World weather news, November 2009

11th-12th

Heavy snowfall affected portions of northern China on the 11th and 12th. Impacts from the storm killed at least 38 people, including four children who were killed from a collapsing school building. According to the Chinese Central Meteorological Observatory, the Hebei Province experienced the heaviest snowfall in 55 years and the Shaanxi Province had its heaviest snowfall in history. Light snow was also observed in Beijing. The Chinese Ministry of Civil Affairs reported more than 9,000 buildings have collapsed and about 190,400 hectares of crops were affected, causing direct economic losses of about $659 million U.S. dollars.

13th

A powerful storm born from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ida began moving out to sea after raking the East Coast of the USA for three days, leaving behind it a trail of flooding, damaged buildings, eroded beaches and at least six deaths. The nor'easter caused widespread problems in Virginia and the Carolinas before hitting the Jersey shore. Several shops were evacuated in Washington, D.C., because of the threat of a building collapse possibly related to heavy rains. Construction work was under way at a row of buildings when the walls started to crack and separate.

17th

Adelaide has experienced the first spring heatwave ever recorded across the entire Adelaide temperature record back to 1887 with 8 consecutive days in excess of 35C from the 8th to the 15th. The criteria for heatwaves in Adelaide is: 5 consecutive days with maximum temperatures of 35C or more, or 3 days of 40C or more'. The average maximum temperature for Adelaide over the first 15 days of November was 33.6C. This is more than 8C higher than the November maximum temperature average for Adelaide of 24.9C. Maximum temperatures across South Australia for the first half of November have generally been 6 to 8 degrees above the monthly average, with overnight minimum temperatures generally 3 to 5 degrees above the November monthly average. The extreme heat event was the result of a near stationary weather pattern with a high pressure cell in the Tasman Sea directing hot dry continental winds across the state. El Nino events, such as the one currently in the Pacific, usually result in increased temperatures over Australia, so this, as well as the observed long term increases in mean temperatures across South Australia in recent decades, are contributing to the record heat in this event.

18th

The heatwave affecting southern and western parts of New South Wales will extend eastward and peak over the next few days as hot northerly winds persist over southeast Australia. New daily maximum temperature records for November have already been set at Wilcannia (45.2C) and Broken Hill (43.4C) on the 16th. Many stations across NSW are likely to set new November daily maximum temperature records over the next two days, Griffith and Cobar are both forecast to exceed their record temperatures on Thursday with temperatures of 45C.

18th-19th

People in north-west England and south-west Scotland face a high risk of their homes being damaged by flooding, the Environment Agency is warning. There are 37 flood warnings in place across Britain, but BBC forecasters said Cumbria and Dumfries and Galloway were at greatest risk on Thursday. The Met Office has issued severe weather warnings, with up to 250mm of rain possible on higher ground. Cumbria Police said on Wednesday night there was a large flood on the A69 at Warwick Bridge, in Carlisle, which was approximately 65m long, but that the road was passable with care. Roads in Todmorden were shut because of flooding, and homeowners in Chatterton and Strongstry have been warned they could be at risk.