WEEKLY WATER NEWS

DataStreme WES Week Four: 25-29 September 2006

Water in the News

(Thurs.) Typhoon hits Philippines -- Typhoon Xangsane slammed the northern and central Philippines causing 3 deaths and extensive flooding with up to 5 feet of water. [USA Today]
(Thurs.) A nine-year average of global ocean chlorophyll data released -- The ninth anniversary of the commencement of the satellite based measurement of phytoplankton distribution and density in the world's ocean was marked by NASA scientists by the release of a global image that depicts the nine-year oceanic chlorophyll average obtained by the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor (SeaWiFS). [NASA Earth Observatory]
(Thurs.) Let water drain from surface into subterranean reservoirs during a drought -- A hydrology professor at the University of Texas, Dallas and a Denver engineer claim that storing water underground rather than in traditional surface reservoirs would reduce evaporation and provide a safeguard of water supplies during times of drought, such as those currently experienced across the Plains. [EurekAlert!]
(Thurs.) Drugs and chemicals found in treated sewage sludge used by homeowners -- A chemistry professor from Eastern Washington University reports that dozens of medicinal, industrial and household chemicals appear in the biosolids, or treated sewage sludge, sold by governmental agencies as lawn and garden enhancements. [ENN]
(Thurs.) Claims are made that dams do not jeopardize species -- A recent report by the US Fish and Wildlife Service claims that the federal dams on the Chattahoochee River separating Georgia and Alabama do not harm the endangered and threatened species in the Florida Panhandle. [US Water News Online]
(Tues.) A "speed bump" in the warming of the ocean noted -- Analysis of temperatures in the upper 2500 feet of ocean in the global basins by a variety of ocean moorings, floats, shipboard sensors, and satellite observations have led scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and the University of Hawaii to note that although temperatures in the surface layer have increased in five decades, significant cooling occurred in the upper ocean since 2003. One of the researchers called this recent reverse a "speed bump" in the long-term temperature trend. [NASA Earth Observatory]
(Tues.) Quicker pollution warning system developed for beach users -- Scientists at the University of California, Irvine have developed a new technique that would allow public health officials to analyze temperature and salinity data obtained by sensors in the Southern California Coastal Ocean Observing System located in the waters offshore of Southern California beaches and then issue warnings or close beaches within minutes when oceanic pollutants move toward the beaches. [University of California, Irvine]
(Tues.) Colorado River receives below average inflow -- The National Weather Service's Colorado Basin River Forecast Center reported that the snowmelt that flows into the Colorado River was well below average again during this past summer, the result of an extended drought across the river basin's headwaters. [US Water News Online]
(Tues.) Greenland ice sheet continues to loose mass -- After analyzing data collected by the pair of NASA's GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellites, scientists at the University of Colorado at Boulder have concluded that Greenland was rapidly loosing mass in the spring of 2006 and that this rate of ice loss has been accelerating. [EurekAlert!]
(Tues.) Soaring population numbers increase world water demands -- The Dutch director general of the UN-backed International Water Management Institute told reporters in a recent interview following the institute's assessment of world water resources that demands for irrigation of food and biofuel crops will continue to add pressure on the already meager water supplies in many sections of the world. [ENN]
Eye on the tropics --
- In the eastern North Atlantic, Hurricane Helene weakened to a tropical storm late in the weekend as it moved to the northeast over open waters, well away from land. This hurricane had become a major hurricane, reaching Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Earlier, Hurricane Gordon, which had also become a Category 3 hurricane at the end of the previous week, passed by the Azores Islands as it traveled eastward during the middle part of last week. An image made by the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor on NASA’s Aqua satellite shows Hurricane Gordon as it approached Azores. The feeder bands around a central eye, which are characteristics of hurricanes, are apparent on this image. [NASA Earth Observatory]
- In the western Pacific, a typhoon identified as Yagi intensified to supertyphoon status with maximum sustained winds in excess of 140 mph as it moved initially to the northwest before curving to the north and then northeast. [CNN] A visible image made by the Japanese geosynchronous satellite MTSAT shows Supertyphoon Yagi within 80 miles of Iwo Jima late last week. [NOAA OSEI] In the China Sea, Tropical Depression 17W moved toward Viet Nam on Monday (local time).
- In the Indian Ocean, Tropical Cyclone Mukda was located in the Arabian Sea south of Pakistan at the beginning of the new week.
- Where are the hurricanes? As the climatological peak in the North Atlantic hurricane season passed two weeks ago, hurricane experts have been attempting to explain why no hurricanes have made landfall on the US mainland following a historic 2005 season and various earlier predictions for another active season this year. These experts point to the position of the Bermuda high pressure system displaced to the east and a trough of low pressure offshore of the East Coast that have combined to steer most of the eight named tropical cyclones (tropical storms and hurricanes) to the north across the open waters of the North Atlantic. They also cite development of an El Niño event that has produced sufficient wind shear (variation of wind speed and/or direction) with height to inhibit hurricane development. [USA Today]
- Satellites track this hurricane season's rainfall -- Hurricane experts at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and their NOAA colleagues have been studying sequences of three-hourly precipitation totals around the globe collected by NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) and Aqua satellites, along with the NOAA fleet of polar orbiting and geosynchronous satellites to obtain precipitation totals from individual hurricanes and typhoons in the various ocean basins during 2006. [NASA]
Weekend storm was responsible for deadly floods -- A storm that moved across the Midwest and the South at the start of this past weekend generated severe thunderstorms and produced heavy rains of up to 10 inches that resulted in flooding. As many as 12 people were killed by this storm, many from the flooding. Two people were also killed by a lightning-induced fire. [USA Today]
A polynya in the Beaufort Sea detected by satellites -- A new polynya, or large irregularly shaped area of open water in sea ice, was detected this past summer in the Beaufort Sea north of Alaska by sensors such as MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) onboard NASA's Aqua satellite. The size of this polynya, which continued to grow into September 2006, is somewhat unusual for the Beaufort Sea. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Openings found in Arctic sea ice -- Images made from data collected by the European Space Agency's Envisat satellite and the NASA Aqua satellite revealed major openings in the Arctic ice pack north of Svalbard and extending into the Russian Arctic to as far as the North Pole. [ESA]
Effects of global water scarcity attracts attention -- Officials from a variety of UN agencies have been focusing their attention on the adverse effects placed upon delicate wetlands, coasts and wildlife sanctuaries by the ever increasing global demand for useable water supplies. Apparently, some of the worst damage could occur in poor countries. [ENN]
Long-held beliefs challenged by a summer storm -- Scientists with the National Weather Service and the US Geological Survey have been reconsidering their theories of debris flows from storm runoff following a summer storm over the slopes of the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, AZ that battered the Sabino Canyon with boulders and dirt with greater than anticipated intensity. [USA Today]
Global and US Hazards/Climate Extremes -- A review and analysis of the global impacts of various weather-related events, including drought, floods, and storms during the current month. [NCDC]
Global Water News Watch -- Other water news sources can be obtained through the SAHRA Project at the University of Arizona [SAHRA Project]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

HOLIDAY SNOWFLAKE STAMPS -- The following is from the AMS Public Relations Officer:

Dear AMS Educators,

On 6 October 2006, the U.S. Postal Service will issue the 39-cent Holiday Snowflakes commemorative postage stamps. The stamps feature photographs by Caltech Physics Professor Kenneth Libbrecht of two types of stellar snowflakes -- three are stellar dendrites, which have tree-like branches, and one (lower left) is a sectored plate, which has broad branches divided by ridges. The lower left crystals were photographed in Michigan, upper right crystals in Alaska, and the remaining two crystals in northern Ontario. To take the photographs, Libbrecht used a small paintbrush to move each crystal from a cardboard collection board to a glass slide. He then snapped the photos using a digital camera attached to a high-resolution microscope.

The stamps provide a great educational opportunity for classrooms and kids all ages. It is a unique way to introduce kids to the art and science of snowflakes. Attached is an image of the Holiday Snowflakes stamps along with a black and white and color activity page. These are great for classroom, science fairs, and school science Web site. You can find an image of the stamps online and you can also link to Professor Libbrecht website. We hope you can use these stamps as an educational tool. If you have any questions, please contact Stephanie Kenitzer, AMS Public Relations Officer at (425) 432-2192 or kenitzer@ametsoc.org

Concept of the Week: Controlling Indoor Humidity

In public buildings as well as individual homes, it is sometimes desirable to alter extremes of relative humidity so that living spaces are more comfortable. For human comfort, optimum relative humidity is between about 30% and 50%. When indoor air is exceptionally dry, a humidifier may be used to add water vapor to the air, but when indoor air is excessively muggy, a dehumidifier may be used to remove water vapor from the air.

As cold, dry winter air is drawn indoors and heated by a furnace, its relative humidity declines--sometimes to uncomfortably low levels. Suppose, for example, that outdoor air has a temperature of -20ºC (-5ºF) and relative humidity of 50%. If that air were brought indoors and heated to 21ºC (70ºF), its relative humidity drops to about 2% -- well below the optimal winter indoor relative humidity of 30% to 50%. At such very low relative humidity values, people often feel discomfort caused by dry skin and irritation of the mucus membranes in their nose and throat. Also, wood furniture dries out and may crack and become unjointed. Discharge of static electricity (e.g., after walking across a carpet and touching a metal doorknob) can be a nuisance in dry rooms.

One remedy for excessively low indoor relative humidity is a device known as a humidifier. A humidifier elevates the relative humidity of indoor air to more comfortable levels by evaporating water into the air (increasing the vapor pressure). A common humidifier design consists of a wheel that continually rotates a porous belt (or pads) into and out of a reservoir of water. A fan blows air through the wetted belt, water evaporates into the air stream, and the more humid air circulates through the dwelling.

On the other hand, a dehumidifier may be desirable during warm muggy summer days. In addition to discomfort caused by reduced evaporative cooling, high values of indoor humidity can increase the incidence of mold and mites. A dehumidifier lowers the relative humidity of indoor air to more comfortable levels by inducing condensation of water vapor (decreasing the vapor pressure). In a standard dehumidifier, a fan draws humid air past a cold refrigerated coil. Air in contact with the coil is chilled to saturation, water vapor condenses on the coils and liquid water drips from the coils into a collection reservoir or through a hose into a drain. Most dehumidifiers function best when the air temperature is at or above 18ºC (65ºF).

Click on forecast map for locations across the country where today's indoor relative humidity is expected to be too high or too low in the absence of any controls on indoor humidity. For an interactive applet (from the University of Wisconsin-Madison) that explores the relationships among temperature, dewpoint, and relative humidity, go to http://profhorn.meteor.wisc.edu/wxwise/museum/a7/a7exercise1.html. Follow instructions and note how the indoor relative humidity changes with changes in outdoor conditions.

Concept of the Week: Questions

A humidifier elevates the relative humidity by causing [(evaporation)(condensation)].
A dehumidifier reduces the relative humidity by causing [(evaporation)(condensation)].

Historical Events

25 September 1939...A West Coast hurricane moved onshore south of Los Angeles bringing unprecedented rains along the southern coast of California. Nearly five and a half inches of rain drenched Los Angeles during a 24-hr period. The hurricane caused $2 million in damage, mostly to structures along the coast and to crops, and claimed 45 lives at sea. "El Cordonazo" produced 5.66 in. of rain at Los Angeles and 11.6 in. of rain at Mount Wilson, both records for the month of September. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
25 September 1997...While much of San Bernardino and Inyo Counties in California are desert, between 1 to 2 inches of rain from former Pacific Hurricane Nora fell across a large portion of these counties. State highway 190 was washed out between Panamint Springs and Stove Pipe in Death Valley National Park. Flooding also shut down many other park roads. (Accord Weather Calendar)
25-26 September 1962...Torrential rains from severe thunderstorms over the hilly regions to the west and north of Barcelona, Spain resulted in flooding and considerable property damage. Many buildings collapsed. Tarassa was particularly hard hit with approximately 500 deaths reported. (Accord Weather Calendar)
28 September 1986...Flash flooding swept a car into a swollen creek from off the Kamehameha Highway on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The driver held onto some branches until help arrived, but the strong current stripped him of his clothes and watch. (Accord Weather Calendar)
28 September 1986...Torrential rains and floods were responsible for South Africa's worst natural disaster in Natal. As much as 35 in. of rain fell between the 25^th and 29^th to the northeast of Empangen, resulting in 317 deaths and 163 people missing. Topsoil from some farms was completely washed away leaving only bedrock. (Accord Weather Calendar)
29 September 1959...Hurricane Gracie made landfall near Beaufort, SC with sustained winds of 97 mph and a peak gust of 138 mph. Ten people were killed in South Carolina and Georgia. As the weakening storm moved through Virginia on the 30th, she spawned an F3 tornado at Ivy, VA, which killed 11 people. On the same day, a storm produced 28 inches of snow at Colorado Springs, CO. (David Ludlum)
29 September 1983...Heavy rains began in central and eastern Arizona that culminated in the worst flooding in that state's history. Eight to ten inch rains across the area caused severe flooding in southeastern Arizona that resulted in thirteen deaths and $178 million in damage. President Reagan declared eight counties of Arizona to be disaster areas. (The Weather Channel)
30 September 1882...The world's first hydroelectric power plant (later known as Appleton Edison Light Company) began operation on the Fox River in Appleton, WI using a 42-inch waterwheel that powered two direct current generators to provide a total of 25 kilowatts of power. (Wikipedia, Energy Quest)
30 September 1932...Tropical cyclone rainfall of 4.38 inches at Tehachapi in southern California over 7 hours caused flash floods on Auga Caliente and Tehachapi Creeks resulting in 15 deaths. (The Weather Doctor)
30 September 1935...The Boulder Dam, renamed the Hoover Dam in 1947, was dedicated at Boulder City, NV. This concrete-arch dam supplied the first U.S. hydroelectric plant to produce a million kilowatts, with much of the power serving the Los Angeles area. (Today in Science)
1 October 1976...Hurricane Liza brought heavy rains and winds to Brazos Santiago, Mexico, causing a dam to break on the Cajoncito River, which killed 630 people as a wall of water crashed into the town of La Paz. (The Weather Doctor)
1 October 1893...The second great hurricane of the 1893 season hit the Mississippi Delta Region drowning more than 1000 persons. (David Ludlum)
1 October 1997... Flash flooding in Nogales, AZ resulted from 2 to 3 inches of rain. One hundred homes and 30 businesses were flooded and five vehicles floated down Western Avenue. (Accord Weather Calendar)