News Clips for the Week

(Newclb55) Volcanoes

Activity for the week of 19 July-25 July 2017

The Weekly Volcanic Activity Report is a cooperative project between the Smithsonian's Global Volcanism Program and the US Geological Survey's Volcano Hazards Program. Updated by 2300 UTC every Wednesday, notices of volcanic activity posted on these pages are preliminary and subject to change as events are studied in more detail. This is not a comprehensive list of all of Earth's volcanoes erupting during the week, but rather a summary of activity at volcanoes that meet criteria discussed in detail in the "Criteria and Disclaimers" section. Carefully reviewed, detailed reports on various volcanoes are published monthly in the Bulletin of the Global Volcanism Network.

Name Location Activity Piton de la Fournaise Reunion Island (France) New Planchon-Peteroa Central Chile-Argentina border New Sangay Ecuador New Sangeang Api Indonesia New Bagana Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) Ongoing Bezymianny Central Kamchatka (Russia) Ongoing Bogoslof Fox Islands (USA) Ongoing Cleveland Chuginadak Island (USA) Ongoing Dukono Halmahera (Indonesia) Ongoing Karymsky Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) Ongoing Kilauea Hawaiian Islands (USA) Ongoing Klyuchevskoy Central Kamchatka (Russia) Ongoing Nishinoshima Japan Ongoing Poas Costa Rica Ongoing Sabancaya Peru Ongoing Sheveluch Central Kamchatka (Russia) Ongoing Sinabung Indonesia Ongoing Suwanosejima Ryukyu Islands (Japan) Ongoing Turrialba Costa Rica Ongoing

New Activity/Unrest Piton de la Fournaise | Reunion Island (France) | 21.244°S, 55.708°E | Elevation 2632 m

OVPF reported that seismicity at Piton de la Fournaise increased on 10 July and was followed by a seismic crisis that began around 1250 on 13 July. Events were mainly located below the S edge of Dolomieu Crater, between 500 and 1,000 m a.s.l. Inflation was also detected, concurrent with increased seismicity. An eruption began at 0050 on 14 July in an area 750 m E of the Kala-Pélé peak, 850 m W of Château Fort, and 2.2 km NE of Piton de Bert. During a survey at 0930 scientists observed a fissure about 450 m long with seven lava fountains rising as high as 30 m. The fountain on the downhill end had built up a cone and produced two lava flows. A sulfur dioxide plume drifted E. On 15 July only three fountains were active. The intensity of the eruption fluctuated during 15-17 July, and by 17 July activity was concentrated at one eastern cone. During 18-19 July a few vents within the cone were active, ejecting lava no higher than 20 m above the cone’s rim. By 21 July several lava tubes had formed, and fractures within the tubes produced small lava flows. During an overflight on 22 July scientists noted that the lava flow was over 2.8 km long with a maximum width of 0.6 km; the front of the flow had not advanced in the past seven days. Three main vents were active within the main cone and a fourth was just sporadically active. The eruption continued at least through 25 July.

Source: Observatoire Volcanologique du Piton de la Fournaise (OVPF)

Planchon-Peteroa | Central Chile-Argentina border | 35.223°S, 70.568°W | Elevation 3977 m

Observatorio Volcanológico de los Andes del Sur (OVDAS) - SERNAGEOMIN reported that the Alert Level for Planchón-Peteroa was raised to Yellow (the middle level on a three-color scale) on 10 July, noting elevated seismicity (above baseline levels) on 8 July.

Source: Servicio Nacional de Geología y Minería (SERNAGEOMIN)

Sangay | Ecuador | 2.005°S, 78.341°W | Elevation 5286 m

Based on satellite images and information from the Guayaquil MWO, the Washington VAAC reported that on 20 July an ash plume from Sangay rose to an altitude of 8.2 km (27,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted W. Source: Washington Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)

Sangeang Api | Indonesia | 8.2°S, 119.07°E | Elevation 1949 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, PVMBG observations, and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 19-20 July ash plumes from Sangeang Api rose to altitudes of 2.4-4.3 km (8,000-14,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted NW.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Ongoing Activity

Bagana | Bougainville (Papua New Guinea) | 6.137°S, 155.196°E | Elevation 1855 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery and model data, the Darwin VAAC reported that on 23 July an ash plume from Bagana drifted W at an altitude of 2.1 km (7,000 ft) a.s.l.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Bezymianny | Central Kamchatka (Russia) | 55.972°N, 160.595°E | Elevation 2882 m

KVERT reported that during 14-21 July a thermal anomaly was identified daily over Bezymianny in satellite images. A lava flow continued to move down the W flank of the dome. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT) Bogoslof | Fox Islands (USA) | 53.93°N, 168.03°W | Elevation 150 m

AVO reported that during 19-25 July no significant activity at Bogoslof was observed in cloudy or mostly cloudy satellite images, and no activity was detected in seismic, infrasound, or lightning data. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)

Cleveland | Chuginadak Island (USA) | 52.825°N, 169.944°W | Elevation 1730 m

AVO reported that during 19-23 July elevated surface temperatures from Cleveland were identified in satellite images; no activity was observed in seismic, infrasound, or web-camera data although these data had been intermittent. On 21 July AVO noted that a new small lava dome, about 30 m in diameter and 10 m high, had appeared at the bottom of the summit crater within the previous week. The webcam recorded a weak steam plume rising from the summit crater on 25 July. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange and the Volcano Alert Level remained at Watch.

Source: US Geological Survey Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO)

Dukono | Halmahera (Indonesia) | 1.693°N, 127.894°E | Elevation 1229 m

Based on analyses of satellite imagery, wind model data, and notices from PVMBG, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 21-25 July ash plumes from Dukono rose to altitudes of 1.5-1.8 km (5,000-6,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E and NE.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Karymsky | Eastern Kamchatka (Russia) | 54.049°N, 159.443°E | Elevation 1513 m KVERT reported that explosions at Karymsky on 18 July generated ash plumes that rose 1.7 km (5,600 ft) a.s.l. Satellite images showed a weak thermal anomaly over the volcano during 18-20 July, and ash plumes drifting 117 km E on 20 July. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)

Kilauea | Hawaiian Islands (USA) | 19.421°N, 155.287°W | Elevation 1222 m

During 19-25 July HVO reported that the lava lake continued to rise, fall, and spatter in Kilauea’s Overlook crater. Webcams recorded incandescence from long-active sources within Pu'u 'O'o Crater. The 61G lava flow, originating from a vent on Pu'u 'O'o Crater's E flank, continued to enter the ocean at Kamokuna. Several large cracks running parallel to the coastline spanned the width of the delta. Surface lava flows were active above the pali and on the coastal plain about 2 km upslope from the gravel emergency route.

Source: US Geological Survey Hawaiian Volcano Observatory (HVO)

Klyuchevskoy | Central Kamchatka (Russia) | 56.056°N, 160.642°E | Elevation 4754 m

KVERT reported that during 19-20 July a weak thermal anomaly over Klyuchevskoy was identified in satellite images, and ash plumes drifted 300 km SW, SE, E, and NE. The Aviation Color Code remained at Orange (the second highest level on a four-color scale).

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)

Nishinoshima | Japan | 27.247°N, 140.874°E | Elevation 25 m

The Japan Coast Guard reported that visual observations of Nishinoshima from an aircraft during the afternoon of 11 July confirmed that the eruption was ongoing. Emissions from the center of the cone were grayish white and tephra was ejected. The lava flow on the W flank continued to enter the ocean. Based on a pilot observation the Tokyo VAAC reported that on 18 July an ash plume rose to 3 km (10,000 ft) a.s.l.

Sources: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC), Japan Coast Guard

Poas | Costa Rica | 10.2°N, 84.233°W | Elevation 2708 m

OVSICORI-UNA reported that during 19-24 July plumes of magmatic gases, water vapor, and aerosols were emitted from Poás’s vent A (Boca Roja), and plumes of gases, water vapor, and abundant yellow particles of native sulfur rose from vent B (Boca Azufrada). Plumes rose 300-500 m above the vents and drifted W and SW.

Source: Observatorio Vulcanologico y Sismologico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI- UNA)

Sabancaya | Peru | 15.787°S, 71.857°W | Elevation 5960 m

Observatorio Vulcanológico del Sur del IGP (OVS-IGP) and Observatorio Vulcanológico del INGEMMET (OVI) reported that since the beginning of July there had been a gradual increase in activity at Sabancaya associated with rising magma and increased sulfur dioxide gas emissions. Gas-and-ash plumes rose to moderate heights, between 2.5 and 4.5 km above the crater rim. On 22 July winds shifted S and SE, causing ashfall in Lluta (30 km SW), Huanca (75 km SSE), and in some parts of Arequipa (80 km SSE).

Sources: Instituto Geológico Minero y Metalúrgico (INGEMMET), Instituto Geofísico del Perú (IGP)

Sheveluch | Central Kamchatka (Russia) | 56.653°N, 161.36°E | Elevation 3283 m

KVERT reported that a thermal anomaly was identified daily during 14-21 July in satellite images over Sheveluch. Based on video and satellite data explosive activity lasting about 8 hours on 24 July generated ash plumes that rose 11.5-12 km (37,700-39,400 ft) a.s.l. and drifted almost 700 km NE. Strong pyroclastic flows were also observed. The Aviation Color Code was raised to Red (the highest level on a four-color scale). Later that day only steam-and-gas emissions with a small amount of ash were noted; the Aviation Color Code was reduced to Orange.

Source: Kamchatkan Volcanic Eruption Response Team (KVERT)

Sinabung | Indonesia | 3.17°N, 98.392°E | Elevation 2460 m

Based on PVMBG and pilot observations, satellite and webcam images, and wind data, the Darwin VAAC reported that during 19-25 July ash plumes from Sinabung rose 2.7-6.1 km (9,000-20,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted in multiple directions.

Source: Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre (VAAC)

Suwanosejima | Ryukyu Islands (Japan) | 29.638°N, 129.714°E | Elevation 796 m

Based on JMA notices and satellite-image analyses, the Tokyo VAAC reported that during 18-19 July ash plumes from Suwanosejima rose to altitudes of 1.8-2.1 km (6,000-7,000 ft) a.s.l. and drifted E.

Source: Tokyo Volcanic Ash Advisory Center (VAAC)

Turrialba | Costa Rica | 10.025°N, 83.767°W | Elevation 3340 m

OVSICORI-UNA reported that during 19-24 July plumes of water vapor, aerosols, and magmatic gases rose as high as 500 m above Turrialba’s crater rim, and on most nights incandescence emanated from Cráter Oeste. The emissions contained ash during 20-22 July. Minor ashfall was reported in Coronado (San José) on 20 July, and in Sabanilla de Montes de Oca (30 km WSW) on 22 July.

Source: Observatorio Vulcanologico y Sismologico de Costa Rica-Universidad Nacional (OVSICORI- UNA) http://volcano.si.edu/reports_weekly.cfm Earthquakes

Weekly Summary From USGS

Magnitudes and Quantities

Week Total Total this Week Week Week 2017 # # 2.5 This Time Total this Total This Total This Week 8+ # 7 # 6 # 5 - 4 Week 2016 Time 2015 Time 2014 Time 2013

1 0 0 2 43 206 251 424 266 206 321 2 0 1 2 35 144 182 294 243 554 237 3 0 0 1 23 184 208 262 199 313 249 4 0 1 0 25 226 252 368 374 291 226 5 0 0 0 20 182 202 262 240 245 380 6 0 0 2 32 166 200 259 245 243 236 7 0 0 1 24 185 210 298 264 230 139 8 0 0 2 27 228 257 281 244 230 211 9 0 0 0 28 210 238 298 237 242 184 10 0 0 1 24 209 234 215 229 373 217 11 0 0 1 30 260 291 272 273 311 162 12 0 0 1 17 198 216 230 270 297 229 13 0 0 2 34 243 279 237 269 391 220 14 0 0 2 31 279 312 288 260 321 245 15 0 0 1 29 255 285 308 219 407 311 16 0 0 1 22 261 284 285 277 305 202 17 0 0 2 40 237 279 256 254 257 202 18 0 0 2 28 398 428 241 338 308 252 19 0 0 5 43 257 305 263 303 253 231 20 0 0 1 23 222 246 261 286 230 395 21 0 0 0 20 245 265 225 243 239 223 22 0 0 3 25 192 220 246 253 262 246 23 0 0 0 19 192 211 248 252 230 194 24 0 0 4 23 226 253 209 217 270 236 25 0 0 1 22 213 236 258 228 372 192 26 0 0 4 15 202 221 271 212 253 204 27 0 0 1 19 241 261 226 226 244 190 28 0 0 2 21 250 273 239 358 274 258 29 0 1 3 26 234 264 229 310 249 217 30 0 236 566 204 217 31 0 215 327 223 210 32 0 245 225 240 269 33 0 245 247 275 194 34 0 250 284 175 293 35 0 322 352 314 254 36 0 267 303 254 231 37 0 227 411 269 247 38 0 312 346 43 246 39 0 287 346 277 218 40 0 189 215 254 231 41 0 183 273 313 272 42 0 251 260 296 235 43 0 298 276 265 197 44 0 216 274 355 261 45 0 233 286 322 250 46 0 357 308 354 353 47 0 269 271 289 211 48 0 219 242 256 240 49 0 300 307 261 192 50 0 292 225 277 218 51 0 266 237 258 231 52 0 259 252 275 222

0 3 47 768 6545 7363 13691 14955 15101 12301

Two dead as earthquake sparks tsunami off the coast of Turkey and Greek islands

Tom Batchelor The Independent Fri, 21 Jul 2017 13:03 UTC The epicenter of the earthquake which caused a massive tsunami and up to 160 aftershocks Two people have been killed and more than 200 injured after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of Greek islands and Turkey, triggering a tsunami.

Greek authorities confirmed the victims of the 6.5-magnitude quake, both men, were from Turkey and Sweden.

The 6.5-magnitude quake struck at around 1am local time on Friday morning, rattling the Greek holiday resort of Kos, damaging buildings and the main port.

A small tsunami flooded parts of the island as well as the Turkish town of Bodrum.

At least 160 aftershocks have since been recorded, some measuring as strong as 4.8 on the Richter scale, with a warning that they are likely to continue for two more weeks, without causing further damage or danger to people in the area.

The island's regional governor said the "main priority at the moment is saving lives" with at least 20 people in hospital with serious injuries.

Greek health officials said 13 people - including a Norweigian tourist - had been airlifted to hospitals in Athens and on the islands of Rhodes and Crete following the earthquake. Vehicles were picked up and dumped down side streets by the force of a tsunami that swept over sea walls in the Agean coastal city of Mugla, Bodrum Province, Turkey A hospital in the Cretan city of Iraklio is treating four patients including one with a critical head injury and one who needed a leg amputation.

More than 120 people were wounded on Kos while a further 70 people suffered injuries in Bodrum.

Officials named the Turkish victim as Sinan Kurdoglu. The Swedish victim's name has not been released.

While other islands and Turkey's Aegean coast were hit, Kos bore the brunt of the quake as it was nearest to the epicentre, with all of the deaths and injuries reported there.

Fallen bricks and other debris coated many streets, and the island's seafront road.

A statement from the travel trade association Abta said Kos Airport has reopened following a brief closure on Friday morning.

The organisation also urged holidaymakers to contact their travel company for updates.

"Tour operators are working alongside the local authorities to assess the damage, and will make arrangements to move customers should structural damage be found to their accommodation," it said.

Giorgos Hadjimarkos, regional governor, said four or five of the injuries were "worrying" and damaged buildings were being inspected.

The Kos hospital said at least 20 of the injured had broken bones. A cafe setting is littered with rubble following the strong earthquake on Kos overnight. Two people were killed on the holiday island, popular with British tourists A wall collapsed on a building dating to the 1930s, crushing people who were at the bar in the building's lower level, according to Kos Mayor Giorgos Kyritsis.

Kos's "old town" area was littered with broken stone in the streets. Hotels had shattered glass and other damage, leaving hundreds of tourists to spend the rest of the night sleeping on beach loungers.

"There was banging. There was shaking. The light was swinging, banging on the ceiling, crockery falling out of the cupboards," said Christopher Hackland from Edinburgh, who is a scuba instructor on Kos.

"There was a lot of screaming and crying and hysterics coming from the hotel."

Authorities had given advance warning of a tsunami, and witnesses described a "swelling" of the sea after the earthquake.

A seafront road and parts of the island's main town were flooded, and the rising seawater pushed a boat onto the main road, causing several cars to slam into each other.

Ferry services were cancelled until daylight because Kos's main port was damaged, and at least one ferry en route to the port was unable to dock. Hundreds of tourists wait outside the airport to leave Kos Other buildings damaged included an old mosque where a minaret collapsed and a 14th-century fortress at the entrance to the main port.

Rescuers were checking for trapped people inside houses after the quake struck in the middle of the night and were heading to outlying villages to check for damage. Greek officials said aftershocks that struck were weaker but still could put at risk the buildings that were already damaged.

The epicentre was 6 miles south of Bodrum, Turkey, and 10 miles east-northeast of Kos at a depth of 6 miles.

In Turkey, the ensuing panic caused minor injuries, according to Esengul Civelek, governor of Mugla province.

Greece and Turkey lie in an especially earthquake-prone zone. https://www.sott.net/article/357003-Two-dead-as-earthquake-sparks-tsunami-off-the-coast-of- Turkey-and-Greek-islands

2 fatalities, flooding from tsunami after powerful shallow 6.7 quake in Mediterranean Sea (UPDATE)

RT Fri, 21 Jul 2017 00:41 UTC

© earthquake.usgs.gov A 6.7 magnitude earthquake in the Mediterranean Sea off the Turkish coast has triggered a mini tsunami. Photos and footage shared online shows beachfront hotels flooded and terrified people running.

The quake struck at an estimated depth of 10km some 12km off the Turkish resort city of Bodrum in Mugla Province, the European Mediterranean Seismological Center reported. It was followed by several less powerful aftershocks.

The tremors caused a tsunami wave, apparently large enough to reach some hotels located on the coastline, as photos shared online indicated.

The quake also affected the Greek island of Kos, where two people were reported killed and several injured, according to the mayor of the island, George Kyritsis. https://www.sott.net/article/356961-2-fatalities-flooding-from-tsunami-after-powerful-shallow-6-7- quake-in-Mediterranean-Sea-UPDATE

Greek holiday island recovers from deadly quake

Louisa Gouliamaki France 24 Sat, 22 Jul 2017 14:43 UTC A boy stands next to a car crushed under rubble near the port of the Greek island of Kos following a 6.5 magnitude earthquake which struck the region on July 21, 2017 The Greek holiday island of Kos on Saturday was struggling to recover from a quake that killed two people and injured hundreds, with tourists facing flight delays and the damaged main harbour closed for a second day.

The 6.7-magnitude tremor also left hundreds more injured in the Turkish resort of Bodrum, about 20 kilometres (12 miles) across the sea from Kos.

"Given the amount of people outside at the time, having only two victims is a miracle," deputy Kos mayor David Yerasklis told Kathimerini daily.

The undersea quake struck at 1:31 am Friday (2231 GMT Thursday) between Kos and Bodrum.

At the time, tourists in both places were out enjoying the nightlife.

On Kos, a wall collapsed on people in the courtyard of a nightclub, killing a 22-year-old Swede and a 39- year-old Turk.

Another 120 people were hurt, seven of them seriously, while some 360 people were injured in Bodrum -- many after jumping out of windows.

The badly injured on Kos were flown to hospitals in Athens and Crete, including two men from Sweden and Norway who are in critical condition.

Medics said the Swede lost his lower leg, and doctors are struggling to save his other leg. The Norwegian has serious head injuries.

Kos is one of Greece's top travel destinations, and particularly popular with British, German and Scandinavian tourists.

- No 'dramatisation' -

The quake struck at the height of the tourism season, and Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras on Friday warned against "dramatising" the issue.

"Creating a climate of exaggeration and dramatisation does not help restoring normality in daily life on the island," Tsipras' office said in a statement.

Government officials and expert divers on Saturday were inspecting Kos's harbour, which was cracked asunder by the tremor and has been declared unsafe for use.

But the rest of island's infrastructure network including roads is mostly intact, they stressed.

Ferries have been rerouted to the smaller port town of Kefalos in west Kos until repairs are made.

"All scheduled ferry services are now running from Kefalos, both incoming and outgoing," a Kos coastguard operator said.

Many people spent the night outdoors as a precaution, setting up tents in parks and squares, but officials noted that the majority of hotels were unaffected by the quake.

Deborah Kinnear, a 35-year-old psychologist from Glasgow, said her family initially thought of returning home but no flights were available.

"I think calm is being restored," she said after spending the night outdoors.

"Last night wasn't too bad. Hoping the worst is over... this has been one of our best holidays," she told AFP.

At Kos airport, delays continued for a second straight day with over 50 outgoing flights scheduled. Over 20 flights had landed by midday Saturday.

"There is no problem at the hotels, the tourists have dealt calmly with developments," Constantina Svynou, head of the local hotelier association, told Ta Nea daily.

- Monuments closed -

Some areas of the port town were still without water, however.

No injuries were reported among the 800 migrants and refugees housed on the island, which is one of the main gateways into Europe for people fleeing war and poverty.

But asylum procedures have been curtailed until at least Monday as the quake damaged passport inspection facilities at the harbour.

Many archaeological and medieval monuments -- including the medieval Knights of St John fortifications near where the deaths occurred -- have also been closed until further notice.

The quake toppled the minaret of a historic 18th century mosque and knocked boulders off the fortifications. Turkey and Greece sit on significant fault lines and have regularly been hit by earthquakes in recent years.

This year alone, Turkey's western Aegean coast was hit by several significant tremors.

In June, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake gutted a village on the Greek island of Lesbos, killing a woman and leaving more than 15 injured. https://www.sott.net/article/357177-Greek-holiday-island-recovers-from-deadly-quake

Strong shallow 6.1-magnitude earthquake strikes off Okinawa, Japan

Daly Star (UK) Wed, 26 Jul 2017 18:47 UTC

An earthquake of magnitude 6.1 struck in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Japan, this morning.

The shaker - which is classed as "strong" - was near the island of Okinawa, which has a population of more than 1.4million. Almost 16,000 people were killed by an earthquake off Japan's coast in 2011.

The under-sea tremor - which has a similar depth to today's quake - caused a tsunami, which led to the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

The epicentre was in the Pacific Ocean - between Japan, China, South Korea and the Philippines, which has a population of 100million.

The island of Taiwan - where 24million people live - is very near.

There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries in the quake, which hit at a depth of 21 miles, about 166 miles east of Okinawa. https://www.sott.net/article/357473-Strong-shallow-6-1-magnitude-earthquake-strikes-off- Okinawa-Japan The Weather

Two boys killed by lightning strikes in Uttar Pradesh, India

India Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:50 UTC

Two minor boys were killed and three others suffered burns today in two different incidents after lightning struck them in Bhadohi district of Uttar Pradesh.

Aurai Sub Divisional Magistrate Keshav Nath Gupta said 12-year-old Kush Yadav was struck by lightning in Sarbat Khani village, killing him on the spot.

In another incident, Suraj Bind (15), a resident of Kakarhiya village, died after he was struck by lightning in the village, he said.

The bodies have been sent for postmortem while the injured were taken to a hospital, Gupta said.

Source: Press Trust of India https://www.sott.net/article/357135-Two-boys-killed-by-lightning-strikes-in-Uttar-Pradesh-India

28,000 lightning strikes recorded during 24 hours in Northern Great Plains Bill Gabbert Wildfire Today Fri, 21 Jul 2017 18:08 UTC

For the 24-hour period ending at 6 a.m. on Friday sensors detected more than 28,000 cloud to ground lightning strikes in the portion of the Northern Great Plains shown in the map above.

The National Weather Service issued Red Flag Warnings or Fire Weather Watches on Friday for areas in Montana, South Dakota, Wyoming, and North Dakota.

The Red Flag map was current as of 10 a.m. MDT on Friday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts. The Red Flag map was current as of 10 a.m. MDT on Friday. Red Flag Warnings can change throughout the day as the National Weather Service offices around the country update and revise their forecasts. https://www.sott.net/article/357127-28000-lightning-strikes-recorded-during-24-hours-in- Northern-Great-Plains

Hottest day in 145 years for Shanghai, China

Liangyu Xinhua Fri, 21 Jul 2017 17:43 UTC © WeatherBell.com GFS model shows heat dome positioned over China. The meteorological department of east China metropolis Shanghai recorded an air temperature of 40.9 degrees Celsius (105.6 degrees Fahrenheit) at around 2 p.m. Friday, the highest on record in the city in 145 years.

A red alert for high temperatures was issued by the Shanghai Central Meteorological Observatory on Friday.

The previous record high temperature in the city of 40.8 degrees Celsius was recorded on Aug. 7, 2013. A total of 13 high temperature red alerts have been issued since the new meteorological early warning system was adopted in 2007.

China has a three-tier early warning system for high temperatures: a yellow warning is issued when high temperatures above 35 degrees Celsius are predicted for three consecutive days, orange indicates a predicted high temperature of 37 degrees Celsius in the next 24 hours, and a red alert is issued when the temperature is forecast to reach 40 degrees Celsius within 24 hours.

Heat waves have hit the city since the beginning of summer and are expected to linger until the end of July. https://www.sott.net/article/357089-Hottest-day-in-145-years-for-Shanghai-China Cold sweeps the Southern Hemisphere, major crop damage

Adapt 2030 You Tube Fri, 21 Jul 2017 19:41 UTC

© Cameron Avery Record cold engulfs South America decimating crops and leaving a wake of frost destruction and hundreds of thousands with out power. All the while main stream media touts a few degrees over normal in NYC. They forgot absolute anomalous cold and frost event that crossed the entire continent of South America. It was -8C in areas where average temperatures for this time of year are 17C. Crop losses are in the same areas as cold damage to agriculture last year. The 2017 losses will be tallied over the next weeks and it looks at early estimations of nearly 100% losses for fruit inn Southern Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. Where is the coverage on this in the main stream media????????? https://www.sott.net/article/357048-Cold-sweeps-the-Southern-Hemisphere-major-crop-damage

Multiple tornadoes cause widespread damage in eastern China

TVNZ Sat, 15 Jul 2017 05:47 UTC © YouTube/CCTV+ (screen capture) Tornadoes hit parts of east China provinces over the weekend, damaging houses and cutting off power supplies to thousands of houses in the neighborhood, though no casualties were reported.

In Youxi County of east China's Fujian Province, the devastating tornado with a speed of more than 20 meters per second lasted for about half an hour yesterday.

The tornado accompanied by short thunderstorm snapped more than 100 trees in Xibin Township, affecting more than 200 families and caused waterlogging in many areas.

Thirteen high-voltage power lines were reported to be damaged in the county, affecting nearly 10,000 residents.

Tornadoes also hit Baoying County of east China's Jiangsu, with more than 3,000 trees and dozens of utility poles being blown away in two worst-hit townships.

In addition, about 5000 houses were out of power.

Source: Associated Press https://www.sott.net/article/356964-Multiple-tornadoes-cause-widespread-damage-in-eastern- China

Snowballs in July? St. Petersburg covered with piles of 'snow' after heavy hailstorm

RT Sun, 23 Jul 2017 09:25 UTC © sergeypovoroznyuk / Instagram Fancy throwing snowballs in summer or going barefoot and T-shirt-clad during a 'snowfall' in July? This weekend in St. Petersburg, Russia would have been perfect after a heavy hailstorm hit the city.

On Saturday, streets in St. Petersburg were covered with piles of snow and the roads resembled winter rivers. City residents took to social media to share the unusual summer scenery.

Just last month, Moscow also fell victim to the whims of nature when snow fell upon the Russian capital just as summer was beginning.

The miserable luck with the weather didn't end there as heavy rain hit the city over and over again, while temperatures remain below normal for this time of year. https://www.sott.net/article/357208-Snowballs-in-July-St-Petersburg-covered-with-piles-of-snow-after- heavy-hailstorm

Damaging storms leave nearly 100,000 people without power in the Kansas City area

Robert A. Cronkleton Kansas City Star Sun, 23 Jul 2017 08:18 UTC © 2017 Scripps Media, Inc Nearly 100,000 people woke up without power Sunday morning after severe storms swept through the Kansas City area overnight, downing trees and power lines. Some outages are expected to stretch into Monday amid potentially dangerous heat.

Widespread power outages were being reported across the Kansas City area after winds from the storms reached 70 mph and produced heavy lightning.

Kansas City Power & Light reported on Facebook that as many as 112,000 customers were without power at the height of the storm. Overnight, it assessed the total impact of the damage and called in all available crews to restore power.

By 8:30 a.m. Sunday, about 71,000 customers remained without power. KCP&L said it expected outages to continue into Monday.

"This will be a multi-day restoration," said Jeremy McNeive, manager of media communications for KCP&L.

"Right now it looks like the bulk of it seems to be downed wires and poles," he said. "We have around 180 linemen and contractors. We've reached out to neighboring for assistance so we expect to have more in the field here in the next few hours."

The areas affected the most by power outages were Clay, Johnson and Jackson counties. About 1,600 of KCP&L's customers in Fairway were without power - that's about 85 percent of its customers in that city. The utility reported that 2,386 customers, or about 68 percent, were without power in Roeland Park.

In Mission, 3,038 customers, or 47 percent, were without power. In Liberty, 4,342, or 34 percent, were without power. And in Prairie Village, 3,112 or about 29 percent, had no power.

Other cities that had significant outages included Kansas City, with about 24,091 customers, or about 10 percent, without power; Leawood, 1,472, or about 10 percent; Merriam, 1,004, or about 18 percent; Overland Park, 10,737 or about 11 percent; Raytown, 3,193, or about 22 percent; and Shawnee, 6152, or 30 percent.

Independence Power and Light reported that nearly 8,000 customers were without power. The Kansas City, Kan., Board of Public Utilities also reported that 13,804 customers were without power.

The National Weather Service in Pleasant Hill said that while Sunday was not expected to be as hot as the last few days, the heat could still pose problems for the thousands without air conditioning.

Highs on Sunday were expected to be in the lower to mid 90s, but the heat index could climb to 100 degrees, which could be hazardous to those without power.

During the outages, KCP&L's McNeive advised people not to touch or pick up any downed power lines. They should assume any downed lines are electrified.

The biggest concern, however, will be the heat. https://www.sott.net/article/357204-Damaging-storms-leave-nearly-100000-people-without-power-in-the- Kansas-City-area

Anomalous hailstorm hits Grottammare on Italy's Adriatic coast

Sott.net Wed, 26 Jul 2017 05:59 UTC © VK.com The beach turned white after a freak hailstorm hit Grottammare, Italy on July 25 2017. In the early afternoon of July 25 the beach and roads of the Italian town of Grottammare were blanketed by significant amounts of hail, as reported by blitzquotidiano.it. The hail was pea to tennis ball sized according to reports. Images of the rare weather event on Italy's Adriatic coast at the end of July, were shared widely on social media. https://www.sott.net/category/4-Earth-Changes?page=2 Solar Activities

GEOMAGNETIC STORM: A minor (G1-class) geomagnetic storm occurred on July 22nd between 0900 and 1200 UT due to the buffeting of Earth's magnetic field by a high-speed stream of solar wind. NOAA forecasters say there is a 45% chance of more minor storms today, dropping to 15% tomorrow as Earth exits the solar wind stream. Free: Aurora Alerts

SPRITES AND COSMIC RAYS: Last night, cameras in Czechia recorded a magnificent display of sprites leaping up from a thunderstorm in neighboring Austria. Photographer Martin Popek of Nýdek, Czechia, selected this specimen from many frames he recorded:

"The storm was about 390km away," says Popek, "and the sprite was huge. It stretched 50 km to 90 km above the ground below."

Sometimes called "space lightning," sprites are a true space weather phenomenon. They inhabit the upper atmosphere alongside auroras, meteors and noctilucent clouds. Some researchers believe they are linked to cosmic rays: subatomic particles from deep space striking the top of Earth's atmosphere produce secondary electrons that, in turn, could provide the spark that triggers sprites.

The link to cosmic rays is particularly interesting at this time. Despite a brief reduction in cosmic rays last week caused by the sweeping action of a passing CME, cosmic rays are intensifying. For the past two years, space weather balloons have observed a steady increase in deep space radiation penetrating our atmosphere. This increase is largely due to the decline in the solar cycle. Flagging solar wind pressure and weakening sunspot magnetic fields allow more cosmic rays into the inner solar system--a trend which is expected to continue for years to come. These changes could add up to more sprites.

Although sprites have been seen for at least a century, most scientists did not believe they existed until after 1989 when sprites were photographed by cameras onboard the space shuttle. Now "sprite chasers" routinely photograph sprites from their own homes. "I used up a Watec 910HX security camera with UFOCapture software to catch my sprites," says Popek.

WE ARE INSIDE A SOLAR WIND STREAM: For the 3rd day in a row, Earth is inside a stream of solar wind flowing from a hole in the sun's atmosphere. The steady pressure of this stream on our planet's magnetic field sparked a minor geomagnetic storm on July 22nd, but so far no bright auroras. We should begin to exit the stream on July 24th. Free: Aurora Alerts

MASSIVE EXPLOSION ON THE FARSIDE OF THE SUN: Earlier today, July 23rd, a spectacular CME emerged from the farside of the sun. Coronagraphs onboard the orbiting Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) tracked the fast-moving cloud as it billowed into space:

NASA's STEREO-A spacecraft, which has a partial view of the sun's farside, identified the source of the blast as active sunspot AR2665, familiar to readers of Spaceweather.com who watched the behemoth cross the Earthside of the sun earlier this month. STEREO-A observed an intense flash of extreme UV radiation from the sunspot's magnetic canopy: The intensity of the flash suggests (but does not prove) that the underlying flare might have been the most intense kind: X-class.

If this explosion had occurred 2 weeks ago when the huge sunspot was facing Earth, we would be predicting strong geomagnetic storms in the days ahead. Instead, the CME is racing away from our planet ... and directly toward Mars. Compared to Earth, the Red Planet is currently on the opposite side of the sun, and apparently in the crosshairs of this CME. Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity might be observing the effects of a solar storm later this week.

Coincidentally, today's farside explosion occurred on the 5th anniversary of another significant farside event: The Solar Superstorm of July 23, 2012. That superstorm, which has been compared to the historic Carrington Event of 1859, could have caused widespread power blackouts if it had not missed our planet.

Sunspot AR2665 will be back on the Earthside of the sun starting little more than a week from now. If the sunspot remains active, it could bring a new round of geomagnetic storms and auroras to our planet in early August. http://www.spaceweather.com/ Animal Deaths

MASS ANIMAL DEATH LIST

302 Known MASS Death Events in 64 Countries (or Territory)

26th July 2017 - Thousands of dead fish 'mysteriously' found on a lake in Birmingham, England. Link

26th July 2017 - Thousands of dead fish found in a river in Mato Grosso, Brazil. Link

25th July 2017 - Hundreds of dead birds line a road in Idaho, America. Link

25th July 2017 - Hundreds of dead fish found in a lake in Colorado, America. Link

21st July 2017 - Hundreds of dead fish wash up in Sao Jose de Ribamar, Brazil. Link http://www.end-times-prophecy.org/animal-deaths-birds-fish-end-times.html The Earth

California sees 100 new wildfires in four days, and more are surely on the way

Hector Amezcua and Sam Stanton The Sacrament Bee Thu, 20 Jul 2017 17:12 UTC

© Reuters/Stephen Lam A firetruck is seen parked along a firebreak beneath a burning ridge during the Detwiler fire in Mariposa, California Firefighters and determined residents of Mariposa County continued their battle against the massive Detwiler Fire on Thursday as wildland blazes continued to burn around the state, generating smoke for hundreds of miles.

More than 350 square miles of land has burned so far this year, and the Detwiler Fire west of Mariposa continued to pose danger to historic small communities that have been emptied out by evacuations since the fire began Sunday.

In tiny Catheys Valley along Highway 140, the danger appeared to have passed for now, but a handful of residents who opted to stay and fight recounted how close the flames had come.

"The fire jumped the ridge, came over here; it was 30- to 40-foot flames right in front of our houses," said Frank Gomes, who has lived in the ramshackle collection of homes and trailers for five years along with about 30 neighbors. "Me and the owner of the property, we stayed to defend the property because this is actually low income, so we just didn't want to see everybody lose the little bit that they had."

Gomes, who spoke as fire trucks remained on watch in front of his property, said he had seen fires in the area in the past, but never one with the ferocity of the Detwiler Fire.

"This is the worst one I've seen," he said, adding that firefighters had saved the area. "Cal Fire did a great job, Mariposa Fire Department and all the other ones that came from all over to help us and protect us and we thank them.

"Everybody did their part, and very few houses burned. They saved a lot of people."

By Thursday, Cal Fire estimated the blaze had burned more than 70,000 acres, destroyed 45 homes and 40 other structures, and was only 10 percent contained. Another 1,500 structures remained threatened. About 3,200 firefighters were working to save the towns of Mariposa and Coulterville, as well as other tiny communities tucked into the foothills and steep canyons.

The topgraphy of the area was causing problems in the firefight, and although firefighters were making progress, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said higher temperatures predicted for the weekend may make the effort much more difficult.

After five years of drought broken by record rain and snow, the conditions for wildfire are almost perfect.

Thick grass and brush that grew from the rains then dried out in the heat helped feed the fire when it began Sunday. The flames still are heading east toward heavy areas of forest pocked with large stands of dead trees, McLean said.

"Yeah, the drought was declared over, but we are now going to have to be dealing with the results from that drought," he said. "This is a prime example in the dead vegetation that is burning in this fire."

The number of fires so far this year statewide for Cal Fire is staggering. As of Wednesday, Cal Fire had reported 3,321 blazes - about 100 new ones since Sunday - that had burned nearly 200,000 acres. That compares to 2,480 fires as of July 16, 2016, that had burned 32,025 acres. Those figures don't count fires that burned federal land.

"So you can see the significant difference," McLean said. "Fire season started early, as soon as the winter quit, and our heavy grass crop is one of the culprits." https://www.sott.net/article/357058-California-sees-100-new-wildfires-in-four-days-and-more- are-surely-on-the-way Pearl City, Illinois, fighting through fourth '100-year flood' in 14 years

Paige Allen kwqc.com Sat, 22 Jul 2017 12:40 UTC

© Tabitha Zuver Floodwater in Pearl City The little town of Pearl City, Ill. is experiencing what their fire chief is calling a 100-year flood. "This is probably our fourth 100-year flood in about 14 years," Pearl City Fire Chief Brent Schneider told KWQC.

He says that current flood waters are about a foot above the level they reached in 2010, and the flood has yet to crest.

All roads in and out of the town from the North, East, and West are impassable. Schneider says that though there are a few roads to the South that are usable, all but one are still difficult to navigate. © Tabitha Zuver Floodwater in Pearl city City officials are asking all residents not to leave if they don't need to in order to ensure that the one completely clear road will be open for emergency vehicles.

Luckily, all the floods the town has experienced recently taught residents how to be prepared. Schneider said a lot of residents reinforced their homes against the rising waters ahead of time.

Still, some residents who live in particularly low-lying areas had to be evacuated by boat. First responders also rescued a few stranded motorists from the water.

So far, there have been no reported injuries.

© Tabitha Zuver Floodwater in Pearl city https://www.sott.net/article/357160-Pearl-City-Illinois-fighting-through-fourth-100-year-flood-in- 14-years New Orleans floods after torrential rainfall; 4 inches of rain in an hour

The New Orleans Advocate Sat, 22 Jul 2017 12:06 UTC © Max Becherer Quick heavy rains poured across metro New Orleans Saturday afternoon, dumping several inches of rain in a short amount of time.

A flood advisory was placed over New Orleans until 4 p.m. According to a WWL-TV report, the New Orleans Sewerage and Water Board said 4.22 inches of water fell over the metro area in a single hour, causing many roadways to flood.

By 3 p.m., New Orleans' emergency preparedness Twitter account, @nolaready, said the system was 'nearly stationary' over a large portion of the Uptown and Central Business District neighborhoods, with up to an inch of rain expected to fall.

The NOLA Ready Twitter account also reported flooding at the intersections of Tulane and Carrolton, Orleans and Broad, Paris and Burbank and Esplanade and Carrolton, while ProjectNOLA's Facebook page said significant flooding stretched throughout the Mid-City area towards Treme.

The city said all pumping stations are fully operational and able to handle pumping out an inch of rain in the first hour of use. After that, a half inch can be pumped out every hour. Major flooding on Orleans near Broad. Knee high water.... pic.twitter.com/CpXjCLeAlo

— Duke Carter II (@dcarterII) July 22, 2017 Flooding on Orleans Ave. pic.twitter.com/a77eH2Azhu

— Duke Carter II (@dcarterII) July 22, 2017 Canal Blvd. underpass near the train tracks. (Video via Jennifer Vicknair) pic.twitter.com/yDwwIkpOkc

— WWL-TV (@WWLTV) July 22, 2017 More #flooding pics from #Lakeview. This is Filmore and Louis XIV taken at 3:11pm. Sent from Michelle Gedicke via Facebook pic.twitter.com/ibhMSh5uBN

— Alexandra Cranford (@acranfordwwl) July 22, 2017 #Metairie #flooding. This is Metairie Rd and Focis, taken at 2:35pm. Sent from Ashley Richie via Facebook. pic.twitter.com/43NidAdbTK

— Alexandra Cranford (@acranfordwwl) July 22, 2017

© Max Becherer https://www.sott.net/article/357155-New-Orleans-floods-after-torrential-rainfall-4-inches-of-rain- in-an-hour Pope shuts off Vatican fountains for first time in living memory as Rome suffers with drought

RT Tue, 25 Jul 2017 20:33 UTC © Max Rossi / Reuters All 100 Vatican City fountains, including two Baroque masterpieces in St Peter's Square, will be shut off in the coming days as a drought sweeps Rome and other parts of Italy.

Vatican spokesman Greg Burke said it was the first time the Vatican could recall turning off all of its fountains and reflected Pope Francis' views on the environment.

"This decision is very much in line with the pope's thinking on ecology: you can't waste and sometimes you have to be willing to make a sacrifice," he told Reuters.

"This is the Vatican's way of living [in] solidarity with Rome, trying to help Rome get through this crisis," Burke added.

While the decision is likely to upset summer tourists who look forward to viewing the Vatican's famed fountains, water conservation is being widely encouraged as Rome's authorities consider the introduction of strict water rations.

Rome's water reserves have dwindled greatly with the capital experiencing an average of 73 percent less rainfall across June and July. Italy also experienced its third driest spring in 60 years this year.

A ban on withdrawing water from Lake Bracciano has already been agreed and will kick in on July 28.

"The truth is Lake Bracciano has fallen too much and we risk an environmental disaster," Nicola Zingaretti, the President of the local Lazio region, told Tgcom24 TV station, as cited by Reuters, adding that "it is a tragedy."

"I would like to invite Donald Trump here to let him see what it means not to respect climate accords," he added, referring to the US president's decision to pull his country out of the 2015 Paris Accord. The Vatican's decision to shut off their fountains is just the latest show of support from the state and Pope Francis on environmental issues.

In 2016, at the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, Pope Francis described climate change as a sin and said it was the result of a "selfish" system driven by "profit at any price."

"The world's poor, though least responsible for climate change, are most vulnerable and already suffering its impact," he said. https://www.sott.net/article/357396-Pope-shuts-off-Vatican-fountains-for-first-time-in-living- memory-as-Rome-suffers-with-drought Antarctica melting from beneath and volcanoes begin steaming under Greenland

Adapt 2030 You Tube Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:10 UTC

© Ágúst Arnbjörnsson, a pilot at Icelandair. Plumes of steam rising from cracks in a glacier near Kulusuk, Greenland. With all of the world media hype surrounding the iceberg that broke off of Antarctica's Larsen C ice shelf, the MSM forgot that there were 5x bigger icebergs in 1956 and 1927 that broke off. As well underwater volcanoes are responsible for the crack, not CO2 warming. Add to this images coming from Icelandic Air pilots showing steam vents that have opened through the Greenland Ice sheet, which signals an awakening of new vents under that ice sheet. All of the increases in volcanic and tectonic activity has been predicted as our Earth and Sun enter a grand solar minimum. It is apparent in the traces of volcanic aerosols in the ice sheets that every grand solar minimum there are more volcanic eruptions. This is what we are seeing now, but the MSM focuses on human causes for the iceberg, when they should be talking about the intensification of the Eddy minimum. https://www.sott.net/article/357379-Antarctica-melting-from-beneath-and-volcanoes-begin-steaming- under-Greenland Largest active US wildfire burns 250,000 acres in Montana

RT Wed, 26 Jul 2017 20:26 UTC

© Pete McFadden / Reuters Cattle are seen near the flames of the Lodgepole Complex fire in Garfield County, Montana, U.S. July 21, 2017. Over 600 firefighters from 34 states have gathered in eastern Montana's Garfield County to help stop the spread of what is now the largest active fire in the US.

On Tuesday, more than 600 firefighters began fighting the raging Lodgepole Complex fire that has destroyed 250,000 acres of range, brush and timber close to the Missouri River, according to the National Interagency Coordination Center, which gives logistical support for wildland firefighting. The fire has ravaged 22 structures, according to Reuters.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock (R) issued a state fire emergency executive order on Sunday for the wildfire that started last week after a lightning strike. Fortunately, the fire was growing Tuesday at slower rate than previously.

The Lodgepole Complex fire was 36 percent contained by Tuesday evening, and the Garfield County Evacuation Order for people living in the fire zone has been lifted, the Incident Information System reported.

Of the 45 active fires in the US, Lodgepole is the biggest. Relief supplies are being distributed and donated for those who have lost property or experienced any damage from the fire. Volunteers are also preparing food, gathering livestock and mending fences in an effort to help out.

Garfield County spokeswoman Anne Miller said that donations of hay, groceries and money are being sent into the small town of Jordan in Garfield County. "A house is considered a major loss, but the livelihood of most people here is the livestock, the pasture and grazing land," Reuters reported.

Public Information officer Mike Cole says that crews can't directly attack the fire due to safety concerns, because it is not accessible by road. Managers are now focusing on a longer term strategy for containing the fire. Crews are currently working on the construction of a control line, which will serve as a barrier for homes and the national forest land.

Cole elaborated on the strategy in place to contain the wildfire.

"So once we have this control line in, we are not just going to stop and wait for the fire to come along. We'll still be working this fire with helicopters and retardant if necessary. We're going to go back in the forest and find some road systems that are open or we can open up," he said, Montana Public Radio reported.

Cole said that the fire is expected to grow, but the smoke overhead and the light winds have kept it contained.

The weather forecast for the next several days is hot and dry until Wednesday when a front will approach and bring gusty winds and isolated thunderstorms to the area of the fire. A small amount of rain is also expected. The end of the week will be hot with no rain expected in the forecast, according to Montana National Public Radio. https://www.sott.net/article/357483-Largest-active-US-wildfire-burns-250000-acres-in-Montana 79 wildfires sparked by lightning in 24 hours hit Northern California

Amy Graff SFGate Tue, 25 Jul 2017 10:33 UTC A lightning map from Blitzortung shows lightning strikes around the west from Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon. As hundreds of lightning bolts strike the region, CAL FIRE is staffing its lookout towers and sending planes into the air to scour the region for plumes of smoke signaling fires.

"We're out there scanning the area and any smokes that develop we have our resources that can address it," says Cal Fire spokesperson Scott McLean.

From Monday morning through Tuesday morning, 79 fires were counted in Lassen, Modoc and Siskyou counties by CAL FIRE and the U.S. Forest Service, and lightning was likely the cause of most of them, says McLean.

While the conditions are extreme, it could be a lot worse. "This a combination of dry and wet lightning so we have some moisture follow through," McLean says. "In 2008, there were a lot more fires started by lightning." In 2008, thousands of lightning strikes resulted in 191,294 acres burning.

The lightning activity started in Northern California on Sunday night and is forecast to continue through Tuesday, tapering down on Wednesday.

The thunderstorms and lightning are a result of an upper-low circulation system hanging off the coast of Northern California, says Marvin Boyd, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Reno.

"This is almost a textbook lightning case," Boyd says. "High pressure near the Four Corners region, low pressure coming down into Northern California and then the moisture streaming up between those two features."

Boyd adds: "This is something we usually see once or twice a season where we have the monsoon and moisture push. We have a little more energy with this upper-low and it's just sort of hanging out and bringing enough energy to kick off storms." https://www.sott.net/article/357415-79-wildfires-sparked-by-lightning-in-24-hours-hit-Northern-California Strange & Pestilence

Plasma event? Nigerian residents stirred up after strange event of "deafening sound" and bright light

Oluwole Ige Nigerian Tribune Tue, 18 Jul 2017 18:27 UTC © stock photo There was panic in some parts of Osogbo, Osun State capital, when strange lightening suddenly appeared in the sky, creating higher degree of illumination, which forced some residents to scamper for safety.

Tribune Online reliably gathered that most of the affected areas where the lightening appeared Tuesday night, include Alekuwodo, Oke-Fia, Olaiya roundabout and parts of Estate.

The incident, which occurred around 9.30pm created fear as some people residing in these areas, who also claimed they heard deafening sound similar to resounding explosion ran outside their houses to ascertain the cause of the strange development.

A resident of Peter Ajibola Street, identified as Titilayo Adekunle said: "We don't know what really happened. We just saw the light suddenly and it appeared in the sky, thus submerging the prevailing darkness, which had hitherto enveloped the environment because we were already in the night."

According to her, "we also heard some continuous sound, like when an electric transformer is humming at a frenetic pace.

Some people were saying 'maybe Jesus had come. 'However, not quite five minutes later, the great lightening fizzled away and darkness resurfaced." https://www.sott.net/article/356940-Plasma-event-Nigerian-residents- stirred-up-after-strange-event-of-deafening-sound-and-bright-light

Solar halo seen over Zhejiang, Anhui provinces in China

Guangming Online Thu, 20 Jul 2017 18:40 UTC

In folk culture, people believe if a solar halo view appears in day, rain will come at night. So we can regard solar halo as a basis of the weather changes. © Chen Dengke/Guangming Taizhou, China's Zhejiang Province

© Shi Yalei/Guangming Huangshan City, China's Anhui Province © Lin Baocong/Guangming Taizhou City, China's Zhejiang Province © Shi Yalei/Guangming https://www.sott.net/article/356952-Solar-halo-seen-over-Zhejiang- Anhui-provinces-in-China