South Africa's New Years Eve weather forecast! Have a great New Year Everyone! - Derek Van Dam
Monday, 31 December 2012
South Africa New Years Eve Weather Forecast by Derek Van Dam
South Africa's New Years Eve weather forecast! Have a great New Year Everyone! - Derek Van Dam
SAWDOS Holiday Alert 2012/2013: Setting off Fireworks and Chinese Lanterns!!
Detonation of Fireworks during New Years Eve and New Years Day festivities
The new year is apon us and many parties have been scheduled for later tonight. Many of these parties go hand in hand with the detonation of fireworks to celebrate the beginning of 2013.
Last year several fires were started as a result of the public detonating fireworks in areas of the Southern Cape. Now I hear you say "So what......we are having fun". This attitude is absolutely irresponsible. The SAWDOS would like to ask the public not to detonate fireworks in South Africa this year. In Mossel Bay the detonation of fireworks are totally forbidden. Now this year the detonating of fireworks could have serious effects and could lead to run-away veld fires causing extensive damage. The Southern Cape experience a dry spell and vegetation is very dry.
Wildfires can cause major environmental, social and economic damages. The loss of plantations, wildlife habitat, homes and even lives may result from a devastating wildfire caused by fireworks. The wildfire that does not start is the one that does not have to be fought.
With the current fire risks across the Garden Route area due to dry conditions and increasing urbanization, now is the time to be more FIREWISE.
Chinese Lanterns during New Years Eve and New Years Day festivities
SAWDOS are appealing to the public not to set off Chinese Lanterns. Chinese Lanterns are made out of a balsa wood or thin wire frame, a paper shell and a candle in the centre. The candle is lit allowing the generation of heat to send the lantern skyward where it floats through the sky (similar to a hot air ballon) until the candle burns out and then the baloon falls to the ground.
Once Chinese Lanterns are set off they are usually abandoned by the people setting them off and are seldom, if ever, followed by their owners to be properly disposed of wherever they land. It is widely believed to be near impossible to predict what they will do or where they will go once set off as they are at the mercy of the elements of the weather and wind conditions.
Chinese Lanterns are often mistaken by eye-witnesses as red distress flares. They are also feared to be a fire hazard – if they are caught in the wind and land in trees or dry grass fields or on buildings while the candle is still burning.
SAWDOS and the NSRI strongly believe that, based on the potential risks that chinese lanterns may pose and based on the number of false alarms that the NSRI respond to, which turn out to be chinese lanterns mistaken to be red distress flares, that the practice of setting off chinese lanterns, into the sky, is irresponsible behavior and should not be practiced.
Do not detonate fireworks or set off Chinese Lanterns!!
SA Weather Satellite Image: 31 December 2012 16h00 SAST
Image: Eumetsat (Click on image for larger view.)
Benoni family dies in waterfall plunge
Johannesburg -
A family of three died when they fell 30 metres down the Rietfontein waterfall in Mpumulanga, Beeld reported on Monday.
The mother and father, who were childhood sweethearts, as well as their only daughter, aged 13, were on holiday when they tried to cross the river at the top of the waterfall, on a farm 5km outside Sabie, on Friday.
The family, from Benoni, were apparently walking hand-in-hand when one person slipped, causing them all to fall down the edge of the 30 metre waterfall.
A farmworker spotted the mother's body in the late afternoon. Police divers found the daughter's body around midnight. The father was found on Saturday. They had all sustained serious head injuries.
Karen Steyn, the father's niece, said they died together “because one would not live without the other”.
Beeld named the family as Pieter and Adele Prinsloo and their daughter Shante.
- Sapa/IOL
A family of three died when they fell 30 metres down the Rietfontein waterfall in Mpumulanga, Beeld reported on Monday.
The mother and father, who were childhood sweethearts, as well as their only daughter, aged 13, were on holiday when they tried to cross the river at the top of the waterfall, on a farm 5km outside Sabie, on Friday.
The family, from Benoni, were apparently walking hand-in-hand when one person slipped, causing them all to fall down the edge of the 30 metre waterfall.
A farmworker spotted the mother's body in the late afternoon. Police divers found the daughter's body around midnight. The father was found on Saturday. They had all sustained serious head injuries.
Karen Steyn, the father's niece, said they died together “because one would not live without the other”.
Beeld named the family as Pieter and Adele Prinsloo and their daughter Shante.
- Sapa/IOL
Hermanus fire havoc
One of 12 caravans at the Hermanus
Yacht Club s camping site that were destroyed by runaway veld fires on
Saturday. Picture: Courtney Africa/ Cape Times
Cape Town - About 200 people had to be evacuated from a camp site at the yacht club in Hermanus after raging fires destroyed caravans, boats and damaged a cabin over the weekend. Several properties in Stanford were also damaged.
A team of firefighters finally brought the blaze under control on Sunday after battling for six days as the fire ripped through about 20 000 hectares of fynbos in the Overstrand District.
People said the flames threatening the yacht club were several metres high and difficult to control.
Members of the Hermanus Yacht Club were picking up the pieces after the fire, fuelled by south-easterly winds up to 40km/h, ripped through 12 caravans and a house and left a wooden cabin badly damaged with the roof caving in. They were filling up water tanks and setting up water pumps preparing for possible further outbreaks.
A member of the club’s committee, Jacques Smith, said they had to evacuate about 200 people in the early hours of Saturday after strong winds had spread the fire in the club’s direction.
Smith said a number of boats that were on land were also lost. He said they received little help from the Hermanus municipality who he said told them they could not get helicopters in to help because of financial constraints. He said they had to rent a water truck and a water pump from Cape Town to battle the fire on their own.
Yacht club member Jacques
Smith surveys the damage as strong winds threatened a flare-up on
Sunday. Picture: COURTNEY AFRICA/ Cape Times
“Had the helicopters not come around the second time, we would have lost everything. The flames were about 20 to 30m in height and they were difficult to put out. We were running bucket chains just to prevent it from spreading,” Smith said.
It is believed the blaze started when lightning struck the Hemel en Aarde Valley on Christmas Eve and firefighters had been battling since, with 72 firefighters trying to get the fire under control.
On Sunday morning there was relief after a light drizzle quelled the fire for a few hours, but wind picked up in the afternoon leading to flare-ups.
In the afternoon it started burning on the mountain slopes overlooking the R43 and smouldering in a few areas. Barry Roe Lou, owner of the Zilvermijnbosch Estate Farm just outside Hermanus, said alien vegetation on some farms and the lack of firebreaks caused the fire to spread quicker.
He also blamed “lack of efficiency” of the fire department.
“If they had listened to the landowners the fire could have been out by Saturday morning,” Roe Lou said.
He watered an area close to his property as the changing wind direction fuelled the blaze, which was burning about 200m from his house.
Overstrand Municipality spokesperson Fanie Kruger said the firefighting teams would monitor the area along the bank of the Klein River estuary where there was “considerable” damage to property.
He said electricity supply in Gansbaai and Stanford was restored on Sunday after the fire destroyed four pylons next to the R43 on Saturday.
“The full extent of the fire damage has not been determined yet, but the indications are that apart from the estimated 20 000ha of fynbos that burnt… reports were also received that a farmhouse and a cottage burned down in the area along the lagoon,” Krige said.
He said two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion.
Krige said they had the services of the helicopters for only six hours, at a cost of R200 000, with a large area to cover. At one stage the smoke was too thick for the helicopters to be used and he maintained that the municipality’s strategy had been well executed.
Cape Times/IOL
Real Time Observation Report: Heavy Swell West Coast
From the West Coast I can report, visually that is, that the sea is very "choppy" with quite a number of "white horses". A steady SSW wind is adding to the choppiness. The swell is not so big as yesterday, but the ride will be bumpy, splashy and to my mind very wet. The boats already out to sea was quite spectacular with their seaward runs, sometimes disappearing completely in the spray. As I have said the swell is not as high as yesterday but it is not an even swell due to the choppiness.
If you are not an old hand on the West Coast, rather enjoy the last day of 2012 on dry land...
- Marcel Upfold, Vredenburg
Tropical Cyclone Activity: Indian Ocean
Tropical Cyclone Formation (East of Madagascar) Alert WTXS21 Issued at 31/0000Z
WTXS21 PGTW 310000
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT//
REF/A/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/292351Z DEC 12//
AMPN/REF IS TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT (WTXS21 PGTW 300000)//
RMKS/
1. FORMATION OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN
150 NM EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 10.3S 59.5E TO 12.9S 55.8E WITHIN
THE NEXT 06 TO 24 HOURS. AVAILABLE DATA DOES NOT JUSTIFY ISSUANCE OF
NUMBERED TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNINGS AT THIS TIME. WINDS IN THE AREA
ARE ESTIMATED TO BE 25 TO 30 KNOTS. METSAT IMAGERY AT 302330Z
INDICATES THAT A CIRCULATION CENTER IS LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E.
THE SYSTEM IS MOVING WESTWARD AT 08 KNOTS.
2. REMARKS: THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 10.5S
59.6E IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E, APPROXIMATELY 665 NM NORTH-
NORTHEAST OF LA REUNION. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY
DEPICTS A PARTIALLY-EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC)
POSITIONED ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF A LARGE, PERSISTENT AREA
OF DEEP CONVECTION. A 302144Z AMSU IMAGE DEPICTS A BROAD LLCC WITH A
CURVED CONVECTIVE BAND OVER THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND DEFINED
SHALLOW BANDING ELSEWHERE. A 301715Z ASCAT IMAGE ALSO SHOWED AN
ELONGATED CIRCULATION WITH AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS
OVER THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. THE DISTURBANCE IS LOCATED
EQUATORWARD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AXIS AND IS UNDER
MODERATE TO STRONG, EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS), WHICH HAS
DECREASED OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. DYNAMIC MODELS CONTINUE TO
AGGRESSIVELY DEVELOP THE SYSTEM AS VWS IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE OVER
THE 12 TO 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT
25 TO 30 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR
1000 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL
CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS HIGH. THIS SUPERSEDES REF A.
3. THIS ALERT WILL BE REISSUED, UPGRADED TO WARNING OR CANCELLED BY
010000Z.//
NNNN
ABIO10 PGTW 310300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE INDIAN
/OCEAN REISSUED/310300Z-311800ZDEC2012//
REF/A/MSG/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/302351ZDEC2012//
AMPN/REF A IS A TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT.//
RMKS/
1. NORTH INDIAN OCEAN AREA (MALAY PENINSULA WEST TO COAST OF AFRICA):
A. TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY: NONE.
B. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE SUMMARY: NONE.
2. SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN AREA (135E WEST TO COAST OF AFRICA):
A. TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY: NONE.
B. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE SUMMARY:
(1) THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 10.5S
59.6E IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E, APPROXIMATELY 665 NM NORTH-
NORTHEAST OF LA REUNION. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY
DEPICTS A PARTIALLY-EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC)
POSITIONED ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF A LARGE, PERSISTENT AREA
OF DEEP CONVECTION. A 302144Z AMSU IMAGE DEPICTS A BROAD LLCC WITH A
CURVED CONVECTIVE BAND OVER THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND DEFINED
SHALLOW BANDING ELSEWHERE. A 301715Z ASCAT IMAGE ALSO SHOWED AN
ELONGATED CIRCULATION WITH AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS
OVER THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. THE DISTURBANCE IS LOCATED
EQUATORWARD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AXIS AND IS UNDER
MODERATE TO STRONG, EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS), WHICH HAS
DECREASED OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. DYNAMIC MODELS CONTINUE TO
AGGRESSIVELY DEVELOP THE SYSTEM AS VWS IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE OVER
THE 12 TO 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT
25 TO 30 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR
1000 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL
CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS REMAINS HIGH. SEE REF A (WTXS21
PGTW 310000) FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
(2) THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 9.4S 85.2E
IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 9.3S 85.8E, APPROXIMATELY 790 NM EAST OF DIEGO
GARCIA. ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS AN EXPOSED
LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WITH FLARING DEEP CONVECTION
OVER THE WEST QUADRANT. A 301534Z METOP-A IMAGE INDICATES AN
IMPROVING, DEFINED LLCC WITH CONVECTIVE BANDING WRAPPING INTO THE
BROAD CENTER. A 301534Z ASCAT IMAGE DEPICTS AN ELONGATED CIRCULATION
WITH 20 TO 25 KNOT WINDS. OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS, THE UPPER-LEVEL
ENVIRONMENT HAS IMPROVED SLIGHTLY WITH A WEAK ANTICYCLONE POSITIONED
NEAR THE LLCC AND IMPROVED POLEWARD OUTFLOW INTO A DEEP SHORTWAVE
TROUGH TO THE SOUTH. HOWEVER, VERTICAL WIND SHEAR HAS REMAINED
MODERATE TO STRONG (20 TO 30 KNOTS). MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS
ARE ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS
ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1004 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS REMAINS MEDIUM.
(3) NO OTHER SUSPECT AREAS./
NNNN
- JTWC
WTXS21 PGTW 310000
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT//
REF/A/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/292351Z DEC 12//
AMPN/REF IS TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT (WTXS21 PGTW 300000)//
RMKS/
1. FORMATION OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE IS POSSIBLE WITHIN
150 NM EITHER SIDE OF A LINE FROM 10.3S 59.5E TO 12.9S 55.8E WITHIN
THE NEXT 06 TO 24 HOURS. AVAILABLE DATA DOES NOT JUSTIFY ISSUANCE OF
NUMBERED TROPICAL CYCLONE WARNINGS AT THIS TIME. WINDS IN THE AREA
ARE ESTIMATED TO BE 25 TO 30 KNOTS. METSAT IMAGERY AT 302330Z
INDICATES THAT A CIRCULATION CENTER IS LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E.
THE SYSTEM IS MOVING WESTWARD AT 08 KNOTS.
2. REMARKS: THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 10.5S
59.6E IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E, APPROXIMATELY 665 NM NORTH-
NORTHEAST OF LA REUNION. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY
DEPICTS A PARTIALLY-EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC)
POSITIONED ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF A LARGE, PERSISTENT AREA
OF DEEP CONVECTION. A 302144Z AMSU IMAGE DEPICTS A BROAD LLCC WITH A
CURVED CONVECTIVE BAND OVER THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND DEFINED
SHALLOW BANDING ELSEWHERE. A 301715Z ASCAT IMAGE ALSO SHOWED AN
ELONGATED CIRCULATION WITH AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS
OVER THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. THE DISTURBANCE IS LOCATED
EQUATORWARD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AXIS AND IS UNDER
MODERATE TO STRONG, EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS), WHICH HAS
DECREASED OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. DYNAMIC MODELS CONTINUE TO
AGGRESSIVELY DEVELOP THE SYSTEM AS VWS IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE OVER
THE 12 TO 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT
25 TO 30 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR
1000 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL
CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS IS HIGH. THIS SUPERSEDES REF A.
3. THIS ALERT WILL BE REISSUED, UPGRADED TO WARNING OR CANCELLED BY
010000Z.//
NNNN
ABIO10 PGTW 310300
MSGID/GENADMIN/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI//
SUBJ/SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL WEATHER ADVISORY FOR THE INDIAN
/OCEAN REISSUED/310300Z-311800ZDEC2012//
REF/A/MSG/JOINT TYPHOON WRNCEN PEARL HARBOR HI/302351ZDEC2012//
AMPN/REF A IS A TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION ALERT.//
RMKS/
1. NORTH INDIAN OCEAN AREA (MALAY PENINSULA WEST TO COAST OF AFRICA):
A. TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY: NONE.
B. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE SUMMARY: NONE.
2. SOUTH INDIAN OCEAN AREA (135E WEST TO COAST OF AFRICA):
A. TROPICAL CYCLONE SUMMARY: NONE.
B. TROPICAL DISTURBANCE SUMMARY:
(1) THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 10.5S
59.6E IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 10.5S 58.7E, APPROXIMATELY 665 NM NORTH-
NORTHEAST OF LA REUNION. ANIMATED INFRARED SATELLITE IMAGERY
DEPICTS A PARTIALLY-EXPOSED LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC)
POSITIONED ALONG THE NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF A LARGE, PERSISTENT AREA
OF DEEP CONVECTION. A 302144Z AMSU IMAGE DEPICTS A BROAD LLCC WITH A
CURVED CONVECTIVE BAND OVER THE WESTERN SEMI-CIRCLE AND DEFINED
SHALLOW BANDING ELSEWHERE. A 301715Z ASCAT IMAGE ALSO SHOWED AN
ELONGATED CIRCULATION WITH AN EXTENSIVE AREA OF 25 TO 30 KNOT WINDS
OVER THE NORTHERN SEMI-CIRCLE. THE DISTURBANCE IS LOCATED
EQUATORWARD OF THE UPPER-LEVEL SUBTROPICAL RIDGE AXIS AND IS UNDER
MODERATE TO STRONG, EASTERLY VERTICAL WIND SHEAR (VWS), WHICH HAS
DECREASED OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS. DYNAMIC MODELS CONTINUE TO
AGGRESSIVELY DEVELOP THE SYSTEM AS VWS IS EXPECTED TO DECREASE OVER
THE 12 TO 24 HOURS. MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS ARE ESTIMATED AT
25 TO 30 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR
1000 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL
CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS REMAINS HIGH. SEE REF A (WTXS21
PGTW 310000) FOR FURTHER DETAILS.
(2) THE AREA OF CONVECTION PREVIOUSLY LOCATED NEAR 9.4S 85.2E
IS NOW LOCATED NEAR 9.3S 85.8E, APPROXIMATELY 790 NM EAST OF DIEGO
GARCIA. ANIMATED MULTISPECTRAL SATELLITE IMAGERY DEPICTS AN EXPOSED
LOW-LEVEL CIRCULATION CENTER (LLCC) WITH FLARING DEEP CONVECTION
OVER THE WEST QUADRANT. A 301534Z METOP-A IMAGE INDICATES AN
IMPROVING, DEFINED LLCC WITH CONVECTIVE BANDING WRAPPING INTO THE
BROAD CENTER. A 301534Z ASCAT IMAGE DEPICTS AN ELONGATED CIRCULATION
WITH 20 TO 25 KNOT WINDS. OVER THE PAST 24 HOURS, THE UPPER-LEVEL
ENVIRONMENT HAS IMPROVED SLIGHTLY WITH A WEAK ANTICYCLONE POSITIONED
NEAR THE LLCC AND IMPROVED POLEWARD OUTFLOW INTO A DEEP SHORTWAVE
TROUGH TO THE SOUTH. HOWEVER, VERTICAL WIND SHEAR HAS REMAINED
MODERATE TO STRONG (20 TO 30 KNOTS). MAXIMUM SUSTAINED SURFACE WINDS
ARE ESTIMATED AT 20 TO 25 KNOTS. MINIMUM SEA LEVEL PRESSURE IS
ESTIMATED TO BE NEAR 1004 MB. THE POTENTIAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SIGNIFICANT TROPICAL CYCLONE WITHIN THE NEXT 24 HOURS REMAINS MEDIUM.
(3) NO OTHER SUSPECT AREAS./
NNNN
- JTWC
SA Weather Satellite Image: 31 December 2012 07h00 SAST
Image: Eumetsat (Click on image for larger view.)
GFS 72 Hour Forecasts of Vertical Velocity and Precipitation: South Africa
- U.S. National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)
Dallas Metropolitan Area at Night
Most metropolitan areas of the western United States are spread over large areas with regular street grid patterns that are highly recognizable from space (particularly at night). The northern Dallas metro area in Texas exhibits this pattern in this astronaut photograph from the International Space Station.
The north-south and east-west grid of major streets is highlighted by orange lighting, which lends a fishnet-like appearance to the urban area. Smaller residential and commercial buildings give green-gray stipple patterns to some blocks. The airplane terminals of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are lit with golden-yellow lights and surrounded by relatively dark runways and fields. Likewise, the runways of Dallas Love Field are recognizable by their darkness.
Other dark areas within the metro region are open space, parks, and water bodies. Larger commercial areas, as well as public and industrial facilities, appear as brilliantly lit regions and points. For comparison, a day-time view of Dallas is available here.
Dallas is part of the larger Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area (population 6,526,548 in 2011), as recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. To most Texans, it is simply “DFW” or “the Metroplex.” Several of the larger urban areas within DFW are visible in this image; Dallas, Garland, and Richardson all have populations above 100,000 according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. While the economy of Dallas was historically based in the oil and cotton industries, today commerce, technology, healthcare, and transportation are the major economic drivers.
The north-south and east-west grid of major streets is highlighted by orange lighting, which lends a fishnet-like appearance to the urban area. Smaller residential and commercial buildings give green-gray stipple patterns to some blocks. The airplane terminals of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport are lit with golden-yellow lights and surrounded by relatively dark runways and fields. Likewise, the runways of Dallas Love Field are recognizable by their darkness.
Other dark areas within the metro region are open space, parks, and water bodies. Larger commercial areas, as well as public and industrial facilities, appear as brilliantly lit regions and points. For comparison, a day-time view of Dallas is available here.
Dallas is part of the larger Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area (population 6,526,548 in 2011), as recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. To most Texans, it is simply “DFW” or “the Metroplex.” Several of the larger urban areas within DFW are visible in this image; Dallas, Garland, and Richardson all have populations above 100,000 according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments. While the economy of Dallas was historically based in the oil and cotton industries, today commerce, technology, healthcare, and transportation are the major economic drivers.
Astronaut photograph ISS033-E-21663 was acquired on November 15, 2012, with a Nikon D3S digital camera using a 400 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations experiment and Image Science & Analysis Laboratory, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 33 crew. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed. The International Space Station Program supports the laboratory as part of the ISS National Lab to help astronauts take pictures of Earth that will be of the greatest value to scientists and the public, and to make those images freely available on the Internet. Additional images taken by astronauts and cosmonauts can be viewed at the NASA/JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth. Caption by William L. Stefanov, Jacobs/ESCG at NASA-JSC.
- Instrument:
- ISS - Digital Camera - NASA
Sunday, 30 December 2012
SA Weather Satellite Image: 30 December 2012 18h00 SAST
Image: Eumetsat (Click on image for larger view.)
Sea Rescue - National - Sunday 30 December 2012.
CALL OUTS FOR ST FRANCIS BAY, JEFFREYS BAY, KNYSNA and YZERFONTEIN
STATION 21, ST FRANCIS BAY:
At 20h14 on Saturday, 29 December, the NSRI volunteers at St Francis Bay were called out for a 30 year old up country visitor to St Francis, who it seems, had dived off a boat into a sandbank.
Our volunteers who responded to the Kromriver bridge were told that the boat had hit a sandbank and was moving slowly over it when the man dived off. It seems that he dived into the sandbank. When he surfaced he did not turn over and his friends jumped in and lifted him into the boat.
A local doctor and the Emergency Medical Services also responded.
Our St Francis Bay volunteers started CPR and advanced life support was administered by the Doctor. After all attempts at resuscitation were unsuccessful the Doctor certified the man dead.
Then on Sunday 30 December at 12h42 the St Francis volunteers were called for a 30 year old Jeffreys Bay man who had disappeared while wading at Poivre Crescent beach, St Francis. His family were concerned as he can not swim.
St Francis Bay volunteers responded to the scene to find that the man had walked further down the beach and then exited the water. He was safely reunited with his family.
STATION 37, JEFFREYS BAY:
On Sunday 30 December, at 10h39, whilst busy with their annual street collection, Station 37, Jeffrey's Bay were alerted to a missing person, last seen in the early hours of Sunday morning.
According to NSRI station commander Rieghard Janse van Rensburg, the 25 year old Kimberly man had left his personal belongings, including a watch and a cellphone on the Jeffreys Bay beach.
His family was particularly worried as he could not swim.
The NSRI volunteers launched their Discovery Rescue Runner 12 and commenced with a search in the area, whilst our Discovery Rescue Quad started a search along the beach. The NSRI duty crew on the Discovery Rescue Runner spotted a person fitting the man’s description on the beach between the Sea Rescue Base and Ashton Bay.
The Sea Rescue Quad bike responded to the location and found the man to be unharmed. He was returned to the NSRI Base on the Rescue Quad and re-united with his family.
A paramedic from Paramedics 24/7 confirmed him to be in good health.
STATION 12, KNYSNA:
At 13h08 on Sunday 30 December NSRI Knysna were called out for a 68 year old Johannesburg man who had fallen from some rocks at the Knysna Heads.
An ER24 ambulance was also sent to the scene. The man had fractured his left humorous when he fell and he lost consciousness.
The Knysna NSRI volunteers, who responded in their rescue vehicle and the Sea Rescue boat Spirit of KYC, stabilized him in a Sea Rescue stretcher and swam him to the rescue boat. He was transported to the Knysna NSRI base on Spirit of KYC, where he was handed over to ER 24 paramedics and transported to hospital in a stable condition.
STATION 34, YZERFONTEIN:
At 08h13 on Sunday 30 December NSRI Yzerfontein were called out for a commercial snoek fisherman who had lapsed into a diabetic coma while fishing. The boat that he was on was asked to make its way to Yzerfontein and our volunteers launched their rescue boat Rotary Onwards to meet the fishing boat.
The fisherman, a Vredenberg man is in his 50s, was transferred to our rescue boat and taken to the temporary Sea Rescue base at Yzerfontein, where he was stabilized by First Choice paramedics before being transported to Malmsbury hospital in a stable condition.
While the Yzerfontein NSRI volunteers were helping the Vredenberg man another fisherman, a local Yzerfontein man in his 40‘s, who had a snoek hook in his hand, was brought to them. The hook had been removed from his hand at sea by his fellow fishermen, which caused him to bleed profusely.
Our NSRI duty crew stopped the bleeding, cleaned the wound, and advised him to see a Doctor.
-ENDS-
Released by:
Andrew Ingram
Sea Rescue Communications
Job fitness tests suspended after deaths
Johannesburg: KwaZulu-Natal transport MEC Willies Mchunu has suspended all tests for Road Traffic Inspectorate jobs after seven people died, SABC radio news reported on Sunday.
In a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
"More than 34 000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.
He said that 15 600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.
"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather condition and collapsed."
Many were taken to hospital.
- SAPA/News24
SAWDOS: Guess it is a bit late to suspend fitness tests now - 7 already dead!!
In a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
"More than 34 000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.
He said that 15 600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.
"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather condition and collapsed."
Many were taken to hospital.
- SAPA/News24
SAWDOS: Guess it is a bit late to suspend fitness tests now - 7 already dead!!
Photos: Hermanus Fire (25/12/2012 - ..........) Part 3
Alicia Thompson - #HermanusFire the morning after
Sarah Taylor - #Voelklip #Hermanus #fire blazing at midnight.
Sarah Taylor - #Voëlklip #Hermanus #fire rages on at 11pm.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Credit must go to all those involved in fighting this fire. If it was not for all the brave firefighters this fire would have caused extensive damage and possibly loss of life. SAWDOS salute all those brave men and women who com-batted this fire. A big thank you to all of you.
Sea Rescue - West Coast - Saturday 29 December 2012
STATION 04, Mykonos:
At 10h30 NSRI Mykonos was called out for a drowning at Trekoskraal, south of Tietiesbaai, near Paternoster on the west coast.
A member of the public, who was riding his motorbike in the area, spotted a body floating in the water and called NSRI.
Gerard Brune, Mykonos NSRI station commander said that the Mykonos duty crew towed their rescue runner, Transnet National Ports Authority One, to the scene and launched at the beach. SA Paramedic services, a METRO ambulance and the SAPS also responded.
The NSRI team quickly located the body, that of a 51 year old Tableview man, who had apparently been fishing from the rocks. Paramedics on shore certified the man dead at 11h35.
Waves in the area at the time were large, with 2,4 metre swells recorded at the entrance to Langebaan lagoon.
STATION 24A, Lambert’s Bay:
At 11h30 the Lamberts Bay auxiliary NSRI station was called out for two young men, a 17 year old from Lamberts Bay and a 22 year old from Johannesburg, who were caught in a rip current at Lamberts Bay beach in front of the Caravan park.
Deputy station commander, Kevin Langeveld took his private boat Baynes to the search area as station commander Ron Selley co-ordinated a search, including activating the SAPS Boland dive unit.
At 12h24 the stand down was given when it transpired that two surfers had seen the two young men being swept out to sea. The surfers had paddled out, handing one board over to the two, and using the other for their own flotation.
The four then managed to paddle to shore much higher up the beach (to the north) which is where the 17 year old’s father found them. They were safe and needed no further help.
The surfers, whose names are not known to NSRI, are commended for their quick thinking and for getting the two young men safely back to shore.
-ENDS-
Released by:
Andrew Ingram
Sea Rescue Communications
Real Time Observation Report: Heavy Swell West Coast
Image: SAWDOS (Large swell in the Mossel Bay area.)
Marcel Upfold SAWDOS Observer writes:
I have seen some swells in my time at sea, but at this stage the West Coast is really upset with life. The Snoek boats going to sea just disappear in the troughs, and they are not small bathtubs at that.
The swell has really picked up since yesterday although the sea is not so foamy this morning it is still very unhappy and unsettled.
What interested me most is that there was a spring tide on the 28th but the neap tide, which should have been quite low, was in fact higher than the high tide on the half-moon cycle. The spring tide was/is just awesome.
There are a number of whales in the area between Yzerfontein and Dassen Island. They seem to be just submerged and I have now seen two boats pass them totally oblivious of the danger they offer for a boat....
The "poor" inlanders don't understand the force of the sea during full-moon and they can easily land themselves in deep trouble. What is it with these people taking on the sea at this time with a "day-boat" and NO LIFE JACKETS at that... Eish
SAWDOS: Marcel thanks so much for your observation in this regard. Seafarers should take note of these conditions especially those who are visitors to certain areas. SAWDOS would advise visitors to avoid the sea for the next few days until the swell settled. If you unfamiliar with the area you visit rather stay on land and be safe. If you do go out to sea wear those life jackets all the time!!
SA Weather Satellite Image: 30 December 2012 07h00 SAST
Image: SAT24 (Click on image for larger view.)
GFS 72 Hour Forecasts of Vertical Velocity and Precipitation: South Africa
- U.S. National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)
SAWDOS Holiday Alert 2012/2013: First aid and travel
LIFESTYLE NEWS - A minor medical incident can spoil a fun-filled holiday without proper action being taken.
First aid kits range from a very basic to a comprehensive bag, depending on your travel destination. Obviously what you will need depends on your medical training and level of expertise.
ER24 paramedics give the following advice on what to pack in your travel first aid kit:
• Tweezers
• Scissors
• Safety Pins
• First Aid Dressings
• 2 or 3 Rolls of Bandages
• Eye Pad
• Triangular Bandage
• Gauze Swabs
• Plasters
• Antiseptic Cream
• Burn Dressing
• Antiseptic Wound Cleaner
• Latex Gloves (If you are allergic to Latex, use non-Latex Gloves)
• CPR Mouthpiece
• Personal Medication
• Sunscreen
• Personal information
Although this is very basic, you can still add your own items to the bag. It is important that, should you pack your personal medication in your first aid kit, you label it as personal medication. If you are faced with an emergency, you can follow easy steps to ensure that you provide the best possible assistance.
Always ensure your safety first. Do not touch any blood or other body fluids if you do not have medical gloves on. Some of the most common injuries sustained while on holiday can range from a minor scrape to a deep cut. Should you be faced with a situation where a person sustains a deep cut and is bleeding profusely, apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or bandage and seek medical help.
Do not pour any liquid or cream into the wound. You can rinse the wound with clean water if needed. Burn wounds are also very common and it is advised that you only use an approved burn dressing. Do not apply any cream, butter, toothpaste or any other substance onto the burn. Rinse the affected area with cool clean water. Should the burn be severe and is forming blisters or if the skin is peeling, seek medical help immediately. Be prepared and know the number of the local emergency services or speed dial should you stay in a hotel or lodge.
For more information visit ER24's website at www.er24.co.za.
- Mossel Bay Advertiser
Russian plane crashes into road outside Moscow
Two pilots, a flight engineer and an air stewardess were killed in the crash
A Russian passenger plane has crashed into a main road after overshooting a runway at a Moscow airport, killing at least four people, police say.
Reports said there were between eight and 12 crew on board the Red Wings Tupolev-204, flight number RWZ9268, which was landing at Vnukovo airport.
Images of the scene show the aircraft split into several pieces, with the cockpit on the road.
Four people were severely injured, emergency officials said.
The dead were two pilots, a flight engineer and an air stewardess.
The plane's tail and cockpit had broken off but the fuselage was largely intact.
There were fire engines at the scene and smoke could be seen rising from parts of the wreckage.
The plane had arrived in Moscow from the Czech Republic, government officials said.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an investigation into the cause of the crash.
There was light snow in the area on Saturday afternoon, though it was not known if that played any role.
The BBC's Steve Rosenberg, in Moscow, says investigators are looking into three possible causes - bad weather, technical failure and pilot error.
The Tupolev-204 is a modern Russian passenger jet with a good safety record and a capacity to hold more than 200 passengers.
- BBC
Payún Volcanic Field
Situated in the southern Andes
Mountains, the Payún volcanic field of Argentina is a complex landscape
that formed over hundreds of thousands of years. Sprawling over 5,200
square kilometers (2,000 square miles), Payún is a massive shield volcano—a broad formation resembling an ancient warrior shield.
This false-color image is a composite of observations acquired on February 7 and March 20, 2001 by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus on the Landsat 7 satellite. It was made from a combination of visible and infrared light, where green indicates vegetation, black indicates lava flows, and orange is bare rock rich in iron oxides.
Part of the back-arc volcanism of the Andes, Payún lies about 530 kilometers (330 miles) east from where the Nazca plate subducts below the South America plate. Not surprisingly, a volcanic zone extends over some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north-to-south in this region. According to a study published in 2010, the regional geology and chemical composition of the rocks indicate that the volcanic field likely formed within the past 300,000 years.
The dominant feature of the volcanic field is Payún Matru, an elliptical caldera measuring roughly 9 by 7 kilometers (6 by 4 miles). Geologists surmise that the caldera formed after the old magma chamber emptied and the summit collapsed. Southwest of the caldera is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of compacted ash, hardened lava, and rocks ejected during previous eruptions. This stratovolcano, Payún, rises to 3,680 meters (12,073 feet) above sea level. (The entire volcanic field sits at 2,000 meters, or 6,600 feet.)
The stratovolcano may be the most prominent feature in the volcanic field but it is by no means the only one. More than 300 eruptive features litter the shield volcano, most of them occupying an east-west line. West of Payún Matru is an area known as Los Volcanes, a mass of strombolian cones and basaltic lava flows.
This false-color image is a composite of observations acquired on February 7 and March 20, 2001 by the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus on the Landsat 7 satellite. It was made from a combination of visible and infrared light, where green indicates vegetation, black indicates lava flows, and orange is bare rock rich in iron oxides.
Part of the back-arc volcanism of the Andes, Payún lies about 530 kilometers (330 miles) east from where the Nazca plate subducts below the South America plate. Not surprisingly, a volcanic zone extends over some 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) north-to-south in this region. According to a study published in 2010, the regional geology and chemical composition of the rocks indicate that the volcanic field likely formed within the past 300,000 years.
The dominant feature of the volcanic field is Payún Matru, an elliptical caldera measuring roughly 9 by 7 kilometers (6 by 4 miles). Geologists surmise that the caldera formed after the old magma chamber emptied and the summit collapsed. Southwest of the caldera is a stratovolcano composed of alternating layers of compacted ash, hardened lava, and rocks ejected during previous eruptions. This stratovolcano, Payún, rises to 3,680 meters (12,073 feet) above sea level. (The entire volcanic field sits at 2,000 meters, or 6,600 feet.)
The stratovolcano may be the most prominent feature in the volcanic field but it is by no means the only one. More than 300 eruptive features litter the shield volcano, most of them occupying an east-west line. West of Payún Matru is an area known as Los Volcanes, a mass of strombolian cones and basaltic lava flows.
References
- Germa, A., Quidelleur, X., Gillot, P.Y., Tchilinguirian, P. (2010) Volcanic evolution of the back-arc Pleistocene Payún Matru volcanic field (Argentina). Journal of South American Earth Sciences, 29(3), 717&nash;730.
- Global Volcanism Program. Payún Matru. Smithsonian Institution. Accessed November 21, 2012.
Image courtesy Michael
P. Taylor, Landsat Data Continuity Mission Project Office, NASA Goddard
Space Flight Center. Caption by Michon Scott with information from
Michael Abrams, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
- Instrument:
- Landsat 7 - ETM+ - NASA
Saturday, 29 December 2012
Western Cape fire confined
Emergency officials fight a blaze in Hermanus. (Marike Groenewald, Twitter)
Johannesburg - A fire that burnt across two thousand hectares in the Overstrand area is being brought under control, the municipality said on Saturday.
The fire has been confined to one portion of a mountain east of Hermanus and will be monitored throughout the night, said municipal spokesperson Fanie Krige.
"Late this afternoon they were still trying to deal with flare-ups and they made use of the helicopter to water bomb the flare-ups," Krige said.
He said firefighters hope the cooler temperatures at night will cause the fire to die down and it can finally be put out in the morning.
"It will be sort of mopping up," Krige said.
There is believed to be no threat of the fire spreading to any houses in Hermanus.
Firefighters are still concerned about a second front of the fire that runs along the seaside due to the heavy growth of vegetation in the area.
Krige said no injuries or fatalities had been reported.
Two firemen had been treated for heat exhaustion before they quickly returned to fighting the blaze.
The fire has caused some damage around the Hermanus Yacht Club. It destroyed three boats that were on land.
It also destroyed some caravans, two cabins and a caretaker’s house.
The fire had also burned on the road between Hermanus and Stanford and had cut electricity in the area after burning down electricity poles.
As a result there were many power disruptions in the Gansbaai and Stanford areas, with the R43 road also being closed.
- SAPA/News24
Six die after taking part in a KwaZulu-Natal traffic department recruitment fitness test
Johannesburg - Six people have died from suspected dehydration after taking part in a KwaZulu-Natal traffic department recruitment fitness test, SABC news reported on Saturday.
Another person apparently committed suicide in frustration after the test, the news station reported.
Provincial Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu could not be reached for comment about the deaths.
However, in a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
"More than 34 000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.
He said that 15 600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.
"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather conditions and collapsed."
Many were taken to hospital.
Mchunu said that he would meet with those in charge of the test on Saturday.
"We regret any injuries or loss of lives as a result of the fitness test," he said.
- SAPA
SAWDOS: This is really unbelievable. 6 dead after extreme humid and very hot weather in Kwazulu Natal. People in charge will have to really explain why this event took place after a warning was issued of extremely uncomfortable humid conditions. Yet they went ahead with the event and candidates had to run 4km in these conditions without water along the route. I saw video footage of the event. Shocking to say the least. Those who organized this event should be held accountable for the deaths of these people. The SAWDOS would like to extend it's condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
Another person apparently committed suicide in frustration after the test, the news station reported.
Provincial Transport, Community Safety and Liaison MEC Willies Mchunu could not be reached for comment about the deaths.
However, in a statement on Saturday he said he would investigate the incident whereby "scores" of people who were trying to get a job at the road traffic inspectorate, collapsed during a fitness test.
"More than 34 000 applicants qualified for the 90 trainee posts which were advertised," said Mchunu in a statement.
He said that 15 600 applicants attended a fitness test at the Harry Gwala Stadium on Thursday, and a similar number attended on Friday.
"Scores of them could not cope with the hot weather conditions and collapsed."
Many were taken to hospital.
Mchunu said that he would meet with those in charge of the test on Saturday.
"We regret any injuries or loss of lives as a result of the fitness test," he said.
- SAPA
SAWDOS: This is really unbelievable. 6 dead after extreme humid and very hot weather in Kwazulu Natal. People in charge will have to really explain why this event took place after a warning was issued of extremely uncomfortable humid conditions. Yet they went ahead with the event and candidates had to run 4km in these conditions without water along the route. I saw video footage of the event. Shocking to say the least. Those who organized this event should be held accountable for the deaths of these people. The SAWDOS would like to extend it's condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
Photos: Hermanus Fire (25/12/2012 - ...........) Part 2
Jacques Smith - Hermanus House that burnt down at HYC, wind strong, many flareups. Battling.
Tony Lopes - One of the heroic pilots and assistant fighting the #hermanusfire
Derick Carolin - It’s pretty epic watching these chopper guys in action!
Dave - #HermanusFire attacking the fire again above voelklip. #legend firefighters. The beaters are up there again too.
Andreline van Tonder - Major respect to the rescue team fighting the #hermanusfire. Hats off to the guys who are STILL at it!
Bernard Nortje - @EWNTraffic #hermanus #HermanusFire #firefighterlegends
Marike Groenewald - Another #Hermanus fire pic as the flames rage down the mountain towards the Voëlklip homes.
Marike Groenewald - Incredible work done by the helicopter pilots as they fight the #Hermanus fire. Pic taken from our home in 7th street.
Derick Carolin - Chopper Rescue 911 underway in Hermanus! Feels a bit like my days back in ‘Nam!
Conroy King - @SAWDOS1 fire damage behind Voelklip
Photos: Weather Observation: Mossel Bay (28 December 2012)
Images: SAWDOS (Click on images for larger view.)
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