Category Archives: Earth Stuff

News of Earth Changes, climate shifts, weather anomalies, volcanoes, etc

NASA UARS Satellite Reentry Spot Unknown

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NASA’s UARS satellite weighing over six tons will come down this month uncontrolled

Published on September 8, 2011 8:20 am PT
– By Jim Duran – Writer
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


No larger image

(TheWeatherSpace.com) — NASA’s Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) is going to re-enter Earth’s atmosphere late this month or early next.

NASA announced on Wednesday that this will be uncontrolled, which means they do not know yet where it will go.

Furthermore, NASA states most of the satellite will burn up in the atmosphere, but there will be pieces that make it to the ground. Being this is an uncontrollable re-entry, it could threaten interests on the ground and in the air.

Some predictions paint September 26th as the day the satellite comes down. NASA will update weekly until the final four days of the expected re-entry and then push the updates to daily.

from:    http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-09_08_2011_uarsreentrynasa.html

Power Outtages CA to Mexico

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Major power outage hits from San Diego to New Mexico on Thursday

Published on September 8, 2011 5:10 pm PT
– By Dave Tole – Writer
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


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(TheWeatherSpace.com) — Power is out from San Diego into Arizona, and New Mexico in spots, blamed on hot conditions in the Southern California desert.

San Diego Gas and Electric spoke this evening when millions of people were affected with a power outage before 4 p.m. local time.

he spokesperson states that “power will be restored soon as other plants come online” but does not have an approximate time for it.

The internet is abuzz with possible reasons. An X-Class solar flare erupted from the Sun a couple days back which could result in a solar storm today or tomorrow.

Then you have the more realistic reason being the hot temperatures over 115 degrees overloaded the grid in the desert, causing the blackout.

“Temperatures are very hot out there in the Southern California desert,” said TWS Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin. “Anytime you have something of that magnitude you will get power failures. It is a plausible option but not for sure.”

Others tell TheWeatherSpace.com it was traced to someone removing a piece of monitoring equipment at a power substation in Southwestern Arizona.

fr/   http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-09_08_2011_sandiegopower.html

Mt. Cleveland Dome Continues to build

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MOUNT CLEVELAND VOLCANO CONTINUES BUILDING MASSIVE DOME
GW RASTOPSOFF, ALASKA NATIVE NEWS

PUBLISHED 09/07/2011 – 7:18 A.M. AKST
CHUGINADAK ISLAND, ALASKA-Mount Cleveland, a strato-volcano perched on Chuginadak island, has had its Volcano Alert status raised back up to “Watch” and its Aviation code re-raised to “Orange.”
This comes as observations of the volcano yesterday that the small lava dome in the summit crater has resumed growth and now fills the floor of the crater.
A persistent thermal anomaly has been observed since September 3, probably marking the timing of resumed lava dome growth. The size of the dome as of August 30 when it appeared to have stopped growing was approximately 262 feet in diameter. The current dome is approximately 394 feet in diameter. If dome growth continues, lava flows onto the flanks of the volcano may develop but would not be hazardous to aviation. The presence of the lava dome increases the possibility of an explosive eruption, but does not necessarily indicate that one will occur. Short-lived explosions could produce an ash cloud that exceeds 20,000 ft above sea level. These events can occur without warning and may go undetected in satellite imagery for hours.
The team at the Alaska Volcano Observatory were unsure on September 2nd, whether the 6.8 earthquake had disturbed the apparent rest of the volcano. But, satellite information began to trickle in on the next day as the first of the anomalies since the down-grade of the volcano made itself known. That information had the volcano obscured by cloud cover so no determination could be made then. It wasn’t until yesterday that a better view of the summit of the volcano could be seen.
Although no connection has been made, the 6.8 earthquake and its numerous after-shocks felt on and after September 2nd, may very well have been responsible for the current activity at Mount Cleveland.
There was another after-shock from the September 2nd quake again early this morning at 2:36 am measuring 4.4 magnitude.

Tropical Storm Nate

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Tropical Storm Nate is going to be one to watch over the next several days

Published on September 8, 2011 5:10 am PT
– By Richard McMillan – Writer
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller



(TheWeatherSpace.com) — Tropical Storm Nate is located in the Southern Gulf of Mexico and could actually veer off the official track.

The National Hurricane Center has placed a track on Tropical Storm Nate. Tropical Storm Nate’s track moves north and then west right into Mexico, where it dies.

TheWeatherSpace.com Senior Meteorologist Kevin Martin is open to a second scenario.

“While NHC’s track is valid, there is also another alternative. This alternative brings it towards the Northern Gulf of Mexico where Tropical Storm Lee affected. This is a plausible option and it will need to be watched because a trough to the north is present which may lead Nate northward, not westward where NOAA has him.”

All NOAA models point to the westward track that NHC has so the Gulf of Mexico northward track will be a shot in the dark from Martin.

It could go either way. Nate is just developing and forecasters have a long time to pinpoint a track for it. All residents on the Gulf Coast need to stay tuned for further updates and tracking map information from TWS.

fr/http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-09_08_2011_tropicalstormnate.html

fr/Martin Thoughts on Winter Forecast

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Interesting take on the whole question of long term forecasting, particularly at this time when so much is changing, the abnormal has become normal, and anomalies are routine.

2011-2012 Winter Forecast from TheWeatherSpace.com released

Published on September 8, 2011 3:35 am PT
– By Kevin Martin – Senior Meteorologist
– Article Editor and Approved – Warren Miller


Click for larger image

(TheWeatherSpace.com) — Winter forecasting is probably the most useless forecasting one can do and I’ll give you the reason why.

Every year hundreds of weather forecasters shoot out forecasts for snow in the Northeast. Why? Snow happens all the time during the Winter!

The truth of the matter is that TheWeatherSpace.com believes producing such forecasts are useless. So the 2011-2012 forecast for winter is sometimes cold, sometimes warm, sometimes snowy, sometimes icy, sometimes windy, sometimes dry, sometimes rainy, and sometimes snowy.

Winter forecasts are as useless as long range hurricane forecasts. We just do not need them. What people really care about is the accuracy in the next three to five days, that is it.

Sure, farmers rely on long range forecasts but no one is 100% accurate in a winter forecast. There are times when people forecast Southern California in a La Nina to have dry and warm conditions and yet Los Angeles gets blasted by cold air, thunderstorms, low elevation snow, and above average precipitation.

Winter season cannot be forecast and the best thing we can do is take what comes at us and warn for what we see. Sometimes it will snow, other times it will not. The winter seasons have troughs and ridges which change each week to a different scenario.

This is not meant to be a joke to you from TheWeatherSpace.com, but a real thing to think about. Do we need long range forecasts when it changes each week? In my eyes we do not so let us take and forecast what is in reality, three, five, seven, and ten days down the line
.

fr/http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-09_08_2011_longrange.html/

New Delhi Earthquake

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4.2 magnitude earthquake in the New Delhi – Haryana area, India + videos

Last update: September 7, 2011 at 9:55 pm by By 

Earthquake overview : After a long 30 minutes of receiving I Have Felt It reports from concerned New Delhi people we could finally report that a magnitude 4.3 earthquake struck close to New Delhi.

Update 21:49 UTC : There are still NO reports of damage or injuries so far.  Although we are not really expecting major damage from the shaking (the shaking lasted only about 10 seconds), we would not be surprised to see houses and buildings with cracks, shattered tiles, etc when daylight arrives in this very populated area with a lot of badly constructed brick houses..  So far however, no signs of any minor damage.

Update 21:48 UTC : Delhi is among thirty important cities in India that fall into high risk seismic zone whileSrinagar is among places at very high risk of earthquakes, the government said.

to read more, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/07/strong-5-8-earthquake-in-india/

Texas Wildfires

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Central Texas wildfire destroys nearly 800 homes

APBy JIM VERTUNO – Associated Press | AP 

BASTROP, Texas (AP) — Firefighting crews started Wednesday to gain control of a wind-stoked blaze that has raged unchecked across parched Central Texas for days, leaving hundreds of charred properties in its wake and causing thousands of people to flee.

As the crisis unfolded, Gov. Rick Perry flew off to a Republican presidential debate in California as authorities commanded operations fighting the disaster.

At least two people have died in the wildfire, which destroyed nearly 800 homes and blackened about 45 square miles (116 square kilometers) in and around the city of Bastrop, outside Austin, the state capital.

The Texas Forest Service said Wednesday that blaze had consumed 785 homes, making it the most catastrophic of the fires that have erupted in the past week across Texas. One of the most devastating wildfire outbreaks in state history has caused four deaths and pulled the state’s firefighting ranks to the limit.

But Bastrop County Judge Ronnie McDonald also sounded an optimistic tone, saying firefighters had a “good night” and that no new structures were lost overnight in the battle to contain the 33,000-acre (13,350-hectare) blaze about 25 miles east of Austin. Containment remained at 30 percent.

The forest service said it responded to a total of 19 new fires Wednesday totaling 1,490 acres (600 hectares) across the state, bringing the count over the past week to more than 170 fires consuming more than 130,000 acres (52,600 hectares).

Texas Task Force 1, an elite search team that was sent to New York following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and to New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, will be assisting in Bastrop.

The team has dogs that can help look for people trapped in debris, Chief Bob McKee told The Associated Press. “We also have human remains canines that would scent on deceased persons or animals,” McKee said.

Crews finally got a reprieve Tuesday from winds pushed in by Tropical Storm Lee that whipped the blaze into an inferno over the weekend. Texas Forest Service spokeswoman April Saginor said the lighter winds were assisting firefighters in their efforts.

“Even though the fuels are critically dry, the grass is dry and the relative humidity is still pretty low, they were able to take advantage of lower winds,” Saginor said.

Perry cut short a presidential campaign trip to South Carolina to deal with the crisis, and on Tuesday toured a blackened area near Bastrop.

to read more, go to:http://news.yahoo.com/central-texas-wildfire-destroys-nearly-800-homes-161533970.html

 

Tropical Storm Update

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TD 14 likely to become Maria; new Gulf of Mexico system brewing

Tropical Depression Fourteen formed yesterday from a strong tropical wave that moved off the coast of Africa early this week, and is headed west-northwest towards an encounter with the Northern Lesser Antilles Islands. Satellite loops show a large a steadily organizing system with plenty of heavy thunderstorm activity, good upper-level outflow to the north and west, and some respectable low-level spiral bands beginning to form. TD 14 is probably a tropical storm now, and is very likely to be named Tropical Storm Maria later today. Water vapor satellite images show that 95L is embedded in a very moist environment. Ocean temperatures are near 28.5°C, which is 2°C above the 26.5°C threshold usually needed to sustain a tropical storm. With wind shear predicted to remain low to moderate the next five days, the atmosphere expected to stay moist, and ocean temperatures predicted to gradually warm, TD 14 should generally show a strengthening trend. Curiously, most of the intensity forecast models show little strengthening of TD 14, so NHC is keeping their intensity forecast lower than is typical for a storm in these conditions at this time of year.
The track forecasts for TD 14 from the various models agree that the storm will affect the Northern Lesser Antilles Islands, though there are some differences in forward speed, resulting in some uncertainty whether the storm will arrive at the islands as early as Friday night, or as late as Saturday afternoon. After it passes the Lesser Antilles, TD 14 has the usual amount of high uncertainty in its 5 – 7 day track forecast. The models are split on how strong the steering influence a trough of low pressure along the U.S. East Coast will have. The ECMWF and UKMET models prefer a more southerly track for TD 14 through the Bahamas towards the U.S. East Coast, while the GFS, NOGAPS, and HWRF models predict a more northwesterly track, with a potential threat to Bermuda. It’s too early to guess which track the models will eventually converge on. Climatology favors a track that would miss land, with Dr. Bob Hart’s track history pages suggesting TD 14 has a 22% chance of hitting Canada, 19% chance of hitting Bermuda, and an 11% chance of hitting North Carolina.


Figure 1. Morning satellite image of TD 14.

Gulf of Mexico disturbance 96L
A cold front swept into the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Texas behind Tropical Storm Lee on Monday, and has stalled out along a line from Tampa, Florida to Mexico’s Bay of Campeche in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Heavy thunderstorms have begun to build along the tail end of this front in the Bay of Campeche, and this disturbance has been designated Invest 96Lby NHC. Latest visible satellite loops do not show that 96L has a closed surface circulation yet, but buoy and surface observations along the coast of Mexico suggest that there may be a large-scale counter-clockwise circulation present over the Bay of Campeche. Sustained winds at Buoy 42055, about 100 miles to the northwest of the suspected center of 96L, were northeast at 27 mph at 6:50 am CDT this morning. Water vapor satellite loops show that here is a large area of very dry air from Texas to the north of 96L, and this dry air may interfere with 96L’s development. A hurricane hunter mission is scheduled for this afternoon into 96L.

Most of the computer models develop 96L into a tropical depression in the next 1 – 2 days, and these same models did very well at anticipating the formation of Tropical Storm Lee in the Gulf of Mexico last week. Given the moderate wind shear, warm waters, and presence of an old cold front to serve as a nucleus for development, I give 96L an 80% chance of becoming a tropical depression over the next tow days, a bit higher than the 60% probability NHC is going with. Steering currents are weak in the Bay of Campeche, making for a lot of uncertainty in where 96L might go. The only model predicting a U.S. landfall is the ECMWF, which predicts 96L might hit between Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle on Monday. A more popular solution is for the storm to meander in the Bay of Campeche for many days, and eventually make landfall on the coast of Mexico between Veracruz and Tampico. None of the models is hinting at a track towards Texas, and the intense dome of high pressure associated with their record drought and heat wave will tend to discourage any tropical cyclones from making a Texas landfall over the coming seven days.

Hurricane Katia 
Hurricane Katia continues to the northwest as a Category 1 hurricane with 90 mph winds. Latest satellite loops show that dry air has eaten into the southwest side of the storm. The computer models continue to agree that a low pressure system over the Eastern U.S. associated with the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee will turn Katia to the north. As the storm moves northwards past North Carolina, Katia will get caught up in west-to-east moving winds associated with the jet stream, and taken northeastwards out to sea. No land areas are in Katia’s cone of uncertainty, and Katia’s outer rainbands should remain just offshore from North Carolina, New England, and the Canadian Maritime provinces at the point of closest approach. Bermuda may see a few rain showers from Katia, but the storm will not cause hazardous weather there. The main impact of Katia will be a multi-day period of high surf leading to beach erosion and dangerous rip currents. The East Coast is lucky that Tropical Storm Lee came along, since Lee helped to create the steering pattern that will keep Katia from hitting the U.S.


Figure 2. GOES-13 image of Hurricane Katia and the remains of Tropical Storm Lee, taken at 11:45 am EDT Tuesday September 6, 2011. At the time, Katia was a Category 3 hurricane with 120 mph winds. Image credit: NOAA Visualization Laboratory.

Arthur Faram on the Newport, R.I. Tower

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THE NEWPORT TOWER
MYSTERY SOLVED 
Mystery Solved
The Newport Tower
Newport Tower

The Newport Tower Story
by Arthur D. Faram

Introduction

Updated 6/24/2011 – The Newport Tower has been the subject of discussion and controversy since the Colonists first arrived in the new world and discovered the structure on Rhode Island, USA. Early explorers noted that the tower existed during their early explorations of North America. However, that did not deter skeptics from claiming that the tower was constructed in Colonial times. Documented research shows that the tower was most likely constructed in the 15th Century, destroyed in the 16th Century and then rebuilt in the 17th Century on the 200th anniversary of its original construction. The Newport Tower is an important North American Landmark; however, it is the Newport Island itself that has been an important focal point of civilizations around the world for thousands of years.

Geoglyphology

The information gathered for presentation on this website was gathered using the new science of Geoglyphology. (Google keyword: Geoglyphology). The calculations performed on both this website and the Kensington Runestone website require the use of a special software called “Google Earth”. Google’s software is able to calculate true spherical bearings on a curved surface and then display them correctly on a flat plane. This software can be acquired free by searching the internet using the keywords “Google Earth”.

Spherical Geometry 

In spherical geometry all lines are curved along the surface and no lines are parallel. It is difficult to grasp the concept that two parallel headings can cross. That is because we are used to thinking in terms of Plane Geometry on a flat plane. However, this changes when you draw lines on a sphere. In dealing with a sphere you enter the realm of Spherical Geometry.

Spherical Geometry is the study of figures on the surface of a sphere, as opposed to the type of geometry studied in plane geometry or solid geometry. In spherical geometry, straight lines are great circles, so any two lines will meet in two places. There are also no parallel lines. The angle between two lines in spherical geometry is the angle between the planes of the corresponding great circles, and a spherical triangle is defined by its three angles. There is no concept of similar triangles in plane geometry.

In the field of Geoglyphology, we are plotting lines in a spherical world and then displaying the results on a flat plane. It is difficult to grasp the concept of combining Spherical Geometry with Plane Geometry. That is why the field of Geoglyphology could not have been proposed without the advent of software that computes using Spherical Geometry and then displays it on a flat plane. This type of precise mapping precludes the plotting of these bearings on a flat map. Maps become distorted when converted from a sphere to a flat map. Any lines that are depicted on a flat non-satellite map, on this website, were first plotted using the Google software and then drawn on the flat map after the end points were determined. Even then, the proper curvature is missing.

The Newport Tower The Newport Tower has been carbon dated as being over 500 years old. The simple geometry associated with the Tower is outlined below. The results of the carbon dating and details of the Newport Tower, the Kensington Runestone, and many more landmarks, geoglyphs and monoliths can be found in the newly released book “Ancient Signposts”. The book can be found on Amazon.com. As you will see below, the Newport Tower and Inspiration Peak Locations have been known and revered for thousands of years. Based on the dating of the of the geoglyphs pointing to Inspiration Peak, a North American survey marker, it appears that revealing the location did not begin in earnest until the Norse came to the Americas circa 1000AD. The only geoglyph that has been found to date, that points to Inspiration Peak prior to 500BC is the Stonehenge Monolith in the UK. The Stonehenge geoglyph has been dated to c3100BC.

Purpose

Newport Tower was built by early inhabitants of North America for two reasons. The first was to point the way to Inspiration Peak, a place of special geographical importance. The second was to substantiate the builders land claim to North America by using the unique geographical location of Newport (RI USA). The predecessors of the people that built the tower knew of Newport, RI USA for over 7000 years. This is substantiated by the Egyptian Gulfo de Centra geoglyph in West Africa that points out the Newport Tower site. There was a reason that North America held some special significance. Geoglyphs found around the world show that people were mapping out what would later be known as the United States at least as far back as the building of the Mayan Pyramids. Mayan Pyramids located in Central America outline the boundaries of what would eventually become the United States. This is outlined in the book “Ancient Signposts” which can be found on Amazon.com.

 

to see the images, etc. and read more, go to:    http://www.thenewporttower.com/index.html

An Ancient Egyptian Geoglyph That Identified the Future Newport Tower Site 7000 years before the tower was built.


 

Dukono Volcano Indonesia Report

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Ash cloud 800 meter high at Dukono volcano, Halmahera, Indonesia

Last update: September 7, 2011 at 2:16 pm by By 

 

September 7, 2011 By 

 

Dukono volcano (North Halmahera regency, Indonesia) activity increased on September 6, 2011 in sending volcanic ash clouds as high as 800 meters in the sky.
The capital town of the Halmahera regency lies at the port of Tobelo, approx. 15 km from the volcano (population approx. 15,000).
Residents were asked to evacuate at least about two kilometers from the foot of the volcano.
The volcano observation post at Mount Dukono, told the press that dozens of volcanic earthquakes occurred every day.
The eruption can be seen from Ternate, and island and biggest city in the area (has also an airport).
The volcano is currently in PVMBG Alert status III (local sources) although the official PVMBG site is still showing a II alert status (alert status range from 1 to IV).
North Halmehara is part of the province of North Maluku (Moluccas)

to read more and see the video, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/09/07/ash-cloud-800-meter-high-at-dukono-volcano-halmahera-indonesia/