As we post this the U.S. has been dealing with multiple tornadoes touching down across the central plains. Spring and early summer are typically the most active months (esp. across Tornado Alley) and, to be honest, 2013 has been fairly quiet … until the past few weeks.
America has more tornado sightings than any other place in the world and averages about 1,300 tornadoes each year. And tornadoes happen year round across the continental U.S.
Although twisters are dangerous and potentially deadly, they also have a certain type of beauty that makes one appreciate the power of Mother Nature.
Below are some fascinating tornado pics for this week’s Friday Fotos segment…
Tornado and Rainbow Over Kansas Image Credit & Copyright: Eric Nguyen (Oklahoma U.) via NASA
NASA Explanation: The scene might have been considered serene if it weren’t for the tornado. During 2004 in Kansas, storm chaser Eric Nguyen photographed this budding twister in a different light — the light of a rainbow. Pictured above, a white tornado cloud descends from a dark storm cloud. The Sun, peeking through a clear patch of sky to the left, illuminates some buildings in the foreground. Sunlight reflects off raindrops to form a rainbow. By coincidence, the tornado appears to end right over the rainbow. Streaks in the image are hail being swept about by the high swirling winds.
NatGeo Explanation: Nicholas Rutledge snapped this picture of the devastating May 2013 tornado as it gathered strength in Newcastle, Oklahoma. It later intensified before smashing through suburbs surrounding Oklahoma City, including the city of Moore.
South Dakota EF3 Tornado / Photograph by Carsten Peter via NatGeo
Above is one of the oldest known photographs of a tornado per NOAA. It is probable this image has been “doctored” from the original. Source: NOAA’s National Weather Service Collection Location: South Dakota, 22 miles southwest of Howard Photo Date: August 28, 1884
Our favorite photo by NOAA
As we mentioned in our Tornadoes don’t usually happen in December … or do they? post, the most important thing to do year round wherever you live is to pay attention to forecasts, keep a NOAA Weather Radio handy when nasty weather is brewing, and learn what to do before, during and after various types of emergencies and disasters.
The National Weather Service launches it’s annual Hurricane Preparedness Week during the last week of Mayso we felt this was a good time to share some information about hurricanes in general.
The Seasons
As mentioned in our May 2013 enews, experts are predicting an active 2013 Atlantic season with 18 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes. A typical Atlantic hurricane season averages 12 named storms, 6.5 hurricanes, and two major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). Some experts are even predicting a few storms may strike the northeast (like Sandy did last fall) since conditions are similar to the 1950s.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), over a typical 2-year period, the U.S. coastline is struck by an average of 3 hurricanes, 1 of which is classified as a major hurricane. And, while hurricanes pose the greatest threat to life and property, tropical storms and depressions also can be devastating.
The Pacific Hurricane Season runs from May 15th through November 30th(with peak season being July to September), and the Atlantic Hurricane Season starts June 1st ending November 30th(with peak season being mid-August to late October).
However, there have been instances where tropical storms and hurricanes have formed in May and December, plus typhoons and cyclones happen during other months in different parts of the world so our planet’s oceans stay active most of the year.
Hurricanes are tropical cyclones with torrential rains and winds of 74 – 155 miles per hour (120 – 250 km/h) or faster. These winds blow in a counter-clockwise direction (or clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere) around a center “eye”. The “eye” is usually 20 to 30 miles (32 to 48 km) wide, and the storm may be spread out as far as 400 miles (640 km)!
As the hurricane approaches the coast, a huge dome of water (called a storm surge) will crash into the coastline.
Hurricanes can also cause tornadoes, heavy rains and flooding along the impacted coastlines as well as far into the mainland states.
Did you know…
…the deadliest hurricane (cyclone) on record struck East Pakistan (now Bangladesh), flooding the low lying areas?! At least 500,000 deaths are blamed on the November 13, 1970 storm, with some estimates rising as high as 1 million.
…the deadliest U.S. hurricane was the Great Galveston category 4 hurricane on September 8, 1900 that caused at least 8,000 deaths on the Texas coast?!
…the costliest U.S. hurricane was Katrina (category 3) in 2005 that impacted Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee causing over $105 billion according to NOAA?! Hurricane / Superstorm Sandy is second costliest at about $50 billion.
…the 2005 U.S. season broke records with 27 named storms (previous record was 21 in 1933) and 15 hurricanes (previous record was 12 in 1969). The National Hurricane Center states this cycle could last 10-20 more years similar to the above-average activity from the 1940s through the 1960s.
…9 out of 10 hurricane deaths are due to storm surge (a rise in the sea level caused by strong winds). Storm surges can get up to 20 feet (6 m) high and 50 to 100 miles (80 to 160 km) wide!
…the northeast part (or right front quadrant) of a hurricane typically has the strongest winds and highest storm surge?! If it’s high tide when the storm slams ashore you could have serious problems.
Hurricane basics
The ingredients for a hurricane include a pre-existing weather disturbance, warm tropical oceans, moisture, and relatively light winds aloft. If the right conditions persist long enough, they can combine to produce the violent winds, incredible waves, torrential rains, and floods we associate with this phenomenon.
Each year, an average of 11 tropical storms develop over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, and Gulf of Mexico. Many of these remain over the ocean and never impact the U.S. coastline. About six of these storms become hurricanes each year.
In an average 3-year period, roughly five hurricanes strike the US coastline, killing approximately 50 to 100 people anywhere from Texas to Maine. Of these, two are typically “major” or “intense” hurricanes (a category 3 or higher storm on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale).
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Hurricanes are classed into five categories based on wind speeds, central pressure, and damage potential. The chart below is the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale with sustained wind speeds and examples of damage (in italics) provided by NOAA:
Category 1 (74-95 mph / 119-153 km/h) Dangerous winds will produce some damage (Untied mobile homes, vegetation & signs)
Category 2 (96-110 mph / 154-177 km/h ) Extremely dangerous winds / extensive damage (All mobile homes, roofs, small crafts, floods)
Category 4 (130-156 mph / 209-251 km/h) Catastrophic damage will occur (Roofs and mobile homes destroyed, trees down, beach homes flooded)
Category 5 (> 156 mph / >251 km/h) Catastrophic damage will occur (Most buildings and vegetation destroyed, major roads cut off, homes flooded)
Naming a hurricane
Since 1953, Atlantic tropical storms have been named from lists originated by the National Hurricane Center and now maintained and updated by an International committee of the World Meteorological Organization. The lists featured only women’s names until 1979, when men’s and women’s names were alternated. Six lists are used in rotation. Thus, the 2001 list will be used again in 2007. The only time there is a change in the list is if a storm is so deadly or costly that the future use of its name on a different storm would be inappropriate and the name is retired by the WMO. Retiring a name means it cannot be reused for at least 10 years. Source: WRAL.com
NatGeo vid “Hurricanes 101”
This short video further explains hurricanes, and scroll down to find more resources.
National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2013
As mentioned above, National Hurricane Preparedness Week 2013 runs from May 26 to June 1. The National Hurricane Center has posted 7 Public Service Announcements (both Youtube videos and audio files in English and Spanish) with a specific topic designated for each day of the week.
PSA topics include: Hurricane Basics, Storm Surge, Winds, Inland Flooding, Forecast Process, Get A Plan! and After the Storm. Learn more and find other resources and tools from NHC at www.hurricanes.gov to help educate your family and community.
Download a free 60-page ebook portion of our IT’S A DISASTER! book with tips on hurricanes, evacuations and more at fedhealth.net
Memorial Day is a day of remembering and honoring the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the Civil War. By the 20th century Memorial Day had been extended to honor all Americans who have died while in the military service.
Communities around the country will be holding events all weekend from parades to memorials to honor those who have died in military service. And many volunteers including active duty military, Boy Scout troops, American Legions and others will show their respect for the fallen by placing a small flag on each grave in 146 national cemeteries across America.
For example, each year for the past 40 years, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) has honored America’s fallen heroes with the “Flags In” tradition by placing American flags before the 260,000 gravestones and 7,300 niches of service members buried at both Arlington National Cemetery and the U.S. Soldier’s and Airmen’s Home National Cemetery just prior to Memorial Day.
Below: A mourner, believed to be Air Force Reserve Captain Teresa Dutcher, lies at the grave of her son Corporal Michael Avery Pursel at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. She visited the cemetery at the conclusion of the “Flags In” event on May 24, 2012 per PDN.
The Tomb of the Unknowns is a monument dedicated to American service members who have died without their remains being identified. It is also known as the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier but has never been officially named. The tomb guards are soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Regiment. It is considered one of the highest honors to serve as a Sentinel at the Tomb of the Unknowns. Fewer than 20 percent of all volunteers are accepted for training and of those only a fraction pass training to become full-fledged Tomb Guards. One of the most solemn ceremonies that occurs at the Tomb of the Unknowns is where the president or his designee lays a wreath to mark the national observance of Memorial Day.
An amazing photo that went viral a few years ago was taken by amateur photographer Frank Glick was on his way to work. He drove through Fort Snelling National Cemetery early one morning and spotted a bald eagle through the mist, perched on a gravestone, and snapped shots with his aging but ever-present camera, according to the Star Tribune. An acquaintance saw the photo and suggested that he see if the deceased soldier had any living relatives who might want it. Indeed, Maurice Ruch’s widow was alive and well and delighted to receive a copy of the eagle watching over her beloved husband.
Words cannot properly express the gratitude for all those who have sacrificed so much… but please remember to take a moment this long weekend to honor our nation’s fallen heroes.
As some of you may know, Bill has been battling many serious health issues over the past 17+ years, and one of the core underlying problems is he has Celiac (SEE-lee-ak) Disease.
And since May is Celiac Disease Awareness Month, we wanted to pass along some information about this hereditary disease in case it can help others.
For those of you not familiar with Celiac Disease (a.k.a. CD or celiac sprue), it’s a genetic issue and it’s not contagious.
Basically if Bill ingests any type of gluten, his immune system creates antibodies that attack and damage or destroy the villi lining the small intestine so his body cannot properly absorb basic nutrients – proteins, carbohydrates, fats, vitamins, minerals and, in some cases, water and bile salts.
Gluten is the common name for the proteins in specific grains that are harmful to persons with celiac disease. These proteins are found in ALL forms of wheat (including durum, semolina, spelt, Kamut®, einkorn and faro) and related grains rye, barley and triticale and MUST be eliminated.
Even tiny traces of gluten in foods can affect those with CD and cause health problems. And, according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, damage can occur to the small bowel even when there are no symptoms present.
Did you know…
Celiac Disease is NOT a food allergy – it is an autoimmune disease. Food allergies, including wheat allergy, are conditions that people can sometimes grow out of. This is not the case with Celiac Disease.
according to the Celiac Disease Foundation, 1 out of 133 people in the U.S. are affected with celiac disease?
the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness says about 83% of Americans who have celiac disease are either undiagnosed or misdiagnosed?
CD is a hereditary disease and occurs in 5% to 22% of the offspring and siblings of a person with the disease.
Symptoms and complications
Celiac disease can appear at any time in a person’s life according to the Celiac Disease Foundation. In adults, the disease can be triggered for the first time after surgery, viral infection, severe emotional stress, pregnancy or childbirth. CD is a multi-system, multi-symptom disorder. Symptoms vary and are not always gastrointestinal (GI). GI symptoms can often mimic other bowel disorders.
Most people with the disease have similar symptoms or issues although some people with CD have no symtoms at all. Celiac disease can cause abdominal pain, gas, bloating, vomiting, diarrhea or constipation (or both). It may also cause irritability or depression, anemia, joint pain, muscle cramps, skin rash (or small red bumps), mouth sores, dental and bone disorders, tingling in the legs and feet (neuropathy), general weakness and fatigue, weight loss and stunted growth (in children).
Eventually, the decreased absorption of nutrients (malabsorption) that occurs with celiac disease can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive your brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment.
And the National Foundation for Celiac Awareness explains undiagnosed celiac disease left untreated can increase your risk of other problems like osteoporosis, infertility, thyroid disease and T-cell lymphoma or other cancers.
No treatment can cure celiac disease. However, you can effectively manage celiac disease by changing your diet.
Celiac disease versus gluten-intolerance
There is a big difference between people suffering with celiac disease and those who are gluten-intolerant. If someone with CD ingests a tiny amount of gluten it will trigger their immune system causing damage in their small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients. Basically it could set them back weeks or months since it takes time for the villi to repair itself and the inflammation to tamp down.
On the other hand, if someone who is gluten-intolerant (a.k.a. non-celiac gluten sensitivity or NCGS) ingests gluten they may experience discomfort like bloating, diarrhea or abdominal pain, but it does not damage their small intestine.
Read ALL labels and not just food stuffs
When a loved one is diagnosed with celiac disease you diligently begin reading ingredient lists on everything. We were shocked how many canned, bottled, processed, packaged, frozen, dried and ready-made foods or sauces have gluten in them.
Not only do you need to watch for things with wheat, barley, malt or rye … but things like flavorings, dextrin, caramel coloring, HVP, etc. may be questionable depending on what countries they were made in or what ingredients are used. And oats are an issue since they may have been cross-contaminated with wheat during growing, harvesting and processing.
Also realize just because somethings says it’s “Gluten Free” doesn’t mean it is. The product could have been processed or packaged on shared equipment or in a facility that also processes wheat or other gluten products. Even though manufacturers clean machines, gluten can get down into little crevices and it is airborne.
But there are products that are packaged and processed in dedicated, gluten-free facilities or adhere to the Celiac Sprue Association (or GFCO or QAI and NFCA) standards to obtain a certified GF seal or label. But even those products can have minute traces of 5 to 10 parts per million when tested for wheat.
The best alternative is to avoid processed foods altogether and make your own meals at home so you’ll know exactly what’s in them! We currently do that although there are some GF products we use in our preparedness kits, stores and snacks.
Also, be aware there are non-food products that may contain gluten like…
Art supplies (e.g. paints, glue, clay) or play-dough
And of course beer, grain alcohols and the list goes on. Many companies and restaurants are offering gluten-free products but again, always check labels and/or ask the manufacturers’ websites or chefs if products are made or packaged on shared equipment, cooking surfaces, etc.
Learn more
Below are just a few examples of reputable sites to learn about Celiac Disease and gluten-intolerance symptoms, risk factors, tests and diagnosis techniques, support groups and more. And remember, if you or someone you know has or possibly has CD, please encourage family members to talk to their physician or learn more about the disease and risks.
Some of this appeared in our IT’S A DISASTER! .. Now what? post last summer (along with resources about the disaster declaration process, how to get assistance, etc.) … but in light of the recent disasters we’re sharing it again.
The images of disasters pull on people’s heartstrings causing those outside of the impacted area to want to do something to help. Unfortunately, sometimes this kindness overwhelms agencies and organizations trying to coordinate relief efforts so please review the following general guidelines on helping others after a disaster.
Some things you CAN do…
Donate money to a recognized voluntary agency since it is the single best way to help disaster survivors. Cash doesn’t need to be sorted, stored or distributed, and it allows the voluntary agency to use the donation towards the needs that most urgently need addressing. The funds can also help stimulate the local economy. Your entire donation goes towards the disaster relief since these organizations raise money for overhead expenses through separate fund drives. A few examples of how to donate include…
The Salvation Army: Donate online (or learn about other Ways to Give)
American Red Cross: Donate online (scroll down page to see various causes)
If you need help in determining who to donate to, National Voluntary Organization Active in Disaster website has a list of major nonprofits active in disaster work at www.nvoad.org
Learn what to say (and not say) to victims of disaster. Check out “Loss: What to Say After the Flood, Earthquake, or Disaster from Grief Expert Aurora Winter” on PRnewswire
Donate blood or organize a blood drive.
Some things you DON’T want to do…
Don’t show up unannounced with unsolicited goods (things like clothing, miscellaneous household items, mixed or perishable foodstuffs, diapers, etc). Critical resources will be redirected from the important work of response and relief to managing what often becomes a crush of unneeded donated items.
Always work with a relief agency to confirm what items are needed. Do not begin collecting, packing or shipping until you have a known recipient who will accept the donation.
If your company wants to donate emergency supplies, donate a quantity of a given item or class of items (such as nonperishable food) rather than a mix of different items. Also, find out where donation is going, how it’s going to get there, who’s going to unload it and how it will be distributed. Without good planning, much needed supplies will be left unused.
If you want to volunteer your services after a disaster, listen to local news reports for information about where volunteers are needed. Please STAY AWAY from disaster areas until volunteers are specifically requested!
If you are needed in a disaster area, bring your own food, water and emergency supplies. This is especially important in cases where a large area has been hit since these items may be in short supply.
Don’t drive down to a disaster site to gawk. People who go into areas to see the destruction make it harder for everyone working to clean it up and for the people who live there.
Also download a free ebook portion of our IT’S A DISASTER!…and what are YOU gonna do about it? book about dealing with floods, evacuations, wildfires and more … and please share it and this post with others.
According to LiveScience.com the Nazca lines are enormous geoglyphs in arid coastal Peru that cover an estimated 170 square miles (450 square kilometers). Thousands of geoglyphs include creatures from the natural world and the human imagination.
National Geographic explains the drawings on the ground are made by removing rocks and earth to create a “negative” image. The rocks which cover the desert have oxidized and weathered to a deep rust color, and when the top 12-15 inches of rock is removed, a light-colored, high contrasting sand is exposed. Because there’s so little rain, wind and erosion, the exposed designs have stayed largely intact for 500 to 2000 years.
Hundreds are simple lines or geometric shapes; more than seventy are zoomorphic designs of animals such as birds, fish, llamas, jaguar, monkey, or human figures. Other designs include phytomorphic shapes such as trees and flowers. The largest figures are over 200 metres (660 ft) across per Wikipedia.
The vast majority of the lines date from 200 BC to 500 AD, to a time when a people referred to as the Nazca inhabited the region. The earliest lines, created with piled up stones, date as far back as 500 BC.
LiveScience.com says no one knows why the prehistoric Nazca culture went through the effort of making the geoglyphs, though they may have had a ritual role or linked up to constellations in the sky. Another idea is that the lines play a role in pilgrimage, with one walking across them to reach a sacred place such as Cahuachi and its adobe pyramids. Yet another idea is that the lines are connected with water, something vital to life yet hard to get in the desert, and may have played a part in water-based rituals.
Whatever the case… the Nazca Lines are fascinating and mysterious.
On May 9 and 10, 2013 millions of sky-gazers saw the spectacle of a lifetime as a “ring of fire” annular solar eclipse crossed the Pacific from Asia to the United States.
According to Space.com the eclipse was best seen in remote parts of western Australia, where the moon covered most — but not all — of the sun, leaving a spectacular ring of light around the lunar silhouette.
Because the eclipse’s path crossed the International Dateline, it began in Australia on Friday, May 10, local time, but ended late Thursday, May 9.
Below are a few pics from the recent 2013 event and above and last shot are from the May 2012 eclipse. Enjoy!
Gorgeous composite image by Mike Hancock Cape York, Australia via io9
Annular solar eclipse of May 9, 2013 in Australia. CREDIT: Coca-Cola Space Science Center/Columbus State University via Space.com
Annular eclipse (moon not large enough to obscure entire disc of Sun) photographed at sunset in eastern New Mexico on 20 May 2012 via wikimedia
Did you know U.S. nursing homes, hospitals and even ambulances are increasingly plagued by … bedbugs..?!?
Marketwatch.com reports more than a third of pest management companies treated bedbug infestations in hospitals in 2012, 6% more than the year before and more than twice as many as in 2010, according to a survey released today by the National Pest Management Association.
The percentage of exterminators dealing with bedbugs in nursing homes has also almost doubled since 2010, to 46%. Bedbug experts also report seeing them in ambulances.
The Center for Disease Control explains bed bugs are not known to spread disease, but they can be an annoyance because their presence may cause itching and loss of sleep. Sometimes the itching can lead to excessive scratching that can sometimes increase the chance of a secondary skin infection.
This is especially problematic in hospitals, where there is a greater likelihood of catching the highly potent and contagious staph infection known as MRSA, says Dr. Jorge Parada, medical director of the infection prevention and control program of Loyola University Health System in Chicago. “You don’t need one more ingredient to increase your risk of infections in the hospital,” he says.
Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range from 1mm to 7mm (roughly the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny), and can live several months without a blood meal.
Bed bug infestations usually occur around or near the areas where people sleep. These areas include apartments, shelters, rooming houses, hotels, cruise ships, buses, trains, and dorm rooms.
They hide during the day in places such as seams of mattresses, box springs, bed frames, headboards, dresser tables, inside cracks or crevices, behind wallpaper, or any other clutter or objects around a bed. Bed bugs have been shown to be able to travel over 100 feet in a night but tend to live within 8 feet of where people sleep.
What are the signs and symptoms of a bed bug infestation?
One of the easiest ways to identify a bed bug infestation is by the tell-tale bite marks on the face, neck, arms, hands, or any other body parts while sleeping. However, these bite marks may take as long as 14 days to develop in some people so it is important to look for other clues when determining if bed bugs have infested an area.
These signs include:
the bed bugs’ exoskeletons after molting,
bed bugs in the fold of mattresses and sheets,
rusty–colored blood spots due to their blood-filled fecal material that they excrete on the mattress or nearby furniture, and
a sweet musty odor.
Bed bug colony
Treating bed bugs
If you suspect that you have an infestation, contact your landlord or professional pest control company that is experienced with treating bed bugs.
There are even companies with highly specialized Bed Bug detection Canines, who can detect Bed Bugs when humans cannot, and more efficiently so affected areas can be treated before infestations spread.
Methods currently used to combat bedbug infestations include freezing, extreme heating, vacuuming and pesticides.
The best way to prevent bed bugs is regular inspections to watch for the signs of an infestation.
Non-toxic remedy
HealthDay News reports a centuries-old bedbug remedy of using kidney bean leaves to trap bedbugs may offer a model for a non-toxic, modern-day treatment.
Microscopic hairs on kidney bean leaves stab the insects, effectively trapping them, the researchers discovered. They are using their findings to develop non-toxic synthetic materials that will mimic the effects of the bean leaves and help prevent bedbug infestations, according to the report, published online April 9 in the Journal of the Royal Society Interface.
The age-old Balkan treatment involved scattering kidney bean leaves on the floor next to beds to ensnare the blood-thirsty critters. Within seconds of stepping on a leaf, the bugs were trapped. Microscopic hooked hairs on the leaves, known as trichomes, stab the bugs’ legs and immobilize them, the researchers explained.
Basically … learning the bean leaf’s secrets could help researchers create a bio-inspired reusable bug trap that would avoid chemical solutions — and it won’t dry out after just a few days like a leaf.
Living in southern Arizona makes one appreciate clouds since we don’t get to see them very often. We average almost 200 sunny days and about 100 partly sunny days a year and, when we are lucky enough to have clouds – esp. late in the day – we get some absolutely gorgeous sunsets.
Clouds are an intricate part of our existance on our little planet and most people probably don’t pay too much attention to them, but sometimes the right conditions can create some incredible formations and visuals.
We hope you enjoy today’s Friday Fotos and some explanations about each … and keep your eyes on the skies since nature can provide some spectacular views.
Accuweather explains shelf clouds often form at the leading edge of a gust front or outflow boundary from a thunderstorm, or strong winds flowing down and outward from a storm. The outer part of a shelf cloud is often smoother with a notable rising motion exhibited by a tiered look (hence, the name shelf cloud). Underneath, a turbulent, unsettled appearance is often the case. A shelf cloud should be seen as a harbinger of strong winds, so take caution.
Asperatus Clouds Over New Zealand
Image Credit & Copyright: Witta Priester via NASA
NASA Explanation: What kind of clouds are these? Although their cause is presently unknown, such unusual atmospheric structures, as menacing as they might seem, do not appear to be harbingers of meteorological doom. Known informally as Undulatus asperatus clouds, they can be stunning in appearance, unusual in occurrence, are relatively unstudied, and have even been suggested as a new type of cloud. Whereas most low cloud decks are flat bottomed, asperatus clouds appear to have significant vertical structure underneath. Speculation therefore holds that asperatus clouds might be related to lenticular clouds that form near mountains, or mammatus clouds associated with thunderstorms, or perhaps a foehn wind — a type of dry downward wind that flows off mountains. Such a wind called the Canterbury arch streams toward the east coast of New Zealand’s South Island. The above image, taken above Hanmer Springs in Canterbury, New Zealand, in 2005, shows great detail partly because sunlight illuminates the undulating clouds from the side.
Lenticular Clouds Over Washington
Credit & Copyright: Tim Thompson via NASA
NASA Explanation: Are those UFOs near that mountain? No — they are multilayered lenticular clouds. Moist air forced to flow upward around mountain tops can create lenticular clouds. Water droplets condense from moist air cooled below the dew point, and clouds are opaque groups of water droplets. Waves in the air that would normally be seen horizontally can then be seen vertically, by the different levels where clouds form.
NASA Explanation: Pictured, behind this darker cloud, is a pileus iridescent cloud, a group of water droplets that have a uniformly similar size and so together diffract different colors of sunlight by different amounts. The above image was taken just after the picturesque sight was noticed by chance by a photographer in Ethiopia. A more detailed picture of the same cloud shows not only many colors, but unusual dark and wavy bands whose origins are thought related to wave disturbances in the cloud.
Supercell Thunderstorm Cloud Over Montana
Credit & Copyright: Sean R. Heavey via NASA
NASA explanation: Is that a spaceship or a cloud? Although it may seem like an alien mothership, it’s actually a impressive thunderstorm cloud called a supercell (sometimes called a mothership cloud). Such colossal storm systems center on mesocyclones — rotating updrafts that can span several kilometers and deliver torrential rain and high winds including tornadoes. Jagged sculptured clouds adorn the supercell’s edge, while wind swept dust and rain dominate the center.
Morning Glory Clouds Over Australia
Credit & Licence: Mick Petroff via NASA
NASA Explanation: What causes these long, strange clouds? No one is sure. A rare type of cloud known as a Morning Glory cloud can stretch 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) long and occur at altitudes up to two kilometers (1.2 miles) high. Although similar roll clouds have been seen at specific places across the world, the ones over Burketown, Queensland Australia occur predictably every spring. Long, horizontal, circulating tubes of air might form when flowing, moist, cooling air encounters an inversion layer, an atmospheric layer where air temperature atypically increases with height. These tubes and surrounding air could cause dangerous turbulence for airplanes when clear. Morning Glory clouds can reportedly achieve an airspeed of 60 kilometers per hour (37 mph) over a surface with little discernible wind.
A Sonic Boom
Credit: Ensign John Gay, USS Constellation, US Navy via NASA
NASA Explanation: When an airplane travels at a speed faster than sound, density waves of sound emitted by the plane cannot precede the plane, and so accumulate in a cone behind the plane. When this shock wave passes, a listener hears all at once the sound emitted over a longer period: a sonic boom. As a plane accelerates to just break the sound barrier, however, an unusual cloud might form. The origin of this cloud is still debated. A leading theory is that a drop in air pressure at the plane described by the Prandtl-Glauert Singularity occurs so that moist air condenses there to form water droplets. Above, an F/A-18 Hornet was photographed just as it broke the sound barrier.
Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Week is a national awareness initiative that has taken place annually since 1996.
This year’s campaign runs from May 5 – 11, 2013 and is a collaborative event undertaken by provincial and territorial emergency management organizations supporting activities at the local level, in concert with Public Safety Canada and partners.
EP Week encourages Canadians to take three simple steps to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies:
Know the risks
Make a plan
Get an emergency kit
Public Safety Canada offers a wide variety of resources and publications to help citizens know the risks and get prepared for natural hazards like flooding, severe storms, power outages and more.
Also visit Get Prepared’s new mobile site for key steps to take during an emergency or disaster at http://m.GetPrepared.ca
And share some of the “72 hours…Is your family prepared?” campaign posters, toolkits and brochures to promote action and awareness through social media.
As we post this the U.S. has been dealing with multiple tornadoes touching down across the central plains. Spring and early summer are typically the most active months (esp. across Tornado Alley) and, to be honest, 2013 has been fairly quiet … until the past few weeks.
Posted by itsadisaster 
Bed bugs are small, flat, parasitic insects that feed solely on the blood of people and animals while they sleep. Bed bugs are reddish-brown in color, wingless, range from 1mm to 7mm (roughly the size of Lincoln’s head on a penny), and can live several months without a blood meal.
Fedhealth blog 