f95df9aa-42d8-11e2-9648-a2c323a991d6_blog.html

Death toll continues to rise from Typhoon Bopha

Authorities say the death toll has climbed above 700 from the destructive typhoon that hit southern Philippines last week.  Typhoon Bopha is the strongest and deadliest storm to hit the Philippines this year and nearly 900 more people are still unaccounted for in the aftermath..  Both the number of deaths and missing people have risen during the past few days and are still likely to increase further this week said Benito Ramos, head of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Control.  If not many people are found a live, Bopha could prove to be more deadly than Tropical Storm Washi, which killed 1,268 people only a year ago.  Hundreds to thousands of people have to live in evacuation centers, must rely on the government for some form of assistance, and are begging for food and water everyday. 

Farming communities were the worst hit and it may take years for them to recover, which is not good for the community, which rely on it for their livelihood.  The United Nations announced a global appeal to raise $65 million to help people affected by the storm and emergency funds are being released due to President Benigno Aquino III declaring a state of national calamity.  Local authorities are being criticized for not anticipating the scale of the destruction, thus why so many people lost their lives.  Also it was said the illegal logging and mining may have contributed to landslides and flash floods around the area.  Ramon Paje, Environmental Secretary of Aquino's government said the devastation on Mindanao is now proving that timber harvesting must stop especially in natural forests.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/11/world/asia/philippines-typhoon/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

Rare Tornado Hits New Zealand

A rare tornado killed 3 people in New Zealand earlier this week and damaged more than 250 peoples' homes causing $11 million worth of damage. These residents that lost their homes were taken to an air force base in Whenuapai, where council staff and welfare workers assisted them. People described this unusual storm as a "mini tornado", uprooting trees, damaging buildings, and flooded roads causing them to close.  Sam Nuthall told reporters "You couldn't see it coming ... there was debris flying everywhere, steel getting thrown around."  Others described it as getting very still and very very black and all of a sudden it hit.  New Zealand isn't prone to large destructive tornadoes like the Midwest in the U.S. because of its temperate maritime climate.  Daniel Corbett a meteorologist said that there was very warm, humid air hanging around that created the conditions for this tornado to occur.  Meteorologists also failed to warn people of this fatal tornado saying that it is harder to predict these tornadoes because they are too small to see on radar.  But they did give out warnings of strong tornado like wind gusts. This tornado also equalled the deadliest recorded in New Zealand's history.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/06/new-zealand-tornado-auckland_n_2249360.html
http://news.sky.com/story/1021425/new-zealand-tornado-hundreds-flee-storm
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10852906

Typhoon Bopha hits the Philippines

Typhoon Bopha hit southern Philippines and destroyed buildings while setting off floods and landslides early this December.  Bopha is the most powerful typhoon to hit this area in decades with top winds at 110 mph.  Millions of people were in its path that lived in unprepared communities.  The typhoon has affected more than 213,000 people and more than 179,000 people are in evacuation centers.  A landslide occurred blocking a national highway leaving hundreds of people stuck on the road.  Today, the official death toll has climbed to 325 people with nearly 400 Filipinos still unaccounted for.  It appears the Typhoon Bopha could be twice as deadly as Hurricane Sandy.  This typhoon has washed away villages, roads and buildings, flattened cornfields and banana plantations, destroyed fishing fleets, and buried homes under landslides.  Local authorities have been doing their best relocating people and preparing evacuation centers.  Maintenance workers have also been working on clearing mud and rocks on roads so traffic is able to get through.  The fact that some areas did not have the best preparation of typhoons really made a difference in how they were affected by the storm. 

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/view.php?id=79924
http://www.cnn.com/2012/12/04/world/asia/philippines-typhoon/index.html
http://rendezvous.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/12/05/typhoon-bopha-hurricane-sandy-times-two/
 

Train cars leak toxic chemical in New Jersey

Four train cars crashed into a creek near the Deleware River after falling off a failed bridge in Paulsboro, New Jersey.  All four train cars were carrying vinyl chloride a highly toxic and flammable substance, which leaked from at least one car into the creek. 71 patients went to the local hospital with respiratory issues and scratchy throats with 68 being discharged later, 3 still remained in stable condition.  Nearby schools were placed on lockdown and areas were evacuated around the accident.  Officals say that the air surrounding the wreck is being monitored and is safe. 
Vinyl chloride is a chemical used to make plastic and vinyl products and according to the Environmental Protection Agency is a Group A human carcinogen.  Just a short time exposure to this chemical in the air can result in central nervous system effects, such as dizziness, drowsiness, and headaches.  Agencies are working to remove the wreckage and getting the rest of the material out of the train car with great caution.  Luckily no one was severely injured in this incident, but this could have happened if people were around the area where the train cars derailed.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/30/us/new-jersey-train-derail/index.html?hpt=hp_bn1

Flooding in the UK

Heavy rains flooded the UK earlier this week and forecasters say nearly a month's worth of more rain (70 mm) could fall by the end of the week.  There were more than 500 flood warnings and alerts in place and with cold weather coming, there may be treacherous freezing conditions as well.  A total of three people died in the flood over the weekend including a 21 year old girl, 50 year old man and a 77 year old man.  More than 100,000 people were  contacted via telephone, letter, or text message of the flood coming because they had signed up for the Environment Agency's free Floodline Warnings Direct system.  Train networks were closed down or delayed up to seven hours, while some residents just kayaked down the streets.  Residents were also warned to boil tap water for fear that the water may have been contaminated by the floods.  The Environment Agency estimated that 940 properties have been flooded since last Wednesday and also flood defenses in England and Wales have protected nearly 50,000 properties.

We just talked about floods in class on Tuesday and one of the statistics was that the United Kingdom has a 4.8% flood-prone population which isn't very high compared to Bangladesh at 80%.  Flood prone environments include areas that are low lying parts of major floodplains, low lying coasts and deltas, small basins, areas below unsafe or inadequate dams, low lying inland shorelines, and alluvial fans.  The article did not touch on if the area was flood prone, but they did mention how flood defenses protected nearly 50,000 properties which shows how MDCs have ways to prevent damage.  Overall the major physical cause of this flood was heavy excessive rainfall and they were lucky to have forecasting and warning systems in order to prepare for what was to come.  Insurers and the government are attempting to strike up a deal in order to help the residents get back on their feet, but as the water level continues to rise, people are getting more uneasy.  The insurers want the place a surcharge on all insurance premiums to create new funding to cover flooding, but they also want the government to back up any shortfalls during intense flooding; so far there has been no deal on that  The events that just happened in the UK shows why insurance is so important and it is also important for homeowners to learn their rights and what they can ask of insurance companies why they pay claims.

http://www.todayonline.com/World/EDC121127-0000072/More-flooding-in-the-UK,-icy-weather-on-the-way

A Blast from Natural Gas

A gas leak triggered an explosion in Springfield, Massachusetts that injured 18 people.  The explosion blew out every window within a three block radius and a 6 story apartment building was evacuated because the foundation started to buckle.  People were literally knocked off their feet by the blast and those that were injured included firefighters, policemen, gas company employees, and civilians.  According to Lieutenant Governor Tim Murray, the blast was heard for miles and  it was a miracle that no one was killed.  The gas leak was located in a strip club, but thankfully everyone was had evacuated by the time it ignited.  A fire marshall told the press conference that the explosion took place 15 minutes after the gas was shut off.

A gas leak is a serious concern as you can see in the case of the explosion in Springfield.  Most people can tell a gas leak by the rotten egg odor or a hissing sound.  If someone hadn't noticed these signs in the strip club, many more people may have been injured or killed.  It is important to leave the area immediately and to not use any electrical devices that could trigger the gas to ignite. It is important for pipes to be checked for leaks regularly by a professional.  Also it is essential for land use planning, that buildings or houses are not to built over natural gas pipelines.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/11/23/15394216-blast-tied-to-natural-gas-rips-through-springfield-mass-buildings-18-hurt?lite#__utma=238145375.1944660864.1346965793.1353642130.1353727584.30&__utmb=238145375.8.9.1353727627939&__utmc=238145375&__utmx=-&__utmz=238145375.1353727584.30.28.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=%28not%20provided%29&__utmv=238145375.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc|us%20news=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.msnbc.msn.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=164249980

7.4 Magnitude Earthquake in Guatemala

Today off the Pacific coast of Guatemala, a 7.4 magnitude earthquake occurred killing at least 39 people.  San Marcos, a mountain village 80 miles from the epicenter suffered most of the damage where 30 homes collapsed.  More than 300 people worked at rescuing 7 people that were buried alive at a sand extraction site.  The earthquake was about 20 miles deep and was shaking buildings as far away as Mexico City and El Salvador.  President Otto Perez Molina asked civilians to stay put and not travel due to dangerous highway collapses and debris.  He also encouraged civilians that were in the affected areas to evacuate and stated that the country was "on the highest level of alert for subsequent earthquakes in the next few hours" and that there is a very high risk of aftershocks.  There has not been any immediate reports of a tsunami on the Pacific coast, but Nicaragua's disaster management agency has issued a local tsunami alert.  Located along Guatemala's Northwest border, landslides cut off several highways and it may take 24 hours to reestablish transport links.  Many people throughout the country had felt the earthquake and fled to their homes in El Salvador, but there are no reports of injury or serious damage. 

This earthquake was located along the 'Ring of Fire' where about two thirds of all large earthquakes occur.  The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly about the hypocenter where earthquakes are measured.  And magnitude is measured on scales that describe the total energy released by the earthquake in the form of seismic waves that radiate outward from the fault plane.  The impact on people could have been worse from this major earthquake due to building quality, population density, distance from the fault, and duration of shaking.  Preventing earthquakes is not possible, but mitigation of the hazard is important for protection.  Most earthquakes losses are due to the collapse of buildings so it is important to have a building code which requires a site to be suitable for construction.  It is important to ensure that buildings won't be built over faults and that the building foundation are strong enough to withstand earthquakes.  Having trained rescue operations and plans to bring in assistance from outside the affected area is vital, overall it is important for a community to be prepared for a possible earthquake occurrence.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57546549/7.4-earthquake-shakes-guatemala/

Nor-easter Could Possibly Cause More Damage

As I've mentioned in a previous blog, a nor'easter is taking aim on the already ravaged coastline hit by Hurricane Sandy.  On Election day, the system affected part of the South with rain and thunderstorms, but is not making its way North towards the coast of New Jersey.  Enough rain may fall along the Atlantic coast to cause minor flooding problems where there may be street and highway flooding due to storm drains being blocked with sand and other debris. As the rain continues to move north into colder air, heavy snow may fall in some areas.  In addition to rain and snow, strong winds will hit the coast again gusting at 50 to 55 mph.   Winds of this magnitude can easily topple trees that are already damaged over and toss debris around making it dangerous.  With all the progress already made after Hurricane Sandy hit, this nor-easter may undo some of the progress made by power companies and public workers.   


http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/noreaster-to-cause-flooding-da/1138252

Heath Risks Victims of Hurricane Sandy May Face

There are some major health risks that victims of Hurricane Sandy may face in the wake of the storm.  Carbon monoxide exposure is the number one risk for people returning to their homes.  The weather is getting colder and many still lack power, so one may get carbon monoxide poisoning by using generators or stoves indoors to heat their homes.  Flood waters may contain bacteria, viruses, and chemicals that could make people sick, as well as sewage in the water can lead to intestinal diseases and infections.  People may be at risk of hypothermia in cold weather especially without power.  It is important to wear layers of clothing and drinking warm, sweet things to help maintain body temperature.  Drinking water may be contaminated because of sewage overflows in water treatment plants, so many areas are under a boil-water advisory.  Food may have been exposed to sewage water, flood waters, and improper refrigeration so it's important to think about food safety.  Lastly people who have heath conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure may not have access to their prescriptions which can be a major issue if they cannot get to pharmacies or in touch with a doctor.

http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/11/02/7-health-risks-in-the-wake-of-superstorm-sandy/?iid=article_sidebar

Nor-easter may hit New York and New Jersey

The last thing the East coast needs is another storm after the devastating impact Hurricane Sandy has had already, but a nor'easter is predicted to hit and experts are concerned about further damage to the shorelines.  Hurricane Sandy has already torn apart hundreds of miles of dunes and protective sea walls along the coast and this lack of protection could lead to lowland flooding near the coast.  Due to storms in the past such as Hurricane Ida and Irene, many beaches along the Atlantic coast have become more vulnerable because of the erosion.  With dunes almost completely eroded away, communities are much more vulnerable to future storms that may hit.  A preventative measure that may minimize damage from future storms is to quickly repair and restore the coast.  The Department of Environmental Conservation has issued emergency permits for repairs in the coastal areas of New York.
The nor'easter storm is predicted to move from the Southeast Tuesday night to New Jersey on Wednesday.  It will be nowhere near the level of Sandy's tropical force winds, but because of the vulnerability of the coast, it could increase the damage dramatically.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/03/noreaster-new-york-new-jersey_n_2068916.html#slide=1706820

Hurricane Sandy death toll

On Saturday, the death toll from Hurricane Sandy is now at more than 110, New York has been the hardest hit at 48 deaths.  Some of the hardest hit parts of the state are still under rubble and areas are still flooded and officials fear that the number of deaths could continue to climb.  In New Jersey, state police confirmed 24 deaths linked to Sandy and some communities still remain under evacuation.  At least 9 deaths have been reported due to cases of hypothermia and car crashes with last week's snow and excessive wind.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nation/nationnow/la-na-nn-hurricane-sandy-deaths-climb-20121103,0,6945430.story

Hurricane Sandy's Damage

Hurricane Sandy did considerable damage to New York City services some of these include subways and buses, trains and airports, and power failures.  Subways services in areas of New York City were suspended until the weekend do to flooding in the tunnels. The major concern was getting the water out of the tunnels which is a daunting task due to inspecting, cleaning, and repairing all the electrical components.  Some of these electrical components include signalling systems which prevent train collisions, power to propel the trains, and communications, pumps, and vent systems that release exhaust.  Seven subway tunnels were flooded by the storm where a 14 foot storm surge topped the subways entrances and grates, MTA crews pumped out the water into the East River. 
Mayor Bloomberg expects that most of the power in the city would be restored by Sunday, but areas in Westchester and Long Island will most likely wait the longest for full power restoration.  One of the most serious challenges to the city is restoring the tunnels which need to be cleaned of sludge and debris.  Some airports have started to receive some flights on Wednesday October 31, but most airports and all railroads remain closed.  New York's wastewater treatment plants have been flooded and now New York's waterways are mixed with sewage and stormwater which are flooding into the streets and buildings. In Breezy Point, Queens, at least 111 homes were destroyed due to wind-fueled fire and fire engines were kept from the blaze because of severe flooding.  

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012/10/30/nyregion/hurricane-sandys-aftermath.html

Why We Need FEMA

Hurricane Sandy has destroyed millions of homes and in some cases loss of life and livelihood.  Not only has there been flooding, but homes businesses, and cars have also been damaged or lost.  There have been estimates of up to $20 billion in damage which most of it may be replaced by insurance payouts.  When states face disasters of this proportion, the first place people may turn to is the Federal Emergency Management Agency.  Sandy shows us why we need FEMA that can respond to states in their time of need.  It is of course expected that states and private citizens our to respond as much as they can, but we cannot do it all ourselves.  Mitt Romney has previously advocated that he wants FEMA to be eliminated, privatized, or handed off to states in a block grant.  A block grant is a fixed amount that will be unable to expand in times of need which is unimaginable that federal disaster relief could be administered this way.  It is important to really listen to what the candidates are saying when they want to get rid of federal government functions such as FEMA.  People may not think about what kind of impact this may have when a natural disaster does occur, but it is important to have a funded federal government when we meet challenges like Hurricane Sandy.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/31/opinion/bernstein-fema/index.html?iref=obinsite

How will Hurricane Sandy affect the Election?

Hurricane Sandy posed a huge test for Obama as the whole country watched to see how he would react to this natural disaster.  This crisis offers him an opportunity to show the rest of the country how he can command which some believe he has been lacking.  Both candidates had canceled their campaigns and decided to focus on the troubled East coast.  It would be wise for Romney to redesign his ads and focus more on hope of new leadership rather than generating criticism.  The effect Sandy has on the media which mainly focused on weather and much less the presidential campaign, gives the candidates less space and time to influence events.  This is an extremely valuable time for the campaigns being that it is only days before the election.  People on the East coast are going to be preoccupied with personal hardships and are focusing less on politics, some fear that voting in lower income areas will be depressed and this may hurt Democrats. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/29/opinion/zelizer-weather-campaign/index.html

46 dead in the U.S. and more losses to come

At least 46 people are dead, 23 of them in New York, 6 in New Jersey, 5 in Pennsylvania, 4 in Connecticut, 2 each in Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia and 1 each in North Carolina and Puerto Rico.  Before coming North to the East coast of the U.S., Hurricane Sandy was blamed for 68 death in the Caribbean.  At least four towns in New Jersey were submerged up to 6 feet of water due to a levee braking during the intense storm.  Evacuations plans are being put together in Hoboken, New Jersey for the estimated 20,000 people that still remain trapped in their homes; they are hoping for proper equipment by Wednesday morning.  In Queens, New York, a massive fire broke out and destroyed at least 110 homes and damaged 20 others, the severe weather made it difficult for firefighters to reach the blaze.  Hurricane Sandy was definitely an intense storm that continued to get worse as other factors contributed, such as the high tide and the cold front mixing with the storm.  This cold front may cause 6 to 12 inches of snow in some areas; more of the U.S. than just the East coast will be affected by this storm. 

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49605748/ns/weather/#__utma=14933801.1944660864.1346965793.1350872834.1351655478.20&__utmb=14933801.1.10.1351655478&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1351655478.20.19.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=%28not%20provided%29&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc|cover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=143841845&__utma=14933801.1944660864.1346965793.1350872834.1351655478.20&__utmb=14933801.1.10.1351655478&__utmc=14933801&__utmx=-&__utmz=14933801.1351655478.20.19.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=%28not%20provided%29&__utmv=14933801.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc|cover=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.nbcnews.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=143841845

Hurricane Sandy Breaks Records

Hurricane Sandy will likely not set records for most costly or most deadly, but the mayor of New York stated that Sandy "maybe the worst NYC has ever experienced."  One record Sandy has broken is strength, 940 millibars was measured Monday afternoon, making it the lowest barometric reading ever recorded for and Atlantic storm to make landfall.  With a lower pressure, there is a stronger storm.  A record storm surge of water in New York City topped 13.88 feet at Battery Park and New York Harbor's surf also reached a record of a 32.5 foot wave on Monday.  Many forecasters pointed out that if Hurricane Sandy were a country, it would make it the 20th largest in the world, about twice the size of Texas.    7.5 million businesses and households are without electric power in 15 states making it this largest storm-related outage in history.  Hurricane Sandy will most likely not be the costliest storm to hit the U.S. East coast, but it definitely turned into a major storm that will affect the country. 

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/30/us/sandy-records/index.html

Hurricane Sandy could be Devastating

Hurricane Sandy, a Category 1 storm, has already impacted those on the coasts of North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland with pelting rains, fierce winds, and mass evacuations.  By early Monday morning, Hurricane Sandy will an even more direct effect on millions of people.  It may likely collide with a cold front from the West causing a even bigger storm with more wind, flooding, power outages, and potential danger.

Hurricane Sandy has already taken lives before hitting the U.S. causing at least 67 deaths, with 51 in Haiti.  A unique characteristic of this storm is that its 75 mph winds extends 175 miles of from its eye, affecting hundreds of miles of territory. Many have been taking preventive steps like evacuating homes and businesses, shutting down schools, subways and other public transportation.  Some areas may see severe flooding due to the full moon which brings higher than normal tides.  FEMA estimates this this hurricane has the potential to cause $2.5 billion to $3 billion in wind damage alone, not taking into account other damage and potential flooding. This storm could be historic in nature, scope, and magnitude due to the expected power outages, flooding, and wind damage.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/10/28/us/tropical-weather-sandy/index.html?hpt=hp_t1

West Nile Outbreak Exceeds Second-highest Annual Total

The West Nile virus cases in the United States has already exceeded the second-highest annual total with more than 2 months left of the year.  As of Tuesday, there have been 4,531 cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, this includes 183 deaths.  This year probably won't be the worst on record unless another 5,000 cases develop.  2003 was the worst year in number of cases; 9,862 illnesses and 264 deaths.  Cooler temperatures lower the risk of mosquito borne illnesses, but mosquito activity will still be high in some regions mainly the south, so it is still important for people to protect themselves.  Important steps to protect yourself from mosquitoes possibly carrying the disease is to avoid going out at dawn and dusk, use bug spray with DEET, wear long pants and sleeves when going outside, get rid of standing water because mosquitoes breed in water, and use screens on windows so mosquitoes cannot get inside.


http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/18/west-nile-outbreak-falls-short-of-2003-numbers/

Thousands Without Power due to Tornadoes

Wednesday night reports of at least 5 tornadoes swept through Arkansas and Mississippi.  Six people were injured and brought to the hospital after their mobile homes were completely destroyed near Anguilla, Mississippi.    A tornado blew down dozens of trees and powerlines while damaging several structures in Conehatta, Mississippi.  According to Entergy, a power company, 12,592 customers in Mississippi and 1,981 in Arkansas were competely without power.  In Tennessee, dozens of people were evacuated from their homes as storms swept through the area, six or seven homes reportedly were damaged.  If not for weather warnings, there could have been more people injured and thankfully only six people were reported injured.
 
The United States leads the world in tornado hazards, about 1000 are recorded on land every year.  Most occur in an area running from Texas through Kansas and Oklahoma called "Tornado Alley".  The most damage and injuries occur usually when people live in mobile homes.  It is important especially with people who live in mobile homes to seek tornado shelter. Taking an Engineering paradigm approach with forecasting and warning is extremely important during a storm hazard.  Most national weather services distribute their warnings through media, internet, and radio.  Forecasting warnings for tornadoes have a much smaller scale of time and distance, at most usually 2 to 3 hours.

Source: http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/18/14531330-ark-miss-tornadoes-leave-thousands-without-power?lite

Drought Taking a Toll on Farmers in America

Nearly two thirds of the U.S. is in moderate to exceptional drought and half of the nation's corn is poor to very poor.  This diminishing supply has raised the prices dramatically which affects the livestock farmers who need to buy the crops to feed the animals.  The agriculture industry appears healthy this year, except much of the impact the drought has had will be felt next year especially in farmer revenue.  Lawmakers are expected to pass a farm bill after the November election which may be too late for livestock producers because of the price to feed their animals.  Most farmers are calm about this drought because it is their way of life and a part of them, but it will affect their whole family.  Cancelled family vacations, delayed doctor visits, selling off land intended to be handed down through generations, and children having to forgo preferred colleges for cheaper ones closer to home are just some of the effects this drought has had on farmers this year.  Although they are not in danger of losing their homes or going hungry, this is threatening their way of life and there is no chance of knowing if conditions will get better.  A year of drought can be sustainable, but multiple years in a row could be devastating to these farmers and the U.S. as a whole. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/04/us/widespread-drought-threatens-way-of-life-for-farmers.html?pagewanted=all

Experts worry about Meningitis outbreak

 

A widening outbreak of fungal meningitis has infected 184 Americans and killed 14 immunocompetent people, this infection is typically seen in patients that are immunocompromised or people incapable of developing a normal immune response due to disease or malnutrion. Usually people develop fungal infections from breathing in fungal spores, but in this outbreak, the fungi were injected directly along the spines of patients who had received a steroid treatment for back pain.  Dr. William Schaffner, an expert in infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville was interviewed.  He states it is not certain how effective the treatment will be to the patients exposed to this drug.  Even when people are treated for the infection, it is almost certain that some will be left with a disability because the infections cause tissue damage.  It is estimated that for every hundred patients exposed to the steroid treatment, 5 percent or less are becoming infected, but many more have been exposed and may be infected.  This fungi that has been injected next to our spines just do what they normally would do in nature, multiple and eat the tissue they are around.  I would not place this Meningitis case under a natural disaster, but if left untreated could potentially affect many people in the U.S.

http://news.yahoo.com/q-experts-worry-meningitis-outbreak-224135564.html

Snowstorm in North Dakota and Minnesota!

A rare snowstorm occurred October 4 across parts of North Dakota and Minnesota which snapped tree lines and cut power to residents. Grand Forks, N.D. saw record amounts of snow for this early in the season at 3.5 inches.  Blizzard conditions were blamed for a head-on collision that killed a woman in Grand Forks.  The most snow was seen in Minnesota's Roseau County at 14 inches by Thursday afternoon.  Interestingly enough residents forced out of Karlstad, Minn. temporarily this week due to a wildfire, received 6 inches of snow.  Unexpected weather like this can be a hazard especially in driving conditions when people are not expecting the slippery roads.

This obviously isn't the worst snowstorm, but it is a rare one which makes people more prone to accidents.   It is important for a community to be prepared for snow storms.  Forecast and warning systems is an effective way in preparing the public for a snow storm and in doing so the community knows what to expect and will be more careful especially in driving conditions.  Snow storms cannot be prevented, but salting the roads for drivers, snow plowing, and forecasting warnings does better prepare the community that is affected.  In this case, only one person was killed, but many more people could have been injured because it was such an unexpected storm.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/10/05/14242237-snowstorm-hits-north-dakota-minnesota-dropping-up-to-14-inches-in-some-areas?lite#__utma=238145375.1944660864.1346965793.1349217583.1349457559.8&__utmb=238145375.2.10.1349457559&__utmc=238145375&__utmx=-&__utmz=238145375.1349457559.8.8.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=%28not%20provided%29&__utmv=238145375.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc|politics=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.msnbc.msn.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=102845891

World War II bombs in Gulf of Mexico

There are millions of pounds of unexploded munitions from World War II dumped in the Gulf of Mexico that pose a risk to offshore drilling and the environment.  Dumping of these munitions occurred from 1946 to 1970 in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Hawaii coasts, but now that they are more than 60 years old, they may be a threat researchers say.  Chemical agents could be leaking from some of them and many of them could be still capable of exploding which are two big problems.  Surveys that were taken showed that chemical weapon canisters appeared to be leaking materials such as mustard gas.  One reason to worry is that we do not know if there is an environmental risk and the Obama administration and energy companies want to pick up the pace of drilling.  Last year BP had to shut a major pipeline down for 5 days to remove a 13 foot unexploded German mine. Terrance Long, founder of the International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions, stated that you can find munitions in basically every ocean and major sea around the world which leads to a threat to human health and the environment.  This story made me think of how humans have such an impact on our world and the environment.  The things we do in the past obviously will affect our future, for example climate change, but we choose not to worry about it until it is an urgent matter.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/28/14141378-world-war-ii-bombs-mustard-gas-in-gulf-of-mexico-need-to-be-checked-experts-warn?lite

U.S. Drought Intensified in August

The National Climatic Data Center reported that the intensity of this year's drought continued to worsen in August where 39.0 percent of the U.S. was in severe to extreme drought.  This drought became the largest area of severe drought since December 1956 when 43.2 percent of the U.S. was in extreme drought.  This year's drought is the fourth largest drought since 1895 and had a large impact on the U.S. agriculture.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that 52 percent of the nation's corn crop was rated poor to very poor by August 26.  Soybean and sorghum also worsened and 59 percent of pasture and range land around the U.S. was very poor as well. 83 percent of corn, 80 percent of soybeans, and 72 percent of cattle were in a drought zone, you can imagine what kind of impact this had on farmers and their income.

Droughts develop slowly and can have a prolonged existence, possibly for several years and can affect all countries around the world.  Human impact varies between countries depending on LDCs or MDCs.  In LDCs, the drought affects the population directly where they depend on crop growth and food supplies.  Low rainfall that affects the crops in these countries can lead to famine and possibly death.  There is a need for better agricultural land-use practices because overgrazing, poor cropping methods, deforestation, and improper soil conservation techniques does not cause drought, but may amplify a drought disaster.  Irrigation systems can offer some security against drought, but they are pricey and many farmers cannot afford such equipment.  Greater diversity of cropping patterns may decrease drought risk and also water shortages.  Drought forecasts that are available months ahead of time can aid the farmers in planning their crop planting and water management.  This can be done by using meteorological models that look at the atmosphere and the oceans to predict rainfall for the season.  It is not always affective but can provide some insight.

http://www.weather.com/news/drought-intensified-in-august-20120917

30 Homes Damaged Near San Diego due to Brush Fire

A brush fire broke out Sunday afternoon southeast of San Diego and has burned about 2,000 acres and damaged 30 homes and at least 15 outbuildings in the area.  Firefighters had 10 percent of the fire contained by this Monday morning, but progress is difficult due to windy conditions and about 80 homes are still threatened.  No deaths or injuries have been confirmed by authorities, but people are concerned that elderly people may not have gotten out of their homes.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation, meanwhile, some firefighters have contained about 40 percent of a separate fire in Riverside County, California, but as many as 200 homes remain threatened.  This reminded me of the disaster game we had played in lab and how I thought I had taken all the right precautions for a wildfire and the wildfire still burned almost all the homes and buildings down. These dry, windy conditions make these fires that much more dangerous. 

Brushfires or wildfires are uncontrolled fires that are fuelled by natural vegetation and when human activities occur in this natural vegetation, the number of wildfires and losses to life and property increases.  Many small fires that do not seem threatening can become much more dangerous if strong winds whip up their flames and create spot fires, which seems to be the case in the San Diego fire.  One option to resist this hazardous event from occurring is to have stricter fire ban legislation.  The downside to this is not only is it difficult to enforce, but it can also increase the risk because the fuel supply is allowed to build up overtime.  It is important to have controlled burns to burn away the existing fuel load, but it is labor intensive and can lead to uncontrollable fires.  Although little is known of the effectiveness in forecasting and fire-weather warnings, it is still important to inform the public when restrictions on outdoor fires or declared or when there are total fire bans going on.  Surveys can be done by using satellite images to detect when vegetation is "stressed" and this can indicate areas where wildfire outbreaks are most likely to occur.  Land use planning and education are essential in hazard reduction, it is important to have a road network for fire fighting equipment to be accessible and for emergency evacuation.  Local governments need to factor in wildfire hazards into the development control system especially with the severe drought that occurred this summer in much of the country.

http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/09/24/14071234-brush-fire-destroys-damages-30-homes-near-san-diego?lite#__utma=238145375.1944660864.1346965793.1348357218.1348531171.6&__utmb=238145375.15.8.1348531532655&__utmc=238145375&__utmx=-&__utmz=238145375.1348531171.6.6.utmcsr=google|utmccn=%28organic%29|utmcmd=organic|utmctr=msnbc&__utmv=238145375.|8=Earned%20By=msnbc|us%20news=1^12=Landing%20Content=Mixed=1^13=Landing%20Hostname=www.msnbc.msn.com=1^30=Visit%20Type%20to%20Content=Earned%20to%20Mixed=1&__utmk=21571576

Arctic Sea Ice Sets a New Low

The Arctic Sea ice has officially stopped melting for the year according to scientists, but has also beat the previous record.  According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center the sea ice covers about 24 percent of the Arctic Ocean whereas in 2007 the previous low was 29 percent. According to Walt Meier, a research scientist, "the Arctic is the earth's air-conditioner.." and we are going to see larger climate effects because we continue to lose it.  During the coming months the water will refreeze, but once the summer months return the ice will be thin and more prone to melting.

The sea ice has declined much faster than predicted in the United Nations report in 2007 and some scientists believe that the Arctic Ocean could be free of summer ice by 2020.  Many think this rapid warming is due to human release of greenhouse gases and not surprisingly atmospheric patterns in the Northern Hemisphere have already altered leading to greater weather extremes in the U.S. and other countries.  As the ice is melting, sea levels are rising and the darker ocean surface is able to trap more of the sun's heat which in turn melts more ice.  The scientific community already realizes how serious this issue is, now the public needs to realize that the Arctic melting at this rate shows that we are running out of time by failing to limit our emissions. 




http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/20/science/earth/arctic-sea-ice-stops-melting-but-new-record-low-is-set.html?_r=1&hp

US Historical Hurricanes

 

Here is a map I made of Historical U.S. hurricanes from 1950-2004.  The different colored lines represent different decades and the thickness in the colored line represents what category the hurricane was. I have labeled a few of the hurricanes in the map to show this.  I am using the Engineering paradigm approach with this data which basically uses science and technology.  In order to take a complexity based approach to this hazard I would need data on environmental change such as deforestation and climate change and the concentration of people in rural and urban areas.

Landslides in Rudraprayag

Heavy rainfalls triggered landslides in Rudraprayag early Friday morning and according to official figures have killed 49 people.  This number is expected to increase because people are still missing.  An official stated that over 131 families have been affected by these landslides an about 150 animals have also died in this tragedy.  A team from the National Disaster Response Force has reached the affected areas and are helping in any way they can.  India has been suffering during this monsoon season where rain has been too intense in the northeast and not enough in the rest of the country.  Rudraprayag is located along the Himalayan mountains which is a major type of terrain that landslides occur on.  Mountain areas in general are susceptible landslides due to their steep terrain, deformed rock masses, and the occurrence of heavy rainfall which is the most common trigger of slope instability.  People severely affected by landslides may have lived and had homes in areas where slope cutting had taken place and possibly removal of vegetation due to logging, overgrazing, or construction.  It is important for search and rescue teams to be available quickly during a landslide event because victims may die quickly when buried even under 30 cm of soil or snow.  It was not stated whether or not people were warned of a possible landslide occurring, but forecasting or warning the community of slope movement has been successful in some cases throughout the world, and  also noting how much rainfall has fallen on mountainous terrain and how much will continue to fall is an important warning to forecast to the public.  Another way to prevent landslides from occurring is use a behavioral approach and have better future land use planning based on identification of site-specific risk.  It is important for areas to have drainage to limit the presence of high water pressures in a slope, vegetation on slopes will provide resistance to movement, reduce water content of the slope, and plant roots help to bind soil particles together.  In most cases it is important to minimize the overall slope angle.

http://www.dailypioneer.com/nation/95028-nine-more-die-in-fresh-landslides-in-cloudburst-hit-rudraprayag.html

http://india.nydailynews.com/newsarticle/5054a239b7445cb925000000/india-landslide-death-toll-jumps-to-45