LHC Restarted: Half-Power Run Is Full of Potential
The Large Hadron Collider, the world’s largest atom smasher, has been fired up for its first long-term run, officials announced today. The LHC will be operating at half power but should still be capable of some smashing discoveries, experts say.
Virginia Severe Winter Storm and Snowstorm
Major Disaster Declaration number 1874 declared on Feb 16, 2010
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Homeland Security Threat Level: YELLOW (ELEVATED) Significant National Weather South A storm system impacting the Southeast will move from the northern Gulf of Mexico to the Georgia/Carolina coast by late today. Light to moderate snowfall is expected across interior regions of the Southeast, including Atlanta and Charlotte. Accumulations of 1-3 of heavy, wet snow are possible across Birmingham (AL), Atlanta (GA), and Charlotte (NC); higher elevations of The Smoky Mountains (TN) may see accumulations of up to 6 . Winter Storm Advisories, Watches and Warnings are in effect through the day across portions of northeast Alabama, eastern Tennessee, south-western North Carolina, northern Georgia and western South Carolina.Northeast The storm system impacting the Southeast today will begin to move up the eastern seaboard on Wednesday and spread some light snow and rain into southern Virginia late in the day. The system will continue to move offshore, to the Northeast, and present little threat of significant accumulations along the northeastern seaboard. An additional upper-level system moving out of the Midwest will generate some snow showers over interior portions of the Northeast; accumulations will be light.Midwest An upper-level system will produce light snow showers over eastern Ohio and eastern Kentucky today and Wednesday; the remainder of the Midwest and Plains will be dry. Highs will range from the 20s in North Dakota to the 30s and 40s in the Ohio Valley with some lower 50s in parts of western and southern Kansas. Later in the week, a relatively weak storm will track from the central Rockies to the northern Great Lakes. The storm will produce light snow in the Dakotas and Upper Midwest and showers from the central Plains into the Mid-Mississippi Valley and southern Great Lakes. By late this week, the weather pattern turns milder, much of the region will see average or above average temperatures.West A slow-moving frontal boundary will push onshore early this morning and produce rainfall across the Pacific Northwest and northern California. The storm will continue to push inland, producing rain and mountain snow from the West Coast (north of Los Angeles) to western Montana, western Wyoming and Utah. The storm will shift into the northern and central Rockies Thursday before moving into the northern and central Plains. Red Flag Warnings are in effect through late this afternoon for Leeward portions of all Hawaiian Islands due to a combination of strong winds and low relative humidity. (NOAA s National Weather Service, Hydro Meteorological Prediction Center, and various media sources) Northeast Winter Storm Response (February 25, 2010 and continuing): Region IRRCC is at Level III, 7:00 a.m.-7:00 p.m. and Maynard MOC is open 24/7State Liaison Officers (LNOs) are deployed to the New Hampshire EOCNo requests for Federal assistanceMaine State EOC is monitoring 1,869 customers without power (Central Maine Power as of 11:00 p.m. on Mar 1) 2 shelters; 4 occupants (ARC Mar 1 Report) Massachusetts State EOC is monitoring Nearly all power has been restored (National Grid, Mar 1) 1 shelter; 6 occupants (ARC Mar 1 Report) New Hampshire Governor declared a state of emergency State EOC is monitoring 16,000 customers remain without power (Public Service of New Hampshire as of 9:00 p.m. on Mar 1) 2 shelters; 14 occupants(ARC Mar 1 Report) Tropical Weather Outlook No new activity (FEMA HQ) Earthquake Activity There were no significant earthquakes in the United States or its territories.International 8.8 Magnitude Offshore of Chile (February 27, 2010) Over 150 aftershocks ranging from 4.9M to 6.2M continue since the initial earthquake. (USGS; WCATWC; PTWC) Preliminary Damage Assessments No new activity (FEMA HQ) Disaster Declaration Activity No new activity (FEMA HQ)
Mysterious “Dragons” Make Universe’s Gamma Ray Fog
Unknown but fearsome sources are filling the universe with a blanket of high-energy gamma rays, normally created by the universe’s most violent events and most powerful objects.
Dinosaurs Ten Million Years Older Than Thought
The oldest known dinosaur relative a dog-size, four-legged omnivore pushes back the origin of dinosaurs to at least 243 million years ago, a new study says.
