Albert Einstein
LARGEST QUAKES -
This morning -
5.3 SOUTH OF KERMADEC ISLANDS
Yesterday -
12/13/10 -
5.3 FLORES REGION, INDONESIA
5.8 SOUTHWEST OF SUMATRA, INDONESIA
5.4 OFFSHORE O'HIGGINS, CHILE
5.2 TONGA
5.0 RYUKYU ISLANDS, JAPAN
6.2 BOUGAINVILLE REGION, P.N.G.
VOLCANOES -
PHILIPPINES - Bulusan breaks 'silence,' 7 quakes recorded Sunday. Breaking its silence from the past days, Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon province showed signs of renewed activity. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology recorded seven volcanic quakes around BUlusan, and "wispy to moderate" steaming activity. " Steaming activity at the crater and known thermal vents ranged from wispy to moderate. The average sulfur dioxide flux yesterday was 4 tonnes/day." Bulusan had been relatively quiet in past days, with the Phivolcs recording only one volcanic quake a day. Residents near valleys and river/stream channels should be vigilant against sediment-laden stream flows and lahars in the event of heavy and continuous rainfall
TROPICAL STORMS -
Tropical depression 19W was 221 nmi E of Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam.
SEVERE RAIN STORMS, FLOODING, LANDSLIDES -
EGYPT - At least 18 people have died in accidents caused by storms in Egypt. Dozens more were injured in road accidents and when buildings collapsed after being battered by sandstorms and rain. Fierce winds, heavy rains and snow have lashed eastern Mediterranean and Middle Eastern countries for several days. The storms have sunk a ship off the Israeli coast, closed ports and disrupted shipping in the Suez Canal. Rescue workers pulled the bodies of six workers out of the debris of a factory building that had collapsed in the northern city of Alexandria on Sunday. Rescue workers were still searching for more workers believed to be trapped under the rubble. Several other buildings had collapsed across Egypt, causing more deaths. Sandstorms, rain and poor visibility also led to a number of road accidents which killed and injured dozens.
HEAVY SNOW / EXTREME COLD -
TENNESSEE - COLDEST DECEMBER SINCE 1942 grips Nashville. Temperatures struggled to reach 30 and a couple of inches of snow blanketed parts of the city on Sunday. Schools were closed, flights were delayed and traffic slowed to a crawl in some places. Another inch or so of snow was expected to fall overnight. Nashville is experiencing its coldest December since 1942. Sunday's below-freezing temperatures and snow created black ice conditions on many Middle Tennessee roads. Flights at Nashville International Airport were canceled and delayed because of snowstorms that hit in other parts of the country such as Chicago.
FLORIDA - With still a week to go before winter begins Highlands County faces its second bout with possible RECORD-BREAKING FREEZING TEMPERATURES on Monday night. It was not likely that Avon Park would have a record breaking temperature for tonight, Dec. 14, as that record stands at 21 degrees, set in 1962, but it will be very cold in the mid-20s. However, Wednesday is another story. The Avon Park record stands at 31 degrees for Dec. 15, also set in 1962, and it could get colder than that. Today temperatures will only get into the high 50s. It could get back into the low 70s on Thursday. There was a lake-wind advisory in affect during the day Monday for boaters, advising small craft boaters on large lakes to avoid boating activities due to wind and waves. Sustained winds on Lake Okeechobee were at 25 miles per hour.
EXTREME HEAT & DROUGHT / WILDFIRES / CLIMATE CHANGE -
ARIZONA - It was another RECORD-BREAKING DAY on Monday with a high of 79. The record for the date was 78 in 1939. Strong high pressure is in control, bringing this heat, along with mostly sunny skies and dry conditions. High pressure starts to break down today, allowing temps to drop slightly. Even though temps come down a bit, they are still warm and above average, expecting to reach the mid 70s.
CALIFORNIA - A high pressure weather system and Santa Ana wind conditions Sunday brought RECORD SMASHING HIGH TEMPERATURES to Southern California.
HEALTH THREATS -
RECALLS & ALERTS:
Mojave Foods Corporation is initiating a recall of sixty (60) packages of El Guapo Shelled Walnuts 1 OZ because the ingredient has the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.
