Earth & Space Weather

Space Weather Update~ M Class

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MILD LEONIDS: The Leonid meteor shower peaks on Nov. 17/18 as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Reports so far are consistent with a weak shower--no more than about 10 per hour. In the past, Leonids have been known to produce fantastic storms of thousands of shooting stars. This year, however, Earth is passing through the outskirts of the comet's debris stream, so the shower is relatively mild. [meteor gallery] [meteor radar]

FAST-GROWING SUNSPOT: Barely visible when the weekend began, sunspot AR1619 has blossomed into a large active region more than three times as wide as Earth. Click to play a 24 hour movie recorded by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory:

So far the growing sunspot has not produced any significant flares, but the quiet is unlikely to continue if its expansion continues apace. Fast-changing magnetic fields on the sun have a tendency to reconnect and erupt. NOAA forecasters estimate a 20% chance of M-class solar flares during the next 24 hours.Solar flare alerts:

Northwest Storm Train Continues

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Accuweather.com - 11/20/12, By Matt Alto

A cyclist has the roadway to himself as he crosses under Highway 99 where the low spot was closed to automotive traffic after it flooded earlier on Monday, Nov. 19, 2012, in Seattle. Wet and windy weather with mountain snow will continue this week in Washington, but there may be a lull for turkeys to land on Thanksgiving Day tables. (AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)

A day after the strongest in the train of Pacific storms slammed the Northwest with flooding rain and hurricane-force wind gusts, another storm system will bring more rain and wind to the region.

Although today's system will not be as strong as Monday's, it will bring much colder air which will drop snow levels to 4,000 feet in the Washington and Oregon Cascades.

To watch the video and read the rest of this story, visit Accuweather.com.

The Major Impacts From Drought In 2012

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WSAV3 - 11/19/12, by Matthew Devitt
Damage Amount

The colossal devastation and loss of life wrought by Hurricane Sandy makes the storm one of the greatest disasters in U.S. history.

The storm and its aftermath have rightfully dominated the weather headlines this year, and Sandy will undoubtedly be remembered as the most notable global weather event of 2012.

To read the rest of this story, visit WSAV.com.

Algarve kept on alert after freak storm

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Video of Tornado: Weather.com
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The Portugal News Online - 11/17/12, by Carrie-Marie Bratley

Portugal’s Met Office (IM) kept the Algarve on ‘Orange Alert’ for most of Saturday, (17 November) after a freak tornado, which gained mass strength out at sea, ripped through the counties of Lagoa and Silves on Friday.

Algarve kept on alert after freak storm

Thirteen people from Lagoa were injured during yesterday’s unprecedented storm, three of whom seriously, and the cost of the damage caused by the bad weather is still being calculated.

The tornado’s ramifications reached far across the Algarve and clean-up operations were ongoing for most of the weekend in several counties.

Low Miss. River Level May Halt Barges

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Weather.com - Jim Salter and Jim Suhr, 11/18/12

Barges power their way up the Mississippi River on Friday, Nov. 16 in St. Louis. The Army Corps of Engineers has ordered the release of water from an upper Mississippi River reservoir in an effort to avoid closure of the river at St. Louis to barge traffic due to low water levels caused by drought. AP Photo/Jeff Roberson

ST. LOUIS — The gentle whir of passing barges is as much a part of life in St. Louis as the Gateway Arch and the Cardinals, a constant, almost soothing backdrop to a community intricately intertwined with the Mississippi River.

But next month, those barges packing such necessities as coal, farm products and petroleum could instead be parked along the river's banks. The stubborn drought that has gripped the Midwest for much of the year has left the Mighty Mississippi critically low — and it will get even lower if the Army Corps of Engineers presses ahead with plans to reduce the flow from a Missouri River dam.

~Space Weather~ FAST-GROWING SUNSPOT

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MILD LEONIDS: The Leonid meteor shower peaks on Nov. 17/18 as Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Reports so far are consistent with a weak shower--no more than about 10 per hour. In the past, Leonids have been known to produce fantastic storms of thousands of shooting stars. This year, however, Earth is passing through the outskirts of the comet's debris stream, so the shower is relatively mild. [meteor gallery] [meteor radar]

 

FAST-GROWING SUNSPOT: Barely visible when the weekend began, sunspot AR1619 has blossomed into a large active region more than three times as wide as Earth. Click to play a 24 hour movie recorded by NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory:

 

 

Sunday swim and lunch with friends ends with a twist

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Video of waterspout and storm damage: Weather.com.

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The Australian -Harry Edwards and Rosanne Barrett, 11/19/12

191112 wild weather NSW

Erin Townsend watches a water spout twist up from the ocean at Long Beach on the NSW south coast yesterday. Picture: Michael Syne Source: The Australian

A GIGANTIC waterspout 200m across capped off a weekend of wild weather across the east coast in which storms smashed roofs, uprooted trees and left 8000 homes without power.

Worst-hit was the town of Woodburn, in northern NSW, where a dozen homes were damaged -- five destroyed -- after a storm lasting less than two hours hit the hamlet on Saturday.

Heavy Rain, High Winds Pound Northwest

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Weather.com - Chris Dolce, 11/18/12

Rain, Snow Forecast

A powerful storm system will pound the Northwest with heavy rain, high winds and mountain snow as we kick off the week Sunday into Monday. Below is a look at the impacts from the early week storm followed by a glance at the wet pattern that may persist through much of Thanksgiving week.

Week Starts with Strong Storm System

Heavy Rain - The period of stormy weather impacting the Northwest through Tuesday will have a very impressive moisture tap capable of producing some heavy rainfall amounts. Our rainfall forecast map shows that areas along the coast from northwest California to western Washington could see 3 to 5 inches in the next 48 hours. Heavier amounts are possible in the coastal range and the mountains. Some minor flooding problems may develop.

To watch the video and read the rest of this story, visit Weather.com.

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