Blog note. Jesus indicated
that ‘fearful sights’ (various natural disasters) would occur leading up to the
time known as the Tribulation and Great Tribulation (a combined seven year
period of great destruction on earth). Although these types of things have
occurred in the past for centuries and thousands of years, they could be
identified as the ‘season of the times’ due to the ferociousness of these
events. They would be occurring in greater intensity, severity, frequency,
size, duration, scope … just like the pains that a woman experiences in labor
the farther along she is in the labor process. We are in the ‘season of the
times’ that comes just before the seven (7) year Tribulation/Great Tribulation
period
… And great earthquakes shall be in diverse places, and
famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be
from heaven. (Luke 21:11).
… And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and
in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea
and the waves roaring; (Luke 21:25)
… Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after
those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be
shaken; (Luke 21:26)
… This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall
come. (2 Timothy 3:1)
Jesus is giving a series of prophecies about what to look for
as the age of grace comes to a close. These verses are several of many such
prophecies from throughout the Bible. 2017 was the worst year in recorded
history for the intensity, frequency, severity, duration and occurrence of a
large number of severe natural disasters worldwide. Earthquakes, volcanoes,
hurricanes, typhoons, cyclones, torrential flooding, unprecedented wildfires in
unusual places, devastating droughts, excessive/scorching heat setting records
everywhere, record snowfalls in Europe and Russia. Snow in the Arabia. This
list can go on. Most studied Eschatologists believe these ‘fearful sights’ and
massive natural disasters are all part of the ‘CONVERGENCE’ of signs that this
Biblical and prophetic age is closing. Most people who study prophecy are
familiar with the routine reference(s) made that these things will be like
a woman having labor pains, growing in intensity, frequency, size and duration.
July 10, 2019
New high temperature records set in Alaska (again)
By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather meteorologist
Days after Anchorage reached the 90-degree Fahrenheit mark for the first time in recorded history, all-time and daily records continue to fall as a sweltering heat wave leaves Alaska sizzling.
In the far western portion of the state, the heat sent the mercury to an all-time record high in the city of Bethel. A temperature of 91 F was recorded on Monday, which would surpass the previous all-time record of 90 set on June 17, 1926. However, a technical problem with a weather station at the Bethel airport has left meteorologists with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Anchorage unwilling to declare a record has been set.
Cynthia Kobold, a meteorologist with the NWS, told AccuWeather in a phone interview that officials were replacing the faulty weather station and that while it was certainly warm in Bethel on Monday, they aren’t confident enough in the data collected to confirm an official record has been broken. Records in Bethel date back to 1923.
While the temperature wasn’t nearly as high as the Fourth of July in Anchorage, the city did end up rewriting the record books for July 8. A new daily record of 85 F was set, surpassing the previous record of 84 from 2003. King Salmon, located in a remote southwestern portion of the state, set a record daily high of 83, breaking the 2004 record of 82. The city then tied their record for July 9 of 82. This marked the sixth consecutive day King Salmon tied or set a new daily high temperature record.
The hot and dry weather, which began just prior to the Fourth of July, will finally ease its grip later this week as cooler air returns.
High temperatures will continue to take a run at 90 degrees Fahrenheit across some cities into midweek. However, the number of remaining days for locations to set a daily or all-time record high is coming to an end.
This prolonged stretch of above-normal heat has also led to the spread of ongoing wildfires across parts of central and southern Alaska. Residents have been impacted with smoky air and poor air quality for multiple days.
With many residents without air conditioning, this produced an uncomfortable stretch of weather. Other residents have had to close windows to keep out the smoky air, which in turn did nothing more than raise the temperature inside their homes.
The hot weather forced some residents
Lucy Davisdon, a resident of Alaska, took her grandchildren to a beach at Goose Lake to help get a break from the heat last week, The Associated Press reported.
She purchased a portable air conditioner six years ago at a garage sale and it has been working non-stop to help cool her home. However, the temperature inside of her home has not been able to drop below 82 degrees.
“If it wasn’t so expensive, I’d buy one of those big outdoor pools,” she said.
How much longer will this heat wave last?
A large dome of high pressure has remained nearly stationary across the region over the past week. This, combined with above-normal ocean temperatures, have led to record-breaking heat and temperatures averaging 10 to 20 degrees F above normal.
However, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
“This dome of high pressure will slowly weaken and track westward away from the state during the middle to later part of this week,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham said.
Along with the weakening of the high will be the return of cooler air and much-needed rainfall.
“Showers and thunderstorms will become more widespread during the middle to later part of this week, not only helping to keep temperatures down and also aid firefighters in battling the wildfires across the state,” Buckingham said.
However, any bolt of lightning in a storm with little or no precipitation could trigger another fire.
Multiple temperature records set during ongoing heat wave
Multiple locations have set all-time or daily records during this heat wave. Most of these have occurred across the south-central cities, including Anchorage, Kenai, Palmer and King Salmon. King Salmon experienced a daily record on Tuesday, July 9, it was the city’s sixth record in a row.
From June 28 to July 7, Anchorage set seven new daily record-high temperatures out of a possible 10, according to Buckingham.
Anchorage reached 90 degrees F on the Fourth of July, the first time that has happened on record. The previous record-high temperature was 85 F set in 1969. The normal high temperature in Anchorage is only 65 F.
While this mark was a first for Anchorage, it is not the first time the state has reached 90. The all-time high temperature recorded in Alaska is 100 F at Fort Yukon set in 1915. Fairbanks reached an all-time high of 99 F set 100 years ago.
Tuesday tied for the second warmest night of all-time at Anchorage International, with a low of 62 F. It is tied for second with five other nights. The previous daily record was 59 F in 2003.
While the first week of July has been the most noticeable in terms of hot air, much of the state has been running above normal since June.
The last time Anchorage observed a below-average temperature day was on May 30. The average temperature on that day was 51 F, compared to a normal temperature of 52 F.
Anchorage had its warmest June on record last month with an average temperature of 60.5 degrees, which is 5.2 degrees above normal. In fact, the four warmest June months in the city have occurred during this decade.
While temperatures will trend lower throughout the week, this heat wave could help the city set another monthly average temperature record for July. Through July 9, the average temperature in Anchorage is 70.3 degrees. The monthly record is 62.7 degrees set in 2016.