DataStreme ECS WEEK FIVE: 3-7 October 2011

• A portrait of a well-developed midlatitude cyclone over the Midwest -- Satellite images obtained from several of the nation's fleet of environmental satellite early last week showed a classic comma-shaped cloud pattern associated with a nearly stationary midlatitude cyclone (or low pressure system) that remained over the nation's midsection. One of the images from the MODIS instrument onboard NASA's Aqua satellite. An animation or series of images was made from data collected by the sensors on NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) over a three-day span. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Celebrate Earth Science Week 2011 -- The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, including the National Weather Service, along with NASA, the US Geological Survey and several professional scientific organizations such as the American Geological Institute have recognized next week (9-15 October 2011) as Earth Science Week 2011 to help the public gain a better understanding and appreciation for the earth sciences and to encourage stewardship of the Earth. This year's theme for the 13th annual Earth Science Week is " Our Ever-Changing Earth", designed to "engage young people and the public in learning about the natural processes that shape our planet over time." [American Geological Institute]

• 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]

• Productivity of land plants may have been underestimated -- In studies of changes in the greenhouse and ozone-depleting gases conducted on the archive of air samples collected from Cape Grim in Australia's northwest Tasmania since 1978, scientists with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and their colleagues in the US and Germany have concluded that the global uptake of carbon by land plants may be up to 45 per cent more than previously thought. They base their conclusions on the variability of heavy oxygen atoms in atmospheric carbon dioxide driven by the El Niño effect. [LabSpaces]

• Climate change will reveal which animals can survive the heat -- Computer simulations run by researchers at Brown University to examine the health and projected range of animal species in the face of changing climate indicates that the animals' ability to withstand temperature fluctuations during travels to new safe havens will be a crucial determinant of their survival. [Brown University]
• Differences found in autumnal colors between North America and Europe -- Scientists in the US, Europe and Israel have found that subtle differences in the fall coloration in North America and Europe are due to varying amounts of the anti-oxidant red pigment anthocyanin produced by the native deciduous vegetation designed to protect against insect damage. The variations appear to be due to adaptation to long term changes in environmental conditions including climate. More anthocyanins are produced in trees living in areas that have nutrient-poor soils such as along the Appalachians in North America, resulting in more red fall colors than in Europe, where more yellow colors are found. [New Scientist]

• Reefs appear to recover quickly after mass extinction -- An international team of researchers has found that a variety of organisms formed ocean reefs within 1.5 million years following the Earth's largest mass extinction that occurred at the end of the Permian era approximately 252 million years ago. This mass extinction is thought to have been caused by major fluctuations in sea level, carbon content, acidification and oxygen deficiency in seawater. Previously, the length of recovery of life on the reefs was thought to have taken five million years. [EurekAlert!]

• Big time losses from wildfires in Texas -- Officials with the Texas AgriLife Extension Service recently estimated that agriculture in the Lone Star State has lost more than $150 million due to wildfire during the first nine months of 2011. These wildfires, which have been the result of record drought across Texas, have consumed structures, equipment, livestock, fences, pasture and timber. Since the drought and the incidence of wildfires are expected to continue for the foreseeable future, these financial losses to agriculture should continue to mount. [Agrilife Today]
• Looking to the wind for new energy -- Scientists at Australia's CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research have been attempting to improve their estimates of long-term changes in wind speed in order to reduce the risks faced by wind power generators due to a changing climate. Although some recent studies have shown a general decrease in wind speeds across some areas of the globe, the Australians have found that Australia's average wind speed has been increasing. [CSIRO Media]
• 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.

Report from the Field -- Bill Huskin, the DataStreme Climate Studies LIT member from Doylestown, PA, reported on discussions with his friends who own property on the barrier islands along the New Jersey coast. They told him that Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee eroded much of the beach enhancement that their communities had completed at great expense prior to the onset of the summer tourism season. He said that while they were discouraged about the loss, they feel fortunate that the beaches had provided a buffer that prevented further damage to homes and infrastructure.

Concept of the Week: Keeping your cool!

In order to survive, humans need to maintain a nearly constant internal core temperature that is within several degrees of 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. Your internal temperature depends upon an energy balance involving the gain and loss of energy from radiation (incoming solar versus incoming and outgoing infrared radiation), sensible heat transfer (conduction and convection), latent heat of evaporation (respiration and perspiration) and the body's metabolic rate. This heat transfer depends upon the differences between skin temperature and the ambient air temperature of the surroundings. In addition, wind and atmospheric humidity can affect the rate of sensible and latent heat transfer. Problems arise when either too much or too little heat flows to or from the body, yielding hypothermia and hyperthermia (heat stress) conditions, respectively.

When the air temperature increases, heat flow from the body is often reduced. Heat flow can be increased to maintain stable temperatures involuntarily by thermoregulatory processes such as increased perspiration (sweating) and dilation of the blood vessels. Humans can also act to prevent hyperthermia by selecting lightweight and light colored clothes, as well as seeking of shade and well ventilated locations. Unfortunately, high atmospheric humidity that often accompanies high summer temperatures also reduces body heat loss since evaporative cooling by perspiration is suppressed. During the summer, the National Weather Service alerts the public of potentially dangerous combinations of high air temperature and atmospheric humidity levels by calculating the Heat Index.

Statistics kept by the National Weather Service reveals that heat (along with high humidity) is responsible for the greatest number of weather-related deaths across the nation during the 10-year period (2001-2010), with 115 fatalities occurring per year. By comparison, 116 fatalities per annum are caused by tropical cyclones (hurricanes and tropical storms), 56 deaths per year are associated from tornadoes and 25 deaths annually caused by the cold (low temperatures). (Note: The large number of fatalities associated with the hurricanes of 2005, which totaled 1016 deaths in the US due primarily to Hurricane Katrina, has inflated the annual averages associated with tropical cyclones.) Furthermore, concern has been raised that during this century, more frequent and more severe heat waves due to global climate change could become more common, leading to a greater risk of hyperthermia and, ultimately, to higher morbidity rates.

Concept of the Week: Questions

(Each week you will be asked to respond to two questions relating to that week's Concept of the Week topic. Place your responses on the Chapter Progress Response Form provided in the Study Guide.)

1. The heat index is a function of air temperature and [(atmospheric humidity),(wind speed),(sunshine levels)].
2. The annual number of fatalities across the nation in the last ten years due to heat stress is approximately [(15),(60),(120)].

• 3 October 1912...The longest dry spell of record in the U.S. commenced as Bagdad, CA went 767 days without rain, ending on 9 November 1914. (David Ludlum)
• 4 October 1969...Denver, CO received 9.6 inches of snow. October of that year proved to be the coldest and snowiest of record for Denver, with a total snowfall for the month of 31.2 inches. (Weather Channel)
• 4-7 October 1972...Remnants of Hurricane Joanne brought heavy rain and flooding to much of Arizona. It was the first documented tropical storm to reach the state with its cyclonic circulation intact. Severe flooding occurred in the Clifton, Duncan and Safford areas. (The Weather Doctor)
• 4 October 1976...The mean wind speed reached 88.5 mph at Melfort, Saskatchewan, the province's highest ever sustained wind. (The Weather Doctor)
• 4 October 1987...A rapidly deepening coastal storm dumped record snows across eastern New York State and western New England. Grafton, NY was buried under 22 inches of snow, North Springfield, VT had 21 inches and Pownal, VT recorded 18 inches. Most of the snow occurred at higher elevations but even Albany, NY received 6 inches, their earliest measurable snow in 117 years of records. Damage to trees was extensive as many trees were still in full leaf. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) (The Weather Channel) (Intellicast)
  In California, high temperatures of 100 degrees at San Francisco, and 108 degrees at Los Angeles and Santa Maria, were October records. San Luis Obispo was the hot spot in the nation with an afternoon high of 111 degrees. (The National Weather Summary).
• 4 October 1998...As many as 27 tornadoes touched down across Oklahoma, establishing the national record for tornadoes in any state on a single October day. (The Weather Doctor)
• 4 October 2005...The Minneapolis-St. Paul (MN) International Airport received 4.61 inches, breaking the local daily rainfall record for October. North of the Twin Cities, weather spotters reported nine inches of rain in the town of Spencer Brook. (The Weather Doctor) 5 October 1917...The temperature at Sentinel, AZ soared to 116 degrees to establish an October record for the nation. (The Weather Channel)
• 5 October 1972...Heavy rains, mostly the remnants of Tropical Storm Joanne, fell across much of Arizona. It was believed to be the first time in Arizona weather history that a tropical storm entered the state with its circulation still intact. The center was over Flagstaff early on the 7th. (3rd-7th) (The Weather Channel)
• 5 October 1984...The temperature at Honolulu, HI hit 94 degrees to establish the all-time record high for that city. (Intellicast)
• 5 October 1987...In California, afternoon high temperatures of 102 degrees in Downtown San Francisco, and 104 degrees at Monterey, established all-time records. The high of 101 degrees at San Jose was a record for October. Sacramento tied their record for October for the third time in the month, with a reading of 102 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
• 6 October 1952...A trace of snow fell at Nashville, TN, the earliest ever on record. (Intellicast)
• 6 October 1967...Canada's 24-hour rainfall record was established at Ucluelet Brynnor Mines on Vancouver Island in British Columbia with 19.24 in. (Accord Weather Calendar)
• 6 October 1984...The temperature at Honolulu, HI reached 94 degrees to establish an all-time record at that location. (The Weather Channel)
• 7 October 1981...Seattle, WA received four inches of rain in 24 hours, a record for the city. (The Weather Channel)
• 7 October 1987...Tucson, AZ hit 101 degrees for the second day in a row to again equal their record for the month of October. (The National Weather Summary)
• 7 October 1992...The 2.1 inches of snow that fell at Concordia, KS was the earliest measurable snow on record at that station. (Intellicast )
• 8 October 1871...Prolonged drought and desiccating winds from the southwest led to the great Chicago fire, the Peshtigo horror, and the Michigan fire holocaust. Fire destroyed more than seventeen thousand buildings killing more than 200 persons in the city of Chicago, while on the same night a fire consumed the town of Peshtigo, WI killing more than 1100 persons. In Wisconsin, a million acres of land were burned, and in Michigan, 2.5 million acres were burned killing 200 persons. "Tornadoes of fire" generated by intense heat caused houses to explode in fire, and burned to death scores of persons seeking refuge in open fields. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
• 8 October 1987...Phoenix, AZ reported a record high of 104 degrees and a record tying 116 days of 100-degree weather for the year. Tucson, AZ established an all-time record with 72 days of 100-degree weather for the year. (The National Weather Summary)
• 8 October 1988...The afternoon high of 80 degrees at Stampede Pass, WA exceeded their previous record for October by seven degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
• 8 October 1993...With 1.05 inches of rain that fell at Columbia, MO, the yearly total precipitation was pushed to 55.77 inches, breaking the annual record. (Intellicast)
• 9 October 1903...New York City was deluged with 11.17 in. of rain in 24 hours at Central Park to establish a state record, while 9.40 in. fell at Battery Park. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel) (Intellicast)
• 9 October 1980...Nashville, TN reached 91 degrees, highest ever for so late in the season. Just three days earlier, a low of 31 degrees was reported, lowest ever so early in the season. (Intellicast)
• 9 October 1981...The temperature at San Juan, Puerto Rico, soared to 98 degrees to establish an all-time record for that location. (The Weather Channel)

Return to DataStreme Earth Climate Systems website

Prepared by Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
© Copyright, 2011, The American Meteorological Society.