A 7.0 Earthquake in Haiti. The population according to CNN is hit hard. The buildings aren't like the US. A lot of damage and potential deaths.

M 7.0 - HAITI REGION

Alert Version: 2
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 21:53:09 UTC
Location: 18.5° N, 72.4° W
Depth: 10km
Event Id: US2010RJA6
Created: 1 hour, 42 minutes after earthquake.

This is a population impact map. (click title to entry - thank you) Sorry to all those with family in Haiti. That poor country is hit with so much natural disaster. They just don't get a break. This could be one of the most devastating events in Haiti since any major hurricane. Very well could be more infrastructure damage than hurricane force winds. The buildings are not up to any substantial code. The epicenter appears to be at populated areas.

Full City Exposure List (click here)

Alert Version: 2
Tuesday, January 12th, 2010 at 21:53:09 UTC
Location: 18.5° N, 72.4° W
Depth: 10km
Event Id: US2010RJA6
Created: 1 hour, 42 minutes after earthquake.

Overall, the population in this region resides in structures that are vulnerable to earthquake shaking, though some resistant structures exist. On June 24, 1984 (UTC), a magnitude 6.7 earthquake 329 km East of this one struck the Dominican Republic, with estimated population exposures of 320,000 at intensity VII and 2,964,000 at intensity VI, resulting in an estimated 5 fatalities. Recent earthquakes in this area have caused landslides that may have contributed to losses.

The Weather at Glacier Bay National Park (Crystal Ice Chime) isn't as cold as it is in North Dakota...

Erik Wigert, the owner of Wigert's Bonsai Nursery in North Fort Myers sprayed his trees with water to try to save them from the freezing temperatures Monday. He remains hopeful that the trees did not receive catastrophic damage. (Andrew West/news-press.com)

..., but, the rest of the country is getting warmer. The heat from the west coast hasn't quite made it to the northeast yet.

Local Time: 7:40 AM AKST (GMT -09)

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Updated: 7:16 AM AKST on January 11, 2010

Temperature :: 30 °F

Conditions :: Overcast

Windchill :: 22 °F

Humidity :: 86%

Dew Point :: 27 °F

Wind :: 9 mph from the North

Pressure :: 29:15 inches (Rising)

Visibility :: 2.5 Miles

UV :: 0 out of 16

Clouds :: Scattered Clouds 1400 ft.

Mostly Cloudy 2000 ft.

Overcast 4400 ft.

(Above Ground Level)

Elevation :: 33 ft.

South Florida cold snap both good and bad for business (click here)

Posted on Monday, 01.11.10

BY DIANE C. LADE crline Sun Sentinel

The cold giveth, the cold taketh away.

Business is booming for stores selling space heaters and companies that repair HVAC systems, as South Florida temperatures remained low throughout the week.

But for South Floridians whose livelihoods depend on a tropical climate, the unseasonable cold snap has meant fewer tourists and damaged crops.

The extended frosty spell has been a double whammy for some businesses that finished the year with less profits due to the economy. Paul Roydhouse, who operates the Fishing Headquarters charter business in Fort Lauderdale, was counting on the tourists who flock to the beach in deep winter to help him rebound from a slow fall....

Florida Gas again issues shipper alert due to cold (click here)

...Alerts, also called critical days, require natural gas shippers to adhere carefully to scheduled quantities. An overage alert signals that taking excess quantities offline would be harmful.

Florida Gas regularly issues shipper alerts as temperatures in the state vary extremely from normal, boosting gas and power demand as customers crank up heaters in the winter and air conditioners in warmer months.

Forecaster DTN Meteorlogix said temperatures in South Florida would range nearly 30 degrees below normal early this week, with highs topping out in the 50s Fahrenheit and lows dipping into the 30s F.

New York-based forecaster Weather 2000 Inc said South Florida weather broke an 83-year-old daily minimum temperature record as the freezing line entered the Everglades....