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There’s a whole lot of weather activity going on as Tropical Storm Isaias sets a new record as it forms, plus a new heat record sets in the Middle East and a pair of earthquakes, one in Japan and one in California puts nerves on edge.
Tropical Storm Isaias set a new record on Wednesday as it formed over the Caribbean Sea, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. It became the ninth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which is on a record-breaking pace, matching the predictions from a number of experts who said 2020 would be a hyperactive season. Isaias, pronounced (ees-ah-EE-as), is the earliest storm to begin with an “I” on record.
The previous record was set on August 7, 2005, CNN reported. Hurricane Hanna broke the record for the earliest storm with an “H” name by 11 days.
As of Thursday morning, Isaias was centered roughly 100 miles west southwest of Ponce, Puerto Rico and approximately 160 miles southeast of Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic. Isaias had maximum sustained winds of 60 mph and was moving west northwest at 21 mph, PIX11 reported.
Reportedly, the storm was battering Puerto Rico with strong winds and heavy rains causing flooding and mudslides on the island.
Tokyo was rattled by a report of an impending 7.3 magnitude earthquake that was expected to hit the capitol on Thursday morning – except it didn’t. The early warning alert system triggered a false alarm at 9:38 AM local time, Japan Times reported. However, there was an earthquake of a magnitude 5.8 off the coast of Japan.
The warning system over estimated both the size of the quake and its location.
At roughly 4:30 local time, the Los Angeles area experienced an earthquake that has been given a preliminary 4.2 magnitude. The quake struck in the Pacoima neighborhood in the San Fernando valley, about 30 miles north of downtown Los Angeles.
An aftershock followed with a preliminary magnitude of 3.3, NBC reported.
The thermometer reached a scorching 125.2 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday in Baghdad, Iraq. It is the highest temperature ever recorded for the city. The previous record was set on July 30, 2015, when the temperature reached 123.8 degrees, the Washington Post reported.
The following day, the city recorded its second-highest temperature on record, reaching 124 degrees. The city had also reached 123 degrees on Monday.
Nearby, Beirut, Lebanon also set its highest temperature on record on Tuesday reaching 113.7 degrees Fahrenheit. On the same day, additional locations in Iraq and Saudi Arabia also set records.
On Wednesday, Damascus, Syria set its own record of 114.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
More near-record temperatures in the 120’s are expected in Iraq on Thursday, followed by a slight dip on Friday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a number of excessive heat warnings and heat advisories to at least 7 states in the Western US for Thursday, spanning from the northwest to the Southwest for portions of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, California, Nevada and Arizona. Heat records could be broken or reach near records in many spots.
With temperatures like these, it’s a good time to seek out moisturizers and body wash cream for dry skin, as well as using a good moisturizing sun block if you plan to spend significant time outdoors.
