Prophecy, Drought, Earthquakes, Famine, Pestilence, War, and Strange Weather.

[Soldier4Christ]

More Windy Weather On The Way


SEATTLE - In the past six weeks or so, we've had dozens of storms roll through the Northwest, but Mother Nature might have saved her strongest for last.

We're tracking a pretty potent system that is forming out in the Pacific Ocean, and forecasting models have that storm coming into our area late Friday night and into the day Saturday, bring the potential for strong winds all across western Washington.

First of all, a HIGH WIND WATCH has been issued for the Coast for Friday night and Saturday morning, and then a HIGH WIND WATCH is also in effect for the rest of western Washington (that means you, greater Puget Sound area too) for late Saturday morning through Saturday evening. A WATCH means conditions are possible. See below for forecasted wind speeds.

A good first step might be to read this from our Weather FAQ on how windstorms form around here, because this storm is pegged to follow the script pretty closely.

The computer forecasting models have been pretty consistent in gauging the storm's strength, but there is still some variance in where the storm is expected to make landfall, ranging from the Northwestern tip of Washington to north-central Vancouver Island.

The track is important, because the further south it comes inland, the stronger the winds will be in the western Washington area. The Thursday afternoon models still keep the most consistent landfall bulls-eye in central Vancouver Island, so not worst-case scenario, but even if the storm comes in that far north, it'll still be strong enough to make it windy around here If the storm comes in a little further south, we might have to up the wind estimates.

The first to notice the winds would be in the Cascade foothills Friday evening and night as the strong low passes offshore to the west. This will create a big difference in pressure between eastern Washington and western Washington, helping to pull gusty winds west through the passes and out toward that offshore low.

Right now, easterly winds are expected to be about 20-30 mph, perhaps a gust to 40 mph.

Then, as that storm moves further to the northeast, approaching Vancouver Island overnight Friday and Saturday morning. The Cascade winds will ease, but strong southeast winds will pick up along the coast and Northwest Interior (roughly Everett north to the Canadian Border, and west to Port Townsend, including San Juan and Island Counties). Here, southeast winds could be 30-45 mph with gusts to 55-60 mph in the North Interior -- and gusts to 70 mph are possible along the coast.

(Note that at this point, the greater Seattle and Tacoma areas are still somewhat wind-sheltered as the Olympic Mountains block a direct wind path to the low.)

The low is then pegged to cross over Vancouver Island and into mainland B.C. Saturday midday and afternoon. It's when it's due north of the I-5 corridor that the strong south winds will pick up in the greater Seattle, Tacoma, and central/southern Kitsap Peninsula areas. The forecasting models do show the storm weakening some as it moves inland, so it's not expected to be quite as gusty around the central Puget Sound area -- more so south winds of 20-35 mph with occasional gusts of 45-50 mph, but it's not out of the realm for 60 mph gusts.

This also includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca for a westerly wind Saturday midday and afternoon of 30-40 mph gusting to 60 mph as the front passes.

The low then passes off to our east, making it quite windy in Eastern Washington, but gradually lowering the winds in western Washington Saturday night. By Sunday, this is all gone and we're just left with some lingering showers.

Aside from the wind, this storm will also bring another round of heavy rain, so we'll have to keep an eye out for more urban flooding problems.

Long range forecasts show once we get past this storm, that's it for a while, as we head into what appears to be at least a week-long dry streak. We'll sure have earned it!

In the meantime, maybe safety-pin those hats to your head...

[Shammu]

Four Strong Earthquakes Shake Japan

Fri Feb 3, 1:51 AM ET

TOKYO - A strong earthquake of magnitude 5.9 shook northeastern Japan early Friday, followed by at least three strong aftershocks.

There were no immediate reports of injuries or damage.

Japan's Meteorological Agency said there was no danger of a tsunami.

The quake struck at 1:37 p.m. local time and was centered about 20 miles below the seabed off the coast about 80 miles northeast of Tokyo, the U.S. Geological Survey said.

It was followed by two aftershocks of 5.0 magnitude within three minutes of each other, the Japanese agency said. A 5.3-magnitude aftershock followed at 3:10 p.m., less than two hours after the first quake.

Japan sits atop four tectonic plates and is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries.

Four Strong Earthquakes Shake Japan

[Shammu]

Arizona bracing for a bad wildfire season
Dry conditions increase danger

Michael Clancy
The Arizona Republic
Jan. 12, 2006 12:00 AM

Arizona is likely to have an early and potentially disastrous wildfire season unless the weather changes soon.

Already, the fire season nationally is surpassing previous years. Since Jan. 1, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, almost 1,300 fires have burned more than 500,000 acres almost 12 times more than any other year since 2000.Those fires have been concentrated in Oklahoma and Texas, but officials are concerned that the fires are moving west into Colorado, New Mexico, even southern Arizona.

On the positive side, word just came through that preparedness funds for this fire season would be increased and suppression funds would be equal to last year, according to Tom Beddow, deputy director for fire and aviation in the Forest Service's Region 3, which includes Arizona. That decision was made at Forest Service headquarters in Washington, D.C., he said, in reaction to the early and active fire season in Texas and Oklahoma.
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The money will be used to hire and train firefighters, lease firefighting aircraft and train their crews. Falling behind on any of these fronts could affect how vigorously a fire can be fought.

The ability to fight fires effectively takes on added importance given the actual factors affecting the fire season.

"All of the major factors for large fires are in line not just for a bad year this year, but also for a number of difficult seasons," said State Forester Kirk Rowdabaugh. "They are lined up like they haven't been for 10 or 20 years."

Among the factors:


• Weather. Last year's wet winter is probably an aberration at the beginning of what forecasters are expecting to be a long drought, Rowdabaugh said. Global warming might be a factor, he said, though no one knows for sure.

"Every day without rain or snow, it gets worse," he said, "and it is looking almost impossible now to catch up. There is no practical expectation of the kind of weather we need."


• Fuels. Rowdabaugh said Arizona has millions of dead trees, killed by drought and insect infestations, in the high country. In addition, invasive grasses that dry out and burn easily are spreading across lower elevations, threatening native plants. It was these grasses that fueled last year's biggest fire, the "Cave Creek Complex" fire. Beddow of the Region 3 office said the fuel - timber, brush and grasses - is at its maximum fire danger for the past 10 years.


• Growth. Rowdabaugh said 60 percent of fires are human-caused, maybe even more of the worst fires. And with cities like Prescott and Payson booming as much as the Phoenix area, more people are out in areas susceptible to fire. In addition, the population boom exposes more people and structures to the damaging effects of fire.

Rowdabaugh said the factors add up to an early and potentially dangerous fire season, although he emphasized he is not making a prediction.

Factors that could lead to a less dangerous season include people taking more care outdoors and fewer lightning-caused fire during the monsoon.

Rose Davis, public-affairs officer for the Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, said she expects the government will have 16 large air tankers and numerous smaller ones available to help fight fires. The tankers drop large amounts of water or fire-dousing slurry.

The center, which coordinates wildfire activities throughout the United States, is working to line up smaller aircraft and to make sure enough firefighters are available.

Mary Zabinski, press officer for the Southwest Coordination Center, said the outlook will be clearer by March 1. Moisture that falls before then can be helpful, she said, but afterward, it will make little difference.

Gov. Janet Napolitano told legislators in her State of the State message that she was increasing money in her proposed budget for both fire prevention and suppression. Three new crews of inmate firefighters are ready for action as well, bringing the total to 15.

"Arizona's fire season threatens, yet again, to be among the worst," she said.

Arizona bracing for a bad wildfire season

[Shammu]

Britain faces drought after dry winter

February 05, 2006

Southeast England faces a summer of drought after the driest 15 months in 30 years, but northwest Scotland and Wales have had more rain than usual.

Southeast England will most likely have sprinkling restrictions and car-washing bans in the summer, the Daily Telegraph reported Saturday.

 The average British water consumer uses up to 35 gallons a day, but Britain has less water per head than any other European country, say weather officials.

Water use has been rising by more than 1 percent a year because of the growth in power showers, power hoses and dishwashers.

Water supplies will be further stretched by the government's plan to have 190,000 homes built a year for a decade.

Britain faces drought after dry winter

[Shammu]

'Oregon Field Guide' to explore Oregon volcano

Oregon Public Broadcasting show to investigate swelling volcanic zone near Bend

ROY GAULT
Statesman Journal

February 6, 2006

Mount St. Helens isn't the only volcano in the Pacific Northwest that's showing signs of life.

The crew of "Oregon Field Guide," a weekly outdoors show that airs on Oregon Public Broadcasting, has documented how a volcano is coming alive just outside of Bend.

Land beneath the South Sister is being pushed up by mysterious volcanic forces miles beneath a popular hiking trail.

"Volcanoes in Our Backyard" explores new insights and uncovers new volcanic mysteries. It airs on Thursday and will be rebroadcast Sunday.

Mount St. Helens erupted with almost no warning in 1980, when 1,300 feet off its top blew off, and it erupted again in October of 2004. Had the technology we have today been available in 1980, "Oregon Field Guide" shows how scientists may have been able to detect the swelling of the earth and the accumulation of lava prior to the explosion.

That technology now is being used to measure the swelling of the ground in the newly awakened volcanic zone near Bend. It is rising at the rate of about 1 1/2 inches a year, and some scientists think this could be a preliminary indication of major volcanic activity.

The crew of "Oregon Field Guide" follows scientists as they search for clues that may help them predict the next Cascade eruption.

'Oregon Field Guide' to explore Oregon volcano

[Shammu]

2,000 Families Flee S. Calif. Brush Fire
Last Update: 2/7/2006 8:15:24 AM

United Press International

A brush fire rolling through Orange County in southern California led to the evacuation of 2,000 homes and road and school closures near Anaheim.

The plume of smoke that billowed over the Santa Ana Mountains could be seen as far away as Los Angeles, and residents in Long Beach said ash rained down, The Los Angeles Times reported.

Fire officials said the fire was being pushed by Santa Ana winds of up to 50 mph, and by Monday night had consumed about 1,800 acres. It was not classed as contained early Tuesday.

"The cause of the fire is being investigated, but the area where the blaze broke out is near a 10-acre strip of chaparral where federal fire workers recently conducted a controlled burn to clear dead vegetation," said Joan Wynn, spokeswoman for the Forest Service.

More than 700 local, state and federal firefighters are battling the blaze, which has not damaged any buildings yet, the newspaper said.

2,000 Families Flee S. Calif. Brush Fire

[Shammu]

This hasn't been released yet, sooooooooo.....................

As of the 7th of February, the Alaska Volcano Observatory (AVO) reported that Cleveland volcano erupted on Monday 6th February, sending ash to 22,000 ft. A flight restriction was placed below 50,000 feet and a six-mile radius from the volcano. An ash cloud was detected in AVHRR satellite data this morning beginning at 0757 AKST (1657 UTC). The most recent image at 0900 AKST (1800 UTC) showed a small ash cloud approximately 80 miles (130 kilometers) ESE of Cleveland Volcano. Initial data suggest a cloud height of about 22,000 ft. asl. We see no indication of continuous ash emission and the ash cloud has detached from the volcano. Note: Cleveland volcano does not have a real-time seismic network and therefore we are unable to monitor seismic changes; AVO has no definitive information about background activity.

Beautifully symmetrical Mount Cleveland stratovolcano is situated at the western end of the uninhabited, dumbbell-shaped Chuginadak Island. It lies SE across Carlisle Pass strait from Carlisle volcano and NE across Chuginadak Pass strait from Herbert volcano. Cleveland is joined to the rest of Chuginadak Island by a low isthmus. The 1730-m-high Mt. Cleveland is the highest of the Islands of the Four Mountains group and is one of the most active of the Aleutian Islands. The native name for Mt. Cleveland, Chuginadak, refers to the Aleut goddess of fire, who was thought to reside on the volcano. Numerous large lava flows descend the steep-sided flanks of the volcano. It is possible that some 18th to 19th century eruptions attributed to Carlisle should be ascribed to Cleveland (Miller et al., 1998). In 1944 Cleveland produced the only known fatality from an Aleutian eruption. Recent eruptions from Mt. Cleveland have been characterised by short-lived explosive ash emissions, at times accompanied by lava fountaining and lava flows down the flanks.

The Current Colour Code for Cleveland is currently at RED.

[Shammu]

Thursday February 9, 6:45 PM    
Bird disease in flu-hit Nigeria "spreading like wildfire"


As Nigeria scrambled to deal with Africa's first confirmed case of deadly bird flu, a farmer's representative said thousands of poultry had died of disease further north.

Identified earlier this week as "fowl cholera", the disease was spreading rapidly through farms in Kano State, killing tens of thousands of chickens, Auwalu Haruna, secretary of the Kano State poultry farmers' association, said.

Nigeria announced Wednesday that Africa's first confirmed case of the H5N1 strain of bird flu -- which can be fatal to humans -- had been found in Sambawa Farm in Kaduna State, 300 kilometres (185 miles) north of Abuja.

The disease in Kano "is spreading like wildfire," Haruna told AFP.

"We have 20,000 new infections reported today, bringing the figure for infected birds to 80,000. What worsens the situation is the movement of infected poultry, in a frantic effort to minimise losses," he said.

Haruna and several market stall holders told AFP that once chickens are infected farmers are killing them and rapidly dumping them on the market in an effort to beat any future quarantine and make a quick profit.

"The announcement by the federal government of bird flu at Sambawa Farm shocked us, but we are just waiting for confirmation from the veterinary institute in Vom for our birds," Haruna said.

Prices of chickens in Kano have dropped by two thirds since thousands of birds began dying of the mystery infection.

International experts from the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation were expected to arrive in Nigeria on Thursday following the news of the bird flu outbreak.

Nigeria's Agriculture Minister Adamu Bello promised Wednesday that a massive effort to quarantine farms and cull sick birds would be rapidly put into place to contain the outbreak, but there was no sign of that on the ground.

Bird disease in flu-hit Nigeria "spreading like wildfire"

[Soldier4Christ]

Developing strong winter storm heads up East Coast, blizzard warnings in Northeast
By MATTHEW VERRINDER
Associated Press Writer

February 11, 2006, 4:04 PM EST

TRENTON, N.J. -- A developing nor'easter headed up the East Coast on Saturday with a threat of heavy snow, canceling flights and putting road crews on overtime but cheering up skiers in a region spared harsh weather for most of this season.

Blizzard warnings were posted from the New York City area into eastern New England, where up to 15 inches of snow was possible, and a winter storm warning was issued for most of New Jersey, the National Weather Service said. Heavy snow warnings were in effect from eastern Kentucky to southeastern New York state.

Delta Air Lines said it was canceling its Sunday arrivals and departures at several airports in the storm's path, including those in New York City, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Newark, N.J.; Providence, R.I.; Washington, D.C. and Hartford, Conn.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation had 600 trucks ready to plow snow and spread salt, plus 1,100 contractor trucks, the department said. The department also had its regular maintenance staff of 735 employees, plus more than 400 other state employees, available to operate plows.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey had more than 160 pieces of heavy snow equipment at the New York region's Newark, Kennedy and LaGuardia airports.

The New York City sanitation department ordered all sanitation workers and supervisors to come into work early Saturday in anticipation of severe weather. The Long Island Power Authority said it had extra repair crews on hand to respond to electric outages.

In Connecticut, forecasters predicted up to 12 inches of snow, with the highest totals along the shoreline. Snow was expected to start Saturday evening and become heavy after midnight before tapering off Sunday afternoon.

Gov. M. Jodi Rell urged residents to stay off the roads if possible.

"Take it easy out there and just use common sense," she said. "We want everyone to get through this weekend storm safe and sound."

Despite the likelihood that drivers would have to dig their cars out Sunday morning, the storm was great news for northern New Jersey's Hidden Valley Resort and its 12 ski slopes, said Roni Mattiello, director of snow sports.

"It means great, fresh powder to ski in tomorrow," Mattiello said. "It will help us open terrain on the mountain that hasn't been opened yet because of the mild winter."

"Everyone is psyched and pumped up for skiing," she said.

Not all sports fans were elated, however. New York's Aqueduct race track canceled Sunday's horse racing schedule.

[Soldier4Christ]

Delta cancels flights due to threat of heavy snow
Many flights, including Delta's east coast shuttle have been cancelled by the carrier as a major snowstorm approaches the northeast.
February 11, 2006: 6:14 PM EST

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Delta Air Lines, will suspend its East Coast shuttle and many other flights in the Northeast on Sunday due to expected heavy snow, the carrier said on Saturday.

United Airlines (Research) and US Airways (Research), which also operate in the region, have not canceled service but are allowing passengers to change their plans on scheduled flights without incurring financial penalties.

Delta (Research), a dominant carrier along the Eastern seaboard, will cancel arrivals and departures at New York's LaGuardia airport, Newark, New Jersey, Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.

The airline will operate a limited schedule in other cities.

Customers can change their plans without incurring fees and those whose flights are canceled may request refunds, Delta said.

Big U.S. airlines, including bankrupt Delta, continue to struggle financially. So far this winter, the weather has been mild and has not disrupted airline operations in the heavily traveled Northeast.

[Shammu]

In Syria, snow blanketed the hills around Damascus and high winds forced the closure of the Mediterranean ports of Latakia and Tartous. The town of Shat-ha in central Syria received a record amount of rain overnight, meteorologists reported Thursday. In southwestern Syria on the Golan Heights, near Israel, as much as 75 centimeters (2.5 feet) of snow fell on the village of Hadar.

Snowing in Syria, up to 2.5 feet

[Shammu]

Nor'easter Dumps Nearly Two Feet of Snow
Nor'easter Slams Mid-Atlantic, Northeast With Nearly 2 Feet of Snow, Nearing Record Levels
By SAMANTHA GROSS
The Associated Press

NEW YORK - A major storm slammed the mid-Atlantic and Northeast states with nearly 2 feet of windblown snow on Sunday, nearing record levels as it blacked out thousands of customers and shut down air travel from Washington to Boston.

Wind gusting to 40 mph blew the snow sideways and threatened coastal flooding in New England. And in a rare display, lightning lit up the falling snow before dawn in the New York metro area.

By late morning, 22.8 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park, the city's second heaviest snowfall on record, surpassed only by the 26.4 inches that fell in December 1947.

"This is a dangerous storm," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said as he urged people to stay home.

The storm interrupted a relatively mild winter and came right after America's warmest January on record. The country's average temperature last month was 39.5 degrees Fahrenheit, 8.5 degrees above average for January, according to the National Climatic Data Center. The old record for January warmth was 37.3 degrees set in 1953.

On Sunday, New York City had more than 2,500 snow plows and salt spreaders at work, along with snow-melting machines that could dispose of up to 60 tons of snow per hour, officials said.

Elsewhere, 21 inches of snow had fallen at Columbia, Md., between Baltimore and Washington, and thousands of customers in that state had no electricity. Hartford, Conn., and Wayne, N.J., reported 19 inches and Philadelphia's northern and western suburbs measured up to 18, the National Weather Service said.

"It's going to be a menace trying to clean it up," Wayne Mayor Scott T. Rumana said Sunday.

Radar showed snow falling from eastern Virginia to Maine as the nor'easter crawled up the coast.

Whiteout conditions were reported around Philadelphia and Trenton, N.J., with northerly wind gusting to 40 mph.

Few people ventured out into the storm if they didn't have to.

"I'm just out to get some doughnuts and coffee, then I'm going right back home," said Chris Vasili of East Brunswick, N.J. "It's not too good out here right now."

Karen Gulley of Mansfield, Mass., took her two young children to Boston to visit the New England Aquarium, but their plans changed to snowman-building because of the storm.

"It's their favorite thing to do," Gulley said.

Emil Krupczyn, a mechanic for the U.S. Postal Service, didn't let the snow interfere with his 200-mile drive home to upstate New York from Manhattan, but he figured the journey would take about six hours.

"There's no rushing in this stuff and if you don't have no place to go, don't go," he said as he waited for a street to get plowed.

The possibility of coastal flooding was a major concern for Massachusetts, said Peter Judge, spokesman for the state's Emergency Management Agency. Meteorologists predicted 2 1/2-foot storm surges from Cape Ann to Cape Cod with seas off the coast running up to 25 feet.

More than 80,000 customers were without power in Maryland, according to Baltimore Gas & Electric Co. spokeswoman Linda Foy. She said it could be at least 24 hours before power is fully restored.

"It's taking us a long time to even get to the locations where we can begin the restoration process," Foy said.

Power also was out at thousands of homes and businesses in New Jersey, New York's Long Island and Connecticut.

Most airlines canceled all flights at LaGuardia Airport, some of them until Monday, said Steve Coleman, spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. Hundreds of flights were canceled at Kennedy and Newark airports.

Delta said it also canceled Sunday arrivals and departures at Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Providence, R.I., and Hartford, Conn.

New Jersey Transit suspended all bus service statewide, although most rail service continued operating. Amtrak reported a few cancelations and delays but said most trains remained in service.

However, the storm was good news for ski resorts after an unseasonably warm January dragged down business.

"The best thing for us is it puts snow in customers' back yards and they think of snowboarding and down hill (skiing)," said Carol Lugar, president of Mohawk Mountain in Cornwall, Conn., which had up to 1 foot of snow by late Sunday morning.

"I personally love the snow," she said. "I like snow shoveling. If you shovel snow all winter you can paddle a kayak or canoe all summer."

Nor'easter Dumps Nearly Two Feet of Snow

[Shammu]

Northeast Storm Sets Mark for Snowfall

By KAREN MATTHEWS, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 40 minutes ago

NEW YORK - A record-breaking storm buried sections of the Northeast under more than 2 feet of snow on Sunday, frustrating thousands of marooned travelers but enthralling winter-lovers who took to the streets with cross-country skis and snowshoes.
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The timing of the storm helped transportation workers who plowed streets in relatively light weekend traffic and expected to have roadways ready for Monday's rush hour.

All three of the major New York-area airports were closed for much of the day, and airlines canceled more than 500 inbound and departing flights — 200 each at LaGuardia and Newark airports and 120 at Kennedy. By Sunday evening, Newark and Kennedy reopened with limited service.

A Turkish Airlines flight skidded off a runway at Kennedy as it landed at 9:20 p.m., but none of the 198 passengers were injured, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The storm came on the heels of an unusually mild January that had people shedding jackets and ski resorts lamenting lost business.

"It's sort of crazy because it was so warm a couple of weeks ago and now we have knee-deep snow," said Skye Drynan, walking her dogs Bella and Forest in Manhattan.

Winds gusted up to 60 mph and in a rare display of lightning lit up the falling snow before dawn in the New York and Philadelphia areas, producing muffled winter thunder.

The
National Weather Service said 26.9 inches of snow fell in Central Park, the most for a single storm since record-keeping started in 1869. The old record was 26.4 inches in December 1947.

"We might not see anything like this again in our lifetime," Jason Rosenfarb said as he walked with his 5-year-old daughter Haley in Central Park. Just then Haley jumped head first into the snow and said: "Help me out. There's too much snow."

New York officials expected to have all roads cleared — which costs the city about $1 million per inch — by Monday morning.

Elsewhere, 21 inches of snow fell at Columbia, Md., between Baltimore and Washington, as well as at East Brunswick, N.J., Hartford, Conn., and West Caln Township west of Philadelphia, the National Weather Service said. Philadelphia's average for an entire winter is about 21 inches.

"It's going to be a menace trying to clean it up," said Mayor Scott T. Rumana in Wayne, N.J.

Connecticut Gov. M. Jodi Rell said state government would be closed Monday for Lincoln's Birthday, allowing people to stay at home one more day.

"Lucky for us, it will keep some traffic off the highways," Rell said.

The airport closures and grounded planes stranded travelers elsewhere across the country. About 7,500 people were stuck just at Florida's Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, spokesman Steve Belleme said.

"We've been playing cards for two hours. We expect to play a lot more cards," said Cliff Jefferson whose flight was among the more than 80 canceled at the Miami International Airport.

Delta Air Lines canceled arrivals and departures at Washington, Philadelphia, Boston, Baltimore, Providence, R.I., and Hartford, Conn.

Service in and out of New York's Pennsylvania Station on the Long Island Rail Road was canceled, and Metro North rail service to the northern suburbs was curtailed. New Jersey Transit suspended all bus service statewide. Amtrak reported a few cancelations and delays in the Northeast Corridor but said most trains remained in service.

Still, many people took the storm in stride, in spite of drifts that made sidewalks tortuous, if not impassable. Lynda Carpentero didn't let the snow keep her away from yoga class at a neighborhood gym in Brooklyn.

"We were afraid we would fall on our heads before we stood on them," Carpenter said.

Northeast Storm Sets Mark for Snowfall

[Shammu]

Storm Victims Leave Hotels for Sofas, Cars

By RUKMINI CALLIMACHI, Associated Press Writers Mon Feb 13, 10:20 PM ET

NEW ORLEANS - About 12,000 families made homeless by last year's hurricanes began checking out of their federally funded hotel rooms around the country Monday after a federal judge let FEMA stop paying directly for their stays.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency promised the evacuees from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita that they will still receive federal rent assistance that they can put toward hotel stays or other housing. But the agency will no longer pay for their hotel rooms directly.

Earlier in the day, attorneys for the evacuees pleaded with U.S. District Judge Stanwood Duval for a last-minute reprieve, saying the rent assistance will not be enough for decent living accommodations or continued hotel stays.

"These people are going to be homeless. We've heard from a lot of people who are going to be sleeping in their cars," said Bill Quigley, a lawyer for the evacuees.

But Duval denied the request.

FEMA said the majority of those checking out had made arrangements for other housing. But some said they had nowhere to go except their own cars, a relative's couch or back to a shelter.

Mary Smith looked for a bus to take her to one of the lower-income neighborhoods across the Mississippi River in suburban New Orleans, where she was told she might find a rental.

"I only got my rent check last week. It's not enough time to find a place," said Smith, 43, for whom the Crowne Plaza had become home.

"I got nowhere to go," said 21-year-old Meoshia Davis, pulling her 1-year-old behind her and balancing three bags of clothes. Although Davis had received her FEMA check, she said the only apartment the $1,800 could rent was one that was damaged in the storm. She had hoped it would be finished by her checkout time Monday, but it wasn't.

Several said they were heading back to Houston and Atlanta, their original evacuation destinations, giving up jobs in New Orleans in search of a place to sleep.

By Monday afternoon, about 17 people had arrived at a state-run shelter in Shreveport.

Those who tried to use the rent checks to pay for hotel stays found they ran out of money fast. "I can't pay no more," said 18-year-old Aziza Guy, who seemed lost on the wide, asphalt boulevard outside the Day's Inn.

About 10,500 families, or 88 percent of the 12,000 homeless families, have received rent-assistance checks from FEMA, said Libby Turner, the agency's transitional housing director.

At a meeting of state emergency managers in Alexandria, Va., acting FEMA chief R. David Paulison told reporters the judge's ruling "recognized that we're doing the right thing for these people."

"We have caseworkers down there and most people have already received rental assistance," Paulison said. "I just gave approval to purchase 10,000 more travel trailers. We're working also with some of the apartment owners to rehab some of the apartments down there. We are going to make sure that people are taken care of. But the judge recognized that, and recognized that the right thing to do is to get them out of hotels and into some decent housing."

Monday marks the second wave of evacuees losing FEMA financing of their hotel rooms. Last week, the occupants of roughly 4,500 rooms lost FEMA funding after failing to ask the agency for extensions.

Storm Victims Leave Hotels for Sofas, Cars

[Shammu]

Red Cross: E Africa faces hunger crisis

Wednesday 15 February 2006, 20:44 Makka Time, 17:44 GMT

A major hunger crisis in East Africa will last until at least July, the international Red Cross has said.

Up to seven million people in Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia are affected by the drought, with the situation in the latter particularly severe because of ongoing lawlessness in the country, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said on Wednesday.

"The crisis that we are witnessing cannot be expected to end until July," said Jacques de Maio, the Geneva-based ICRC's head of operations for the Horn of Africa region.

"The places where this is occurring would be a challenge to any government on earth."

Relief aid

In a news release issued on Wednesday, the ICRC said it was stepping up its emergency operation to assist more than half a million people in areas affected by the drought and armed violence in Somalia and Ethiopia over the next five months.

In co-ordination with other humanitarian organisations and in partnership with the Somali Red Crescent, the ICRC is focusing its assistance activities on southern Somalia where the drought has hit hardest, the ICRC said.

It added: "This week the organisation has started distributing food to 48,000 people in Bakool and to 54,000 in the Gedo and Bay regions.

"This help will continue until the next harvest in July, although the success of the crop will depend on the results of the rainy season due to begin in April."

The UN says more than 11.5 million people will require food assistance in the next six months.

Somalia

In its latest report on Somalia, the UN said that 1.7 million people - 710,000 of them experiencing an acute food shortage - needed food assistance of some kind in addition to the 410,000 refugees who depend on food aid.

The crisis could last beyond July if the region's rainy season, starting in March or April, fails to deliver enough water to help the harvest, the ICRC said.

Somalia has been without an effective central government since 1991, when regional commanders overthrew the government and divided the country into rival, clan-based fiefdoms.

"The drought is making an already dire situation worse for the majority of people in southern Somalia," said Pascal Hundt, the ICRC Somalia delegation chief.

"This country is facing, for the last 15 years, a violent and protracted conflict."

Two million Somalis are currently affected by drought, out of a total population of up to 12 million.

"If there is no rapid, effective response to this crisis now, and if there is no rain in April, the situation is going to get worse, and people will start getting hungry - and will start dying," Hundt also said.

Balance tipped

Up to 80% of cattle are expected to die in some areas in the south of the country, severely limiting people's food sources and purchasing power, as they will be unable to sell livestock to buy cereals, Hundt said.

"This will depend a lot on the outcome of the next rainy season," he added.

The drought has tipped the balance in many highly impoverished border areas where Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya meet - the centre of the drought where there is little central government control or supervision of border crossings.

The Red Cross said it would concentrate on distributing food to more than 102,000 people in southern Somalia. In Ethiopia, the agency plans to assist more than 300,000 people.

Red Cross: E Africa faces hunger crisis