Earth & Space Weather

Colorado Wildfire Evacuees See Destruction Firsthand

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Weather.com - 6/16/13, Associated Press

Note from Love Reporter Desert Gypsy:

Climate change continues as some areas experience drought and others heavy precipitation. This is destined to continue and we keep you updated on these events for this reason. Please prepare if you are in one of these areas, stay calm and out of fear.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Residents returning to the neighborhoods they were driven from just days ago by Colorado's most destructive wildfire ever are seeing firsthand the path of destruction left behind by the flames.

Firefighters battling the fire in a rural region northeast of Colorado Springs have made huge advances in recent days, aided by unexpected rain showers and calmer winds, and authorities lifted most evacuation orders. Fire crews expanded containment lines Saturday to 55 percent.

For more information on this story and video please see Weather.com

The June solstice of 2013 falls on June 21, 2013

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The Watchers, 6/13/13 - Chiffre

 

Solstice

A solstice is an astronomical event that occurs twice each year as the Sun reaches its highest or lowest excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. As a result, on the day of the solstice, the Sun appears to have reached its highest or lowest annual altitude in the sky above the horizon at local solar noon. The word solstice is derived from the Latin sol (sun) and sistere (to stand still), because at the solstices, the Sun stands still in declination; that is, the seasonal movement of the Sun's path (as seen from Earth) comes to a stop before reversing direction. The solstices, together with the equinoxes, are connected with the seasons. In many cultures the solstices mark either the beginning or the midpoint of winter and summer.

Popocatépetl volcano (Mexico): relatively strong ash

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VolcanoDiscovery-June 15,2013

Eruption plume from Popocatepétl yesterday

Activity has picked up during the past 2 days, as the preceding earthquake swarm had suggested. CENAPRED reports emissions at a rate of 2 per hour. The more vigorous explosions have produced ash plumes of up to 3 km height. The largest was an explosion yesterday just before 17:30 (local time).
A large SO2 plume is emitted from the volcano and visible on NOAA satellite data.
The alert level remains at "Yellow Phase 2".

 

Read More: http://www.volcanodiscovery.com/popocatepetl/news/34670/Popocatepetl-volcano-Mexico-relatively-strong-ash-emissions.html

Tornadoes touch down in Iowa as storms wallop 7 Midwest states

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Global Post.com - 6/12/13

Chicago weather

A violent storm system battered seven states in the Midwest late Wednesday, with two tornadoes touching down in northern Iowa.

In Illinois, emergency officials in Winnebago County reported several small tornadoes touched down briefly amid damaging hail and high winds.

 

For more information on this story please see Globalpost.com

 

Colorado's Costliest Fire in History Kills 2; Severe Thunderstorms Pound Mid-Atlantic

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Wunderground.com- 6/14/13, Dr. Jeff Masters

 

Two people are dead in the Colorado Springs area due to the Black Forest fire, which continues to rage virtually unchecked about five miles northeast of Colorado's second largest city (population 400,000.) The fire' had burned through 15,700 acres by late Thursday afternoon, and was 5% contained. Over 38,000 people in 13,000 homes had been evacuated. The weather was no help on Thursday, as afternoon temperatures spiked to 90°, winds were sustained at 33 mph, gusting to 40 mph, and the humidity dropped as low as 14%. The fire began on Tuesday, June 11, during a record heat wave. Colorado Springs hit 98° on June 10--the city's hottest temperature ever recorded so early in the year. The temperature topped out at 97° on June 11. The extreme heat, combined with the extreme drought gripping the region, made for ideal fire conditions. Fire conditions will not be as dangerous in the Colorado Springs area on Friday, as a weak cold front is expected to pass through the region during the afternoon, bringing cooler temperatures and increased humidity. Strong winds may still be a problem, though.

For more information on this story please see Wunderground.com

Asteroid QE2 an 'Entirely New Beast': The Cosmos is Changing

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Space.com - 6/15/13, Mike Wall

A big asteroid that flew past Earth last month belongs to a new category of space rock, scientists say.

Asteroid 1998 QE2 and its moon sailed within 3.6 million miles (5.8 million kilometers) of Earth on May 31, making their closest approach to our planet for at least the next two centuries. New radar images captured by the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico are revealing just how unique this binary asteroid is, researchers say.

For more information please see Space.com

A rare total eclipse of Jupiter by the Sun on June 19, 2013

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The Watchers, 6/19/13, Chiffre

 

 

Planet Jupiter began the month of June 2013 being positioned very low in the west sky just after sunset. However soon it will disappear into the solar glare, as Jupiter is approaching the Sun for a solar conjunction on June 19, 2013. At that time Jupiter will pass behind the Sun, an event that happens about every thirteen months.

Because Jupiter`s orbit is somewhat ecliptic, it often passes either slightly above or below the Sun, when observed from our planet. Interestingly, on June 19, 2013, Jupiter will pass directly behind the solar disk and get totally obscured by the Sun, which occurs only twice within the planet`s 12-year orbit around the Sun

Link: The Watchers.com

 

 

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