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Weird Weather

Summer ended here without a single day in the 40sC. I think that's a first. Been cool and humid all through.

Also regular flooding everywhere since xmas. La Nina still kicking arse out east This image is a bit spooky. Brisbane has borne the brunt of endless deluge for two full weeks. Sydney now underwater. The weather cells have been sitting right on top of both cities and won't move.
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Weird. People are drowning in their own homes. Worst flooding I've ever seen in that part of the country.
Hope our boys are surviving out there. Haven't heard from TigerBot for a while.
 
I was asking about "TigerBot" on the Missing in Action thread a couple of weeks ago. Bit worrying. Stay as safe as you can, Australians.
 
Incidentally, check out the tagline on the poster of Peter Weir's 1977 film The Last Wave:
Article

It takes place in Sydney where there's been constant rain for a few weeks, and Richard Chamberlain realises there's an impending disaster involving a First Nations legend of a huge flood. I won't spoil the ending, but it's not a happy one. Let's hope life doesn't imitate art (any more than it has already).
 
It continues to knock out town after town. Read this. Fucken hell.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03...tated-by-muddy-messy-biblical-flood/100885698

...​
Volunteer Steven Kudzius is one of dozens who've spent the entire week helping to evacuate residents and assist them in the flood aftermath.​
Tweed Ski Lodge Caravan Park is on the bank of the river
Tweed Ski Lodge Caravan Park is on the bank of the Tweed River.(ABC News: Tara Cassidy)​
"We didn't realise how bad it was until we started getting calls from friends and family that needed help getting out of their houses," he said.​
"So we launched a boat because we realised there wasn't many emergency services on the water at the time to render assistance.​
"We realised the carnage that was taking place and pulled as many people out of the water as we could."​
He said people could have been hurt or worse, had volunteers not been there.​
"A lot of the people in these caravan parks are quite elderly, it was difficult to get them in boats because they were up to their waist or higher in water," he said.​
Tweed River flood rescue volunteer Steven Kudzius
Steven Kudzius says they kept rescuing people because there were no emergency services at the scene.(ABC News: Tara Cassidy)​
"They were cold, scared and going into shock.​
"We had to get them to where they could be ferried by ambulance to the hospital."​

'No emergency services'​

Mr Kudzius said volunteer rescue teams were out searching for people into the night.​
"We were out until after dark, the river was a raging torrent with logs and gas bottles, you name it.​
"We came out the next day and there still wasn't any help or emergency services on the water, so we kicked into gear again and started saving people where we could.​
"Then when the water started receding it turned to the delivery of food and essential supplies, clean-up.​
"The mud is probably the worst part, it's fairly toxic, there's sewerage and pesticides and every other awful thing.​
"And these people are having to clean up amongst it, it's pretty awful."​
 
In four days 739mm fell on the Queensland capital — nearly three-quarters of its annual average.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-03-05/flood-photos-show-disaster-from-the-air/100882666

I'm halfway between Sydney & Canberra and I think we've only had two days without rain in the past 4 weeks. It's been pissing down again this morning after seemingly easing yesterday after the drenching we copped this past week. Nowhere near as bad as the folks up north though.
 
It has been reported In London that Sahara dust is covering everything.

Is this true ?
 
It has been reported In London that Sahara dust is covering everything.

Is this true ?
Yes, Wednesday was one of the dingiest in living memory - overcast with rain all day & a slightly yellow/brown tinge to the sky. When rain stopped, things were left with brown dust covering.

Footage from Spain was far worse though.
 
I remember a Saharan sand episode in Derbyshire in the early 90s. All the cars were covered.
 
These episodes are quite common in the UK - the Met Office says they happen 'several times a year', though that sounds like an overstatement to me and usually the amounts of dust that fall out in rain or reduce visibility are unlikely to be noticed by most people. This latest event was caused by storm Celia, which kicked up dust storms over Morocco and Algeria and threw a plume of dust north, turning skies yellow or orange over many parts of Europe. It 'rained mud' in Malaga, and ski slopes in Spain and France were plastered with dust.

Less well known are episodes which transport Saharan dust across the Atlantic. The last significant one was in summer 2020, when dust was carried as far as the Gulf Coast states and lower Midwest. More than 60 million tonnes of Saharan dust are blown out into the Atlantic annually, and it's believed it plays a part in the suppression of tropical cyclones.

https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/saharan-dust-storm-spreads-over-spain-france/1157069
https://www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saharan_Air_Layer
 
Flying lambs!
.
A business owner claims a "tornado" caused thousand of pounds worth of damage to her farmhouse.

Deilwen Breese from Pennal, near Machnynlleth, said the powerful winds lifted her lambs in the air and pulled up trees near her property. She said the damage, which happened on Wednesday afternoon, left her in tears. No one was injured but Ms Breese estimates "there is over £100,000 of work to do just on the roofs".
.
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-61022539
 
Pretty serious tornado.

A tornado left 43 people injured as it "cut a path of destruction" through several towns in western Germany, police said.

Officers in the city of Paderborn said the tornado ripped off roofs and debris was strewn around for kilometres. Ten people have serious injuries and one woman's life is in danger, they said. A 38-year-old man also died in severe storms which lashed the region on Friday.

Police posted images showing trees felled or split in half and roofs stripped of tiles, while images on social media appeared to show a tornado's spinning column of air flinging debris.

"Sheet metal, insulation and other materials were blown kilometres away. Countless roofs are covered or badly damaged. Many trees still lie on destroyed cars," said police in Paderborn, which has a population of about 150,000.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-61533713
 
We're all doomed.

'Everything is destroyed': Biblical rain, flash flooding and hailstones the size of golfballs​

Towns around the country are dealing with the aftermath of flash flooding after torrential downpours overnight.
The Government has said support will be available for households in the worst-hit areas.
After record high temperatures last week, the country was hit with more extreme weather as a deluge of rain and hail wreaked havoc.
Homes and businesses are assessing the damage today and motorists have been urged to take care in the areas worst affected by flooding.
The flooding was localised, with the south and southeast of the country getting the worst of it.
Mallow in Cork saw the highest total rainfall yesterday with 66mm while Tullow in Carlow had 40mm of rain in one hour.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40941044.html
 
Trees tricked into believing it's autumn.

From the crunch of leaves underfoot and the fiery foliage adorning the trees, you might be thinking autumn has come early.

But experts say this hint of a change in the seasons isn't genuine. Instead it's the tell-tale sign of a "false autumn". They warn the heatwave and drought has pushed trees into survival mode, with leaves dropping off or changing colour as a result of stress. And some may end up dying as a result.

Auburn leaves and early leaf fall are both signs that trees are stressed and "shutting up shop", says Leigh Hunt, senior horticultural advisor at the Royal Horticultural Society.

"It's giving the appearance that we're already in autumn, but the days are too long for those natural autumn processes to begin," he says. "Physiologically, the plants are not responding to autumn conditions; that's why we term it loosely as 'false autumn'."

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62582186
 
Trees tricked into believing it's autumn.

From the crunch of leaves underfoot and the fiery foliage adorning the trees, you might be thinking autumn has come early.

But experts say this hint of a change in the seasons isn't genuine. Instead it's the tell-tale sign of a "false autumn". They warn the heatwave and drought has pushed trees into survival mode, with leaves dropping off or changing colour as a result of stress. And some may end up dying as a result.

Auburn leaves and early leaf fall are both signs that trees are stressed and "shutting up shop", says Leigh Hunt, senior horticultural advisor at the Royal Horticultural Society.

"It's giving the appearance that we're already in autumn, but the days are too long for those natural autumn processes to begin," he says. "Physiologically, the plants are not responding to autumn conditions; that's why we term it loosely as 'false autumn'."

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-62582186
One thing that I've noticed is that I've grown a few runner beans, and a number of dwarf beans. It seems that the runner beans are doing OK, but the dwarf beans have been far slower in coming, and take a good bit longer to cook - enough to tenderise them (as they still tasted pretty tough to eat).
Assume this is due to the ground, and conditions being very dry - runner beans I usually plant in a semi-shady spot in my garden anyway, and they've been more productive and tenderer compared to the dwarf beans. So, next year
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- - - I think I'll stick to runners and forget the dwarfs!
 
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One thing that I've noticed is that I've grown a few runner beans, and a number of dwarf beans. It seems that the runner beans are doing OK, but the dwarf beans have been far slower in coming, and take a good bit longer to cook - enough to tenderise them (as they still tasted pretty tough to eat).
Assume this is due to the ground, and conditions being very dry - runner beans I usually plant in a semi-shady spot in my garden anyway, and they've been more productive and tenderer compared to the dwarf beans. So, next year
View attachment 58205- - - I think I'll stick to runners and forget the dwarfs!
I found the opposite this year. The climbing French beans were extraordinary and the runners more or less died on the sticks.
 
I found the opposite this year. The climbing French beans were extraordinary and the runners more or less died on the sticks.
Yup. I think growing position has got a lot to do with whether or not they finish up good, or poor - apart from the extra heat of the sun, and there extra demand for water.
 
My Mum grew some tomatoes, but they seem to have come out a bit weird. They look a funny colour and are reminiscent of tiny pumpkins.
She ate one yesterday and had to throw it away, it was so bitter.
I'm not sure what would have caused that, as she watered them regularly, etc.
 
My Mum grew some tomatoes, but they seem to have come out a bit weird. They look a funny colour and are reminiscent of tiny pumpkins.
She ate one yesterday and had to throw it away, it was so bitter.
I'm not sure what would have caused that, as she watered them regularly, etc.
Possibly a nutrient deficiency? Usually discolouring of a plant signals water issues (which is kind of ruled out in your mom's case) or nutrients.
 
My Mum grew some tomatoes, but they seem to have come out a bit weird. They look a funny colour and are reminiscent of tiny pumpkins.
She ate one yesterday and had to throw it away, it was so bitter.
I'm not sure what would have caused that, as she watered them regularly, etc.
There probably a bit different to the usual variety of tomatoes - apparently, there's quite a few types that are reminiscent of small odd coloured/marked pumpkins. If they are, then they should be OK as there supposed to be quite tasty. "Apparently!":puke2::)
 
Possibly a nutrient deficiency? Usually discolouring of a plant signals water issues (which is kind of ruled out in your mom's case) or nutrients.
OK, it may be a lack of calcium in the soil, combined with irregular watering.
 
Isle of Wight blighted by tornado.

A tornado has been captured on camera sweeping across an island in the UK.

The column of air was spotted on the Isle of Wight on Tuesday afternoon, with photos of the aftermath showing damage to properties and debris.
Building materials were blown about 30m (98ft) by the wind at Sandown Bay Holiday Centre in Yaverland, and a roof was ripped off at a nearby derelict building, the Island Echo reported.

The Met Office said the UK experiences about 35 tornadoes a year.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-hampshire-62819735
 
I live in the Phoenix Arizona area. Yesterday, it rained, blew (60 mph gusts), and hailed on and off for 10 hours. This knocked off a lot of oranges from the tree in my backyard. Later today I will drive out to my favorite Hassayampa river crossing and take a look.
 
Would love to see a photo from your part of the world.
 
Would love to see a photo from your part of the world.

Front and back yards. The cactus have mostly been removed, but will be replaced with less rat-friendly versions. The big tree trunk is a massive California palm tree which will be removed soon as well, as it will break the wall as it grows and grows.


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