Thursday, March 14, 2013

Central Russia bracing itself for a powerful snowy cyclone, one that may prove the MOST POWERFUL FOR MARCH IN THE PAST HALF A CENTURY, according to weather forecasters. Anomalous snowfalls with gusts of wind were due in the Moscow Region late Wednesday.
The peak of bad weather is expected on Friday and Saturday. Up to 25 centimetres of snow may fall summarily. All public utilities in Moscow have been alerted. But weather has uncorked some unpleasant surprises in other Russian regions, too. An avalanche has engulfed a small town of Ust-Katav in the Chelyabinsk Region, luckily, without any loss of life. In Voronezh, a powerful snowfall caused numerous road accidents.

**I've learned that the questions are sometimes
more challenging than getting to the answers.
I've learned that doubt is part of growth...
The challenge is to live with questions,
not to always come up with the answer.**
Steve Wikstrom


LARGEST QUAKES -
Live Seismograms - Worldwide (update every 30 minutes)

This morning -
5.1 SOUTH OF PANAMA

Yesterday -
3/13/13 -
5.2 EASTERN KAZAKHSTAN
5.8 KAMCHATKA PENINSULA, RUSSIA
5.2 SOUTH PACIFIC OCEAN

3/12/13 -
5.1 EASTERN HONSHU, JAPAN
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.0 NEW BRITAIN REGION, P.N.G.
5.0 TAIWAN

The magnitude 4.7 earthquake in California Monday morning in Riverside County was the LARGEST QUAKE TO HIT THE LOS ANGELES REGION IN THREE YEARS and has produced hundreds of aftershocks. Experts said that trend should continue for several days. There were about 250 aftershocks Tuesday, and there were more than 200 on Monday. The quake caused no major damage, but it was felt from downtown Los Angeles to Mexico. On the ninth floor of an office building just north of Los Angeles International Airport, the quake caused window blinds to jangle. The rolling motion lasted about 10 seconds, inducing a momentary seasick feeling in some workers.

China - Over 3000 affected in Xinjiang quake. A 5.2-magnitude quake jolted Artux City, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture, at 11:01 a.m. Monday. According to the latest statistics from the city government, as of 6 p.m. Wednesday, 3,256 people had been affected and 864 houses had been destroyed.

VOLCANOES -
Volcano Webcams

TROPICAL STORMS -
In the Indian Ocean -
Tropical Cyclone Sandra was located approximately 465 nm south-southwest of Noumea, New Caledonia. The final warning has been issued on this system.

Tropical Cyclone Twenty (Tim) was located approximately 240 nm north-northeast of Cairns, Australia.

Cyclone forms off Queensland - Cyclone Tim has officially formed and is expected to upgrade to a category 2 tropical cyclone before weakening and heading for the Queensland coast. The tropical low officially became a cyclone at 9:30am on Thursday

Tropical Cyclone Sandra Roiling Australia Beaches - Tropical Cyclone Sandra weakened significantly on Tuesday, markedly lowering the threat of damaging weather to nearby New Caledonia. At the same time, high swells radiating outward from the storm were bringing rough surf and rip tides.

HEALTH THREATS -
RECALLS & ALERTS