Weekly Ocean News

23-27 October 2017

For Your Information

Coastal Zone Management Act enacted 45 years ago -- This Friday (27 October 2017) marks the 45th anniversary of the passage of the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA) by the US Congress and its signing into law by President Nixon. This landmark act was passed to encourage coastal states to develop and implement coastal zone management plans (CZMPs) as a means for safeguarding the nation's coasts, estuaries and offshore waters of the surrounding oceans. [NOAA National Ocean Service News]
Marine and tropical weather statements -- This week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth provides identifies those National Weather Service Forecast Centers that monitor the weather, prepare weather forecasts, and issue event-specific warnings or advisories for marine and coastal interests. The terminology used to identify the particular warnings, watches and advisories for marine interests and for tropical weather events is also discussed.

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics --- Tropical cyclone activity continued across the North Atlantic and western North Pacific basins: :

In the North Atlantic Basin, Hurricane Ophelia lost its tropical characteristics and became a post-tropical cyclone during the predawn hours of last Monday as it was traveling toward the north. At the time, this strong post-tropical cyclone was located approximately 220 miles to the southwest of Mizen Head, Ireland. Hurricane force winds, along with torrential rains were reported in Ireland and the United Kingdom on Monday. At least three people were killed because of Ophelia. Additional information and satellite images of Hurricane Ophelia can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
According to the WMO (World Meteorological Organization), this major category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale was the farthest east that an Atlantic major hurricane has existed on record when it reached a longitude of 26.6°W, and the farthest north that a major hurricane has existed this late in the calendar year since 1939.
In the western North Pacific basin, Typhoon Khanun had become a category 2 typhoon (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) at the start of last week as it traveled to the west-northwest across the South China Sea toward the northern coast of Vietnam. By early Monday (local time), Typhoon Khanun was located approximately 250 miles to the east of Hanoi, Vietnam. By late Monday, Khanun was dissipating over the Gulf of Tonkin after brushing across China's Hainan Island. Additional information and satellite images for Typhoon Khanun are available on the NASA Hurricane Page.
A tropical depression,, identified as Tropical Depression 25W, formed to the east of the northern Philippines at the start of last week. Initially, this tropical depression strengthened as it headed west toward the Philippines, becoming Tropical Storm Lan. However, Lan veered to the north and took a track that carried it well to the east of Taiwan during the middle of last week. Eventually, Lan became a category 4 typhoon, as maximum sustained surface winds reached 155 mph. These winds were sufficiently strong for Lan to be called a Super-Typhoon. These winds resulted in sea wave heights of 35-40 feet. As of Monday (local time), Typhoon Lan had weakened to a category 2 typhoon by this past weekend as it was continuing generally toward the north. At that time, the center of Lan was located approximately 80 miles to the southwest of Yokosuka, Japan. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information for Super-Typhoo Lan.

A more detailed look at rapidly intensifying hurricanes -- Meteorologists from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have been collecting a variety of data obtained from several agency satellites focusing in on the atmospheric and oceanic environment surrounding several of this year's major Atlantic hurricanes that underwent rapid intensification, defined as those with maximum sustained surface winds that increased by at least 35 mph within a 24-hour span. Three hurricanes met this criterion in 2017: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. The data were collected from the MODIS sensor on NASA's Terra satellite and the VIIRS instrument on the NASA-NOAA Suomi NPP satellite, as well as from aircraft that included NASA' DC-8 and WB-57 aircraft and by the Global Hawk, a research drone. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Researcher along Alabama Gulf Coast tells her story about storm surge accompanying Hurricane Nate -- Renee Collini, the sentinel site coordinator of NOAA's Northern Gulf of Mexico Sentinel Site Cooperative at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab, has written a blog describing her experiences with the storm surge generated by Hurricane Nate as it made landfall two weeks ago along the Mississippi Coast, just to the west of Dauphin Island. Renee, who also lives on Dauphin Island, has been conducting sea-level rise research, some of which is funded through National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science's (NCCOS) Ecological Effects of Sea Level Rise Program. [NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science News]
Status of Arctic sea ice extent at end of September -- Scientists at the National Snow & Ice Center recently reported that the Arctic sea ice extent at the end of its melt season, determined to be 13 September, was at the eighth lowest in the daily minimum extent and seventh lowest in the monthly average since records of sea ice extent commenced in 1979. [National Snow & Ice Center News]
September 2017 weather and climate for the globe reviewed -- Scientists at the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) recently reported on their analysis of preliminary weather data collected from around the world during the month of September 2017. They found:

The global combined land and ocean average surface temperature for September 2017 was 1.40 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th-century average 1901-2000) for the month, which makes last month the fourth warmest September since a sufficiently dense network of global temperature records began in 1880.
When considered separately, the land surface temperature for this recently concluded month also was the third highest September temperature in the 138-year record, with a monthly temperature that was approximately 2.11 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th-century average. This new September record surpassed the previous record set last year by 0.20 Fahrenheit degrees.
Over the oceans, the September globally-averaged sea surface temperature was 1.13 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th century average, which was the fourth highest temperature on record for the month.
According to data provided by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC), the September Arctic sea ice extent in the Northern Hemisphere was approximately 25.5 percent below the 1981–2010 average, making it the seventh smallest September Arctic sea ice extent since satellite records began in 1979. In the Southern Hemisphere, the September 2017 Antarctic sea ice extent was the second smallest September extent in the 39-year record.
A global map of Selected Significant Climate Anomalies and Events for September 2017 is available from NCEI.
A summary article on the September global climate highlights is available, while more detailed analysis with tables and maps can be viewed. [NOAA/NCEI State of the Climate]

Current year could be one of three warmest on record -- A contractor with NOAA's Climate Program Office wrote an article for ClimateWatch Magazine noting that based upon temperature data compiled NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information through the end of September, the calendar year of 2017 could possibly be one of the three warmest since sufficiently detailed climate records from around the world began in 1880. According to NCEI, the average combined global land and ocean temperature for the first nine months of 2017 (Jan-Sept) was the second highest in the 138-year period of record, 0.23 Fahrenheit degrees behind the record Jan-Sept 2016 and 0.02 Fahrenheit degrees above the corresponding nine months in 2015 and 1998. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Video shows first leg of this summer's deep sea coral expedition in Gulf of Mexico and along Southeast US coast -- A 3:48-min video called "Living in the Dark" was produced by NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science that shows a team of research scientists collecting specimens, mapping and surveying the deep-sea coral ecosystems in the eastern Gulf of Mexico and the South Atlantic Bight, running from Florida northward to the Carolinas. This 18-day expedition was made onboard the NOAA Ship Nancy Foster. [NOAA's National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science News]
Satellite imagery shows contrast between blue waters and green waters over South Pacific -- A map of chlorophyll concentration in the near-surface ocean waters across the South Pacific Ocean was recently assembled from data collected during September by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NASA/NOAA Suomi NPP satellite. The map shows green and yellow colors, which indicate the highest chlorophyll concentrations due to phytoplankton, across the eastern and central equatorial Pacific, as well as across the extratropical waters farther south, while the blue colors over the subtropical regions of the South Pacific have the lowest chlorophyll concentrations. This pattern reflects the counterclockwise circulation of ocean water in the South Pacific Gyre located well away from land masses. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Major undersea earthquake fault off Alaska and British Columbia explored by US and Canadian scientists -- An international team of scientists from the US Geological Survey, Natural Resources Canada, the University of Calgary and the Sitka Sound Science Center in Alaska recently spent 20 days in the northeastern Pacific onboard the Canadian Coast Guard Ship John P. Tully exploring the 700-mile long Queen Charlotte-Fairweather Fault. This fault, which marks the boundary of the North American and the Pacific Plates, runs from near British Columbia's Haida Gwaii Islands (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands) to off the Alaska Panhandle near Juneau. The fault has been responsible for as many as a half dozen major earthquakes during the past century; future shocks would pose a threat to coastal communities in both the Alaska and British Columbia. [USGS News]
Fossil coral reefs off Texas coast reveals sea level bursts during last major warming event -- A team of scientists from Rice University and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi's Harte Research Institute for Gulf of Mexico Studies recently discovered Earth's sea level did not rise steadily following the end of the last Ice Age when widespread global warming was occurring, but rather rose in sharp, punctuated bursts. The researchers found this evidence from fossils in drowned reefs offshore of the Texas coast, with several of the bursts ranging in length from a few decades to roughly one century. Consequently, future sea-level rises may also occur sporadically. [Rice University News]
An All-Hazards Monitor-- This Web portal provides the user information from NOAA's National Weather Service, FAA and FEMA on current environmental events that may pose as hazards such as tropical weather, fire weather, marine weather, severe weather, drought and floods. [NOAA/NWS Daily Briefing]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com]

Concept of the Week: Loss of Louisiana's Coast

According to the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force, Louisiana has been losing its coastal wetlands (bayous, marshes, and swamps) to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at an alarming rate of about 65 to 100 square km (25 to 38 square mi) per year for the past several decades. This loss adversely affects fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and makes the coastal zone more vulnerable to storm surges such as that produced by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Since the early 1930s, the state's coastal wetlands have shrunk by an area equivalent to the state of Delaware. According to USGS estimates, an additional 1800 square km (700 square mi) could be lost by mid-century. The price tag for reversing this trend, restoring some marshes, and protecting the remaining 15,000 square km (5800 square mi) of wetlands could top $14 billion and take decades to complete. Many people argue that the value of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is well worth the expense.

As much as 75% of the fish and other marine life in the northern Gulf of Mexico depend on Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetlands are a nursery for commercially important catches of shrimp, crawfish, blue crab, and oysters. It is a food source for larger fish including yellow fin tuna, red snapper, and swordfish. In 2003, about three-quarters of the nation's fish and shellfish catch by weight came from Louisiana's waters. In addition, the wetlands are a stopover for millions of birds migrating between North and Central/South America. Furthermore, wetlands and associated barrier islands protect the ports, buildings, and other coastal zone structures from storm surges. Wetlands are particularly important in buffering the levees surrounding New Orleans, much of which is below sea level.

Many factors contribute to the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Thousands of kilometers of pipelines transporting oil and natural gas through the marshes plus the extensive network of navigation channels allow saltwater to intrude the wetlands. Increased salinity of the originally fresh or brackish waters kill wetland grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation that anchor soil in place. The canals also allow tidal currents to flow farther inland, accelerating erosion of wetland soils. The most important factor, however, is the consequence of flood control structures (levees) constructed along the banks of the Mississippi River. Levees constrict the flow of the river so that waters and suspended sediment discharge rapidly into the Gulf. Deprived of a continuous input of sediments and vegetation-supporting nutrients, existing sediments compact, wetlands subside and Gulf waters invade the wetlands. With the anticipated continued rise in sea level due to global climate change (discussed in Chapter 12 of your textbook), erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetland may accelerate in the future.

Plans to reverse the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands (the Coast 2005 plan and the Louisiana Coastal Area plan) seek to restore the structure and function of coastal wetlands. One proposal is to breach some levees along the lower Mississippi. This partial diversion of the Mississippi would increase the supply of sediments to the wetlands. Closing or installing locks on some navigation canals would reduce saltwater intrusion. In addition, dredged sediment would be used to re-build wetlands and restore barrier islands.

Historical Events:

23 October 1761...A violent hurricane struck New England, causing tremendous damage in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. (National Weather Service files)
23-24 October 1918...The Canadian steamship Princess Sophia carrying miners from the Yukon and Alaska became stranded on Vanderbilt Reef along coastal British Columbia. A strong northerly gale hampered rescue attempts, and the next day, the ship sank with the loss of the 268 passengers and 75 crewmen onboard. (The Weather Doctor)
24 October 1878: The Gale of 1878 was an intense Category 2 hurricane that was active between the 18th and 25th of October. It caused extensive damage from Cuba to New England, as was believed to be the strongest storm to hit the Washington - Baltimore region since hurricane records began in 1851. (National Weather Service records)
25 October 1859...The Royal Charter Storm, named after the loss of the fully rigged ship Royal Charter off the coast of Anglesey, England, drowned about 500 people, along with the loss of gold bullion. The ship was one of over 200 vessels wrecked between 21 October and 2 November, with the loss of around 800 lives. This tragedy led to the introduction of gale warnings in England beginning in June 1860. (The Weather Doctor)
25 October 1921...A hurricane made landfall at Tarpon Springs, FL, as a Category 3 (after weakening from a Category 4), causing several million dollars in damage. (National Weather Service records)
25 October 1941...South Greenland Patrol expanded to include three cutters of the Northeast Greenland Patrol and form the Greenland Patrol. (USCG Historian's Office)
25-26 October 1980...The combination of unusually high tides and southeasterly winds gusting to 75 mph generated waves with heights to 25 ft, resulting in serious flooding, beach erosion and sea wall damage along the Maine coast. Wind damage was considerable and as many as 100,000 homes were without power for up to 40 hrs. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
26 October 1865...A hurricane sank the steamship USS Mobile in 1700 feet of water off the Georgia coast. The wreck, laden with 20,000 gold coins, was found in 2003. (National Weather Service records)
26 October 1998...Hurricane Mitch, the second deadliest hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean, reached Category 5 strength on this day. (National Weather Service records)
27 October 1728...Captain James Cook, the famed British naval officer who was one of the first of the scientific navigators, was born on this date. Captain Cook surveyed the coasts of Labrador and Newfoundland before making three expeditions into the Pacific Ocean where he became the first Englishman to explore previously uncharted locations. On his various voyages, he conducted astronomical observations and his ship's botanist studied the flora and fauna that were collected. (Today in Science History)
27 October 1922...Navy Day was established by the Navy League of the United States and recognized by President Warren Harding. The day was suggested to recognize the birthdate of former President Theodore Roosevelt who had been an Assistant Secretary of the Navy and supported a strong Navy as well as the idea of Navy Day. The date was the anniversary of a 1775 report issued by a special committee of the Continental Congress favoring the purchase of merchant ships as the foundation of an American Navy. The date was last officially observed in 1949. (US Dept. of Defense)
28 October 1492...The famous Italian explorer, Christopher Columbus, landed on Cuba. (Wikipedia)
28 October 1991...Typhoon Thelma devastated the Philippines. Reports indicated that 6000 people died by catastrophic events related to the storm including dam failure, landslides, and extensive flash flooding. The greatest number of casualties occurred on Leyte Island where an 8-ft storm surge struck Ormoc, accounting for over 3000 fatalities. (The Weather Doctor)
29 October 1867...A hurricane struck Puerto Rico, sinking 50 ships and killing over a thousand people along its path. This is still one of the strongest hurricanes in Puerto Rico's history. (National Weather Service files)
29 October 1999...Tropical Cyclone 5B, with sustained winds of 155 mph, made landfall at Paradwip (Orissa, India). A storm surge of at least 20-ft height swept at least 12 mi inland. This is the strongest tropical cyclone ever record in the North Indian Ocean. More than 10,000 people were killed. With 2 million homes either damaged or destroyed, 35 million people were left homeless. Damage from this tropical cyclone was $1.5 billion. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
29 October 2012...Hurricane Sandy roared into the New Jersey shore bringing 80-mph winds and 30-foot waves to the Atlantic Seaboard from Chesapeake Bay to New England. As many as 148 fatalities were directly attributed to Sandy and millions were without electricity, some for up to 3 weeks after the storm. (National Weather Service files)