United Press International’s Post

Why are storms named? What causes extreme storms in the UK? Why was autumn 2023 so stormy in the UK? Will extreme storms become more intense and frequent? Find out from three of our scientists:

There are signs that an Antarctic airmass is on its way to southern Australia later this week, with the potential for fierce winds, snow and rain. https://bit.ly/4eBRuBP

[Marine heatwaves and their influence] The marine heatwave across the Northern Atlantic coincides with the current warmest sea surface temperatures since at least 1982. From Bermuda to the Iberian Peninsula, anomalously strong warmer SST anomaly this winter was attributed to the extensive upper-level ridging with warm air aloft, contributing to the increase in the planetary boundary layer depth and radiative terrestrial heating as air subsided to the surface. A lack of significant cold intrusions from the north allowed the warm residuals to extend from the previous autumn, likely inducing the joint ocean-atmosphere coupling and contributing to the winter heatwave conditions across Iberia and the first 30 °C this January across southern Spain. The warmer sea surface temperatures minimise the cooling effect, even with fresh westerlies - as witnessed during the UK-Ireland marine heatwave in June 2023, and later during the Mediterranean heatwave in July and August 2023, allowing exceptionally high geopotential height values and thickness decrease between the atmospheric layers. However, warmer sea surface temperatures are a perfect fuel for stronger storms due to more thermal energy as we head towards the spring and summer seasons. Conversely, the stronger asymmetric heating in the tropics may imply a much stronger expansion of Hadley cell poleward and perhaps an anomalously strong Azores high this summer - increasing the probability of heatwaves this summer across southern Europe.

Our series of annual reports ends with the #fatalities associated with #severe #weather in 2023. According to the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD), there were 292 severe weather events with 524 fatalities. The 20,000+ fatalities caused by the catastrophic #flooding in #Libya are NOT included in this #statistics . Even without this particular #disaster, most deaths in #Europe and the #Mediterranean are associated with heavy #rainfall, followed by severe #wind gusts and #avalanches. www.eswd.eu European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) Deutscher Wetterdienst, EUMETSAT, Austro Control, GeoSphere Austria, Finnish Meteorological Institute, KNMI - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Croatia Control, University of Karlsruhe, Met Office, Met Éireann, METEO FRANCE, Munich Re, Deutsche Rück Group, Gallagher Re, Marsh, Impact Forecasting LLC, RenaissanceRe, Risk Management Solutions Group, nowcast, FM Global, Arcturus BV, Descartes Underwriting, Riskline, Fermat Capital Management, LLC, Genillard & Co. GmbH, Allianz, PwC #weather #extremeweather #severeweather #2023year #lightning #storms #thunderstorms #tornado #flood #flooding #rain #wind #storm #gale #avalanche #snow #ice #hail #damage #damagerestoration #statistics #insurance #reinsurance #fatality #climate #europe #eswd

This winter has been drier than usual in Western Canada. Fortunately, last week brought snow to a vast area ranging from California to Alberta. But was it enough to close the gap with seasonal normals? We're fortunate to be able to get insights on this quickly with earth observation data. Data from SNODAS by NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration shows that snowpack is still below normal in most of the area of interest shown below, with a few localized exceptions. This type of data can be valuable for situational awareness, and I've used it for several years to be proactive in evaluating spring flood susceptibility variations from year to year.

Injured by #weather? In #2023, 592 severe weather events caused 2057 injuries. Severe #wind gusts were responsible for most injuries, followed by large #hail and #tornadoes! The European Severe Storms Laboratory (ESSL) would like to take this opportunity to thank our great staff working on the European Severe Storms Database (ESWD) for their invaluable commitment in validating each report! NOTE: The #Darnah, #Libya flash #flood is not included here, as it would dominate the #statistics with 7000 injuries per one #event. Data: www.eswd.eu Deutscher Wetterdienst, EUMETSAT, Austro Control, GeoSphere Austria, Finnish Meteorological Institute, KNMI - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Croatia Control, University of Karlsruhe, Met Office, Met Éireann, METEO FRANCE, Munich Re, Deutsche Rück Group, Gallagher Re, Marsh, Impact Forecasting LLC, RenaissanceRe, Risk Management Solutions Group, nowcast, FM Global, Arcturus BV, Descartes Underwriting, Riskline, Fermat Capital Management, LLC, Genillard & Co. GmbH, Allianz, PwC #weather #extremeweather #2023year #lightning #storms #thunderstorms #tornado #flood #flooding #rain #wind #storm #gale #avalanche #snow #ice #hail #damage #damagerestoration #statistics #insurance #reinsurance #climate #europe #eswd

Did you know that satellite imagery can significantly enhance your ability to assess flood damage in real time? Our technology enables #publicadjusters to quickly locate affected properties, ensuring immediate assistance reaches those who need it most. By leveraging our data-driven insights, you can streamline your claims process and start your clients’ recovery efforts. Learn more. https://lnkd.in/gkDgJM-3 #FloodDetection #SatelliteImagery #InsuranceClaims #HurricanePreparedness Source: NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration

Historic torrential rainfall has swept across California, causing dangerous flooding and mudslides for millions of people. We are currently deploying nearly a dozen smart weather balloons every week from our launch site in South Korea to help gather key real-time data in the evolving atmospheric rivers (ARs) in partnership with NOAA: National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration and Scripps Institution of Oceanography. These missions are part of a broader effort to improve AR forecasts and ultimately help everyone prepare for and navigate these severe ARs. As the intense rain continues, here are helpful tips from FEMA on how to safely respond to flash floods 👇 https://lnkd.in/gPq2hUmg https://lnkd.in/gna_irA4

"Katabatic" refers to a type of wind that is typically gravity-driven and flows downhill. These winds occur when dense, cold air descends from higher elevations down a slope due to gravitational force. Katabatic winds can be found in various geographic locations, especially where there are elevated terrains and significant temperature differences between the highlands and the valleys or plains below. Some characteristics and examples of katabatic winds include: 1. **Characteristics**:   - **Temperature**: Katabatic winds are usually cold, as they originate from high, often cooler altitudes.   - **Speed**: These winds can vary in speed, sometimes becoming quite strong, particularly in areas with steep gradients.   - **Time of Occurrence**: They often occur at night when the ground cools rapidly, chilling the air above it. 2. **Examples**:   - **Bora**: A katabatic wind in the Adriatic Sea region, characterized by cold and gusty conditions.   - **Mistral**: A cold wind in southern France that blows from the north or northwest.   - **Santa Ana Winds**: Although often associated with hot, dry conditions in Southern California, they can sometimes exhibit katabatic characteristics when descending from higher elevations.   - **Antarctic Katabatic Winds**: Very strong and persistent katabatic winds that flow off the ice sheets of Antarctica. Katabatic winds play significant roles in shaping local climates and can have important implications for weather patterns, human activities, and natural ecosystems.

We end this week of our annual extreme weather observation reports with heavy #rainfall. More than 8000 reports were submitted into the European Severe Weather Database (ESWD) last year. 2023 featured by far the deadliest weather event stored in the ESWD: the 11 September floods in #Libya, especially in the city of #Darnah (Derna), which caused more than 20,000 fatalities. Please keep in mind that the raw numbers of the ESWD reports alone can't be used to derive #climatological #trends, as this data is not yet homogenized. www.essl.org Deutscher Wetterdienst, EUMETSAT, Austro Control, GeoSphere Austria, Finnish Meteorological Institute, KNMI - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Croatia Control, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Met Office, Met Éireann, METEO FRANCE, Munich Re, Deutsche Rück Group, Gallagher Re, Marsh, Impact Forecasting LLC, RenaissanceRe, Risk Management Solutions Group, nowcast, FM Global, Arcturus BV, Descartes Underwriting, Riskline, Fermat Capital Management, LLC, Genillard & Co. GmbH, Allianz, PwC #weather #extremeweather #2023year #rain #flooding #floods #damage #damagerestoration #flood #statistics #insurance #reinsurance #climate #europe #libya #eswd