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2012
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Middle East Cold Snap



The 2013 Middle East cold snap refers to the winter storm that hit the Middle East region in December 2013, affecting Israel,Turkey, Cyprus, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian territories, and Egypt.[1][2] The storm caused mayhem to millions of poor and displaced people across the region, especially afflicting refugees from the Syrian conflict.[3][4]

Events by country
Cyprus
By December 14, the storm had covered the island's Troodos mountain range with snow.[1][2] Snowing had begun several days earlier, with snow reaching a peak thickness of 70 cm (27.56 inches) in Troodos.[5] Four hundred customers lost electricity, and several villages, including Armenohori, Farmakas, Kampi, andSina Oros, completely lost it for extended periods of time.[6]

Egypt
Egypt's capital Cairo witnessed extremely rare snowfall (mostly graupel) on Friday December 13 that the local media claimed to be the first in 112 years and night temperature was expected to drop as low as 2 °C (36 °F).[7][8][9]
Israel
Jerusalem was paralysed by its fiercest snowstorm in years, with its mayor calling out the army to help stranded motorists and authorities urging residents to stay indoors.[10] Netanyahu called it a "once-in-a-century" storm.
Roads were closed in Israel by deep snow and flooding. Thick clouds prompted Ben Gurion International Airport to shut down, forcing US Secretary of State John Kerry to cut short his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah to return to Israel before roads and airports were out of service.[3][11] Jerusalem was cut off for 48 hours by deep snow and flooding and cars abandoned after they got stuck in snow.
After a day of lesser snow, a heavy snowstorm on 13 December 2013 deposited 40–70 cm (16–28 in) of snow in Jerusalem and 1 m (3 ft 3 in) in the Kefar Etzion area. In warmer parts of Israel very heavy rain fell and caused flooding. The railway into Jerusalem ran although it was Sabbath for people stranded by blocked roads.

Jordan
In Jordan, Ghazi Sarhan, spokesman for Jordan’s Administration of Syrian Refugee Camps, announced on December 13, that “During the past 48 hours 10,000 blankets and 1,500 heaters have been distributed to refugees.”[10] Deep snow fell in Amman, where King Abdullah II of Jordan helped to push a car that had got stuck in snow.

Lebanon
Main article: Refugees of the Syrian Civil War
It was reported that Lebanese Army was called in to help distribute emergency aid to Syrian refugees, as the UN handed out fuel, blankets, heaters and food rations yesterday amid a third day of severe winter weather in the region.[10]
According to Abou Faour's announcement, published in Al Nahar newspaper on December 12, “There are 1,600 refugee [makeshift camps] in addition to 431 random camps, which makes it difficult to reach these places. That is why the cabinet had to ask for the help of the army to make as much aid reach those refugees as possible”.[10]
West Bank
Ramallah, Bethlehem, Hebron and many other towns and cities were coated in snow and some lower-lying areas suffered flooding from heavy rain.[10]
Snow in Nablus and Hebron ranged from 60–145 cm (24–57 in), and in Bethlehem 20–55 cm (7.9–21.7 in). The scene in Manger Square, the square adjacent to the Church of the Nativity was that of a white Christmas with the square fully decorated and covered with a deep coat of snow.
Gaza Strip
The Gaza Strip was lashed by torrential rain for a third day, and its Hamas rulers said that residents had been evacuated from 60 flooded homes since storms hit the coastal territory on December 11.[10]
Syria
Further information: Humanitarian aid during the Syrian Civil War
The United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) issued plans to airlift 40 tonnes of food for 50,000-60,000 people into the northeastern province of Hasakha from Iraq. The UN airlift of urgently needed food for tens of thousands of people in northeastern Syria, originally planned for December 12, was however delayed by snow.[10]
According to Matthew Hollingworth, Syria Country Director for the United Nation’s World Food Programme, most internally displaced Syrians fled their homes with few belongings so they do not even have enough warm clothes or blankets to fend off the freezing weather. They desperately need fuel for heating and to cook the food they receive as humanitarian assistance.”[10] Reportedly, a child and a baby died from the cold on December 12, and an activist in a besieged rebel-held town of Hara said residents were struggling to stay warm with the electricity cut off and no food or fuel allowed in.
In southern Syria, the Golan Heights were covered with snow up to at least 100 cm (39 in) deep.
Meteorological history
Beginning December 11, a strong ridge in the jet stream caused a big anticyclone over Europe; its east edge drew a strong current of cold air south from the Arctic. This polar outbreak overspread Turkey and the Eastern Mediterranean region, pushing below moist air associated with a passing front, causing heavy snow and sleet over higher elevations in Syria, Lebanon, and Israel. At lower elevations, heavy rain from the system caused flooding in some areas.[12]
(The west edge of the same anticyclone drew in a warm southwest wind from around the Azores to Britain.)



References
1.     ^ Jump up to:a b Yulsman, Tom. "Rare Mideast Snowstorm as Seen from Space". Discover. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
2.     ^ Jump up to:a b Heylen, Kathleen. "Sneeuwstorm zet duizenden mensen zonder stroom". De Redactie (in Dutch). Retrieved 16 December 2013.
3.     ^ Jump up to:a b "Wintry storm grips Middle East, worsens misery of Syrians". Yahoo News. December 13, 2013.
4.     Jump up^ "Winter Storm 'Alexa' Chills Middle East". Voice of America. December 13, 2013.
5.     Jump up^ "Winter storm brings ice and snow to Cyprus, minus 6 in Troodos". Famagusta Gazette. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
6.     Jump up^ "Storm prompts 1,700 calls to Cyprus Electricity Authority, 400 power cuts". Famagusta Gazette. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
7.     Jump up^ "Cairo sees first snow in years as cold snap hits Egypt". The Daily Star. December 13, 2013.
8.     Jump up^ "Snow In Egypt For The First Time In 100 Years, Reports Say (PICTURES)". The Huffington Post. December 13, 2013.
9.     Jump up^ "Winter brings snow to Cairo". Ahram Online. December 13, 2013.
10.  ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h [1]
11.  Jump up^ "Snow closes roads in Israel, is a source of wonder in Cairo". Los Angeles Times. December 13, 2013.
12.  Jump up^ Burt, Christopher. "Topsy-Turvy Weather in Europe, Middle East". wunderground.com. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
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Rim Fire

The Rim Fire was a wildfire in the central Sierra Nevada region, in Tuolumne and Mariposa counties of California in the United States. The fire started on August 17, 2013, during the 2013 California wildfire season.[2] It was the third largest wildfire in California's history,[8] having burned 257,314 acres (402.053 sq mi; 1,041.31 km2),[2][9] and is the biggest wildfire on record in the Sierra Nevada.[4] The fire was contained on Thursday, October 24, 2013.[2] The fire was caused by a hunter's illegal fire that went out of control[10] and was named for its proximity to the Rim of the World vista point[11] in the Stanislaus National Forest.[12] Eleven residences, three commercial buildings, and 98 outbuildings were destroyed in the fire.[2]


The fire erupted on August 17, 2013 at 3:25pm[13] in the Stanislaus National Forest east of Groveland when a hunter lost control of an illegal campfire.[14] The hunter has not been publicly identified.[15] Only 40 acres when it was discovered, it grew to 10,000 acres within 36 hours and 100,000 acres after four days. The rapid spread is attributed to five factors: a record-breaking drought, a heat wave, past fire suppression, population growth, and Forest Service budget cuts.[16] It burned into back-country areas of Yosemite National Park. The park remained open, and Yosemite Valley was never in danger,[17]although it was affected by heavy smoke at times.[18]


The blaze was difficult to fight because of inaccessible terrain and erratic winds, forcing firefighters to be reactive instead of proactive. More than 5,000 firefighters[2] – including more than 650 inmates who volunteered as part of California'sConservation Camp initiative[19][20] – worked to contain the fire, which was described by a Forest Service spokesman as "a real tiger".[4] At one point state officials asked residents to avoid social media, to stop exaggerated claims and rumors from spreading, and debunked a number of circulating stories.[21]
A widespread heat wave and drought conditions helped to spread the fire and make it difficult to combat. Also contributing to the fire was a pre-1980s policy of suppressing small natural fires. The lack of those fires created nearly a century's worth of fuel to burn, resulting in a massive forest fire killing virtually all plant life in its path.[16] Forest officials estimated "that almost 40% of the area inside the fire's boundary is nothing but charred land" - nearly 160 square miles out of the 400 square miles burned. They said this extent of destruction is "unprecedented" for historic Sierra Nevada fires.[22] The extent of the fire, however, allows for new succession of tree species that require post-fire conditions to germinate; species that have not been around for quite some time will begin to appear.[23]
Closures and evacuations
Forest closures were in effect for several areas. Some evacuation advisories were issued by Tuolumne and Mariposa counties.[2] TheTioga Pass Road (Highway 120) was closed for a time. Highways 140 from Merced and 41 from Fresno remained open throughout the fire, providing access to the national park.[24]


Smoke from the fire caused unhealthful air conditions in Reno, Nevada and the Lake Tahoe area during the first week of the fire, forcing the cancellation of several outdoor events there.[25]
Berkeley Tuolumne Camp, a family camp operated by the city of Berkeley and established in 1922, was burned to the ground by the fire.[26] Nearby Camp Tawonga suffered some damage including the loss of three buildings.[26][27] Camp Mather, operated by the city ofSan Francisco, suffered minor damage,[28] as did the San Jose Camp run by the city of San Jose.[29] Privately owned Evergreen Lodge was undamaged.[30]






References

  1. Jump up^ [1]
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e f g h i "Rim Fire". InciWeb. Retrieved 24 October 2013.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b "Rim Fire". Fire Tracker. KPCC. Retrieved 6 October 2013.
  4. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Firefighters gain ground on still-growing Yosemite wildfire". CBS News. August 27, 2011. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  5. Jump up^ DeLuca, Matthew (24 August 2013). "Emergency in San Francisco as wildfire threatens city's power grid". NBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  6. Jump up^ Rim Fire continues to burn
  7. Jump up^ Swaffer, Gar. "Firefighters gaining, but Rim Fire increases to 187,466 acres". Digital Journal.
  8. Jump up^ "Rim Fire Becomes Third-Largest Wildfire In California History". CBS Channel 13, Sacramento. 29 September 2013 (revised). Retrieved 15 October 2013.
  9. Jump up^ "California's fourth-largest wildfire fills Yosemite Valley with smoke on holiday weekend". NBC News. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  10. Jump up^ "Yosemite Wildfire Started By Hunter's Illegal Fire, U.S. Forest Service Announces". 5 September 2013. Retrieved 5 September 2013.
  11. Jump up^ Rim of the World Vista - Stanislaus National Forest 37.821949, -120.039153
  12. Jump up^ "Wildfire Rages to Yosemite's Edge in Hot, Dry Weather". 23 August 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  13. Jump up^ California Department of Forestry
  14. Jump up^ Cone, Tracie (September 6, 2013). "USFS: Hunter caused huge wildfire near Yosemite". Yahoo! News. Associated Press.
  15. Jump up^ Klein, Karin (September 16, 2013). "What's happened to the hunter who sparked the Rim fire?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  16. ^ Jump up to:a b Abrams, Lindsay. "The 5 Factors Fueling the Rim Fire".
  17. Jump up^ Foley, James A. "Rim Fire Continues to Threaten Yosemite National Park". Nature World News. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  18. Jump up^ Fieldstadt, Elisha (September 1, 2013). "Rim Fire at 225,000 acres as Calif. officials search for cause of massive blaze - U.S. News". NBCNews.com. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  19. Jump up^ "California Inmates Help Battle Raging Yosemite Rim Fire". Huffington Post. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  20. Jump up^ Rawlings, Nate (31 August 2013). "California’s Prison Problems Won’t Extinguish Inmate Firefighters". Time. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  21. Jump up^ Carroll, Rory (Tuesday 27 August 2013 13.29 EDT). "California officials ask residents to avoid social media for Rim fire updates". The Guadian. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  22. Jump up^ Cone, Tracie (September 19, 2013). "Nearly 40 Percent of Rim Fire Land a Moonscape". ABC News. Retrieved 19 September 2013.
  23. Jump up^ "As Rim Fire landscape shows signs of new life, scientists begin to assess forest management". Washington Post. Associated Press. September 27, 2013. Retrieved 27 September 2013.
  24. Jump up^ Lopez, Robert J. (August 27, 2013). "Spot fires, intense flames rage as crews fight Yosemite Rim blaze". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 27 August 2013.
  25. Jump up^ "Smoke from CA wildfires clears over NV". Associated Press (KRNV-DT Reno). August 25, 2013. Retrieved 26 August 2013.
  26. ^ Jump up to:a b Fernandez, Lisa (August 27, 2013). "Campers Mourn Loss of Berkeley Tuolumne Camp; Camp Tawonga Saves Torah". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  27. Jump up^ "Rim Fire burns three buildings at Camp Tawonga". J Weekly. August 29, 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  28. Jump up^ "Camp Mather Update". San Francisco Recreation and Parks. August 30, 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  29. Jump up^ "Yosemite Rim Fire slows but threatens water supply, burns Bay Area camps". San Jose Mercury News. August 26, 2013. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
  30. Jump up^ "Evergreen Lodge- reopening September 10". Evergreen Lodge Yosemite. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
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