Hurricane Alex in 2016 was the first Atlantic hurricane in January since Alice in 1955. Alex originated as a non-tropical low near the Bahamas on January 7. It briefly acquired hurricane-force winds on January 10, then weakened slightly before acquiring more tropical weather characteristics. The system transitioned into a subtropical cyclone on January 12 well south of the Azores, becoming the first North Atlantic tropical or subtropical cyclone in January since Tropical Storm Zeta of 2006. Alex transitioned into a fully tropical cyclone on January 14. It peaked in strength as a Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson scale with reported maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 km/h) and a central pressure of 981 mbar (hPa; 28.97 inHg). Alex weakened to a high-end tropical storm before making landfall on Terceira Island on January 15. After leaving the Azores, it reverted to a non-tropical cyclone.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane_Alex_%282016%29

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1808:

John Rennie's scheme to defend St Mary's Church in Reculver from coastal erosion was abandoned in favour of demolition, despite the church being an exemplar of Anglo-Saxon architecture. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_Mary%27s_Church,_Reculver

1916:

Oswald Boelcke and Max Immelmann became the first German aviators to be awarded the Pour le Mérite, Germany's highest military honour. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Immelmann

1967:

Seventy-three-year-old psychology professor James Bedford became the first person to be cryonically preserved with intent of future resuscitation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cryonics

2007:

Comet McNaught reached perihelion, becoming the brightest comet in over 40 years, with an apparent magnitude of −5.5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/C/2006_P1_%28McNaught%29

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

charlotte russe: A dessert of custard or whipped cream enclosed in sponge cake, often in the form of ladyfingers. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/charlotte_russe

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

We faced an unprecedented assault on our Capitol, our Constitution, and our country. The assault was fueled by more than four years of poison politics spreading deliberate misinformation, sowing distrust in our system, and pitting Americans against one another. The match was lit by Donald Trump and his most ardent enablers, including many in Congress, to overturn the results of an election he lost. The election was free, the count was fair, the result is final. We must complete the peaceful transfer of power our Constitution mandates.   --Bill Clinton https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Bill_Clinton