Record
snowfall buries Boston
2
February, 2015
New
York (AFP) - Another ferocious winter storm buffeted the US
northeast, blanketing Boston in record snowfall, forcing the
postponement of a victory parade for Super Bowl winners the New
England Patriots and spelling travel misery.
A
storm warning was in place for dozens of cities and the National
Weather Service reported Boston was hit with record snowfall of 15.9
inches (40 centimeters). That comfortably beat the previous record of
11.1 inches in the city, set in 1974.
Flights
at Boston's Logan Airport were hit hard, with most international and
domestic flights canceled, as the snow continued to fall and
temperatures plunged to -11 degrees celsius (12 degrees Fahrenheit).
Thousands
of flights were affected throughout the region, including at other
major airports such as Chicago O'Hare International, Newark in New
Jersey and New York's LaGuardia, according to tracking website
flightaware.com.
The
latest storm to bury the northeast of the United States also saw the
Patriots, fresh from Sunday's gripping Super Bowl victory over the
Seattle Seahawks, put back their Boston victory procession from
Tuesday to Wednesday.
Boston
schools were to shut again on Tuesday, but better news was in sight.
Weather
service forecasters predicted: "The major winter storm that
piled snow on locations from Nebraska to New England this weekend
will lift away from the northeast coast Monday night.
"Strong
winds and lingering snow should gradually diminish across the
northeast and northern Mid-Atlantic states Monday night into Tuesday
as the storm exits into the Canadian Maritimes."
The
Boston storm warning was expected to be lifted early Tuesday.
Brazil facing worst drought in 80 years
North, central Peru hit by floods
Winds
help save WA homes
Favourable
winds have helped firefighters save 50 homes from an out-of-control
bushfire burning near Northcliffe in Western Australia's south-west.
Two emus walk through the smoke-filled Pinjar Pine Plantation in Wanneroo, north Perth, after a fire swept through the area.
4
February, 2015
However,
a bushfire emergency warning remains in place for people in the
Northcliffe township and surrounding areas, including south of
Middleton Road, east of Gabbedy Road and west of Deeside Coast Road.
The
Department of Fire and Emergency Services (DFES) has warned that the
Northcliffe township and surrounding subdivisions are indefensible
and residents should relocate to a safer place.
WA
assistant DFES commissioner Bradley Stringer said crews had worked
intensely but residents were still being urged to evacuate.
"We've
had a good majority of residents leave, we've had other residents
who've chosen to stay and defend," he said.
"It's
still safe to leave at the moment so that's what we're requesting
residents to do."
This
morning the fire jumped Windy Harbour Road and is burning in a
south-westerly direction.
Light
winds have slowed the spread of the fire in the township but it is
travelling at more than 500 metres an hour in other areas, with
spotting up to 100 metres ahead of the fire front.
The
bushfire has been burning for five days and has burnt through 20,000
hectares.
About
130 firefighters are at the scene, as are 35 support staff.
One
property - an unoccupied farmhouse - was destroyed by the flames on
Monday.
At
a community meeting in Pemberton, residents were told it could be
days before they are allowed back to their homes.
A
DFES spokesman told residents a wind change was predicted for
Wednesday, which could push the fire westwards.
The
risk to Northcliffe "is real, it's something we are gravely
concerned about", he said.
Police
conducted a doorknock of houses in Northcliffe earlier today,
recommending people evacuate to Pemberton, where DFES has set up an
emergency relocation centre.
Northcliffe
High School has been closed until further notice, as have a number of
camping and recreation sites in the area, including the Munda Biddi
Trail and Bibbulmun Track from Pemberton to Walpole.
Storm Damage | Today Perth News
The latest round of lightning strikes to hit Perth left thousands of WA homes without power during the peak of the storm. Power has now been restored to most homes.
NZ:
Record sunshine in January
January
was one for the record books with many of the main centres clocking
up high numbers of sunshine hours.
4
February, 2015
Just
over 308 hours of sunshine were recorded in Auckland, making it the
city's sunniest month on record.
Listen
to more on Checkpoint ( 2 min 38 esc )
Dunedin
also enjoyed record sunshine while Tauranga was just six minutes
short of breaking its January sunshine record.
MetService
meteorologist Georgina Griffiths sad January was one of the sunniest
on record.
She
said most areas also had their third or fourth driest January since
records began.
New
Zealand had been covered with high pressure system than blocked rain
bands. "Stand out for holidaying, challenging for farming,"
said Ms Griffiths.
Some
parts of the country had had more rain in the first few days of
February than in all of January, said Ms Griffiths.
"We
may well see January 2015 being warmer, and drier, than February
2015. That's not how it usually goes".
Warmer weather to continue
Warmer
weather for all areas of the country is forecast to continue during
the next three months. NIWA forecaster Chris Brandolino said there
may be cold snaps, but temperatures will be above average overall.
Rainfall
should be near normal for the north of the North Island and the top
and the west of the South Island. The east and west of the North
Island should have near or above normal rainfall, while for the east
of the South Island, it should be near or below normal.
However
MetService said some parts of the country have already had more rain
the first three days of this month than they had in all of January.
Meteorologist
Georgina Griffiths said a weather system parked over the country
during the month would not allow rain to move through but change was
on the way, with westerlies moving in.
"These
highs have fended off the rain bands. They kind of look like a big
fat thing on your weather map, and they just don't move.
"I
mean, they're not called blocking highs for nothing. It's kind of
like your plumbing system, your toilet. When it's blocked, nothing
moves," she said.
January sunshine hours
- Auckland Region: 308 hours - sunniest January on record, sunniest month on record (since 1963)
- Tauranga: 327.5 hours - second sunniest January and second sunniest month (since 1932)
- Hamilton: 290 hours - fourth sunniest January (since 1936)
- Wellington: 279 hours - not a record (observations since 1928)
- Christchurch: 229 hours - not a record (in observations since 1949)
- Dunedin: 246 hours - second sunniest January (since 1947)
January rainfall
- Wanganui: 1.6mm - second driest January ( since 1890)
- Palmerston North: 11.4mm - second driest January (since 1943)
- Wellington (Kelburn): 5.4 mm - second driest January (since 1928)
January rainfall - main centres
- Auckland 13.6mm
- Tauranga 8.4mm
- Hamilton 47mm
- Wellington: 5.4mm
- Christchurch: 18mm
- Dunedin: 22.6mm
Russia
even gets blamed for the weather in Britain - lol
London
snow: UK weather set to get colder as 'Beast from the East' blows in
from Siberia
Even London woke up to a dusting of snow this morning as temperatures plummeted to -11C in parts of the UK.
Snow
warnings have been issued for most of the country as the freezing
weather continues and there is no sign of respite as the “Beast
from the East” blows in from Siberia.
The
4,000-mile wide plume of cold air is due to arrive tomorrow night,
sending the mercury way below freezing to make the south of England
and Midlands feel colder than Greenland.
More
travel disruption was expected today as temperatures struggle to
reach 5C in much of Britain, leaving snow that has already fallen
slow to melt.
The
fountains in Trafalgar Square froze as snow fell in London overnight
but the coldest weather was reserved for areas under clear skies.
The
village of Dalwhinnie in the Highlands endured -11C - just a few
degrees warmer in Katesbridge, County Down, which saw -8C.
Kirk
Waite, a forecaster for the Met Office, said today’s snow is
unlikely to be heavy but could make driving conditions difficult.
“We
are not really expecting much in the way of accumulation as it will
be mostly a light snowfall,” he dded.
“But
the cold weather will create some potentially difficult travel
conditions through rush hour with a risk of icy patches.”
Cars
make their way slowly through the treacherous conditions in the
highlands
Heavy snow on a car in Farncombe, Surrey
A
man jogs through light snow in St James' Park, London
The
Big Dry in California
Heavy snow causes havoc on Moscow’s roads
A heavy snowfall hit the Russian capital Tuesday, causing havoc on the roads. Ruptly’s live camera will face a busy highway in Moscow.
The drought in Canterbury, New Zealand
Christchurch
blaze damages two homes
4 February, 2015
Two
houses have damaged by a large fire raging to the west of
Christchurch this afternoon.
Fire
Service spokesperson Dave Stackhouse said up to 40 homes near the
blaze, which started on Pound Road, near Yaldhurst on the outskirts
of Christchurch, had been evacuated.
Winds of up to 125km had fanned the flames, which had covered 25-30 hectares.
Police
had evacuated houses in Christchurch's Matangi Street and Kaniere
Avenue, as well as Hornby Primary School
Schools
in the area were advised and had invoked their own emergency
procedures.
Children
at Gilberthorpe School, on the corner of Buchanans Road and
Gilberthorpes Road, had to get out of their swimming pool so water in
it could be used to fight the blaze.
Diversions
were in place on Pound Road, Buchanans Road, Gilberthorpes Road and
Roberts Road, the spokesperson said.
Smoldering fields west of Christchurch.
Photo: RNZ
The
public should find alternative routes around the area where possible
and be patient if caught in traffic, the spokesperson said.
A
second fire was burning at Cust, between Rangiora and Oxford, and
surrounded a house at one point but did not reach it.
That
blaze had now been brought under control and fire crews were mopping
up while traffic was diverted along Cust Road.
Emergency services at the scene of the blaze in Chrstchurch.
Photo: RNZ
MetService
meteorologist Karl Loots said recent warm temperatures and gale force
winds had created ideal conditions for the blazes.
"Obviously
this is ideal conditions for these fires to spread. The good news is,
though, that these winds are expected to be easing from now and into
this evening," he said.
"We're
expecting it (to drop) right down to under 10kmh."
Power
company Orion reported a number of outages in Canterbury, with
hundreds of customers affected.
Neighbours in Roberts Road, Christchurch, where two homes have been damaged by a blaze comfort each other at the cordon at the end of their street.
Arctic
storm
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