South Korea's capital records heaviest single-day snowfall in December for 40 years
Source: ABC News/AP
December 31, 2023, 3:50 AM
SEOUL, South Korea -- The South Korean capital, Seoul, received the biggest single-day snowfall recorded in December for more than 40 years on Saturday but there have been no reports of any weather-related deaths or injuries.
The country's weather agency said Sunday that 12.2 centimeters (4.8 inches) of snow fell on Seoul the previous day, the heaviest since 1981.
The Korea Meteorological Administration said a heavy snow advisory was issued for Seoul's entire area on Saturday before it was lifted later in the day. It said other parts of South Korea also received snow or rain on Saturday.
South Korea's safety agency said that Saturday's snow in Seoul and other areas caused traffic congestion, but no snowfall-related deaths or injuries have been reported.
California Coast Hit with Colossal Waves and Devastating Flooding for Third Day by Arianna Gochill
December 30, 2023
Introduction:
(Mother Jones) Abnormally large waves, some as high as 40 feet, have been pummelling Southern California’s coastal communities since Thursday, plaguing the areas with massive flooding and dangerous rip currents. According to reports from CNN, the extreme conditions have forced beach closures, washed away cars, and flooded seaside businesses and residences. Several of these communities are still recovering from previous floods earlier in the year.
(See linked article for Twitter feeds, including photos and videos)
Ventura County, one of the hardest hit areas, has closed its beaches through New Year’s Eve, while San Diego and Orange counties are under flood warnings until 2 a.m. on Monday. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles has officially deemed beaches, piers, and harbors in San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, & L.A. unsafe.
Climate change could be to blame. On Thursday, Dr. Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California-Los Angeles, noted on X that global warming may be playing a role, as climate change has been shown to cause rising sea levels. California has felt the effects of climate change severely over the past few years, with several deadly floods, wildfires, and droughts—all natural phenomena exacerbated by climbing temperatures.
Northeast Winter Storm Kick-starts Stretch of Extreme Weather by Andrew Freedman
Updarted January 7 2024
Introduction:
(Axios) Snow continues on Sunday in Southern New England as the first in a series of storms affects the East Coast.
Threat level: This storm is just the start of an extreme and dangerous weather week across the country that could feature nearly every weather hazard, from flooding rains to hurricane force winds and blizzard conditions.
• The National Weather Service is already sounding alarms about a follow-up storm early this week that will usher in a potentially record-breaking, expansive and long-lasting Arctic outbreak for the Plains and parts of the West.
The latest: The weekend event featured mainly rain from D.C. northward into Philadelphia, with 0.2 inches of wet snow falling in New York City.
Intense Winter Storm Causes Power Outages and Disrupts Travel Across the U.S. by Rebecca Falconer, and Andrew Freedman
January 9, 2024
Introduction:
(Axios) One in a fusillade of winter storms is bringing blizzard conditions, damaging winds, heavy rain, flooding and the threat of additional tornadoes across large parts of the U.S. Tuesday into Wednesday.
The big picture: A whopping 196 million people are under wind advisories, warnings and watches, including entire states from Florida to Maine, as a powerhouse cold front associated with an intensifying storm pushes east.
• Wind speeds just above the surface are expected to hit record intensities for the month of January, possibly exceeding 100 mph at only 1,000 to 4,000 feet above the surface in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
• This is likely to translate to surface wind gusts above 50 mph across large areas, leading to power outages that could affect millions.
• These winds, known as a low-level jet stream, will accompany a broad, narrow corridor of record-setting amounts of water vapor from the tropics to New England, where three inches or more of rain may fall. This is known as an atmospheric river.
• Higher gusts of up to 70 mph are forecast for coastal areas of the East Coast, including New York City. Winds this strong could virtually shut down the city's major airports at times.
