Have you ever wondered what it's like to live through a magnitude 7.8 earthquake? This video is remarkable - amateur video shot by a man on a motorcycle who was near the epicenter of the massive quake when it struck. What I found the most amazing was the duration of the temblor, though after the shaking stops, the videographer surveys the damage.
Yet another major natural disaster appears to be producing catastrophic death and destruction. This time, it's a magnitude 7.8 earthquake in China - centered in Sichuan Province, located in South Central China. The news broke during my Wakeup News and Weather show at 5 AM to 6 AM on NECN, and though initial reports from the Chinese state-run media was of no damage or injuries, I knew that was nearly impossible. A 7.8 quake with an epicenter some 60 miles from a heavily populated city and surrounded by a number of other moderately populated cities, and at a depth of 6 miles (not that deep for such a strong quake) seemed destined to cause catastrophic damage. Through the morning, updated reports have been coming in - at latest report the death toll was at 9,000 and rising...but several thousand more seem likely due to collapsing buildings and infrastructure.
The recent storm that struck Myanmar, also known as Burma, delivered a catastrophic blow that has brought parts of the country to its knees. Though the Burmese government acknowledges approximately 50,000 dead, U.S. officials estimate that by the time all are counted - those who perished in the storm and those who will perish as a result of spreading disease, malnutrition and tainted water in the days and weeks to follow, the death toll should top out somewhere around 100,000 people, with a million or perhaps millions homeless. A few questions have surfaced after this event. How could the initial death toll be 350 people the day after the storm, and now around 100,000? Obviously there is a ridiculous difference there, and there are a few reasons. First, we're dealing with a military junta that rules Myanmar, and they are not a pro-American, or pro-Western, government. Therefore, any sign of suffering in this storm is seen as a sign of weakness, and the initial reaction will be to admit far less damage, death and destruction than actually occurred. Controlling the state-run media, this also means the government has firm control over what information is released to people within and outside of the country. Second, there is the reality that often, in major storms and natural disasters, the scope is unimaginable until surveys of damage are done. In this case, those charged with rescues are finding that entire towns have simply been swept away and wiped off the map, meaning as each obliterated town is discovered, several thousand are added to the death toll. Another question is, exactly what is a "cyclone?" The term "cyclone" refers to any storm. Think of the last rain storm that moved through your area - that was a cyclone. Likewise, a tornado is a type of cyclone. Over warm waters in the Tropical Atlantic, we refer to Tropical Depressions, Tropical Storms and Hurricanes, but again, these are all "cyclones," and as a whole, storms forming in the tropics are referred to as tropical cyclones. In America, we classify the storms as just mentioned here. In other parts of the world, like the Western Pacific, storms are referred to as Typhoons and Super Typhoons. In other parts, still, the storms are simply referred to as Tropical Cyclones - the meteorological name for a storm developing in the tropics. Hence, Tropical Cyclone Nargis, or "Cyclone Nargis," was responsible for the destruction in Myanmar.
I'd posted a link to the article from Sky News at the end of last week that the Met Office - Britain's forecasting arm - was predicting a major storm to cause widespread damage. That storm verified, right on schedule today, with hurricane force wind gusts to 82 mph, heavy, flooding rains and coastal flooding. Damage was reported to trees and buildings and over ten thousand were left without power. Click here to read the post-storm article from the BBC.
I'd posted a link to the article from Sky News at the end of last week that the Met Office - Britain's forecasting arm - was predicting a major storm to cause widespread damage. That storm verified, right on schedule today, with hurricane force wind gusts to 82 mph, heavy, flooding rains and coastal flooding. Damage was reported to trees and buildings and over ten thousand were left without power. Click here to read the post-storm article from the BBC.
While New England has been battered by repetitive storms, we haven't been alone. In Britain, they're gearing up for the strongest storm of the season - which is saying alot! This has been a doozie of a season in England and it appears the worst is en route. Below is an excerpt from Sky.com's article - click here to link to the full article.
Winter's most ferocious storm is heading our way, weathermen have warned.
Heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph are expected to lash large parts of Britain on Monday.
The gales will be strong enough to cause serious damage as well
as blow away any memories of the blues skies that made February the
sunniest on record.
While New England has been battered by repetitive storms, we haven't been alone. In Britain, they're gearing up for the strongest storm of the season - which is saying alot! This has been a doozie of a season in England and it appears the worst is en route. Below is an excerpt from Sky.com's article - click here to link to the full article.
Winter's most ferocious storm is heading our way, weathermen have warned.
Heavy rain and winds of up to 80mph are expected to lash large parts of Britain on Monday.
The gales will be strong enough to cause serious damage as well
as blow away any memories of the blues skies that made February the
sunniest on record.
When strong winds are blowing, tailwinds and headwinds are just fine as far as pilots are concerned. Wind from the front or back of the plane can slow or hasten the travel of the aircraft, but doesn't disturb the aerodynamics of the craft. A crosswind, on the other hand, can wreak havoc with control of the plane and lead to disaster. In fact, this is a big part of a meteorologist's job for both the airline and especially at the airport - to predict wind accurately and advise against landing planes in unfavorable or dangerous conditions. Check out this video from a recent approach of a Lufthansa A320 commercial jet to Hamburg, Germany during strong crosswinds with gusts to hurricane force.
When strong winds are blowing, tailwinds and headwinds are just fine as far as pilots are concerned. Wind from the front or back of the plane can slow or hasten the travel of the aircraft, but doesn't disturb the aerodynamics of the craft. A crosswind, on the other hand, can wreak havoc with control of the plane and lead to disaster. In fact, this is a big part of a meteorologist's job for both the airline and especially at the airport - to predict wind accurately and advise against landing planes in unfavorable or dangerous conditions. Check out this video from a recent approach of a Lufthansa A320 commercial jet to Hamburg, Germany during strong crosswinds with gusts to hurricane force.
The recent La Nina weather pattern has contributed to cool and rainy weather in parts of Australia, and while that's spelled good news for farmers - and the water table for that matter - as Aussies recover from an extended drought, the rather dreary weather has been less than exciting for those who depend on favorable weather to make a living. Read the full article from Bloomberg. (Photo courtesy Bloomberg)
