WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

28 May-1 June 2012

DataStreme Earth Climate Systems will return for Fall 2012 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 27 August 2012. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Change in season -- Meteorological spring in the Northern Hemisphere, the three-month span from March through May, concludes on Thursday (31 May 2012), while meteorological summer (June, July and August) will commence on the following day.
Atlantic Hurricane Season begins -- The hurricane season in the North Atlantic basin, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico will begin this coming Friday, 1 June. In the Eastern North Pacific basin, the hurricane season began on 15 May. The season will run until 30 November 2012 in both basins. NOAA has declared the week of 27 May-2 June 2012 to be Hurricane Awareness Week across the nation.

CURRENT CLIMATE MONITORING

Fact sheet issued on Atlantic hurricanes and changing climate -- A new State of the Science Fact Sheet entitled "Atlantic Hurricanes, Climate Variability and Global Warming" has been posted that summarizes and assesses the relationship between Atlantic hurricanes and climate change. [NOAA Research Council]
Monitoring Alaskan glacier from space for over 25 years -- A sequence of 18 false-color images have been made of the changes in Alaska's Columbia Glacier that were recorded by sensors aboard three different NASA Landsat satellites (4, 5, and 7) from 1986 through 2011. The reduction in the volume of this glacier by nearly half since 1980 appears to be due to mechanical forces and to changing climate conditions. [NASA Earth Observatory]
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]
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]

PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION

Determining past climates from leaf vein architecture of fossils --Life scientists at the University of California, Los Angeles have discovered fundamental relationships concerning the architecture of leaf veins, which then can be used to develop mathematical rules that can be used to ascertain the past climates from leaf fossils. [UCLA Newsroom]
Ancient atmosphere linked to inner workings of planet Earth -- The construction of a 4-billion year geochemical time line from a database of several thousand geological samples have led Princeton University researchers to discover that the increase of oxygen in the Earth's atmosphere during the Great Oxygenation Event (GOE) approximately 2.5 billion years ago coincided with a steep decline in the intensity of melting within the planet's mantle, a rock layer situated between the crust and molten outer core. The researchers suggest that diminished melting in the mantle decreased the depth of melting in the Earth's crust, which reduced the output of reactive, iron oxide-based volcanic gases into the atmosphere, thereby permitting more free oxygen to accumulate in the early atmosphere. The dominant theory of oxygenation remains one that has the emergence of abundant photosynthetic life prior to GOE producing oxygen via photosynthesis. [Princeton University]

CLIMATE FORCING

Seagrass beds are vital at sequestering carbon -- Researchers from the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, Denmark and Greece have found that coastal seagrass beds can store as much as twice the amount of carbon per unit area as the terrestrial temperate and tropical forests. The researchers claim that seagrasses are a vital part of the solution to climate change. [NSF News]

CLIMATE FORECASTS

Hurricane outlooks issued -- Scientists with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center have released their outlooks for the upcoming hurricane seasons in the Atlantic, the eastern Pacific and central Pacific Basins last week:

For the North Atlantic basin, the outlook indicates a near normal hurricane season in 2012. Specifically, the outlook calls for a 70 percent chance that the basin could experience 9 to 15 named tropical cyclones (hurricanes and tropical storms), which would exceed the long-term average of 11 named tropical cyclones. Of the 9 to 15 named systems, four to eight hurricanes could develop, of which one to three could become major hurricanes (Category 3 hurricanes or greater on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Intensity Scale). Based upon long-term averages,12 named tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin each season, with an average of six hurricanes that would form. Two of these hurricanes typically become major hurricanes. The forecasters anticipate a near normal Atlantic hurricane season because of a combination of factors favoring tropical cyclone development that include near average sea surface temperatures across the western tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea and a continuation of the 15-year trend toward more active Atlantic hurricane seasons. On the other hand, factors that would limit tropical cyclone formation would involve strong wind shear through the lower atmosphere across the basin and lower than average sea surface temperatures in the far eastern Atlantic. [NOAA News]
For comparison, Phil Klotzbach and Bill Gray at Colorado State University released a forecast of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season in early April calling for a season with slightly below average activity as they envision 10 named tropical cyclones, of which four could reach hurricane status. Two of these hurricanes could become major hurricanes. [The Tropical Meteorology Project]
In addition, forecasters at the United Kingdom's Meteorological Office have also produced a forecast of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season that estimates between 7 and 13 named tropical cyclones, with a most likely value of 10. They base their estimates on the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which measures the number of storms and their combined strength.
For the Eastern North Pacific basin (east of 140 degrees West longitude), the outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center suggests a near-normal hurricane season. This outlook would call for a 70 percent chance of 12 to 18 named tropical cyclones, with five to nine hurricanes. Two to five major hurricanes (category 3 or higher) were also envisioned. These anticipated numbers compare with the 45-year average of 15 named cyclones per year that include eight hurricanes and as many as four major hurricanes. The forecasters point to two competing climate factors that would keep projected numbers in 2012 close to the long-term average: increased wind shear that continue to suppress activity across the basin since 1995 and to the potential for the development of El Niño conditions during the season that would follow decrease vertical wind shear and help increase hurricane activity. [NOAA News]
For the Central North Pacific basin (between 180 degrees and 140 degrees West longitude), forecasters at NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center in collaboration with their colleagues at the Climate Prediction Center expect that the upcoming hurricane season would have an even chance (50 percent) of below normal activity. They called for two to four tropical cyclones to affect the central North Pacific in 2012, either forming with in the basin or entering it from the east. On average, four to five tropical cyclones (including tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes) travel across the basin that stretches from 140 degrees west longitude to the International Dateline. [NOAA News]

CLIMATE IMPACTS ON THE BIOSPHERE

Survival of baby sea turtles could be threatened by El Niño and climate change -- Researchers at Drexel University warn that future climate conditions at beaches where the critically endangered leatherback turtles nest could adversely affect the early survival of turtle eggs and hatchlings, with their survival possibly being cut in half within the next 100 years based upon current projections from multiple climate models. The researchers also found that the turtles' hatching success was significantly correlated with weather patterns associated with the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO). [Drexel University]
Infested trees could contribute to air pollution and haze in Western forests --Researchers from the Southern Illinois University Carbondale and colleagues from other research institutions have shown that hordes of mountain pine beetles have bored into billions of trees across the western United States and British Columbia, which have not only killed the trees but have also been responsible for the release of volatile organic compounds that have resulted in air pollution and haze. The researchers have found that beetle-infested trees release as much as 20 times more volatile organic compounds than healthy trees. [NSF News]

CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

NOAA Administrator addresses global oceans conference -- Early last week, Dr. Jane Lubchenco, the NOAA Administrator and Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans & Atmosphere, was the keynote speaker at the international Global Oceans, Climate, and Security Conference held in Boston, MA. In her address, entitled "Wealth and Health of a Nation," she highlighted the importance of several issues involving climate change and ocean acidification that could pose serious social, economic and health risks to the nation. She also described the activities that NOAA and its partners have been conducting to address these issues. [NOAA News]
Website for human dimensions of climate change -- An interagency effort within the US federal government that included NOAA, the Bureau of Land Management and the US Forest Service, has resulted in a website called HD.gov (for HumanDimensions.gov) that provides users, such as natural resource managers, with information on the human dimensions on a variety of topics of interest such as climate change. [HD.gov]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Historical Events:

28 May 1887...The temperature reached 97 degrees at San Francisco, CA, establishing a record high temperature for the month of May for the city. (Intellicast)
28 May 1942...The latest snowstorm of record for the state of Iowa left ten inches at LeMars, eight inches at Cherokee, and 7.5 inches at Waukon. Afternoon highs were in the lower 30s in parts of northwestern Iowa. (The Weather Channel)
28 May 1984...Sacramento, CA had its highest temperature ever recorded in the month of May, when the temperature reached 110 degrees, breaking the old record of 100 degrees set in 1932. (Intellicast)
28 May 2003...A new Nevada maximum temperature record for May was set when the high temperature at Battle Mountain, NV rose to 102 degrees. (The Weather Doctor)
29 May 2000...A new national maximum temperature record for May is set when the high temperature in Death Valley, CA soared to 122 degrees. (The Weather Doctor)
30 May 1948...The Columbia River reached its highest stage since 1894. A railroad bed acting as a dam gave way during a flood along the Columbia River destroying the town of Vanport, OR. The nearly 18,700 residents escaped with little more than the clothes on their backs. Damage was estimated at 101 million dollars and 75 lost their lives. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast) Twenty carloads of glass were needed in Denver, CO to replace that destroyed by a severe hailstorm. (The Weather Channel)
30 May 1985...The temperature in Oklahoma City, OK reached a sizzling 104 degrees, making it the highest ever for so early in the season. This also marked the very first time the temperature had reached the 100-degree plateau in the month of May at Oklahoma City. (Intellicast)
30 May 1986...Hanford, WA hit a scorching 104 degrees, breaking the all-time record high temperature for May for Eastern Washington. Yakima, WA hit 102 degrees, a record high for the month of May for Yakima. Records also fell at Boise, ID and Reno, NV. (Intellicast)
31 May 1889...The Johnstown, PA disaster occurred, the worst flood tragedy in U.S. history. Heavy rains totaling 4 to 10 inches over the previous 36 hours collapsed the South Fork Dam sending a thirty-foot wall of water rushing down the already flooded Conemaugh Valley. The wall of water, traveling as fast as twenty-two feet per second, swept away all structures, objects, and people, practically wiping out Johnstown. About 2100 persons perished in the flood. (David Ludlum)
31 May-1 June 1941...Thunderstorms deluged Burlington, KS with 12.59 inches of rain to establish a 24-hour rainfall record for the Jayhawk State. (The Weather Channel)
31 May 1973...Canada's sunniest month ends as Eureka, Northwest Territories recorded 621 hours of bright sunshine. (The Weather Doctor)
31 May 1983...Albany, NY experienced its wettest spring (March-May) in 109 years of records as 19.54 inches of precipitation was recorded. (Intellicast)
31 May 1986...The Weather Service Office in Washington, DC reported its driest spring on record with only 3.47 inches of precipitation from 1 March to 31 May. (Intellicast)
31 May 1988...Hot and humid weather prevailed in the eastern U.S. Thirteen cities reported record high temperatures for the date. Cape Hatteras, NC reported their first ninety-degree day in May in 115 years of records. (The National Weather Summary)
31 May 1991...Norfolk, VA hit 100 degrees, setting a new all-time record high for the month of May. (Intellicast)
31 May 1992...This May was the driest on record for Chicago, IL and Rockford, IL. Only 0.30 inches of rain fell at Chicago and Rockford had a paltry 0.48 inches. The total rainfall at El Paso, TX of this past month was 4.22 inches, making this the wettest May ever for the city. The normal rainfall for May is only 0.24 inches, which means that this month rainfall total was 1758 percent of normal! (Intellicast)
1 June 1907...Sarmiento, Argentina reported a temperature of 29 degrees below zero, the lowest temperature ever recorded in South America. (The Weather Doctor)
1 June 1941...Burlington, KS received 12.59 inches of rain, which set a 24-hour precipitation record for the Jayhawk State. (NCDC)
1-17 June 2001...The deadliest and costliest tropical storm in US history, Tropical Storm Allison, wandered westward across the tropical Atlantic and crossed over into the Pacific before reversing and moving back into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. On 1 June the tropical wave, which eventually evolved into TS Allison, moved into the Gulf of Tehuantepec on the Pacific coast of Mexico after moving westward across the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean from the west coast of Africa on 21 May. On the 2^nd, a cyclonic (counterclockwise) circulation developed to the south-southeast of Salma Cruz, Mexico, but the low-level circulation became ill defined as the system moved inland on the 3^rd over southeastern Mexico and western Guatemala. This system intensified again and eventually moved northward to the Texas Gulf Coast and then eastward to the Atlantic before turning into an extratropical storm in mid-June. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
1 June 2005...The UV (ultraviolet) Index in Toronto, Ontario reached 11 or Extreme on the 5-category UV scale, marking the first time the new extreme category has ever been attained in Canada. (The Weather Doctor)
2 June 1917...The temperature at Tribune, KS dipped to 30 degrees to establish a state record for the month of June. (The Weather Channel)
3 June 1905...Seattle, WA received its heaviest ever 24-hour June rainstorm with 1.42 inches falling. (Intellicast)

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