Weekly Water News

WES PREVIEW WEEK: 27-31 August 2007

Water in the News:

(Thurs.) Polar mesospheric clouds could be affected by climate change -- The Eighth International Workshop on Layered Phenomena in the Mesopause Region, a meeting of researchers at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks' Geophysical Institute, has focused on the suspected role that changes in the climate may have on the frequency and coverage of polar mesospheric or noctilucent clouds. [University of Alaska, Fairbanks]
(Thurs.) Nitric acid is not as strong when on a water surface -- Researchers at the University of Oregon claim that when nitric acid sits exposed on a water surface, it is not as strong as previously claimed, as it may not have ionized completely. They claim that this could have important implications in acidic precipitation. [EurekAlert!]
(Thurs.) "Drizzle radar" could be important tool for climate research -- A highly sensitive weather radar called a "drizzle radar" has been developed and used at the Delft University of Technology, as it is sufficiently sensitive to detect light drizzle. The researchers claim that this radar can be used in climate research investigations to monitor the interaction between dust, clouds, rain and radiation. [TU Delft]
(Thurs.) UK e-Science directed to pollution solutions -- Several researchers are using the UK e-Science Programme to solve two environmental pollution problems involving possible arsenic contamination of drinking water withdrawn from wells and the removal of dioxin from soil. [EurekAlert!]
(Thurs.) Antibiotic resistance movement traced from swine farms to groundwater -- Researchers at the University of Illinois have tracked the movement of genes that show resistance to antibiotics in a variety of bacterial species from wastewater lagoons at hog farms to groundwater. [University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign]
(Thurs.) Documenting the rise of the Tibetan Plateau -- Geologists from Penn State University and the University of Chicago have been studying lipids from ancient plants that have been deposited in lake sediment to determine the time when the Tibetan Plateau rose, leading to the development of the modern Indian monsoon circulation regime. These researchers believe that the Tibetan Plateau rose and the monsoon commenced between the late Eocene (approximately 35 million years ago) and the early Miocene (8 to 6 million years ago). [EurekAlert!]
(Tues.) Lightning, electric wires and water prove deadly -- Three people were killed and two were injured in Madison, WI last week when lightning struck a power pole next to a bus stop and severed the power line, which fell into a pond of collected water, electrocuting the people in contact with the water. [Wisconsin State Journal]
(Tues.) Sea ice seen to retreat off Siberian coast -- Images obtained six weeks apart (15 June and 27 July 2007) from the MODIS instrument on NASA's Aqua satellite shows the rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice in the East Siberian Sea, away from Russia's Siberian coast. The National Snow and Ice Data Center has recently noted that the Arctic sea ice has been melting at a record rate during the summer of 2007, based upon nearly 30 years of satellite date. [NASA Earth Observatory]
(Tues.) Underground impacts of climate change -- Scientists associated with Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the US Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service have been addressing the impacts that climate changes could have upon the subsurface environment, including subsurface water and groundwater. [EurekAlert!]
(Tues.) Seawater suggested as solution to Florida's water shortage -- Water managers in South Florida, including the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale metropolitan areas, are considering building desalination plants to produce usable freshwater for the region that is experiencing an extended drought. Currently, the Florida Keys relies partially on desalinated water for its water supply. [US Water News Online]
(Tues.) Forecasts attempted for Northern Hemisphere's winter temperatures and snowfall -- Forecasters have developed a seasonal forecast model called sCast that they claim can be used successfully to predict the upcoming winter temperatures and snowfall across the mid and polar latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere based upon the amount of October snow cover in Siberia. [National Science Foundation]
(Tues.) No large ice sheets covered ancient globe 41 million years ago -- Researchers who have been participating in the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Expedition 207 report that their analysis of sediments from ocean cores collected in tropical waters indicates that large continental ice sheets did not exist in the Northern or Southern Hemispheres approximately 41 million years ago. [Joint Oceanographic Institutions]
New Minnesota maximum 24-hour precipitation record confirmed -- The National Weather Service announced that a cooperative observer near Hokah in southeastern Minnesota (near La Crosse, WI) recorded 15.10 inches of rain during the 24 hours ending on Sunday morning, 19 August 2007, establishing a new 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Gopher State. [NWS Forecast Office, La Crosse]
Record hail reported in South Dakota -- The Warning Coordinating Meteorologist at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Sioux Falls, SD confirmed that hail with diameters of up to 5.25 inches fell in southeastern South Dakota on Tuesday evening, 21 August 2007, resulting in considerable damage to roofs of buildings. The South Dakota State Climatologist reported that the largest hailstone had a circumference of 18.00 inches and weighed 1.0 pound, making this the largest documented hailstone in South Dakota since records began in 1950. [NWS Forecast Office, Sioux Falls]
Eye on the tropics --- As of Sunday afternoon no organized tropical cyclones (low pressure systems that form over tropical waters and attain tropical storm or hurricane intensity) were reported in any of the world's ocean basins, even though late August often has considerable activity as sea surface temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are approaching their annual maximum values. Clouds and rainshowers associated with a broad and disorganized area of low pressure were detected over the southwestern Gulf of Mexico, but forecasters with the National Hurricane Center do not expect this area to remain disorganized for the start of this week.
However, earlier last week in the North Atlantic basin, the first hurricane of the 2007 North Atlantic Hurricane season, Hurricane Dean, made an initial landfall in Mexico along the eastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula as a Category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Earlier, an image made by a sensor on NOAA's GOES-12 satellite shows Dean as a category 4 hurricane moving across the western Caribbean toward landfall along the eastern coast of the Yucatan. A distinct eye and spiral bands of clouds, trademarks of organized hurricanes, can be detected. [NOAA OSEI] A display of the near-surface wind field generated by data collected from the scatterometer instrument on NASA's QuickSCAT satellite shows the low level counterclockwise inflow toward the central eye of Dean as it was approaching the Yucatan. [NASA Earth Observatory]
After crossing the Yucatan Peninsula, Dean had weakened but began to intensify again as it moved across the Bay of Campeche. An image from NOAA's GOES-12 satellite shows Dean as it crossed the Yucatan Peninsula. [NOAA OSEI]
Dean then made a second landfall along Mexico's Gulf coast before finally dissipating in the mountainous areas of northern Mexico. This second landfall can be seen on image from NOAA's GOES-12 satellite. [NOAA OSEI]
In addition to the monitoring of Hurricane Dean by NOAA and NASA satellites operated by the US, the Envisat and ERS-2 satellites operated by the European Space Agency (ESA) also tracked the hurricane from its formation over the eastern equatorial Atlantic. [ESA]
An update on rain from former Tropical Storm Erin -- An image generated by the Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis that uses data collected by NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite shows the expansion of a large area of rain associated with remnants of former Tropical Storm Erin northward across the southern Plains through the start of last week. As many as seven people were reported to have been killed due to the flooding in Texas and Oklahoma. [NASA Earth Observatory] Comparison with the precipitation map for the week of 10-17 August 2007 reveals this northward expansion of the rain from the Texas Gulf Coast into central Oklahoma. [NASA Earth Observatory]
African river flooding seen from space -- Satellite images taken two months apart by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite shows the extent of the flooding along the White Nile River in Sudan. Floods, resulting from heavy wet-season rain, were responsible for at least 89 fatalities as of last week. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Flooding in North Korea was deadly -- The Korean Central News Agency recently reported that the floods that inundated North Korea earlier in August were responsible for the deaths of at least 600 people, a figure that was double the previous reported total. In addition, more than 100,000 people were left homeless due to torrential rain that appears to be the heaviest in 40 years. [USA Today]
Asian dust seen from space -- An image obtained last week from the MODIS instrument on NASA's Terra satellite captures the airborne dust that was being carried eastward by winds from China's large Taklimakan Desert. [NASA Earth Observatory]
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]
Global Water News Watch -- Other water news sources can be obtained through the SAHRA Project at the University of Arizona [SAHRA Project]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Concept of the Week: Touring the WES website

Welcome to DataStreme Water in the Earth System (WES)! You are embarking on a unique teacher-enhancement experience that focuses on water and energy flow in the global water cycle from an Earth system perspective. Throughout this learning experience, you will be accessing the DataStreme WES website frequently to obtain and interpret a variety of environmental information, including the latest observational data. The objective of this initial Concept of the Week is to explore features of the DataStreme WES website.

On Monday of each week of the course, we will post the current Weekly Water News that includes Water in the News(a summary listing of current events related to water), Concept of the Week (an in-depth analysis of some topic related to water in the Earth system), and Historical Events (a list of past hydrologic events such as major floods). When appropriate, Supplemental Information will be provided on some topic related to the principal theme of the week.

You will use the DataStreme WES website to access and download the second part of weekly Investigations A & B (plus supporting images) that begin in your DataStreme WES Investigations Manual. These materials should be available by noon (Eastern Time) on Tuesday and Thursday. Click the appropriate buttons to download and print these electronic components of the investigations as well as your Chapter Progress and Investigations Response forms.

The body of the DataStreme WES website provides links to the Earth System, Atmospheric, Oceanic (and Inland Seas), and Terrestrial Information, and extras--glossaries of terms, maps, educational links, and WES information. Following each section is a link to other sites that examine the various subsystems of the Earth system. Let's take a quick tour to become more familiar with the WES website.

Under Atmospheric Information, click on Water vapor (WV) Satellite. This is the latest satellite depiction of atmospheric water vapor at altitudes generally between 3000 and 7000 m (10,000 to 24,000 ft). Press your "back" button and then click on Latest WV Animation to view the movement of water vapor and clouds in the atmosphere. Although water vapor is an invisible gas, satellite technology makes it possible for us to "see" and follow the flow of water vapor in the atmosphere as part of the global water cycle. Bright white blotches are clouds; black indicates areas of very little or no water vapor and, at the other extreme, milky white signals a relatively high concentration of water vapor. Use the "back" button on your viewer to return to the DataStreme WES website.

The flow and transformations of energy are fundamental aspects of the global water cycle. Heat flows within the Earth system from where it is warmer to where it is colder. In this regard, it is useful to monitor temperatures remotely, by satellite. For a global view of the satellite-derived pattern of sea-surface temperatures, click on Sea Surface Temperatures under Oceanic (and Inland Seas) Information. Note that the color scale at the bottom is in degrees Celsius and temperatures are averaged over a 7-day period. (Depending on your browser, you may have to place your mouse cursor on the slide bar to the right and scroll down to view the entire image.) Return to the DataStreme WES website.

As part of the global water cycle, precipitation that reaches the ground vaporizes back into the atmosphere, runs off into rivers and streams, seeps into the ground, or is stored in lakes or glaciers. Under Terrestrial Information, click on River Flood Conditions for the recent status of river levels monitored at various gauging stations around the nation. Note that in the Map Legend, river stages are rated from "no flooding" to "major flooding" using a color code. Now return to the DataStreme WES website.

Extras include color photographs arranged by week (chapter) to supplement your study of the DataStreme WES textbook. For example, click on Chapter 1 and then click on the first thumbnail for an enlarged image with the caption, "Water in Three Phases."

Take a few minutes when you have time to browse the other data and information sources available via the DataStreme WES website. You may want to "bookmark" this page on your computer. Return frequently to get into the flow of DataStreme WES!

Concept of the Week: Questions

The latest WV Animation indicates that clouds and water vapor generally move from [(west to east)(east to west)] across the nation.
In the tropical Pacific, the highest sea-surface temperatures occur in the [(western)(eastern)] portion of the ocean basin.

Historical Events

27 August 1973...The largest documented Canadian hailstone fell at Cedoux, Saskatchewan. The stone weighed 0.55 pounds and measured 4.5 inches across. (The Weather Doctor)
27 August 1881...As many as 335 people were lost in the Georgia Hurricane, especially severe at Savannah and Charleston, SC. (Intellicast)
27 August 1893...The first of three great hurricanes that year struck South Carolina drowning more than 1000 persons in a tidal surge at Charleston. Landfall was just south of Savannah, GA where sustained winds hit 120 mph. (David Ludlum)
27 August 1964...Hurricane Cleo battered Miami and the South Florida area, marking the first direct hit for Miami in fourteen years. Sustained winds of 100 mph gusted to 135 mph, and the hurricane caused $125 million in damage. (David Ludlum)
27 August 1970...Elko, NV was deluged with 3.66 inches of rain in just one hour, establishing a state record. (The Weather Channel)
27 August 1995...Remains of Tropical Storm Jerry unloaded 12.32 inches of rain in 24 hours in Greer, SC, a record for 24 hours, for a rain event and for August. At Antreville, 17.00 inches fell in 24 hours, setting a 24-hour rainfall record for the Palmetto State. (Intellicast)
28-30 August 1839...A hurricane moved from Cape Hatteras, NC to offshore New England. An unusual feature of the hurricane was the snow it helped produce, which whitened the Catskill Mountains of New York State. Considerable snow was also reported at Salem, NY. (The Weather Channel)
28 August 1898...Torrents of rain accompanied by a furious wind upset the rain gage at Fort Mohave, AZ. However, water in a wash tub set out on the mesa, clear of everything, measured eight inches after the 45-minute storm. (The Weather Channel)
28 August 1911...Saint George, GA was deluged with 18.00 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a state record that was subsequently broken by the current record of 21.10 inches in July 1994. (The Weather Channel)
28 August 1966...As much as 3.78 in of rain fell in one hour at Porcupine Mountain, Manitoba. (The Weather Doctor)
28 August 1971...Heavy rains from Tropical Storm Doria caused devastating floods in central and northeast New Jersey resulting in $138 million in damage. Newark set an all-time 24-hour record of 7.84 inches. The Princeton area had 11 inches in 36 hours. In southeastern Pennsylvania, high winds downed trees and power lines, and in New York City, heavy rains flooded streets and subways. Doria made landfall on western Long Island with wind gusts of 75 mph in southern New England. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
28 August 1988...Tropical Storm Chris spawned a tornado near Manning, SC, which killed one person, and spawned three tornadoes in North Carolina. Chris produced one to two foot tides, and three to six inch rains, over coastal South Carolina. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
29 August 1583...The Delight was wrecked on Sable Island, Nova Scotia during a heavy gale, blinding rain and thick fog. This was Canada's first recorded marine disaster, taking 85 lives. (The Weather Doctor)
29 August 1979…Winds associated with Hurricane David reached 145 mph as the hurricane crossed the island of Dominica. The capital city, Roseau, was devastated, with 56 fatalities and 60,000 out of a population of 80,000 left homeless. About three-quarters of the coconut and banana crops were destroyed. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
29 August 1988...The remnants of Tropical Storm Chris drenched eastern Pennsylvania with up to five and a half inches of rain, and produced high winds that gusted to 90 mph, severely damaging a hundred boats in Anne Arundel County, MD. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
29 August 2005…Hurricane Katrina, the costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in US history, made landfall along the Louisiana Gulf Coast southeast of New Orleans as a category 3 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale after reaching category 5 status. Massive destruction was reported in coastal Mississippi and in New Orleans. As many as 1833 people reportedly died from Katrina in the US. (National Hurricane Center)
30 August 1942…A hurricane weakened in moving 160 miles across south Texas from landfall at Matagorda to San Antonio, winds still gusting from 50 to 70 mph at San Antonio for more than five hours. Seventy of 75 planes were damaged at the city airport. Many trees were destroyed, but the famed Alamo's walls withstood the storm. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
30 August 1982...A tropical depression brought torrential rains to portions of southern Texas. Up to twelve inches fell south of Houston, and as much as eighteen inches fell southeast of Austin. The tropical depression spawned fourteen tornadoes in three days. (David Ludlum)
31 August 1885...A record 71-day dry period began at Calgary, Alberta. (The Weather Doctor)
31 August 1889...Los Angeles, CA set two rainfall records as 0.61 inches fell, the 24-hour and monthly records for August. (Intellicast)
31 August 1954...Hurricane Carol, the first of three hurricanes to affect New England that year, slammed into eastern New England. Wind gusts exceeded 120 mph on the south coast. Block Island, RI reported a gust to 130 mph. Boston, MA reported sustained winds of 86 mph with a gust to 100 mph. Tides were 10-15 feet above normal. Providence, RI was inundated by a near record high tide. Sixty lives were lost and damages totaled 450 million dollars. The severity of this storm was only topped by the 1938 Hurricane. (Intellicast) (David Ludlum)
31 August - 2 September 1967...Storm surge and winds from Hurricane Katrina partially destroyed San Felipe, Mexico leaving 2500 people homeless and sinking 60 vessels. (The Weather Doctor)
31 August 1993...Hurricane Emily lashed the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Hatteras NWS Office recorded a gust of 98 mph and was deluged with 7.51 inches of rain. Sound water levels rose to 10.5 feet above normal north of Buxton and 8.5 feet above normal in the villages of Frisco and Hatteras. Diamond Shoals coastal marine buoy recorded sustained winds of 103 mph with gusts to 148 mph after the eye passed. (Intellicast)
August 1813...Hurricane devastated Martinique, causing more than 3000 deaths. (The Weather Doctor)
1 September 1923...A typhoon swept over the Tokyo, Japan metropolitan area, followed by an earthquake that evening. Typhoon winds fanned fires set by the earthquake. As many as 143,000 people died in the multi-disaster. (The Weather Doctor)
1 September 1914...The town of Bloomingdale, MI was deluged with 9.78 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a state record for the Wolverine State. (31^st-1^st) (The Weather Channel) (NCDC)
1 September 1988...Thunderstorms produced heavy rain in the Upper Mississippi Valley. Ely, MN was drenched with three inches of rain in two hours, and pelted with one-inch hail. The heavy rain flooded streets and basements, and the high water pressure that resulted blew the covers off manholes. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
1-2 September 1935...Perhaps the most intense hurricane ever to hit the U.S. struck the Florida Keys with sustained winds of over 155 mph with gusts exceeding 200 mph. On the 1^st, the "Labor Day Hurricane" formed rapidly over the Bahama Islands and intensified into a Category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir Simpson Scale) with sustained winds of over 155 mph and gusts exceeding 200 mph. On the next day, this hurricane generated a fifteen-foot tide and waves thirty feet high, as it became the first known Category 5 hurricane to hit the US Mainland. More than 400 persons perished in the storm on that Labor Day, including many World War I veterans building a bridge from the Keys to the mainland. The barometric pressure at Matecumbe Bay, FL hit a record low for the U.S. at 26.35 inches (or 892 millibars). (David Ludlum) (The Weather Doctor)