Category: Posts EN

“Fire Volcano” Eruption Continues to Impact Guatemala

Written by Meteo Expert Josef Lukas

The Guatemalan volcano known as “Volcán de Fuego” erupted Sunday morning sending rocks, ash, and volcanic gases high into the sky.

The eruption occurred about 25 miles (40 km) from Guatemala’s capital city and was detectable on NASA’s GOES-East satellite.

NASA GOES-East satellite imagery from the visible channel shows a darker plume over the mountain of Volcán de Fuego late Sunday morning. This darker plume represents ash being thrown high into the air from the volcanic eruption.

A satellite loop from the region clearly detects the eruption. Notice that a pink-looking dot becomes visible just prior to the dark ash plume.

Impacts

The village of San Miguel, which sits 6 miles (10 km) from the volcano, was hit especially hard with many buildings damaged or destroyed.

What makes volcanoes particularly dangerous are pyroclastic flows. These dangerous flows are a mix of hot rocks and volcanic gases that flow down a mountain at highway speeds, according to the Global Volcanism Program (GVP). Pyroclastic flow rates of up to 45 mph (20 m/s) have been observed in the past.

Tweets

Take a lot at the next few tweets depicting impacts and footage from the Fire Volcano.

American Airlines Plane Damaged by Hail in Midair

Written by Meteo Expert Josef Lukas

Severe thunderstorms pelted an American Airlines airbus plane en route to Phoenix with hail on Sunday evening causing the flight to divert to El Paso, Texas.

The plane was carrying 130 passengers and 5 crew members.

Thunderstorms erupted across central and western Texas Sunday afternoon and continued into the evening. Ground-based hail reports of up to tennis ball-sized were reported in the vicinity of where the plane was pelted.

 

Meteorologist Stu Ostro put together some visuals showing the plane’s movement superimposed onto radar imagery. The darker red and purple colors from radar on the top two images are indicative of heavy precipitation, while the white colors on the bottom left image suggest hail was falling.

American Airlines is expected to conduct an inspection on the damaged plane.

Tropical Depression 5 Forms in South China Sea

Written by Meteo Expert Josef Lukas

Tropical Depression 5 (TD 5) formed over the South China Sea this weekend and could become Tropical Storm Ewiniar this week.

TD 5 Expected Track

The Details

Satellite imagery over TD 5 shows the system is rather disorganized due to a moderate amount of easterly wind shear. Some gradual intensification is likely over the next couple of days, however, moderate wind shear through Monday will cap how strong the system can get.

TD 5 is expected to move in a northward direction over the next several days. This trajectory would take the system near or over the Chinese province of Hainan between Tuesday and Thursday.

Wind shear will weaken by the middle of the week allowing a more conducive environment for tropical development. If the center of TD 5 stays mostly out over water, the storm will have to be watched for additional strengthening between Tuesday and Friday.

Regardless of strength, rounds of heavy rain and strong winds are likely across Hainan beginning on Monday and continuing for much of the week. A cold front moving across mainland China will draw moisture from TD 5 northward bringing the risk of heavy rain and flooding to a large area of southeast China.

TD 5’s track later in the week becomes more uncertain. If the cold front picks up the storm, then TD 5 will move in a easterly direction toward Taiwan. However, the TD 5 misses the connection with the cold front, the storm could meander in the South China Sea just off shore.

If the latter scenario pans out, there could be a more significant flooding threat to southern China.

Another Major Storm Targets Western Australia Early Next Week

Written by Team Morecast

 

Residents of Western Australia should brace for more heavy rain and gusty winds early to mid next week as another big storm approaches. The winds and rain will move into the west-central coast late Monday, spreading south and east through Tuesday. Conditions will improve by late Wednesday into early Thursday.

 

 

The heaviest rainfall amounts of 60-120 mm will fall with a slow-moving front over the Gascoyne district. In this region, expect serious flash flooding. Rainfall amounts exceeding 60 mm will also occur over the southwest Capes. More localized flooding will occur elsewhere with amounts 30-60 mm, including the Perth metro area.

The highest wind gusts of 90-120 kph will be measured over the far southwest, especially the wind-prone Capes. Wind gusts of 70-90 kph will affect a much larger area, including Perth. The worst weather looks to hit the Perth metro on Tuesday morning and midday. Lead photo courtesy Wikipedia user Coalcliff.