WFT: Hurricane Emma hits Europe

[malaise]

http://www.euronews.net/index.php?page=info&article=472825&lng=1<snip>
<snip>
At least nine people have lost their lives in Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic as Hurricane Emma struck central Europe.

One of Germany's high speed trains was taken out of action and several rail lines were closed as winds reached 190 kilometres an hour. Three people died in Germany.

In some areas, heavy rainfall caused flooding as well.

In Austria the death toll reached four, including two German tourists, with at least two of the people killed by trees blown down by high winds.

Some 10,000 households in the north of the country have been left without electricity.
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Pix
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/features/article_1393543.php/In_photos_Storm_hits_Europe?page=1

Even a Bimmer didn't save this poor man.

[hedgehog]

1. My husband is working in SIerre Switzerland in the Upper Rhone

Valley and he didn't mention this. I'm wondering now if he didn't realize that anything unusual was going on.

[malaise]

3. I'm betting this surprised most people

It hit Poland as well

http://www.polskieradio.pl/thenews/news/?id=77069

[thunder rising]

2. It just ain't right ... a hurricane that brings snow?

[malaise]

4. I'm really wondering why they called it a hurricane

I'll check Weather Underground

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

6. It's based on wind speed.

[malaise]

9. Since when? n/t

[jpak]

16. Hurricanes are warm-core tropical systems - this was a cold-core extratropical system

and thus, not a hurricane...

[malaise]

17. LOL

I was thinking I had been transplanted from hurricane ally in these here tropical islands.

[jpak]

19. IIRC The Univ. of Berlin Met. Dept. names these things - high pressure systems = male names

low pressure systems = female names

:hi:

Oh yeah - and Brownie is doin' heckuva job over thar...

:evilgrin:

[malaise]

23. Back at you

:hi:

[drmeow]

14. Wikipedia

" * In general international terminology, a Hurricane is any wind of the strongest level on the Beaufort scale.
* In the United States of America, Hurricane is the name assigned specifically to a tropical cyclone of sufficient intensity in the Atlantic and East Pacific basins."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_%28disambiguation%29
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane

[Warpy]

21. Wind speed 117.8 MPH through the mountains.

That's why.

Looks like a real stinker. It takes a lot to fell a tree in winter when the branches are bare.

[hedgehog]

5. Strictly speaking, the story calls it "Storm" Emma. nt

[malaise]

7. I agree

but I'm still curious why reports out of Europe are using the word 'hurricane'. I think a lot of Europeans are really worried about climate change. I didn't see anything at Weather Underground.

[BeHereNow]

13. They aren't the only ones worried- I'm scared as hell.

Every year, it gets a little more frightening, the weather.
BHN

[malaise]

15. They're getting hit every year these days

Here's another report.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080301/ap_on_re_eu/europe_storms

[BeHereNow]

18. Yikes... and to think, it's only going to get worse.

Remember the heat wave that killed so many people in Europe
a few years back?
The scientists have told us- EXTREME weather conditions
will become the norm.
Either killing heat, or these types of storms and extreme cold.
We are so screwed.

BHN

[Earth_First]

8. My father was delayed 9 hours out of Vienna today because of this...

[malaise]

11. I hope one of these was not his aircraft?

:D

[BeHereNow]

10. While the BFEE is busy packing and preparing their safe haven in Paraguay...

Climate change is REAL- they global elite know it and
are preparing for THEIR survival.
The rest of us?
Well let's go talk to some people
who lived through Katrina...

BHN

[malaise]

12. Isn't that the truth n/t

[KoKo]

20. K&R...there's bad stuff out there that we Americo Centricts..don't talk about.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. There is no global warming, no siree

:sarcasm:

[malaise]

24. For real n/t