Evacuations have begun in areas of the US East Coast likely to be hit by Hurricane Earl.

The hurricane has strengthened to a category four storm again, generating sustained winds of 215km/h (135mph).

President Barack Obama said officials needed to be ready for a “worst case” scenario in a call to the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema).

North Carolina’s Governor Beth Perdue has declared a state of emergency.

US officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation for thousands of visitors and residents on Ocracoke Island and Hatteras Island.

Both islands are part of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a region popular with tourists.

Fema has warned people along much of the the Eastern Seaboard of the US to be vigilant and follow official bulletins.

Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center said they expected the hurricane to turn north and then run parallel to the East Coast.

They temporarily downgraded Earl to a category three storm on Wednesday, but the hurricane strengthened to a category four again later in the day.

“The most important thing for people living in Earl’s potential tract to do is to listen to and follow the instructions of their local officials,” Fema administrator Craig Fugate said.

A hurricane warning has been issued for the east coast of the US from Bogue Inlet, North Carolina north-eastward to the North Carolina/Virginia border, including the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

The hurricane watch has been adjusted northward and now extends from the North Carolina/Virginia border northward to Massachusetts, including Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.

A warning means hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the affected area, with the first tropical storm-force winds within 36 hours. A watch expects the same within 48 hours.

The local authorities in the Outer Banks expect the storm to pass 80 miles (130km) away from the islands, meaning high winds and waves are likely.

The hurricane is currently east of the central Bahamas and is moving north-west.

On Monday the hurricane battered north-eastern Caribbean islands and Puerto Rico, causing power cuts and flooding.

Earl is being followed by Tropical Storm Fiona, currently moving north of the Leeward Isles, and Tropical Storm Gaston, the fourth tropical storm to have formed in the last 11 days.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11154296

The tree uprooted by the twister narrowly missed taking down a power line

High winds described as a small “twister” hit a Norfolk town, causing minor damage to homes, power lines to swing violently and trees to fall.

The winds, which hit Watton on Sunday afternoon, uprooted an oak tree and residents reported damage to tiled roofs and school playgrounds.

Branches were thrown across roads but no major problems have been reported.

Weather experts said it was possible the damage had been caused by a funnel cloud or “twister”.

Resident Stevie Willis said: “Tiles came off roofs and the local primary school’s outside adventure play area received some damage.

“A few family back gardens were also hit.

“My sister and niece stood at the front door and watched it go through.”

A spokesman for BBC forecaster Weatherquest said: “About that time, a line of thunderstorms came through from the North Sea, and Watton was in line with them.

“It is likely to be a funnel cloud or a twister would form and because there was damage on the ground it is likely to be the case.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-11126311

Torrential hailstorms have decimated oilseed rape crops at Ben Atkinson’s Grange Farm, Rippingdale, Lincolnshire, as well as on neighbouring farms.

“Our rain gauges hold 2.5” of rain and they were overflowing in 10 minutes on Thursday (22 July).

“My father has farmed here for 50 years and he’s never seen a storm like it, or damage like it.”

Yield loss ranged from 0.5t/ha (2.5t/acre) to 4t/ha (1.6t/acre) in oilseed rape crops which would otherwise have yielded up to 5t/ha (2t/acre), he said.

“I’ve got 200ha (500 acres) which has been hit to varying degrees. We’re avoiding the area and trying to get the better crops in first, but it’s also damaged beans to minor degree and has lacerated the leaves on the sugar beet.”

So far, Mr Atkinson had cut 485ha (1200 acres) of oilseed rape, and was very pleased with yields of over 5t/ha (2t/acre) in Cabernet and just under that level for Excalibur.
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“Hopefully that will make up for some of the loss, and better prices will compensate a bit as well. But I think everyone in this area will insure against hail for the rest of time.”

Mr Atkinson still had 364ha (900 acres) of oilseed rape to cut before moving into winter wheat.

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2010/07/27/122494/Hail-decimates-rapeseed-at-Rippingdale.htm

A state of emergency has been declared across all three countries

A powerful tropical storm in Central America has claimed at least 73 lives in floods and mudslides, officials say.

The worst-hit country was Guatemala, where officials say at least 63 people died. Nine were killed in El Salvador and at least one in Honduras.

Storm Agatha swept in from the Pacific Ocean on Saturday, bringing torrential rains that added to disruption caused by a volcano erupting in Guatemala.

Heavy rains have continued, sparking fears of further destruction.

Rescue workers have been clearing debris from roads to reach cut-off communities.

Many areas have not been reached and the death toll is expected to rise.

Parts of Guatemala have received their highest rainfall in more than 60 years, according to the country’s President Alvaro Colom, who said more than 3 feet (1m) of rain fell in some areas.

“Many places are cut off but it appears the weather will improve a bit today and we will be able to airlift supplies to those places. The road network is badly damaged,” President Colom said at a news conference.

More than 70,000 people have been evacuated from their homes across Guatemala, according to Reuters news agency.

Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras have all declared emergencies in an attempt to increase immediate aid and resources.

Agatha – the first named storm of the Pacific hurricane season – also hit southern Mexico.

It is dissipating over the mountains of western Guatemala – but emergency workers have warned residents to expect heavy rain for several more days.
Devastation

A mudslide devastated an entire neighbourhood in the Guatemalan town of San Antonio Palopa, 90 miles (150km) southeast of the capital.

“There was a mudslide that wiped out homes, trees and everything in its path,” an eyewiness told local radio.

In Quetzaltenango, 125 miles (200km) west of Guatemala city, a boulder became loose and crushed a house, killing four people, including two children.

In El Salvador, rains triggered at least 140 landslides in which President Maruricio Funes said nine people had died.

One man in the Honduran town of Santa Ana, near the capital Tegucigalpa, was crushed to death after a wall collapsed, officials said.

The storm has also complicated efforts to clear up ash from the Pacaya volcano in southern Guatemala, which began erupting on Thursday.

Guatemala’s main airport has been closed while workers clear the runways.

A state of emergency declared because of the volcanic eruption has been extended across the country.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/latin_america/10195619.stm

Four walkers have been injured in lightning strikes in the Lake District in three separate incidents.

Four walkers have been injured in lightning strikes in the Lake District in three separate incidents.

All were rescued by the same Royal Navy Sea King helicopter from hillside locations on Wednesday afternoon.

It is believed that none of the walkers was seriously hurt. Police said the first victim was a man on Grassmoor near Buttermere.

Lightning then struck between a pair of walkers in Braithwaite, and the final victim was a woman in Buttermere.

The first call came in to Cockermouth Mountain Rescue team just after 1500 BST.

It was reported that a man in his 50s had been struck by lightning at Ladd Hows, Grassmoor, blown 30 ft (9m) and left unconscious for a short time.

Meanwhile, the Keswick Mountain Rescue team received a call about an incident at Craghill, near Braithwaite, where lightning had hit the ground between two people, blowing them off their feet.

Singed hair

The Royal Navy Sea King from HMS Gannet in Prestwick was called first to rescue the injured man at Grassmoor.

While on the way to drop the man at a location at where he could be picked up by ambulance, the helicopter was diverted to the second incident.

The helicopter crew rescued the injured pair, along with an uninjured third person who had been with them, and dropped all four at the Buttermere Hotel to be transported to the West Cumberland Hospital.

At 1535 BST the Cockermouth Mountain Rescue was called to the third incident at Whiteless Pike in Buttermere.

It was reported a woman in her 30s had been struck on the head by lightning and had singed hair.

She too was rescued by the Royal Navy helicopter, taken to Buttermere Hotel and then transported by ambulance to hospital.

A Royal Navy spokeswoman said: “It is relatively unusual to have four people from two separate incidents in a helicopter. And their conditions, too, were relatively unusual.”

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cumbria/10167686.stm

Gravel beaches protect low-lying coastal areas from flooding

Experts have been awarded £500,000 to research the impact storms have on gravel beaches in the UK.

Researchers at the University of Plymouth will use the grant to investigate the threat storms and sea levels pose to the beaches.

It is hoped the three-year project at Slapton Sands will enable a model to be made to predict future erosion.

Gravel beaches and barriers help protect low-lying coastal areas from flooding, and cliffs from wave erosion.

It is thought that the damage could increase due to rising sea levels and increased storms.

Professor Paul Russell said: “The insights gained from the experimental work will be used to develop a practical tool for predicting beach formation, flooding and breaching of gravel beaches and barriers.”

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