Renewed flooding in Sri Lanka kills 11, affects 1.05 million
Renewed flooding in Sri Lanka due to heavy monsoon rains has killed at least 11 people and inundated the homes of 1.05 million people over the past week. The floods occurred over the central, north, and east portions of the island, and have the potential to devastate the rice crop and cause hundreds of millions in damage. Many of the areas affected were also hard-hit by January's 100-year flood, which killed 43 people, affected over 1 million people, and did at least $500 million in damage. Those floods destroyed 21% of Sri Lanka's rice crop. Heavy rains from the annual northeastern monsoon are common in the region from December through February, but this year's rains have been enhanced by the strong La Niña event occurring in the Eastern Pacific. According to the United Nations, the rains in January in Sri Lanka were the heaviest in nearly 100 years of record keeping. The flood that resulted was a 1-in-100 year event, according to The U.N. Global Disaster Alert and Coordination System. Rainfall at Batticaloa, Sri Lanka, during the 42-day period December 1 - January 12 was 1606 mm (63"), which is about how much rain the station usually receives in an entire year (1651 mm, or 65".) Satellite estimates of rainfall over Sri Lanka for the first week of February show that up to 12 inches (300 mm) of rain has fallen. The latest rainfall forecast from the GFS model projects that a tropical disturbance (91B) near Sri Lanka will bring an additional 1 - 3 inches of rain to the flood area this week, so the flood waters will be slow to recede.
Figure 1. AP video of the latest flooding in Sri Lanka.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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"PWAT
Precipitable Water - measure of the depth of liquid water at the surface that would result after precipitating all of the water vapor in a vertical column over a given location, usually extending from the surface to 300 mb."
Precipitating can mean any non-vapor form of water falling to the ground. I'm pretty sure I know my basic meteorological terms up and down.
I do when I agree with it. I don't go with Wiki when I disagree. It's just the way I am. I think I have see you quote Wiki once or twice.
LOL, good one.
You are getting that confused with "panic mode"
The power of suggestion. Be back in a minute.
The anomaly chart is labeled "Surface PW". Not sure how that is measured but would expect it to be a low value given the dry, somewhat stable surface air that has been the rule over the gulf coast. There is moisture present but not much at/near the surface.
Just a thought.
Go to bed!
No mention of the 60-year reanalysis graph? I see no global warming-induced moisture increase there.
And saying that they don't attribute these recent winters to global warming is bologna. They always bring it up whenever some major weather event happens. A couple years ago (before the record snowfall winters) I heard nothing but stories from climate scientists about snow disappearing.
This is true, but if it is questionable I always check their legitimate sources at the bottom of their page first. And yes, that is something I failed to do before posting when I checked what the mass of the Earth's atmosphere was. I didn't double-check until after the fact, and look at what that got me into that day.
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/stereo/main/index.html
Pretty cool stuff, live no less :)
135--- 2% of what when?
No.........
I don't know, but an extremely small fraction of the atmosphere's total water vapor content is contained above 500mb (~6km).
I remember that night well. Some were a little too relentless. We all goof up sometimes. I did once in 1962. J/K You're doing OK, Levi, but open your mind to all possibilities. When I would give my students debate subjects, I would always assign a subject to which they did not believe and made them argue the pro side and vice versa. It worked out well. They learned much more from arguing the opposite side since it made them more open to argument. It is commendable that you have a strong stance. However, there always exists the other side may have some credence as well. When I was 20, I thought I knew everything. That didn't actually happen until I was 40. LOL
Sorry, I got called away...
But, LOL!
I understand. However, I think there are more than enough people on the "other side," don't you? More than enough. I think I'll just chill over here on the other side of the class for a while and try to keep it balanced, something that is becoming very difficult to do.
So the Imodium really does work?
hehehehhhh.
Nice weather again today.
Max temp 88f
20 mph winds easterly (big waves, to 12 feet in open waters)
Occasional showers.
Great visibility.
Bliss!
When did I ever speak of the "world" or the entire global climate? Please tell me that. You're putting words in my mouth again, and I don't appreciate it.
ftp://ftp.ngdc.noaa.gov/STP/SOLAR_DATA/SOLAR_IRRADIANCE/ACRIM3/ACRIM%232002GL016038%20Secular%20tot al%20solar%20irradiance%20trend%20during%20solar%20cycles%2021%E2%80%9323.pdf
1. The Turkey Point Nuclear Power Plant was hit by the severe part of Hurricane Andrew and yet, it wasn't significantly damaged and a bigger disaster was avoided. How so?
2. From Wiki:
The highest recorded surface gust, within Andrew's northern eyewall, occurred at the home of a resident about a mile from the shoreline in Perrine, Florida. During the peak of the storm, a gust of 212 miles per hour (341 km/h) was observed before both the home and anemometer were destroyed. Subsequent wind-tunnel testing at Clemson University of the same type of anemometer revealed a 16.5% error. The observed value was officially corrected to be 177 miles per hour (285 km/h).
Since Andrew was so powerful, what if it was 212 mph?
I was thinking that as well.
It is discussed here and specifically in the notes section, 13 and 14 :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Containment_building
"The Turkey Point Nuclear Generating Station was hit directly by Hurricane Andrew in 1992. Turkey Point has two fossil fuel units and two nuclear units. Over $90 million of damage was done, largely to a water tank and to a smokestack of one of the fossil-fueled units on-site, but the containment buildings were undamaged."
Like you, I believe that gusts were over 200 mph in Andrew. That hurricane was way too powerful and compact not to have 200+ mph gusts.
you make me sick...
MOSCOW – A website affiliated with Chechen rebels has released a video in which insurgent leader Doku Umarov claims responsibility for last month's deadly suicide bombing at Russia's largest airport and threatens more bloodshed if Russia does not leave the region.
Yahoo
But Wilma was bad, too. It was no Andrew but worse than we expected. I swear that storm had TWO eyes.
.
Yeah, she rocked. How you doing hydrus? Saw you sneaking in.
Prepared jointly by the U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA,
Space Weather Prediction Center and the U.S. Air Force.
Updated 2011 Feb 07 2200 UTC
Joint USAF/NOAA Report of Solar and Geophysical Activity
SDF Number 038 Issued at 2200Z on 07 Feb 2011
IA. Analysis of Solar Active Regions and Activity from 06/2100Z
to 07/2100Z: Solar activity has been at very low levels for the past
24 hours. Region 1153 (N15W56) produced several low level B-class
events. Region 1153 showed an increase in areal coverage, sunspot
count, and magnetic complexity.
IB. Solar Activity Forecast: Solar activity is expected to be at
very low levels with a slight change for C-class activity for the
next three days (08-10 February).
IIA. Geophysical Activity Summary 06/2100Z to 07/2100Z:
The geomagnetic field has been at quiet levels for the past 24 hours.
The greater than 2 MeV electron flux at geosynchronous orbit was at
high levels throughout the period.
IIB. Geophysical Activity Forecast: The geomagnetic field is
expected to be at predominantly quiet levels for the next three days
(08-10 February).
Not to mention that Andrew was moving at a relatively swift forward speed while traversing southern Florida. As such, the wind speed would be enhanced along the eastern half of the storm.
Most certainly did.
hehehehehhh
Here, have a sip of this.
Make you feel better in no time at all....
It is the funniest.
The red arrow in the plot, points toward the noon meridian.
Yes, and one of them being trying to find someone to go outside and hold one of those things.
Personally, I think Andrew remains very close to those of us who experienced it. Never do I want to see anything like that again.
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