Category: weather

Posted in earthquakes, ebola, prophecy, signs, weather

News roundup: Ebola in US, Japanese volcano eruption, quake swarm at Mammoth

Posted on by elizabethprata

PESTILENCE

CDC confirms first case of Ebola in US

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed on Tuesday that a patient being treated at a Dallas hospital has tested positive for Ebola, the first case diagnosed in the United States. The patient left Liberia on September 19 and arrived in the United States on September 20, CDC director, Dr. Tom Frieden told reporters at a press conference Tuesday. It’s the first patient to be diagnosed with this particular strain of Ebola outside of Africa.“[The patient] had no symptoms when departing Liberia or entering this country. But four or five days later on the 24th of September, he began to develop symptoms,” said Frieden. The patient, who was in the U.S. visiting family in Texas, initially sought care on September 26, but was sent home and was not admitted until two days later. He was placed in isolation at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas, where he remains critically ill, according to Frieden.

The assurances we’ve been receiving from officials since the outbreak in Africa spread have not made much sense to me.

“The risk of the spread of Ebola in California is low.”

“and the past-president of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, told weather.com Americans should not fear the disease. “We see the risk as essentially zero,”

If an ill traveler arrives in the U.S., CDC has protocols in place to protect against further spread of disease.

The problem is, the patient in Dallas was not showing any symptoms. Secondly, he had traveled to Liberia and when he arrived at the Dallas hospital for treatment, he was sent home. It doesn’t seem those protocols are working.

Granted, one patient isn’t an outbreak. But the worry is that he was ill, AND showing symptoms and walked around Dallas for days. The CDC press conference last night never did answer the question as to whether the patient’s family has been quarantined. However, several medical workers are now quarantined:

Paramedics, ER staff under Ebola observation in Dallas

DALLAS — Three Dallas Fire-Rescue paramedics and several emergency room workers at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital are off work and under observation after making contact with the patient being treated for Ebola. Perhaps the most tangible evidence of Ebola in Dallas is an ambulance parked in a city lot in Pleasant Grove, an area about 15 minutes southeast of downtown Dallas. It’s quarantined and roped off with red tape warning of a biohazard. Ambulance No. 37 carried the Ebola patient to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital on Sunday morning.

So on September 26 the patient walked into the hospital seeking care, and just three days later had to be taken by ambulance. It seems that this is either a very rapid progression, or symptoms were evident on the 26th and were missed. Neither scenario are particularly comforting.

The ambulance used to transport the Dallas Ebola patient is now a biohazard,
and the paramedics are quarantined. Source

But the CDC assures us, still, that everything is just fine. But just in case, they issued Ebola guidelines for US funeral homes. The article’s opening poses the following question:

ROSWELL, GA (CBS46) – CBS46 News has confirmed the Centers for Disease Control has issued guidelines to U.S. funeral homes on how to handle the remains of Ebola patients. If the outbreak of the potentially deadly virus is in West Africa, why are funeral homes in America being given guidelines?

They asked the question because the article was initially published on September 29. The news did not break about the Dallas Ebola patient until September 30. Now we know the answer.

All I can say is that the same thing is on many peoples’ minds. First is Mark Davis’ tweet

Fred Butler summed it up.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WEATHER

I love spooky clouds. Or non-spooky clouds. I just like clouds.

PSU meteorology student & storm chaser Jacob DeFlitch ‏@WxDeFlitch tweeted this pic yesterday, “Incredible photo of clouds this morning over NYC from the air.” [Via: Angela Wang]

Ginger Zee, Chief Meteorologist at ABC News; re-tweeted this photo yesterday morning.

“Great capture! “@TheNan08: Heading into NYC crazy looking clouds @Ginger_Zee @Evansweather”

Denver severe weather dumps massive amounts of hail

An impressive hail storm slammed into the Denver metropolitan area around 2 p.m. MDT, dropping hail as large as golf balls. Photos posted to social media show what looked like snow, but was actually a thick sheet of hail covering highways and grassy areas. Denver’s 9 News reports Cherry Creek schools delayed dismissing students because of the weather. Hail drifts several feet deep were reported in some towns, according to AOL.com.

South of France hit by devastating floods

Around 60 towns in the south of France have been officially declared natural disaster sites following severe flooding caused by torrential downpours, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve announced on Tuesday.

Scientists are grappling for reasons as to why the weather is worsening so palpably. This is from NOAA weather:

New report finds human-caused climate change increased severity of 2013 heat waves in Asia, Europe and Australia September 29, 2014. The report, “Explaining Extreme Events of 2013 From a Climate Perspective,” can be viewed online. (Credit: Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society) A report released today investigates the causes of a wide variety of extreme weather and climate events from around the world in 2013. Published by the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, “Explaining Extreme Events of 2013 from a Climate Perspective” addresses the causes of 16 individual extreme events that occurred on four continents in 2013. NOAA scientists served as three of the four lead editors on the report.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

QUAKES

The Weather Channel ‏@weatherchannel posted the following yesterday,
“JUST IN: M4.2 #earthquake near Perry, OK at 10:01pm CDT; shaking felt from Wichita KS to Norman OK.”

4.2 is pretty big for Oklahoma.

Mammoth Lakes in California has been experiencing the “most intense” quake swarm of the last decade. LA Times has mapped them in a .gif

Watch 900 earthquakes erupt during Mammoth swarm

There were 947 total quakes

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

VOLCANO

Mount Ontake, a Japanese volcano, erupted unexpectedly, unfortunately killing and injuring climbers. A hiker who was on scene filmed the terrifying event. Below is a screen shot and below that, the video.

I truly hope those poor people made it out!

UK Daily Mail

The search for at least two dozen victims of Japan’s worst volcanic eruption in decades has been called off again today amid fears that another deadly steam explosion is imminent. Hundreds of military searchers had been preparing to enter Mount Ontake by foot and helicopter to resume the recovery of at least 24 people caught in a deadly rain of ash and stone after the peak erupted without warning on Saturday when it was crowded with hikers, including children. Twelve bodies have been recovered from the 10,062 feet peak but at least 36 are feared to have died, with the recovery hampered by high levels of toxic gas and ash piled hip-high in places on the still-smoking mountain. At least 69 people have been injured, 30 of them seriously.

UK Daily Mail(as usual, great photos)

Mount Sinabung Spouts Off

Mt. Sinabung in Sumatra let out a long roar on Wednesday, erupting for a full 907 seconds, or just over 15 minutes – about 0.0028% of the year since it first started acting up. Daily eruptions, which started last November and lasted for months, coated the countryside in gray ash and forced tens of thousands of people from their villages.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

CULTURE

Video: Fla. commissioner walks out of meeting when Pagan delivers bizarre ‘satanic,’ singing invocation

A Florida pagan was given the opportunity to offer the invocation at an Escambia County Commission meeting Thursday, but one commissioner wouldn’t stick around to hear it. By law, the commission had to allow David Suhor, a self-described Agnostic Pagan Pantheist who worships nature, to give an invocation, according to ABC affiliate WEAR-TV. When Suhor recited the pagan prayer in song calling of the directions north, east, south, and west, Commissioner Wilson Robertson walked out. “People may not realize it,” Robertson told WEAR. “But when we invite someone, a minister to pray, they are praying for the county commissioners, for us to make wise decisions and I’m just not going to have a pagan or satanic minister pray for me.”

Good for him. The law may require that equal opportunity be given to all religions, but that does not mean we have to accept the prayer in the ‘spirit’ in which it was intended. I hope the commissioner prayed for the pagan man to repent and come to Jesus.

Posted in glory, God, providence, tornado, tragedy, weather

It’s tornado weather

Posted on by elizabethprata

I’m working on another blog essay for tonight about not growing weary in the well-doing. But I wanted to pause and pray for a moment. There is a severe weather outbreak in the South and the Plains States of the US. Tornadoes, hail, lightning and severe winds and thunder are wreaking havoc at this hour, and have been since last night. Many people have died and much property is demolished. Lives are forever changed.

Our section of the South, Georgia, will start to get hit later tonight and tomorrow through Wednesday. It is by meteorological accounts, a very severe threat. Tupelo Mississippi just got hammered and there is a great amount of damage.

The Lord told us in His word that He holds us in His hand and the days of our lives are numbered. We never know if this moment will be our last breath or if we have another 20000 days to go. By this time tomorrow I could be dead, injured, or homeless. Or I could be the same- ensconced in my tiny apartment with three happy cats eating fruit and drinking tea. We just never know. However, what I appeal to the Lord for is my attitude. Here is my prayer:

“Lord, may You be glorified if You decide to blast my house in a tornado. May my attitude reflect submission to Your will, exhibit certainty that You are in control, and comfort in the knowledge that You have the bigger picture in mind- because all things work together for good for those who love you.

“If you decide to spare my house, then please may I reflect Your glory in gratitude that You have allowed me to continue unscathed, though, knowing that life’s trials are a sure thing and another one may be around the corner tomorrow. In all, Your will be done.”

“May You be glorified if some of those who have experienced tragedy through this weather come to salvation. Severe storms make a person think about life, family, and mortality. May they also think of You and Your Son,  and the afterlife you have prepared for those who love you. May your glory shine brightly in newly converted hearts, even amidst the debris.” Amen

Job Loses his Children and Property
While he was yet speaking, there came another and said, “Your sons and daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, 19and behold, a great wind came across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young people, and they are dead, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”…

 21He said, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked I shall return there. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away. Blessed be the name of the LORD.” 

22Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
            (Job 1:18-19, 21-22)

Posted in birth pangs, earthquake, hail, prophecy, weather, yellowstone

Largest earthquake in years hit CA, another large quake in OK, Hail in Hong Kong (UPDATE: quake at Yellowstone-biggest in 30 years)

Posted on by elizabethprata

Update at bottom.

California is being rattled by the biggest earthquakes they have felt in years. Southern California Public Radio reports,

Quakes continue to rattle California
“A strong aftershock to Friday’s 5.1-magnitude earthquake in Orange County shook Southern California this afternoon. The U.S. Geological Survey reported the 4.1-magnitude tremor struck two kilometers southeast of Rowland Heights at 2:32 p.m. The Rowland Heights office of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said there were so far no reports of damage. More than 100 aftershocks have rattled the region. No major damage and no injuries have been reported, but police in the city of Fullerton say 20 apartment units and half a dozen homes were red-tagged, displacing 83 people. Some residents have since returned to their homes.”

What is the third largest United States earthquake active zone? #1 is Alaska, and #2 is California. Can you guess the third? It’s Utah! Then Hawaii, and also the Pacific Northwest. In this article, a seismologist explains why earthquakes happen in CA and why they don’t understand why they happen in places like New England where there are no similar faults.

Is California overdue for a big earthquake? Was the recent earthquake in Los Angeles a warning of more to come? ‘Earthquake Storms’ author John Dvorak shares his thoughts.
“…But it’s not just Californians who should pay attention to his exploration of earthquake science, the unfolding mysteries of geology, and the gaps in our seismic knowledge. As he notes in an interview, plenty of other parts of the country are vulnerable to earthquakes, including the Northwest, the Midwest, the South and – yes – even the Big Apple.”

It’s a good article, I recommend it.

I was reading through my twitter stream last night and those who live in the quake area are plenty nervous and sick of all the felt-aftershocks. Or foreshocks. One man wrote that a run on earthquake survival supplies had left his local store empty, except for one hand tool, the tool to turn off your gas valve. The 1906 quake, as devastating as it was, paled in comparison to the damage caused by fires after the quake was over. Even after a 5.1 quake where there is not much visible physical damage, the cracks and breaks in gas lines are an ever-present danger.

Meanwhile, also last night, a 4.3 magnitude quake hit Crescent Oklahoma according to that link from USGS. Here is a (breathless and amazed) news report:

Two 4.3 quakes, several tremors rattle central Oklahoma
“Wichita, Kan. — Two magnitude 4.3 quakes, along with several weaker ones, rattled central Oklahoma late Saturday night into Sunday morning. And residents throughout KAKEland report feeling the temblors. The first quake, a magnitude of 3.5, was recorded just before 11 p.m. Saturday It was centered about 13 miles north of the town of Crescent. At the same location, another 3.5 occurred at 1:37 a.m. Sunday. It was followed by a 4.3 about 15 minutes later and then a 3.3 at 2 a.m. The shakers didn’t end there. A 3.5 and a 3.6 were recorded between 3:07 and 3:10 a.m. A second 4.3 followed at 3:42 a.m. These three quakes were also centered about 13 miles from Crescent. But wait. There’s more.

Source

A 2.8 tremor occurred at 4:06 a.m. and a 2.7 at 4:51. Both were a few miles south and west of the others. The KAKE newsroom has been inundated with calls since the quakes were felt in south-central Kansas. A KAKE employee reported feeling his apartment shake for a few seconds near downtown Wichita. We have received reports from across Wichita and portions of Butler County from viewers reporting feeling the earthquake. The USGS has received reports from across Oklahoma and Kansas, including the Kansas City-area. One Wichita resident reported feeling three tremors at her apartment near Harry and Rock Road.

“I thought nothing of tonight’s until I was turning off my hall light and noticed my picture on the wall was crooked,” she said in an email to KAKE News. She then noticed a long crack in her wall. “17 inches long by 7 inches at the bottom,” she said. “This most definitely happened tonight. It’s by our front door hall and we pass it countless times a day.” We’re still not done yet. Let’s go back to Saturday and venture a little further south-southeast to Choctaw. That’s on the eastern edge of Oklahoma City, and where at 2.7 tremor was reported at 7:36 a.m. Another of the same magnitude hit at 4:36 p.m. A 3.7 occurred at 10:08 p.m., followed a 2.6 at 12:49 a.m. Sunday. Several earthquake reports ranging from a 2.7 to a 3.5 were scattered about central Oklahoma from Wednesday through Friday.”

Over in Hong Kong, they are having a massive storm, complete with strobe lightning. In addition, reporter James Reynolds (@typhoonfury) reports,

“Lots of reports of hail over Hong Kong right now, this is quite rare being in tropics.”
Black rainstorm warning now over HK, first of year, impressively early!
Continuous strobe effect lightning over Hong Kong, impressive storm! Winds picking up!

Mayo ‏@SungEmpress wrote

“7:45pm Amber Rainstorm Warning, then 8:15pm Red, and at 8:40pm Black Rainstorm. That much rain being dumped in Hong Kong right now!“

Here is a screen shot of others’ reaction to frozen precipitation in the tropics:

Crazy weather continues. (Pray for the families affected by the terrible mudslide in Washington State). Please be safe wherever you are. God will continue to rattle the earth’s population with events of this sort, as we are told the birth pangs will continue to increase. (Matthew 24:3). God holds the world in His hand, and everything that happens on it is by Him for From Him or allowed by Him. (1 Corinthians 10:26). It is safer to be in Jesus than to be in the world.

————-update————-

Earthquake Rattles Yellowstone National Park, No Damage Reported
A 4.8 magnitude earthquake rocked Yellowstone National Park in Montana early Sunday, but there were no immediate reports of damage.  Peter Cervelli, a spokesman for the U.S. Geological Survey’s Yellowstone Volcano Observatory said the quake, which hit at 6:34 a.m. local time, was centered almost in the middle of Yellowstone National Park, near the Norris Geyser Basin. He said any damage from the temblor would likely be minor, adding that there are not many visitors in the park at the moment.  The quake was not expected to trigger any volcanic activity, Cervelli said.  Jessica Turner, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Service, said the quake was the most powerful to hit the park since 1985. She said residents in the town of West Yellowstone felt the quake.

[USGS puts significant quakes in pink, such as this one at Yellowstone]

Posted in birth pangs, extreme, pax, slovenia, weather

Slovenia Is Still Frozen Solid: ‘This Is Crazy, Really Crazy’, & 3 other meteorological crises in the world today

Posted on by elizabethprata

Millions of people in the United States south were affected by a massive storm this week inaptly named Pax. It stretched from Florida and Texas to North Carolina and brought ice, snow, sleet, freezing rain, wind, and tornadoes. Tens of thousands are without power and the cities of Augusta GA, Columbia SC and Raleigh NC were hit hard. Over 4000 flights were canceled. At the height of it, the Weather Service was so perplexed by this storm’s behavior and what was to happen that they sent up the US Air Force planes to check it out, something they usually only do for hurricanes.

Twitter: “USAF Hurricane Hunters flying winter storm recon mission over Gulf of Mexico 2nite obtaining vital atmospheric data”

Slate

Slate reported, “One measure of the storm’s severity, scaled to roughly correspond with similar indexes used to gauge tornadoes and hurricanes predicted today’s ice storm would reach Category 5, the highest level on the Sperry-Piltz Ice Accumulation index. That’s an increase of one category since yesterday’s forecast from Atlanta eastward into South Carolina.”

Here we see the accompanying ice map, and the black blotch indicates that aforementioned category 5, very rare.

The economic toll of a three-day shutdown in 7 states can’t be calculated. And now Pax is barreling up the eastern seaboard and hammering Washington DC, the Mid Atlantic states and tomorrow, New England.

Here is the view of Pax as it began its dirty deeds Tuesday, February 11. Image courtesy geo-stationary satellite from NASA

Headlines this morning like these tell the story:

  • Northeast: More Than a Foot of Snow to Come
  • Ice Storm Pummels Eastern US
  • Winter Storm Pax: Raleigh-Durham Drivers Deal with Atlanta-like Gridlock Wednesday  
  • North Carolina Is a Mess. Here’s What to Expect Tonight There, in NYC

One person on Twitter plaintively asked, “Are they naming winter storms now because they are as intense as hurricanes?“

As the people in the south begin to climb, scrape and plow out of the massive winter storm Pax, and the people in the middle and northern parts of the nation begin to deal with it, did you know that there was another, massive and impressive storm battering millions of people in another location?

As the storm began at around the same time Pax began, Darwin battered the UK-

120mph storm leaves 70,000 homes without power as RED ALERT warns TAKE ACTION NOW
“The Met Office has issued a rare RED WARNING for severe weather urging those living along the west coast of England to TAKE ACTION now. Hurricane-force gales of 110mph have ALREADY been recorded off the south coast of Ireland with onshore winds of more than 90mph rocking southern Britain. The storm has also triggered torrential downpours across the south and south-west with several inches likely over the next 24 hours. The Government has put out a raft of nation-wide alerts for brutal gales, rain and even snow in the north which is braced for blizzards. The public have been urged NOT to travel tonight unless it is absolutely necessary. Storm Darwin, currently battering the west coast of Ireland, will rip into Britain this afternoon before tearing though the country through today and into tomorrow.“

Darwin marched across the islands of the UK and today the UK Independent reports,

UK storms: 100mph winds batters the UK as power cuts and travel chaos continues today
Communities across Britain were met with hurricane-force 100mph winds yesterday as stormy weather continued to batter parts of the UK, causing travel chaos and leaving tens of thousands of homes without power. Today, 80,000 homes remain without power and further travel disruption is expected. Gusts of 112mph were recorded in Aberdaron in North Wales, the strongest so far in the storm on the day dubbed “wild Wednesday”. Britain remains on alert with the River Thames expected to rise to its highest level in more than 60 years and more than 400 flood warnings in place across England and Wales.

The headlines tell the story about the world weather

  • UK weather: Nature shows no mercy to flooded Britain
  • Winter Olympics Facing Dwindling Options In a Warming World
  • 4 Extreme Weather Events Are Causing Havoc Around the World

As for that last headline, let’s take a look at what “meteorological crises” are occurring.

PolicyMic reports,
“As unpleasant as the winter weather across eastern and central portions of the United States and Canada has been, it’s nothing compared to the meteorological crises currently being faced in other parts of the world-

In Brazil, for instance, a historic drought is threatening the Sao Paulo’s water supply. The Cantareira water system, which serves over 10 million people, is usually flush at this time of year, as January is generally the height of the region’s rainy season. However, this year has seen so little rain that the city’s water could dry up in as little as six weeks; companies that depend on water for manufacturing have already had to close shop until rain comes.

In California, the drought there is “the driest year in its history, leaving the snow pack in some of California’s Sierras is at as little as 4% of its normal levels. For the first time in half a century, areas that depend on the mountains for moisture will have to do without…”

In Australia, “record temperatures have caused large-scale conflagrations throughout the country, from Western Australia, to South Australia, to New South Wales. Meanwhile, a town of 3,000 is considering evacuating in Queensland after all but going without rainfall for two years.”

But this, this, is amazing to me. Slovenia as a nation is frozen over.

Slovenia Is Still Frozen Solid: ‘This Is Crazy, Really Crazy’
Three days of blizzards and a freak ice storm have inflicted “the worst devastation in living memory” in the small Alpine country of Slovenia as life in half of the country is frozen in place. Unexpected rain in the west rapidly turned to ice, entombing cars, trains, ATMS, and power lines in addition to half of Slovenia’s forests (roughly 1.2 million acres). “Slovenia has witnessed a major natural disaster,” Prime Minister Alenka Bratusek said while visiting the badly-hit town of Ljubno ob Savinji. “In the 35 years I’ve worked here, I’ve never seen anything like this,” A railway worker told Reuters. “It will take another two months before trains can run again.”

REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic
REUTERS/Srdjan Zivulovic

Life as they knew it has come to a halt in Slovenia and won’t resume full force until the ice melts. That is simply amazing to me.

In other earth news, if not climate news, did you know that there was an earthquake in Massachusetts this week?

A small earthquake was felt in southeastern Massachusetts Tuesday, but no damage or injuries were reported. The US Geological Service confirmed that a 2.4-magnitude quake centered near Dartmouth occurred at 5:46 p.m. Within minutes of the jolt, WCVB’s Facebook fans started commenting about what they felt. “Jumped off the couch it was so loud in Acushnet,” Lori Souza commented on Facebook. “Heard a rumble then a boom in Fairhaven,” wrote Nancy Vigeant.  “Felt it in the far north end of New Bedford. I thought the dogs were running around but they were laying still on the floor,” said Greg Cormier.

Small quakes happen now and then in New England. There was one in Mexico, Maine last week, accompanied by a 2.8 in Canada/northern Vermont.

There was a strong quake in China this week, a 6.9. Some damage in the sparsely populated area but no casualties, thank goodness. There was a 6.0 in the Scotia Sea and a 6.5 in Vanuatu, both areas of which are very seismic. Since January 1, 2014 there have been 12 strong quakes in the world.

So people climbing out from winter storm Pax, if there is comfort to be had just know that there are many other places in the world experiencing the same if not worse weather. The headline above claims that climate change is causing all this havoc. News reports use words like crises, unusual, and rare. Most of the news stories I posted presented a statistic that stated the particular event hadn’t happened in 30, or 40, or 50 years, if ever. The Slovenia situation has never happened before, despite being an Alpine nation sandwiched between Austria and Croatia.

The Church of England has vowed to fight the ‘great demon’ of climate change. Okey dokey, good luck with that.

Climate change used to be called global warming. Since they figured out that the world isn’t warming but the extreme winter temperatures and storms have grown over the last 5-10 years, the scientists simply renamed it to climate change. That was clever. The climate is always changing, so they can’t be tested on it. Read this general definition from Wikipedia,

“Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events).”

I’m not a scientist but as a lay person I’d agree with this. The climate is changing.

The place where meteorologists and I diverge is the point at which they explore why the climate is changing. Ultimately, it is because we are in the end time (have been since the ascension of Jesus) and it will end when Jesus returns and restores the earth and reverses the curse. Scientists claim that humankind’s impact on climate in using fossil fuels and emitting greenhouse gasses is causing the change. Christians say it is God. As this essay ‘Christians and global warming‘ explains,

• Global temperature changes from past millennia, according to available data, were often severe and rapid, long before man supposedly had any impact at all. That is, the current climate change is not as unusual as some alarmists would like to believe.

 • Recent recorded history mentions times of noticeable global warming and cooling, long before man had any ability to produce industrial emissions.

 • Water vapor, not CO2, is the most influential greenhouse gas. It is difficult to determine what effect, if any, mankind has on worldwide water vapor levels.

However, the climate IS going to change, drastically, and it already has. There is a reason why the world is experiencing ever-heightening meteorological crises and natural disasters: the birth pangs. Jesus said that as His time of appearing came closer the world would experience birth pangs as it labored under the curse. The last two thousand years have plunged the world into ‘the end of days’ and as each day progresses we see leaps and bounds of prophetic indicators occurring.

Because the world is cursed, the only way it can go is down. (Genesis 3:17-18, Romans 8:22, Revelation 22:3). The timing of its downward spiral, of both the earth itself and the creatures upon it, began slowly but as birth pangs do, the downward spiral speeds up as the time grows near. The “Known effects of the Fall” according to this author at AIG wrote,

“Let’s begin by discussing what the Bible clearly states about the Curse. The Curse meant that humans and animals would now suffer pain, disease, and eventually death. Work would be difficult and sometimes painful as thorns and thistles now compete for the ground. Clearly, the earth, the plants, and all living creatures were changed as a result of the Curse. … Although the second law [of thermodynamics, the law of decay] is not intrinsically bad, one difficulty remains. As a result of the second law of thermodynamics, the universe is “running down” as its usable energy decays to a useless form. Consequently, the universe cannot last forever. It must eventually run down completely. (Psalm 102:25–26).”

If the second law of thermodynamics states that energy in a closed system will become less useful over time (decays) and the Lord said that the UNcreation of the universe will happen faster and faster as the time nears, then I wonder if there is a ‘circle the drain’ effect that impacts the 2nd law of thermodynamics. It might seem so. I don’t think the rate of decay stays constant, but increases as The Day of the LORD nears. I personally believe that the extreme weather we are seeing, happening faster and faster, is an example of the nearness of the actual birth pangs, when the Lord will judge the world during the Tribulation.

The church will be raptured to Jesus in heaven before that time, and we’ll enjoy our rewards ceremony while that is all going on. You can be part of the blessed group, the church, AKA the Bride, if you appeal to Jesus for forgiveness of your sins and make Him the Lord of your life. Truth be told, are you really happy right now with satan as your lord and master? Because if you’re not born again, that is who you serve. (Galatians 1:10, Matthew 6:24, Romans 6:16).

Climate change, global warming, it is all in God’s hands. He created it, He sustains it, and He will judge it. Earth and its perfect climate will be restored. Jesus is currently in heaven, He “whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.” (Acts 3:21).

The time of restoring will happen, and I can’t wait! Come soon, Lord Jesus!

———————

Further reading

What does the bible say about climate change?
Answers in Genesis: Global Warming
Answers In Genesis: Global Warming, Fact or Fiction?

Posted in creation grace, God, weather

Creation grace: Winter air

Posted on by elizabethprata

This is a photo I took of a Maine lake, frozen over in winter. The red square in the middle is an ice shanty on the frozen water. The houses on the right are on shore. The white streak across the pine trees along the shore is an air inversion. Normally, warmer air is closer to earth with the colder air aloft. In a temperature inversion, the warmer air is on top of the colder air and is pressing the cold air down.

From its chamber comes the whirlwind,
and cold from the scattering winds.
By the breath of God ice is given, and the broad waters are frozen fast.
He loads the thick cloud with moisture;
(Job 37:9-11a)
Posted in cairo, snow, weather

Snow in Cairo for 1st time in 100 years, Huge storm in Jerusalem, snow in summer Down Under (updated)

Posted on by elizabethprata

The Lord is sending some strange weather to us these days. There’s snow in the desert, and snow in summer. While supposed weather experts are still clinging to the global warming myth, for the first time in over 100 years, it snowed in Egypt.

“A powerful winter storm left Jerusalem covered in snow on Friday, forcing police to block access to and from the city as a cold snap drove some Israelis to seek treatment from emergency medics. Rare snow also fell in Cairo’s suburbs and the port city of Alexandria while a blanket of white covered St. Catherine’s Monastery on Mount Sinai. Some media reports say it was Cairo’s first recorded snow in 112 years.” (source)

This article from the Washington Post explains,

“A powerful, slow-moving storm is producing historic snows in the Middle East – from Jerusalem to parts of Cairo. From all accounts, snow in Cairo is exceptionally rare – although historical records are difficult to attain. … The Weather Channel notes even rain isn’t all that common in Cairo, which averages less than an inch a year. The storm has generated crippling amounts of snow in Jerusalem, stranding commuters, cutting power in areas, and closing schools and businesses. A foot to a foot and half of snow has fallen across the city. Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat said the city was facing “a battle against a rare storm, the likes of which we have never seen.”

Two Palestinian women play with snow outside Al-Aqsa Mosque. source
in Jerusalem, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2013. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)
Vehicles are seen stranded in the snow in Jerusalem
on December 13, 2013. AFP PHOTO/AHMAD GHARABLI Source

On the other side of the earth, another unusual snow occurred as well. Unlike the Cairo snow, where the location of it was unusual, in Australia, it was the timing that was the issue. It is summer Down Under, but it snowed anyway! Australia News reports,

“Snow falling. In Australia. In summer. That is all“
Thredbo resort in new South Wales is now in the very unusual position of desperately needing its snow to melt. Thredbo has a huge mountain bike event this weekend but the course is currently snow-covered. Hopefully, forecast warmer temperatures will take care of things. … This is just the beginning. The really cold air and the really heavy snow is due later in the day, but snow is already falling today across the high country of New South Wales and Victoria. And yes, it’s December 5. The fifth day of summer. Your calendar is not wrong. Today’s system is a little stronger than your typical out-of-season wintry blast, and snow accumulations could reach as much as 20 cm by tonight.

Praise the Lord from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all deeps,
fire and hail, snow and mist,
stormy wind fulfilling his word!
Psalm 148:7-8

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Updated: Egypt closes Mediterranean and Red Sea ports
Updated: Four fatalities and Jerusalem still sealed off, but Israel’s worst storm in decades over

Worst storm in decades batters Jerusalem

Huge storm hits Jerusalem: ‘likes of which never seen’

Posted in cleon, ice storm, last days, prophecy, weather

Rare Weather Phenomenon Fills Grand Canyon with Fog; plus intensity limits of severe storms is increasing

Posted on by elizabethprata

A study on Weather and the Bible shows just how much God is in control of it and how much He uses it for His purposes. Far from an indirect happenstance, all weather is causal, and originates with God.

Some of it is brought about by satan, insofar as God allows him. As the author of the Weather and the Bible page I mentioned above, Diane Dew states, “However, Satan’s efforts must pass divine approval and are limited to the extent God allows.“

For example, He sends the frost to kill the trees (Psalm 78:47) and He sends the dew to refresh the land (Genesis 27:28). He sends the dew even to refresh the people. (Numbers 11:9).

God sends the thunder and lighting and rain and floods and hail and wind, and well, everything. As we see above, He has purposes of building up and sustaining, and He has and purposes of tearing down. Sometimes it is to show His power and sometimes it is to bring about repentance.

Therefore every weather event is from God. However not every weather event is a word FROM God. Sometimes a tornado on a Monday in 1912 may have results of an impact God wanted to make on a Tuesday of 2013. We don’t know, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8).

However, there is one overarching fact about the weather and it ties in with the general curse of the world. Things will devolve. Things are always going to get worse over time. This includes sin. It includes the world’s curse. (Genesis 3:17-19, Romans 8:20, Hebrews 6:8). It includes weather.

We are told that in general, because the world is cursed and things will get worse, the end times will have worsening weather. The end times are between when Jesus ascended and when He comes back, including the last 7 years of the Time of Jacob’s Trouble AKA the Tribulation. (Hebrews 1:2, James 5:3). We are in the last days. But we have been since NT bible times.

The weather will get worse because the curse gets worse and everything is going to be like labor pangs. Labor pangs start off with a gestation, build to the moment of water breaking, and culminates in ever shortening pains. Then the bloody birth.

Luke 21:11 speaks of earthquakes, and Luke 21:25-26 speaks of roaring waters and signs in the heavens. Matthew 24:7 speaks of famines and Revelation 11:6 speaks of droughts. The Holman Bible Dictionary explains, “A famine is an extreme shortage of food, and a drought is an excessive dryness of land. The Bible reports or predicts the occurrence of several famines and droughts. Drought was the most common cause of famines mentioned in the Bible.”

I’ve long noted that increasingly, weathermen claim that unusual phenomena are occurring. They have used superlatives like “rare” and “never before seen.” They use terms like “unexpected”, and are often “perplexed” over why or how these weather things are happening. When they run out of superlatives, having reached the top level in descriptors, they double up in attempting to describe what they are seeing. In one recent case, the Joplin tornado, the rough and tumble weather man just stood there and cried, his mind unable to come up with fitting descriptions for the devastation he was seeing.

This is an example to me of prophecy coming alive. When we see people who are in the know (or who claim to be in the know) struggling to explain on the ground an event that was once something only theorized in textbooks, then it is indicative of something out of the norm of human experience. Prophecy is the intersection of the explainable and the supernatural. I believe we’re at that point now.

Regular readers will know that I keep track of how many earthquakes are occurring over time. Earthquakes are mentioned in many of the prophetic texts as the indicator of the last days, including Luke, Matthew, and Revelation. Jesus mentioned them as a sign. Hence my interest.

On the last day of each year, I post a long-term trend chart in seeing how many quakes have occurred that year in four different magnitudes, using US Geological Survey data and their norms. I started peeking into this year’s results in early November, as we are coming up on Dec 31st. Initially when I looked at the data at the beginning of November, the number of 5.0-5.9 quakes was very far below the annual average posted by USGS. However, that has picked up significantly. Whether we read or exceed the average number is unknown, as it is unknown as to what it means if we do (or don’t.) But here is where the number of quakes stands now, as of December 5, 2013. I’ll post the final chart on the 31st in the evening. Click to enlarge

In fact, here are two more examples of this intersection or the normal and the supernatural in terms of weather.

Found on My Modern Met: yet another rare, once in a decade event, happening twice in three days!

Rare Weather Phenomenon Fills Grand Canyon with Fog
What an awe-inspiring sight! A few days ago, on Friday, November 29, The Grand Canyon was taken over by a rare weather phenomenon that filled the entire canyon with a thick layer of fog. The occurrence, called a temperature inversion, caused everyone, including rangers, to flock to the rim to take photos of it. As the Grand Canyon National Park Facebook page stated, “Rangers wait for years to see it. Word spread like wildfire and most ran to the rim to photograph it. What a fantastic treat for all!” If you stayed just a few more days, you could see it again as it happened twice in three days! Visitors to the canyon both on Friday and Sunday were able to witness the stunning, once-in-a-decade event.

Photo: NPS Photo by Erin Whittaker

What does it mean that the rare, once-in-a-decade event occurs twice in three days? I believe it is the Lord speaking to us. Now, if that was the only event happening, that in itself is not indicative of anything, except maybe a furrowed brow and a verbal “huh.” However the totality of global events occurring which align with prophecy, are increasing like birth pangs, and are unusual by any standard, is of more interest and deserves some attention and meditation by Christians.

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Here is another event, happening now as I write. The meteorologists are saying “epic storm!” (notice the use of superlative, epic). They are “predicting power outages to last “5-10 days in some areas!”

Epic Ice Storm Possible; Millions Could Lose Power

This winter storm is bringing record snow and record cold to a huge swathe of the middle of the US. They are describing the storm as crippling.

Was it only 10 months ago that another “historic” blizzard pounded New England? Nemo? Remember? (Feb 6, 2013).

How often has the new term ‘snowmageddon’ or ‘snowpocalypse’ been used lately? A lot, says Wikipedia.

  • North American blizzard of 2009 (Snowpocalypse)
  • February 5–6, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowmageddon)
  • February 9–10, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowmageddon: Snoverkill)
  • February 25–27, 2010 North American blizzard (Snowicane)
  • December 2010 North American blizzard
  • January 31 – February 2, 2011 North American blizzard
  • February 2013 North American blizzard
  • Winter of 2009–2010 in the United Kingdom

It’s obvious that increasingly the severe weather we are experiencing all over the globe is only getting worse. And we’re not done yet. Earth’s people have experienced the world’s biggest/worst storm, in October with typhoon Haiyan hitting the Philippines. The NBC Science News editor says:

“Experts say Typhoon Haiyan was about as strong as it could theoretically get when it swept through the Philippines, killing thousands of people and driving hundreds of thousands from their homes. But intensity limits have been rising over decades past — and climate models suggest they will keep rising over the decades to come, with the potential for bigger and more devastating storms.”

If you are in the path of this ice and snow storm named Cleon, please be careful and listen to the officials. I’ve already seen so many photos depicting empty shelves swept clean in a shopping frenzy, no bottled water, or bread. There have been fatalities and sorrow already, panic and anxiety. Be anxious for nothing, though, the Lord has the weather in His hands, and you as well.

Posted in God, heat, revelation, weather

Hot enough for ya? Extreme heat plagues the American Southwest

Posted on by elizabethprata

In a continuing downward progression of record-breaking, unprecedented and impacting weather, the western US is baking in an unusual scorching heat.

On Twitter, Shawn Reynolds of the Weather Center Live on the Weather Channel (@WCL_Shawn) posted the following on Twitter yesterday: “PIC: thermometer at Weather Channel’s Mike Seidel’s location in Vegas shows reading of over 140°”


Drudge had the following photo and headline for the main news item on his page:

This is the forecast:

Unfortunately, we have had our first fatality due to this freak heat.

Record-setting heat wave turns fatal in Southwest
“A record-setting heat wave will continue baking the Southwest on Sunday and into the work week.  Already, the hot spell has set records in cities such as Phoenix (119 degrees) and Lancaster, California (111 degrees). Las Vegas tied its record high of 115 degrees Saturday.  Civic and emergency officials throughout the Southwest say if there was ever a time to worry, this would be it. The reason isn’t just the oppressive heat that is plaguing the region: It’s the fact it is expected to hang around, and possibly even get worse, over the next few days. Man helps the homeless survive the heat  The heat may have led to the death of an elderly man in Las Vegas. Paramedics found the man dead in his home, which did not have air conditioning, Las Vegas Fire & Rescue spokesman Tim Szymanski said.”

I’m always hesitant to assign a particular event to God’s judgment. I don’t like saying “The freak heat is because of America’s stance on homosexuality”, because I don’t know the mind of God. However, I do know His standards and I do know His past actions because we have the bible. One only has to read the Old & New Testament to understand that God hates sin, and He warns people individually and He warns nations when they are rebelling.

We also know that God is in control of the weather. Earlier this week, when unprecedented hail fell in Singapore, I’d said, “Though satan can be the originator of some weather disasters, (Job 1:9-12, 19), he can only do so at the Lord’s permission. Ultimately, all weather is in the hands of the Creator.”

It is the Lord who sends the scorching east wind to demonstrate to a rebellious Jonah that He is in control:

“When the sun rose, God appointed a scorching east wind, and the sun beat down on the head of Jonah so that he was faint. And he asked that he might die and said, “It is better for me to die than to live.”” (Jonah 4:8).

God uses the scorching wind to accomplish His purposes –

“The LORD will dry up the gulf of the Egyptian sea; with a scorching wind he will sweep his hand over the Euphrates River. He will break it up into seven streams so that anyone can cross over in sandals.” Isaiah 11:15).

We know for sure that the bible says that a prophecy will come about that will involve heat. That prophecy is not being fulfilled now, but I’d like us to please think on this present scorching heat as a shadow-picture of what will come. What will come will be far worse.

“The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.” (Revelation 16:8-9).

Newsman Matt Drudge wrote, “Vegas to hit its highest temp ever recorded this weekend? Drunk/420 tourists failing on blvd will literally be fried.”

Please keep in mind that in this present Age of Grace, the discomforts we experience are a picnic compared to the judgments to come. For today, 120 degree heat will be a memory when the Tribulation comes and heat that soars to 150 degrees or even 180 or 200 happen. It is coming, and that means only two things:

1. “and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”” (Mark 1:15)

2. “And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Posted in ice crushes houses, ice tsunami, prophecy, weather

Rare Ice tsunami rises up and crushes lakeside homes in moment

Posted on by elizabethprata

Interesting weather we’re having eh? It’s the hottest spring on record! The next year it’s the coldest spring on record! The most tornadoes ever! The least tornadoes ever! Rare phenomena becoming common. Common phenomena (like rain) becoming rare. It is a wildly swinging pendulum, and this ice tsunami adds to the pot.

This occurred 188 miles north of Winnipeg, Canada a few days ago.

Massive wall of ice rises out of lake and destroys a dozen homes as residents watch helplessly from the shore
“Massive ice floes rose out of a lake in Canada over the weekend, destroying a dozen homes and damaging fifteen others. Within mere moments, strong winds drove piles of ice onto the shore from Dauphin Lake on Friday, inundating homes and giving residents only minutes to flee. 55-mile-per hour winds drove masses of ice from the thawing lake in a phenomenon that is commonly witnessed but rarely seen with such intensity and size. Authorities told the Winnipeg Free Press that seven of the destroyed homes were ‘literally crushed by the ice that rose up within minutes from Lake Dauphin. Twenty-seven homes were affected in total as the frozen wall to plowed through everything in its way along Ochre Beach.”

Source Daily Mail

There are lots more pictures at the Mail. The same thing happened in Minnesota this week. Here is raw video showing it. At about 30 seconds in, the mom explains to the daughter what is happening. I was struck by how loud the phenomenon is. You can hear it on the video. Also in the video, the adult daughter is videotaping the event and remarking on how crazy it is, how loud it is, questioned  ‘how are we going to stop it’, but doesn’t seem to apprehend the danger until the ice crept to the front of the house and busted into their front door. Then she ran in a panic.

Raw: Ice Wave Comes Ashore in Minnesota

Todd Strandberg at Rapture Ready posted his weekly essay Monday, and the topic was “Unusual Weather We’re Having.” He ended it this way- and please overlook his reference to “mother nature”.

“I think Bible prophecy is the only way to account for the oddities of Mother Nature. God warned that the calling card of the Tribulation hour would be an increase in weather anomalies. The on-and-off pattern may be God trying to get Man’s attention. Since that doesn’t seem to be working, I look for the warning signs to be replaced by judgment.

“And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth” (Luke 21:25-26).”

Posted in God, hail, India, weather

Freak storm: hailstorm with ice boulders rain down in Indian villages

Posted on by elizabethprata

The Daily Mail has the story, along with their typically fantastic photos

Nine people killed as freak hailstorm rains massive boulders down on Indian villages
Hailstones the size of boulders have rained down on villages in southern India.
“At least nine people were killed when the violent weather hit several villages in the state of Andhra Pradesh. The hailstorm which lasted for almost 20 minutes, destroyed crops, houses and live stock, causing devastating financial implications for residents. It was once-in-lifetime experience for people living in seven villages in Chevella, Moinabad and Shankarpally. The hailstones started falling from the sky on Tuesday night and covered the entire villages under the snow-like blanket.”

This area in India which received the hail is prone to huge hailstorms. The Weather Underground reports,

“The deadliest hailstorms, and perhaps the largest hailstones, in the world occur on the Deccan Plateau of northern India and in Bangladesh. The heaviest authenticated hailstone ever measured was one of 2.25 pounds that fell in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh on April 14, 1986. The stones size was not measured although anecdotal reports claimed the stones were the size of “pumpkins”. Ninety-two people perished as a result of the storm although how many of these can be attributed to the hail is uncertain. A hailstorm in the Moradabad and Beheri districts of India killed 246 people on April 30, 1888, the deadliest hailstorm on record in modern history.”

But even this storm has the Meteorological Office scratching their heads.
“HYDERABAD: Two days after a severe hailstorm lashed parts of Chevella mandal in Rangareddy district, a two-member team of meteorologists from the Indian Meteorology Department (IMD) visited the affected areas, but were clueless as to what caused the unusual phenomena and were only able to give textbook answers. … Officials said that hailstorm normally occurs during summer months but not in January. … When asked if the hailstorm of such a scale as the one witnessed on Wednesday ever occurred, Rao said that there was no record and did not rule out such a possibility.”

Here is a gentle reminder:

God controls the weather. He either sent the storm or He allowed satan some latitude to cause it. (Job 1:9-12, 19; Isaiah 30:30).

The other reminder is that He will send 100lb hailstones in the Tribulation.

“And great hailstones, about one hundred pounds each, fell from heaven on people; and they cursed God for the plague of the hail, because the plague was so severe.” (Revelation 16:21)

You notice the verses ‘they cursed God for the hail’. The people by that time will know it is God sending these things as plagues, or judgments. It is better to know it now, before the judgment comes.

Do you acknowledge God is King (Psalm 29:10)? Do you understand that you are a sinner, that He sent His Son as the sacrifice to die for your sins, and God accepted the sacrifice by raising His Son from the dead to reign in heaven, and who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead? That’s the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 15:1-8)