A 5.8 earthquake was reported in northern Baja California along the U.S.-Mexico border region on Wednesday.

The earthquake caused buildings to sway more than 100 miles away in San Diego and southwestern Arizona, according to the Associated Press.

The main quake was centered about 20 miles southeast of the Mexican border city of Mexicali, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.  It was reportedly followed by a 4.9 quake and several aftershocks.

There have not yet been any reports of injuries, death, or structural damage.

A snowstorm that blanketed the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. with nearly 2 feet of snow was headed north on Sunday.

The heavy snow on the East Coast has already being blamed for five deaths, and hampering holiday travel and shopping, according to the Associated Press (AP).  Other problems included flooding in South Florida and a power outage for more than 85,000 customers in the Carolinas on Friday.

The storm dropped 16 inches of snow on Reagan National Airport outside Washington, D.C., the most ever recorded there in a single day, the AP reported.  Southern New Jersey received its highest single-storm snowfall totals in nearly four years.

Forecasters expected the storm to drop as many as 10 inches on New York City, the AP reported.

Heavy snow and gusty winds were expected to continue to plague Southeastern New England on Sunday, but were to taper off into the afternoon and evening, according to weather.com.

The official first day of winter is on Monday.

Meteor Shower November 2009 video is amazing.  The November 2009 meteor shower was is being watched by many.  From November 13-20, 2009 the meteor shower is best seen after 1:30 AM EST.  The peak was estimated to take place early this morning, but enthusiasts can still view the shower for a few more days.
The Leonid meteor shower is an annual event that takes place as the earth travels through Comet Temple-Tuttle.  As the earth approaches the comet and as the comet comes closer to the sun, it sheds clumps of material that sprinkle our nightly sky.

If you haven’t seen a shower like this, it is worth waking up early or going to bed late to see.  Make sure you have a telescope to see the best views.

NASA’s Web site has a Fluxtimator that allows you to see when the shower will be best viewed in your area.  You can use this to plan when you will see the meteor shower.

How to Celebrate the Meteor Shower during November 2009:

If you have children, have a “meteor shower” party with them to make viewing it very special for them. Make star shaped cookies and find free printable solar system and space coloring pages online.  Learn about how the event occurs, and describe it to your child.  Have them help you make a story book that discusses the event.

If you don’t have children, grab a bottle of chilled wine, a telescope, and a blanket and sit out in the night sky with someone special and watch the beautiful event.  This will be a romantic evening at home, and a unique date that doesn’t cost anything.

If you are in the city and can’t get great views of the meteor shower, find the November 2009 meteor shower video online.

Sources:

NASA.com

The National Hurricane Center (see photo) said it is an “extremely dangerous hurricane Rick continuing to strengthen” because it grew from a category 1 to a category 4 storm in only 36 hours; and may strengthen to a category 5 storm by tonight.

Acapulco residents were warned that the hurricane may trigger landslides and flooding.

If it stays on its current path with a gradual northern turn, then it may hit landfall in Baja Wednesday or Thursday.

A tsunami warning has been issued for American Samoa after a massive earthquake hit 120 miles southwest of the island this morning.  Residents have been warned of a possible tsunami threat after a massive 7.9 earthquake struck in the ocean about 120 miles Southwest American Samoa.  The earthquake is 10 times the size of the earthquake that struck San Francisco in 1989.

The tsunami warning was issued by the Hawaii-based Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for Tonga, Niue, Kermadec Islands, American Samoa, Samoa and Fiji.

“An earthquake of this size has the potential to generate a destructive tsunami that can strike coastlines in the region near the epicentre within minutes to hours. Authorities in the region should take appropriate action in response to this possibility,” the Center said.

CNN just reported that a 10 foot wave hit did hit the nearby islands, and that tsunami is expected to hit Hawaii in several hours, at a much reduced speed.

Yesterday we had reported about the flooding in Atlanta, Georgia but now the situation has gotten even worse when the city got about a foot of a rain fall.

The waters from rivers and rains are flowing in to the city. According to pictures released by various media one can even make out that the Six Flags in Atlanta is totally flooded and covered with water.

All you can see is the Ferris Wheel protruding out of the muddy water. But that’s not all, about 6 lives have been lost due to the torrential rains and subsequent flooding.

In a heart breaking soon, video captured showed a man clinging by the tree and trying to save his baby but unable to do so.

Many are calling it the 100 year storm, a historic flooding, but the worst may yet to be come as it is still continuing. But that’s not all, the water is so freezing cold that people are bound to get affected by hypothermia as well.

To check the CNN’s reporting, coverage, and video of this event, click below:

Atlanta Flooding Video

Atlanta Flooding initial reports, School, Roads Closing

Atlanta’s city is under water, with 22 inches of rain since last week, and a foot of that fell in a 24 hour period. The rivers and streams have filled the streets and flooded houses. 9 people have died including a 2-year-old child that was ripped from her father’s arms as he tried to hang onto branches to keep them from floating away in the flood, and many more are missing.

In Atlanta schools are closed, roads are closed, cars are under water, fire trucks cannot get out to help people, and the only way to get around right now is by boat. Many people have been evacuated from their homes and lives.

Heavy rains over the weekend in Atlanta have shut down the city. Two  people have been killed (one of them tried to drive through standing water), traffic is at a standstill, almost all of the schools have been closed, and a boil water order has been issued because of water main breaks in the area. Fire trucks are stuck and cannot get out to help people.

The media is urging people to just stay home at least for the morning. The local Channel 2 Action News said that all of Atlanta’s creeks and rivers are approaching flood level.  Additional rain is expected today.  The Lake Lanier water level has risen four inches since Saturday, but the risk of it overflowing is minimal, because of recent water shortages that lowered the lake by several feet.

Here is a public service announcement of school closings: Gwinnett County school officials announced at 8 a.m. that all schools in the Gwinnett County school system are closed Monday due to severe weather.

Gwinnett County joined Carroll, Douglas, Paulding and Stephens’s counties in closing all schools because of heavy rain and flooded roads. Promise Christian Academy in Paulding and Lithia Christian in Litha Springs were also closed as well as St. John Neumann Catholic School. Opening at Ivy Prep Academy in Norcross was delayed until 10 a.m.

A massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake has struck eastern Indonesia, sparking a tsunami warning for coastline areas within 1,000 kilometres of the epicentre, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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Strong and whipped winds have pushed flames close to Brea High School and a large office park near the intersection of Wildcat Way and Lambert Road. This has led authorities to announce evacuations in Brea neighborhood.

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