Great earthquake rocks Chile; NYC gets 4th greatest snow ever; Xynthia batters Europe
A great earthquake with magnitude 8.8 rocked the coast of Chile at 6:34 GMT this morning, generating a potentially dangerous tsunami that is racing across the Pacific Ocean. The great quake is the 7th most powerful tremor in world history (Figure 1). Preliminary tsunami wave heights for the California coast near Santa Barbara are 2 - 2.5 feet. The wave is expected to arrive between 12:15 - 12:35 pm PST. The tsunami is expected to arrive in Hawaii between 11:05 - 11:42am HST, with a wave 8.2 feet high expected in Hilo, on the Big Island. A tsunami from the 9.5 Magnitude 1960 earthquake in Chile killed 61 people in Hilo. Today's quake was so strong, that it triggered a seiche in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, over 4,500 miles (7,000 km) away. The lake sloshed back and forth, creating a wave 0.4 - 0.51 feet on either side of the lake.
Figure 1. Wikipedia's list of strongest earthquakes of all-time.
Preliminary tsunami amplitude forecasts:
La Jolla, CA 2.3 ft
Los Angeles, CA 2.0 ft
Malibu, CA 2.6 ft
Pt. San Luis, CA 2.3 ft
Half Moon Bay, CA 2.6 ft
Crescent City, CA 1.7 ft
Morro Bay, CA 2.2 ft
Santa Monica, CA 3.3 ft
San Francisco, CA 0.7 ft
Pismo Beach, CA 4.6 ft
Hilo, HI 8.2 feet 11:5am HST
Honolulu, HI 1.6 ft 11:37am HST
Kahului, HI 7.2 ft 11:26am HST
Nawiliwili, HI 3.0 ft 11:42am HST
Haleiwa 1.6 ft
Kawaihae 2.0 ft
Port Orford, OR 0.7 ft
Moclip, WA 1.3 ft
Seward, AK 1.3 ft
Stika, AK 1.3 ft
Kodiak, AK 2.3 ft
Tofino, British Columbia 1.7 ft
Today's great quake occurred at the boundary between the Nazca and South American plates about 325 km southwest of the capital Santiago (population 5.3 million). The depth was estimated at 35 km. At least four aftershocks of magnitude 6 or higher have occurred, the largest being a 6.9 aftershock. Fortunately, the area close to the epicenter is relatively sparsely populated, but there may be heavy damage in Concepción (est. pop. 300,000) and Chillan (est. pop. 170,000), which lie 115 km and 100 km to the south of the epicenter, respectively.
Figure 2. NOAA's preliminary forecast of tsunami wave energy for today's earthquake. Image credit: NOAA Tsunami Warning Center.
New York City slammed with its 4th largest snowstorm on record
The snow from the fourth extreme snowstorm to wallop the Northeast U.S. this winter dumped a remarkable 20.9" of snow on New York City's Central Park yesterday and Thursday. This is the 4th largest snowstorm for the city in recorded history. According to the National Weather Service, the top ten snowstorms on record for New York City's Central Park are:
26.9" Feb 11-12, 2006
26.4" Dec 26-27, 1947
21.0" Mar 12-14, 1888
20.9" Feb 25-26, 2010
20.2" Jan 7-8, 1996
19.8" Feb 16-17, 2003
18.1" Mar 7-8, 1941
17.7" Feb 5-7, 1978
17.6" Feb 11-12, 1983
17.5" Feb 4-7, 1920
The storm also helped New York City set a new all-time snowfall record for the most snow ever recorded in a month--36.9". The old record was 30.5", set in March 1896. However, the old Lower Manhattan WB Station recorded 37.9" in February 1894. Yesterday's snowstorm puts New York City's snow for the 2009 - 2010 season at 51.4", making it the 11th snowiest winter since 1869. Chris Burt, author of Extreme Weather, lists the city's all-time seasonal snowfall record at 81.5", set in the winter of 1867 - 1868. This measurement came before official records began in Central Park, and were done be the NY Park Commissioners (see "Annual Report NY Park Commissioners", 1868, by John B. Marie). The second snowiest winter in NYC occurred during the winter of 1995 - 1996, when 75.6" fell.
Destructive Winter Storm Xynthia battering Portugal and Spain
A powerful 969 mb low pressure system named "Xynthia" is rapidly intensifying of the coast of Spain, and stands poised to deliver a devastating blow to Portugal, Spain, and France today and tomorrow as it powers through Europe. Sustained winds of 60 mph (96 km/hr) were reported today at a Personal Weather Station in Costa del Morte, Spain. The pressure fell to 969 mb as Xynthia passed overhead. For comparison, Winter Storm Klaus had a minimum pressure of 967 mb. Klaus, which hit northern Spain and southwest France January 23 - 25, was Earth's most costly natural disaster of 2009, causing $5.1 billion in damage and killing 26. Models predict that Xynthia will continue to intensify today, reaching 962 mb as it moves into the west coast of France Sunday morning. Sustained winds of 50 - 65 mph (80 - 105 km/hr) with hurricane-force gusts up to 100 mph (160 km/hr) are possible along the north coast of Spain tonight and the west coast of France on Sunday as Xynthia barrels through. The storm is also bringing an exceptionally moist plume of tropical moisture ashore, as seen in precipitable water imagery from NOAA (Figure 4). This moisture is likely to cause moderate to severe flooding in portions of Europe over the weekend.
Figure 3. Visible satellite image at 12 GMT of Xynthia.
Figure 4. Satellite measurements show a region of extremely high atmospheric moisture is associated with Winter Storm Xynthia. This moisture will surge over Portugal and Spain today, potentially creating serious flooding. Image credit: Sheldon Kusselson, NOAA/NESDIS.
Links to follow:
Wundermap for Northwest Spain
Spanish radar
Meteo-France
Portugese radar
Jeff Masters
the BIG one
Taken in Manhattan
This cottage was no match for 65 mph wind and an old pine tree.
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* From correspondents in Concepcion
* From: AFP
* March 01, 2010 8:58AM
A COMBINATION of geography, comparative wealth and disaster readiness is why Chile's massive earthquake won't come close to Haiti's calamitous toll, even though it was much stronger, experts said.
Saturday's 8.8-magnitude quake, the seventh most powerful on record, struck central Chile some 325km south of the capital Santiago and 115km north-northeast of the second largest city of Concepcion.
So far the death toll is over 700 and rising, although President Michelle Bachelet, in announcing the newest figures, warned the toll would climb with hundreds of people still missing.
Haiti, the poorest country in the Americas, was struck January 12 with a 7.0-magnitude quake - hundreds of times weaker than the one in Chile - but the epicentre was just 24km from the overflowing capital Port-au-Prince.
The most recent estimates put the toll there at over 220,000 dead, with President Rene Preval warning the final figure could reach 300,000, making it the worst natural disaster in modern history.
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Seismically speaking, comparisons between the tremors are irrelevant because the situations at their fault lines were so different, experts said.
But put in geographic context, the two earthquakes show how events of different strengths at varying distances from densely urban areas can have vastly different outcomes.
The epicentre of Chile's earthquake was 35km below the ocean floor, with the seabed absorbing a large portion of the shock - although it did trigger a tsunami that threatened the entire Pacific region.
At a depth of only 10km, it was the Haiti quake's shallowness that proved so catastrophic, according to experts.
This proximity to the surface amplified the vibrations and caused far more damage to densely-packed urban areas near the Haitian capital.
The epicentre of Chile's quake also was almost five times farther away from the second city of Concepcion than Haiti%u2019s quake was from Port-au-Prince.
"The difference between the Chile quake and Haiti was not only that the epicentre of the Haiti quake was closer ... but also that Chile was better prepared than Haiti for a quake of this magnitude and intensity," University of Colorado geology expert Roger Bilham said.
Since May 1960's record 9.5-magnitude quake that left over 2000 dead, successive Chilean governments have ensured moves towards robust construction standards.
While Saturday's quake still constitutes a major disaster, Chile's widespread adoption and enforcement of modern, seismic-resistant building practices "has mitigated the potential for devastation," according to US risk modeling firm EQECAT.
Following Haiti's quake, engineering experts blamed lax building standards in the Caribbean nation for having exacerbated the disaster.
When the quake struck, apartment blocks and smaller homes simply crumbled to the ground, trapping thousands under rubble and burying thousands more alive.
P.S
Click here if you want to see the latest picture taken by Spencer Tunick. It was all done this morning, 5200 people.
Just saying.
Sorry for being a pest.
No can do, until later. On the road. Sry.
Ozone requires a lot of organic compounds, many of which are in short supply without tree transpiration, a.k.a. winter. That and sunlight, another part that is reduced. Not a good metric. Particulate pollution is probably up in the NE right now. Boston is notorious for it.
Either team deserved it... it was a well played game. I would not have felt to bad if Canada lost it... the US played very well.
Is this better? ;)
lol
We did do a first, two actually
1) Most gold medals ever won by a host country (when we got 11)
2) Most gold medals ever won by a country (14)
It already did the other day.... now we will get a winter storm :(
"... at some scale composting isn't realistic?" At what scale is that? You like burning leaves, go for it. No need to make things up to try and justify your behavior to me. But if you think your pollution somehow stays confined to your little football field, you have a lot to learn about atmospheric physics.
I guess if you choose to live in the state with the 4th highest rate of cancer death in the country you probably have a different perspective on things. Still can't understand putting your children at risk, but that's just me, I guess.
I live out in the country.
Yes...there is a young child that lives across the street and just up the road from me.
I can't afford a mulching mower.
My heartfelt congratulations to our neighbors to the north.
If you saw where I lived you would understand. My yard slopes down to a lake. The only way to grow grass is to buy sod grass. I simply don't have the money.
Here's what I need to buy....
there is no other better place to be informed than here. by scared i mean for others having to endure an active hurricane season. mother nature has not been kind lately.
thanks stormw!
LOL...except my 52 year-old knees are paying for it.
Yeah...beautiful day today. I love working outside.
except I'd probably take the leaves home, and put them in my compost bin. :)
Saturday
Mostly sunny. Highs around 67.
Saturday Night
Partly cloudy. Lows 38 to 42.
Sunday
Partly cloudy. Highs around 68.
Hawk!!!!!
For some reason I always thought you were younger...guess that proves me wrong. LOL
I use to be younger.
With the negative NAO still persisting, I'd expect yet another push of cold air next week just as tens of thousands of spring breakers are headed for our beaches...CPC still calling for below-normal temps on 6-10 and 8-14 day forecasts.
Hope they are okay. I have cousins that live in Chile, but thankfully we heard from them and they are fine. Keep your fingers crossed...
I hope their okay. Maybe it's just the communication lines that are down?
Surprising that I haven't seen the outpouring for donations for Chile like I saw for Haiti.
Kind of swept under the rug compared to Haiti.
I have many huge Oaks, and Maples, and others, and I don't rake at all.
I do have a mulching blade (inexpensive)but don't really need it to make dirt from leaves.
I do try my best to make dirt of the fire ants too, but that does not work well for the blades. LoL
Just my take :)
It won't take that long. This El Nino was known from the start to be a short one, since it is just a rebound spike from the PDO going cold. Take a look at the European SST model cluster...it puts us at center-neutral by June:
Yep you are correct. Here is a 10 day loop about to update and it appears it will stay cold for the next several days in the south...
Rain triggers deadly floods in Haiti
At least eight people have been killed in floods triggered by heavy rain in Haiti, officials have said.
The deaths occurred in or near the southeastern port city of Les Cayes which was swamped by more than 1.5m (5ft) of water.
Officials said buildings affected included a hospital and a prison where more than 400 inmates were evacuated.
About a million Haitians are still homeless following January's earthquake which killed up to 230,000 people.
The floods have come several weeks ahead of Haiti's traditional rainy season.
"The situation is grave... whole areas are completely flooded. People have climbed on to the roofs of their homes," local senator Francky Exius told AFP news agency.
Witnesses said some homes had collapsed and people were fleeing for safer areas.
At least two people are reported missing in the floods. One report puts the death toll at 11.
Staff at the flooded hospital in Les Cayes moved patients to the safety of higher floors, reports say, while UN peacekeepers helped police to evacuate the jail.
Les Cayes lies on a peninsula 160km (100 miles) west of the capital Port-au-Prince.
It was unaffected by the earthquake, but its 70,000 population has been swollen by survivors fleeing from earthquake-hit areas.
Canada is standing by and ready to provide "any necessary assistance" to Chile after the country was rocked by a powerful earthquake Saturday morning.
Prime Minister Stephen Harper released a statement to the media offering support and sympathies to the people of Chile.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Chile as they respond to this emerging natural disaster," he said.
"Canadian officials in Santiago and Ottawa are currently assessing the situation to clarify the extent of the damage as well as to determine the potential impact on Canadians who are currently in Chile."
Foreign Affairs Minister Lawrence Cannon said at a news conference Saturday afternoon that Canada is ready to send Chile stockpiles of supplies to help the country recover from the 8.8-magnitude tremor.
But Cannon ruled out sending Canada's military disaster assistance response team, better known by the acronym DART.
Chilean officials have declared a state of catastrophe, but as of Saturday afternoon had not made any formal requests for international assistance.
"First we need a request from the Chilean government and at this moment we don't have that. Normally if this demand was made, we could bring assistance in collaboration with (relief) organizations in South America," Cannon said in French.
At least 214 people have been confirmed dead following the quake. However, one government official said the unofficial death toll may have topped 300 and was expected to rise further.
Status of Canadians
There were 1,100 registered Canadians in Chile when the earthquake struck. Sixty registered Canadians are in the city of Concepcion, which is about 115 kilometres away from quake's epicentre.
Cannon said there is no word on any Canadian casualties. Government officials are trying to contact Canadians there, but the earthquake has made it hard to communicate, he said.
"Communications are extremely sporadic. Wireless communications are sketchy, hard communications lines down as well," Cannon said. "Once we have communication and things are stabilized, then once we can go out and retrieve as much information as possible."
Family and friends of Canadians in Chile who are seeking information on their loved ones can call Ottawa's emergency operations centre at 1-800-387-3124 or 613-943-1055.
Canadians in Chile needing emergency consular assistance can try to contact the embassy in Santiago at (56) 2-652-3800.
They can also call DFAIT's Emergency Operations Centre collect at 613-996-8885 or send an email to sos@international.gc.ca.
There are an estimated 40,000 people of Chilean descent living in Canada. Many Chilean organizations have been busy trying to relay information to Canadians with family or friends in the disaster-struck Andean nation.
"We have many, many people calling, calling, calling," said Ledda Urbani, vice-president of the Quebec Chilean Association, in Montreal. "But there's no communication by telephone."
"Nobody is sleeping since this happened," she added. "Some don't have electricity. It's terrible."
With telephone lines down, social networking sites became one way family and friends learned about the condition of their loved ones.
"I can't believe Facebook has been so useful," said 27-year-old Torontonian Vince Rozas. "All of my cousins have been on Facebook. That's how we've gotten our news."
Charities preparing
Meanwhile, Canadian relief organizations were making plans to help Chileans.
Global medic, a Toronto-based charity, said it is deploying an advanced team from Haiti, where volunteers were helping that nation recover from last month's devastating earthquake.
"The team will focus on restoring access to clean drinking through the provision of water purification units, and the distribution of water purification tablets," Matt Capobianco said in a news release Saturday afternoon.
He said a medical team is also on standby.
Canadian Red Cross senior manager Jean-Pierre Taschereau said Chile is much better equipped to deal with the disaster than is Haiti, which suffered a devastating quake in January.
You're ALLOWED to do that in your municipality? GEEZ.
That was in Hilo, and I watched for a few seconds and it looked like a few tsunami "waves" (probably just segments of one wave) partly moved together into one line.
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