**In a chronically leaking boat, energy devoted to changing vessels is more productive than energy devoted to patching leaks.**
Warren Buffett
This morning -
5.2 VANUATU
Yesterday, 7/17/14 -
5.0 KURIL ISLANDS
5.2 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, P.N.G.
5.2 PAPUA, INDONESIA
6.0 SOUTHERN YUKON TERRITORY, CANADA
5.1 TAIWAN REGION
TROPICAL STORMS -
Current tropical storms - maps and details.
*In the Western Pacific -
- Typhoon Rammasun islocated approximately 250 nm east of Hanoi, Vietnam. The system will track into southern China.
- Tropical Storm Matmo is located approximately 225 nm north of Koror, Palau.
* In the Central Pacific Ocean -
- Tropical storm Wali is located about 925 mi (1490 km) ESE of Hilo, Hawaii. With the cyclone already feeling the ill effects of increasing vertical wind shear, the window for Wali to intensify has closed.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
12 hours of lightning strikes in the United Kingdom from 21:00 Thursday to 9:00 Friday. Parts of south-east England have recorded the hottest day of the year after dramatic electrical storms.
Temperatures in Gravesend, Kent, nudged 32C (90F), beating the previous high of 29.5C, recorded on Thursday, as much of the country enjoyed the sun. The sweltering heat came after lightning struck the UK more than 3,000 times in the early hours of Friday.
But the Met Office is warning of more storms and, in England and east Wales, flash flooding is on the way. Storms developing in France on Friday night will move north across the UK but that where exactly would be affected was difficult to predict. The Met Office has issued a heat health alert for southern England and the Midlands, warning that "heavy thunderstorms in eastern areas on Saturday will lead to slightly lower maximum temperatures, but it will still be very humid". (photos at link)
Lightning video
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES -
Washington Wildfires Burn Homes, Force Evacuations - A cluster of four Washington wildfires swelled Friday morning has burned up to 100 homes and swelled to more than 260 square miles.
The Carlton Complex fires were ignited by lightning on Monday, and the four wildfires — fueled by dry timber and grass — ballooned overnight. The worst of the four fires forced closure of highways 20 and 153 and cut power to the Methow Valley, a premier resort area.
The entire town of Pateros — along the Columbia River — was evacuated late Thursday, and the 700 residents were ordered not to return to their homes Friday. Evacuation warnings were also issued for parts of Brewster, northeast along the river.
Seventy miles to the south, another stretch of wildfires has chased people from nearly 900 homes near the Bavarian-themed town of Leavenworth. More than 45 square miles have burned in the Mills Canyon Complex — three separate blazes including the Chiwaukum Creek Fire that prompted the evacuations. More than 800 firefighters backed by large aerial water tankers were battling the flames. Smoke from that fire has been visible from Seattle.
HEALTH THREATS -
RECALLS & ALERTS:
Eye test may be able to detect Alzheimer's decades before onset. Bright dots in the eyes reveal proteins called beta amyloids and are visible in the retina of a patient diagnosed with Alzheimer's diseases. Beta amyloids are typically found in the brain and have been known to be linked to Alzheimer's.
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