Windstorm on the West Coast

Winds have finally subsided out west where a major windstorm has left widespread damage across the region. The windstorm started from a rare combination of a high pressure system in Seattle and a low pressure front in the Southwest that was funneled through the mountains. Wind strengths of up to 167 miles per hour were allegidley recorded in south California near Henniger Flats. This is more than 20 miles per hour stronger than a category four hurricane. Obvious consequences were of toppeled trees, powerlines, and roofs.

There is no deffinate answer as to why thsi rare and epic difference in pressures occured. I find it interesting thought that they do think this traces back to the backbone of what seems to be of many recent natural disasters - Global Warming. A super hazard at its finest, global warming seems to be at work again by altering the time of the year they are at their peak, from fall to winter.



http://www.climatecentral.org/blogs/freak-gusts-during-western-wind-storm/

Fukushima Nuclear Disaster Blamed for Contaminated Baby Formula

The Fukushima power plant in Japan experienced Japan's worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl, on March 11, 2011 after the 9.0 earthquake and subsequent tsunami tore through the country. The power plant was hit hard and ultimately sent plumes of radio active toxins across the country, along with other radioactive waste that may have leaked from the buildings broken structures.

Months later this disaster is being blamed for heightened amounts of cesium found in batches of baby formula. Developing children are particularly sensitive to mutagens especially the effects from radiation. Although the amount of cesium found during these tests was well below the governments safety regulations, a parent isn't going to care about that stipulation.

Media outlets are frequently reporting on the problems Japan's food sector now face because of the March, 11 disasters. Since then there have been heightened traces amounts of radioactive elements in many Japaneses products that were produced within proximity of the Fukushima power plant. Although most of the bans on Japanese food products have been lifted the stigma still continues and so does the number of products being found effected.

The Japanese government  is working to develop technologies to reverse the effects on the surrounding land. A project to be fully launched in January, is working to basically decontaminate the soils within the 12 mile evacuation zone surrounding Fukushima. This will include an attempt to replace all of the top soil in an area roughly the size of Connecticut. Its too early to say whether the tens of thousands of people displaced will be able to return at the completion of this project, or the amount of those people who would want to.

http://globalspin.blogs.time.com/2011/12/07/irradiated-baby-food-spotlights-ongoing-woes-for-japans-food-sector/

Japan's Devestating Tsunami is Named the First "Meged Tsunami"

We all remember the catastrophic earthquake and tsunami that occurred on March 11, 2011, that devastated Japan, with a death toll of up to 16,000 people and entire towns wiped off the map. These events also led to a nuclear disaster at the Fukushima power plant.

Obviously a 9.0 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami would tear apart anything in its path, but Ohio state and NASA scientists have recently come out with evidence that explains how the power of these disasters were extraordinary, in the worst possible way. Satellite images were able to capture the tsunami as it began and they show that two massive wave fronts were created by the earthquake, not a single wave as usually occurs. These two waves were pushed together as they hurtled towards shore by underwater ridges and mountains. This phenomenon doubled the size and power of the tsunami and ultimately the devastation it brought to Japan.

Although scientists have suspected an event like this was very possible for decades, they didn't have any hard evidence until now. Three separate satellites happened to be in the right place at the right time to capture the images of the tsunami. From these findings scientists will now be able to better predict, where, when, and at what severity a tsunami will hit, ultimately enabling them to speed up warnings. Although Japan has one of the best tsunami warning systems in the world, less developed countries that are prone to tsunamis can greatly utilize this breakthrough.

http://timethemoment.files.wordpress.com/2011/11/atokata_03.jpg?w=735

 http://ecocentric.blogs.time.com/2011/12/06/tsunami-revelations-scientists-discover-that-the-japanese-tidal-wave-was-a-merged-tsunami-the-first-ever-observed/#ixzz1gUAUg7Dd

 

Leak at Fukushima

 A 45 metric ton leak of radioactive water was discovered at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan on Sunday. Workers discovered the stagnate body of water inside a barrier adjacent to a mechanism that is used to purify sea water that is used to cool the reactors that were damaged in the catastrophic earthquake and consequential tsunami in March. This particular water isn't suppose to be released into the Pacific Ocean but crews are still working on figuring out if any cesium 137 contaminated water reached the sea.

This leak was ultimately caused by the dual disasters that struck Japan on March 11, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake and a subsequent tsunami, that killed 15,000 people. These also caused major damage to the Fukushima nuclear plant and caused worry throughout the country that a major technological disaster would be created, and it was. It was deemed a level-7 nuclear disaster event, but for a long while the plant seemed to be under control. This is one of the few recent events related to that major technological disaster and hopefully it's the last.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/12/05/world/asia/japan-radioactive-water-leak/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

Chevron Oil Spill Of the Coast of Brazil

On November 7th a crude oil platform belonging to the Chevron Corporation, off the coast of Brazil near Rio de Janeiro began leaking oil into the Atlantic. The Chevron Co. was not quick to admit the extent of the spill and attempted to make it seem less extreme than it really was. This may contribute to the lack of air time given that was given to this environmental disaster in mainstream media.

Throughout the duration of the leakage the corporation was attempting to prevent a lawsuit by saying the leak was merely "infrequent droplets". This statement is undoubtedly false, especially after you consider that at the end of the spill the surface water contained 5,000 to 8,000 barrels of crude oil, with more that may still be rising to the surface.

This spill, and many more like it, are cases of incompetence and could have easily been avoided with careful safety inspections that are suppose to be in place already. Brazil is currently attempting to sue the Chevron Corporation for $28 million if its apparent that the spill was a result of incompetence in execution of its emergency plan. Brazil's Federal Police are also investigating the spill, and say those responsible for the spill could face up to 5 years in jail.



http://globalvoicesonline.org/2011/11/23/brazil-chevron-oil-spill/
http://www.cnn.com/2011/11/21/world/americas/brazil-oil-spill/index.html?iref=allsearch

Winter Season Gives Small Relief to Texas Drought

In the middle of November, federal weather forecasters released their annual predictions for winter weather throughout the united states. This prediction gives Little relief to the drought stricken state of Texas who set a record for the state's driest 12 consecutive months in September.

The predicted weather for this winter seems to be much of the same as we've seen in recent years. Mounds of snow, great for the ski resorts in the Rocky's but continuing dry conditions for the south. This weather pattern is being drawn out by La Nina storm patterns in the pacific ocean, which is basically a giant pool of unusually colder-than-normal water in the equatorial Pacific that consequently extends weather patterns across The U.S.

For Texas, a dry winter after an almost year long drought could make for an even more disastrous spring. The winter usually brings recharge to the land in the southwest united states because landscaping and agriculture is at a minimum and the soil is allowed to take up moisture as the reservoir levels rise once more. A dry winter will lead to another season of failed crops, and plummeting economic conditions.

Below: A map released by the NOAA, showing that the Texas drought was expected to continue.



http://www.climatecentral.org/news/partner-news/winter-forecast-offers-little-hope-for-texas-drought-relief

Update: Bangkok Flooding

Flood waters have breached their restraints and have brought their tragic effects to Thailands captial, Bangkok. After weeks of planning, constructing, and hoping the cities external and internal technologies could no longer hold off the flood waters that have burdened the majority of the rest of the country for a long time now. Bangkok's officals have been attmepting a calm face up until very recently and are now actively asking people to evacuate while they try to salvage parts of their city and assist the flood waters in receeding any way possible.

In one of the hardest hit areas of the city, several dykes failed and flooded 3 northern districts destroying 90% of the homes and displacing thousands. Similar situations are being faced in many areas of Bangkok. The prime minister, Shinawatra, was newly elected when the floods began to make their first appearance and at first she encouraged the general population to not fret becasue she was confindent in the cities defenses against floods like these. But lately she seems to have taken a more developmental approach to this envronmnetal disaster. She was quoted in saying, "It seems like we're fighting against the forces of nature, massive floodwater that is causing damage to several of our dykes... The truth is, we need to let it flow naturally out to the sea, and what we can do now is to manage it, so that it flows slowly, otherwise everybody will suffer."

They are trying now to speed up the rate at which the flood waters are flowing out of the city and into the sea. Helping the water takes its natural course, seems to be the only way to go about it now, but helping speed up the process so the city and its people can begin their recovery is essential as well.

Below: "Thai people sit on sand bags in front of their house surrounded by floodwaters in Bangkok on October 27, 2011."

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2011/10/27/bangkok-floods_n_1034699.html?ref=extreme-weather