Category Archives: Earth Stuff

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

Dr, Masters on Tropical Activity

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urricane Irene Weakens on its Approach to North Carolina
Posted by: JeffMasters, 7:58 AM GMT on August 27, 2011 +3
As of 300AM EDT, Hurricane Irene was located at 33.7N, 76.5W, 60 miles south of Cape Lookout. It was moving north-northeast at 14 mph with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, making it a Category 1 storm on the Saffir-Simpson scale. Irene has a minimum central pressure of 952 mb.

Hurricane warnings are in effect for the US Atlantic coast from the Little River inlet in North Carolina to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts. Tornado watches are also in effect for the North Carolina/Virginia/Maryland coast. Figure 1 shows the hurricane, tropical storm, and tornado watches and warnings for Irene. Remember, a hurricane warning means hurricane conditions are expected, and tropical storm force winds (greater than 34 mph) will occur within 36 hours. Tropical storm warning means that tropical storm force winds are expected in the next 36 hours, but hurricane conditions are not. A tropical storm watch means tropical storm force winds are possible within 48 hours.

Guatemala Earthquake

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Moderate shallow earthquake close to Guatemala City

Last update: August 27, 2011 at 12:26 pm by By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell

Earthquake overview : At 05:28 in the morning a shallow moderate earthquake struck the greater Guatemala

Lago de Ayarza earthquake area August 27 2011 – Panoramio picture courtesy Sinai Albareda – http://www.panoramio.com/photo/16113746

City area

UPDATE 12:20 UTC : People in Guatemala are sleeping at the moment, but are very used to moderate earthquakes, which most of the time happen out of the coast in the Pacific Ocean waters

UPDATE 12:18 UTC : The earthquakes epicenter is close to Cuilapa, where very recently more than 6,000 people were affected by inundations of Rio San Juan. The inundations started as a flash flood raged through the village after 30 minutes of torrential rain.

UPDATE 12:02 UTC : the epicenter of this earthquake is very near to Lago de Ayarza

to read more, go to:    http://earthquake-report.com/2011/08/27/moderate-shallow-earthquake-close-to-guatemala-city/

Germany-Czech Border Earthquake Swarm

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Earthquake swarm is hitting the Cheb / Vogtland area on the Chech – Germany border

Last update: August 26, 2011 at 2:29 pm by By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniel

 

Lomnicka August 25 earthquake area – Panoramio image courtesy Pavel Sykora – http://www.panoramio.com/photo/476659

Earthquake overview : The Germany-Czech border area has been hit by an earthquake swarm with mainly veryweak quakes, the strongest ones measuring 4.0 and 3.6.

The earthquakes started their sequence on Tuesday

to read more, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/08/26/earthquake-swarm-is-hitting-the-cheb-vogtland-area-on-the-chech-germany-border/

 

 

Aftershocks Hit Virginia

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Strong aftershock below Cuckoo and approx. 8 km from Mineral, Virginia

Last update: August 25, 2011 at 6:59 am by By Armand Vervaeck and James Daniell

Earthquake overview : A moderate aftershock has rattled the Virginia earthquake area. We do not expect any additional damage, but based on the Felt reports, the earthquake was felt in a wide area

….

Direct epicenter area from the August 25 aftershock – Panoramio image courtesy: Idawriter

Update : Aftershocks likes this one are perectly normal after a 5.9 earthquake. Occasionally an isolated 5+ quake might be possible too. A greater aftershock than the initial 5.9 is also possible, but thechance on it is very exceptional.

Update : Based on the many Felt reports we are receiving we do expect at max. some additional minimal damage within a radius of 5 km from the epicenter (which means Cuckoo alone).

Update : Epicenter of the earthquake below Cuckoo and approx. 8 km from Mineral

to read more, go to:   http://earthquake-report.com/2011/08/25/strong-aftershock-below-cuckoo-and-approx-8-km-from-mineral-virginia/

Storms and Irene for the East Coast

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First severe weather on Thursday, then Irene for the Mid-Atlantic to Northeast

Published on August 24, 2011 10:55 pm PT
– By Kevin Martin – Senior Meteorologist
– Article Editor and Approved – Ron Jackson


No larger image

(TheWeatherSpace.com) — A frontal zone will come into the Northeastern USA down through the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday afternoon and evening.

This front will bring severe weather with it. Shear values suggest an outlining tornado threat within it and I am watching any need to issue a tornado product but will keep the chances lower for strong tornadoes due to some mid/upper level dynamics that will be lacking.

Still, the main threats will be large hail and damaging winds across the area. TheWeatherSpace.com is monitoring the area and will update on Thursday morning.

Hurricane Irene will hit the Mid-Atlantic to Northeastern USA coast and TWS projections for several days have been farther west than both models and NOAA. This needs to be taken seriously as I issued a Hurricane  Watch on Wednesday morning and the details can be found by Clicking here.

fr/http://www.theweatherspace.com/news/TWS-08_24_2011_midnesvr.html

No Connection with the Quakes

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Flurry of Earthquakes in Peru, Virginia & Colorado Not Connected

Natalie Wolchover, Life’s Little Mysteries Staff Writer
Date: 24 August 2011 Time: 05:01 PM ET
Earthquakes in the world in the past 7 days. Credit: USGS
Earthquakes in the world in the past 7 days.
CREDIT: USGS

The magnitude 7.0 earthquake in northern Peru today (Aug. 24) was the third major temblor to shake the Americas in less than 48 hours. A magnitude 5.8 quake hit Virginia yesterday, and a magnitude 5.3 event rumbled under Colorado the day before.

One might naturally wonder if there’s a trend here — if the Peru, Colorado andVirginia earthquakes are connected. But experts say there isn’t, and they aren’t.

“The question comes up all the time,” said David Schwartz, an earthquake geologist with the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), “but these three earthquakes are completely unrelated.”

to read more, go to:   http://www.livescience.com/15741-flurry-earthquakes-peru-virginia-colorado-connected.html

Magic Hurricane Date?

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Hurricane Irene Affirms ‘Magic’ Hurricane Date

by Brett Israel
Date: 23 August 2011 Time: 06:55 PM ET
Hurricane Irene as a Category 2 hurricane on Aug. 23.
Hurricane Irene as a Category 2 hurricane on Aug. 23.
CREDIT: NOAA/NASA.

Hurricane watchers circle Aug. 20 on their calendars every year. This is the “magic” date when hurricane season seems to kick into high gear.

Like clockwork, Hurricane Irene — the Atlantic’s first hurricane of 2011 — was born on Aug. 22, later strengthening to a Category 2 hurricane. Last year was another good example of an active storm season ramping up after Aug. 20. All of the 2010’s major hurricanes (those of Category 3 or higher) formed after Aug. 20, starting with Danielle on Aug. 21.

Aug. 20 seems to be special because around this time, the air and ocean are in just the right state to foster and feed the monster storms. In climate-speak, this time of year is when vertical shear (a change in wind directions with height) in the atmosphere is low enough and sea surface temperatures are warm enough to create big storms.

to read more, go to:    http://www.livescience.com/15717-hurricane-irene-august-20.html

Northern California Quakes

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California Earthquakes: Twin Shocks Jolt Nothern California

08/24/11 09:04 AM ET   AP

MAMMOTH LAKES, Calif. — While the East Coast recovers from earthquake jitters, small quakes have been rocking California.

The U.S. Geological Survey says in a computer-generated report that the latest was a magnitude-4.4 quake that struck at 4:59 a.m. Wednesday about nine miles southeast of Mammoth Lakes.

A Mono County sheriff’s dispatcher who didn’t give her name says there were a couple of “just wondering” calls but no reports of damage.

There was a magnitude-3.6 quake centered six miles southeast of Oakland at 11:36 p.m. Tuesday.

That shaker was felt by people throughout the San Francisco Bay area, but there are no reports of damage.

fr/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/24/california-earthquakes-twin-shocks-bay-area_n_935154.html

Visuals: Recent Earthquake & Volcanic Activity

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8/24/2011 — Global Earthquake and Volcano overview and a CRATON representation for comparison

Posted on August 24, 2011 by dutchsinse
Compare the map of the craton to the current chart of earthquakes shown laid out on the 3D map of EQ3D….. (more here: about the craton)       Here is a shot of the activity over the past two weeks around the pacific ring of fire : to read more and see an image of this very interesting activity in the Ring of Fire, go to:     http://www.dutchsinse.com/blog/

Earthquake Report 8/24/11

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Update time = Wed Aug 24 15:00:01 UTC 2011

fr/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_all.php

 

MAG UTC DATE-TIME
y/m/d h:m:s		 LAT
deg		 LON
deg		 DEPTH
km		  Region
MAP  5.0   2011/08/23 19:53:30  -21.740  -176.850 198.6  FIJI REGION
MAP  5.2   2011/08/23 19:29:53   -5.880   147.476 30.8  EASTERN NEW GUINEA REG, PAPUA NEW GUINEA
MAP  4.8   2011/08/23 19:01:51   1.234   120.497 44.9  MINAHASA, SULAWESI, INDONESIA
MAP  2.8 2011/08/23 18:46:50   37.931   -77.935 0.1  VIRGINIA
MAP  5.8   2011/08/23 17:51:05   37.936   -77.933 6.0  VIRGINIA
MAP  4.7   2011/08/23 16:52:05   6.704   -73.039 161.0  NORTHERN COLOMBIA
MAP  3.7 2011/08/23 15:34:25   59.074  -151.094 37.1  KENAI PENINSULA, ALASKA
MAP  4.8   2011/08/23 14:28:56   36.475   71.236 75.0  HINDU KUSH REGION, AFGHANISTAN
MAP  3.9 2011/08/23 14:11:13   37.032  -104.690 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  2.6 2011/08/23 12:03:56   37.055  -104.761 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  3.2 2011/08/23 11:34:56   67.968  -146.118 14.6  NORTHERN ALASKA
MAP  3.2 2011/08/23 09:37:58   37.099  -104.711 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  2.5 2011/08/23 09:32:22   37.248  -104.705 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  2.5 2011/08/23 09:07:35   32.229  -115.353 12.1  BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP  3.8 2011/08/23 07:17:59   37.099  -104.610 4.8  COLORADO
MAP  3.0 2011/08/23 07:16:13   39.273  -118.108 10.3  NEVADA
MAP  3.2 2011/08/23 07:01:35   37.109  -104.550 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  3.5 2011/08/23 06:56:59   37.110  -104.722 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  4.8   2011/08/23 06:04:56   42.100   142.480 45.6  HOKKAIDO, JAPAN REGION
MAP  5.3   2011/08/23 05:46:19   37.070  -104.700 4.0  COLORADO
MAP  4.9   2011/08/23 04:56:53   12.010   44.041 10.1  NEAR THE COAST OF YEMEN
MAP  3.6 2011/08/23 04:49:18   19.128   -64.403 68.7  VIRGIN ISLANDS REGION
MAP  4.4 2011/08/23 03:55:57   14.321   -90.055 21.6  GUATEMALA
MAP  4.9   2011/08/23 03:20:02  -56.172   -27.076 110.1  SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS REGION
MAP  2.9 2011/08/23 03:11:00   59.340  -152.672 75.5  SOUTHERN ALASKA
MAP  3.0 2011/08/23 02:48:52   37.056  -104.726 5.0  COLORADO
MAP  5.1   2011/08/23 01:23:00   33.155   76.839 41.6  KASHMIR-INDIA BORDER REGION
MAP  2.5 2011/08/23 00:45:48   32.541  -115.720 1.9  BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO
MAP  4.6   2011/08/23 00:41:15  -22.071  -179.193 519.8  SOUTH OF THE FIJI ISLANDS