WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

14-18 July 2014

DataStreme Earth Climate System will return for Fall 2014 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 25 August 2014. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Zenithal Sun -- Residents of Honolulu will experience a noontime sun that would be directly overhead late this week (15-17 July). This occurrence of a zenithal sun is one of the two times during the year when the noontime sun is directly overhead to residents of Honolulu and the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The other time when Oahu experienced a zenithal sun was in late May. [US Naval Observatory, Data Services]

CURRENT CLIMATE STATUS

Satellites catch start of ice breakup on Hudson Bay -- A natural color image made in mid-June from the MODIS instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite shows ice breaking up on Canada's Hudson Bay as part of the spring warming. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Review of Canadian national weather and climate for Winter 2013-2014 -- Climate scientists with Environment Canada recently reported that the nationwide average temperature during meteorological winter 2013/14 (December through February) was approximately 0.4 Celsius degrees below the 1961-1990 normal, which placed this past winter as the 24th coldest winter since nationwide records began in 1948. Sections of southern and eastern Canada experienced below average winter temperatures, with sections of southwestern Ontario to the north of Minnesota and Lake Superior having winter temperatures that were 4 to 5 Celsius degrees below normal. On the other hand, sections of the Yukon and Northwest Territories had three-month temperatures that were at least 3 Celsius degrees above normal.
Winter across Canada was relatively dry as the nationwide precipitation for winter 2013/14 was the fifteenth lowest since 1948. Drier than average conditions were found across many areas to the nation, with some of the driest winter conditions across southwestern British Columbia and southern Saskatchewan along with sections of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. A few areas of southwestern Ontario and northern Quebec had above average precipitation. [Environment Canada]

CURRENT CLIMATE MONITORING

High-flying laser altimeter readied to monitor summer sea ice in the Arctic -- NASA'S Multiple Altimeter Beam Experimental Lidar, or MABEL, was scheduled to begin flying over Alaska and the Arctic Ocean aboard one of NASA's ER-2 high-altitude aircraft this past weekend. MABEL will be collecting data during the nearly three-week campaign based in Fairbanks, AK to study sea ice in summer, especially how thinning sea ice and summer snowmelt affect the region's reflectivity of sunlight. This instrument is a prototype of one that will be launched on NASA's Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite-2, or ICESat-2, in 2017. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]
Global maps of soil moisture produced from satellite data -- NASA and US Department of Agriculture scientists have used data collected from NASA's instrument onboard the Argentinian spacecraft Aquarius/Satélite de Aplicaciones Científicas to generate worldwide maps of near-surface soil moisture, revealing changes in the patterns of the near-surface wetness of the soil due to seasons and various weather phenomena. These satellite-derived patterns of soil moisture within two inches of the surface and from around the globe will be of importance for weather and climate forecasts, drought and flood monitoring and water management decisions. [NASA Earth Science News Team]
Satellites may provide early clues of flood danger -- NASA scientists have used data collected by NASA's twin Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellites during the 2011 Missouri River Basin floods and found that these data can help predict the potential of a river basin to flood by as much as 11 months in advance of the flood season. The GRACE satellites can be used to monitor monthly variations in the total water stored in large river basins by measuring tiny changes in the Earth's gravitational field. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]
Hidden cyclic nature of sea winds revealed by satellite -- NASA is planning to dispatch an ocean wind-monitoring instrument called ISS-RapidScat to the International Space Station (ISS) in the near future. This ISS-RapidScat instrument, which stands for the International Space Station Rapid Scatterometer, is designed to observe daily or diurnal cycles of wind across the ocean surface created by solar heat for a two-year span. The scatterometer is a type of radar that sends microwaves toward the Earth's surface and measures the strength and direction of the reflected or "return" signals. Strong return signals received by scatterometers off ocean surfaces indicate large wind driven waves due to strong winds. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory]
An All-Hazards Monitor -- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, fire weather, marine weather, severe weather, drought and floods. [NOAAWatch]

CLIMATE FORCING

Mauna Loa Observatory measures record high levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide for three consecutive months -- NOAA scientists recently reported that the Mauna Loa Observatory located near the top of one of the volcanic peaks on Hawaii's Big Island has measured concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide gas that exceeded 400 parts per million (ppm) on every single day for three consecutive months. This benchmark of 400 ppm has never been exceeded previously at this observatory that has been making nearly continuous operations since the late 1950s. [NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research News]
Ocean acidification studied in Alaska's Prince William Sound -- A team of scientists from NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, the University of Alaska and the Alaska Ocean Observing System is studying how melting glaciers surrounding Alaska's Prince William Sound may be intensifying ocean acidification in the sound and on the Gulf of Alaska continental shelf. The team is using new robotic tools that include surface wave gliders and submersible gliders that can collect ocean data down to depths of 200 meters. [ NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research News]

CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Historical Events:

14 July 1886...Los Angeles, CA had its greatest 24-hour July rainfall with 0.24 inches. (Intellicast)
14-15 July 1911...Baguio, Luzon, Philippines reported 46 inches of rain, which represents Asia's greatest 24-hour rainfall: (The Weather Doctor).
14 July 1886...Los Angeles had its greatest 24-hour July rainfall with 0.24 inches. (Intellicast)
14-15 July 1911...Baguio, Luzon, Philippines reported 46 inches of rain, which represents Asia's greatest 24-hour rainfall: (The Weather Doctor).
15-16 July 1916...A dying South Atlantic Coast storm produced torrential rains in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Altapass, NC was drenched with 22.22 inches of rain, a 24-hour rainfall record for the Tarheel State, and at the time, a 24-hour record for the U.S. (The current 24-hour rainfall record for the US is 43 inches set 25-25 July 1979 at Alvin, TX). Flooding resulted in considerable damage, particularly to railroads. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast) (NCDC)
15 July 1983...The Big Thompson Creek in Colorado flooded for the second time in seven years, claiming three lives, and filling the town of Estes Park with eight to ten feet of water. (The Weather Channel)
15 July 1989...Thunderstorms drenched Kansas City, MO with 4.16 inches of rain, a record for the date. Two and a half inches of rain deluged the city between noon and 1 PM. Afternoon thunderstorms in South Carolina deluged Williamstown with six inches of rain in ninety minutes, including four inches in little more than half an hour. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
15 July 1993...Four-inch diameter hail fell at Hot Springs, SD. In North Dakota, Jamestown recorded 6.40 inches of rain, Fargo 5.09 inches and Bismarck 4.08 inches. (Intellicast)
15 July 2001...Rain fell at 3.91 inches per hour in Seoul, South Korea, the heaviest amount since 1964. In total, 12.2 inches of rain fell in Seoul and Kyonggi. The rain was responsible for 40 reported fatalities. (The Weather Doctor)
17 July 1987...Slow-moving thunderstorms caused flooding on the Guadalupe River in Texas resulting in tragic loss of life. A bus and van leaving a summer youth camp stalled near the rapidly rising river, just west of the town of Comfort, and a powerful surge of water swept away 43 persons, mostly teenagers. Ten drowned in the floodwaters. Most of the others were rescued from treetops by helicopter. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
17-18 July 1996...Heavy rains were responsible for unprecedented flooding across north central and northeast Illinois, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Aurora, IL received 16.91 inches of rain, which established a new 24-hour precipitation record for the Prairie State. Approximately 60 percent of the city's homes were affected by flooding. At Romeoville, 10.36 inches of rain fell. Interstates were closed and some towns were isolated. Rampaging floodwaters scoured out roads near Dayton, leaving gravel and sand deposits to twenty feet high. (NCDC) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
18 July 1889...A cloudburst in West Virginia along the small creeks in Wirt County, Jackson County and Wood County claimed twenty lives. Rockport, WV reported 19.00 inches of rain in two hours and ten minutes that Thursday evening, setting a 24-hour precipitation record for the Mountain State. Tygart Creek rose 22 feet in one hour, and villages were swept away on Tygart, Slate, Tucker, and Sandy Creeks. (The Weather Channel) (NCDC)
18 July 1942...A record deluge occurred at Smethport in northern Pennsylvania, with 30.70 inches in just six hours. The 24-hour rainfall total for the day was 34.50 inches, which set a maximum 24-hour precipitation for the Keystone State. The downpours and resultant flooding in Pennsylvania were devastating. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast) (NCDC)
18 July 1955...In Martinstown, England, eleven inches of rain fell in a 15-hour period on this day believed to be the 24-hour greatest rainfall for the United Kingdom. (The Weather Doctor)
18-19 July 1979...A 30-foot high tsunami wave leveled four Indonesian villages on the Sunda Islands during the night. The wave swept 1500 feet inland, causing 589 deaths among the sleeping villagers. A landslide from Mount Werung (Lomblen Island) caused the tsunami. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
18-21 July 1996...Between six and twelve inches of rain fell on an already saturated Saguenay River Valley of Quebec, producing Canada's first billion-dollar disaster ($1.5 billion). Flooding destroyed or damaged 1718 houses and 900 cottages. Ten people were killed and 16,000 were evacuated. Roads and bridges disappeared. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (The Weather Doctor) (Wikipedia)
18 July 1996...Aurora, IL received 16.91 inches of rain, which established a new 24-hour precipitation record for the Prairie State. (NCDC)
18-22 July 1997...Hurricane Danny, the only hurricane that made landfall in the continental US in 1997, moved inland into coastal Alabama at a snails pace. Radar storm total estimates of 43 inches over Mobile Bay. A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell on 19-20 July at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
19 July 1886...A hurricane from the Gulf of Mexico crossed Florida causing great damage from Cedar Keys to Jacksonville. This was the third hurricane in one month to cross the Florida peninsula. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
19 July 1955...The Yarkon Water Project was opened to supply water to Negev desert in Israel. The Yarkon "flows" through the most densely populated areas of the country to the Mediterranean. The river has deteriorated rapidly since the 1950's due to excessive draining for irrigation by the National Water Carrier, with marked decline in water quality, animal habitats, flora and fauna. The National Water Carrier (1964), which crosses Israel from north to south, is the 81-mile main artery connecting all regional water projects in the State. (Today in Science History)
19 July 1974...A severe thunderstorm with winds to 80 mph and up to two inches of rain washed out four to five foot deep sections of roadway in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Three persons in a station wagon died as it was carried 3000 feet down a wash by a ten foot wall of water. (The Weather Channel)
19 July 1977...Thunderstorms produced torrential rains over parts of southwestern Pennsylvania. Some places in the Johnstown area received more than twelve inches in a seven-hour period. The heavy rains cause flash flooding along streams resulting in widespread severe damage, representing the "second Johnstown flood", second to the more disastrous flood in May 1889. The cloudburst flooded Johnstown with up to ten feet of water resulting in 76 deaths, countless injuries, and 424 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
19 July 1994...Hurricane Emilia was the first of three Category-5 hurricanes to develop in the Central Pacific in 1994 as unusually warm sea temperatures prevailed south of Hawaii. Sustained winds reached 160 mph. (Intellicast)
19 July 2006...Charlwood, England melted under the highest temperature ever recorded in Britain in July at 97.3 degrees. (The Weather Doctor)
20 July 1965...The 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Show-Me State was set at Edgarton, MO as 18.18 inches of rain fell. (NCDC)
20 July 1989...Showers and thunderstorms in the Middle Atlantic Coast Region soaked Wilmington, DE with 2.28 inches of rain, pushing their total for the period May through July past the previous record of 22.43 inches. Heavy rain over that three-month period virtually wiped out a 16.82-inch deficit that had been building since drought conditions began in 1985. Thunderstorms in central Indiana deluged Lebanon with 6.50 inches of rain in twelve hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)
20 July 1930...The temperature at Washington, DC soared to an all-time record of 106 degrees. The next day Millsboro reached 110 degrees to set a record for the state of Delaware. July 1930 was one of the hottest and driest summers in the U.S., particularly in the Missouri Valley where severe drought conditions developed. Toward the end of the month, state records were set for Kentucky with 114 degrees and Mississippi with 115 degrees. (David Ludlum)
20 July 1934...The temperature at Keokuk, IA soared to 118 degrees to establish an all-time record high temperature for the Hawkeye State. (The Weather Channel)
20 July 1965...The 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Show-Me State was set at Edgarton, MO as 18.18 inches of rain fell. (NCDC)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)
20 July 1986...The temperature at Charleston, SC hit 104 degrees for the second day in a row to tie their all-time record high. (The Weather Channel)
20 July 1988...The temperature at Redding, CA soared to an all-time record high of 118 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
20 July 1994...Seattle-Tacoma, WA sizzled at 100 degrees, the highest ever temperature recorded there. (Intellicast)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)

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