WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

WEEK FOUR: 16-20 February 2015

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2014 Campaign continues -- The second of a series of GLOBE at Night citizen-science campaigns for 2014 will begin this next Wednesday and run for 10 nights (19-28 February). GLOBE at Night is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program designed to encourage citizen-scientists worldwide to record the brightness of their night sky by matching the appearance of a constellation (Orion or Leo in the northern hemisphere, and Orion and Crux in the southern hemisphere) with seven star charts of progressively fainter stars. In addition to the 19-28 February campaign, the three additional GLOBE at Night campaigns are planned over the next three months of 2014: 21-30 March; 20-29 April and 19-28 May. [GLOBE at Night]
Remembering when all 50 states simultaneously had snow -- A feature article from NOAA Climate.gov recalls the extent of the snow cover across the nation back five years ago on 12 February 2010, the last time when all 50 states had snow on the ground on the same day. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Monitoring the seasonal motions of the sun -- If you would like more background information concerning how the sun appears to across your local sky, along with how you can access the times of local sunrise and local sunset, for your hometown on any day throughout year, please read this week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth.

CURRENT CLIMATE STATUS

Review of national weather and climate for January 2015 -- Using preliminary data collected from the national network of surface weather stations, scientists at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center have determined that the nationwide average temperature for the contiguous United States for the month of January 2015 was 2.9 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th century (1901-2000) average. This temperature makes the recently completed month the 24th warmest January since comprehensive national climate records began since 1895. With the exception of the South Central States, most of the western half of the nation had above to much above average January temperatures. Seven states (California, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming) reported statewide January temperatures that were in the highest 10 for the 121-year period of record. Conversely, statewide temperatures across the eastern half of the country and extending into the southern Plains were below average.
The scientists also found that last month was drier than average, as nationwide averaged January precipitation was 0.56 inches below the 20th century average, making January 2015 the eighteenth-driest January in 121 years. Many of the states om the West, the central Plains and the Midwest the South experienced below to much below 20th-century average precipitation. California, Nebraska, Oregon and Wyoming reported statewide precipitation that ranked in the ten lowest since 1895.
The January snow cover across the coterminous United States was the 18th smallest in the 49-year period of record according to the Rutgers Global Snow Lab. [State of the Climate/NCDC]
NOTE: A description is provided of the climatological rankings employed by NCDC for their monthly and seasonal maps. [NOAA/NCDC]
January national drought report -- The National Climate Data Center has posted its January 2015 drought report online. Using the Palmer Drought Severity Index, approximately six percent of the contiguous United States experienced severe to extreme drought conditions at the end of January, while five percent of the area had severely to extremely wet conditions.

CURRENT CLIMATE MONITORING

Southeastern African drought ameliorated by recent monsoon rains -- Maps of the Vegetation Health Index across southeastern Africa made from data collected from NOAA satellites at the end of November 2014 and in early February 2015 show that an improvement in the vegetation health following the late start to the rainy monsoon season in January 2015. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory] Maps of the precipitation anomalies (or differences between observed and long-term average precipitation totals) across this region are available for comparison. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Snowpack in California's Sierras is smaller than last year -- Despite large quantities of precipitation that spread across parched California during December 2014 due to a series of atmospheric rivers, little significant precipitation has fallen across the state's Sierra Nevada Range during the first five weeks of 2015. Furthermore, above average temperatures across the West resulted in higher snow levels, with precipitation falling as rain rather than snow. Comparison of images made by sensors onboard the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite shows a smaller snowpack across the Sierras at the end of January 2015 than at the start of February 2014. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory]
Call for massive overhaul of global rainfall satellites -- A study conducted by researchers at Cornell and Princeton Universities and the Aerospace Corporation warns that the existing fleet of Earth-orbiting satellites that make global rainfall estimates requires a serious overhaul. The researchers caution that the flood prediction efforts in many developing countries made from the data collected by these satellites may have weak spots, leading to the public being caught by surprise by major flooding events. Furthermore, four of the ten dedicated rainfall measuring satellites are past their design lifetime. [Cornell University Media Relations Office]

CLIMATE FORCING

Large amounts of airborne dust carried over Atlantic from northern Africa in January -- An image generated from data collected by the VIIRS (Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite) instrument onboard the NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP satellite shows the large concentration of aerosols that were being carried off the Sahara Desert of northern Africa and out over the waters of the equatorial and subtropical waters of the Atlantic Ocean during the month of January 2015. The image displays the aerosol optical thickness, a measure of the attenuation of visible light by the scattering and absorption of the airborne dust, clearly showing an intense Saharan Air Layer last month. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory]

CLIMATE AND THE BIOSPHERE

Model developed to predict plant responses to drought -- Scientists from the US Geological Survey the National Park Service and several academic research institutions recently completed a study that models how plant species respond to increased temperature and drought conditions. According to the study, plant vulnerability to drought varies across the landscape, with factors such as plant structure and soil type may either make the plants more vulnerable or serve to protect them from the effects of temperature and drought. This research could help protect drylands especially in a time of changing climate. [USGS Newsroom]

CLIMATE FORECASTS

Increases in carbon emissions could increase risk of 21st century megadroughts across nation -- In a study made by scientists from NASA, droughts across the Southwestern States and the central Plains could become stronger and last longer during the remainder of the 21st century than in the last 1000 years if human-produced greenhouse emissions continue to increase. A megadrought is a prolonged drought lasting more than three decades. These findings were based upon examination of past drought by tree ring analysis and the use of several climate models to simulate soil moisture conditions in the future using two emissions scenarios. [NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies]

CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

Relating natural gas prices to extreme winter conditions -- A team of scientists from NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), the Cooperative Institute for Climate and Satellites–North Carolina, other academic research institutions and the private sector have published a study that explores how natural gas prices reacted to temperatures in the Midwest and East regions of the United States during the warm winter of 2011–2012 and the cold winter of 2013–2014. Day-to-day fluctuations in the temperatures can drive changes in the natural gas market and highlight the susceptibility of the nation's economy to changing weather patterns. [NOAA National Climatic Data Center News]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Climate and Architecture

Humans have been constructing houses and other buildings for thousands of years not only to protect themselves from the weather and other environmental factors, but also to create a comfortable indoor environment that would exhibit energy efficiency, especially in harsh climates. For centuries, natural or primitive housing reflected an adaptation to the climate of the locale and the availability of local building materials.

In order to maintain a tolerable level of comfort within a building, attention must be paid to thermal effects, ventilation, illumination and atmospheric humidity.

The indoor thermal state ultimately depends upon the building's energy budget involving incoming and outgoing radiation, latent and sensible heat loss and by interior heat sources or sinks. The indoor thermal level is mainly associated with the external energy load on the building. The external energy load on the building depends upon the latitude of the building, season of the year and time of day.

In tropical latitudes and during midday hours in summer, the sun's path across the local sky increases the solar radiation incident upon the roof and walls of the building. In polar latitudes, or during the winter or the amount of available sunlight is significantly lower, with the loss of infrared radiation causing a net cooling from the building. Changes in the color of the roof and the outer walls can affect the amount of incoming sunlight absorbed. Building orientation and the effective use of overhangs can also affect the amount of sunlight absorbed. Furthermore, the amount of insulation, often related to the thickness of the walls, reduces the conduction of heat into or out of the building. Thick adobe walls have been used effectively in the Southwest to moderate indoor temperature. These walls reduce the heat flow into the building during the daytime and in summer and out from the building at night or during winter.

The size and placement of windows also affects the energy balance. Large windows on the side of the building facing the sun's path tend to permit large amounts of sunlight to penetrate into the building. However, large windows on the side facing away from the sun can cause for heat loss due to conduction, as many types of windowpanes are not energy efficient.

Effective landscaping can reduce energy demands upon a dwelling: Deciduous trees planted on the south and west sides of the home provide cooling shade during the summer, keeping sunlight from entering the windows. These trees will lose their foliage in fall and allow the sun to shine through in winter, and warm south facing rooms. Evergreen trees or dense shrubbery on the north side can serve as a windbreak, which reduce the cold northerly winds from striking the house in winter.

Energy losses from buildings during the upcoming winter in northern latitudes can be seen readily by how quickly snow melts from roofs and by how big the icicles form. Heat losses from buildings occur with larger negative energy budgets, which are reflected also in higher heating bills during the winter season. However, the heating bills also depend upon the severity of the winter season that can be ascertained from the number of accumulated heating degree-day units. Check this week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth for how you can monitor the number of heating degree-day units to date in your state for this coming heating season.

Concept of the Week: Questions

Place your responses on the Chapter Progress Response Form provided in the Study Guide.

The thicker the outdoor walls, the [(greater),(less)] the heat flow into or out of a building.
Planting [(evergreen),(deciduous)] vegetation on the south side of a home in New England will help reduce winter heating and summer cooling bills.

Historical Events:

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16 February 1903...The temperature at Pokegama Dam, MN plunged to 59 degrees below zero to establish a state record. (David Ludlum) This record has since been broken with a 60 degree below reading in 1996. (NCDC)
16 February 1929...Britain's greatest snowfall of 70.9 inches fell in just 15 hours at Dartmoor, Great Britain. (The Weather Doctor)
16 February 1943...Record cold prevailed in the northeastern U.S. The morning low of 32 degrees below zero at Falls Village, CT established a state record, yet the afternoon high that day was 20 degrees above zero. In January 1961, this Connecticut record low was tied. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
16 February 1966...Heavy rain fell in Whenuapai, New Zealand, with 4.2 inches of rain falling in one hour, a new record for that time in New Zealand. (The Weather Doctor)
16 February 1989...A surge of arctic air produced all-time record high barometric pressure readings of 31.08 inches at Duluth, MN, 30.97 inches at Chicago, IL and 30.94 inches at South Bend, IN. Readings of 31.00 inches at Milwaukee, WI and 30.98 inches at Rockford, IL tied their all-time records. (The National Weather Summary)
16 February 1996...A coastal storm produced heavy snow along the East Coast to push seasonal snowfall totals to new records at several locations. The following cities set new all-time seasonal snowfall records: Lynchburg, VA (8.1 inches new, 51.3 inches seasonal total); Washington/Dulles, VA (7.5, 53.4) ; Washington/National, DC (6.8, 40.8); Baltimore, MD (9.8, 54.9); Philadelphia, PA (7.5, 55.9); Hartford/Bradley, CT (10.3, 90.2) and Providence, RI (7.0, 78.0). (Intellicast)
17 February 1748...The temperature at Charleston, SC fell to 10 degrees, the lowest temperature ever recorded in the Colonial South. (The Weather Doctor)
17 February 1926...A deadly avalanche, Utah's worst, demolished 14 miner's cottages and a three-story boarding house in Binham Canyon. Thirty-six are killed and 13 injured. (The Weather Doctor)
17 February 1936...The temperature at McIntosh, SD plunged to 58 degrees below zero to establish a state record low temperature. (David Ludlum)
17 February 1974...Lakelse Lake, British Columbia received 46.5 inches of snow over 24 hours, Canada's greatest 24-hour snowfall on record that stood for nearly one quarter of a century until 57 inches fell in 24 hours at Tahtsa Lake, British Columbia on 11 February 1999. (The Weather Doctor)
17-18 February 2003...The President's Day snowstorm set a new Boston, MA record for the greatest snowstorm total snowfall: a total of 27.5 inches. (The Weather Doctor)
18 February 1899...While much of the central and eastern U.S. was recovering from the most severe cold wave of modern history, the temperature at San Francisco, CA soared to 80 degrees to establish a record for month of February. (David Ludlum)
18 February 1959...Some of the higher elevations of California were in the midst of a five-day storm that produced 189 inches of snow, a single storm record for North America. (13^th-19^th) (David Ludlum)
18 February 1966...The temperature at Winnipeg, Manitoba dropped to 49 degrees below zero, the city's lowest recorded temperature. (The Weather Doctor)
18 February 1979...The record low temperature for the state of New York was set at Old Forge when the temperature plummeted to 52 degrees below zero. (Intellicast)
18 February 1996...Cuba's coldest morning on record occurred when the temperature at Bainoa, Cuba dropped to 33 degrees. (The Weather Doctor)
19 February 1998...The temperature at Mardie, Western Australia reached 122.9 degrees, the second highest temperature ever recorded in Australia. (The Weather Doctor)
20 February 1974...The mean wind speed at Bonilla Island, British Columbia was 89 mph, the highest sustained speed on record in British Columbia. (The Weather Doctor)
20 February 1995...The temperature at the Civic Center in Los Angeles, CA hit 95 degrees for the highest temperature ever recorded for the month of February. (Intellicast)
21 February 1918...A spectacular chinook wind at Granville, ND caused the temperature to spurt from a morning low of 33 degrees below zero to an afternoon high of 50 degrees above zero, representing a rise of 83 Fahrenheit degrees. (David Ludlum)
21 February 1971...Elk City, OK was buried under 36 inches of snow to establish a 24-hour snowfall record for the Sooner State. (David Ludlum)
21 February 1996...Very hot weather for the time of year prevailed across South Texas. All-time February high temperatures were set at Del Rio (103 degrees), San Antonio (100 degrees), Austin and College Station (99 degrees), and Waco (96 degrees). (Intellicast)
22 February 1936...Although heat and dust prevailed in the spring and summer, early 1936 brought record cold to parts of the U.S. Sioux Center, IA reported 42 inches of snow on the ground, a state record. (20^th-22^nd) (The Weather Channel)
22 February 1996...Record heat continued over the south-central states. All-time February high temperatures were set at San Angelo, TX (97 degrees), Wichita Falls, TX (93 degrees), Oklahoma City, OK (92 degrees), and Wichita, KS (87 degrees). (Intellicast)

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