When the CME first arrived on July 14th, its effect appeared weak. However, conditions in the wake of the CME have since become stormy. On July 14-15 Northern Lights appeared in the United States as far south as California, Colorado, Missouri, Utah, Wisconsin, Iowa, Minnesota, Washington, Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska, Michigan and Arkansas. Meanwhile in the southern hemisphere, the aurora australis has been sighted in New Zealand, Australia, and directly above the South Pole itself.
Sunspot 1520 poses a continued threat for X-class solar flares. As the sunspot turns away from Earth, however, the chances of a geoeffective eruption are decreasing.
the only institution I know that works,
is the family.**
Lee Iacocca
LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)
This morning -
5.4 NEAR EAST COAST OF KAMCHATKA
Yesterday -
7/15/12 -
5.0 CENTRAL PERU
5.0 EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN
5.3 KURIL ISLANDS
Bulgaria - Three or four buildings in quake-hit municipality in critical condition, probably will be removed. The western municipality of Pernik has received 29 signals [aftershocks?] after Saturday’s 4.5-magnitude earthquake. "Three or four buildings are in a critical condition. We are waiting for a statement and in accordance with it we will undertake actions on Monday. Probably some of the buildings will have to be removed", said the mayor. The buildings were critical in principle, as they were damaged in the previous quakes and Saturday’s one damaged them further.
TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Pacific -
- Hurricane Fabio was located about 685 mi [1105 km] WSW of the southern tip of Baja California. Fabio is expected to become a tropical storm today and a tropical depression on Tuesday as it moves over much cooler waters. Swells generated by Fabio are spreading northward along the West Coast of the Baja California peninsula and are expected to reach the extreme Southern California coast by tonight. These swells are likely to cause dangerous surf and rip current conditions.
- Tropical depression 08w was located approximately 575 nm east-southeast of Kadena AB, Okinawa.
Tropical depression Eight is forecast to strike South Korea as a tropical storm at about 02:00 GMT on 18 July. The new tropical depression spawned southeast of Iwo Jima, and appears headed between Okinawa and Kyushu toward Korea's west coast.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
Japan flood evacuees start returning home - The death toll from landslides and floods in Japan has risen to 26, with rescuers on the island of Kyushu still searching six missing people.
Poland - One person has been killed and at least 10 others injured during a series of FREAK tornadoes in northern and western Poland. The extreme winds hits the country's Kujawy-Pomorze and Wielkopolska provinces, destroying 100 homes. Some 400 hectares of trees have also been damaged in Bory Tucholskie forest, a national park and popular tourist destination. Electricity power-lines have also been damaged.
Even though tornadoes are not unknown in Poland, this summer's series of events has been particularly dramatic and weather forecasters have predicted stormy conditions will continue. According to local media reports, a 60-year-old man who was killed died in the village of Wycinki after being crushed beneath his collapsing house. Residents have described hearing a terrifying rumble as the tornado approached. A vast clean-up operation is now under way as people hastily cover up their roofs, fallen trees are removed and power lines are repaired.
Illinois - City signs indicate Weather Shelters for extreme weather. The city of chicago has put up signs to tell people where to find shelter in case Chicago is hit with extreme weather. They are in 16 different locations throughout the city's central business district, mostly along Michigan Avenue and Grant Park. The city's Office of Emergency Management and Communications says it installed the signs so people are informed of their safety options if high winds or storms roll through the area.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / CLIMATE CHANGE -
2012 drought 'THE LARGEST NATURAL DISASTER EVER IN THE U.S.' - The Department of Agriculture has declared natural disaster areas in more than 1,000 counties in 26 states due to drought, making it the largest natural disaster ever in the U.S. The declaration covers about half the nation, and gives farmers and ranchers hit hard by the drought access to federal aid, including low-interest emergency loans.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, 56 percent of the country experienced drought conditions, the largest percetage in the service's 12-year history. The drought comes amid record heat, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reporting recently that the six months from January through June was the hottest first half of any year on record for the 48 contiguous U.S. states.
