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Δευτέρα 20 Οκτωβρίου 2014

Gonzalo: First Hand Account in Bermuda, Next Stop: the United Kingdom

Gonzalo (Atlantic Ocean)
October 20, 2014
MODIS image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 19 at 1500 UTC (11 a.m. EDT), the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured this visible image of Hurricane Gonzalo east of Newfoundland, Canada.
Image Credit: 
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
Fallen trees in Bermuda from Gonzalo
Fallen trees littler the grounds at Fort Scaur, an historical landmark in Bermuda. Fort Scaur was built in 1870 and is located in Somerset, at the western end of Bermuda. Credit:
Image Credit: 
Camille Haley
Downed trees in Bermuda after Gonzalo
Downed trees in front of Dangelini’s coffee shop on Front Street, Hamilton, Bermuda, near the Hamilton Ferry Terminal.
Image Credit: 
Camille Haley
GOES-East image of Gonzalo
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured a visible image of the storm on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) that showed it in the North Atlantic, blanketing eastern Canada and stretching east over open waters.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Gonzalo: First Hand Account in Bermuda, Next Stop: the United Kingdom
Hurricane Gonzalo departed from Bermuda leaving power outages, downed trees, and damaged homes and buildings. An on-the ground account of the storm indicated the eye passed over the island. By Oct. 20, post-tropical storm Gonzalo was approaching the United Kindgom, sparking severe weather warnings.
By Sunday, Oct. 19 Gonzalo was affecting eastern Canada. Forecasters expect Gonzalo to hold together over while traveling east across the North Atlantic where it will affect Scotland as an extra-tropical storm on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
Camille Haley was former NASA intern and is now a resident of Bermuda. She provided an account of her experience as Hurricane Gonzalo struck the island on Oct. 17.
"Light rain and wind slowly strengthened during the mid-afternoon, as Gonzalo approached Bermuda," she said. "At around 4:00 p.m. local time the wind and rain intensified by the minute. On a typical day, we can see the ocean from the veranda but there was no visibility within 100 feet at this point. I saw an electric wire fall in the neighbors’ backyard; it continued to spark for hours. Trees were bending, branches were snapping and leaves were blowing everywhere. We were surrounded in darkness as the electricity in the area had gone out. Candles, flashlights and occasional strikes of lightning were our only light source.
Suddenly there was a strange silence. The wind and rain had come to a complete stop. Curious, I opened the front door to feel a smothering heat. The sky was clear and all that could be heard was the whistling sound of what seemed like a million tree frogs. The eye of the storm had arrived. If I had not known that the eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was going to approach us, I could have assumed that the storm had passed. Thankfully during this time, we were able to get a phone call through to my Aunt who lives in Boston. She was able gave us an update on what was predicted to come next. Without warning the wind roared fiercely followed by harsh rain. The second half of Gonzalo arrived with ferocity. In my opinion this was the worst part. I barely slept fearing that the front door and windows were going to implode. The howling sound of the wind was haunting.
The next morning the sky was clear and the ocean was calm. Although my neighborhood didn’t suffer much damage, other than a few electric wires falling, other areas of the island had fallen light poles, wires and trees, crushed fences and walls. Some homes had roofs that fell in or came completely off. I’m amazed at how many trees were uprooted or fallen over across the island."
By October 18, Gonzalo had moved north of Bermuda and was headed toward eastern Canada.
Between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. on Oct. 19, a weather station on Cape Race, Newfoundland reported a sustained wind of 41 mph (67 kph) and a gust of 55 mph (89 kph).  St. Johns Newfoundland recently reported a wind gust of 45 mph (72 kph).
At 8 a.m. EDT on Sunday, Oct. 19, Gonzalo was still a hurricane over the cold waters of the north Atlantic. A tropical storm watch is effect for Arnolds Cove to Chapels Cove, Newfoundland, Canada.
.On Sunday, Oct. 19 at 8 a.m. EDT, Gonzalo's center was near latitude 47.6 north and longitude 50.1 west. NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured a visible image of the storm on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) that showed it in the North Atlantic, blanketing eastern Canada and stretching east over open waters. At that time, Gonzalo was moving toward the northeast near 52 mph (83 mph). Gonzalo moved quickly away from Newfoundland into the North Atlantic. Maximum sustained winds were near 85 mph (140 kph) and gradual weakening was forecast.   
Just three hours later the MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible image that showed Hurricane Gonzalo had moved more than 150 miles further east from Newfoundland, Canada than when the GOES image was taken.
On Oct. 19 effects from Gonzalo were still being felt in many places because of dangerous ocean conditions. Large swells, now waning, were affecting the Virgin Islands, the northern coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, portions of the Bahamas, portions of the United States east coast, Bermuda and Atlantic Canada.
By Sunday night Gonzalo and become an extra-tropical cyclone with a cold core center (instead of a warm center like a tropical cyclone) as the National Hurricane Center expected.
Gonzalo is expected to affect Scotland on Tuesday, October 21 as an extra-tropical storm, packing heavy rains and gusty winds.
On Monday, Oct. 20, the U.K. Meteorological Service issued a National Severe Weather Warning for the U.K.: "The remains of Hurricane Gonzalo are running across the Atlantic, reaching the UK on Monday night, bringing a period of strong winds to the U.K. The strongest winds are expected on Tuesday as the low pressure clears eastwards; some uncertainty remains in peak windspeeds but there remains the potential for disruption to travel, especially as the strongest winds coincide with the morning rush hour in places. Fallen leaves impeding drainage increases the risk of surface water affecting roads, while some damage to trees is possible, given that many are still in full leaf." For updated warnings from the U.K. Met Service, visit: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

MODIS image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 16 at 17:45 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) NASA's Aqua satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo (08L) in the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit: 
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
Oct. 17, 2014 - Satellites See Major Hurricane Gonzalo Slamming Bermuda
NASA and NOAA satellite imagery at 2 p.m. EDT on Friday, Oct. 17 showed Major Hurricane Gonzalo nearing landfall on the southern side of Bermuda. NOAA's GOES-East satellite saw a more ragged eye on the approach. NASA compiled the imagery from a couple of days into a video that shows the progression of the hurricane as it began landfalling.
Bermuda was under a hurricane warning at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17, meaning that hurricane conditions were expected within the warning area, in this case within the next 12 to 18 hours.
On Oct. 16 at 17:45 UTC (1:45 p.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured a visible image of Hurricane Gonzalo. The MODIS image revealed that the eye appeared open. By Oct. 17 at 11 a.m. EDT, NOAA's GOES satellite imagery showed that the eye was not as distinct as it was when Aqua flew overhead.
Visible imagery from NOAA's GOES-East satellite at 1:45 p.m. EDT showed that the eye had continued to become more ragged as Gonzalo's center neared landfall on the island of Bermuda. The National Hurricane Center noted that "Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous Category 3 hurricane as it moves near or over Bermuda."
NOAA's GOES-East satellite video of Hurricane Gonzalo's movement from Oct. 15-17 where it made landfall in Bermuda.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
A compilation of GOES-East satellite imagery from Oct. 15 to Oct. 17 was made into a video by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. The 58 second video showed the progression of Gonzalo as it moved past Puerto Rico and strengthened into a Major hurricane.
Gonzalo's Location at 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17
At 2 p.m. EDT on Oct. 17 Gonzalo's maximum sustained winds were near 120 mph (205 kph), making it a Category Three Hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 60 miles (95 km) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km) The estimated minimum central pressure is 947 millibars.
The eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was near latitude 31.0 north and longitude 65.6 west. That's just 100 miles (165 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. Gonzalo was moving toward the north-northeast near 16 mph (26 kph) and is expected to continue moving north-northeastward.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Winds and Heavy Rainfall for Bermuda
Hurricane conditions are expected to reach Bermuda later on Oct. 17. The NHC noted that wind speeds atop and on the windward sides of hilly terrain are often up to 30 percent stronger than at the surface and in some elevated locations can be even greater.
Gonzalo is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 3 to 6 inches over Bermuda.
Dangerous Surf Covering a Large Area
A dangerous and life-threatening storm surge is expected to produce significant coastal flooding in Bermuda. Near the coast the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.
The NHC said that large swells generated by Gonzalo are affecting Bermuda and portions of the Virgin Island, northern coasts of Puerto Rico and Dominican Republic. Dangerous swells are also affecting the Bahamas and portions of the U.S. Southeast coast and are expected to spread northward along the U.S. East Coast today. These swells will likely cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.
For updates on location effects and conditions, visit the National Hurricane Center website: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/. 
After passing Bermuda and moving south of Newfoundland, Canada in the next day and a half, the NHC forecast calls for Gonzalo to begin transitioning to an extra-tropical storm as it runs into increasing wind shear and cooler waters.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Image Credit: 
NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio
NASA-JAXA's GPM satellite Explores Hurricane Gonzalo
On October 16th, 2014 (1342 UTC) the Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM) mission's Core Observatory flew over Hurricane Gonzalo as it headed towards Bermuda. Hurricane Gonzalo remains a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, with maximum sustained winds at 130 mph. As of 12:00 UTC (8:00a.m. EDT) on Friday, October 17th, the National Hurricane Center forecast located the storm about 195 miles south southwest of Bermuda, where a hurricane warning is in effect.
The GPM Core Observatory carries two instruments that show the location and intensity of rain and snow, which defines a crucial part of the storm structure – and how it will behave. The GPM Microwave Imager sees through the tops of clouds to observe how much and where precipitation occurs. The Dual-frequency Precipitation Radar provides the three-dimensional view, showing the structure of the storm spiraling inward toward the center, with heavier rain on the north side of the storm. Shades of blue represent ice in the upper part of clouds. Viewed from the side, the stark color change from blue to green marks the transition from ice to rain.
For forecasters, GPM's microwave and radar data are part of the toolbox of satellite data, including other low Earth orbit and geostationary satellites, that they use to monitor tropical cyclones and hurricanes.
The addition of GPM data to the current suite of satellite data is timely. Its predecessor precipitation satellite, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission, is 18 years into what was originally a three-year mission. GPM's new high-resolution microwave imager data and the unique radar data ensure that forecasters and modelers won't have a gap in coverage. GPM is a joint mission between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. All GPM data products can be found at NASA Goddard's Precipitation Processing Center website http://pps.gsfc.nasa.gov/.
High Resolution downloadable video available at SVS: http://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/details.cgi?aid=4230&button=search&valu...
Data provided by the joint NASA/JAXA GPM mission.

MODIS image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 15 at 15:30 UTC (11:30 a.m. EDT) NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean.
Image Credit: 
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
GOES image of Gonzalo
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured this image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT).
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Major Hurricane Gonzalo Gives an "Eye-opening" Performance
NASA and NOAA satellites have been providing continuous coverage of Hurricane Gonzalo as it moves toward Bermuda. NASA's Terra satellite saw thunderstorms wrapped tightly around the center with large bands of thunderstorms wrapping into it. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided and "eye-opening" view of Gonzalo, still a Category 4 hurricane on Oct. 16.
A hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda and that means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area, meaning the entire island.
On Oct. 15 at 15:30 UTC (11:30 a.m. EDT) the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer or MODIS instrument aboard NASA's Terra satellite captured a visible picture of Hurricane Gonzalo in the Atlantic Ocean. The image revealed a cloud-covered center with strong thunderstorms surrounding the eye as bands of strong thunderstorms in the southern, eastern and northern quadrants spiraled into the center.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of Hurricane Gonzalo off the U.S. East Coast on Oct. 16 at 13:07 UTC (9:07 a.m. EDT) and showed that Gonzalo's eye had become cloud-free. The image also showed a line of clouds associated with a cold front stretching over 1,600 miles that just moved off the U.S. East coast and headed toward Gonzalo.
On Thursday, Oct. 16 at 8 a.m. EDT, Hurricane Gonzalo was still a major hurricane with maximum sustained winds near 140 mph (220 kph).  Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 45 miles (75 km) from the center and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 150 miles (240 km).
Fluctuations in intensity are common in major hurricanes. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) cautioned that "Slow weakening is forecast but Gonzalo is expected to be a dangerous hurricane when it moves near Bermuda."
Gonzalo's eye was located by a NOAA Hurricane Hunter near latitude 25.5 north and longitude 68.7 west.  That puts the eye of Gonzalo about 525 miles (845 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. The minimum central pressure measured by the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft is 940 millibars.
Gonzalo is moving toward the north near 9 mph (15 kph) and this general motion is expected to continue today. The NHC forecast calls for a turn toward the north-northeast and an increase in forward speed tonight (Oct. 16) and Friday (Oct. 17).  On the forecast track, the center of Gonzalo is expected to pass near Bermuda on Friday.
The NHC expects hurricane-force winds, and rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches in Bermuda. A storm surge with coastal flooding can be expected in Bermuda, with large and destructive waves along the coast.  In addition, life-threatening surf and riptide conditions are likely in the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Bahamas. Those dangerous conditions are expected along the U.S. East Coast and Bermuda later today, Oct. 16.
The NHC forecast calls for Gonzalo to remain a major hurricane on its approach to landfall in Bermuda. For updated information and forecasts, visit: www.nhc.noaa.gov.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

GOES image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 15 at 11:15 a.m. EDT NOAA's GOES-East satellite saw Gonzalo had tightly wrapped bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center of its circulation.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
This animation of visible and infrared images from NOAA's GOES-East satellite shows the movement and strengthening of Gonzalo from a tropical storm on Oct. 13 to a hurricane on Oct. 15 north of Puerto Rico.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Oct. 15, 2014 - Satellite Eyes First Major Atlantic Hurricane in 3 Years: Gonzalo
Hurricane Gonzalo has made the jump to major hurricane status and on Oct. 15 was a Category 4 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided imagery of the storm. According to the National Hurricane Center, Gonzalo is the first category 4 hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Ophelia in 2011.
NOAA's GOES-East satellite provides visible and infrared images of weather from its orbit in a fixed position over the Earth. On Oct. 15 at 15:15 UTC (11:15 a.m. EDT) GOES saw Gonzalo had tightly wrapped bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center of its circulation. The eye of the storm was obscured by high clouds in the image. NOAA aircraft data and microwave images clearly show concentric eyewalls, with the inner radius of maximum winds now only about 4-5 nautical miles from the center.
NOAA manages the GOES satellites, while NASA/NOAA's GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland created the image. The NASA/NOAA GOES Project creates images and animations from GOES data.
At 11 a.m. EDT on Oct. 15, Gonzalo's maximum sustained winds increased to near 130 mph (215 kph) and the National Hurricane Center (NHC)  noted that fluctuations in intensity are expected over the next couple of days. Gonzalo's cloud-covered eye was located near latitude 23.5 north and longitude 68.0 west, about 640 miles (1,025 km) south-southwest of Bermuda. Gonzalo is moving toward the northwest near 12 mph (19 kph). The minimum central pressure recently reported by an air force reconnaissance aircraft was 949 millibars.
Tropical storm conditions are possible in Bermuda by late Thursday night, Oct. 16, and hurricane conditions are possible over Bermuda on Friday Oct. 16.
Ocean swells however, will be felt over a much larger area, reached the U.S. east coast on Oct. 16. Large swells generated by Gonzalo are affecting portions of the Virgin Islands, the northern coasts of Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic and portions of the Bahamas. Swells will reach much of the east coast of the United States and Bermuda on Thursday.
By late Oct. 16, Gonzalo is expected to turn to the northeast and the center is expected to approach Bermuda sometime on Oct. 17. 
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

AIRS image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 13 at 7:11 UTC (3:11 a.m. EDT) the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Gonzalo that showed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Cloud top temperatures were colder than -63F/-52C (purple).
Image Credit: 
NASA
This animation of NOAA GOES-East imagery shows the movement of Tropical Storm Fay (top) and development and intensification of Hurricane Gonzalo over the Leeward Islands from Oct. 10-14.
Image Credit: 
NASA NOAA GOES Project
Oct. 14, 2014 - NASA Sees Hurricane Gonzalo Head Toward Bermuda
Tropical Storm Gonzalo intensified into a hurricane late on Monday, Oct. 14 and is expected to become a major hurricane as it moves toward Bermuda. NASA's Aqua satellite saw powerful thunderstorms within the center of the storm that were dropping heavy rainfall.
At 5 pm EDT, on Oct. 13 Gonzalo had become a hurricane. At that time, the center of the storm was just 20 miles southeast of St. Martin. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted that maximum sustained winds had increased to near 75 mph (120 kph) and additional strengthening was forecast. Gonzalo continued moving through the northern Leeward Islands overnight.
On Oct. 13 at 7:11 UTC (3:11 a.m. EDT) the AIRS instrument aboard NASA's Aqua satellite captured infrared data on Gonzalo that showed powerful thunderstorms around the center of circulation. Cloud top temperatures were colder than -63F/-52C.
On Oct. 14, a tropical storm warning remained in effect for the British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, St. Martin and St. Barthelemy.
On Oct. 14 at 5 a.m. EDT the eye of Hurricane Gonzalo was located near latitude 19.6 north and longitude 64.4 west. That's about 90 miles (145 km) north-northeast of St. Thomas. Gonzalo was moving toward the northwest near 13 mph (20 kph) and a turn toward the north-northwest is forecast by late Wednesday. On the forecast track the center of Gonzalo will move over the open Atlantic north of Puerto Rico today.  Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 110 mph (175 kph) and additional strengthening is forecast during the next 48 hours. NHC said that Gonzalo is expected to become a major hurricane today.
The current forecast track from the National Hurricane Center takes Gonzalo over the island of Bermuda as a hurricane on Friday/Saturday.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

GOES image of Gonzalo
This visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Oct. 13 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) shows Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Gonzalo over the Lesser Antilles.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
MODIS image of Gonzalo
On Oct. 12 at 15:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. EDT), NASA's Terra satellite flew over Tropical Storm Gonzalo while it moved over the Lesser Antilles.
Image Credit: 
NASA Goddard MODIS Rapid Response Team
Oct. 13, 2014 - Tropical Storm Gonzalo Triggered Many Warnings in Eastern Caribbean
The Eastern Caribbean islands were getting the brunt of Tropical Storm Gonzalo as the storm slowly moved through on Oct. 13. NASA's Terra satellite and NOAA's GOES-East satellite provided data on the storm. Gonzalo is the sixth named storm in the Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season.
On Oct. 12 at 15:00 UTC (11:00 a.m. EDT), NASA's Terra satellite flew over Tropical Storm Gonzalo while it moved over the Lesser Antilles. The MODIS instrument captured a visible image of the storm that showed a concentration of strong thunderstorms around the center of circulation and in a thick band east of the center.
A visible image from NOAA's GOES-East satellite on Oct. 13 at 1145 UTC (7:45 a.m. EDT) showed Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda and Tropical Storm Gonzalo over the Lesser Antilles. Fay appeared circular, but didn't have the signature shape of a tropical storm like Gonzalo, with bands of thunderstorms spiraling into the center. The image was created by the NASA/NOAA GOES Project at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.
Gonzalo is over the Lesser Antilles and affecting many eastern Caribbean islands so there are many warnings and watches in effect.  The National Hurricane Center (NHC) noted the following: A Hurricane Watch is in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Guadeloupe, Desirade, Les Saintes, and Marie Galante, St. Martin, St. Barthelemy, St. Maartin, Saba and St. Eustatius, Barbuda, Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts And Nevis, Montserrat, Puerto Rico, Vieques and Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area, in this case in the next 24 hours. A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.
On Monday, Oct. 13 at 8 a.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Gonzalo had maximum sustained winds near 60 mph (95 kph). The National Hurricane Center expects strengthening during the next 48 hours and Gonzalo is forecast to become a hurricane tonight or Tuesday, Oct. 14. The center of Gonzalo was located near latitude 17.0 north and longitude 61.5 west. That's about 20 miles (35 km) east-southeast of Antigua and about 50 miles (75 km) north of Guadeloupe.
NHC said that Gonzalo is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 kph).  A turn toward the west-northwest is forecast today, followed by a turn toward the northwest by tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Gonzalo will move across the Leeward Islands today and near or over the Virgin Islands tonight.
The National Hurricane Center expects Gonzalo to intensify into a hurricane on Wednesday, Oct. 15 after having turned to the northwest. Gonzalo is then expected to move north-northeast and by pass east of Bermuda on Oct. 17.
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Tropical Storm Gonzalo
The GOES East satellite captured a visible image of two storms in the Atlantic at 2:45 p.m. EDT, a smaller Gonzalvo east of the Leeward Islands while Fay was northeast of Bermuda.
Image Credit: 
NASA/NOAA GOES Project
Oct. 12, 2014 - NASA Sees Newborn Tropical Storm Gonzalo form and Threaten Caribbean Islands
Tropical Storm Gonzalo formed quickly on Oct. 12 just east of the Leeward Islands, triggering tropical storm warnings for many islands.  NOAA's GOES-East satellite captured an image of the newborn storm on Sunday, Oct. 12, and Tropical Storm Fay northeast of Bermuda.
The GOES East satellite is a geostationary satellite managed by NOAA. At NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland the NASA/NOAA GOES Project creates images and animations and today's visible image, taken at 2:45 p.m. EDT showed a smaller Gonzalvo east of the Leeward Islands while Fay was northeast of Bermuda.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Guadeloupe,  Desirade,  Les Saintes, Marie Galante, St.Martin, St. Barthelemy, St.Maartin, Saba,  St. Eustatius,  Barbuda, Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Nevis, Montserrat A Tropical Storm Watch in effect for Puerto Rico, Vieques, Culebra, U.S. Virgin Islands and the  British Virgin Islands.  A tropical storm warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area...in this case within the next 24 to 36 hours.
On Sunday, Oct. 12 at 1:30 p.m. EDT, Tropical Storm Gonzalo had maximum sustained winds near 40 mph (65 kph) and is expected to strengthen over the next two days. Gonzalo was about 200 miles (320 km) east of Guadeloupe and 230 miles (370 km) east-southeast of Antigua, near latitude 16.4 north and longitude 58.4 west. Gonzalo was moving to the west at 10 mph (17 kph) and is expected to continue in that direction for the next two days before turning to the west-northwest.
The National Hurricane Center expects Gonzalo to move through the Leeward Islands early Monday morning, Oct. 12.     
Tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area by Monday night and Tuesday morning. Tropical Storm Gonzalo is expected to produce total rainfall accumulations of 4 to 8 inches across the Leeward Islands...British and U.S. Virgin Islands and Eastern Puerto Rico with isolated maximum totals of 12 inches possible. Swells generated by Gonzalo will affect the Leeward Islands tonight and Monday morning from Dominica northward and affect the U.S. and British Virgin islands by Monday afternoon. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. 
Rob Gutro
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center

Κυριακή 19 Οκτωβρίου 2014

Nepal Annapurna: Search ends for surviving trekkers

Nepal Annapurna: Search ends for surviving trekkers

Nepali rescue helicopter in the in Annapurna region (October 2014)  Rescue helicopters are again scouring the mountainsides


Rescue teams in Nepal say that there are now no trekkers left stranded after completing their search for survivors of a devastating Himalayan storm.
The focus now is on recovering bodies buried in the snow, a government spokesman told the BBC.
It is unclear how many people may still be missing in the country's worst-ever trekking disaster.
At least 39 people are known to have died, and nearly 400 people have been rescued from the Annapurna trail.
It is the fifth day that Nepalese army and private helicopters have been searching the trail.
Officials say the rescue effort grew harder on Sunday because of worsening weather.
Israeli avalanche victims prior to their departure for the International Airport, at Ciwec clinic in Kathmandu, Nepal (18 October 2014)Many survivors are severely frostbitten
Israeli storm survivor (18 October 2014)At the height of the storm, climbers endured an almost complete white-out
The BBC's Andrew North in Kathmandu says that in addition to finding bodies, the authorities are eager to improve the flow of information on those caught up in the disaster.
There are currently three different lists of the dead and survivors, being run by the army, the home ministry and Nepal's trekking association, and some people may have been counted twice. The authorities say they now want to create a single list.
Nepalese, Japanese, Israeli, Canadian, Indian, Slovak, Vietnamese and Polish trekkers are said to be among the dead.
Many survivors have been left with severe frostbite and will have to have limbs amputated.
A trekking expert told the BBC that the storm, which struck on Wednesday, was the worst in a decade, and saw up to 1.8m (5.9ft) of snowfall in 12 hours.
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What is the Annapurna Circuit?
  • Roughly 241km (150 miles), takes around three weeks to complete
  • Described as "the best long distance trek in the world"
  • Known as the "apple pie" circuit due to the baked goods offered by tea houses along the route
  • Ascends to 5,416m (17,776ft) at the Thorung La Pass
  • Opened to tourists in 1977 after conflicts between guerrillas and the Nepalese army were resolved
  • Circuit passes Mount Annapurna, world's 10th highest mountain and one of the most dangerous

Nepal blizzards: How to survive when disaster strikes

Nepalese soldiers carry man rescued from avalanche at Thorang-La in Annapurna Region. 15 Oct 2014Nepalese soldiers have been bringing back those rescued from the recent avalanches

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Officials have now confirmed dozens of deaths in snowstorms that have struck a popular Nepalese trekking route. As emergency teams continued their search experts told the BBC how hikers could stay as safe as possible if disaster strikes.
Dawa Steven knows all too well how quickly disaster can strike in the Himalayas.
As a Nepalese Sherpa, he has climbed widely in the surrounding peaks and said the weather can change in an instant.
The 30-year-old recalls the time two years ago when he and nine companions ran into trouble while climbing on the Tashi Labsta pass near Mount Everest.

Himalayan hiking checklist

  • Hire a good guide
  • Inform your embassy before setting out
  • Check the weather
  • Plan your route carefully
  • Take a GPS device
  • Use an insulated "puffer" jacket
  • Consider snow gaiters, goggles and gloves
  • Take an emergency "survival bag" for shelter
  • Never stay in the open if bad weather strikes
"There was a sudden change in weather and a tremendous windstorm," he said. "It was horrendously difficult and very, very dangerous. Hands down, that was one of my toughest days."
In the latest storms, many people appear to have perished after being caught out on open mountainsides. Others were buried by avalanches.
The deadly weather was highly unusual, whipping through Nepal on the tail-end of Cyclone Hudhud.
Yet Mr Steven, who runs a trekking company in Kathmandu, said there were still life-saving tips which climbers could use to mitigate the risk of catastrophe.
Helicopter brings avalanche victims back from mountains. 15 Oct 2014Military helicopters were brought in to carry out search and rescue missions in Nepal
The one thing to remember was shelter, he said, even if it were a yak shed or tea hut.
"If there is no shelter, find a cave or a large rock somewhere," he said. "Just any sort of shelter from the elements.
"Then band up with other people. As it gets colder you can rely on each other's body warmth."

Start Quote

When something like this happens, hikers can get into big trouble”
Dawa StevenNepalese Sherpa
If a hiker is caught without any kind of sanctuary during a storm, he added, then he or she had almost "reached the point of no return".
Tuesday's tragedy occurred on the Annapurna Circuit - one of the most well-trodden trekking routes in the world.
Although frequented by seasoned climbers and mountaineers, it is also popular with less experienced hikers.
Given the severity of the unexpected snowstorms, some of those caught out would not have had been fully prepared.
Simon Lowe, an experienced mountaineer who has climbed widely in Nepal, said: "You just would not expect that weather at this time of year.
"There would have been a reasonable expectation that they could have gone out in good weather and it would have stayed like that."
Preparing for the worst
Like Mr Steven, Mr Lowe said that the most important thing for any hiker to do in such a situation is find shelter - even if it means trying to create a snow cave.
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How to avoid an avalanche
Though there is no failsafe method, assessing avalanche risk is mostly a matter of topography, say experts.
Convex slopes and cornices are particularly hazardous, while smooth rock slabs beneath the snow are dangerous as they fail to provide anchorage.
The type of snowfall is also key - the stickier the snow, the less likely it is to sheer off the mountain. In addition, if the sun is shining the day after a heavy storm, then melt-water running beneath the surface could also increase the chances of movement.
For walkers, the odds of surviving an avalanche come down to the surrounding terrain. If it looks like the risks of collapsing snow are high and you are standing on the edge of a crevasse or in a gully, the prospects of survival may be slim.
Even if caught in the flow of an avalanche, experts say, all is not lost. Rolling like a log or even using a swimming motion can help, while covering the mouth with one hand can help create a breathing space when trapped.
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But he added that technology was becoming increasingly influential. Weather forecasts are readily available on mobile phones, he said, while his own company always sends groups to Nepal with satellite phones and GPS devices.
However he noted that in the worst storms, GPS technology often does not work.
Another problem is altitude sickness - something which Mr Lowe rates as the single biggest danger for hikers in the Himalayas.
According to Nikki Skinner from the UK-based Trek and Mountain magazine, a good way for walkers to mitigate the risk is to train at home before leaving on a big expedition.
"The best thing you can do is to replicate what you will be doing when you get there," she said. "You need to do cardiovascular fitness training, go for long walks, get used to long days on foot."
Ms Skinner also said there were various training programmes for trekkers, including rescue courses or "winter skills" programmes on how to spot avalanche threats or navigate during a blizzard.
Dawa Steven says that perhaps the most effective way for a trekker to escape catastrophe is to prepare adequately beforehand.
"It all starts before the trek itself," he said, saying that it was important for foreigners to use experience local guides and also inform their embassies of where they were going.
"These days Annapurna is popular with a lot of young people on a budget," he said. "They don't hire proper guides and don't go through proper trekking companies.
"Sometimes they are going into unknown territory and in 99% of cases that is fine. But when something like this happens, they can get into big trouble."

Θεία Λειτουργία στην ιστορική Κοινότητα Κράψης τέλεσε ο Σεβ. Μητροπολίτης Ιωαννίνων κ. Μάξιμος.

Θεία Λειτουργία στην ιστορική Κοινότητα Κράψης τέλεσε ο Σεβ. Μητροπολίτης Ιωαννίνων κ. Μάξιμος.
Παρών στην Αρχιερατική Θεία Λειτουργία έδωσαν ο Περιφερειάρχης Ηπείρου κ. Α. Καχριμάνης, ο Γεν. Αστυν. Διευθυντής Ηπείρου κ. Κ. Τρομπούκης και πλήθος πιστών.
Ο Μητροπολίτης Ιωαννίνων μετά το πέρας της Θείας Ευχαριστίας τέλεσε μνημόσυνο υπέρ αναπαύσεως της ψυχής του Κραψίτου Οικουμενικού Πατριάρχου Ιωάσαφ Β' του Μεγαλοπρεπούς καθώς και των κεκοιμημένων Κραψιτών.





Dutch biker joins Kurds fight vs ISIS: 'Can't sit on couch when Yazidis ...

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 18 Οκτ 2014
Members of the Dutch motorcycle gang "No Surrender" have joined the Kurdish Peshmerga forces in the Northern region of Iraq in their fight against Islamic State (IS) militants. Dutch gang member Ron, who did not give his last name, is fighting with the Peshmerga forces on the frontline in the city of Zummar, close to the Syrian border. 




Bikers v ISIS? Dutch motorcycle gang gets green light to fight Islamic State

Published time: October 15, 2014 01:13
Edited time: October 16, 2014 10:46

Reuters / Morris Mac Matzen
Reuters / Morris Mac Matzen


Three members of the infamous Dutch biker gang “No Surrender” reportedly journeyed to Iraq and Syria last week in order to fight alongside Kurdish troops and against Islamic State (IS) militants.
​Already battling airstrikes conducted by the US and its allies, the Islamic State now has another threat to look out for: a motorcycle gang from the Netherlands.
Now, commenting on the legality of that move, the Dutch public prosecutor said Tuesday they are allowed to do so.
“Joining a foreign armed force was previously punishable, now it’s no longer forbidden,” the prosecutor’s spokesman, Wim de Bruin, told AFP.
As long as the individuals do not enlist in a battle against the Netherlands, they are not committing a crime, he added. If the members of the biker gang are found to be engaging in torture or rape, however, De Bruin said they could be indicted on criminal charges.



“The big difference with IS is that it’s listed as a terrorist group,” De Bruin said. “That means that even preparing to join IS is punishable.”
The comments come after it was revealed that at least three No Surrender members had joined Kurdish fighters in the Middle East. The gang’s leader, Klaas Otto, confirmed that the members were from Amsterdam, Rotterdam, and Breda. One of them can be seen in a photograph holding a Kalashnikov assault rifle.
Dutch bikers are far from being the only individuals traveling to fight the Islamic State. Last week, aReuters report noted that some US citizens have already done the same. A man named Brian Wilson, who claimed to be a former soldier, said multiple Americans are now fighting with Kurdish troops.
AFP Photo / ANP / Jerry Lampen
AFP Photo / ANP / Jerry Lampen


“There are a few Americans who wanted to come here and help the YPG in any way we can,” he said to Reuters, referring to the main Kurdish group battling Syrian militants. “Everything has been fine. They’re very nice, very accommodating, hospitable. Very good people,” he added about his Kurdish hosts.

Fighting on the other side of the battle, though, are even more foreigners. American officials believe there are more than 15,000 people from 80 different countries fighting alongside IS, including more than 2,000 Europeans and 100 Americans.
Last week, unnamed US officials said that some of the militants are entering Western Europe while disguised as refugees.

Γερμανικά ποδηλάτες ενώνουν με τους Ολλανδούς συντρόφους στον αγώνα ενάντια ISIS

Δημοσιεύθηκε ώρα: 17, Οκτωβρίου, 2014 18:28
Επιμέλεια χρόνος: 19 Οκτωβρίου 2014 2:55

Εικόνα από facebook.com/Azad.Onepercenter
Εικόνα από facebook.com/Azad.Onepercenter


Kawan Α, ο ηγέτης club της συμμορίας «Median Αυτοκρατορίας», έγραψε στο του 
Facebook : " Ενώ άλλοι πολυλογάς, παιδιά μας είναι στο μέτωπο και την καταπολέμηση της ISIS, " δηλώνοντας ότι τουλάχιστον δύο από τα μέλη της ομάδας που αγωνίζονται μαζί κουρδική μαχητές Peshmerga.Κουρδικές δυνάμεις που αντιμάχονται τον ισλαμικό κράτος μαχητές στο Ιράκ και τη Συρία έχουν λάβει μια έκπληξη ένταξη.Ενώ οι συμμαχικές δυνάμεις που αρνούνται να λάβουν μέρος σε στρατιωτικές ενέργειες στο έδαφος, αρκετές γερμανικές ποδηλάτες ένωσαν τις αναφορές του αγώνα κατά των μαχητών της Τζιχάντ.
Ιδρύθηκε από Κούρδους Γερμανοί, της Κολωνίας Median Αυτοκρατορία είναι μια συμμορία ποδηλάτης το όνομά του από μια αρχαία κοινότητα που εκτείνεται από την ανατολική Τουρκία και την Ινδία στην VIII αιώνα π.Χ.
Η συμμορία δημοσιεύτηκε επίσης φωτογραφίες των μελών της, παράλληλα με Peshmerga μαχητές.
Τον Απρίλιο και τον Ιούνιο του τρέχοντος έτους, οι γερμανικές ποδηλάτες - των οποίων η ιδεολογία βασίζεται σε θρύλους Μήδους που τους περιγράφουν ως «άφοβος και έφιππους πολεμιστές" - οργάνωσε αποστολές βοήθειας για την προμήθεια της Συρίας κούρδους πρόσφυγες στο βόρειο Ιράκ με φάρμακα, τρόφιμα και ανθρωπιστική βοήθεια.
Ωστόσο, η συμμετοχή των γερμανικών ποδηλάτες »στον αγώνα κατά της ISIS μαχητές είναι χαλκευμένες από κατ 'εκτίμηση 300 τζιχαντιστές που εγκατέλειψε τη Γερμανία για να ενταχθούν στο Ισλαμικό Κράτος και άλλους μαχητές στη Συρία.
Ένα ακόμη από RT βίντεο
Ένα ακόμη από RT βίντεο


Διάμεση αυτοκρατορία δεν είναι η πρώτη ευρωπαϊκή συμμορία ποδηλατών για να πολεμήσουν εναντίον των μαχητών? τρία μέλη του ολλανδικού συλλόγου μοτοσικλέτα «No Surrender" είναι τώρα στην περιοχή της Μοσούλης στο Ιράκ, που οδηγεί και την κατάρτιση ενός κουρδικού τάγμα στον αγώνα της κατά της ISIS, σύμφωνα με τον Klaas Otto, ο επικεφαλής της συμμορίας, ο οποίοςμίλησε στο BBC.
Ο ίδιος πρόσθεσε ότι το τρίο είναι πρώην στρατιωτικοί - δύο πεζοναύτες και ένας στρατιώτης - που ωθήθηκαν σε δράση από τη σκληρότητα εκτίθενται από ISIS.
Ήθελαν να κάνουν κάτι, όταν έβλεπαν τις εικόνες των αποκεφαλισμούς, "ο ηγέτης του No Surrender είπε ολλανδικό δημόσιο ραδιοτηλεοπτικό NOS.

Οι υπηρεσίες ασφαλείας τόσο στις Κάτω Χώρες και στη Γερμανία προσπαθεί να αποτρέψει τους πολίτες τους να ταξιδέψουν στη Μέση Ανατολή για να υποστηρίξει τους τζιχαντιστές ισλαμικό κράτος.
Ωστόσο, εκπρόσωπος της ολλανδικής εισαγγελίας, Wim de Bruin, δήλωσε στο Γαλλικό Πρακτορείο: "Συμμετοχή σε ξένη ένοπλη δύναμη ήταν προηγουμένως τιμωρείται, τώρα είναι πλέον απαγορεύεται.Απλά δεν μπορούν να ενταχθούν σε μια μάχη κατά των Κάτω Χωρών. "
Αλλά οι ποδηλάτες δεν θα είναι σε θέση να ενταχθούν οι Κουρδικό Εργατικό Κόμμα, το οποίο έχει απαγορευθεί ως τρομοκρατική οργάνωση από την ΕΕ και τις ΗΠΑ.

Chinese Government Arrests Twelve Muslims And Sentences Them All To Death

Chinese Government Arrests Twelve Muslims And Sentences Them All To Death

Posted on 10/18/2014 by 




The Chinese Government  arrested twelve Muslims and sentenced them all to death. This is part of a recent measure China is taking to prevent terrorism. One report tells us:

6
By Theodore Shoebat
A Chinese court sentenced 12 people to death and dozens more to lesser sentences for attacks on government buildings and vehicles that killed 37 people in the western border region of Xinjiang.
Aside from the 12 sentenced to die, the court in Kashgar prefecture issued death sentences Monday to 15 more people but suspended the punishment for two years, said the Xinjiang government’s Web portal, Tianshan.
Nine others were sentenced to life imprisonment, while 20 more were given jail terms spanning four to 20 years, Tianshan said.
A death sentence suspended for two years is normally commuted to a life sentence if the convict displays good behavior in prison.
None of the people sentenced Monday could be reached for comment, and it wasn’t clear whether they planned to appeal.
The July 28 attacks in Shache, a sparsely populated county situated between a vast, shifting-sands desert and the Karakoram mountains that form the border with Pakistan, also left 94 people injured. They were among a series of deadly clashes this year in Xinjiang.
China has battled a sporadically violent separatist movement by some Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking and mainly Muslim ethnic group in the region.
Tianshan and state television reports didn’t give the ethnicity of those sentenced Monday, but their names indicated they weren’t from the Han Chinese majority.
Over the past year or so, violence linked to Xinjiang separatists has ticked up, with attacks moving beyond the usual targets of police stations and other government buildings to include train stations and other public places.
Security forces have responded with measures that human-rights and Uighur advocacy groups say are harsh.
In the July attack, assailants—whom state media said were terrorists—attacked civilians, state buildings and vehicles in two towns in Shache, before police gunned down 59 people and arrested 215 others.
In response to attacks in the spring, the government declared a security clampdown that has resulted in detentions of large numbers of people, the posting of checkpoints across roadways in Xinjiang and stepped-up patrols by armed police.

Fleeing for freedom

http://www.oneyoungworld.com/blog/fleeing-for-freedom



Fleeing for freedom

Yeonmi Park is a One Young World delegate originally from North Korea. She is speaking during the Peace and Conflict Plenary Session at the 2014 Summit in Dublin about her life in North Korea and escape from the Kim regime. 
I am a North Korean defector who escaped the hardship of the region in 2007. Korea has remained in the media spotlight in recent weeks due to the unprecedented disappearance, and reappearance, of leader Kim Jong-un. Countless people have spoken about the missing dictator, but very little attention is being focused on the invisible victims of the Kim regime. People born in North Korea are born prisoners for life.
In 2012, the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea estimated that there are 150,000 to 200,000 people in North Korea’s notorious prison camps. The United Nations Commission of Inquiry on Human Rights in North Korea estimated earlier this year that between 80,000 and 120,000 people were in the camps - often being imprisoned without a fair trial.
Some are there for what would be considered minor crimes outside of North Korea; it doesn’t take very much to get jailed for life or executed by the Kim regime. Growing up in North Korea, I heard about and witnessed public executions for reasons such as:
Stealing cows: A 27 year old man, who had tuberculosis and was starving, stole a cow. He was gunned down in a public execution. Cows are needed for labor in North Korea, so it is a serious crime there to steal or eat one.
Defacing the likeness of the dictator: A man who rolled a cigarette to smoke was arrested by a policeman who witnessed the “crime.” The smoker was executed because the newspaper included Kim Jong-Il’s likeness. There are numerous stories of people being hailed as heroes for rushing into burning buildings to rescue portraits of the Kims. Those who allow such portraits to be burnt are publicly executed.
Watching foreign movies: When I was nine years old, I witnessed my best friend’s mother get publically executed, along with about seven other people. They had been caught watching foreign movies from South Korea and the United States. The “criminals” had their teeth broken and stones stuffed in their mouths so they couldn’t speak or scream, their joints broken so they couldn’t walk or escape, then were shot several times as a warning to the rest of us, à la Animal Farm.
Fleeing North Korea: One of my mom’s friends borrowed money from us. The next day, the entire family disappeared. They had been caught talking about escaping to South Korea and so the entire family was wiped out.
Those executions were carried out by Kim Jong-il’s regime when I was living in North Korea, but the carnage hasn’t stopped under his son, Kim Jong-un. Eighty people were recently slaughtered in one day, for the “crimes” of watching South Korean movies and reading the Bible. They were machine gunned in a stadium, shot repeatedly so that it was difficult to identify them.
So many people in North Korea have been killed needlessly by the Kim regime. The amount of attention that had been focused on the disappearance and reappearance of the dictator does prove that the world can pay attention to North Korea, but what about their victims? Where has the compassion gone for human life?
As I continue to try to raise awareness about the human rights crisis in North Korea, I hope that we will be able to focus more attention on the invisible victims of the Kim regime. So many Korean refugees in China and elsewhere are desperately seeking, and dying, for their freedom.

Παρασκευή 17 Οκτωβρίου 2014

Japan Suspends Volcano Search for Missing for the Year

Δημοσιεύτηκε στις 17 Οκτ 2014
Japanese authorities suspend the search for the rest of the year for the seven still missing on Mt Ontake after last month's eruption which killed at least 56 people.