Tag: news

Record Flooding Swamps U.S. State of Mississippi

Written by Team Morecast

After months of relentless rains across the southern United States, significant flooding is underway throughout the region, with the state of Mississippi being the hardest hit. Particularly noteworthy is the flooding in and around Jackson, Mississippi. Here, the Pearl River has come over it’s banks, and has inundated large swaths of the city. On Monday the river crested at 36.67 feet(11 meters), which is the third highest crest ever recorded at that location.

According to the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, hundreds of homes have been damaged due to the flooding. Numerous water rescues have been performed by authorities as several feet of water lies above the streets. Many residents have turned to boats as the only reliable means of transportation. Reports of fish, and even alligators swimming in the flood waters have been quite common. Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves declared a State of Emergency over the weekend, while in neighboring Alabama, a State of Emergency was declared on Tuesday, ahead of forecasts for heavy rain there.

Mississippi is not the only state experiencing flooding. Many rivers, creeks, and streams across the South are at or above flood stage. Flooding along the Tennessee River in Tennessee was accompanied by landslides. This winter has been extremely wet across the South, and in many cases record amounts of rain have fallen. With more rain expected in the coming days, widespread flood watches are in place.

Extremely Rare Snowfall Blankets the Iraqi Capital of Baghdad

Written by Team Morecast

 

For only the second time in a century, residents of Baghdad, Iraq awoke Tuesday morning to a coating of snow. Accumulation was mainly restricted to grassy and elevated surfaces like car rooftops. Traffic disruption was minimal. However, children were able to participate in the kinds of activities, like throwing snowballs and building snowmen, that kids in other countries take for granted. The snow and temperatures near or below freezing were less enjoyable for the hundreds of thousands of homeless refugees from the conflicts in Syria huddled into tents in Baghdad and points north.

 

 

Wintertime temperatures in Baghdad are more typically in the teens and 20s (deg C). Temperatures near or below freezing are very rare. Rarer still is the combination of cold temperatures and sufficient moisture. Only one other time in the past century has any snow been recorded in Baghdad – that was in 2008 and a only a slushy dusting. By contrast, Tuesday’s snows reached a respectable 3-4 cm. And despite the fact that the snow was mostly melted by midday Tuesday, residents both young and old can now happily claim to have seen the white stuff in their own hometown.

From Fires To Floods; Sydney, Australia Receives Deluge Of Rain

Written by Team Morecast

Following months of dry and hot weather, the heavens opened up over over eastern New South Wales during the past few days. The city of Sydney was brought to it’s knees as a barrage of heavy rain and flooding inundated the city, and surrounding metropolitan area from late last week through the weekend. Staggering rainfall amounts ranging from 150-400 mm(6-16 inches), which have not been seen since the 1990s,smashed records throughout the region. The rains were accompanied by strong winds and coastal flooding, as an east coast low left much of the area reeling. This has prompted the Insurance Council of Australia to declare a catastrophe in eastern New South Wales. Current claims are at $45 million, and are likely to climb in the near future.

An evacuation order remains in place for many neighborhoods in and around Sydney as rivers, creeks, and even lagoons have come over their banks. Street flooding due to drainage systems not being able to keep up with the excessive rainfall has been very prevalent as well. 200 water rescues have been performed since the weekend in Sydney alone, mostly due to motorists driving into flood waters. One dramatic rescue involved a 16 year old boy who was fishing along the Allynbrook River.

Wind gusts of over 100 kph(62 mph) rocked the region. This led to thousands of trees being toppled, which then led to widespread power outages. At the peak, around 140,000 customers were without power, but close to 100,000 remain in the dark as power crews work feverishly to restore it. Massive train delays and school closures is what welcomed Sydneysiders this morning. Numerous landslides have been reported, with more expected in the coming days, as soils in areas previously burned by the recent bushfires have become transient after the heavy rain.

Coastal flooding due to the presence of King Tides combined with a stiff onshore wind, has left many coastal communities under water. Waves as high as 8 meters(26 feet) contributed to significant erosion along the beaches. The waves were strong enough to pull a buoy off of Collaroy Beach off of it’s moorings. These effects are very similar to what is expected during a tropical cyclone.

Despite the wave of destruction unleashed upon the region, there are a few positive outcomes from all the rain. One for which is a substantial drop in the number of active fires. Before the rains there were 62 active fires, and now there are just 38. One particular fire, known as the Currowan Fire, is finally extinguished after burning 500,000 hectares(1.2 million acres) over a 74 day period. Another beneficial result of the rain is that Sydney’s water supply is now nearly 75% full after being at 43% just last week. This will stave off the threat of water restrictions which had been looming in the wake of the recent drought.

Tropical Cyclone Damien Strikes Northern Western Australia

Written by Team Morecast

Considerable damage has been reported in the Pilbara region of Western Australia due to Tropical Cyclone Damien, which is the third cyclone to affect the area this year. The storm made landfall near Karratha on Saturday night as a category 3, with winds of 205 kph(127 mph). 10,000 people are currently without power as a red emergency alert remains in place for the area, and residents are being urged to stay inside their homes until the authorities give the Ok to come out again.

Damien brought destructive winds, storm surge, and torrential downpours to the region. Crews are still surveying the damage, but no deaths have been reported thus far. Rainfall totals have averaged 200-250 mm(8-10 inches), and many roads were flooded. A considerable amount of homes have sustained at least some damage, with destroyed roofs being the most common form of destruction.

Despite Damien being downgraded to a category 1 storm with winds currently at 92 kph, the threat for more damage still looms as the storm moves further south into central Western Australia in the coming days. Flooding rains, with possible totals near 200 mm(8 inches), and strong wind gusts, up to 140 kph (87 mph)will be the main hazards going forward until the storm completely diminishes early next week.