NASA's Terra satellite captured this image of a smoke plume coming from the Bezymianny volcano on the the Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia. (NASA)
The Kamchatka Peninsula in Russia is a relatively active area for volcanic activity, like much of the rest of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Bezymianny volcano in the east-central part of the peninsula is the smaller of three neighboring volcanoes.
Bezymianny was thought to be extinct until it erupted from 1955 to 1956. Prior to that, it had experienced a period of 1,000 of dormancy. The 1956 eruption was comparable in size to the Mount Saint Helens eruption in 1980 and resulted in a horseshoe shaped crater that has since been filled by other, smaller eruptions and pyroclastic flows.
On Wednesday, Novebmer 25, 2009, NASA’s Terrra spacecraft captured an image of a smoke plume emanating from the volcano. Using the craft’s Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER), the plume is clearly seen as is its shadow.
The unscrupulous efforts of some of the world’s top climate scientists to silence dissent among skeptics is the latest discovery from the Climategate emails that were leaked last week. Analysis of the messages shows that the scientists colluded together to stifle the opinions of anyone who disagreed with them.
Swimming against the tide is never an easy task. Scientists that disagreed with the manmade climate change theory have learned that if you’re swimming against the ‘consensus’ of global warming, it can not only be hard, it can be a nasty business.
For years those who believe other factors beyond man drive the planet’s climate have said they were blocked from publication and been the target of a concerted effort to silence them. Their complaints were largely ignored but with the release of the Climategate documents and emails, the proof shows their claims were not unfounded.
An analysis of the emails from a veritable who’s who in climate science show that some of the world’s top scientists worked directly against dissenting scientists. The scientists worked to discredit other’s work, oust them from professional organizations, exerted pressure on scientific publications and went so far as to consider pushing an educational institution to review the doctorate of a scientist. The moves appear to go far beyond a scientific debate and read more like a vendetta against dissenting opinions.
The normally picturesque view of England’s Lake District saw itself become the scene of a rescue operation as helicopters and lifeboats plucked hundreds residents and brought them to safety. The area recorded the most rainfall ever recorded in the nation and the weather was responsible for the death of a local constable.
Widespread heavy rain across England and Ireland caused flooding that brought floods as deep as eight feet and engorged rivers that brought down bridges. England set a national rainfall record when 12.3 inches of rain fell in just 24 hours last week at Seathwaite Farm according to Britain’s Met Office.
In the town of Cockermouth, officials estimate 1,000 homes were flooded and more than 200 people were rescued. Local emergency responders and British soldiers conducted house to house searches to extract those struck by the floods. The town, 300 miles northwest of London, is at the confluence of the Cocker and Derwent rivers and is the birthplaces of poet William Woodsworth.
November 22 to November 28 - This week in Denver weather history
This time period in November has been exceedingly eventful throughout Denver weather history. Notable as usual are big wind events that have caused damage and injuries. Snow of course is also quite present, including the Thanksgiving blizzard of 1983 which dumped an astounding 21.5 inches of snow on the Mile High City.
From the National Weather Service:
21-22
In 1905…a trace of snow fell on both days in downtown Denver. This was the only snow of the month…ranking the month along with other Novembers…the 2nd least snowiest on record.
In 1999…the first significant snowfall of the season struck metro Denver. Snowfall totals included: 16 inches near bailey; 13 inches near evergreen; 12 inches at north turkey creek…Genesee…near Morrison…and near Sedalia; 11 inches near Conifer and in evergreen; 10 inches in Louisville; 9 inches in Brighton…Broomfield…and Denver; and 8 inches at Arvada…Castle Rock…and Eldorado Springs. Snowfall totaled 8.4 inches at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport.
In 2003…heavy snow fell in and near the foothills of Boulder County. Snowfall totaled 10.5 inches in Eldorado Springs. Across the city…snowfall was lighter with 2.8 inches measured at the site of the former Stapleton International Airport on the 22nd. North winds gusted to 32 mph at Denver International Airport on the 22nd.
21-23
In 1918…post-frontal snowfall totaled 5.9 inches in downtown Denver. Most of the snow…5.3 inches…fell on the 22nd. North winds were sustained to 20 mph on the 21st.
In 1931…a major storm dumped a total of 13.2 inches of snowfall over downtown Denver. Most of the snow…11.4 inches…fell on the 21st. A very cold air mass settled over the city after the heavy snow on the 21st. After a low temperature of zero…the temperature climbed to a high of only 5 degrees on the 22nd…a record low maximum for the date.
21-25
In 1952…snowfall of 6.2 inches was measured at Stapleton Airport where northeast winds gusted to 17 mph on the 21st.
22
In 1977…101 mph winds were measured in southwest Boulder. The side of a garage was blown down. West winds gusted to only 33 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1981…high winds occurred in the foothills. A peak gust to 75 mph was reported at Wondervu. West winds gusted to 23 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1988…a wind gust to 88 mph was measured at Rollinsville.
In 1990…strong west to northwest winds…on the coat tails of a mountain snow storm the day before…lashed out at portions of the eastern foothills with 60 to 95 mph wind gusts. The strong winds spread over all of metro Denver. A west wind gust to 49 mph was recorded at Stapleton International Airport.
Hackers may have exposed a concerted effort by the world's leading climate scientists to coverup and delete climate data.
Skeptics of manmade climate change may very well have found their Holy Grail. A hacker apparently broke into the computer systems of the UK’s Hadley Climate Research Unit and made off with over 1,000 emails and dozens of files. The contents of the archive, if proven to be authentic, would expose nothing less than a conspiracy amongst some of the world’s leading climate scientists.
As told on the Climate Change Examiner, the emails detail discussions taking place that include the modification of climate data, preventing access to data by those who disagree, deleting data that does not fit the global warming theory and so much more. This would be nothing less than one of the biggest scandals to have EVER occurred in science.
Britain’s Climate Research Unit, University of East Anglia, suffered a data breach in recent days when a hacker apparently broke into their system and made away with thousands of emails and documents. The stolen data was then posted to a Russian server and has quickly made the rounds among climate skeptics. The documents within the archive, if proven to be authentic, would at best be embarrassing for many prominent climate researchers and at worst, damning.
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The contents of the archive contain documents and email correspondence from a veritable who’s who in climate science. Among those included in the emails are Phil Jones, Keith Briffa, his assistant, Michael Mann of the University of Virginia, Malcolm Hughes at the University of Arizona, Kevin Trenberth at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, James Hansen of NASA’s Goddard Institute of Space Studies and others.
The emails contain an array of discussions including what appear to be concerted efforts to withhold data. Just as troubling is conversations that allude to potentially manipulating climate data to “hide the decline” of temperatures seen in the last decade.
In a recent survey by the American Meteorlogical Society, 50% of TV weathercasters disagree that man is responsible for global warming.
The American Meteorological Society released the results of a survey of TV meteorologists gauging their opinions on climate change. With a full 50% of respondents disagreeing that man is responsible for global warming, the survey indicates continuing cracking in the ‘consensus’ of the manmade climate change theory.
The survey results, published in the October 2009 issue of “Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society” (BAMS), show that a significant portion of meteorologists continue to doubt that man is the driving force of climate change. When asked about the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s (IPCC) statement that “Most of the warming since 1950 is very likely human-induced,” a full 50% either disagree or strongly disagree. 25% were neutral and a mere 24% said they agreed or strongly agreed.
Similarly, meteorologists doubt the very global climate models on which the anthropogenic global warming theory is based. These models have been shown to be incapable of predicting historical climate changes and their predictions continue to fall outside of scientific norms. Reflecting this, 52% of the meteorologists disagreed with that statement that “Global climate models are reliable in their projections for a warming of the planet.” A mere 19% said they agreed with the statement.
Respondents also showed an apparent distrust of many current sources of climate related information. The weathercasters said they wanted “to have access to “independent,” “unbiased,” and “reputable” sources of data and information that present “both sides” of the issue.”
Faced with the reality that many nations are unwilling to commit to an agreement, world leaders said yesterday that a global climate change treaty will not become reality next month. Heads of state, assembled in Singapore for the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC), said the United Nations Climate Conference (COP 15) in Copenhagen, Denmark will instead be used to further the discussion about global warming.
Two years of labor going into the COP 15 conference will be for naught and at best could yield a political agreement but not a legally binding treaty. A large gap between developing nations and richer countries continues to prevent an agreement.
Developing nations including India, Brazil and China have insisted on billions of dollars in international aid and said that any goals should be just that and not requirements. Nations like the United States however have been reluctant to agree to any deal that did not require all nations to legally comply with emissions restrictions.
November 15 to November 21 - This week in Denver weather history
Any week in Denver weather history is filled with numerous notable weather events and this week is no different. We have everything from major snowstorms to damaging winds and much more. However, one item is particularly notable and historic. It was on the 20th of November in 1871 that the first, official weather observation took place in Denver. Henry Fenton, Observer Sergeant of the United States Army Signal Service, made the report at 5:43 am. The office was located on the 2nd floor of a building at the corner of Larimer and G Streets, now 16th Street. Scroll down to see what the report said.
From the National Weather Service:
From the 12th to the 15th:
In 1909…light snowfall totaled 6.7 inches in downtown Denver over the 4 days. This was the first measurable snowfall of the season. Northeast winds were sustained to 15 mph on the 12th.
From the 14th to the 15th:
In 1917…overnight rainfall was 0.03 inch. This was the only measurable precipitation of the month…making it the 5th driest November on record.
In 1985…3 to 6 inches of snow fell across metro Denver. Snowfall totaled 3.8 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to only 13 mph.
In 2005…a winter storm that brought heavy snow to the mountains also spread heavy snow into the foothills to the west of Denver. Snowfall totals included: 14 inches at aspen springs…13 inches near Pinecliffe…and 12 inches near Nederland. Interstate 70 along with U.S. Highway 40 had to be closed near Idaho Springs due to snow…poor visibility in blowing snow…numerous accidents…and an increased avalanche danger. High winds were recorded in the foothills on the 14th. Winds gusted to 89 mph at Georgetown and to 91 mph on Sugarloaf Mountain west of Boulder. Strong microburst winds associated with a dissipating rain shower gusted to 61 mph at Denver International Airport on the 14th.
From the 14th to the 18th:
In 1964…the first measurable snowfall of the season totaled 6.0 inches at Stapleton International Airport where northeast winds gusted to 32 mph on the 14th. Most of the snow…4.2 inches…fell on the 14th. This was the only measurable snow of the month.
On the 15th:
In 1902…4.0 inches of snow fell over downtown Denver. This was the only measurable snow of the month. Northeast winds were sustained to 18 mph with gusts to 20 mph.
In 1906…strong winds howled and roared across Boulder… Causing several thousand dollars in damage. The strong winds caused one fatality and minor injuries to others. West winds were sustained to 46 mph in downtown Denver where the strong Chinook winds warmed the temperature to a high of 74 degrees.
In 1944…the low temperature dipped to 32 degrees. This is the latest date of the first freeze in Denver.
In 1949…a trace of rain fell. Another trace of rain on the 11th was the only precipitation of the month…making the month one of the driest Novembers on record and the least snowiest with no snow. This was the first November since 1882 without snow.
In 1960…strong winds caused 2 thousand dollars damage to a new school building in Boulder where wind gusts were estimated to 70 mph. Wind gusts to 40 mph were recorded in downtown Denver. Damage occurred to utility lines…signs… And trees. Northwest winds gusted to 44 mph at Stapleton Airport.
In 1986…strong Chinook winds howled over the Front Range foothills. The highest wind gust…81 mph…was recorded at Table Mesa in Boulder. West winds gusted to 31 mph at Stapleton International Airport.
In 1987…the first measurable snow of the season was also a major snowstorm. The snow combined with strong winds to close I-70 east of Denver and I-25 to Colorado Springs. Snow accumulations ranged from 6 to 9 inches across metro Denver with 10 to 20 inches in the foothills. At Stapleton International Airport…6.1 inches of snow fell and north winds gusted to 47 mph reducing the visibility to as low as 1/8 mile in heavy snow. Strong north winds at 20 to 30 mph with frequent gusts to 40 mph and temperatures hovering around 30 degrees plunged wind chill temperatures to 5 below zero.
In 1988…the season’s first snow storm hit metro Denver. The storm dumped 2 to 5 inches of snow…which caused numerous traffic snarls and accidents. North wind gusts to 43 mph caused some blowing snow. Snowfall totaled 2.5 inches at Stapleton International Airport. This was the latest first snow of the season. No traces of snow had occurred earlier in the season.
A live view of ThorntonWeather.com's east facing webcam.
With snow having been falling in the mountains west of Denver much of the day and it now arriving in the metro area, all eyes are focused on two storm systems set to impact Colorado in a span of 48 hours. The storms have the makings to be a major winter weather event.
The first system is starting to affect the Denver area late this afternoon. Temperatures have begun to drop and most of the precipitation that is falling is coming down as snow. This will continue this evening through about midnight with the snow possibly becoming heavy at times as snow bands move through. Overnight there will be a lingering slight chance for continued snow but for the most part the period will be a lull between storms. Between 1 and 4 inches can be expected in the metro area before dawn tomorrow.
The second and more potent system arrives tomorrow and that has caused a Winter Storm Watch to be issued that is in effect from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon. The watch area stretches from south of Pueblo, through the Denver area and to the Wyoming border.
Denver broke the record high minimum temperature for the date yesterday.
The Mile High City has enjoyed some great weather this past week and one weather record has officially been set. Just before midnight last night, the temperature at Denver International Airport dropped to 45 degrees. This sets a new record high minimum for November 12th, breaking the old record of 44 degrees set in 1894. Thornton however wasn’t near as warm as we had a low temperature of 40.5 degrees.
The warm weather pattern though is set for a big change this weekend as you can see in our forecast. Two systems will begin to impact the area, the second of which arrives Saturday afternoon and could bring a good deal of snow to the area. Get the details on the Winter Storm Watch here.
It is important to remember though that the National Weather Service moved Denver’s official measurements to DIA 14 years ago from the former Stapleton site. This has caused a major change in Denver’s climate and weather records. Data shows that DIA runs hotter on the highs, colder on the colds and records less moisture than what stations closer to Denver do. This has resulted in Denver’s historical climate records being skewed.
Some say Denver’s climate records have forever been altered due to the station move and as such any weather record should have an asterisk attached to it. For more on the controversy, be sure to read our Examiner.com investigative series:
Examiner.com Investigates Do Denver weather and climate records have an asterisk attached?
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