Earth & Space Weather

Comet ISON to sweep closely past Mars on October 1

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Submitted by Desert Gypsy on

Earthsky.com - 8/24/13

 

When Comet ISON flies by Mars, it’ll have just crossed the “frost line,” a place outside Mars’ orbit where solar heating is enough to start vaporizing ices on ISON’s surface.

Around the world, astronomers are buzzing with anticipation over the approach of Comet ISON. On Thanksgiving Day 2013, the icy visitor from the outer solar system will skim the sun’s outer atmosphere. Word was that, if it survives its pass near the sun, Comet ISON might emerge as one of the brightest comets in years. Although the prospects for an extremely bright comet are not as good now as they appeared at ISON’s discovery in late 2012, still, astronomers and many others are anticipating this comet.

Arctic Sea Ice Melt Update (video)

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Earthsky.org - 8/24/13, Deborah Byrd

 

Arctic sea ice extent on August 22, 2013 via NSIDC

Every year for many years now, scientists and others have kept an eye on the annual Arctic sea ice minimum, which occurs when the floating Arctic ice cap melts to its smallest size of the summer. That minimum usually comes around mid-September, and, although the ice is still melting this year as of this writing (August 23, 2013), it now appears unlikely that 2013 will break a new record for the least ice observed in the Arctic. At the same time, according to NASA:

… this year’s melt rates are in line with the sustained decline of the Arctic ice cover observed by NASA and other satellites over the last several decades.

Even if this year ends up being the sixth- or seventh-lowest extent, what matters is that the 10 lowest extents recorded have happened during the last 10 years. The long-term trend is strongly downward.

 

July 2013 was Sixth Warmest on Record Globally, According to U.S. Climate Report

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Wunderground.com - 8/21/13, Nick Wiltgen

Despite unseasonably cool weather for millions of Americans, July 2013 went down as the sixth warmest of the past 134 years globally, according to the U.S. government's latest monthly climate report.

The State of the Climate report, released by the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) Tuesday, showed that large swaths of the planet were unseasonably warm in July. Most of the cooler-than-average regions were either over the ocean or over sparsely populated areas such as the Yukon and Siberia.

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Santiaguito volcano (Guatemala): partial dome collapse generates strong explosion and pyroclastic flows

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Submitted by Magikalspirit on

theextinctionprotocol-Aug 23, 2013

August 23, 2013 – GUATEMALA – A major eruption occurred yesterday evening. Starting at 17:45 (local time), the top part of the Caliente lava dome collapsed and produced a series of relatively large pyroclastic flows and explosions. Ash plumes rose more than 2 km to elevations of 4 km altitude. The cause of the eruption was likely the accumulation of pressurized magma and gas under the dome composed of viscous (solid) lava. The pyroclastic flows affected mainly the south, southeast and NNE sides. Bombs from explosive activity were ejected to distances of 500 m. –Volcano Discovery

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=iO5gK2R4Op0

Read More: http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/

 

What is the Brocken Spectre?

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Submitted by Desert Gypsy on

Earthsky.org - 8/23/13, Deborah Byrd

http://en.es-static.us/upl/2013/08/brocken-spectre-Carrauntoohil-towards-Caher-6-22-2009-Micheal-Burke.jpg

If you were mountain climbing, at a time of day when the sun was low and behind you, and if you climbed high enough to look down into a mist below you, you might witness the shadowy figure of the Brocken Spectre.

It’s your own shadow that you see, cast on the surface of the mists below, surrounded by a halo-like ring of light. The sun must be behind you. You’re seeing your shadow projected in front of you, through the mist.

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U.S. Southeast experiencing rainfall and tornado extremes in 2013

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Earthsky.org - 8/22/13, Matt Daniel

Tornado damage to a mobile home in Heard County Georgia. Image Credit: NWS Peachtree City

Across Georgia, rainfall totals are adding up to totals typically seen across an entire average year. Atlanta, Georgia averages 49.68 inches per year based on climatology records from 1981-2010. As of August 19, 2013, Atlanta has already recorded 50.43 inches of rain, and we still have over four months left until the year ends.

Western Wildfire Update: Yosemite National Park Fire Rages Out of Control

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Wunderground.com - 8/22/13, Gosia Wozniacki

Western Wildfires

FRESNO, Calif. -- A wildfire outside Yosemite National Park - one of more than 50 major brush blazes burning across the western U.S. - raged beyond the control of firefighters, but several days after it started it there has been minimal property damage and only voluntary evacuations.

The blaze in Stanislaus National Forest west of Yosemite grew to more than 25 square miles and was only 5 percent contained Wednesday, threatening some 2,500 homes, hotels and camp buildings.

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