WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

DataStreme ECS WEEK 9: 3-7 November 2014

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Time change does not affect climate records -- Daylight Saving Time ended this past Sunday morning across essentially the entire nation -- the exceptions include Arizona, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and about 18 counties in Indiana. These changes have been mandated by the U.S. Congress in the Energy Policy Act of 2005, which extended Daylight Saving Time across the nation, with the start on the second Sunday in March (9 March 2014) and the end on the first Sunday in November (2 November 2014). Most of Canada also observes changes to Daylight Saving Time at the same time [National Research Council Canada]. In other words, following the old adage of "spring ahead, fall behind", you will need to turn your clocks ahead by one hour to conform with the local time observance. Next spring, Daylight Saving Time will start on Sunday morning, 8 March 2015.
What does this time change mean to you (other than earlier sunsets)? Contrary to a popular belief that has surfaced at times, the change from Standard to Daylight Saving Time does not add an extra hour of daylight to the day nor does it affect climate record keeping. The daily high and low temperatures, along with the 24-hour precipitation taken by essentially all stations across the nation are based upon local Standard time, not Daylight time. Therefore, the daily entries in the Preliminary Local Climate Data (CF6) for any of the more than 200 cities around the nation will remain on Standard time throughout the year. The daily climate data collected at those automatic weather stations operated by the National Weather Service and the Federal Aviation Administration, together with all the cooperative weather observing stations around the nation are always made according to local standard time. NOTE: You may check the correct current official time at http://www.time.gov/.
High-quality maps of November temperature and precipitation normals across US available -- The PRISM Climate Group at Oregon State University's website has prepared high-resolution maps depicting the normal maximum, minimum and precipitation totals for November and other months across the 48 coterminous United States for the current 1981-2010 climate normals interval. These maps, with a 800-meter resolution, were produced using the PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model) climate mapping system.
November weather calendar for a city near you -- The Midwestern Regional Climate Center maintains an interactive website that permits the public to produce a ready to print weather calendar for any given month of the year, such as November, at any of approximately 270 weather stations around the nation. (These stations are NOAA's ThreadEx stations.) The entries for each day of the month includes: Normal maximum temperature, normal minimum temperature, normal daily heating and cooling degree days, normal daily precipitation, record maximum temperature, record minimum temperature, and record daily precipitation; the current normals for 1981-2010.
Reconstructing past climates -- Scientists from many disciplines have developed a variety of methods that use proxy indicators such as tree rings, ice cores and ocean cores to reconstruct past climates, some extending back thousands of years. For more details on paleoclimatology, or the study of past climates, and available data sets, please read this week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth.
A look back two years at Hurricane Sandy -- With last week's second anniversary of the landfall of Hurricane Sandy upon the New Jersey coast, NASA assembled a variety of satellite images obtain from its fleet of environmental satellites showing the life of this hurricane that became a powerful extratropical cyclone (or midlatitude storm), resulting in 159 fatalities and $70 billon in damages. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center] In addition, NOAA Research also produced a program overview of the "Sandy Supplemental," officially known as the Disaster Relief Appropriations Act of 2013 (DRA) that provided supplemental appropriations to NOAA to improve and streamline disaster assistance associated with Post-Tropical Cyclone Sandy, and for other purposes. [NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research]

CURRENT CLIMATE MONITORING

Size of Antarctic "ozone hole" similar to previous year -- Researchers with NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory report that their analysis of NOAA satellite data shows the Antarctic "ozone hole," or the region of low ozone concentrations in the stratosphere that forms in austral spring over Antarctica, reached its peak size on 11 September, with a size that was 9.3 million square miles. The areal extent of this year's ozone hole was approximately the same size as what was observed for last year. The size of the ozone hole during these last two years is smaller than the sizes observed during the late 1990s and early 2000s. [NOAA Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research News]
Days of first precipitation measuring satellite appear numbered -- Mission operations for the NASA and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center has predicted that this first satellite launched 17 years ago to monitor precipitation totals from around the globe should cease science operations in about April 2015. During this past summer, TRMM was running low on its fuel supply that was used to maintain an operating orbital altitude of nearly 250 miles. The TRMM mission was originally launched for a three-year mission that has provided invaluable data for the study of precipitation and climate processes in the tropics, as well as for tropical cyclone research and operations. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center News]
New instrument readied to monitor plant health from space -- Scientists and engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory are readying a new instrument called ECOsystem Spaceborne Thermal Radiometer Experiment on Space Station (ECOSTRESS) that will monitor how effectively plants on Earth use water through evapotranspiration. This instrument is a high-resolution thermal infrared radiometer that is intended to measure the temperature of plants and the amount of heat radiating from Earth's surface using a spatial resolution of 125 feet by 185 feet. These measurements will be made every four days. Launch of ECOSTRESS to the International Space Station is scheduled for sometime between 2017 and 2019. [NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory News]

CLIMATE FORECASTS

Canadian national seasonal outlook issued -- Forecasters with Environment Canada issued their outlooks for temperature and precipitation across Canada for November 2014 through January 2015, which represents the last month of meteorological autumn and the first two months of meteorological winter. The temperature outlook indicates that most of Canada should experience above normal (1981-2010) temperatures for these three months. Only few scattered areas across Canada could expect near normal temperatures.
The Canadian precipitation outlook for late autumn 2014 and the start of the 2014-15 winter season indicates that scattered areas of below average precipitation across areas of Ontario and Quebec to the north and east of the Great Lakes. On the other hand, sections of western Canada extending from coastal British Columbia eastward across the western Prairie Provinces to Saskatchewan and northward across Nunavut and Baffin Island should experience above average precipitation for the upcoming three months. In addition, sections of the Maritime Provinces should also have above average precipitation.
[Note for comparisons and continuity with the three-month seasonal outlooks of temperature and precipitation generated for the continental United States and Alaska by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, one would need to use Environment Canada's probabilistic forecasts for temperature and precipitation.]

CLIMATE FORCING

Giant sunspot tracked across Sun's surface -- Solar scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center have been tracking a large and relatively active region of the Sun identified as AR 12192 over the last several weeks. This area of intense and complex magnetic fields had grown over this time to become the largest sunspot region in 24 years. At least ten sizeable solar flares have emanated from this region. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs), or giant clouds of solar particles have not been exceptionally numerous. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]
Tracking the ammonium source in the open ocean -- Scientists from Brown University and their colleagues from South Africa and Bermuda have traced the sources for the chemical compound ammonium found in the oceans. The research was based upon two years of rainwater samples taken in Bermuda, together with air mass history data obtained from NOAA. The sources in the open oceans were from primarily from natural processes occurring in the oceans, more than what was previously thought to have come from human-generated pollution sources such as emissions and runoff from the United States. [Brown University News]

PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION

Three abrupt pulses of carbon dioxide found during last deglaciation -- Scientists at Oregon State University have found that three abrupt "pulses" in the rise of atmospheric carbon dioxide occurred more than 10,000 years ago at the end of the last Ice Age, rather than a gradual increase. During each of these abrupt increases, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide rose between 10 and 15 parts per million over an interval of one to two centuries. The researchers based their findings on an ice core from West Antarctica that spans the last 68,000 years. The scientists suggest a combination of factors could have been responsible for these abrupt pulses, including ocean circulation, changing wind patterns, and terrestrial processes. [Oregon State University News]
Appearance of animals on Earth delayed by lack of oxygen -- Researchers from Yale University and other research institutions claim that their analysis of analyzing chromium (Cr) isotopes in ancient sediments indicates atmospheric oxygen levels were only 0.1 percent of current levels during the one billion-year time span prior to the first major appearance of animal life on Earth at the end of the Proterozoic period (approximately 800 million years ago). These sediments were obtained from China, Australia, Canada and the United States that had been deposited in ancient shallow, iron-rich ocean areas near the shore.. Based upon their analysis, these scientists believe that animal species did not flourish earlier as the atmospheric oxygen was insufficient for animal life. [Yale University News]
Oceans formed early in planet Earth's history -- Scientists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and their colleagues from other research institutions assert that water from carbonaceous chondrites, or primitive meteorites formed from a large swirl of dust, grit, ice and gasses some 4.6 billion years ago that became the Sun and the planets in the Solar System, may have been an important source of the water that eventually formed the oceans on planet Earth. This discovery pushed back the timing of the first evidence of water on Earth and in the inner solar system. The researchers base their conclusions on their measurement of the isotopic ratio between deuterium and hydrogen in meteorites. [Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution News]

CLIMATE AND HUMAN HEALTH

Identifying the nation's fall "Allergy Capitals" for 2014 -- The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America recently released its annual rankings of the top 100 cities across the nation identified as the "most challenging places to live with allergies" for the fall allergy season based upon measured pollen levels airborne grass/tree/weed pollen and mold spores), allergy medications administered per capita and the number of allergists per capita for each major city. A similar tabulation is also made for the spring allergy season. [Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America]

CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Extending the Historical North American Drought Record

Through history, drought has been a major concern for many people as the lack of adequate water can adversely affect agriculture, and in the extreme case, the availability of potable (drinkable) water. The Case in Point for Chapter 9 describes the migration of ancient peoples across the semiarid Southwest due to what may have been major drought conditions. During the last century, the "Dust Bowl" era drought in the 1930s created many problems in this country. The effects of this seven-year long drought were made worse by poor agricultural techniques and land management. The effect of the drought on the nation was also exacerbated by the coincident Great Depression. Drought remains a problem today across Texas and the West Coast as we can see from inspection of the current weekly US National Drought Monitor produced by the National Drought Mitigation Center.

How do the current drought events compare with earlier droughts? A time series of computed Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) values began in 1895 when a sufficiently dense climate network was established. During the 20th century, several episodes of drought have had a major national impact. The exceptional drought that developed in the early 1930s extended across much of the nation resulting in the "Dust Bowl" era. The PDSI time series shows that the 1930s drought was the worst in the last century, with nearly 80 percent of the nation experiencing moderate to extreme drought in 1934. During the 1950s, the southern Plains and the Southwest also experienced a major drought, when 50 to 60 percent of the nation was under drought conditions.

What about farther back in history? Sophisticated tree-ring analysis techniques allow researchers to extend the drought record across a large section of North America farther into the past. In 1998, Edward R. Cook at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory along with colleagues at Arizona and Arkansas reconstructed past drought conditions across the nation based upon annual tree-ring data obtained from a network of 388 climatically sensitive tree-ring sites. From these data, time series of annual summertime (June-August) PDSI values were determined back to 1700 at 155 grid points across the nation. These gridded tree-ring chronologies were calibrated with PDSI chronologies generated by instrumental records at selected Historical Climate Network stations commencing in the late 19th century. The researchers found that the 1930s drought was the most severe drought to hit the nation since 1700.

By 2004, the series was expanded to 835 tree-ring sites, primarily across the West, where exactly dated annual tree-ring chronologies were obtained. The new grid covered most of North America with a latitude-longitude spacing of 2.5 degrees. In addition to the 286 grid point PDSI time series, annual contour maps of PDSI were constructed that span much of the continent. This work permitted extension of the spatial and temporal coverage of the drought reconstruction not only into Canada and Mexico, but back 2000 years. From this more recent data set they produced an online "North American Drought Atlas." They found several "megadroughts" in North America were even more severe than the 1930s drought. In addition to being more severe, some droughts extended over several decades, considerably longer than those of the 20th century. One such megadrought was in the 16th century, an event that along with another megadrought into the early 17th century has been implicated by some researchers in the hardships encountered by British settlers in the Virginia area, such as the disappearance of the Roanoke Colony.

Concept of the Week: Questions

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

The 1930's Dust Bowl era drought [(does), (does not)] appear to be the most intense across the nation of any in the last two thousand years.
The "North American Drought Atlas" is based on 835 sites where trees in climatically sensitive areas produce [(monthly),(annual),(biennial)] growth rings.

Historical Events:

3 November 1890...The temperature at Los Angeles, CA reached 96 degrees, a November record for 76 years. (David Ludlum)
3 November 1927...The "Great Vermont Flood" began as a two-day rain of up to 9 inches put rivers in western New England over their banks. Somerset, VT was deluged with 8.77 inches of rain to establish a 24-hour record for the state. (3^rd-4^th) (The Weather Channel) (Intellicast)
3 November 1989...Cold weather prevailed in the central U.S. The low of 7 above zero at Marquette, MI was their lowest reading of record for so early in the season. (The National Weather Summary)
4 November 1983...The temperature at Billings, MT soared to 77 degrees, a new record for the data and month. (Intellicast)
4-5 November 1966...The River Arno surged above flood stage and caused irreparable damage to much of the architectural and art treasure of Florence, Italy. Millions of historical library volumes were either damaged or destroyed. More than 15,000 vehicles were also destroyed. Roughly two-thirds of Florence was flooded, 113 people died and 30,000 were made homeless by the flooding on both the Arno and Po rivers. (Accord Weather Calendar) (Wikipedia)
5 November 1977...A slow moving storm produced five to nine inch rains across northern Georgia causing the Toccoa Dam to burst. As the earthen dam collapsed, the waters rushed through the Toccoa Falls Bible College killing three persons in the dorms. Thirty-eight persons perished at a trailer park along the stream. Eighteen bridges were washed out in Madison County. (David Ludlum)
5 November 1987...Heavy rains in California's Death Valley National Park washed out many park roads. As much as 1.20 in. of rain fell at Scotty's Castle, compared with the annual rainfall average of 2.28 in. Up to 8000 people attending a recreational encampment were stranded. (Accord Weather Calendar)
5 November 1991...Elkins, WV dropped to 8 degrees, the coldest so early in the season. Pittsburgh, PA dropped to 11 degrees also the coldest so early. Jackson, KY fell to 17 degrees, a daily record. (Intellicast)
6 November 1988...A powerful low-pressure system over the Great Lakes Region continued to produce snow across parts of the Ohio Valley and the Great Lakes Region. Snowfall totals along the shore of Lake Superior reached 24 inches, with three feet of snow reported in the Porcupine Mountain area of Upper Michigan. Marquette, MI established a November record with 17.3 inches of snow in 24 hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
6 November 1989...Unseasonably warm weather prevailed in the south central and southeastern U.S. The high temperature of 89 degrees at the Dallas/Fort Worth Airport in Texas equaled their record for November. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
6 November 1994...Downtown San Francisco, CA was drenched with 6.19 inches of rain in 24 hours to set an all-time record for the city.
7 November 1986...Temperatures reached a daily record 86 degrees at New Orleans, LA, equaling the highest ever for November. (Storm Data) (Intellicast)
8 November 1914...On this date the longest "official" rain-free time span on record for the U.S. of 767 days ended in Bagdad, CA. Some meteorologists question the accuracy of this record kept by railroad employees at that time. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
8 November 1966...The temperature in downtown San Francisco reached a November record of 86 degrees. (The Weather Channel)
8 November 1991...The first week of November ended in Iowa with the average temperature for the state of 18.3 degrees, a full 24.7 degrees below normal. Easily this was the coldest first week of November ever. (Intellicast)
8 November 1999...The temperature reached 89 degrees at Kennebec, South Dakota, breaking the all time record for the warmest November maximum temperature ever recorded in the state. (The Weather Doctor)
9 November 1913...The "Freshwater Fury", a rapidly deepening cyclone, caused unpredicted gales on the Great Lakes. Cleveland, OH reported 17.4 inches of snow in 24 hours, and a total of 22.2 inches, both all-time records for that location. During the storm, winds at Cleveland averaged 50 mph, with gusts to 79 mph. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)

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