Northern Thailand and parts of Laos and Burma (Myanmar) were blanketed by a thick pall of smoke and haze stemming from widespread agricultural and forest fires in March 2012. The haze pushed concentrations of airborne particulate matter to levels
Thick dust blew off the northern coast of Africa and over the Mediterranean Sea in early March 2012. The dust plumes blew off the coast of both eastern and western Libya, the country in the southeast section of the image, with clear skies predominating between the
The topography of the seafloor near the coast plays a major role in determining how large tsunami waves become and what places get hit harder than others. Scientists had suspected that the same phenomenon might also take place in the deep ocean, where seamounts
According to Australian Bureau of Meteorology, as of 2:00 am WST Tropical Cyclone Lua (Category 2) was estimated to be 700 kilometres northwest of Karratha, 790 kilometres northwest of Port Hedland and it is moving north at speed of 4 kilometres per hour. Lua is
Magnitude 6.4 earthquake hit New Britain Region of Papua New Guinea on Wednesday, March 14, 2012 at 21:13:11 UTC (Thursday, March 15, 2012 at 07:13:11 Local). USGS reported it with depth of 47.8 km (29.7 miles). Epicenter was 6 km (59 miles) E of Kimbe, New
Sunday rains and flash floods in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile have left an estimated 800 people homeless forcing the city to close schools while the local chapter of the National Emergency office, Onemi, raised the alarm level from orange (moderate) to red
Just 3 days after Japan marked the first anniversary of Great Tohoku earthquake and tsunami disaster that followed – a swarm of earthquakes hit the same region of Japan. Although reports of new earthquakes are still coming in – no damage or tsunami was reported. Area
California’s weather this year was marked by significant drought conditions that could have lasting implications on the state’s water supply. Twelve months period over which hydrologic records are kept is measured from July 1 to June 30 and as of February 1, 2012, the
The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale (SSHWS) is undergoing a minor modification in 2012 to resolve “awkwardness” associated with conversions among the various units used for wind speed in advisory products. The new modification is to help clarify categorization
One-third of New South Wales (NSW) communities have been declared natural disaster zones as the worst flooding in decades continues to threaten parts of the state. Four more natural disaster zones were declared on Tuesday March 13th, bringing the total to 53 out of
