The weather at Scott Base, Antarctica is (Crystal Ice Chime) temperate :

Sir Ed's wish: Sea calls the mountain man (+photos and video)

Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to climb Mount Everest, makes a speech during the 50th Anniversary celebration at Scott Base in Antarctica in this January 20, 2007 photo. Hillary, who along with Nepalese Sherpa Tenzing Norgay became the first to conquer Mount Everest, has died, Prime Minister Helen Clark said on Friday. REUTERS/Wayne Drought/Pool/Files


Everest conqueror Edmund Hillary dies (click here)

..."He was a colossus. He was an heroic figure who not only knocked off Everest but lived a life of determination, humility, and generosity," said Clark.
Born in Auckland on July 20, 1919, Hillary led an uneventful life until he achieved his Everest triumph at the age of 33.
Then a beekeeper from near Auckland, the strapping six foot (1.83 meter) Hillary was chosen by British expedition leader John Hunt to make the final assault on Everest because of his experience in the Himalayas and immense energy and strength.
Sherpa Tenzing was chosen as his climbing partner.
Hillary and Tenzing set off on a cloudless morning after spending a night at high altitude on the south peak of the infamous South Col.
Encumbered by clothing and oxygen equipment that modern climbers would deem museum pieces, they inched ahead until they reached the most formidable problem on the final ridge, a 40 foot (13 meter) rock now known as the Hillary Step.
Hillary "jammed" his way up a narrow crack running vertically up the rock using all his strength and determination and then hauled Tenzing up and they moved on with little to impede them.
At 11.30 a.m. they became the first to step onto the summit of the highest mountain on earth. For years neither would say who stepped foot on the summit first, but after Tenzing's death in 1986, Hillary revealed it was him.
By late afternoon they were back at the South Col camp and on June 2 word of the conquest was broken by the London Times....

Antarctica Wind Chime

The Melting of Antarctica is the destruction of a major 'biological' structure. It astounding to watch human beings 'taking it on the chin' as if allowed to actually be a part of discovery allowed by nature. This is a danger climate Earth is facing and dismissing Human Induced Global Warming as a transition to a 'different' "Earth State" is about as fool-hearty as it comes.

Antarctica is well above normal for even the warmest summer. The 24 hour loop is of 12A, 6A, 12P, 3P, 6P

January 12, 2008
0900 utc
Antarctica Surface Wind Satellite (24 hour loop click here)


January 12, 2008
0600 gmt
Antarctica Jet Stream

The Frigid Cold isn't coming back. There is no indication there is any shift back to a colder climate over Antarcitca yet.


January 12, 2008
1902 gmt
Antarctica


January 12, 2008
0600 PM
Antarctica


January 12, 2008

The Coldest Reporting Stations

1 PM EST

Vostok, Antarctica

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

-24 °F / -31 °C

Conditions :: Snow

Humidity :: 49%

Dew Point :: -32 °F / -36 °C

Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h from the East

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 6.0 miles / 10.0 kilometers

UV :: 0 out of 16


4 PM EST

University Wi Id 8904, Antarctica

Elevation ::10761 ft / 3280 m

Temperature :: -21 °F / -30 °C

Wind :: 8 mph / 13 km/h from the ESE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa



4 PM EST

Amundsen-Scott, AA

Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m

Temperature :: -13 °F / -25 °C

Conditons :: Overcast

Wind :: 14 mph / 22 km/h / 6.2 m/s from the NNE

Pressure :: 28.75 in / 974 hPa (Falling)

Windchill :: -35 °F / -37 °C

Visibility :: 6.2 miles / 10.0 kilometers

UV :: 1 out of 16

Clouds :: Overcast 1400 ft / 426 m
(Above Ground Level)


The Warmest Reporting Stations

4:00 PM EST

Palmer Station, Antarctica

Elevation :: 26 ft / 8 m

Temperature :: 39 °F / 4 °C

Humidity :: 53%

Dew Point :: 28 °F / -2 °C

Wind :: 2 mph / 4 km/h from the East

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.01 in / 982 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.0 kilometers


4 PM EST

Vernadsky, Antarctica

Elevation :: 36 ft / 11 m

Temperature :: 38 °F / 3 °C

Humidity :: 63%

Dew Point :: 30 °F / -1 °C

Wind :: 2 mph / 4 km/h from the SW

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.02 in / 983 hPa (Rising)

Visibility :: 31.0 miles / 50.0 kilometers


January 11, 2008

7:00 AM

The Warmest Reporting Stations

Base Esperanza, Antarctica

Elevation :: 43 ft / 13 m

Temperature :: 37 °F / 3 °C

Conditions :: Partly Cloudy

Humidity :: 72%

Dew Point :: 31 °F / 0 °C

Wind :: 12 mph / 18 km/h from the West

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.11 in / 986 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 6.0 miles / 10.0 kilometers

Clouds:
Few 492 ft / 150 m
Scattered Clouds 1476 ft / 450 m
(Above Ground Level)
Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 12 mph / 18 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 270° (West)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m



Base Orcadas, Antarctica

Elevation :: 20 ft / 6 m

Temperature :: 36 °F / 2 °C

Conditions :: Overcast

Humidity :: 53%

Dew Point :: 25 °F / -4 °C

Wind :: 12 mph / 18 km/h from the South

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: 29.23 in / 990 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 6.0 miles / 10.0 kilometers

UV :: 2 out of 16

Clouds :: Mostly Cloudy 591 ft / 180 m
(Above Ground Level)
Aviation
Flight Rule :: IFR ()
Wind Speed :: 12 mph / 18 km/h /
Wind Dir :: 180° (South)
Ceiling :: 600 ft / 180 m


The Coldest Reporting Stations

7:50 AM

Amundsen-Scott, AA

Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m

Temperature :: -20 °F / -29 °C

Conditions :: Low Drifting Snow Mist

Wind :: 10 mph / 17 km/h / 4.6 m/s from the NE

Pressure :: 28.80 in / 975 hPa (Rising)

Windchill :: -41 °F / -41 °C

Visibility :: -

UV :: 1 out of 16

Clouds:
Overcast 600 ft / 182 m
(Above Ground Level)
Aviation
Flight Rule :: IFR (NZSP)
Wind Speed :: 10 mph / 17 km/h / 4.6 m/s
Wind Dir :: 40° (NE)
Ceiling :: 600 ft / 182 m


7:00 AM

Vostok, Antarctica

Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m

Temperature :: -15 °F / -26 °C

Conditions :: Partly Cloudy

Humidity :: 49%

Dew Point :: -24 °F / -31 °C

Wind :: 9 mph / 15 km/h from the ESE

Wind Gust :: -

Pressure :: in / hPa (Steady)

Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Aviation
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 9 mph / 15 km/h /
Wind Dir : 110° (ESE)
Ceiling :: 100000 ft / 100000 m

Dangerous Indifference - Tornadoes are the new Thunderstorms - But, will you survive it?

Tornadoes are never puny. This F1 damage is proof of the extensive nature of any tornado and while a warmer troposphere seems like a matter of simply installing better air conditioner, it is far more than simply 'comfort' measures on a hotter Earth. Just like the issue of Sea Level Rise appears to be whether or not folks can have homes at the beach or where exactly the beach will be redefined and therefore a 'real estate opportunity;' it carries far more brevity than simply presenting as a consumer issue.

Original F-scale:F1 Tornado Damage ((click here)
This wood-frame house was pushed bodily off its concrete block foundation by the Spencer SD tornado of 30 May 1998 (a tornado which later did marginal F4 damage in the town of Spencer). Here, the house had no bottom anchoring at all. It was simply resting on its foundation by gravity alone; so it was easy for relatively weak winds near the edge of the tornado to slide the house aside with minor structural damage. It experienced partial roof removal, only on the windward (near) side; therefore, this damage site was rated F1.


While this F1 Tornado-Reflectivity scan is a bit dated, the point is while there is a higher tornadic event occurring, it isn't unusal for an F1 to be a part of a larger parent system.

Description (click here): There are several things to note from the F1 Tornado-Reflectivity scan. At the time of the scan, the Dozier tornado was in progress and was associatied with the high-based mesocyclone #451. The surface-based mesocyclone #278 would seem a more likely tornado candidate in the classic sense, but it produced only a brief tornado. The Dozier tornado persisted for six minutes.
Also of note is mesocyclone #299. This is what remained of the Kellerville tornado which lifted at 0032 UTC. The development of the Dozier storm disrupted the southwesterly inflow into the Kellerville tornado. Had this not taken place, the Kellerville tornado may very well have maintained itself. As it stood, the Kellerville tornado tracked 9 miles over 46 minutes.


Example of F1 Tornado :: Waterspout on the Miles River near Saint Michael's, Maryland. It later made landfall as an F1 tornado, downing trees and flipping a boat. NWS

The appearance of an F1 Tornado can at times be deceptive, in that it can look more like a 'Dust Devil' while it's core is definately a severe storm.


January 11, 2008
Vancouver, Washington

High Winds Cause Damage in Ala., Miss. (click here)
By JAY REEVES – 1 day ago
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — Powerful thunderstorms packing heavy rain and high winds pushed across Alabama and Mississippi on Thursday, causing scattered property damage and at least two traffic deaths.
Several tornado watches or warnings were issued Thursday in both states, but no touchdowns were immediately confirmed.
In Mississippi, a motorist was killed after colliding with a Lamar County deputy head-on during the height of the storm, while a single-vehicle accident in Jones County claimed another life.
Authorities there said the vehicles involved in both crashes may have hydroplaned during downpours, though investigations are continuing.
In Alabama's Lamar County near the Mississippi line, at least two houses were destroyed in Sulligent, the National Weather Service said.
In nearby Vernon, rescuers freed a woman who was pinned in her vehicle after a tree fell on it, said Don Dollar, an administrative assistant with the city. She was taken to a hospital, but her condition was not available Thursday afternoon.
Just across the state line, buildings and buses were damaged at a school in Caledonia, Miss., said Lea Stokes, a spokeswoman for the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency....

January 11, 2008

Vancouver, Washington

Photographer states :: Damage from an EF-1 tornado in Vancouver, Washington.

Tornado touches down in Vancouver neighborhood
By SARAH SKIDMORE

ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER
VANCOUVER, Wash. -- A tornado downed power lines, uprooted trees, sent shopping carts flying into cars and demolished a rowing club Thursday in Vancouver.
There were no reports of injuries as the tornado cut through four miles from Vancouver Lake at the west edge of the town through the Hazel Dell area.
"It looks like we came through this pretty good," said Jim Flaherty, spokesman for the Vancouver Fire Department.
Utility officials said about 800 people lost power.
"I saw it coming and thought, 'Whatever that is, it's scary,'" said Kym Calder, 47, who ran into a nearby church for shelter when she saw the funnel cloud ahead of her....

Where in the world is Osama bin Laden? There needs to be a humanitarian supply drop including video capacity cell phones !

January 10, 2008
Shahi Mosque, Chitral, Pakistan

I'm serous about that concept by the way. I believe there needs to be a policy by the UN that provides cell phone technology along with humanitarian air drops to places with extreme violence. There needs to be satellites that can be available to pick up those messages, end the violence and root out terrorists. It's hideous it hasn't been accomplished already.

Shahi Mosque is one of the popular mosques of Pakistan. Pakistan Shahi mosque is something different in architecture. Shahi Mosque is located in the Chaniot town of Pakistan. The location is just on the hilly areas resembling a picturous atmosphere. The buildings in and around the Chaniot are something exquisite on its own. This was possible due to the expertise ness of the local architect. The apartments of Chaniot town are well decorated with rooms are well furnished.

ABBOTABAD, 11 January 2008 (IRIN) - Speaking over a crackly phone line from the village of Nambli in Pakistan’s Himalayan foothills, and an hour's drive from the city of Abbottabad, Muhammad Qayyum describes his plight:

"For two days, my family and I, including three children under 10, have lived on potatoes and the milk our goat provides,” the 35-year-old said. “We have run out of all other stocks and the snow makes it impossible to acquire them,” he said, explaining that blocked roads meant even local markets were not being supplied.

Exceptionally heavy snow and torrential rains over the past week have paralysed much of northern Pakistan, resulting in acute hardship for people across the mountainous region.

Major roads have hitherto been routinely cleared of snow but prevailing weather conditions in much of Pakistan’s North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Pakistani-administered Kashmir make the task all but impossible at present.“

People are trapped in their homes by snow and the very heavy snowfall makes it impossible to send relief to them," Abdul Manan, a social worker in Abbottabad, 100km north of the capital, Islamabad, told IRIN....