The Watchers News Brief: September 27, 2018
Medicane "Zorbas" forming in the Mediterranean Sea, major flooding reported in Libya
"In response to the Arctic outbreak that pushed into the southern Balkan peninsula, a cold core upper low is deepening in the southern-central Mediterranean and cyclogenesis is taking place. It will lead into the formation of a Tropical-like cyclone (TLC) / Medicane by the evening," SWE meteorologists report.
Medicane "Zorbas" forming – September 27, 2018 at 13:00 UTC. Credit: SSEC
Heavy rain associated with the upper low which is forming the medicane tonight is causing major flooding across Libya, including Tripoli.
Images below were submitted just a few hours ago:
One person killed in Soddy-Daisy flooding, Tennessee
Flood waters raging through Soddy-Daisy on September 26 killed a woman and forced dozens of other people from their homes.
1 missing in after more than 200 mm (8 inches) rain floods Connecticut, US
Series of storms dropped more than 203 mm (8 inches) of rain fell in the Tri-state area of Connecticut, New York and New Jersey in 27 hours to September 26, flooding roads and stranding vehicles.
National Weather Service reported 218 mm (8.59 inches) of rain fell in West Hamden, Connecticut, Palisades Park in Bergen County, New Jersey, recorded 141 mm (5.56 inches) and Irvington, Westchester County, New York recorded 116 mm (4.58 inches).
One person is thought to be missing in Connecticut after disappearing in flooding along the Quinnipiac River in North Haven.
Members of HFD making additional rescues in the area of Lodi and Green Street please do not drive through flooded streets you're putting yourself an emergency responders in jeopardy @ABC7NYNewsDesk @CBSNewYork @NBCNewYork @fox5ny @FiOS1NewsNJ @CliffviewPilot @northjersey pic.twitter.com/LJXiCbPMMD
— Hackensackfirenj (@HackensackFDNJ) September 25, 2018
Severe flash flooding hits parts of north, central Alabama
Parts of northern and southern Alabama have been inundated with heavy rain, causing severe flooding throughout the state on September 26.
In Brighton flooding trapped some people in their vehicles and homes.
Firefighters say at least two people had to be pulled from their homes due to rising floodwaters from a local creek.
Confirmed tornado causes damage in Columbus, Ohio
An EF-1 tornado touched down in east Columbus on the morning of September 26, damaging homes and uprooting trees.
The tornado touched down just before 06:00 LT, traveling about 6 km (3.75 miles) with a maximum width of 137 m (150 yards).
The tornado caused roof and siding damage to numerous homes, uprooted and snapped trees, and also damaged utility poles. Two homes were heavily damaged when trees fell on them, the Dispatch reports.
Freak hailstorm hits Sydney, Australia
Massive sotrms have dumped large amounts of hail over Sydney's northwest on September 26:
Sydney's northwest has been belted by a freak hail storm that blanketed streets and yards with thick layers of ice. @alexhart7 #SydneyWeather #7News pic.twitter.com/IascQW7RIS
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) September 26, 2018
Massive storms have dumped hail over Sydney's north-west. @samanthabrett #7News pic.twitter.com/FFZzRmjsXH
— 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) September 26, 2018
Major flash flooding in Venezuela
Major flash floods in Vallelado, Castilla y León, Spain on September 26
Spectacular hailstorm in Argentina on September 26
Big tornado in Sinaloa, Mexico on September 25, 2018
Strong storm hits Chihuahua, Mexico on September 26
Massive landslide comes down on Rohru-Shimla road, Himachal Pradesh, India
The landslide took place on September 26, closing the road and stranding a lot of people.
Rosa rapidly strengthens into a major hurricane, threatens Mexico
Rosa has rapidly intensified into a major hurricane on September 27 far away from the coast of Mexico.
There are currently no coastal watches or warnings in effect but Rosa is expected to turn toward Baja California and make landfall early next week as a tropical storm.
Rosa: Widespread moderate to locally heavy rainfall, southwestern U.S.
While Hurricane Rosa is expected to weaken to a tropical storm by early next week, its moisture should stream into the southwestern U.S. bringing widespread moderate to locally heavy rainfall. This should particularly focus over the state of Arizona where areal averages may reach 1 to 2 inches with pockets of higher amounts. On average, Phoenix typically sees a little over 0.50" of rainfall in October.
Here is the latest rainfall forecast from NWS' medium range desk. Note: the graphic is forecast totals for Days 1-7, but the first few days will be dry.
More big hailstones
Percentages of large hailstones are among the highest seen since the turn of this century, according to preliminary SPC reports.
In the United States, very large hail reports for 2018 stretch from Idaho to Florida to Connecticut, with a maximum in the western Great Plains.
Image credit: Samuiel Childs, CSU
Piton de la Fournaise erupting on September 15
Shallow M5.2 earthquake shakes southern Greece
A shallow earthquake registered by the USGS as M5.2 hit southern Greece at 10:21 UTC on September 27, 2018.
It was felt among residents in the city of Kalamata, Greek media reported, but there were no immediate reports of injuries.
Two bright fireballs over Iraq
Two unconfirmed meteors were reportedly recorded over Iraq on September 25:
Meteor over Istanbul, Turkey
Another unconfirmed meteor report is coming from Istanbul, Turkey. The meteor was apparently recorded on September 27:
A plague of locusts devours a tree in Oman
September 27:
Featured image: Piton de la Fournaise erupting on September 15, 2018. Credit: Banor Jerome – B.FILMS
If you value what we do here, create your ad-free account and support our journalism.
Your support makes a difference
Dear valued reader,
We hope that our website has been a valuable resource for you.
The reality is that it takes a lot of time, effort, and resources to maintain and grow this website. We rely on the support of readers like you to keep providing high-quality content.
If you have found our website to be helpful, please consider making a contribution to help us continue to bring you the information you need. Your support means the world to us and helps us to keep doing what we love.
Support us by choosing your support level – Silver, Gold or Platinum. Other support options include Patreon pledges and sending us a one-off payment using PayPal.
Thank you for your consideration. Your support is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Teo Blašković
Commenting rules and guidelines
We value the thoughts and opinions of our readers and welcome healthy discussions on our website. In order to maintain a respectful and positive community, we ask that all commenters follow these rules:
We reserve the right to remove any comments that violate these rules. By commenting on our website, you agree to abide by these guidelines. Thank you for helping to create a positive and welcoming environment for all.