Iceland's eruptions should continue
There has been a lot of interest lately in volcanic eruptions, especially following a prolonged series of ash clouds from Iceland that literally crippled the European airline industry in April.
More than half of the normal 28,000 daily flights in Europe were cancelled. Daily losses were estimated at more than $200 million. The total losses were probably close to $2 billion.
The volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajokull Glacier continues to erupt periodically. Air traffic was disrupted again this past week across northern Europe, delaying hundreds of flights.
These ash clouds, which float miles above the Earth, are capable of knocking out jet engines. The already financially troubled airline industry will continue to take a 'safety first' approach. I see more Iceland eruptions and many additional flight cancellations and delays in the coming weeks and months.
Not only will airline traffic be affected by the volcanic eruptions, but agriculture could likewise suffer from unusually cool summer temperatures produced by the enormous ash clouds 'blocking out' some of the sun's normal warmth.
It's happened before. During the summer of 1992, a year after the eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in the Philippines, the Maritime Polar Jet Stream from the Gulf of Alaska pushed much farther south than normal into areas east of the Rockies in Canada and the northern U.S. Daily weather maps in July looked more like ones usually seen in April or May.
Just the previous summer of 1991, directly on the heels of the Mt. Pinatubo eruption, we had such a chilly, wet summer season west of the Rockies locally in the Inland Empire. We didn't have a single afternoon in the Coeur d'Alene area that entire June through September period above 89 degrees!
Volcanic eruptions can likewise be deadly. The May 18, 1980, eruption of nearby Mount St. Helens in Washington state killed 57 people exactly 30 years ago Tuesday. I remember it well.
As requested by another Coeur d'Alene Press subscriber, here are the 20 most deadly volcanic eruptions in the past 500 years worldwide and their approximately death tolls:
Kelut, Indonesia, 1586: 10,000
Vesuvius, Italy, 1631: 4,000
Oshima, Japan, 1741: 1,481
Papadanyan, Indonesia, 1772: 2,960
Lakagigar, Iceland, 1783: 9,340
Unze, Japan, 1792: 15,000
Tambora, Indonesia, 1815: 92,000
Galunggung, Indonesia, 1822: 4,000
Nevado del Ruiz, Columbia, 1845: 36,417
Krakatau, Indonesia, 1883: 36,417
Ritter, Paupa New Guinea, 1888: 3,000
Mount Pelee, Martinique, 1902: 29,000
Kelut, Indonesia, 1919: 5,110
Lamington, Papua New Guinea, 1951: 2,942
Hibok-Hibok, Philippines, 1951: 500
Agung, Indonesia, 1963: 1,148
El Chichon, Mexico, 1982: 2,000
Nevado Del Ruiz, Columbia, 1985: 23,000
Lake Nyos, Cameroon, 1986: 1,700
Mount Pinatubo, Philippines, 1991: 896
We are 'overdue' for a disastrous volcanic eruption in either the Philippines or Indonesia. El Chichon may erupt soon in Mexico like it did in 1982, killing approximately 2,000 people. As I've stated in previous columns; INCREASING EARTHQUAKES GO 'HAND-IN-HAND' WITH DEADLY VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS.
NORTH IDAHO WEATHER REVIEW AND LONG-RANGE OUTLOOKS
Finally, after weeks of raw, cold, rainy and windy weather with 'traces' of snow in the lowlands and much heavier amounts of the white stuff in the nearby mountains, we saw some warmer and drier days this past week with afternoon highs soaring from the chilly 50s into the pleasant 70s.
Following this brief warmup, there will be more showers in the area with a bit cooler temperatures just prior to a stronger warm spell expected near the Memorial Day weekend in late May. It's possible that we'll see afternoon highs reach the upper 80s and even the lower 90s in some of the usually warmer locations away from the cooling bodies of water.
I should point out, however, that during this next cool spell, morning lows may once again dip to near the freezing mark in the sheltered spots. Cover those sensitive plants just in case we see more frosts.
Longer term, as I mentioned last week, I'm still forecasting a hotter and drier than normal summer of 2010 across the Inland Empire and locally as well in Camelot.
There may be as many as 25 to 30 toasty 'Sholeh Days' this summer at or above 90 degrees, great for outdoor activities including my favorite time of the year, the annual late August North Idaho Fair and Rodeo.
I'm still concerned about the rather high probabilities of disastrous forest and brush fires this season, but I don't foresee another catastrophic 1910, at least not yet.
Have a GREAT WEEK!
Cliff Harris is a climatologist who writes a weekly column for The Press. His opinions are his own. E-mail sfharris@roadrunner.com
COEUR d'ALENE - A groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate the construction of the new Hospice House at 2212 West Prairie Avenue is scheduled 10 a.m. Tuesday.
The site will be home to Idaho's first inpatient Hospice facility, and will fulfill a need for terminally ill patients whose care cannot be managed at home.
"There has been an increasing need for a Hospice House in this community," Hospice of North Idaho Executive Director Paul Weil said. "Hospice of North Idaho is excited to be able to offer expert end-of-life care for the terminally ill in a patient and family focused environment when their care cannot be managed at home or in a long-term care facility."
The nine-bed house will have large, private rooms that can accommodate family members overnight, a kitchen, great room and a prayer/meditation room.
Numerous services will be provided, including 24-hour medical and nursing care, pain and symptom management, social work and bereavement support.
The groundbreaking is possible due to more than $2.4 million in donations and pledges and a loan from the Idaho Health Facilities Authority through Mountain West Bank.
The ceremony will feature an invocation by Hospice of North Idaho Chaplain Grant Maclean, and speakers from the community including Mayor Sandi Bloem and Joe Morris.
Information: Jim Faucher 772-7994