Dr. Jeff Masters' WunderBlog

Monsoon floods and landslides ravage China, India, and Pakistan; Colin still weak
Posted by: Dr. Jeff Masters, 1:31 PM GMT on August 08, 2010 +4
Tropical Storm Colin continues to take its time reaching Bermuda, but should finally move past the island today as the steering currents pushing the storm northward strengthen. Colin is still suffering from wind shear and dry air being pumped in from an upper-level low pressure system to the west. Wind shear is a moderate 10 - 20 knots over Colin today, but the storm is so disorganized that it is unlikely to increase in strength more than about 10 mph before blowing past Bermuda tonight. Recent satellite imagery shows that Colin is a disorganized system, with the level-level center exposed to view and displaced to the north of the storm's heavy thunderstorm activity. The intensity and areal coverage of Colin's thunderstorms have shown a modest increase in the past few hours. Rains from these thunderstorms can be seen approaching Bermuda on Bermuda radar.

Forecast for Colin
The latest SHIPS model forecast predicts that wind shear will rise to the high range, 20 - 50 knots, tonight through Tuesday, and it is unlikely that the storm will ever attain hurricane status. Colin may bring 40 mph winds to the southeast corner of Newfoundland on Tuesday night and Wednesday.


Figure 1. Morning radar image of Colin from the Bermuda radar.

93L
A tropical wave (Invest 93) midway between the Lesser Antilles and Africa is moving west-northwest at 10 mph. This wave has plenty of spin, but only a limited amount of heavy thunderstorm activity, thanks to dry air and wind shear of 10 - 20 knots affecting it due to a large upper-level low pressure system to the west. Wind shear is expected to stay in the moderate range, 10 - 20 knots, over the next four days, which may allow 93L to become a tropical storm. NHC is giving a 60% chance 93L will become a tropical depression by Tuesday morning. Both the GFDL and HWRF models predict 93L will develop, and the GFDL predicts the storm will become a hurricane. This storm will probably recurve out to sea, and only be a concern to shipping interests. There are no other areas of concern the models are showing for the next seven days.


Figure 2. Monsoon floods in Pakistan destroyed this section of the Karakoram Highway last week. Image credit: Pamir Times.

The deadly 2010 monsoon kills hundreds in China and India over the weekend
The Asian Southwest Monsoon has hit yet another nation with extreme rains and deadly flooding. Northwest China's Gansu province was hard hit with torrential monsoon rains yesterday, and the resulting flooding and landslides claimed at least 127 lives. Over the past two weeks, at least 1,600 people have perished in Pakistan's monsoon floods, which some have called Pakistan's Katrina. At least 137 died in floods and landslides in the neighboring Indian state of Kashmir over the weekend, and monsoon flooding and landslides have also killed at least 65 people in Afghanistan in the past two weeks. Dave's Landslide blog has some great discussions of the flooding and destruction wrought by the terrible monsoon rains this year in Pakistan, India, Afghanistan, and China. I plan to write much more about this year's deadly monsoon later this week.

The Great Russian Heat Wave of 2010 chokes Moscow with smoke for a third day
Smoke from wildfires cause by the worst heat wave in Russia's history are choking Moscow for a third straight day today, bringing air pollution levels to three times the safe level and forcing cancellation of dozens of flights. However, air pollution is not quite as bad as it was yesterday, when carbon monoxide levels peaked at 6.5 times the safe level. Visibilities at Moscow's airport were higher today (500+ meters), but temperatures still hit 97°F (36°C). The past 26 days in a row have exceeded 30°C in Moscow, and there is no relief in sight--the latest forecast for Moscow calls for high temperatures near 100°F (37.8°C) for the majority of the coming week. As I reported in Friday's post, the number of deaths in Moscow in July 2010 was about 5,000 more than in July 2009, suggesting that the heat wave has been responsible for thousands of deaths in Moscow alone. I would expect that by the time the Great Russian Heat Wave of 2010 is over, the number of premature deaths caused by the heat wave will approach or exceed the 40,000 who died in the 2003 European Heat Wave. As seen in Figure 3, the Russian heat wave of 2010 is more intense and affects a wider region than the great 2003 European heat wave.


Figure 3. A comparison of August temperatures, the peak of the great European heat wave of 2003 (left) with July temperatures from the Great Russian Heat Wave of 2010 (right) reveals that this year's heat wave is more intense and covers a wider area of Europe. Image credit: NOAA/ESRL.

Next post
I'll have an update Monday.

Jeff Masters
Categories: Hurricane
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1801. CoopsWife 3:02 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting pottery:

Good Lord. That will raise the price of beer.........


And Spam, too.
Member Since: June 19, 2006 Posts: 63 Comments: 4168
1803. stormhunter23 3:03 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
never mind =(
Member Since: July 5, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 31
1804. kmanislander 3:03 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Well I'm out for tonight. Catch you all tomorrow.
Member Since: August 19, 2006 Posts: 0 Comments: 14988
1805. homelesswanderer 3:03 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting MiamiHurricanes09:
You have extrasensory stuff huh...tell me on what day I was born.


Lol. I know the answer. :P
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1807. LADobeLady 3:03 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting pottery:

Good Lord. That will raise the price of beer.........


Ohhh see we did get a stock tip...buy Budweiser stock!
Member Since: July 29, 2005 Posts: 21 Comments: 794
1809. BDADUDE 3:03 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
I live in Bermuda and at the height of tropical storm Colin my car almost got wet and a leaf fell in my swimming pool.
Member Since: September 3, 2008 Posts: 0 Comments: 602
1811. MiamiHurricanes09 3:04 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting homelesswanderer:


Lol. I know the answer. :P
Shhhh. LOL.
Member Since: September 2, 2009 Posts: 129 Comments: 20011
1812. CoopsWife 3:04 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Night, Kman - I'm off, too. Couple of chores to do before hitting the rack.
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1813. ShenValleyFlyFish 3:04 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting LADobeLady:


Going out on a limb I see...I predict a run on potted meat, bread, beer and batteries.
You forgot cigarets. When I drove cab you could always count on a bunch of runs to the 7/11 just when conditions got bad.
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1814. xcool 3:04 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
LOL
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1815. nrtiwlnvragn 3:04 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting HurricaneGeek:


Does anybody have an answer? I guess not?
Any ideas?

Thanks!


Pouch tracking from the Naval Postgraduate School
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1816. HadesGodWyvern 3:05 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
SUBJECT: "Estelle" Maintaining Its Strength.. For Now

At 3:00 AM UTC, Tropical Storm Estelle (1001 hPa) located at 17.8N 111.7W or 320 NM south southwest of southern tip of Baja California Peninsula has sustained winds of 40 knots with gusts of 50 knots. The cyclone is reported as moving west at 4 knots.

Gale Force Winds
==================
45 NM from the center

Forecast and Intensity
======================
24 hrs: 17.8N 113.4W - 30 knots (Tropical Depression)
48 hrs: 17.5N 114.3W - 25 knots (Low Pressure Area)
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1818. centex 3:05 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting kmanislander:


My point is that if you look at the activity the last several days it has been very weak. Very little deep convection anywhere and a few small systems struggling to hold on. Not a downcast, just an objective observation. When a really well put together system comes along you will see a big difference between that and what we have seen of late.
OK, what have you done for me lately? I also believe in persistence, but at some point it changes. Fair to say not now, I just believe can't predict and persistence is less likely each day. All the forecasters including me have eaten so many crows in recent weeks it’s turned into a low carb diet.
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1819. ShenValleyFlyFish 3:05 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting studybuddy188:
Do people have me on ignore or what?
Yep
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1821. pottery 3:06 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting BDADUDE:
I live in Bermuda and at the height of tropical storm Colin my car almost got wet and a leaf fell in my swimming pool.

Sounds like you were lucky to survive LOL
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1823. Orcasystems 3:07 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Member Since: October 1, 2007 Posts: 77 Comments: 26110
1824. breald 3:07 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting CoopsWife:
Night, Kman - I'm off, too. Couple of chores to do before hitting the rack.


hitting the rack? lol do you mean sack?
Member Since: May 28, 2008 Posts: 38 Comments: 5303
1825. BDADUDE 3:07 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting pottery:

Sounds like you were lucky to survive LOL

It was touch and go for a while.
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1826. smuldy 3:08 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting PsychicMaria:


Models? I am no meteorologist. The work I perform is of much higher accuracy than the work of any form of scientist.
Which games in Major League Baseball get rained out next sunday night? not that I doubt Shawn Spencer like abilities.......
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1828. MiamiHurricanes09 3:08 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Plenty of areas to watch along with 94L.

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1829. 7544 3:08 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
imo dry air got to 94l all the conv is wanning

93l also getting dry air

ok ready for a new invest can we get a real one this time lol
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1830. will45 3:09 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
1822. PsychicMaria 11:06 PM EDT on August 08, 2010

Go down to Weather chat they really need a Psychic
Member Since: July 18, 2009 Posts: 1 Comments: 994
1831. scott39 3:09 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting PsychicMaria:


Models? I am no meteorologist. The work I perform is of much higher accuracy than the work of any form of scientist.
Ahh, You must have one of those magic eight ball toys. Everybody better pay attention then!!
Member Since: June 13, 2009 Posts: 0 Comments: 6221
1835. Orcasystems 3:10 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting breald:


hitting the rack? lol do you mean sack?


In the Navy.. same same.
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1836. xcool 3:10 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
LMAO 7544


timing timing
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1838. extreme236 3:11 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting 7544:
imo dry air got to 94l all the conv is wanning

93l also getting dry air

ok ready for a new invest can we get a real one this time lol


93L isn't even remotely done yet.
Member Since: August 2, 2007 Posts: 19 Comments: 19234
1839. smuldy 3:12 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting MiamiHurricanes09:
Plenty of areas to watch along with 94L.

Ya 126 could be interesting but after the last 2 weeks I'm ignoring all cape verde waves until they cross the Antilles
Member Since: July 23, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 516
1840. ho77yw00d 3:12 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting scott39:
Ahh, You must have one of those magic eight ball toys. Everybody better pay attention then!!


lmao
Member Since: July 3, 2010 Posts: 0 Comments: 427
1842. pottery 3:14 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting BDADUDE:

It was touch and go for a while.

Must have been that sabre-toothed leaf that fell into the pool.!
Gotta watch-out for them for sure.......
Member Since: October 24, 2005 Posts: 0 Comments: 20866
1843. HurricaneKyle 3:14 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
looking at the setup at hand things are about to get very dynamic with the tropics. You have 94L which is at the time, highly weak and disorganized and 93L which is poised to become a Depression at any time in the next few days. 93L's convection is highly limited, and will need to work on that but obviously judging by the exposed LLC that the system is closed. ASCAT reveled on 94L that a broad circulation does exist, but very broad indeed. GFS forecasting shear to lesson in 94L's path and with very high SSTs (31C in some areas!) it has potential to become a Tropical Depression, probably stronger. If it traverses the entire GOMEX from Florida to Texas like the GFDL is showing all bets are off. 93L's a closer threat to develop, 94L's a bigger threat to the United States.
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1845. CosmicEvents 3:15 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting BDADUDE:
I live in Bermuda and at the height of tropical storm Colin my car almost got wet and a leaf fell in my swimming pool.
The damage is hopefully covered by insurance. I'm most concerned about one thing.............."Did you see any ants?"
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1846. breald 3:16 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Quoting Orcasystems:


In the Navy.. same same.


huh...you learn something new everyday.
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1850. TampaSpin 3:18 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
Evening all! Wow! 94L huh. Been away all day and hand not even looked at my cell phone. Amazing how fast things can blow up. We talked about watching the tailend of the Frong but, thought it might happen in the GOM!
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1851. Couillon 3:18 AM GMT on August 09, 2010    
They will take this blog next.They ripped Grothar last night.
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About JeffMasters
Jeff co-founded the Weather Underground in 1995 while working on his Ph.D. He flew with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters from 1986-1990.

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