WEEKLY OCEAN NEWS

17-21 August 2015

DataStreme Ocean will return for Fall 2015 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 24 August 2015. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

Items of Interest:

NASA's role in studying hurricanes described -- A feature prepared by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center describes how agency scientists are helping provide their NOAA colleagues at the National Hurricane Center with a variety of information on tropical cyclones (including hurricanes and tropical storms) obtained from NASA satellites, aircraft, field missions, instruments and computer modeling capabilities. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]
Special collection of satellite images and animations for Hurricane Katrina and the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season are available -- As the 10th anniversary of the formation of the infamous Hurricane Katrina approaches, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is making available a special collection of videos and still images associated with that devastating hurricane and the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. [NOAA News]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the Tropics -- During the last week tropical cyclone activity continued across the Pacific Ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere :

In the eastern North Pacific basin, the eleventh tropical depression of the season formed over this past weekend approximately 775 miles to the south-southwest of the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. As of Sunday, Tropical Depression 11E was traveling toward the northwest. Current forecasts indicate that this system should continue to travel to the northwest during the first two days of this week with little change in intensity.
In the central North Pacific basin, Hurricane Hilda passed to the south of Hawaii's Big Island during the last weekend. This hurricane had formed in the eastern North Pacific basin during the previous week and then entered the central North Pacific basin as it crossed the 140 degrees West meridian over the previous weekend. Once in the central North Pacific, Hilda reached category 4 status on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. During the early part of last week, Hilda weakened, becoming a tropical storm and then a tropical depression over the waters to the south of the Aloha State late last week. Hilda brought locally heavy rain to the Big Island over the last weekend. Consult the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information on Hurricane Hilda and accompanying images.
In the western North Pacific basin, Tropical Storm Molave curved to take a track to the northeast after traveling to the north and toward Japan at the start of last week. However, Molave remained a relatively weak tropical storm that remained well to the south of the main Japan during most of this past week. Additional information and satellite information on Tropical Storm Molave can be found at NASA Hurricane Page.
Typhoon (the name for hurricanes in the western Pacific) Goni formed late last week from Tropical Depression 16W that was located to approximately 340 miles to the east-southeast of Guam. Over the weekend, Goni became a category 1 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Scale as it traveled to the west-northwest across the waters surrounding the Northern Marianas. Forecasts indicate that this typhoon could intensify as it would continue to the west-northwest. The NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite information on Typhoon Gongi (which had been Tropical Depression 16W).
Tropical Depression 17E formed approximately 370 miles southwest of Wake Island at the end of last week. This tropical depression slowly strengthened to become a tropical storm and then a category 1 typhoon by late in the weekend as it traveled toward the west. This typhoon was identified as Atsani. Forecasts indicate that Atsani could intensify early this week as it would travel toward the west and then northwest. See the NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite information on Typhoon Atsani (which had been Tropical Depression 17W).

Carbon dioxide spewed from underwater volcano causes coral to be displaced by algae -- Researchers from NOAA and the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmospheric Studies at the University of Miami have discovered that vibrant coral communities were replaced by carpets of algae in those in waters of the Pacific Ocean in the Northern Mariana Islands that were in proximity to an underwater volcano spewing carbon dioxide. The researchers warned that this ecosystem shift could serve as an example of what could happen with future ocean acidification due to the absorption of elevated levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide from human activity. [NOAA Office of Oceanic & Atmospheric Research News]
Search has begun for rare, endangered North Pacific Right Whale in Alaskan waters -- At the end of the second week of August, a team of NOAA Fisheries scientists embarked on a month-long research survey across the waters of the Gulf of Alaska onboard the NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker in an attempt to locate the exceedingly rare North Pacific right whale. With only about 30 North Pacific right whales estimated to remain in existence, these whales could possibly the most endangered marine mammal species to visit U.S. waters. [NOAA Fisheries Alaska Fisheries Science Center News]
Toxic algae bloom in North Pacific sets record along West Coast -- NOAA scientists and their colleagues have been monitoring a record-setting algal bloom that continuing to expand across the eastern North Pacific Ocean and along the West Coast of North America, extending from Alaska's Aleutian Islands southward to the southern California as of the first week of August. This algal bloom, which contains some toxic species, has had far-reaching consequences for marine life and therefore, the regional and local economies that depend upon the resources from the waters of the North Pacific. A map of the average chlorophyll concentrations during the month of July was produced from data obtained from sensors onboard the NOAA/NASA Suomi NPP satellite data. This algal bloom, which is a record in terms of size and duration, is coinciding with much above average sea surface temperatures along the West Coast and the eastern North Pacific. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Public comments solicited for proposed rule protecting marine mammals in international fisheries -- At the start of last week, NOAA Fisheries announced that it was soliciting public comment on a proposed rule designed to protect marine mammals in international fisheries. This rule, which is under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, would require US trading partners to take measures aimed at the incidental killing or serious injury of marine mammals due to fishing activities in order to export seafood to the United States. The public comment period would extend through early November. [NOAA Fisheries Newsroom]
Diminishing Arctic sea ice points to changing climate -- A feature produced by NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) highlights how the scientific community has been monitoring the thickness and volume of Arctic sea ice from satellites, aircraft and submarines over the last 50 years. According to the collected data, the thickness and volume of Arctic sea ice have diminished over the last three decades due to changing climate. [NOAA NESDIS News]
Arctic traffic continue to rely on century-old navigation charts -- Although shrinking summertime Arctic sea ice cover has resulted in increases in shipping traffic over the last decade, the ships plying Arctic sea routes are forced to rely on outdated century-old navigation charts. These charts were based upon a "wire-dragging" technique that was used to measure ocean depths. However, NOAA and the US Coast Guard (USCG) have been collecting multibeam bathymetric data from multibeam echo sounders onboard NOAA research and USCG vessels. These bathymetric data are being archived at NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information. [NOAA NESDIS News]
Heat index readings in Iran reach astounding levels during late July -- Residents across southwestern Iran experienced an episode of triple-digit air temperatures coupled with high atmospheric humidity levels during late July. During the afternoon of 30 July 2015, the ambient air temperature at the coastal city of Bandar Mahshahr reached 113 degrees Fahrenheit, while the dewpoint temperature (the temperature where saturation of the air with respect to water vapor would occur) reached a relatively rare high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit. On the following day (31 July), the air temperature rose to 115 degrees during the late afternoon, while the dew point was 90 degrees. Therefore, the heat index, (or "apparent temperature" that is what the temperature feels like to the human body when relative humidity is combined with the air temperature), soared to an incredible 165 degrees Fahrenheit. The exceptionally high dewpoints in Bandar Mahshahr were due to southerly winds carrying winds onshore from the Persian Gulf, where sea surface temperatures had reached at least 90 degrees. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion & El Niño advisory -- NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society recently released their El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) Diagnostic Discussion that showed an El Niño event was underway due to the continuation of above-average sea surface temperatures (SST) across most of the equatorial Pacific during July 2015. SST values ranged from one to two Celsius degrees above normal from the central into the eastern equatorial Pacific. Consequently, forecasters at CPC have continued their El Niño advisory that indicates the continuation and possible strengthening of an El Niño event during the next six months. These forecasters foresee a greater than 90 percent chance that this El Niño event would continue through the Northern Hemisphere winter of 2015-16, with an approximately 85 percent chance of the event continuing into early spring 2016. A detailed El Niño/Southern Oscillation Diagnostic Discussion with supporting maps and charts is available from CPC.
An ENSO blog written by CPC staff suggests that this current El Niño event could peak in late autumn or early winter (in the Northern Hemisphere), but not before becoming one of the strongest El Niño episodes since 1950. Consequently, this El Niño could have a major impact upon the autumn and winter seasonal climate outlooks across the United States. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
A map of the spatial pattern of SST across the eastern Pacific Ocean basin for the week of 10 August is available. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory]
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] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Historical Events:

17 August 1915...A hurricane hit Galveston, TX with wind gusts to 120 mph and a twelve-foot storm surge which inundated the city. The storm claimed 275 lives, including forty-two on Galveston Island, with most deaths due to drowning. Of 250 homes built outside the seawall (which was constructed after the catastrophic hurricane of 1900), just ten percent were left standing. (The Weather Channel)
17 August 1969...Camille, a Category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) and the second worst hurricane in U.S. history, smashed into the Mississippi coast, making landfall at Pass Christian, MS with sustained winds of 190 mph and gusts well over 200 mph. The hurricane produced winds to 200 mph, and a storm surge of 24.6 feet. Winds gusted to 172 mph at Main Pass Block, LA, and to 190 mph near Bay Saint Louis, MS. The hurricane claimed 256 lives, and caused 1.3 billion dollars damage. Several ocean going ships were carried over seven miles inland by the hurricane. Complete destruction occurred in some coastal areas near the eye of the hurricane. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
18 August 1904...The Belle Isle Aquarium opened in Detroit, MI. This facility is the oldest, continuously running aquarium in America. Several other institutions opened earlier but since have closed or moved to multiple different buildings. Belle Isle Aquarium is still in its original building and site as the one in which it opened. (Today in Science History)
18 August 1983...Hurricane Alicia (a category 3 storm on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) ravaged southeastern Texas. The hurricane caused more than three billion dollars property damage, making it one of the costliest hurricanes in the history of the U.S. Just thirteen persons were killed, but 1800 others were injured. The hurricane packed winds to 130 mph as it crossed Galveston Island, created a storm surge of 12 feet and spawned twenty-two tornadoes in less than 24 hours as it made landfall. (The Weather Channel) (Storm Data) (Intellicast)
19 August 1559...First recorded U.S. hurricane drove five Spanish ships ashore in Pensacola Harbor along the Florida coast. (Intellicast)
19 August 1788...A small but powerful hurricane inflicted great havoc upon forests along a narrow track from Delaware Bay northeastward across New Jersey along the coast to Maine. A similar storm track today would cause extreme disaster in the now populated area. (David Ludlum)
19-20 August 1969...'Never say die' Camille, an exceptionally strong hurricane that had weakened to a tropical depression as it drifted slowly across the mid-Atlantic states, let loose a cloudburst in Virginia resulting in flash floods and landslides that killed 151 persons and caused 140 million dollars damage. Massies Hill in Nelson County, Virginia received an estimated 27 inches of rain in 24 hours. This amount is an unofficial record for the state, while the official 24-hour maximum precipitation record is 14.28 inches at Williamsburg on 16 September 1999. It was said to rain so hard that birds drowned while perched on tree branches. The James and York River basins in Virginia were especially hard hit. (Intellicast) (David Ludlum) (NCDC) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
19 August 1991...Hurricane Bob slammed into New England with 90 mph sustained winds and gusts of 125 mph (at Block Island, RI) and 105 mph (at Newport, RI). It made landfall first at Newport, RI and then final US landfall as a tropical storm at Rockland, ME. A storm surge of 15 feet occurred in Upper Buzzards Bay. Portland, ME had a 24-hour record rainfall of 7.83 inches. Total damage exceeded $1.5 billion dollars and 17 people were killed. This was the worst Hurricane in the Northeast since Donna in 1960. (Intellicast) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
20 August 1886...The town of Indianola, TX was completely destroyed by a hurricane, and never rebuilt. (David Ludlum)
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 1770...James Cook's expedition landed on the east coast of Australia. (Wikipedia)
22 August 1787...Inventor John Fitch demonstrated his steamboat on the Delaware River to delegates of the Continental Congress. Its top speed was 3 mph. These tests were completed years before Fulton built his steamboat. (Today in Science History)
22 August 1780...HMS Resolution, Captain James Cook's ship, returned to England; Cook had been killed on Hawaii during the voyage. (Wikipedia)
22 August 1962...The 506-ft long NS Savannah, the world's first civilian nuclear-powered ship, completed its maiden voyage from Yorktown, VA to Savannah, GA; the ship was named for the SS Savannah, the first steam-powered ship to cross the Atlantic in 1819. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)
22 August 1994...The USCG icebreaker Polar Sea and the CCCS Louis S. Ste Laurent became the first "North American surface ships" to reach the North Pole. (USCG Historian's Office)
23 August 1540...The French explorer Jacques Cartier landed near Quebec in his voyage to Canada. (Wikipedia)
23 August 1889...The first wireless message from a ship to the shore "Sherman is sighted", was received in the US. The US Lightship No. 70, San Francisco, announced the arrival of the U.S. Army troopship Sherman to the crowd assembled at the Cliff House. Reporters from the San Francisco Call relayed this information to a city awaiting the return of its hometown regiment from the battlefields of the Spanish-American War. The lightship, miles out at sea in deep fog, relayed this message via wireless telegraphy (later known as radio) through the fog to the Cliff House. This was the first 19th-century working use of wireless telegraphy outside of England. The method was still primitive, using sparks to emit intermittent radio waves and code messages. (Wikipedia) (Today in Science History)
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 24th, 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 people died and property 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 23rd and 6 AM on the 24th 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)