It is the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico that bring people to Fort Myers Beach – but on Wednesday afternoon, they unleashed the fury of Hurricane Ian.
The seafront has been levelled – now littered with the remnants of the shops and restaurants that made it a bustling tourist resort.
T-shirts and baseball caps from a souvenir store, pots, and pans from a seafood cafe and glasses from a bar are partly obscured by brown sludge, a reminder of what once was.
A little further down the road, a staircase is all that remains of the orange house on the beach front.
The story of its occupants is told by their neighbour, Ron Shepherd, who watched as the house was lifted from its foundations by a torrent of water.
“I was on the balcony and could see it floating by,” he says.
“There were three people and a dog inside, and we were shouting to them to get out and grab hold of another house that they were passing that was unoccupied. They got out, but they were washed away.
Wyatt and Brooke Jordan stayed in a building just back from the seafront with their four children.
“The water came up pretty fast,” Wyatt said.
“I’ve lived in Florida my whole life, and I’ve never seen anything like this. We went to bed on Tuesday night and thought it was heading for Tampa, and then we woke up, and it was coming for us.”
So many people seem to have been surprised by the path this storm took – but also the vast area it covered and how slowly it moved.
It is this that will result in the highest cost for Florida, both in lives lost and the recovery.
After this week’s “code red” climate report
by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) warned the planet is
warming at a more alarming rate than expected, MPs from both major parties fear
recent flooding is set to get much worse and are calling for more to be done at
both a local and global scale.
The report forecasts rising sea levels,
extreme heatwaves and droughts with only urgent and deep cuts in carbon
emissions able to reverse the rising temperatures.
In Europe, it predicts “extreme
precipitation and pluvial flooding are projected to increase at global warming
levels exceeding 1.5C in all regions except the Mediterranean.”
PoliticsHome spoke to Labour’s Stella
Creasy, whose east London constituency of Walthamstow was hammered by flash
flooding this summer, and the Conservative MP Mark Garnier, whose Wyre Forest
seat in Worcestershire contains the town of Bewdley, which has repeatedly been
devastated by the River Severn bursting its banks after prolonged rainfall.
Two very different areas, facing very
different versions of the same problem, and both are equally concerned about
what the future holds for their areas in light of the IPCC report.
“We need to radically reform how we respond
to extreme weather events in local communities,” Creasy said.
“We don’t have that level of logistical
organisation, because this is new, but it is not going to go away.”
Creasy told us she has constituents “who are actually terrified of the weather because if you see the predicted rainfall you don’t know what the impact will be”. Some have said they avoid watching the weather reports altogether in case there’s more rain predicted.
Walthamstow was one of a number of London neighbourhoods hit by storms last month dumping several weeks’ worth of rain in a matter of hours, flooding homes and Tube stations, closing roads and even leading to one hospital closing to admissions.
“We have underlying issues with our
infrastructure,” Creasy explains. “There are certain roads and places where
it’s very clear that work has needed to have taken place to improve drainage.
“But two weeks ago we had over 100
roads flooded, that isn’t one or two problems from running an antiquated
infrastructure system, but it’s a whole new ballgame of water and variation in
weather, but we are going to have to cope with it.”
Creasy wants to see an end to the
privatisation of water companies and a move to the mutualisation model seen in
Germany, where the firms are not for profit and invest in its infrastructure.
“I think the public has to be part of this,
because it’s not just about running a service, this is about radically
reorganising services to cope with the fact that we’re going to get changeable
weather,” she added.
Creasy also highlighted insurance issues,
with a lack of flood cover leaving people to foot the bill for the “absolute
devastation” left behind.
“I’ve got the 10th-highest level of child
poverty in the country in Walthamstow,” she said. “That is driven by housing so
this is an equality issue for me.”
She fears “the least equipped in our
communities will suffer the most unless there is collective action”.
Flooding may be a recent phenomenon for
Creasy’s London constituents, but it is a depressingly more recurrent one for
Garnier’s in Worcestershire.
In the past three years Bewdley has faced
three consecutive “once in a hundred years” flooding events, and while millions
of pounds have already been spent on protecting the area, homes and livelihoods
have been destroyed. Boris Johnson was heckled by residents as a
“traitor” when he visited the town in 2020.
“Through the millennia we’ve been changing
the way we live due to our circumstances, and the problem with Bewdley is it
was built hundreds of years ago and much of it can’t cope with what’s been
happening,” Garnier explained.
“At the end of the day, you’re going to
have to come up with ways of fighting back. The danger towns like Bewdley and
other places face because of where they are, and the environment is changing
around it, is you need to make a decision about what to do about that.”
Last month the government announced
£6.2million would be spent replacing the temporary barriers at Beales Corner
with a more permanent solution as part of an ongoing record £5.2billion
investment between 2021-27, which will create around 2,000 new flood and
coastal defences to better protect 336,000 properties across England.
Garnier said the current protections have
to be put up well in advance of a potential flood caused by a build-up of water
upstream, meaning locals would be worried just by the forecast of storms, and
massive disruption would be created even if the rain never came.
He welcomes the investment but says more
needs to be done so areas like his can cope with an increase in flooding as the
planet continues to warm.
“Ultimately I think most people will
come to the conclusion that you do not abandon these towns, you protect them,”
he added.
The former minister’s Tory party has
committed to ambitious targets in cutting emissions ahead of hosting the COP26
global climate conference in November, but is facing a backlash from some of
its own MPs with pushes to scrap petrol and diesel cars and switch gas boilers
for more eco-friendly heat pumps.
Garnier, who met with local Extinction
Rebellion climate campaigners the day before the IPCC report came out, said he
understands some of his colleagues’ concerns.
“I think everybody’s concerned about
climate change but I think we have got a bit of a challenge in terms of how do
we bring people along on this journey and how do we make this journey a sustainable
one”, he said.
“You can come up with these ideas but if
you’re going to take somebody’s job away from them, they’ve just been forced to
vote against that.”
He said the government must “work out a way where we can change the economy at a pace that is quick enough to deal with this problem, but also a place where people can understand how their lives will change and where they’re comfortable with it”.
“Ultimately the electorate will determine
the pace at which we move on this, but I do think everybody collectively is
wanting us to move quicker on that,” Garnier added.
Creasy is less equivocal: “We need to move
much further and faster than we have been about reducing targets because that
[IPCC] report is just terrifying.”
“We’re not being straight with the
public about what the choices are that we’re going to face, and the longer we
leave it, the harder it’s going to be,” she continued.
“I think if you treat the public as
children, don’t be surprised if they act like toddlers. Treat the public as
grownups and you involve them and you engage them in the proper conversation.
“I would say that to the campaigners too.
This is not about frightening people, this is about presenting people with a
plan, and the choices that they can make and how quickly we can get there.
Creasy said she had “every confidence” that
the British public were supportive of radical action on climate change.
“They are not daft, and they can see the
benefits to themselves, they can see the benefits to their kids, and they can
see the benefits to their communities,” she said.
“That’s the conversation that should be
taking place, not one that either downplays what is happening, or suggests that
it’s all to do with, you know, some kind of dinner policy agenda about greening
the countryside.”
Fellow
Montserratians I extend warm greetings to all of you.
As we begin the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane
Season, I want us to take some time to reflect on the past year, and how we
have been able to adapt to a world in which COVID-19 has dominated our everyday
lives and actions. It has also
reinforced the need for us to take the necessary precautions to protect
ourselves and our families.
As we enter the 2021 Hurricane Season, we have to ensure that our desire to protect ourselves and our families are amplified to include hurricane precautionary measures to protect not only human life but also our homes, our businesses, and our infrastructure.
The Atlantic Hurricane Season is constant each year; from June 1 to November 30 and Mother Nature does not pause to give us a break because we have been dealing with other matters such as the COVID-19 pandemic; and so, we should not be complacent as it relates to hurricane preparedness.
The
predictions are for another active hurricane season, and while God’s favour and
mercies have spared us over the past few years from any direct impact, I urge
you to not let down your guard.
Regardless of the level of activity predicted, I want to remind you that
it only takes one hurricane to directly impact us and seriously affect us.
Some of us
might believe that a hurricane is not a real threat or assume that we will be
spared because we have not been directly affected in recent years. But, I strongly urge you to take all
precautionary measures to safeguard your families, businesses and communities.
The Government’s work to protect lives and livelihoods continue, and even as we maintain our efforts on COVID-19, we have also been actively preparing for this hurricane season. In fact, the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) has been working with key stakeholders, prior to the start of the hurricane season to ensure steps are taken to prepare for any eventuality.
Our government
Ministries and departments have been updating their hurricane plans and work to
protect our infrastructure has already started as the Public Works Department
has been clearing our waterways to reduce the likelihood of flooding.
As I do every
year, I encourage you to:
Follow the advice from officials at the
Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA) – they are our experts in
disaster preparedness and response.
Stay informed by monitoring communication
channels for official information from Government.
Update your hurricane preparedness plans for
your family and your business. Everyone in your family or business should know
what to do and where to go if impacted, and;
Pack essential supplies in an Emergency Kit.—Supplies should include non-perishable food and water for everyone in your home, medications, sanitisers, face-covering, items for personal hygiene and batteries.
I encourage
you to remember those in your communities who are not as mobile as you are and
need your assistance, the vulnerable, elderly and persons with disabilities,
please lend them a helping hand.
This is La Soufriere, St. Vincent – may remind of Soufriere Hills, Montserrat
The largest volcano on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent is home to La Soufrière erupted beginning at about 8.30 a.m. “Four days shy of its anniversary on the second Friday on April 9, 2021, in spectacular fashion, sending an ash plume shooting an estimated 52,000 feet into the atmosphere and forcing the evacuation of thousands.
The explosion of ash was so large that it was visible from space on weather satellites. Southwesterly winds carried the cloud of ash over northern parts of St. Vincent and over the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean between the islands of Saint Lucia and Barbados, as seen from a photo on the front page.
Throughout the weekend, much of the
island was covered in ash from the eruptions that continued on through Friday
night. By Sunday night, eruptions were firing up again as conditions worsened,
Dozens of residents required rescuing from
the northern part of the island as the new dangers place even more islanders at
risk.
Richard Robertson, a geologist with the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, very well known and remembered having worked for long stints in Montserrat, eventually heading the Montserrat Volcano Observatory, said during a Sunday night news conference that there is evidence of pyroclastic flows, the rush of super-heated gas and debris traveling down the mountainside as fast as 120 miles per hour, in the areas around the volcano.
“These flows are really moving masses of
destruction,” Robertson said. “They just destroy everything in its path. Even
if you have the strongest house in the world, they will just bulldoze it off
the ground.”
The abrupt eruptions continued to launch
debris and a cloud of ash into the air throughout Sunday night, leaving its
remnants scattered throughout the island.
On Saturday, he said the roughly 110,000
residents of St. Vincent, many of whom have already sought refuge on other
islands, should expect to see the largest blast of their lifetimes in the
coming days
“The explosive eruption has started and
it is possible you could have more explosions like these,” he said during a
press conference on Saturday, according to NPR. “The first one is not
necessarily the worst one, the first bang is not necessarily the biggest bang.
Very early Sunday morning, the National
Emergency Management Organization of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (NEMO SVG) said on Twitter that a “massive power outage” was underway following another
“explosive event” of the volcano. The island-wide power outage began just after
1.00 a.m., local time, on Sunday morning as loud rumblings continued to emit
from the volcano, according to News 784 in St. Vincent.
Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves said water supplies to most of the island had been
cut off and its airspace had been closed due to the smoke and plumes of
volcanic ash moving through the atmosphere,
The island had been preparing for the
eruption, but not the magnitude of it. Around 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Gonsalves
announced in a press conference the evacuation order for residents in “red zones” on the northeast and northwest sides of the island.
I have issued an evacuation order to
all residents living in the RED ZONES on the North East and the North West of
the island. All residents are asked to act accordingly with immediate effect to
ensure their safety and that of their families.
The Government-led evacuations
immediately began, but they were to be assisted by nearby cruise line ships, arriving Friday, to help get people to safety.
However, given the ongoing COVID-19
pandemic, evacuations are more complicated than usual.
Gonsalves said in his press conference that people have to be vaccinated before boarding a cruise ship or going to another island. The minister also highly recommended those taking shelter in Saint Vincent be vaccinated.
The La Soufrière volcano on
St. Vincent has had five explosive eruptions in the past, with the most recent
being 1979. There was, however, an uptick in seismic activity more recently in December of 2020.
Gonsalves
urged people to be patient and continue to take precautions as experts warned
that explosive eruptions from the volcano could continue for days or even
weeks, NBC News reported.
In
an interview with NBC Radio, Gonsalves said that it could take up to
four months for life to return to normal, depending on the extent of the
damage. He added that agriculture will be badly affected.
In
extremely powerful volcanic eruptions, the ash and aerosols released in the
eruption can pass through the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth’s
atmosphere, and penetrate into the stratosphere, the second layer of the
atmosphere.
If
enough of the ash and other pollutants released in the eruption make it into
the stratosphere, they can influence the climate around the globe. The boundary
between the troposphere and stratosphere is about 6 miles (10 km) above the
ground, a little higher than where commercial jets typically fly.
Response
was immediate from the region
CARICOM
governments and especially OECS governments immediately responded to these
eruptions by sending and offering assistance to the stricken 16,000 populated
area immediately affected by the continuing explosions and eruptive events.
The
OECS launched the “Stronger Together
Campaign” an Emergency Response for Saint Vincent and the Grenadines” is
an initiative organized by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States
Commission relative to a coordinated approach to assist with relief and
recovery efforts on behalf of our Member State, Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines. Donations are invited from individuals and corporations across the
Caribbean and globally. All funds (100%) raised via this campaign will be
directly transferred to the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
There
is no limit on the value of pledges and contributions. Pledges are invited from
individuals and corporations across the Caribbean and globally.
Montserrat
had earlier sent one of its MVO scientists in the leadup to the eruption.
Christopher Thomas joined other UWI) Seismic Research Center scientists who
included Richard (Richie) Robertson with he worked here in Montserrat, for the
team that monitored the volcano up to its eruption and after.
Government of Montserrat Officials at Warehouse with Supplies for St. Vincent & the Grenadines
On
April 28, 2021 GIU release advised “The Government of Montserrat will deploy a
shipment of emergency relief supplies to help address the immediate needs of
the people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines affected by the ongoing eruption
of the La Soufrière Volcano.
It
informed further: “Twelve pallets of relief supplies from Montserrat’s
emergency stockpile containing 7,200- N95 masks, 400 blankets, 200 cots, 140
helmets, water pump and accessories, eight folding tables and push-brooms, will
be shipped on April 29, 2021. These were to be collected by the vessel MV
Promise Kept to arrive in St Vincent and the Grenadines the following day,
Friday, April 30, 2021.
The relief supplies from the national emergency stockpile managed by the Disaster Management Coordination Agency (DMCA), are designed to meet the basic needs of residents staying in Emergency Shelters, overseen by the National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The move was a follow-up to the GoM’s April 12 announcement that Montserrat will donate humanitarian supplies, contribute $150,000.00 (US$55,555), and establish a local team to provide support to the people of the volcano stricken islands.
Other
islands as reported from OECS headquarters
The
Government of Grenada will provide $1 million in support for the Government and
people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, to help deal with the impact of the
explosive eruptions at the La Soufriere volcano.
Grenada
initially pledged to accept hundreds of Vincentian evacuees if they opted for
relocation and immediately began making arrangements to do so, in collaboration
with St. George’s University. Meanwhile, preparations continue to be made to
host evacuees in the event that persons decide to take advantage of the
opportunity.
These items include drinking water, water tanks, collapsible water bladders, buckets, portable toilets, sleeping mats, field tents, respirator masks with filters, hygiene kits, disinfectants, and sanitisers.
As
the volcanic disaster in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines continues to unfold,
regional solidarity is once again at the forefront of relief efforts.
Antigua
and Barbuda
The
Government of Antigua and Barbuda was among the first and began its response
efforts on Thursday, April 8, 2021 after Prime Minister Hon. Gaston Browne
consulted with his counterpart in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Prime
Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph Gonzalves. It
was at this juncture that Antigua and Barbuda agreed to accept 250 Vincentian evacuees
who would be accommodated at the Jolly Beach Hotel. The gesture was part of a
wider regional response to the developing situation in Saint Vincent and the
Grenadines.
In addition to accommodation, the GoA extended support and services to evacuees. While in Antigua, the Ministry of Health will provide medical support; the Transport Board will provide the necessary transportation for official movement; the Ministry of Education will facilitate the education of students; the security forces will provide security as necessary for the well-being of all, and the Ministry of Works will assist with physical security if necessary.
Donations
from corporate and civic organizations as well as the national warehouse in
Antigua and Barbuda were coordinated through the National Office of Disaster
Services. So far, support has been
received from Mega Distributors, the Lion’s Club, Best Buy, the Rotary Club of
Antigua, Premier Beverages, GCS Bottling Services Ltd, and the Antigua and
Barbuda Red Cross. These donations, which included water, water tanks, housing
supplies, personal care items, mosquito nets, generators, lanterns,
flashlights, and relief kits, were shipped in a 20-foot container on April 12,
2021.
World Bank
The
World Bank disbursed US$20 million to support the Government of Saint Vincent and
the Grenadines’ response to the crisis posed by the La Soufrière volcano
eruption.
The
explosive eruption began on April 8 and has required the evacuation of 20,000
people from the high-risk zones around the volcano, both to other parts of
Saint Vincent and surrounding countries. Explosions are continuing, and the
falling ash is causing air quality concerns and interruptions in electricity
and water supply.
The
funds are disbursed from a contingent credit line from the World Bank, known as
the Catastrophe Deferred Drawdown Option (Cat-DDO), approved in June 2020.
Dominica
The
Government and people of Dominica continue to stand in solidarity with the
people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and reiterates the support of all
Dominicans during the volcanic crisis unfolding on the island, Prime Minister
Skerrit said.
Following an eruptive event of ash flow
Before April 12 he conversed with Hon. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, and offered support to assist with the evacuation of residents during this natural disaster as the Government worked to confirm logistics and make preparations for the accommodation of a group of Vincentians for a period of up to five months.
All
local partners and international organizations on the island are collaborating
with the Government and a national response is being finalized.
He
said also ‘the expressions of concern and outpouring of support for the people
of St. Vincent and the Grenadines have been exceptional and reflects the
kindness and brotherhood we are known for.’
St Lucia sends assists with transporting stranded OECS workers from St. Vincent
Meanwhile, St. Lucia on the receiving end of ashfall assisted with 139 Stranded Agricultural Workers in the wake of the La Soufriere Volcano explosion. They were farmworkers en route to Canada were part of the seasonal agricultural workers’ programme.
It
was reported already that Dominicans have reached out and offered assistance to
house individuals who need to be evacuated from St. Vincent. In this regard, a
special hotline was established for the general public to offer support for
housing or other areas of assistance.
The agricultural workers, 95 Vincentians, 18 Saint Lucians, and 23 Grenadians, were en route to Canada for employment on the seasonal agricultural workers’ programme when their flight from St. Vincent to Canada was canceled. The workers arrived via the Cruise Ship “Serenade of the Seas” on Saturday morning and remained in Saint Lucia for a few days until they were able to board a flight to Canada.
Grenada sends personnel and other support to St Vincent
While wreaking havoc on the lives of residents, many of whom had to evacuate the northern part of the island categorised as the Red Zone, the entire population continued to cope with a myriad of issues, from the destruction of property, livestock, and crops, the presence of volcanic ash which is dangerous to human health, disruptions in telecommunications services to contaminated water supplies. To this end, the Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) came to the aid of the people of St. Vincent with a donation of bottled water.
ECTEL’s Managing Director, Mr. Andrew Millet learned of the urgent need for water. He said, “ECTEL stands in solidarity with the people…We cannot begin to comprehend the distress they must be feeling, having to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic, and now this natural phenomenon.” The matter of further assistance to St. Vincent and the Grenadines was discussed at the 41st Meeting of ECTEL’s Council of Ministers, the result being a donation of 24 pallets of water departed Saint Lucia on Wednesday, April 14, and arrived in St. Vincent on Friday, April 16.
Of 172 runners participating in an ultramarathon through northwest China on Saturday, 21 were killed when severe weather swept through the area.
Freezing rain, hail, and high winds killed 21 ultramarathon runners, including two of China’s elite marathon athletes, during a 62-mile cross-country mountain race in northwest China, local officials reported on Sunday.
“A front moved through the area and that could have caused those strong winds and hail to happen,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Robert Richards said.
“In a short period of time, hailstones and ice rain suddenly fell in the local area, and there were strong winds. The temperature sharply dropped,” Baiyin City Mayor Zhang Xuchen said.
China Xinhua News @XHNews · May 23 China state-affiliated media The death toll has risen to 21 after extreme weather hit a 100-km cross-country mountain marathon race in northwest China’s Gansu http://xhtxs.cn/fk2
Some of the runners suffered from hypothermia, and Zhang said earlier that eight people were being treated for minor injuries and were in stable condition, Xinhua reported.
“My whole body was soaked through, including my shoes and socks. I couldn’t stand up straight because of the wind, I was very worried I’d be blown over. The cold became more and more unbearable,” one survivor was quoted in local media.
At around 2 p.m. local time, weather conditions worsened and the race was called off, Zhang said.
The deaths have sparked public outrage over the lack of contingency planning.
“Why didn’t the government read the weather forecast and do a risk assessment?” one commentator wrote. “This is totally a manmade calamity. Even if the weather is unexpected, where were the contingency plans?”
Baiyin officials bowed and apologized at a news briefing saying they were saddened by the tragic deaths of the runners and that they were to be blamed, Reuters reported.
“As the event’s organizer, we feel a deep sense of guilt and self-blame, express our deep mourning for the victims and deep condolences to their families and the injured runners,” Zhang said.
“The weather appears to be dry for the next few days there,” Richards said.
By Jake Sojda, AccuWeather meteorologist & Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published May. 22, 2021
It begins. The official start to hurricane season is more than a week away, but the first-named storm of the season formed early Saturday morning as Subtropical Storm Ana took shape over the Atlantic Ocean, east of Bermuda. AccuWeather forecasters had been monitoring an area of low pressure since early in the week and on Saturday, the system organized and was packing sustained winds of 45 mph.
Satellite view of Ana pinwheeling in the Atlantic northeast of Bermuda Saturday afternoon, May 22. (RAMMB/CIRA)
Ana developed 200 miles northeast of Bermuda early Saturday morning. As of Saturday afternoon, Ana is slowly moving northeast at around 5 mph.
Friday, before it reached tropical storm strength, the area of low pressure being watched was dubbed Invest 90L by the National Hurricane Center. A second area with the potential for further tropical development, known as Invest 91L, became better organized early Friday in the western Gulf of Mexico before moving inland over Texas early Saturday morning and ending its chances for development.
Satellite showed clouds becoming more organized around the center of low-pressure east of Bermuda early Friday, May 21, 2021, indicating the development of tropical characteristics. (RAMMB/CIRA)
Since Invest 90L strengthened, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) named it Ana, the first name on the list of the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season.
Ana developed from a system that earlier this week was a non-tropical storm associated with a pocket of cool air high up in the atmosphere. However, occasionally, over time, features such as this can acquire tropical characteristics, provided ocean water is warm enough to allow such a transition. When this happens, subtropical depressions or storms can be named by the NHC.
AccuWeather meteorologists do not expect Ana to develop into anything stronger than its current status. However, as it brushes Bermuda, breezy conditions with showers are likely to impact the island nation.
“Heavier rain and stronger winds will stay to the northeast of the islands,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty explained.
The flurry of activity comes a year after the Atlantic hurricane season, which later turned hyperactive, began early with two systems developing before June 1.
Tropical Storm Arthur formed southeast of Florida on May 16 last year, and Tropical Storm Bertha was named after a non-tropical system rapidly strengthened over the western Atlantic, off the Georgia coast, on May 27. The tropical storm crashed ashore near Isle of Palms, South Carolina, a few hours after forming. Bertha unleashed locally flooding rainfall and dangerous rip currents and surf along the coast.
The 2020 season went on to become the busiest on record with 30 named systems. There were so many storms that the Greek alphabet was tapped to name nine different systems once the pre-designated list of names for the season had been exhausted — a naming convention that will no longer be used by the National Hurricane Center (NHC). A record 11 tropical systems made landfall in the United States in 2020.
The last time the name Ana was used to name an Atlantic storm, it was given to another pre-season storm that developed in the basin. In 2015, a subtropical storm formed from a non-tropical system — in a manner similar to how Ana formed — north of the Bahamas. The system went on to strengthen into a tropical storm while over the warm waters of the Gulf Stream on May 9 about 130 miles southeast of Myrtle Beach. It made landfall near North Myrtle Beach in South Carolina the next day.
In 2012, Tropical Storm Beryl also followed a similar evolution from a non-tropical system, becoming the earliest B-named storm when it became a subtropical storm on May 26. The next day it transitioned into a tropical storm and then made landfall near Jacksonville, Florida, on May 28. With maximum sustained winds of 65 mph at landfall, Beryl was the strongest out-of-season tropical cyclone to make landfall in the United States.
In any event, direct impact on the U.S. is not expected with Ana.
Ana is expected to be pulled northward and absorbed by a non-tropical system that is forecast to emerge from the southeastern coast of Canada early next week.
Many may wonder whether the early signs of development could signal a busy season ahead, since a similar trend occurred in 2020, and AccuWeather forecasters say there may be some echoes and similar trends to last year, albeit with less non-stop action.
“We are expecting another very busy Atlantic hurricane season for 2021,” Kottlowski said.
“There is the potential for more than 20 named storms this season in the Atlantic with three to five impacts anticipated in the U.S,” Kottlowski said.
Several tropical systems may continue to churn over the basin from mid-October through November, which is a time when tropical conditions typically diminish. How active the season gets or remains may depend on the return of La Niña.
La Niña is part of a cycle of water temperatures in the tropical Pacific that oscillates between warm and cool patterns. When waters are cooler than average over the tropical Pacific, known as La Niña, the Atlantic is often more active than average in terms of tropical activity. On the other hand, when waters are warmer than average over the tropical Pacific, known as El Niño, the Atlantic is often less active than average.
Currently, water temperatures are relatively close to average over the tropical Pacific, with a neutral phase present. Conditions are expected to remain in this state well into the summer season before a La Niña pattern may develop again. The timing of that transition will be key to just how active the season becomes.
Back in late March of this year, AccuWeather’s team of tropical weather experts, led by Kottlowski, released its annual forecast for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season. The team predicted 16-20 named storms, including seven to 10 hurricanes. Of the storms projected to reach hurricane strength, three to five are expected to become major hurricanes — Category 3 or higher storms that have maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater.
By Courtney Travis, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Apr. 12, 2021, 7:48 AM AST Copied
Hours after an initial eruption of the La Soufriere volcano on the
Caribbean island of St. Vincent, a second explosion was reported,
resulting in a massive plume of smoke and ash.
The largest volcano on the Caribbean island of St. Vincent erupted on Friday in spectacular fashion, sending an ash plume shooting an estimated 52,000 feet into the atmosphere and forcing the evacuation of thousands.
Through the weekend, much of the island was covered in ash from the eruptions that continued on through Friday night. By Sunday night, eruptions were firing up again as conditions worsened.
Dozens of residents required rescuing from the northern part of the island as the new dangers place even more islanders at risk.
A man rides his bicycle along the main Black Rock road, covered with ash coming from the eruption of La Soufriere volcano in the neighboring island of St. Vincent, on the outskirts of Bridgetown, Barbados, Sunday, April 11, 2021. (AP Photo/Chris Brandis)
Richard Robertson, a geologist with the University of the West Indies Seismic Research Centre, said during a Sunday night news conference that there is evidence of pyroclastic flows, the rush of super-heated gas and debris traveling down the mountainside as fast as 120 miles per hour, in the areas around the volcano, NPR reported.
“These flows are really moving masses of destruction,” Robertson said.
“They just destroy everything in its path. Even if you have the
strongest house in the world, they will just bulldoze it off the
ground.”
The abrupt eruptions continued to launch debris and a cloud of ash into the air throughout Sunday night, leaving its remnants scattered throughout the island.
On Saturday, he said the roughly 110,000 residents of St. Vincent, many of whom have already sought refuge on other islands, should expect to see the largest blast of their lifetimes in the coming days
“The explosive eruption has started and it is possible you could have more explosions like these,” he said during a press conference on Saturday, according to NPR. “The first one is not necessarily the worst one, the first bang is not necessarily the biggest bang this volcano will give.”
The volcano on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean appears to be erupting again with several plumes in the last few hours. pic.twitter.com/2BgHXe7jF9
The volcano on the island of St. Vincent in the Caribbean appears to be erupting again with several plumes in the last few hours. pic.twitter.com/2BgHXe7jF9
Very early Sunday morning, the National Emergency Management Organization of St. Vincent and the Grenadines (NEMO SVG) said on Twitter that a “massive power outage” was underway following another “explosive event” of the volcano. The island-wide power outage began just after 1 a.m., local time, on Sunday morning as loud rumblings continued to emit from the volcano, according to News 784 in St. Vincent.
The Prime Minister of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Ralph Gonsalves said water supplies to most of the island had been cut off and its airspace had been closed due to the smoke and plumes of volcanic ash moving through the atmosphere, according to the BBC.
St. Vincent is a volcanic island located in the Lesser Antilles of the
Caribbean and is home to La Soufrière, its largest volcano.
The NEMO SVG reported later in the morning that the ash plume had reached about 5 miles (8 km) into the air, and ash had fallen at Argyle International Airport. A NOAA-SSEC satellite estimated that the ash traveled an astonishing 52,000 feet into the atmosphere, or about 10 miles up.
Photo from the explosive eruption that occurred at La Soufriere, SVG at 8:41 a.m. local time. Ash has begun to fall on the flanks of the volcano and surrounding communities including Chateaubelair and Petite Bordel. (Photo/UWI Seismic ReasearchCentre)
The explosion of ash was so large that it was visible from space on weather satellites. Southwesterly winds carried the cloud of ash over northern parts of St. Vincent and over the waters of the western Atlantic Ocean between the islands of Saint Lucia and Barbados.
NEMO reported that the ash was extending at least 20,000 feet (more than 6 km) to the northeast of the volcano.
This GOES-16 true-color satellite loop shows what the La Soufriere volcano eruption looked like from space on the morning of April 9, 2021 (GOES-16/NOAA)
Geologist Richard Robertson told News 784 in St. Vincent on Friday that the volcano had returned to a quieter period, but more eruptions are expected to follow.
A second eruption occurred later Friday evening, NEMO reported, jettisoning ash over 2 miles into the atmosphere.
Ash venting resumed at La Soufrière at around 2:45 p.m. local time, the UWI Seismic Research Center reported Friday evening, and lightning could be seen in the ash column. Continuous tremors have been recorded since 3 p.m., and the center noted that the volcano continues its explosive phase which may last several days to weeks.
Friday afternoon, lightning was visible in the volcano’s ash column due to its highly charged nature. (Photo/UWI Seismic Research Centre)
”If there is a much bigger explosion, the ash can spread further to the south,“ Robertson said, adding that, “This could continue for days or weeks, and monitoring will continue.”
As seismic activity continued and became more intense, with magma visible near the surface later on Thursday, the country’s National Emergency Management Organization raised the island’s alert level from orange to red, according to NPR, meaning that eruption was considered “imminent”.
Smoke spews from the glowing dome of the La Soufriere volcano in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Thursday, April 8, 2021 (right), and the resulting eruption (left) on Friday, April 9, 2021. (Photos/The UWI Seismic Research Centre)
Around 6:00 p.m. Thursday, Gonsalves announced in a press conference the evacuation order for residents in “red zones” on the northeast and northwest sides of the island.
I have issued an evacuation order to all residents living in the RED ZONES on the North East and the North West of the island. All residents are asked to act accordingly with immediate effect to ensure their safety and that of their families. pic.twitter.com/AJQlCDtOPg
I have issued an evacuation order to all residents living in the RED ZONES on the North East and the North West of the island. All residents are asked to act accordingly with immediate effect to ensure their safety and that of their families. pic.twitter.com/AJQlCDtOPg
I have issued an evacuation order to all residents living in the RED ZONES on the North East and the North West of the island. All residents are asked to act accordingly with immediate effect to ensure their safety and that of their families. pic.twitter.com/AJQlCDtOPg
Gonsalves said in his press conference that people have to be vaccinated before boarding a cruise ship or to go to another island. The minister also highly recommended those taking shelter in Saint Vincent be vaccinated.
According to CNN, the La Soufrière volcano on St. Vincent has had five explosive eruptions in the past, with the most recent being 1979. There was, however, an uptick in seismic activity more recently in December of 2020.
Gonsalves urged people to be patient and continue to take precautions as experts warned that explosive eruptions from the volcano could continue for days or even weeks, NBC News reported.
In an interview with NBC Radio, Gonsalves said that it could take up to four months for life to return to normal, depending on the extent of the damage. He added that agriculture will be badly affected.
In extremely powerful volcanic eruptions, the ash and aerosols released in the eruption can pass through the troposphere, the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, and penetrate into the stratosphere, the second layer of the atmosphere.
If enough of the ash and other pollutants released in the eruption make it into the stratosphere, they can influence the climate around the globe. The boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere is about 6 miles (10 km) above the ground, a little higher than where commercial jets typically fly.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Joe Biden (Photo illustration by Salon/Getty Images)
President Joe Biden proposed a $2 trillion federal spending package on Wednesday that would revamp the country’s crumbling infrastructure, taking specific aim at pollution, job creation, housing, and corporate taxes. But many on the left who have championed the Green New Deal say the president’s plan isn’t big enough.
“This is not nearly enough,” tweeted Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y, regarding the size of the bill. “The important context here is that it’s $2.25T spread out over 10 years. For context, the COVID package was $1.9T for this year *alone,* with some provisions lasting 2 years. Needs to be way bigger.
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“I think it’s a step towards our vision of a Green New Deal,” Ellen Sciales, a spokesperson for Sunrise Movement, echoed.
“But the truth is this does not meet the scale and the scope of what we
need to meet the true scale and urgency of the climate crisis.”
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, likewise called the bill a “fine starting point.”
Under Biden’s current proposal, the federal government would, among other measures, allot $621 billion to transportation infrastructures such as bridges, ports, and roads; put $580 billion toward American manufacturing, job training, and research and development; designate $400 billion to care for elderly and disabled Americans; invest $300 billion into constructing and repairing affordable housing, as well as schools; infuse the U.S. electric vehicle industry with $174 billion, and dedicate $5 billion to repair every lead pipe and service line nationally.
“These are investments we have to make,” Biden said of the bill on Wednesday. “We can afford to make them. To put it another way — we can’t afford not to.”
However, many progressive Democrats have already proposed a spate of separate bills designed to expand the bill’s scope of influence. For instance, Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Andry Levin, D-Mich., introduced a bill that would subsidize the purchase of sustainable products made in America.
The Progressive Congressional Caucus on Monday floated the Transform, Heal and Renew by Investing in a Vibrant Economy (THRIVE) Act, which calls for a $10 trillion investment in green infrastructure, renewable energy, and other climate justice measures over the next decade. The bill heavily addresses racial inequality and dedicates 40% of federal investments to minority groups that have been “excluded, oppressed and harmed by racist unjust practices.”
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“We are facing a series of intersecting crises,” Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass, the bill’s co-sponsor, said. “Climate change, a public health pandemic, racial injustice and economic inequality. We can’t defeat any of these crises alone. We must develop a roadmap for recovery that addresses them all.”
An analysis conducted by the Sierra Club, an environmental nonprofit, found that the THRIVE Act would generate 15 million jobs. The bill is part of a broader push spearheaded by Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, who unveiled the THRIVE agenda when she was representative for New Mexico. According to Data for Progress, Haaland’s agenda drew broad support from Americans, especially swing voters.
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“We need a plan that will end the unemployment crisis, but we need this plan to also fight systemic racism, protect public health and drastically cut down on climate pollution,” Markey said. “We cannot go back to business as usual. We have a chance to truly, in this moment, to build back better and greener than ever before.”
Jon Skolnik
Jon Skolnik is a staff writer at Salon. His work has appeared in Current Affairs, The Baffler, AlterNet, and The New York Daily News. MORE FROM Jon Skolnik • FOLLOW @skolnik_jon
Year after year, particularly in the spring and fall Americans lament Daylight Saving Time, an antiquated way of adjusting the time to help preserve as much light as possible. Many believe it was due to the U.S. agrarian society, but according to the History Channel’s factoids, the agriculture industry actually opposed it.
Germany was the first country to implement the idea on April 30, 1916, and the U.S. first did it in 1918, with Congress attempting to repeal it in 1919.
Sens. Marco Rubio (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Ron Wyden (D-OR), Cindy Hide-Smith (R-MS), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Ed Markey (D-MA) are all endorsing the Sunshine Protection Act, according to a release. Fifteen states have changed their Daylight Saving Time rules and dozens more are also considering doing it. States include Arkansas, Alabama, California, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming.
The time was once isolated to just a few states, but now that there are more states it can create more confusion. The growing list of states is causing more problems as Americans start traveling again and have no idea whether a state is observing the time change or not.
Billionaire Elon Musk said he was working ‘at the absolute most amount ... from morning til night, seven days a week’ when asked about his recent acquisition of Twitter and his leadership of automaker Tesla https://reut.rs/3Euu1T7
