Category Archives: Weather

Nor’easter could ruin holiday travel plans

A winter storm that originally began in the south has slowly been moving towards the northeast, threatening holiday plans for many. The storm has left a wet mess in the south and is expected to leave snow and ice in the northeast from Tuesday afternoon until Wednesday night, according to CNN. From flooding in Arizona, snow in Colorado, and heavy winds in New Mexico, the storm is expected to bring something large to the northeast areas. Most of the interstates in the northeast will be covered in ice making it dangerous to drive, and airlines  are beginning to reschedule flights as many holiday travelers are trying to get home to their families.

A man in Texas attempts to move a tree off of his car. 11/26/13 Photo By: CNN

A man in Texas attempts to move a tree off of his car. 11/26/13 Photo By: CNN

“So far, the forecast seems to be pointing toward a nuisance storm, from our perspective, one that’s not going to result in severe cancellations, but more so, delays,” said Rob Yingling, Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesman.

This winter storm is one that is more severe than people realize. It has already caused so much damage in many of the southern states, and could cause the same amount as it heads north. Many major airlines are offering flight exchanges for people if they would like to leave earlier or later between the storm. Hopefully, this storm will turn out to be nothing, but it is predicted to be large.

 

 

 

Jimmy Kimmel interviews Al Gore

TV host Jimmy Kimmel interviews Al Gore about his new initiative relating to global warming and climate change. Gore is a hosting a tv segment called 24 Hours of Reality that discusses what is really happening in the world in relation to climate change.

UPDATE: One missing Washington hiker has been found

As previously mentioned earlier in this blog, missing hiker, Alejandra Wilson, 23, was located on the Pacific Crest Trail Saturday afternoon. She was spotted walking the trail, after being stranded by the snowstorm. Wilson waited until the weather improved before hiking out. The other missing hiker, Kristopher Zitzewitz, 31, has still yet to be found, as reported by The Washington Post. The search for Zitzewitz has officially been suspended until further information becomes available.

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest where Kristopher Zitzewitz was last seen. 10/3/2013 Photo Credit: Lee Siebert/Smithsonian Institution

The Gifford Pinchot National Forest where Kristopher Zitzewitz was last seen. 10/3/2013 Photo Credit: Lee Siebert/Smithsonian Institution

“The Coast Guard guys were right on track. They did a good job. She wasn’t able to make herself visible,” but their presence “gave her real confidence,” Town said.

Considering the weather in area where Wilson was found, it should be a relief to many that the search and rescue teams were able to even find her. However, with the search for Zitzewitz officially suspended, if he is still alive out there he probably won’t last much longer. He has been missing since September 28, so the chances of him surviving in the forests are slim, but maybe the teams could have at least attempted a couple more days, since they were unsure if they were going to be able to find Wilson, but managed to save her.

Tornado hits Puyallup, Washington

A rare tornado hit Puyallup, WA on Monday morning, destroying buildings and tipping a train over, as reported by King5 News. The tornado was an EF1, 75 yards wide and was on the ground for about five minutes traveling at 110 mph. Even with all the damage caused within such a short time, no injuries were reported.

An old barn in Puyallup, WA destroyed by the tornado. 9/30/2013 Photo Credit: Clark County Fire District No. 3

An old barn in Puyallup, WA destroyed by the tornado. 9/30/2013 Photo Credit: Clark County Fire District No. 3

“My first instinct, I thought it was an earthquake. Honestly, I never heard of weather like this, at least in Washington state,” said Kirk Ransden, who was inside Northwest Door when a tornado ripped across the factory, the length of several football fields.
“We were in the building and it sounded like a vacuum starting. It was really loud, kinda high pitched. A big boom and I saw a ripple through the ceiling and then everything came through, then water starting pouring,” he said.

Although there were no physical injuries from the tornado in Washington, it injured the city in another way. The amount of damage to buildings and homes  will take months to fix. Not to mention, the evacuation and destruction of the Northwest Door Factory and power outages throughout the area.
Washington has tornadoes every year, but they are normally small  and barely cause damage. However, the biggest one that has caused deaths occurred in 1972 in Vancouver, WA, according to the Weather Channel.