Northern Hemisphere snow cover is building early this season, just as a bout of historically low solar activity predicts…
UK SUFFERS FREEZING LOWS AND RARE SEPTEMBER SNOWS
After a relatively mild month, September in the UK is being capped-off with freezing lows and rare snows — another example of the ‘swings between extremes‘ expected during times of reduced solar output.
The mercury across the home nations has tumbled well-below the seasonal average this week.
On Wednesday, temperatures in Kilbrace, Scotland plunged to -0.7C (30.7F) and delivered the first frost of the season.
Accompanying the cold has been rare September snow, most notably across the higher elevations — both Ben Nevis and the Cairngorm plateau have registered totals of between 5 to 10cm (2 to 4 inches)–incredibly rare totals for September.
Arctic air hasn’t just been confined to northern regions, either — the chill has been felt nationwide:
GFS 2m Temp Anomalies (C) Thurs, Sept 30 [tropicaltidbits.com].
Another 10cm (4 inches) could settle Saturday through Sunday in Scotland–but also note those record-threatening early-season dumps across the Alps, the Pyrenees, and Scandinavia (shown below). These are mouth-dropping totals, and comfortably put to bed those absurd IPCC fairy tales of no more snow: “milder winter temperatures will reduced heavy snowstorms”.
GFS Total Snowfall (cm) Sept 30 – Oct 16 [tropicaltidbits.com].
Winter is encroaching early in Europe.
Given the current energy shortages, this does not bode well.
Prepare.
SEVERE, EARLY-SEASON SNOWSTORM STRIKES ICELAND
Let’s not forget ‘the Land of Fire and Ice’ in all this — Iceland has suffered truly astonishing snow totals this week.
Rescue workers were called out more than 100 times on Tuesday, reports Morgunblaðið, as a severe snowstorm pummeled northern and western parts of the island with high winds and blizzard-like conditions.
Most of the calls involved drivers whose vehicles were stuck in the unseasonable snow.
“We would have liked to see people heed the repeated warnings yesterday, stressing that no travel was advised,” said Davíð Már Bjarnason, media representative for ICE-SAR, the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue.
“In the afternoon, there were reports of drivers in the most surprising of places,” he added.
“We didn’t expect people to be traveling in the highlands in this kind of weather.”
In Northwest Iceland, a bus skidded off the road near the Heggstaðanes exit.
All 37 passenger on board escaped without injury and were quickly transported to safety at a nearby hotel.
In Siglufjörður, firefighters and rescue workers were called out when basements flooded.
Trees were uprooted in some areas, and power lines came down in North Iceland, leading to power outages for many.
According to meteorologist Einar Sveinbjörnsson, at the Icelandic Met Office, Tuesday’s storm was unusual in two ways:
“What is special and unusual is that the low pressure area traveled from east to west. It is not unheard of, but much more commonly, they travel the other way, from the southwest and across the country.”
The second unusual thing was just how ridiculously early such an extreme wintry storm hit the island, added Sveinbjörnsson.
The heavy snow even resulted in five avalanches across Iceland this week, adding to the six avalanches registered last week — this is unheard of so soon in the season, and hints of a doozy of a winter to come.
Looking to mid-October (shown below), the snowy picture looks set to continue:
GFS Snowfall (inches) Sept 30 – Oct 16 (Iceland located top-right) [tropicaltidbits.com].
Climate is cyclic, never linear — trends change.
“UNSEASONAL SNOW” KILLS TWO TREKKERS IN NORTHERN INDIA — FOURTEEN MORE STILL STRANDED
Two mountaineers died on the Khemenger glacier in Spiti valley, India this week after unexpected cold and snow set in. Members from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police and army have been sent to rescue a further fourteen that remain trapped.
The 18-strong group included 6 six trekkers from the Arete mountaineering club, 11 porters, and one sherpa.
Two trekkers, Abhijit Banik and one porter, successfully descended the mountain and informed local rescue workers that two people have died and that another fourteen remain stranded on the 5,884 meter- (19,300 feet)-high mountain.
It is thought that it will take three days to reach the trapped members of the group, who are reportedly stuck in deep snow.
Spiti deputy commissioner Neeraj Kumar said two rescue teams have been sent up the mountain, and are expected to reach the trekkers by Friday.
Kumar added: “The two trekkers reportedly died due to cold weather conditions as there was unseasonal snow in the high-altitude region.”
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