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Natural Disasters

Dual disasters strike Indonesia killing hundreds

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Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupted multiple=
Indonesia's Mount Merapi erupted multiple times in the past week even as the nation is recovering from a tsunami. View photos of the eruption in the slideshow below.

One major natural disaster is bad enough but the nation of Indonesia is struggling to recover from two that struck in the past week.  A major earthquake caused a tsunami late Monday and Tuesday the nation’s most active volcano erupted.

Off the nation’s western coast, a magnitude 7.7 earthquake triggered a tsunami with 10 foot waves on Monday.  Villages on the islands of Pagai and Silabu were destroyed and the death toll from that event stands at more than 400 with nearly 200 still missing.

Mount Merapi, located on the main island of Java, erupted on Tuesday and has since had two more eruptions.  The latest, which occurred today, claimed one life bringing the total death toll from that disaster to 36.

Evacuations had been issued prior to the first eruption however many ignored the warnings.  Further, after the initial blast, many residents returned home only to find themselves in danger from subsequent eruptions. 

View the slideshow below for images from the erupting volcano and the aftermath. For complete coverage of the tsunami and volcano -and all forms of natural disasters – please visit the Natural Disasters Examiner.

Photo slideshow of Mount Merapi eruption. (Examiner.com)More on Mount Merapi from the Global Volcanism Project:

Merapi, one of Indonesia’s most active volcanoes, lies in one of the world’s most densely populated areas and dominates the landscape immediately north of the major city of Yogyakarta. Merapi is the youngest and southernmost of a volcanic chain extending NNW to Ungaran volcano.

Growth of Old Merapi volcano beginning during the Pleistocene ended with major edifice collapse perhaps about 2000 years ago, leaving a large arcuate scarp cutting the eroded older Batulawang volcano. Subsequently growth of the steep-sided Young Merapi edifice, its upper part unvegetated due to frequent eruptive activity, began SW of the earlier collapse scarp.

Pyroclastic flows and lahars accompanying growth and collapse of the steep-sided active summit lava dome have devastated cultivated lands on the volcano’s western-to-southern flanks and caused many fatalities during historical time. The volcano is the object of extensive monitoring efforts by the Merapi Volcano Observatory.

Colorado Weather

The story of the Fourmile Canyon and Reservoir Road fires in pictures

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The Fourmile Canyon Fire is seen crowning on the tops of trees soon after it started. (U.S. Forest Service)
The Fourmile Canyon Fire is seen crowning on the tops of trees soon after it started. Check out more amazing photos from the fires below. (U.S. Forest Service)

It seems like it had been a while since Colorado suffered a major wildfire and summer had indeed passed quietly in those terms – until Labor Day. 

Spurred on by strong winds and fed by tinder dry fuels the Fourmile Canyon Fire in Boulder County soon exploded and served as a reminder that the fire danger was still with us.  Photos taken during that blaze and the Reservoir Road Fire tell a story of the battle of man against nature.

Wildfires can quickly grow from a small event to one that covers thousands of acres destroying property and sometimes claiming lives in the process. Colorado dodged a bullet with the Fourmile Canyon Fire and the Reservoir Road Fire as no lives were lost and there were very few injuries. 

Many residents in the burn areas however suffered other losses — that of their home and virtually every belonging they owned. The events torched over 6,500 acres combined and the Fourmile Canyon Fire became the most destructive in state history in terms of homes destroyed, as 166 houses were lost.

Slideshow - Best images from the Fourmile Canyon and Reservoir Road fires.Photos taken from the outset of the first fire were impressive. Some were taken from right next to the fire as residents worked to save their homes; others were captured from 22,300 miles in space by NOAA satellites showing smoke traveling across three states.

The images in the slideshow to the left represent the best images captured by Examiner.com readers, the U.S. Forest Service and professional photographers. They tell a compelling story of the fight between man and fire and the battle to save lives and property. 

Natural Disasters

Space station astronaut captures images of Hurricane Igor and Hurricane Julia

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Hurricane Igor is scene in this view from the International Space Station. See more images in the slideshow below.
Hurricane Igor is scene in this view from the International Space Station. See more images in the slideshow below.

A truly rare event is occurring in the Atlantic Ocean where for the first time in 84 years two Category 4 hurricanes are churning at the same time. Yesterday astronaut Douglas Wheelcock snapped stunning images of Hurricane Igor and Hurricane Julia from his perch 220 miles above the Earth aboard the International Space Station.

  • View the pictures in the slideshow below

Anthony Watts of the popular website Watts Up With That? determined that only three times in the past have two major hurricanes (defined as Category 3 or higher) occurred at the same time.

Given that Igor and Julia are now both Category 4 storms with 135 mph winds, two storms of that strength occurring simultaneously has only happened once – on September 26, 1926.

Of greatest immediate concern is Hurricane Igor. The storm is currently 540 miles east-northeast of St. Martin and appears to be headed for a direct strike on Bermuda sometime Sunday night.

Hurricane Julia is much farther east, approximately 500 miles west of the Cape Verde islands. Julia’s forecast path has her turning to the north and, hopefully, not presenting a danger to land.

The Expedition 24 crew on board the International Space Station includes West Point graduate and Army colonel Douglas Wheelcock. During his time on board the ISS, Wheelcock has captured some astounding images and posted them to Twitter, including photos of Hurricane Earl two weeks ago.

The new images posted today were snapped over the past 24 hours as the ISS passed over the storms. The image of Hurricane Igor is arguably the most impressive as it provides a clear view vertically down into and through the eye of the storm.

The slideshow below from the Natural Disasters Examiner contains the images taken by Colonel Wheelcock as well as images of previous hurricanes taken by International Space Station and Space Shuttle crews and NASA satellites.

Hurricanes from space - Nature's fury seen from on high

National Weather, Thornton Weather

While the east roasts, the west chills – Record temperatures of both extremes in the U.S.

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Record heat strikes the northeastern U.S. while southern California sees record low maximums. Denver may see its own temperature record today. (Examiner.com)
Record heat strikes the northeastern U.S. while southern California sees record low maximums. Denver may see its own temperature record today. (Examiner.com)

Triple digit heat broiled the northeastern United States on Tuesday while record setting cool weather struck southern California. Denver may be next to see cool temperatures for the record books as the United States experiencing a wide variety of temperatures.

On the East Coast, temperatures exceeding 100 degrees struck from Virginia north to Massachusetts. Many of the temperatures recorded set new high temperature records for the date including:

  • Allentown, PA – 101 degrees (old record 100 degrees set in 1999)
  • Atlantic City, NJ – 102 degrees (old record 99 degrees set in 1999)
  • Baltimore, MD – 105 degrees (old record 101 degrees set in 1999)
  • Newark, NJ – 103 degrees (old record 102 degrees set in 1999)
  • New York City, NY (Central Park) – 103 degrees (old record 101 degrees set in 1999)
  • Philadelphia, PA – 102 degrees (old record 98 degrees set in 1999)
  • Warwick, RI – 102 degrees (old record 97 degrees set in 1999)
  • Wilmington, DE – 103 degrees (old record 98 degrees set in 1999)
  • Windsor Locks, CT – 102 degrees (old record 99 degrees set in 1999)

On the opposite coast of the nation, record low maximum temperatures were recorded from San Diego up to Riverside. Low pressure and a thick marine layer of clouds held temperatures down and residents that would normally be wearing shorts and tank tops traded that clothing for jeans and sweatshirts.

Among the tied or broken record low maximums recorded in southern California on Tuesday were:

  • Escondido – 69 degrees (old record 78 set in 1987)
  • Laguna Beach – 62 degrees (old record 68 set in 1968)
  • Newport Beach – 66 degrees (tied record of 66 last set in 1995)
  • Oceanside Harbor – 62 degrees (old record 65 set in 2002)
  • Riverside – 79 degrees (old record 80 set in 1969)
  • San Diego – 65 degrees (tied record of 65 last set in 1912)

On Wednesday, both the northeastern United States and southern California may see those record-setting temperature trends continue.

Denver also stands a chance to see a record setting low maximum today. The forecast for Denver International Airport where Denver’s official temperature measurements are now taken is for a high of 63 degrees today. The current record low maximum is 65 degrees last set in 1952.  Here in Thornton we will see similar temperatures.

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Tropical Storm Alex threatens Gulf of Mexico oil spill cleanup

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Satellite image of Tropical Storm Alex as it prepares to cross the Yucatan Peninsula. (NOAA / Google Earth) Click the image for a complete slideshow of the storm and its forecast path.
Satellite image of Tropical Storm Alex as it prepares to cross the Yucatan Peninsula. (NOAA / Google Earth) Click the image for a complete slideshow of the storm and its forecast path.

The first named storm of the 2010 hurricane season is being watched closely by not only areas at threat from landfall but also those working to clean up the Gulf oil spill. Tropical Storm Alex continued to move to the northwest where it threatens to find warmer water and become a hurricane.

The National Hurricane Center (NHC) places the center of Alex at the current time 75 miles east of Belize City. The storm is packing winds of 45 mph and moving to the west-northwest at 9mph.

On its current path, Alex will reach the coast of Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula late today and move across the peninsula on Sunday. By Sunday night or early Monday morning, it will have transited land and emerge in the Bay of Campeche.

Get all the latest on Tropical Storm Alex including amazing satellite animation video, forecasts and more from the Natural Disasters Examiner.

Climate Change

Al Gore decries press censorship of oil spill, blocks press from own events

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Al Gore laments a lack of press coverage of the Gulf oil spill disaster but bans the press from his own events. (Dan Spisak)
Al Gore laments a lack of press coverage of the Gulf oil spill disaster but bans the press from his own events. (Dan Spisak)

In a new blog posting on his website, former Vice President Al Gore said access by the press covering the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a ‘de facto form of censorship.’ Many however have been quick to seize on the fact that Gore himself bans press coverage of his own events.

The Nobel Laureate was writing a response to a report that a Times-Picayune photographer was not allowed to take photos of the expanding oil slick. Gore said, “This behavior is completely unacceptable. Access by reporters should be as unfettered as possible. This de facto form of censorship needs to stop.”

Bloggers and online news outlets were quick to seize on the apparent hypocrisy in Gore’s statement. The highly influential Drudge Report pointed to Gore’s posting followed by stories from 2008 and 2009 when the press was banned from covering the former vice president’s speeches.

There is more to this story including the errors that have been discovered in Gore’s books and movies and his recent personal life problems.  Get all the details from the Climate Change Examiner.

Natural Disasters, Severe Weather

The hunt is on – ThorntonWeather.com ready to take to the plains

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ThorntonWeather.com's chief amateur meteorologist will be on the hunt for tornadoes starting next week. Be sure to follow along!
ThorntonWeather.com is ready to begin the hunt for tornadoes!

Storm Chase 2010 is making final preparations to take to the Great Plains on Saturday. With severe weather forecast for the northern plains, the opportunity is too good to resist so the hunt begins a day early.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed a slight risk for severe weather on an area from northeastern Colorado into Nebraska and then north from there. The risk for tornadoes is relatively small but even if we don’t see a twister, there is a good chance to witness some great storm structure as well as strong winds and hail.

The tour we are a part of isn’t officially supposed to start until tomorrow and we must be in Denver this evening to meet with the rest of the group. As such, today’s chase will be relatively short and won’t cover too much of a distance.

Roger Hill, famed storm chaser and tour leader, will outline the plans for the chase later today but we are anticipating we will hunt northeastern Colorado and western Nebraska. If all goes according to plan, we should be on the road by noon (MDT) and on our way to the target area.

We will be bringing along Examiner and ThorntonWeather.com readers on this great chase. There are no guarantees because as we all know, Mother Nature is far from reliable – six days on the plains could yield little more than rain. However, confidence is high that you will be taken on a virtual ride unlike any other with videos, photos and more from the road.

To keep things simple, ThorntonWeather.com’s chief amateur meteorologist will be primarily posting things to the Storm Chase 2010 Examiner’s home page.  To be sure you don’t miss a thing, check the Storm Chase 2010 Examiner’s home page regularly. Be sure to click the “Subscribe” link at the top of the page and you will be emailed whenever a new story is posted.

Also, we will be posting regular updates from the road on Twitter via the Natural Disasters Examiner – click here to follow. On Facebook, be sure to ‘become a fan’ / ‘like’ the Natural Disasters Examiner as well to receive the latest right on there too.

Natural Disasters

ThorntonWeather.com set to chase tornadoes on the Great Plains

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ThorntonWeather.com's chief amateur meteorologist will be on the hunt for tornadoes starting next week. Be sure to follow along!
ThorntonWeather.com's chief amateur meteorologist will be on the hunt for tornadoes starting next week. Be sure to follow along!

Severe weather season brings danger and destruction to the Great Plains of the United States. No other place on earth sees as many tornadoes as this region and now ThorntonWeather.com is going to go on the hunt in an attempt to witness Mother Nature’s fury up close and personal.

As we have pointed out before, the owner and operator of ThorntonWeather.com writes weather, disaster and climate news for Examiner.com.  This allows Tony to share his passion for the topics and also helps to pay for all the great features ThorntonWeather.com visitors enjoy.

Starting Sunday, May 30th and for the six days following, one Examiner will seek out and attempt to witness and document these events. World famous storm chaser Roger Hill will serve as tour guide and teacher for the Examiner and a group of weather enthusiasts as they hunt the ultimate prize – tornadoes.

An average of over 1,300 tornadoes have struck the United States in each of the last three years claiming more than 200 lives total. These devastating events can strike with little warning and with a fury unseen with any other natural phenomena.

After a slow start to the season in 2010, recent weeks have seen activity ramp up to much more normal levels. Tornadoes ripped through Oklahoma on May 11th killing five and just this past weekend a monstrous EF4 twister carved a path through rural South Dakota.

We will be bringing along Examiner and ThorntonWeather.com readers on this great chase. There are no guarantees because as we all know, Mother Nature is far from reliable – six days on the plains could yield little more than rain. However, confidence is high that you will be taken on a virtual ride unlike any other with videos, photos and more from the road.

To keep things simple, ThorntonWeather.com’s chief amateur meteorologist will be primarily posting things to the Storm Chase 2010 Examiner’s home page.  To be sure you don’t miss a thing, check the Storm Chase 2010 Examiner’s home page regularly. Be sure to click the “Subscribe” link at the top of the page and you will be emailed whenever a new story is posted.

Also, we will be posting regular updates from the road on Twitter via the Natural Disasters Examiner – click here to follow. On Facebook, be sure to ‘become a fan’ / ‘like’ the Natural Disasters Examiner as well to receive the latest right on there too.

On the net:

Natural Disasters

2010 hurricane season names from Alex to Walter

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Hurricane names 2010From Hurricane Andrew to Hurricane Katrina, the names given one of the earth’s most devastating disasters become part of our history and are forever associated with the death and destruction they bring. For the 2010 hurricane season, the names chosen run through 21 letters of the alphabet from Alex to Walter.

During World War II, the practice of naming storms only for women became common practice but in 1951 the United States changed that and began naming them using the phonetic alphabet. By 1953 however the practice of naming them for women returned. In 1979 the current system which includes male and female names was adopted.

Storms get their name when they reach 39 mph (34 knots) and are then officially a tropical storm. In the North Atlantic, the World Meteorological Organization determines what names will be used for a given season on a six year rotating basis with one of 21 letters of the alphabet used in order. The letters Q, U, X, Y, and Z are not used due to the lack of names available using those and the names that are chosen alternate male and female.

Should the situation arise where all 21 names are used during a season, any additional storms are named after the letters of the Greek alphabet (Alpha, Beta, Gamma, etc). Only one time have there been enough storms to exceed the usual 21 names – In 2005 there were 27 named storms.

When a storm has caused extensive damage or death, the World Meteorological Organization can vote to retire a name. There are currently 74 retired names including 2005’s Hurricane Katrina and 1992’s Hurricane Andrew.

More hurricane news from the Natural Disasters Examiner:

Colorado Weather, Natural Disasters

Colorado researchers join VORTEX2 tornado project

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This tornado in Goshen County, Wyoming in 2009 was intercepted by VORTEX2 teams and is considered the “most intensely examined tornado in history.” (NOAA) Watch video of the twister and see more photos at the complete story on Examiner.com. (NOAA)
This tornado in Goshen County, Wyoming in 2009 was intercepted by VORTEX2 teams and is considered the “most intensely examined tornado in history.” (NOAA) Watch video of the twister and see more photos at the complete story on Examiner.com. (NOAA)

For the second year in a row, a team of over 100 scientists and dozens of vehicles will take to Tornado Alley in an attempt to study one of Mother Nature’s most destructive phenomena. Like last year, Colorado researchers will be helping with the project.

Among the Colorado-based participants are University of Colorado students and researchers. They join others from 11 other universities from across the nation including the University of Oklahoma, Penn State University, and the University of Massachusetts.

Perhaps most well known, Dr. Josh Wurman of the Center for Severe Weather Research (CSWR) in Boulder will be a key contributor. Watchers of the Discovery Channel’s Storm Chasers series know Wurman well as the operator of a Doppler On Wheels (DOW) radar truck and coordinator of the TV series’ storm chases.

Verification of the Origins of Rotation in Tornadoes Experiment 2 (VORTEX2) is simply the largest, most extensive in-field tornado study in history. Funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the VORTEX2 team will prowl the Great Plains hunting their elusive prey from May 1st to June 15th.

Once again, a veritable armada of scientific equipment will be deployed. Ten mobile radar units, dozens of vehicles, over 70 other instruments and even an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) will cover thousands of miles on the Great Plains.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!For the rest of this story including photos of all the equipment and amazing video of the tornado in Wyoming that the team intercepted last year, visit the Denver Weather Examiner.