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.

The day it forgot to rain on Australia

November 11, 2019

One thing you won’t need on Monday if you live in mainland Australia is an umbrella – unless it doubles as a parasol.

The Bureau of Meteorology had forecast Australia to be all but rainless for the day – aside from a tiny splotch off the Kimberley and western Tasmania.

The unusual reading, especially for the mainland of roughly 7.6 million square kilometres, had the agency’s boffins poring over their record books. “The team can’t comprehensively identify a day in our records where there hasn’t been rain somewhere on continental Australia,” a bureau spokesman said.

Australia cops weather from all directions making it a rare occurrence for rain-bearing clouds to skirt the mainland entirely.

Tasmania, which is typically exposed to westerlies, is usually wet on its west coast but eastern parts can be dry. Hobart is the driest capital after Adelaide.

Andrew Watkins from the bureau said a lack of rain across almost the entire country was “fairly unusual,” but there have occasionally been days with virtually no rainfall.

The intensifying drought over eastern Australia is combining with an expected late northern monsoon, increasing the odds the mainland’s rain gauges collect little or no moisture.

For instance, the bureau highlighted September 12 as similar to Monday’s conditions, however pockets of rainfall were still evident in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia.

The bureau’s maps show just how dry most of the past month has been for most of the mainland.

WeatherZone’s Joel Pippard said the aridity was caused by a dry air mass in central Australia, which has been squeezed out to the coast through several troughs.

“It basically means that hot and dry winds are coming, and they’ll peak tomorrow,” he said, referring to the conditions making fire authorities anxious in NSW and Queensland.

Fire danger ratings have been lifted to “catastrophic” in three parts of NSW for Tuesday: the greater Sydney and Hunter regions and the Illawarra/Shoalhaven district.

And as for whether Monday goes into the record books, that might take a bit of extra sleuthing.

The forecasts are based on a 24-hour period set at 12-UTC, while rainfall totals run 9am to 9am.

In other words, rainfall after 9am will be counted as November 12 – not there is much likely to be tallied.

So far on Monday, the Northern Territory has had “no rain anywhere” since 9am, while Point Hicks in far-eastern Victoria is the wettest place in Australia with just 4 millimetres so far.

The coming seven days after Monday are hardly looking much better, with the bulk of the country predicted to be dry.

And, meanwhile, it’s hot out there too. Marble Bar in the WA Pilbara was the hottest place at 44.4 degrees just before noon.