**Enjoying what you have is better than plotting and planning how you're going to keep it forever. Nothing is permanent. Savor the moment.**
LARGEST QUAKES so far today -
This morning -
5.1 SCOTIA SEA
Yesterday, 6/5/14 -
5.8 EASTER ISLAND REGION
5.1 SALTA, ARGENTINA
5.0 SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
5.1 SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
5.2 NEW IRELAND REGION, P.N.G.
6/4/14 -
5.0 OFFSHORE TARAPACA, CHILE
5.7 SOUTHEASTERN ALASKA
5.0 NEW GUINEA, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
VOLCANOES -
An Alaskan volcano that has been spitting out ash and lava for the last several years, finally erupted and sent smoke and ash up to 24,000 feet in the sky. The Pavlof volcano is located in an uninhabited region nearly 600 miles (966 km) southwest of Anchorage. The volcano prompted scientists to issue their highest volcanic alert in five years but has so far not interfered with any regional air traffic. The Alaska Volcano Observatory last issued a volcanic alert in 2009 when Mount Redoubt had a series of eruptions that spewed ash 50,000 feet upward. The warning was issued because scientists are not sure how long the volcano will spit the ash and smoke or how high it could go. Many volcanoes have a series of eruptions instead of just one big one. Scientists believe the Pavlof volcano will do the same. “This means it can erupt for weeks or even months. I don’t think we will be at red for that long, but we are expecting it to go for a while based on its past.” Since the area near the volcano is uninhabited, scientists and authorities are only worried about air traffic and how the volcano may affect it. There have been no problems so far as the weather has made it easy for pilots to see the dust and lava before they get too close to it. “Right now, with the weather clear, it’s just putting on a good show. We’re getting a lot of pilot reports and a lot of good photos, so we’re able to keep a good eye on it.” Many planes travel over the volcano on a daily base but they usually fly at elevations of at least 30,000 feet. The lava and smoke have not yet reached those heights and scientists believe the eruption will not interfere with the air traffic. They still issued the alert as a safety precaution and to make pilots aware of the volcanic eruption.
Peru - Ubinas volcano sends stones flying more than a kilometer. As explosive activity continues at the volcano, geologists say flying volcanic stones won’t be an uncommon sight. The continuing explosive activity at the Ubinas volcano in southern Peru has had locals worried for months, and now the volcano’s picked up a new trick — throwing rocks. Ubinas has recently begun launching volcanic rocks between 10 and 20 centimeters in length. Reports indicate that some of these rocks have been displaced as far as almost two kilometers. The closest town, the village of Querapi, is four kilometers away. “Just like [the lava] sometimes is pulverized and comes out as ash, which falls on nearby towns, that same lava also fragments into blocks that are 10 centimeters to two meters long, and they’re launched towards the sides of the volcano, and we call them ballistic projectiles.” Continued explosive activity is expected.
India - Reports of a "volcano-like eruption" in Kangra district in Himachal Pradesh has triggered panic among the people of the area. Flames and a hot liquid stream were seen spewing out of a hill 100 m from Gadiyada village. The village is over 200 km from Shimla. After a report by the state geologists confirmed the eruption as 'small magmatic activity', a team of Geological Survey of India reached the site on Thursday. This is the first time such a volcanic activity has been witnessed in the state. Fearing that a bigger eruption could damage their agricultural land and houses, residents of around half a dozen villages in the vicinity of the eruption are anxiously awaiting the final report of GSI team. "Gases and liquids are being emitted from holes in a 10 feet area around the hill where the volcanic activity took place." The eruption, unheard of in this area, caused panic among villagers. Unmindful of the threat of more volcanic activity the site has turned into a tourist spot with hundreds of people from surrounding areas heading there to see the phenomenon. To prevent anything untoward the district administration has decided to fence off the entire area and deploy security guards. The flames and the hot liquid emanating from the hill had created panic. "Underground temperature in the area has increased manifold and people say that a steel electricity pole had become red hot a couple of days bac." A sulphur-like material and black stone is flowing out from the perimeter of the hill. A team of geologists from state had confirmed small scale magmatic activity in the area. As chances of this activity escalating in coming days cannot be ruled out, a GSI team has been called to study the area and check the strata. "Flames were witnessed so possibility of reoccurrence cannot be ruled out. Now we are waiting for the final report from GSI team." Occurrence of such a volcanic eruption has been reported for the first time in Himachal Pradesh but the presence of magmatic substance is not new to the state. The existence of hot sulphur springs at Manikaran, Kalath, Tattapni and Vashishth confirms that magmatic material is present underneath these springs.
TROPICAL STORMS -
Current tropical storms - maps and details. No current tropical storms.
'Downgraded' Tropical Storm Boris Causes Latin America Floods Affecting 100,000 People, At Least 5 Dead. Residents in Latin America, especially Chile, Mexico and Guatemala, have been advised to brace for more rains even as weather bureau said tropical storm Boris has weakened. The Weather Network forecast the storm will still continue to dump as much as 500 mm of rain through Saturday on the affected areas. The system could dump as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) of rain in the region for a day alone. "These rains are likely to result in life-threatening flash floods and mudslides." The national disaster relief agency in Guatemala reported at least 100,000 people have been affected by the bad weather as rains, floods and mudslides damaged homes and roads. Tropical Storm Boris has killed five people near the Mexican border on Saturday due to a landslide. In southern Chile, according to World Bulletin, the floods have left some communities without potable drinking water and electricity. The southern regions of Los Rios, Biobio, Araucania, Los Lagos and Aysen have been reported to be cut off from the mainland due to damaged roads. Several people stranded were placed at 4,000 people while people possibly without electricity were estimated to be over 50,000. In late May, Hurricane Amanda dumped rains on Mexico despite the system not directly hitting the country. It was the strongest May hurricane on modern record for the Eastern Pacific.
Storm over Mexico Bay has 30 pct chance of becoming cyclone - A low pressure area over southern Bay of Campeche has a 30 percent chance of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said on Thursday. "Despite strong upper-level winds, some further development of this system is possible over the next day or two if the low remains offshore of eastern Mexico." This disturbance has potential to produce extremely heavy rains and life-threatening flash floods and mud slides over parts of southeastern Mexico during the next few days.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES -
Brazil Drought - El Nino Impacts and Political Unrest. A drought has built across parts of Brazil over the past year, including the highly populated Sao Paulo area, and the onset of El Niño threatens to aggravate drought conditions. Short-term impacts may include water rationing or even water cuts for some across the region, with long-term impacts potentially exacerbating political unrest across the country. Rainfall over the past year is more than 17 inches below normal in Sao Paulo, leading to the widespread drought across the region. The dry season, which lasts through September, will offer little relief from the ongoing drought. Residents of some poorer communities surrounding Sao Paulo have complained about water cuts since March. Many people across the region are fearful that with millions of people expected to arrive in the coming weeks for the World Cup, water restrictions could become more severe. In an attempt to limit the impacts of the drought, water has been pumped from Sao Paulo's main reservoir to supply over 9 million people living in the region. As a result, reservoir levels are now at historically low levels. With millions of people already being impacted by the drought, increased attention is being directed at the weather as people look for relief. Normal monthly rainfall during the month of June in Sao Paulo is only 53 mm (2.09 inches). Accuweather long-range meteorologists predict near- to below-normal rainfall for the month, bringing little or no aid to the dangerously low water reserves of the region. An El Niño, or a weather phenomenon noted by above-normal water temperatures over the equatorial Pacific Ocean, is expected to develop in the coming months, and this could have a drastic impact on the weather across the region. "The subtropical high pressure area off eastern Brazil tends to be stronger in El Niño years, which tends to deflect systems south of Sao Paulo. Typically, this results in fronts stalling out over far southeastern Brazil." Below-normal precipitation is expected drought-stricken northern Brazil, while above-normal precipitation is predicted across areas farther south in Brazil.
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