WeatherFanatics: Weekly Wrap-Up: Volcanoes Threaten Portions of Hawaii, Iceland

Saturday, September 6, 2014

Weekly Wrap-Up: Volcanoes Threaten Portions of Hawaii, Iceland

By Michael Kuhne, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

September 6,2014; 8:30AM,EDT

Lava flowing from Kilauea volcano continues to threaten residents of the Puna district on the Big Island of Hawaii, prompting Hawaii County Mayor Billy Kenoi to declare a state of emergency on Thursday.
"We are taking this step to ensure our residents have time to prepare their families, their pets and their livestock for a safe and orderly evacuation from Ka‘ohe in the event the flow continues to advance," Kenoi said in an online press release.
"Only residents will be allowed on the subdivision roads starting [Thursday], and we ask that non-residents stay away from the area," Hawaii County Civil Defense Administrator Darryl Oliveira said, adding there were no evacuation orders issued yet.
"The lava cannot be seen from the subdivision, and there is no reason for non-residents to be in the Ka‘ohe subdivision at this time. This is a difficult and stressful time for Ka‘ohe residents, and we ask that everyone show respect and understanding for our Ka‘ohe neighbors."

Kīlauean lava viewed from a thermal camera in 2014 (Photo/ USGS)
Another volcano, the Barbarbunga volcano in Iceland, continues to seethe after erupting on Aug. 31.
Earthquakes have continued across the area and scientists continue to investigate the possibility of an ash cloud from future eruptions.
If ash were to begin emerging from these volcanic eruptions, dangerous air conditions could turn toward Scotland.
Although scientists are not anticipating a sudden uptick in ash from this latest eruption, a move nearer to the Dyngjujokull glacier and under an ice cap could spawn an explosion that would be more likely to produce an ash cloud.
Earlier in the week, two tropical storm systems helped ease the Southwest drought by bringing rainfall to portions of the region.
In the Atlantic, Tropical Storm Dolly made landfall just south of Tampico, Mexico, on Tuesday night and continued as a tropical rainstorm over northeastern Mexico through the middle of the week.
Rainfall topped 200 mm (8 inches) in Presa el Moralillo, Veracruz.
Dolly's heavy rainfall triggered devastating flooding and mudslides in Mexico after the storm made landfall.

Neighbors look at the damage after part of a home collapsed due to heavy rains in the Gulf port city of Veracruz, Mexico, Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Felix Marquez)
Hundreds of schools were closed on Wednesday due to the impacts of the storm across the Mexican states of Veracruz and Tamaulipas.
Rainfall associated with Dolly pushed northward into far southern Texas on Wednesday. Heavy rain totaled more than 25 millimeters (1 inch) in McAllen in less than 4 hours.
In the eastern Pacific, Norbert strengthened from a tropical storm into a Category 1 hurricane on Wednesday evening. The storm developed just off the coast of southwest Mexico on Tuesday and will impact Mexico, mainly northwestern Mexico, into the weekend.
Norbert continues to churn, threatening the shorelines of Southern California with high surf through the weekend.
Some minor coastal flooding is possible from San Diego up to Point Conception, and dangerous rip currents are likely, especially over the weekend.
Conditions will improve early next week, though rip currents may pose a risk through Monday.
Other AccuWeather.com staff writers contributed to this article.

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