On Monday (Dec. 28), a sunspot cluster erupted, blasting an M-class flare directly at Earth. The extreme-ultraviolet radiation immediately washed over our upper atmosphere, initiating an ionization event that caused a radio blackout over South America, Africa and the south Atlantic Ocean. The blackout may have been detected by mariners and ham radio operators in the 20MHz frequency range, according to SpaceWeather.com. Although the flare certainly wasn’t of the strength of a major X-class flare (the most powerful class of flare), this event did trigger a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) that is currently racing in the direction of Earth. Space weather forecasters predict a direct hit with Earth’s magnetic field on or around New Year’s Eve, potentially sparking some natural fireworks in the upper atmosphere just in time for 2016.
On Monday (Dec. 28), a sunspot cluster erupted, blasting an M-class flare directly at Earth. The extreme-ultraviolet radiation immediately washed over our upper atmosphere, initiating an ionization event that caused a radio blackout over South America, Africa and the south Atlantic Ocean. The blackout may have been detected by mariners and ham radio operators in the 20MHz frequency range, according to SpaceWeather.com. Although the flare certainly wasn’t of the strength of a major X-class flare (the most powerful class of flare), this event did trigger a significant coronal mass ejection (CME) that is currently racing in the direction of Earth. Space weather forecasters predict a direct hit with Earth’s magnetic field on or around New Year’s Eve, potentially sparking some natural fireworks in the upper atmosphere just in time for 2016.
As firefighters mopped up the remains of a wildfire on the Southern California coast, authorities turned their focus to a new concern: a landslide if rain pounds the charred hills.
In a heavy rain, the denuded soil could threaten nearby railroad tracks, U.S. 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway.
"Gravity's going to take it where it wants to go," Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said, "and where it wants to go is down on the highway, across the railroad tracks and right into whatever is in its way."
On Sunday, hundreds of firefighters up the remnants of the wind-whipped wildfire that threatened dozens of coastal homes. The fire that scorched about 1,230 acres north of Ventura was 75 per cent contained, with full containment expected Tuesday, fire officials said.
The blaze erupted Friday night when high winds caused power lines on an oil field to arc. At its peak, the fire closed a 15-mile stretch of an adjacent, six-lane freeway, U.S. 101, and another major north-south route, the Pacific Coast Highway.
The winds eased Saturday, and the fire stopped growing. Evacuation orders for about 50 homes in Solimar Beach were rescinded.
On Sunday, about 300 firefighters were busy dousing hotspots in a stretch of coastal land that was thick with drought-dry brush.
As firefighters mopped up the remains of a wildfire on the Southern California coast, authorities turned their focus to a new concern: a landslide if rain pounds the charred hills.
In a heavy rain, the denuded soil could threaten nearby railroad tracks, U.S. 101 and the Pacific Coast Highway.
"Gravity's going to take it where it wants to go," Ventura County fire Capt. Mike Lindbery said, "and where it wants to go is down on the highway, across the railroad tracks and right into whatever is in its way."
On Sunday, hundreds of firefighters up the remnants of the wind-whipped wildfire that threatened dozens of coastal homes. The fire that scorched about 1,230 acres north of Ventura was 75 per cent contained, with full containment expected Tuesday, fire officials said.
The blaze erupted Friday night when high winds caused power lines on an oil field to arc. At its peak, the fire closed a 15-mile stretch of an adjacent, six-lane freeway, U.S. 101, and another major north-south route, the Pacific Coast Highway.
The winds eased Saturday, and the fire stopped growing. Evacuation orders for about 50 homes in Solimar Beach were rescinded.
On Sunday, about 300 firefighters were busy dousing hotspots in a stretch of coastal land that was thick with drought-dry brush.
An area of soaked ground in Fort Worth, after hours of rain, snow and sleet, buckled from the pressure Monday morning.
Concrete at the exit and shoulder on southbound Loop 820 at Sun Valley Drive broke away after the earth slid underneath it.
A utility truck was brought in to block and close the roadway. No word on how long cleanup and repair will take, or how long the highway exit will be closed.
An area of soaked ground in Fort Worth, after hours of rain, snow and sleet, buckled from the pressure Monday morning.
Concrete at the exit and shoulder on southbound Loop 820 at Sun Valley Drive broke away after the earth slid underneath it.
A utility truck was brought in to block and close the roadway. No word on how long cleanup and repair will take, or how long the highway exit will be closed.
The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) reported an ash eruption from the active crater of Kanlaon Volcano reaching as high as 4,500 meters above its summit on Sunday.
The heaving volcano has registered 29 earthquakes since Sunday after it erupted at about 1:29 p.m., spewing out columns of ash as high as 1 kilometer up into the air for about five minutes.
An explosion-type earthquake was felt at Intensity 2, accompanied by a rumbling sound from Barangay Cabagnaan, La Castellana; Sitio Guintubdan, Brgy Ara-al and Brgy. Yubo, La Carlota City and Brgy. Ilijan, Bago City.
The ash plume was also seen piercing the clouds above the active crater from the Southeastern side of the volcano, which, reports quoted Phivolcs as saying, may have reached as high as 4,500 meters above the summit.
Light ashfall was also experienced in Brgy. Miranda in Hinigaran and Pontevedra, reaching as far as Nueva Valencia on Guimaras Island.
Mt. Kanlaon’s activity was placed at alert level 1, meaning it is in a period of unrest.
Phivolcs also reminded the local government units and the public to strictly observe the 4-kilometer radius permanent danger zone.
“Civil aviation authorities must also advise pilots to avoid flying close to the volcano’s summit as airborne ash from a sudden eruption can be hazardous to aircraft,” Phivolcs added.
Meanwhile, the Provincial Disaster Management Program Division (PDMPD) encouraged residents in localities affected by the ashfall to wear masks and stay indoors if possible, as sulfuric odor was detected by the La Carlota City Volcano Observatory.
Zeaphard Caelian, head of the PDMPD, warned that sulphur from the ashfall is carcinogenic, or can cause cancer, and can also trigger asthma and other pulmonary problems.
“The children, the elderly and those with asthma should not be exposed and have to protect themselves from the ashfall,” he added.
Barangay health workers in the affected areas have been tasked to provide residents with protective masks.
