**Failure seldom stops you. What stops you is the fear of failure.**
Jack Lemmon
LARGEST QUAKES so far today -
5.1 MOLUCCA SEA
5.2 SANTA CRUZ ISLANDS
5.1 NEAR EAST COAST OF HONSHU, JAPAN
Yesterday, 1/12/14 -
5.4 SAN JUAN, ARGENTINA
TROPICAL STORMS -
Current tropical storms - maps and details.
* In the South Indian Ocean -
- Tropical cyclone Colin is located approximately 1090 nm northeast of Kerguelen island.
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Cyclone watch for Solomon Islands raises fears of second storm of season - There a cyclone watch underway in Solomon Islands with meteorologists tracking a tropical disturbance that is showing signs of developing further in the next couple of days. The chief forecaster at the Solomon Islands Meteorological Service said if the current weather conditions remain, the Pacific region can expect its second cyclone of the summer by this weekend.
"It is looking likely that it is going to have a moderate chance of developing to a tropical cyclone Saturday." The storm is currently moving east at around five kilometres an hour and if it does develop into a cyclone it is expected to threaten Vanuatu and New Caledonia. The Solomon Islands Meteorological Service is keeping a close eye on the low pressure system near Rennel Island, 230 kilometres south of Honiara. Even if the tropical disturbance does not form into a cyclone it could cause flooding rains, huge seas and develop strong winds. Residents of Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia are advised to stay abreast of developments on local radio.
To the east, emergency workers continue relief and recovery work in Tonga in the wake of Severe Tropical Cyclone Ian. The category five system tore through Tonga's northern and central islands over the weekend, destroying most of the structures across the Ha'apai group leaving thousands homeless. To the south, vast regions of Australia are suffering through extremely hot conditions as a heatwave grips the south-east of the nation.
A climate report released on Thursday says Australian heatwaves are becoming more frequent, hotter and are lasting longer. The interim findings of the report, titled Australian Heatwaves: Hotter, Longer, Earlier and More Often, comes as the temperature in Adelaide is forecast to hit 46 degrees Celsius and Melbourne 44. The Pacific cyclone season has started quietly - the weather has been relatively dry, hot and humid. "I have thought we would see more cyclone activity by now, given that sea temperatures around Vanuatu to Fiji to Tonga to Samoa tend to be about at least one to one and a half degrees warmer than normal."
Australia - Kimberley cyclone threat eases. Although a cyclone was initially expected this week, it is unlikely the system will move over water, where it would have had the chance to strengthen.
HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -
Frost quakes cause startling booms in Canada, U. S. Midwest - Cold snaps such as the recent arctic blast of Jan. 5-8, 2014, can bring a different kind of cold snap -- the loud boom of the earth from frost quakes.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES -
California - RECORD-BREAKING WARM TEMPERATURES Reported Across The Bay. While the calendar says it is winter, many San Fransisco Bay Area residents would say otherwise with warm, sunny weather that reached record-breaking high temperatures.
Australia - Queenland's hot weather leads to Irukandji jellyfish outbreak. RECORD-BREAKING HOT CONDITIONS are contributing to the outbreaks.
'GLOBAL WEIRDNESS' / CLIMATE CHANGE -
Norway - The sea froze so fast that it killed thousands of fish instantly. Norwegian public radio has reported on the instant death of thousands of fish in a bay in the island of Lovund, Norway. An air temperature of -7.8 C (17.96 F) combined with a strong east wind froze the sea water instantly, trapping and killing the fish. A witness says that he has never seen such a phenomenon.
NRK claims that the herrings were chased by cormorants into the bay when the deadly freezing happened. It is not uncommon for herring to get very near the shore when chased by predators, sometimes getting trapped by the low tide in areas like this bay. (photos)
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