WEEKLY WATER NEWS

20-24 August 2007

Water in the Earth System will return for Fall 2007 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 27 August 2007. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

Water in the News:

• Eye on the tropics ---
  • In the North Atlantic basin, Tropical Storm Erin, the fifth named tropical cyclone (tropical storm or hurricane) of the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season moved northwestward across the Gulf of Mexico from where it formed, weakened and made landfall last Thursday morning along the lower Texas Gulf Coast near Corpus Christi. This tropical storm, which was downgraded to a tropical depression was accompanied by torrential rain, but relatively weak winds and minor storm surge. An image obtained from sensors onboard shows Tropical Depression Erin just before it made landfall. [NOAA OSEI] Remnants of this tropical depression moved slowly to the northwest and then north across the Texas Hill Country and then into Oklahoma. [Editor's note: Radar imagery as of Sunday morning revealed a continuation of the counterclockwise swirl of rain bands across Oklahoma, marking the remnants of former Tropical Storm Erin. EJH] An image of satellite estimated precipitation across south Texas for 10-17 August 2007 as obtained from the Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis that utilizes data collected by the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite shows between six and eight inches along the central Texas Gulf Coast due to Tropical Storm Erin. [NASA Earth Observatory] An image of Corpus Christi, TX and northern sections of Padre Island, along with the adjacent bays and inlets made from the Satellite images such as this view from the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra satellite shows the urban development and croplands along a vulnerable section of the Texas Gulf Coast. [NASA Earth Observatory]
    Tropical Storm Dean, which formed at the start of last week over the eastern equatorial Atlantic moved slowly to the west-northwest and intensified to became the first hurricane of the 2007 hurricane season as it reached the Windward Islands. By the end of this past weekend, Hurricane Dean had intensified to a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as it traveled across the Caribbean Sea, brushing the island of Jamaica. [CNN] The projected path of the hurricane was to the west-northwest, where it would make landfall along the eastern coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. An image obtained from NOAA's GOES-12 satellite at the end of last week shows as classic pattern of clouds surrounding the central eye of Hurricane Dean. [NOAA OSEI] An image obtained from data collected by the scatterometer instrument on NASA's QuickSCAT satellite provides a visualization of the wind field surrounding the central eye of Hurricane Dean with a counterclockwise circulation as the system reached the Windward Islands. [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • In the Central North Pacific, the category-4 (on the Saffir-Simpson scale) Hurricane Flossie continued to approach the Hawaiian Islands, weakening to a tropical storm and then to a tropical depression before dissipating by midweek. Some strong winds and heavy rain were reported across the southern sections of the Big Island of Hawaii. This tropical cyclone had originated in the eastern Pacific over a week before and traveled to the Central North Pacific. A satellite image by NOAA's GOES-11 satellite shows Hurricane Flossie as it began to weaken southeast of the Big Island. [NOAA OSEI] Several days earlier, an image of the hurricane was made by the MODIS sensors on NASA's Aqua satellite. [NASA Earth Observatory]
  • In the Western North Pacific, Tropical Storm Sepat, the ninth named tropical cyclone of 2007 in the western North Pacific, intensified to become a supertyphoon (category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) as it curved and moved toward the northwest crossing Taiwan. An image was obtained of the cloud mass associated with Supertyphoon Sepat from the Japanese MTSAT-2 satellite. [NOAA OSEI] An image produced from data collected by the scatterometer on the QuikSCAT satellite shows the near-surface winds circulating in a counterclockwise direction around this supertyphoon just before it made landfall on Taiwan. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Monitoring sea surface temperatures in hurricane breeding areas -- Animations supplied by NASA from its Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer - EOS (AMSR-E) instrument on the Aqua satellite shows a seasonal increase in sea surface temperatures across the sections of the North Atlantic, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, conditions necessary for the formation and maintenance of tropical cyclones, such as Hurricane Dean and Tropical Storm Erin. An oceanographer with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory recently remarked that the sea surface temperatures across the Atlantic were lower than during the especially active 2004 and 2005 Atlantic hurricane seasons. [NASA]
• A NASA hurricane resource site unveiled -- The NASA Education Office has unveiled its new NASA's Hurricane Resource Page 2007 website and video intended to be used by teachers in the classroom. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• No significant tsunami associated with major Peruvian earthquake -- A major magnitude 7.9 earthquake occurred off the Peruvian coast last Thursday, causing more than 400 deaths and 1500 injuries, along with massive damage. Since this earthquake was offshore, tsunami warnings and watches were issued by the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center for the Pacific coasts of Central and South America; however, the tsunami generated was relatively small. [CNN] An image depicting ocean depth from data compiled by the British Oceanographic Data Centre and land elevation from data obtained from NASA’s Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM), shows the locations of the earthquake's main epicenter and aftershocks, along with the offshore Peru-Chile Trench. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Lake Superior could reach record low levels this fall -- Hydrologists at NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory are indicating that their forecast models, which utilize current hydrological conditions along with NOAA long-term climate outlooks, would suggest that the level of Lake Superior could drop below previous record low levels in the upcoming months of September and October. Several reasons have been advanced to explain why the lake level is low including natural causes due to a lack of precipitation, warmer winters, less ice cover and increased evaporation, as well as anthropogenic causes that include increased dredging and water diversion. [NOAA News]
• Hot and dry across western US in July 2007 -- Scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center report that preliminary climate data collected from around the nation for July 2007 would indicate a record warm month across the West, extending from the northern Plains westward to include nearly all the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin and the Pacific Coast. Idaho, Montana and Wyoming experienced their all-time warmest July in their respective 113 years of records that started in 1895. Many of the western states also received little precipitation, which exacerbated the extreme drought conditions that have also led to serious wildfire weather conditions. On the other hand, many of the Eastern and Gulf Coast States reported July 2007 temperatures that were below the long-term averages for their states. Texas reported its fourth coldest July in 113 years, in part a result of a weather pattern that also resulted in the third wettest July in the Lone Star State since 1895. Nearly one-half (46 percent) of the coterminous US reported drought conditions at the end of the month. [NOAA News]
• US heat wave continues into August -- Images obtained from the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES) sensor on NASA’s Aqua satellite of the long-wave terrestrial (or "heat") radiation emitted from the Earth's surface show the large areas of the US that experienced temperatures that reached 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher for the first week of August. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Mapping the Arctic sea floor continues -- A four-week expedition that involves NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey, the University of New Hampshire’s Joint Hydrographic Center and the National Science Foundation will begin this week to map a section of the Arctic sea floor on the northern Chukchi Cap. [NOAA News]
• Summer Arctic ice shrinks to a record low area -- Researchers at the University of Colorado at Boulder who have been monitoring Arctic sea ice since the late1970s are forecasting an extremely high probability that the extent of the sea ice will reach a record low areal extent within the next month, based upon rapid disintegration of the ice cover during July. [National Snow and Ice Data Center]
• A missing link to oceanic climate regulator found -- Australian scientists associated with the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation claim that they have identified a "supergyre" in the waters off Australia, a circulation regime that represents the deep ocean pathway linking three ocean basins in the Southern Hemisphere that helps govern global climate. [CSIRO]
• Call made for a Southern Ocean current monitoring network -- A senior Australian science advisory recently called for the establishment of a network of deep ocean moorings in the Southern Ocean that would measure ocean currents in an effort to detect changes in ocean circulation that could influence global climate. [CSIRO]
• Texans join research expedition to Amundsen Sea -- Researchers from the University of Texas at San Antonio and a high school teacher from the Texas Hill Country will join an international crew that will conduct a two-month expedition to Antarctica's Amundsen Sea in a attempt to collect information on the sea ice and its interaction with the local environment. [EurekAlert!]
• Polar mesospheric clouds -- A photograph made by an astronaut on the Space Shuttle that visited the International Space Station in June shows a thin band of polar mesospheric clouds seen after sunset over north-central Asia. These clouds, found above the polar cap regions of the Earth at altitudes of approximately 50 miles, have been increasing in frequency, leading some scientists to speculate as to their association with global climate change. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• Duststorm in Afghanistan -- An image obtained from the MODIS sensor onboard NASA's Terra satellite shows plumes of airborne dust across eastern Iran, southern Afghanistan and western Pakistan caused by a duststorm that had developed over this arid region. [NASA Earth Observatory]
• El Paso opens a desalination plant -- Officials recently opened a desalination plant in El Paso, TX, which is reported to be the world's largest plant outside a coastal area to convert brackish water into potable water. [US Water News Online]
• Pacific island nations facing freshwater shortages -- An international team of researchers from Australia, several Pacific island nations and France warn that the supply of freshwater from underground sources on several of the Pacific islands has been diminished, affected by natural and anthropogenic changes [EurekAlert!]
• Big Easy's water system is crumbling -- The New Orleans, LA Sewerage and Water Board reports that a substantial section of the city's 3200-mile water and sewer system is crumbling due to the corroding effects of salt water, compounded by the effects of Hurricane Katrina. Consequently, 50 million gallons of water are lost daily and raw sewage is leaking out. [US Water News Online]
• Large scale irrigation may not serve to cool globe -- A study conducted by a team of scientists, including those from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, concludes that while large scale irrigation efforts currently appear to exert a slight cooling effect upon regional climate, the irrigation probably will not serve to counter the increased global temperatures in the future. [Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory]
• 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.

Historical Events:

• 21 August 1986...Toxic gas erupted from volcanic Lake Nyos in the West African nation of Cameroon, suffocating over 1700 people and 3000 cattle. The gas was carbon dioxide which, being denser than air, hugged the ground and flowed down valleys. The cloud traveled as far as 15 miles from the lake, moving fast enough to flatten vegetation, including a few trees. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)
• 21 August 1997...High winds and torrential rains from one of the worst typhoons to batter China in a decade caused the death of at least 140 at Zhejiang and Jiangsu. (The Weather Doctor)
• 22 August 1994...Hurricane John while about 390 miles south of Hilo, HI was found to have winds of 170 mph and pressure down to 920 mb, making it the strongest hurricane ever in the Central Pacific. It was the third category 5 storm in this area in a month, unprecedented since records began. (Intellicast)
• 23 August 1933...The Chesapeake-Potomac hurricane made landfall over Nag's Head, NC and moved over Norfolk, VA, Chesapeake Bay and Washington, DC. Winds gusted to 88 mph at Norfolk, VA. A tide seven feet above normal flooded businesses in Norfolk, and damage in Maryland was estimated at $17 million. Sixty percent of Atlantic City, NJ was flooded as was 10 square miles of southwest Philadelphia, PA. Forty seven people were killed and damage was estimated at $47 million (in depression-era dollars) (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
• 23-24 August 1992...Hurricane Andrew on its way to Florida with winds of 150 mph, struck northern Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. The storm surge reached 23 feet. Total damage on the islands topped $250 million. At about 5 AM on the 24^th, Andrew made landfall near Homestead, FL with a central pressure of 922 mb (27.22 in.). Fowey Rocks coastal marine buoy recorded maximum sustained winds of 141 mph and a peak gust of 169 mph and the National Hurricane Center in Coral Gables had sustained winds of 115 mph with a peak gust of 164 mph. A record storm surge of 16.7 feet occurred in Biscayne Bay. Homestead AFB was practically wiped out. More than 120,000 homes were damaged or destroyed, leaving 250,000 homeless. Forty one died and damage exceeded $25 billion, making Andrew by far the most costly hurricane in U.S. history. Andrew was the third most intense hurricane to strike the mainland behind Camille (1969) and the Labor Day Hurricane (1935) (Intellicast)
• 23-24 August 1998...Almost 18 inches of rain deluged Del Rio, TX between 8 AM on the 23^rd and 6 AM on the 24^th because of stalled remnants of Tropical Storm Charley. Violent flash flooding from San Felipe Creek left residential lots swept bare of homes, with asphalt streets gone. Nine people were killed and 150 injured. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 24 August 1906...A cloudburst deluged Guinea, VA with more than nine inches of rain in just forty minutes. (David Ludlum)
• 24 August 1988...A tropical depression drenched the Cabo Rojo area of southwestern Puerto Rico with up to ten inches of rain. San Juan received 5.35 inches of rain. (Storm Data) (The National Weather Summary)
• 24-29 August 1785...Hurricane ravaged the Eastern Caribbean Sea from St. Croix, Virgin Islands to Cuba during the last week of August. Over 142 people were reported dead from the storm's impact. (The Weather Doctor)
• 25 August 1885...A severe hurricane struck South Carolina causing $1.3 million damage at Charleston. (David Ludlum)
• 25 August 1927...The August Gale, a hurricane, raged across the East Coast, crossing the Cabot Strait between Nova Scotia and Newfoundland during the early morning hours. Hundreds of small boats in Newfoundland ports were among the storm's victims. (The Weather Doctor)
• 25 August -7 September 1979...Hurricane David crossed the island of Dominica on the 29^th, with winds to 145 mph. Roseau, the capital, was devastated. Fifty-six people were killed on Dominica and 60,000 of the island's 80,000 residents were made homeless. About three-quarters of the coconut and banana crop were destroyed. The central pressure in David fell to 924 mb (27.28 in.) on the 30^th as it moved south of Puerto Rico. At that time, highest sustained winds reached 173 mph. On the 31^st, winds of 150 mph from Hurricane David brought over $1 billion in damage to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, killing over 1200. (The Weather Doctor) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
• 25 August 1987...Morning thunderstorms produced heavy rain in eastern Nebraska and southwestern Iowa. Stanton, IA reported 10.50 inches of rain. Water was reported up to the handle of automobiles west of Greenwood, NE. Rainfall totals for a two-day period ranged from 7 to 14 inches across southwestern Iowa. Crop damage was in the millions for both states. Subsequent flooding of streams in Iowa the last week of August caused millions of dollars damage to crops, as some streams crested ten feet above flood stage. A new record for monthly rainfall was set at Chicago when a storm brought the total to 15.73 inches erasing the previous record for any month which had been 14.17 inches in September, 1961 (Storm Data) (Intellicast)
• 25 August 1989...Morning thunderstorms drenched Spencer, IN with 4.10 inches of rain in three hours causing extensive street flooding. Evening thunderstorms in eastern Kansas produced up to six inches of rain around Emporia, and four inches of rain in just forty-five minutes near Parsons, and also produced wind gusts to 70 mph at Lake Melvern. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
• 26 August 1883...Krakatoa Volcano exploded in the East Indies. The explosion was heard more than 2500 miles away, and every barograph around the world recorded the passage of the air wave, up to seven times. Giant waves, 125 feet high and traveling 300 mph, devastated everything in their path, hurling ashore coral blocks weighing up to 900 tons, and killing more than 36,000 persons. Volcanic ash was carried around the globe in thirteen days producing blue and green suns in the tropics, and then vivid red sunsets in higher latitudes. The temperature of the earth was lowered one degree for the next two years, finally recovering to normal by 1888. (David Ludlum)
• 26 August 1949...A hurricane made landfall at Delray Beach, FL. Winds reached 153 mph at the Jupiter Lighthouse before the anemometer failed. The hurricane caused 45 million dollars damage to crops, and also caught the Georgia and South Carolina coast resulting in another two million dollars damage. (David Ludlum)
• 26 August 1992...Hurricane Andrew made its second landfall along the Louisiana coast near Burns Point, as a category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Morgan City recorded wind gusts of 108 mph. Hammond was deluged with nearly a foot of rain. Total additional damage was estimated at $ 1.8 billion. Andrew, which had made its initial US landfall in South Florida on the 24^th, was the most costly natural disaster in US history, with total damage reaching up to $30 billion. Additionally, record hurricane evacuation of 2.4 million people took place in Florida and Louisiana. (Intellicast) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)

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Prepared by AMS WES Central Staff and Edward J. Hopkins, Ph.D., email hopkins@meteor.wisc.edu
ã Copyright, 2007, The American Meteorological Society.