Tropical Ida is trying to get in on top of the radar, as opposed to under the radar before the season winds down. It’s near Nicaragua now.

Ida is the 9th storm of the season, down a bit and sending the global warming/climate change alarmists into a frizzy.

The most current info here.

Come back for updates.

After already having faced two powerful typhoons, the Ketsana and the Parma, the Philippines is now getting ready to face another typhoon. The category 4 typhoon Lupit is forecast to strike the Philippines on October 22 at 00:00 GMT. The Lupit has center winds at about 175kph, while wind gusts could go as high as 210kph.

The previous typhoons have affected the northern provinces, submerging 80% of the capital region and farmlands, and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to be displaced. Damage from these typhoons has been marked at $579 million in crops and infrastructure.

To prepare for the storm, local government officials have been asked to prepare for pre-emptive evacuation of residents. Evacuation may be required for those in low-lying areas, especially near the shoreline. The impending storm will likely destroy mobile homes, small homes near the shore, and poorly constructed signs, while damaging trees, foliage, small residences and larger structures. Authorities have already dispatched helicopters, rubber boats and engineering units to respond quickly to the situation.

Source: AlertNet

Hurricane Rick is now an “extremely dangerous” category five storm, according to officials from the National Weather Service.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 180 mph, with higher gusts. While fluctuations in intensity are likely during the next 24 hours, Rick is expected to remain an extremely dangerous hurricane for the next day or two.

Officials expect Rick to remain offshore of the southern coast of Mexico over the weekend. As shown in the 5-Day forecast (above), it is predicted to strike the Baja California Peninsula early Wednesday morning.

Rick is likely to generate large swells–and potentially dangerous surf conditions –along the southwestern coast of Mexico during the next few days.

Source and Image: National Weather Service

Super Typhoon Parma to hit Philippines on October 3

Meteorologists have warned that Typhoon Parma is forecast to gather its strength in the Western Pacific and strike the Philippines on Saturday, October 3rd, at about 00:00 GMT. A super storm at first, Parma has been upgraded to the typhoon status on Thursday when it started heading to the island nation with winds blowing at 240 kph (150 mph).

Following on the heels of Typhoon Ketsana that churned the country last weekend affecting more than 2 million, leaving hundreds dead and most of Manila under water, Typhoon Parma is expected to bring sustained winds to the region of more than 260 km/h (163 mph).

Warnings are that the storm surge will be more than 5.5 metres (18 feet) above normal levels, roof failures on many residences and industrial buildings are expected, while structures located less than 4.6 metres (15 feet) above sea level and within 460 metres (500 yards) of the shoreline are expected to experience major damage.

The US Navy and Air Force Joint Typhoon Warning Center data have suggested that the point of landfall where Typhoon Parma will strike will be close to 16.9 N, 123.1 E.

Data source, AlertNet.

This video, posted earlier today on YouTube, shows the incredible damage in Leone, American Samoa. Houses were washed away. Cars were left stranded in trees. Bloomberg is now reporting that at least 141 were killed. “You can imagine the sheer force,” the narrator says.

In this second video from the Wall Street Journal, Simon Louisson from Dow Jones Newswires in New Zealand, describes the damage and reports that New Zealanders prepared for the possibility of a tsunami strike.

Yuo can see more videos and a slideshow from American Samoa here.

Sydney Shrouded by Worst Dust Storms in 70 Years

Australia is experiencing its worst dust storms in more than 70 years.

Atlanta is flooded. Denver is expecting its worst snow fall ever this early in the year. What’s up with all the havoc?

Airports are being closed, international flights are being diverted as dust clouds from east Australia’s dry interior, dried up from the worst drought on record, pick up tons of topsoil and throw it high into the sky, carry it hundreds of miles and cover cities with it.

Sydney also experienced hail storms and mini-heat-waves, not to mention wildfires.

The dust storms are the most severe since 1940s, reaching as far as New Zealand from southern Australia – 1,400 miles (2,220 km) away.

It  reminds me of an old kangaroo joke – why do kangaroo moms not like when it rains or in this case dust storms?

Answer – because the kids have to play inside.

If you have asthma, heart or lung disease, stay inside and keep your medicine and inhalers handy.

Images courtesy of avlxyz, nswmaritime, praveenmt (1 + 2), yewenyi, devinapereira.

Lake Lanier

With massive amounts of rain on Sunday and last night, things have gone from bad to worse in Northern Georgia where serious flooding have taken two lives already and caused serious damage. Meanwhile, the Army Corps of Engineers is keeping an eye on Lake Lanier where the water levels have risen four inches since Saturday – although not a risk for the moment, with several feet below full pool.

On Monday morning, the Northern Georgia floods have killed an as-yet-unidentified woman. While driving on Lawrenceville Highway in Gwinnett County, the whirling waters swept her off the road and strained her under water. Another man in Douglas County was found into a flooded river, downstream from the place his car was cleared from the road.

Schools and businesses near the Atlanta metro area Gwinnett, Douglas, Carroll and Paulding counties, have been closed. Let’s hope for less rain …

The National Hurricane Center issued its first advisory for Tropical Storm Danny today at 11 a.m.

Meteorologists have warned that the winds have topped 45 mph and that the storm is moving to the west-northwest at 18 mph.

If forecasts are to be correct, Danny will slowly strengthen during the next couple days, and is expected to hit the East Coast of the United States (mainly from eastern North Carolina northward) over the weekend.

That means that if the activity becomes more collocated with the center, any impacts on the East Coast would be expected Friday into Saturday.

Keeping you updated …

Claudette is gathering steam and the winds are increasing to near 85kmh (50+mph).

The winds are expected to hit the northern Gulf Coast of Florida.

They are moving north-west at about 19kmh.

Claudette appeared earlier today in the Gulf of Mexico. The storm popped up in relatively short order as compared to most Atlantic hurricanes. The hurricanes usually begin farther off the US coast.

The storm was located about 50 miles west of Apalachicola, Florida and  95 miles south-east of Pensacola, Florida.

Look out Bermuda, here I come at 135mph.

Folk on the east coast of the US can also expect some serious swells followed by rip currents for a few days.

Bill’s wind sheer is light and the waters are warm – just the right recipe for growing in strength.

For more on Bill see -

Hurricane Bill – Projected Path and Updates