California cities order evacuations ahead of storm
By JOHN ANTCZAK and ROBERT JABLON 12 hours ago
Mandatory Evacuations Ordered for Parts of AzusaLOS ANGELES (AP) — California got some badly needed precipitation Thursday from a fast-moving storm that forecasters said would be followed by heavier rains and snow and the possibility of flooding and mud flows into communities near areas scarred by wildfires. Despite sunny blue skies behind the first storm, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for about 1,000 homes in two of Los Angeles’ eastern foothill suburbs beneath nearly 2,000 acres of steep mountain slopes left bare by a January fire.For days, the cities of Glendora and Azusa have made extensive preparations. Residents built barriers of wood and sandbags to keep debris flows in streets and out of homes.In Glendora, Dana Waldusky, 22, hurried to evacuate the family home, which backs up against the burned area. She, her parents and sister made sure they had important documents, photos, medicines and their toothbrushes packed.”We have an hour to get evacuated,” she said. „We’re just boarding up all our doors.”Last time, at the fire, we had 15 minutes, so this time we made sure we were prepared,” she said.Rain Hitting Drought-Stricken California Play video
The home survived the fire, which firefighters stopped 15 feet from their back fence.”This time there’s nothing you can do. You can’t stop water,” she said.While concern was highest in the Glendora-Azusa area, meteorologists also posted flood watches for many other areas denuded by fires over the past two years. The National Weather Service warned of possible rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches an hour as well as waterspouts offshore and small tornados when the next storm moves through the state Friday.California’s precipitation totals are far below normal and it will take a series of drenching storms to make a dent in a statewide drought that is among the worst in recent history.The state Department of Water Resources took a new survey of the Sierra Nevada snowpack and found the water content at only 24 percent of average for the date. The northern and central Sierra snowpack normally provides about a third of the water used by California’s cities and farms.View gallery
This NOAA satellite image taken Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at 2:00 AM EST shows a storm system moving …In Sacramento, meanwhile, state lawmakers overwhelmingly passed a $687 million plan to provide immediate relief to drought-stricken communities, a package that includes emergency money for communities running low on drinking water and farming communities where fallowed fields are leading to high unemployment. It will take effect immediately if signed by Gov. Jerry Brown, which is expected.Back in Glendora, City Manager Chris Jeffers said he understood that no one wants to leave their home but the city had to take an important lesson from history.The area was struck by mudslides in 1969 after a fire and about 30 homes were lost.”Glendora was a citrus community at 20,000 people, with orchards up there,” Jeffers said, compared to the now-urbanized city of 50,000.”Now it’s all homes and so we have a lot more homes in harm’s way, which means more people in harm’s way,” he said.Wintry weather returns to U.S. Midwest, Northeast with a vengeance
FROZEN: AGAINBy Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK (Reuters) – A recent stint of warm days and sunshine in the U.S. Midwest and Northeast was just a tease, as forecasters on Wednesday predicted an extended stretch of bitter cold and snow reaching well into March.The wintry conditions were likely to take a firm hold on Thursday in the Midwest and move eastward over the weekend, meteorologists said.”Once again the polar jet stream has plunged southward, tapping bitter cold air directly from the Arctic Ocean. This latest frigid plunge will engulf the nation’s northern tier through the weekend,” wrote The Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Dolce on its website.The arctic air mass was affecting the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Wednesday, with high temperatures some 15 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal in many places, the National Weather Service said.On Friday and Saturday a „long-duration snow event” will develop in the central United States and slowly move east, said Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at Accuweather.com.View gallery
A water vapor view of the United States is seen in a NOAA image taken from the GOES satellite at 11: …West to east, snow may fall over a distance of 1,500 miles, affecting Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, he said.”At this early stage, the storm has the potential to bring half of a foot to a foot of heavy wet snow to some locations in the Midwest and East, with locally higher amounts,” he wrote.Accuweather predicted wintry conditions to keep a grip east of the Rocky Mountains until the third week in March, when the nation will then see „a chilly spring weather pattern.”A recent break in the weather brought a high of 64 degrees F(18 C) in St. Louis on Saturday and highs on Friday of 56 F (13 C) in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.The Midwest and Northeast have seen a string of powerful storms this winter that have stretched salt supplies and clean-up budgets to the limit.Spring officially begins on March 20.(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; editing by Gunna Dickson)
By Ellen Wulfhorst February 26, 2014 3:42 PM
FROZEN: AGAINBy Ellen Wulfhorst NEW YORK (Reuters) – A recent stint of warm days and sunshine in the U.S. Midwest and Northeast was just a tease, as forecasters on Wednesday predicted an extended stretch of bitter cold and snow reaching well into March.The wintry conditions were likely to take a firm hold on Thursday in the Midwest and move eastward over the weekend, meteorologists said.”Once again the polar jet stream has plunged southward, tapping bitter cold air directly from the Arctic Ocean. This latest frigid plunge will engulf the nation’s northern tier through the weekend,” wrote The Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Dolce on its website.The arctic air mass was affecting the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Wednesday, with high temperatures some 15 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit below normal in many places, the National Weather Service said.On Friday and Saturday a „long-duration snow event” will develop in the central United States and slowly move east, said Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at Accuweather.com.View galleryA water vapor view of the United States is seen in a NOAA image taken from the GOES satellite at 11: …West to east, snow may fall over a distance of 1,500 miles, affecting Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston, he said.”At this early stage, the storm has the potential to bring half of a foot to a foot of heavy wet snow to some locations in the Midwest and East, with locally higher amounts,” he wrote.Accuweather predicted wintry conditions to keep a grip east of the Rocky Mountains until the third week in March, when the nation will then see „a chilly spring weather pattern.”A recent break in the weather brought a high of 64 degrees F(18 C) in St. Louis on Saturday and highs on Friday of 56 F (13 C) in Cleveland and Pittsburgh.The Midwest and Northeast have seen a string of powerful storms this winter that have stretched salt supplies and clean-up budgets to the limit.Spring officially begins on March 20.(Reporting by Ellen Wulfhorst; editing by Gunna Dickson)Wettest winter in England, Wales, for almost 250 yrs
View photoA semi submerged car is seen in urban landscape taken in the flooded Somerset village of Moorland February …LONDON (Reuters) – This winter has already been the wettest for almost 250 years in England and Wales, Britain’s national weather service the Met Office said on Thursday.Around 435 millimeters (17 inches) of rain was recorded up to February 24 in England and Wales, making it their wettest winter since 1766.”New records have been set for many parts of the UK, with southeast and central southern England having seen well over double the rainfall expected in a normal winter,” the Met Office said in a statement.Provisional rainfall figures from December 1, 2013 to February 25, 2014 also show that Britain as a whole experienced its wettest winter since records began in 1910.Over the past few months, heavy rainfall and storms in Britain, particularly in England and Wales, have resulted in the worst floods for the country in 50 years.Floods have devastated homes and businesses, disrupted transport and ruined crops. Analysts at Deloitte estimate that the bill for repairs may end up reaching 1 billion pounds ($1.66 billion).This winter is also set to be around 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than average, the Met Office said.Britain’s mean temperature has been 5.2 degrees C so far this winter, making it the fifth warmest winter on record.”The main reason for the mild and wet winter weather is that we have seen a predominance of west and south-west winds, bringing in mild air from the Atlantic – as well as the unsettled and at times stormy conditions,” the Met Office said.(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)
22 hours ago
View photoA semi submerged car is seen in urban landscape taken in the flooded Somerset village of Moorland February …LONDON (Reuters) – This winter has already been the wettest for almost 250 years in England and Wales, Britain’s national weather service the Met Office said on Thursday.Around 435 millimeters (17 inches) of rain was recorded up to February 24 in England and Wales, making it their wettest winter since 1766.”New records have been set for many parts of the UK, with southeast and central southern England having seen well over double the rainfall expected in a normal winter,” the Met Office said in a statement.Provisional rainfall figures from December 1, 2013 to February 25, 2014 also show that Britain as a whole experienced its wettest winter since records began in 1910.Over the past few months, heavy rainfall and storms in Britain, particularly in England and Wales, have resulted in the worst floods for the country in 50 years.Floods have devastated homes and businesses, disrupted transport and ruined crops. Analysts at Deloitte estimate that the bill for repairs may end up reaching 1 billion pounds ($1.66 billion).This winter is also set to be around 1.5 degrees Celsius warmer than average, the Met Office said.Britain’s mean temperature has been 5.2 degrees C so far this winter, making it the fifth warmest winter on record.”The main reason for the mild and wet winter weather is that we have seen a predominance of west and south-west winds, bringing in mild air from the Atlantic – as well as the unsettled and at times stormy conditions,” the Met Office said.(Reporting by Nina Chestney; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)America’s 25 Snowiest Colleges and Universities
By Alan Raymond Published: Feb 27, 2014, 5:20 PM EST weather.com
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Wunderground/BisonDocMontana Hall, on Montana State University’s campus, after a snowfall.For many, college is a time for self-discovery, last-minute cramming for midterms and learning to make an infinite combination of meals that involve ramen noodles.But if you attended a school in the Midwest, Northeast or Intermountain West, it may have also been a time to hone your snow-shoveling skills.If you spent years spent trudging through knee-high snow and artfully dodging icy spots on the sidewalks, you may have attended one of the 25 snowiest colleges in America.How did we develop the list? There are nearly 350 Division 1 colleges and universities in the United States and most of them see some accumulating snowfall every year. To determine the top snowiest schools, we cross-referenced the location of the school with the 30-year seasonal snowfall average from the nearest National Weather Service NOW data site.Some of the schools on the list were obvious, but at least a couple had us scratching our heads. See if your alma mater made the list.
Facebook/Central Michigan University
Wunderground/BisonDocMontana Hall, on Montana State University’s campus, after a snowfall.For many, college is a time for self-discovery, last-minute cramming for midterms and learning to make an infinite combination of meals that involve ramen noodles.But if you attended a school in the Midwest, Northeast or Intermountain West, it may have also been a time to hone your snow-shoveling skills.If you spent years spent trudging through knee-high snow and artfully dodging icy spots on the sidewalks, you may have attended one of the 25 snowiest colleges in America.How did we develop the list? There are nearly 350 Division 1 colleges and universities in the United States and most of them see some accumulating snowfall every year. To determine the top snowiest schools, we cross-referenced the location of the school with the 30-year seasonal snowfall average from the nearest National Weather Service NOW data site.Some of the schools on the list were obvious, but at least a couple had us scratching our heads. See if your alma mater made the list.
25. Central Michigan University — 55.2”
Facebook/Central Michigan University
Located in the middle of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, CMU is well acquainted with Alberta clippers that bring significant snowfall to the campus. On average, CMU sees about 55.2 inches of snow each year.
Facebook/The University of Minnesota/Margowinter
24. University of Minnesota — 55.5”
Facebook/The University of Minnesota/MargowinterLocated near the heart of Minneapolis, University of Minnesota students are no strangers to bitter cold and snowy winters. The Golden Gophers get about 55.5 inches of snow every year.
Facebook/The University of New Hampshire
23. University of New Hampshire — 56.3”
Facebook/The University of New HampshireSituated near New Hampshire’s coastline, UNH has been the scene of huge snowfalls, mostly a result of nor’easters screaming up the East Coast. On average, the campus sees about 56.3 inches of snow per year.
Facebook/The University of UtahThe University of Utah, in the middle of Salt Lake City, sits in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains. In fact, the mountains are so close that you can go right from campus to hiking in the mountains. The campus’ proximity to the mountains helps garner an average of 56.5 inches of snow every year.
22. The University of Utah — 56.5”
Facebook/The University of UtahThe University of Utah, in the middle of Salt Lake City, sits in the shadow of the Wasatch Mountains. In fact, the mountains are so close that you can go right from campus to hiking in the mountains. The campus’ proximity to the mountains helps garner an average of 56.5 inches of snow every year.Winter Won’t Give Up: Bitterly Cold Air Stretches into March
Forget Spring for Now!
Forget Spring for Now!
Who Had it Worse?
Bitter cold temperatures will continue to affect the nation’s northern tier as we head into the first few days of March.On Thursday, Houghton, Mich. and Marquette, Mich. recorded their latest subzero high temperatures on record. International Falls, Minn. set a daily record low temperature on Thursday morning of -36 degrees. It was also the third coldest reading so late in the season in the city, only beat out by -37 degrees Feb. 28, 1962 and -38 degrees on March 1, 1962.Friday morning, daily record lows were set in Green Bay, Wis. (-21 degrees), Flint, Mich. (-16 degrees), Grand Rapids, Mich. (-12 degrees) and Toledo, Ohio (-7 degrees), to name a few locations. For Flint, it was the coldest temperature this late in the season.Forecast: Winter’s Frigid Temperatures Hang On
Current Wind Chills
Friday’s Highs
Saturday’s Highs
Sunday’s Highs
Monday’s Highs
It’s a weather pattern that residents of the central and eastern states are very familiar with this winter, and also probably frustrated with. The polar jet stream plunged southward this past week, tapping bitter cold air directly from the Arctic Ocean. During the weekend ahead, another reinforcing dump of cold air will arrive and linger into early next week. The South won’t escape this second surge, which will arrive in the Southern Plains Sunday, then plunge south and eastward. Let’s step through the details of the forecast.
February 2014-Departure from average temperatures Feb. 1 to Feb. 25, 2014. Darker blue and purple shaded areas in the Midwest have had temperatures the farthest below average. Image credit: NOAABelow-average temperatures have dominated much of February as well from parts of the Midwest and Plains to the Northeast. This is illustrated by the graphic to the right which shows locations the farthest below average in the dark blue and purple shadings over the Midwest.In fact, several cities in the Midwest have seen a top 10 coldest February based on the monthly average temperature through Feb. 26, including Chicago, Green Bay, Wis. Dubuque, Iowa. and Moline, Ill.(MORE: 10 Cities Where February Could Rank as a Top 10 Coldest)Duluth, Minn. has seen a record 65 days with subzero temperatures this winter, including a record streak of 23 straight days with subzero lows from Jan. 20 through Feb. 11. Subzero temperatures have been recorded on 49 days this winter in Green Bay, Wis., which breaks the previous record of 48 days from the winter of 1976-1977.For Minneapolis-St. Paul, this cold spell has pushed the Twin Cities into the top 10 for the most subzero temperatures ever recorded in a season. The Twin Cities have seen 47 days with subzero temperatures through Feb. 28.(MORE: Subzero Temperatures Reaching Near-Record Levels)Conversely, above-average temperatures have dominated parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and California in February.Of course, eastern North America accounts only for a small part the globe. When looking at the bigger picture, January was Earth’s fourth warmest on record dating to 1880, according to a report from NOAA. This past December was the third warmest on record.
By Chris Dolce Published: Feb 28, 2014, 8:00 AM EST weather.com
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Forget Spring for Now!Forget Spring for Now!Who Had it Worse? Bitter cold temperatures will continue to affect the nation’s northern tier as we head into the first few days of March.On Thursday, Houghton, Mich. and Marquette, Mich. recorded their latest subzero high temperatures on record. International Falls, Minn. set a daily record low temperature on Thursday morning of -36 degrees. It was also the third coldest reading so late in the season in the city, only beat out by -37 degrees Feb. 28, 1962 and -38 degrees on March 1, 1962.Friday morning, daily record lows were set in Green Bay, Wis. (-21 degrees), Flint, Mich. (-16 degrees), Grand Rapids, Mich. (-12 degrees) and Toledo, Ohio (-7 degrees), to name a few locations. For Flint, it was the coldest temperature this late in the season.Forecast: Winter’s Frigid Temperatures Hang On
Current Wind ChillsFriday’s HighsSaturday’s HighsSunday’s HighsMonday’s HighsIt’s a weather pattern that residents of the central and eastern states are very familiar with this winter, and also probably frustrated with. The polar jet stream plunged southward this past week, tapping bitter cold air directly from the Arctic Ocean. During the weekend ahead, another reinforcing dump of cold air will arrive and linger into early next week. The South won’t escape this second surge, which will arrive in the Southern Plains Sunday, then plunge south and eastward. Let’s step through the details of the forecast.- Midwest Region Details: High temperatures in the single digits, teens and low 20s will dominate from the northern Plains to the Upper Midwest and parts of the Great Lakes. Subzero highs will make an appearance in the northern Plains and Upper Midwest at times, especially Saturday and Sunday. Lows will be in the single digits and teens below zero from the northern Plains to the Upper Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes. Some 20s below zero are possible near the Canadian border (North Dakota, northern Minnesota and northern Wisconsin). Wind chills at times this week will be in the teens, 20s, 30s and even 40s below zero from the northern Plains to the Upper Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes.
- Midwest Notables: In Minneapolis, the high temperature on Thursday failed to reach zero. This is only the fourth time in history where a subzero high temperature has been recorded on Feb. 27 or later. Kansas City’s high may struggle to rise out of the single digits Sunday. Dating to 1888, they have never had a March high in the single digits.
- City Forecasts: Chicago | Detroit | Fargo, N.D. | Minneapolis | Kansas City | Your Location
- Northeast Region Details: Highs will be in the 20s and 30s along the I-95 corridor from Boston to Philadelphia on Friday. Lows may fall into the teens through Saturday. Elsewhere, highs in the teens and 20s will take over locations from northern New England to western New York and western Pennsylvania. After a brief warm-up this weekend, cold will return Monday through at least the middle of next week.
- City Forecasts: Burlington, Vt. | Boston | Buffalo | New York | Philadelphia | Your Location
- South Region Details: A break from the cold starts Friday, continuing into Saturday, before the cold returns first to the southern Plains Sunday, then spreads into the rest of the Deep South and Southeast Monday into Tuesday. Sunday and Monday highs in Oklahoma may remain below freezing. Highs in the 40s and 50s will occur in the Southern Plains and Lower Mississippi Valley on Monday into Tuesday. Fifties for highs will be common in the rest of the Deep South and the Tennessee Valley on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 40s in North Carolina and Virginia.
- City Forecasts: Atlanta | Charlotte | Dallas | Little Rock | Nashville | Your Location
How Cold Has this Winter Been?According to NOAA, the overall temperature for the Lower 48 in January was near average. This is because we had above-average warmth in the West balancing out the well below-average temperatures east of the Rockies. A total of 18 states from Michigan and Wisconsin to the Southeast recorded a top 15 coldest January.
February 2014-Departure from average temperatures Feb. 1 to Feb. 25, 2014. Darker blue and purple shaded areas in the Midwest have had temperatures the farthest below average. Image credit: NOAABelow-average temperatures have dominated much of February as well from parts of the Midwest and Plains to the Northeast. This is illustrated by the graphic to the right which shows locations the farthest below average in the dark blue and purple shadings over the Midwest.In fact, several cities in the Midwest have seen a top 10 coldest February based on the monthly average temperature through Feb. 26, including Chicago, Green Bay, Wis. Dubuque, Iowa. and Moline, Ill.(MORE: 10 Cities Where February Could Rank as a Top 10 Coldest)Duluth, Minn. has seen a record 65 days with subzero temperatures this winter, including a record streak of 23 straight days with subzero lows from Jan. 20 through Feb. 11. Subzero temperatures have been recorded on 49 days this winter in Green Bay, Wis., which breaks the previous record of 48 days from the winter of 1976-1977.For Minneapolis-St. Paul, this cold spell has pushed the Twin Cities into the top 10 for the most subzero temperatures ever recorded in a season. The Twin Cities have seen 47 days with subzero temperatures through Feb. 28.(MORE: Subzero Temperatures Reaching Near-Record Levels)Conversely, above-average temperatures have dominated parts of Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and California in February.Of course, eastern North America accounts only for a small part the globe. When looking at the bigger picture, January was Earth’s fourth warmest on record dating to 1880, according to a report from NOAA. This past December was the third warmest on record.Japan Launches Next Generation NASA Satellite to Track Rain, Snow
NASA Launch New SatelliteNASA’s newest weather satellite soared into space Thursday, kicking off a mission to observe rainfall and snowfall around the globe in unprecedented detail.The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory, a joint effort between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), blasted off aboard an H-2A rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center today at 1:37 p.m. EST (1837 GMT; 3:37 a.m. Feb. 28 local Japan time).GPM will deliver near real-time observations of precipitation every three hours all over the world, greatly improving scientists’ understanding of climate change and the global water cycle, mission officials said. Play Video
Name Your Own Crater on Mars”This is going to provide us the most accurate and advanced precipitation measurements to date from NASA satellites,” Gail Skofronick-Jackson, GPM project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., said during a press briefing last month.The 8,500-pound (3,850 kilograms) GPM Core spacecraft will orbit Earth at an altitude of 253 miles (407 kilometers), about as high up as the International Space Station. It will circle the planet once every 93 minutes, completing about 16 orbits per day.The satellite will use two instruments — the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) — to study rainfall and snowfall from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Antarctic Circle in the south, giving researchers great looks at clouds and storm systems.(MORE: Buy A Chunk of Mars!)„These instruments will allow scientists to see inside clouds,” Steve Neeck, deputy associate director of flight programs for NASA’s Earth science division, said during the January press conference.”The GMI will sense the total precipitation within all cloud layers, including, for the first time, light rain and snowfall,” he added. „The DPR will make detailed three-dimensional measurements of precipitation structures and rates, as well as particle drop size.”The GPM Core spacecraft will also serve as the anchor of an international network of weather and climate satellites, some of which are already in orbit.”The GPM, through its core observatory and its constellation of satellites, will dramatically improve our knowledge of global precipitation and our ability to forecast it and its consequences,” Neeck said.The GPM Core satellite — whose cost to NASA is $933 million — was designed to last for a minimum of three years, but mission officials think it will continue to gather data for much longer than that.”As you know, TRMM was designed for three years, and now it’s been 16 years operating,” said GPM project manager Art Azarbarzin of NASA Goddard, referring to the NASA-JAXA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, which launched in 1997. „We have designed the exact same way.”
The Ash Creek Fire seen here is one of some 27,000 fires which have destroyed nearly 2 million acres of the western U.S. since the start of 2012. Extremely dry conditions, stiff winds, unusually warm weather, and trees killed by outbreaks of pine bark beetles have provided ideal conditions for the blazes. (Credit: NASA)
Mike Wall, SPACE.com Published: Feb 28, 2014, 7:42 AM EST
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NASA Launch New SatelliteNASA’s newest weather satellite soared into space Thursday, kicking off a mission to observe rainfall and snowfall around the globe in unprecedented detail.The Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) Core Observatory, a joint effort between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), blasted off aboard an H-2A rocket from Japan’s Tanegashima Space Center today at 1:37 p.m. EST (1837 GMT; 3:37 a.m. Feb. 28 local Japan time).GPM will deliver near real-time observations of precipitation every three hours all over the world, greatly improving scientists’ understanding of climate change and the global water cycle, mission officials said. Play VideoName Your Own Crater on Mars”This is going to provide us the most accurate and advanced precipitation measurements to date from NASA satellites,” Gail Skofronick-Jackson, GPM project scientist at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., said during a press briefing last month.The 8,500-pound (3,850 kilograms) GPM Core spacecraft will orbit Earth at an altitude of 253 miles (407 kilometers), about as high up as the International Space Station. It will circle the planet once every 93 minutes, completing about 16 orbits per day.The satellite will use two instruments — the GPM Microwave Imager (GMI) and the Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar (DPR) — to study rainfall and snowfall from the Arctic Circle in the north to the Antarctic Circle in the south, giving researchers great looks at clouds and storm systems.(MORE: Buy A Chunk of Mars!)„These instruments will allow scientists to see inside clouds,” Steve Neeck, deputy associate director of flight programs for NASA’s Earth science division, said during the January press conference.”The GMI will sense the total precipitation within all cloud layers, including, for the first time, light rain and snowfall,” he added. „The DPR will make detailed three-dimensional measurements of precipitation structures and rates, as well as particle drop size.”The GPM Core spacecraft will also serve as the anchor of an international network of weather and climate satellites, some of which are already in orbit.”The GPM, through its core observatory and its constellation of satellites, will dramatically improve our knowledge of global precipitation and our ability to forecast it and its consequences,” Neeck said.The GPM Core satellite — whose cost to NASA is $933 million — was designed to last for a minimum of three years, but mission officials think it will continue to gather data for much longer than that.”As you know, TRMM was designed for three years, and now it’s been 16 years operating,” said GPM project manager Art Azarbarzin of NASA Goddard, referring to the NASA-JAXA Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite, which launched in 1997. „We have designed the exact same way.”- Blast-Off! Precipitation Satellite Launches From Japan | Video
- Photos: NASA’s Rain-Tracking GPM Satellite Mission in Pictures
- NASA’s Earth Right Now: Earth Science Missions for 2014
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: NASA Images Show Climate Change At Work
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The Ash Creek Fire seen here is one of some 27,000 fires which have destroyed nearly 2 million acres of the western U.S. since the start of 2012. Extremely dry conditions, stiff winds, unusually warm weather, and trees killed by outbreaks of pine bark beetles have provided ideal conditions for the blazes. (Credit: NASA) California Winter Storm: Mandatory Evacuations Issued in Glendora, Azusa As Rains Arrive
Volunteers load sandbags in the back of a resident’s car in Glendora, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Mandatory evacuations have been put in place for areas affected by the mid-January Colby fire, which raged in the hills near the eastern Los Angeles suburbs. On Thursday, residents of approximately 1,000 homes in Glendora and Azusa were given an hour to pack their belongings and leave, according to an Associated Press report.The first storm brought more than three-quarters of an inch of rain to downtown Los Angeles as of early Thursday, and nearly one-third of an inch of rain was reported in the Glendora area, said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce.(MORE: See How Long California’s Rain Will Last)Play Video
Rain and Mudslide Threat in California A much wetter storm will affect southern California through Saturday, Dolce said. Rainfall totals up to 2 inches are expected in the valleys, including Glendora. As much as 6 inches of rain are possible in the adjacent foothills and mountains.A 10-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway was closed overnight in Ventura County because of a high likelihood of rock slides in an area made bare by last year’s Springs Fire in Camarillo, the California Highway Patrol said.Glendora resident Tom Verti told NBC Los Angeles that he stacked sandbags at the edge of the street in preparation for the possible mudslides.”It becomes a natural gutter,” Verti said, referring to his street that sits downhill from the Colby fire burn scar. „We’re hoping to prevent water and mud from going over that fence, then into the house.”(MORE: California’s Drought in One Shocking Image)Glendora is no stranger to mudslides. In 1969, 30 homes were destroyed by a mudslide after a fire left the hillside unstable. Now, there are more than 50,000 residents living in Glendora, compared to just 20,000 in 1969, city manager Chris Jeffers told the AP.Nearly 2,000 acres of land was torched in January’s Colby fire, destroying five houses and leaving another 17 structures with damage. At the peak of the blaze, 3,700 people were forced from their homes, and many of those same people have been ordered to leave ahead of this week’s rainfall.
By Sean Breslin Published: Feb 28, 2014, 7:55 AM EST weather.com
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Volunteers load sandbags in the back of a resident’s car in Glendora, Calif., Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes) Mandatory evacuations have been put in place for areas affected by the mid-January Colby fire, which raged in the hills near the eastern Los Angeles suburbs. On Thursday, residents of approximately 1,000 homes in Glendora and Azusa were given an hour to pack their belongings and leave, according to an Associated Press report.The first storm brought more than three-quarters of an inch of rain to downtown Los Angeles as of early Thursday, and nearly one-third of an inch of rain was reported in the Glendora area, said weather.com meteorologist Chris Dolce.(MORE: See How Long California’s Rain Will Last)Play Video
Rain and Mudslide Threat in California A much wetter storm will affect southern California through Saturday, Dolce said. Rainfall totals up to 2 inches are expected in the valleys, including Glendora. As much as 6 inches of rain are possible in the adjacent foothills and mountains.A 10-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway was closed overnight in Ventura County because of a high likelihood of rock slides in an area made bare by last year’s Springs Fire in Camarillo, the California Highway Patrol said.Glendora resident Tom Verti told NBC Los Angeles that he stacked sandbags at the edge of the street in preparation for the possible mudslides.”It becomes a natural gutter,” Verti said, referring to his street that sits downhill from the Colby fire burn scar. „We’re hoping to prevent water and mud from going over that fence, then into the house.”(MORE: California’s Drought in One Shocking Image)Glendora is no stranger to mudslides. In 1969, 30 homes were destroyed by a mudslide after a fire left the hillside unstable. Now, there are more than 50,000 residents living in Glendora, compared to just 20,000 in 1969, city manager Chris Jeffers told the AP.Nearly 2,000 acres of land was torched in January’s Colby fire, destroying five houses and leaving another 17 structures with damage. At the peak of the blaze, 3,700 people were forced from their homes, and many of those same people have been ordered to leave ahead of this week’s rainfall.Name Mars’ Craters: Make a Slice of the Red Planet Your Own
Name Your Own Crater on MarsNaming landmarks on Mars isn’t just for scientists and rover drivers anymore.Now, anybody with an Internet connection and a few dollars to spare can give a moniker to one of the Red Planet’s 500,000 or so unnamed craters, as part of a mapping project run by the space-funding company Uwingu.”This is the first people’s map of Mars, where anybody can play,” said Uwingu CEO Alan Stern, a former NASA science chief who also heads the space agency’s New Horizons mission to Pluto. „It’s a very social thing.” Play Video
NASA Launch New SatellitePutting your stamp on Mars isn’t free. Naming the smallest craters will set you back $5, with prices going up as crater size increases. Uwingu will use the money raised by the project — which could be more than $10 million, if people name every available Martian crater — to fund grants in space exploration, research and education, which is the company’s stated chief purpose.”We’re developing this grant fund — the Uwingu fund — for people who’ve been hit by sequestration,” Stern told Space.com. „There’s nothing like it right now. They have no place to go; it’s either NASA, NSF [the National Science Foundation] or you’re out of luck.”Stern hopes the effort will succeed in naming all of Mars’ cataloged craters by the end of 2014, helping to fill in a lot of gaps in Red Planet cartography. (The company aims to solicit names for other Red Planet features, such as canyons and mountains, in the future.)(MORE: Spacesuit Leak That Nearly Drowned Astronaut Could Have Been Avoided)The project could also provide a sort of cultural snapshot, revealing what people are thinking about and what’s important to them at this moment, he added.”It’s like taking a picture of ourselves,” Stern said. „What will people put? Will there be a lot of craters named for politicians? For artists, for relatives, for places on Earth? Sports teams?”The crater-naming project is not a contest, working instead on a first-come, first-served basis. Names will be accepted immediately and will remain approved unless Uwingu officials later determine them to be profane or otherwise offensive.Stern stressed that Uwingu (whose name means „sky” in Swahili) is not trying to supplant other Mars maps, such as the one generated by the United States Geological Survey. The 15,000 Red Planet features whose names have already been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) will be grandfathered into Uwingu’s base map, officials said.The Uwingu project also will not seek approval from the IAU, which has traditionally authorized „official” names for celestial bodies and their features. Rather, the crater monikers will be informal or popular names, Stern said. (Unofficial names can still come into wide usage: „The Milky Way,” for example, is not IAU-sanctioned.)(MORE: NASA Finds Hundreds of New Planets)This is not Uwingu’s first foray into celestial-object naming. The company has also raised funds by asking the public to choose monikers for the thousands of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates being discovered around the galaxy, including Alpha Centauri Bb, the closest alien world to Earth.IAU officials expressed disapproval of these previous projects, asserting last year that the exoplanet-naming efforts misled people into thinking they were helping select officially recognized names. But Stern fought back hard against this claim at the time, saying that Uwingu has always made clear that the projects sought only to choose „people’s choice” monikers.To learn more about the Mars map project, and to buy a crater name of your own, go to www.uwingu.com.
As part of its investigation of ‘Victoria Crater,’ Opportunity examined a promontory called ‘Cape Verde’ from the vantage point of ‘Cape St. Mary,’ the next promontory clockwise around the crater’s deeply scalloped rim. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell)
Mike Wall, SPACE.com Published: Feb 28, 2014, 7:32 AM EST
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Name Your Own Crater on MarsNaming landmarks on Mars isn’t just for scientists and rover drivers anymore.Now, anybody with an Internet connection and a few dollars to spare can give a moniker to one of the Red Planet’s 500,000 or so unnamed craters, as part of a mapping project run by the space-funding company Uwingu.”This is the first people’s map of Mars, where anybody can play,” said Uwingu CEO Alan Stern, a former NASA science chief who also heads the space agency’s New Horizons mission to Pluto. „It’s a very social thing.” Play VideoNASA Launch New SatellitePutting your stamp on Mars isn’t free. Naming the smallest craters will set you back $5, with prices going up as crater size increases. Uwingu will use the money raised by the project — which could be more than $10 million, if people name every available Martian crater — to fund grants in space exploration, research and education, which is the company’s stated chief purpose.”We’re developing this grant fund — the Uwingu fund — for people who’ve been hit by sequestration,” Stern told Space.com. „There’s nothing like it right now. They have no place to go; it’s either NASA, NSF [the National Science Foundation] or you’re out of luck.”Stern hopes the effort will succeed in naming all of Mars’ cataloged craters by the end of 2014, helping to fill in a lot of gaps in Red Planet cartography. (The company aims to solicit names for other Red Planet features, such as canyons and mountains, in the future.)(MORE: Spacesuit Leak That Nearly Drowned Astronaut Could Have Been Avoided)The project could also provide a sort of cultural snapshot, revealing what people are thinking about and what’s important to them at this moment, he added.”It’s like taking a picture of ourselves,” Stern said. „What will people put? Will there be a lot of craters named for politicians? For artists, for relatives, for places on Earth? Sports teams?”The crater-naming project is not a contest, working instead on a first-come, first-served basis. Names will be accepted immediately and will remain approved unless Uwingu officials later determine them to be profane or otherwise offensive.Stern stressed that Uwingu (whose name means „sky” in Swahili) is not trying to supplant other Mars maps, such as the one generated by the United States Geological Survey. The 15,000 Red Planet features whose names have already been approved by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) will be grandfathered into Uwingu’s base map, officials said.The Uwingu project also will not seek approval from the IAU, which has traditionally authorized „official” names for celestial bodies and their features. Rather, the crater monikers will be informal or popular names, Stern said. (Unofficial names can still come into wide usage: „The Milky Way,” for example, is not IAU-sanctioned.)(MORE: NASA Finds Hundreds of New Planets)This is not Uwingu’s first foray into celestial-object naming. The company has also raised funds by asking the public to choose monikers for the thousands of exoplanets and exoplanet candidates being discovered around the galaxy, including Alpha Centauri Bb, the closest alien world to Earth.IAU officials expressed disapproval of these previous projects, asserting last year that the exoplanet-naming efforts misled people into thinking they were helping select officially recognized names. But Stern fought back hard against this claim at the time, saying that Uwingu has always made clear that the projects sought only to choose „people’s choice” monikers.To learn more about the Mars map project, and to buy a crater name of your own, go to www.uwingu.com.- Mars Myths & Misconceptions: Quiz
- Mars Explored: Landers and Rovers Since 1971 (Infographic)
- The Boldest Mars Missions in History
MORE ON WEATHER.COM: Ten Years of Mars
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As part of its investigation of ‘Victoria Crater,’ Opportunity examined a promontory called ‘Cape Verde’ from the vantage point of ‘Cape St. Mary,’ the next promontory clockwise around the crater’s deeply scalloped rim. (NASA/JPL-Caltech/Cornell)Subzero Temperature Days Reaching Near-Record Levels in Midwest
By Chris Dolce Published: Feb 28, 2014, 7:23 AM EST weather.com
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Tweet70 Days With Subzero Temperatures
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Forget Spring for Now!
Forget Spring for Now!
Tips to Beat the Winter Blues
The number of days with subzero temperatures has reached record or near-record levels for many Midwest cities this winter. We have the rankings for several of these cities, starting with two locations that logged day 70 of subzero temperatures on Friday.Note: A subzero day is one where the temperature fell below zero at any one point during a particular calendar day.
Drought Relief Too Much?
Drought Relief Too Much?
Farmers Giving Up in Drought
After weeks of dry conditions and above-average temperatures, wet weather has finally returned to a region of the nation that needs it the most.(MORE: Communities on the Brink | One Shocking Image of the Drought)
West Coast Radar
INTERACTIVE RADAR LOOPWednesday into Thursday, the first of a pair of Pacific storms brought beneficial rain and mountain snow to all of California and parts of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and also the Rockies. Los Angeles saw just over an inch of rain on Thursday, making it the first time with an inch or more of rain on a single calendar day in the city since Oct. 5, 2011.Into Saturday, a more powerful second storm will continue to plow across California and into the Intermountain West. This system has been named Winter Storm Titan, and will go on to produce widespread snow and ice across the Midwest and Northeast later this weekend into Monday.(MORE: Record Driest Year in California, Parts of Oregon)Soaking Rain and Mountain Snow
Friday’s Forecast
Saturday’s Forecast
Forecast Rainfall Through Saturday
Forecast Snowfall Through Sunday
The main slug of rainfall will target much of California on Friday. That said, showers and thunderstorms will continue in Southern California on Saturday, with additional locally heavy rainfall.Storm total rainfall amounts for the two days will average around one or more inches in most low elevations of California, particularly in Southern California where totals of up to four inches are possible. Despite the long-term drought, street flooding, particularly in urban and poor-drainage areas, is likely Friday.(FORECAST: San Diego | Fresno | San Francisco | Sacramento | Los Angeles)The foothills in Southern California could see heavier rain amounts of up to 8 inches, making recent burn areas vulnerable to debris flows and mudslides. Because of this threat, the National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches into Saturday afternoon for parts of the region.In addition, enough atmospheric instability will be in place to allow thunderstorms to develop in central and southern portions of California. These storms could produce some hail, gusty winds, or a brief tornado on Friday.(CURRENT ALERTS: California)Farther east, Las Vegas will likely end its longest winter-season dry streak on record Friday. The city last saw measurable rain on December 5. Parts of the Vegas valley could see up to one-half inch of rain Friday.Rain from the second system will also soak the Valley of the Sun, namely, drought-thirsty Arizona. From early Saturday morning through Sunday morning, over an inch of rain is likely in the mountains north and east of the Phoenix metro, with up to an inch possible in valley locations. Keep this in mind if you have Cactus League plans(FORECAST: Las Vegas | Phoenix)
Sierra Nevada Snow Water Comparison
Sierra Nevada Snow Water Comparison
(MORE: The Underrated Power of Flood Waters)Beneficial snowfall will blanket the Sierra Nevada Friday into Saturday with additional totals of 1 to 2 feet in the higher elevations. But again, the amounts aren’t likely to be enough to bolster the snowpack – currently only 15 to 30 percent of average – to seasonal norms.Heavy snow will also fall above 5,5000 feet in the mountains of Southern California, with accumulations over one foot likely above 7,000 feet by early Sunday. Coupled with the snow will be strong winds that may produce blowing snow conditions and low visibility within the higher elevations.(WINTER ALERTS: Calif. | West)The storm will spread snow into the Rockies later Friday into Saturday, lingering into early Sunday.For more forecast information on snow and ice accumulations from the Rockies eastward, check out our Winter Storm Titan forecast.Will This Be a Drought Buster?While the rain and snow are certainly welcome, and some locations may receive more than five inches of rain before the two systems move through, it will unfortunately not be enough to eradicate the persistent drought that has been plaguing much of the West.
Western Drought Monitor
Precip. Needed to End Drought
According to this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor, 78 percent of the western states are experiencing, at best, abnormally dry conditions. Even worse, 40 percent of the western states are experiencing severe drought conditions. In California alone, 26 percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought conditions, a dire situation.(MORE: California Drought Reaches New Level of Severity Never Recorded on U.S. Drought Monitor in the State)As a result of the exceptional drought, watersheds and lakes are running low, not just because of the warm temperatures and dry weather conditions, but also due to the water needs commanded by agriculture and human activity.According to the U.S. Drought Monitor,
Press Association – 3 hours ago
View PhotoHigh-ground snow has been predicted for England and WalesParts of England and Wales could finally experience some sleet and snow today – the last day of winter.The Met Office yesterday declared that this has been the wettest winter for almost 250 years.But forecasters have issued a severe weather warning for snow and slush today, potentially disrupting the morning rush hour.High ground in Wales, the Midlands, the South West and London and the South East could be affected, though it is unlikely that snow will accumulate on lower ground.Paul Mott from weather forecasters MeteoGroup, said snow was likely on high ground over 300 metres.He said: „Through this morning there will be some snow likely over the hills of Wales and maybe over some western parts of the Midlands, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.”It will mostly be confined to the hills, which could have a covering of between 1cm and 3cm (0.4in to 1.2in), and will continue through up until 9am or 10am, when it will die away.”The UK has enjoyed a warmer than average winter so far, with yesterday’s highest temperature recorded as 12.5C in Gravesend, Kent.But temperatures are expected to plummet to as low as 6C in the South and 5C in the North today.The end of winter has various different definitions. Meteorologists consider it to finish at the end of February, while the astronomical reckoning has winter ending at the spring equinox, usually around March 20.
Forget Spring for Now!Forget Spring for Now!Tips to Beat the Winter BluesThe number of days with subzero temperatures has reached record or near-record levels for many Midwest cities this winter. We have the rankings for several of these cities, starting with two locations that logged day 70 of subzero temperatures on Friday.Note: A subzero day is one where the temperature fell below zero at any one point during a particular calendar day.
(MORE: Winter 2013-2014 a Top 5 Snowiest | Coldest February for Midwest Cities?)
International Falls, Minn.
- Number of subzero days this winter: 70 through Feb. 28
- This ties the all-time record for the period of Dec. 1 to Feb. 28 set in 1977-1978.
Grand Forks, N.D.
- Number of subzero days this winter: 70 through Feb. 28
- This is the fourth most number of subzero days on record for the period from Dec. 1 to Feb. 28. The all-time record for this period of time is 74 days.
- When looking at the entire cold season from November to April, the most subzero days on record is 85 in the winter of 1977-1978.
Wet Weather Returns to the West Coast: Beneficial Rains to Soak California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington
By Chrissy Warrilow Published: Feb 28, 2014, 7:08 AM EST weather.com
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Drought Relief Too Much?Drought Relief Too Much?Farmers Giving Up in Drought After weeks of dry conditions and above-average temperatures, wet weather has finally returned to a region of the nation that needs it the most.(MORE: Communities on the Brink | One Shocking Image of the Drought)
West Coast RadarINTERACTIVE RADAR LOOPWednesday into Thursday, the first of a pair of Pacific storms brought beneficial rain and mountain snow to all of California and parts of Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, and also the Rockies. Los Angeles saw just over an inch of rain on Thursday, making it the first time with an inch or more of rain on a single calendar day in the city since Oct. 5, 2011.Into Saturday, a more powerful second storm will continue to plow across California and into the Intermountain West. This system has been named Winter Storm Titan, and will go on to produce widespread snow and ice across the Midwest and Northeast later this weekend into Monday.(MORE: Record Driest Year in California, Parts of Oregon)Soaking Rain and Mountain SnowFriday’s Forecast
Saturday’s Forecast
Forecast Rainfall Through Saturday
Forecast Snowfall Through SundayThe main slug of rainfall will target much of California on Friday. That said, showers and thunderstorms will continue in Southern California on Saturday, with additional locally heavy rainfall.Storm total rainfall amounts for the two days will average around one or more inches in most low elevations of California, particularly in Southern California where totals of up to four inches are possible. Despite the long-term drought, street flooding, particularly in urban and poor-drainage areas, is likely Friday.(FORECAST: San Diego | Fresno | San Francisco | Sacramento | Los Angeles)The foothills in Southern California could see heavier rain amounts of up to 8 inches, making recent burn areas vulnerable to debris flows and mudslides. Because of this threat, the National Weather Service has issued flash flood watches into Saturday afternoon for parts of the region.In addition, enough atmospheric instability will be in place to allow thunderstorms to develop in central and southern portions of California. These storms could produce some hail, gusty winds, or a brief tornado on Friday.(CURRENT ALERTS: California)Farther east, Las Vegas will likely end its longest winter-season dry streak on record Friday. The city last saw measurable rain on December 5. Parts of the Vegas valley could see up to one-half inch of rain Friday.Rain from the second system will also soak the Valley of the Sun, namely, drought-thirsty Arizona. From early Saturday morning through Sunday morning, over an inch of rain is likely in the mountains north and east of the Phoenix metro, with up to an inch possible in valley locations. Keep this in mind if you have Cactus League plans(FORECAST: Las Vegas | Phoenix)Sierra Nevada Snow Water Comparison
Sierra Nevada Snow Water Comparison(MORE: The Underrated Power of Flood Waters)Beneficial snowfall will blanket the Sierra Nevada Friday into Saturday with additional totals of 1 to 2 feet in the higher elevations. But again, the amounts aren’t likely to be enough to bolster the snowpack – currently only 15 to 30 percent of average – to seasonal norms.Heavy snow will also fall above 5,5000 feet in the mountains of Southern California, with accumulations over one foot likely above 7,000 feet by early Sunday. Coupled with the snow will be strong winds that may produce blowing snow conditions and low visibility within the higher elevations.(WINTER ALERTS: Calif. | West)The storm will spread snow into the Rockies later Friday into Saturday, lingering into early Sunday.For more forecast information on snow and ice accumulations from the Rockies eastward, check out our Winter Storm Titan forecast.Will This Be a Drought Buster?While the rain and snow are certainly welcome, and some locations may receive more than five inches of rain before the two systems move through, it will unfortunately not be enough to eradicate the persistent drought that has been plaguing much of the West.Western Drought Monitor
Precip. Needed to End DroughtAccording to this week’s U.S. Drought Monitor, 78 percent of the western states are experiencing, at best, abnormally dry conditions. Even worse, 40 percent of the western states are experiencing severe drought conditions. In California alone, 26 percent of the state is experiencing exceptional drought conditions, a dire situation.(MORE: California Drought Reaches New Level of Severity Never Recorded on U.S. Drought Monitor in the State)As a result of the exceptional drought, watersheds and lakes are running low, not just because of the warm temperatures and dry weather conditions, but also due to the water needs commanded by agriculture and human activity.According to the U.S. Drought Monitor,- Lake Cachuma (located in Santa Barbara County) is currently at 39% capacity, which is an issue because it provides 90% of the water supply for the cities of Santa Barbara and Goleta. Potential mitigation plans include installing a floating barge and pipes to get lake water to the outlet portal.
- The City of Santa Barbara is considering re-establishing a desalination plant built in the late 1980s that was shut down in the early 1990s.
- The Twitchell Reservoir, which is located along the Santa Barbara/San Luis Obispo County line, is at less than 1% capacity. Ranchers are reducing their herds due to the lack of water and food sources.
(MORE: Stunning Before and After Photos of California’s Lakes Depleted by Extreme Drought)The National Weather Service in Monterey, Calif. provided some sobering perspective on Tuesday. Downtown San Francisco would need 0.14 inches of rain every day through the end of June to simply register an average water year for rainfall. That means they would need 17.81 inches of rain through the end of June to get back to an average season.Suffice to say, that’s highly unlikely. However, the first week in March should bring more Pacific storms with more welcome rain and mountain snow to at least northern California, Oregon and Washington.
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End-of-winter hill snow warning
Press Association – 3 hours agoView PhotoHigh-ground snow has been predicted for England and WalesParts of England and Wales could finally experience some sleet and snow today – the last day of winter.The Met Office yesterday declared that this has been the wettest winter for almost 250 years.But forecasters have issued a severe weather warning for snow and slush today, potentially disrupting the morning rush hour.High ground in Wales, the Midlands, the South West and London and the South East could be affected, though it is unlikely that snow will accumulate on lower ground.Paul Mott from weather forecasters MeteoGroup, said snow was likely on high ground over 300 metres.He said: „Through this morning there will be some snow likely over the hills of Wales and maybe over some western parts of the Midlands, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.”It will mostly be confined to the hills, which could have a covering of between 1cm and 3cm (0.4in to 1.2in), and will continue through up until 9am or 10am, when it will die away.”The UK has enjoyed a warmer than average winter so far, with yesterday’s highest temperature recorded as 12.5C in Gravesend, Kent.But temperatures are expected to plummet to as low as 6C in the South and 5C in the North today.The end of winter has various different definitions. Meteorologists consider it to finish at the end of February, while the astronomical reckoning has winter ending at the spring equinox, usually around March 20.Extreme Weather Rocket Blasts-Off From Japan
Sky News – 7 hours ago
View PhotoExtreme Weather Rocket Blasts-Off From JapanA cutting-edge science satellite that will monitor the world’s weather and help scientists understand climate change and storms has been launched in Japan.The US built Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory (GPM) was aboard a 174ft rocket which blasted into space from Tanegashima Island, off the south of Japan.The probe will track rain and snowfall across the world to help scientists better understand why Earth’s turbulent weather is changing.GPM will link data from current and future satellites to produce a global snapshot of the world’s weather every three hours.Steve Neeck, from Nasa, said: „Rain and snowfall affect our daily lives in many ways. The distribution of precipitation directly affects the availability of fresh water for sustaining life.”Extreme precipitation events like hurricanes, blizzards, floods, droughts and landslides have significant socio-economic impacts on our society.”Designed and built at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the GPM weighs four tons and is the size of a fire engine.Riko Oki, from Japan’s JAXA space agency, said: „Precipitation is one of the most basic and important environmental elements relating to our daily lives.””We believe that rain and snow information observed by GPM will be to the benefit of all.”
Sky News – 7 hours ago
Play VideoExtreme Weather Rocket Blasts-OffSky video 1:26View PhotoExtreme Weather Rocket Blasts-Off From JapanA cutting-edge science satellite that will monitor the world’s weather and help scientists understand climate change and storms has been launched in Japan.The US built Global Precipitation Measurement Core Observatory (GPM) was aboard a 174ft rocket which blasted into space from Tanegashima Island, off the south of Japan.The probe will track rain and snowfall across the world to help scientists better understand why Earth’s turbulent weather is changing.GPM will link data from current and future satellites to produce a global snapshot of the world’s weather every three hours.Steve Neeck, from Nasa, said: „Rain and snowfall affect our daily lives in many ways. The distribution of precipitation directly affects the availability of fresh water for sustaining life.”Extreme precipitation events like hurricanes, blizzards, floods, droughts and landslides have significant socio-economic impacts on our society.”Designed and built at Nasa’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the GPM weighs four tons and is the size of a fire engine.Riko Oki, from Japan’s JAXA space agency, said: „Precipitation is one of the most basic and important environmental elements relating to our daily lives.””We believe that rain and snow information observed by GPM will be to the benefit of all.”
