WEEKLY WATER NEWS

DataStreme WES Week Four: 22-26 September 2008

Water in the News

Eye on the tropics --- Following an active week in across the tropical North Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans, this past week was relatively quiet. However, attention turned westward:
- In the western North Pacific Typhoon Sinlaku, which had formed two weeks ago over the Philippine Sea east of Luzon and became a supertyphoon (category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), weakened to a category 1 typhoon as it approached the coast of east central China and then turned toward the northeast. While weakening to a tropical storm as it passed just to the south of the Japanese Archipelago, where strong gusty winds and torrential rain were reported. As of Sunday, the tropical storm was moving eastward away from Japan. See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information and satellite imagery concerning Typhoon Sinlaku.
  Tropical Storm Hagupit formed last week over the western North Pacific near the Northern Mariannas and initially traveled to the west-southwest across the Philippine Sea toward the Philippines before curving to the northwest. By Sunday, this tropical storm was ready to pass to the north of Luzon and could possibly intensify to the tenth typhoon of the 2008 calendar year in the western North Pacific.
- In the North Indian Ocean basin, Tropical Cyclone 2 formed early last week over the Bay of Bengal just offshore of Baleshwar in northeast India. In less than one day, the nearly formed system with minimal tropical storm intensity made landfall along the Indian coast.
In the aftermath of Ike -- Attention continued to be focused upon the Texas and Louisiana Gulf Coast in the wake of Hurricane Ike, a powerful category 2 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson scale) that made landfall near Galveston, TX more than a week ago:
- Various groups within NOAA are assisting in recovery and cleanup efforts, including NOAA’s Navigational Response Teams, NOAA HAZMAT teams and the National Weather Service, have been working alongside other federal, state and local agencies. [NOAA News]
- The US Commerce Secretary recently declared formally that a fishery disaster for the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, thereby making small fishing businesses eligible for certain federally-financed loans in an effort to assist the economic recovery along the Gulf Coast devastated by these recent hurricanes. [NOAA News]
- NOAA's National Geodetic Survey has posted a variety of Emergency Response Imagery on its Hurricane Ike Images page.
- Several pictures taken by NOAA and US Geological Survey personnel from aircraft shows the devastation left by Hurricane Ike left on the Bolivar Peninsula east of Galveston. [NASA Earth Observatory] [NASA Earth Observatory]
- Editor's note: The NASA Hurricane Page has been updated late last week with additional satellite images and information on Hurricane Ike. EJH
Inspecting winds inside Ike's eye -- The Doppler on Wheels (DOW) mobile weather radar operated by the Center for Severe Weather Research, deployed to Galveston, TX before Hurricane Ike made landfall, was able to collect high-resolution radar data from the ground within the inside of the hurricane's eye as it passed nearly directly over the unit. [EurekAlert!]
World Water Monitoring Month -- The Water Environment Federation and the International Water Association announced the observance of World Water Monitoring Month that commenced on World Water Monitoring Day (Thursday, 18 September 2008) and will conclude in October. The day and month represent "an international education and outreach program that builds public awareness and involvement in protecting water resources around the world by engaging citizens to conduct basic monitoring of their local water bodies." [World Monitoring Day]
Review of last weekend's Midwest flooding--The Midwestern Regional Climate Center has produce a relatively detailed analysis along with pictures and maps of the record-setting torrential rain that fell across a large section of the Midwest one week ago due to a stationary frontal system and the remnants of former Hurricane Ike. Attention is directed to an analyzed isohyet map (lines of equal precipitation totals) that show precipitation totals for the four day interval (12-15 September 2008) ranging between 10 and 13 inches in the Chicago metropolitan area of northern Illinois and northwest Indiana. [Midwest Climate Watch-MRCC]
Global review of August and boreal summer season --Basing their analysis on preliminary data, scientists at NOAA's National Climatic Data Center recently reported that the combined global surface temperature taken over land and oceans during the three months of June through August 2008, which corresponds to meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere was the ninth highest since a sufficiently dense weather-climate observing network became available in 1880. The global ocean surface was also the ninth warmest for those three months. The month of August 2008 also was tied for the tenth highest combined ocean and land surface temperature. NOAA's Climate Prediction Center also noted that the neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions in August should continue through the end of the calendar year. [NOAA News]
Improvement seen in nation's drought situation -- Scientists at the National Drought Mitigation Center and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map late last week that showed the areal coverage of drought conditions across the coterminous US at its lowest levels in more than 30 months. The map showed improvement in the drought conditions across the Midwest and the Plains due to recent tropical cyclones that made landfall, while some areas of the Southeast, Texas and California continued to experience severe drought. A US Seasonal Drought Outlook was also released that indicated some improvement in drought conditions across the Upper Midwest and northern Plains, some sections of the Southeast and northern California by the end of December 2008, while areas of drought were expected to persist across sections of the interior Southeast, central Texas and the Southwest. [NOAA News]
Report made on health of a Washington State marine sanctuary -- NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has recently released a report on the health of the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, which is located in the coastal waters around Washington State's Olympic Peninsula, indicates that while the overall condition of the sanctuary’s marine life and habitats can be rated "fair to good," several emerging threats to the sanctuary's health can be foreseen. [NOAA News]
Gulf fishery resource discovery declared -- The US Commerce Secretary recently declared formally that a fishery disaster for the Gulf of Mexico in the wake of Hurricanes Gustav and Ike, thereby making small fishing businesses eligible for certain federally-financed loans in an effort to assist the economic recovery along the Gulf Coast devastated by these recent hurricanes. [NOAA News]
Tsunami warning test to conducted -- This upcoming Wednesday morning, NOAA’s National Weather Service will conduct a limited communications test of the tsunami warning system in the coastal areas of California, Oregon, and Washington, including a test tsunami warning message broadcast on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards. [NOAA News]
Improvement seen in nation's drought situation -- Scientists at the National Drought Mitigation Center and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center released the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map late last week that showed the areal coverage of drought conditions across the coterminous US at its lowest levels in more than 30 months. The map showed improvement in the drought conditions across the Midwest and the Plains due to recent tropical cyclones that made landfall, while some areas of the Southeast, Texas and California continued to experience severe drought. A US Seasonal Drought Outlook was also released that indicated some improvement in drought conditions across the Upper Midwest and northern Plains, some sections of the Southeast and northern California by the end of December 2008, while areas of drought were expected to persist across sections of the interior Southeast, central Texas and the Southwest. [NOAA News]
Small glaciers shown to account for much of Greenland's ice loss -- Scientists at Ohio State University using data collected by NASA's Terra and ICESAT satellites, report that nearly 75 percent of the recent loss of ice from Greenland can be associated with the melting and breakup of small coastal glaciers, rather than with a few huge interior glaciers. [EurekAlert!]
Arctic sea ice reaches summer minimum -- Researchers at National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado in Boulder claim that their analysis of data from NASA satellites indicates that the extent of the sea ice coverage on the Arctic Ocean appears to have reached the summer minimum recently, which also happens to the second-lowest amount recorded since satellite surveillance commenced in 1979. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Worsening marine debris foreseen -- A congressionally mandated report prepared by the National Research Council indicates that marine debris could likely worsen because current measures deigned to prevent and reduce the debris into the marine environment are inadequate. [EurekAlert!]
Nitrate concentrations seen to increase in nation's groundwater -- Scientists at the US Geological Survey who recently completed a nationwide ground-water study have found that nitrate concentration levels have increased between 1988 and 2004 in the ground water sampled in at least 24 well networks across the United States. [American Society of Agronomy]
Estrogen products increase in Montreal water treatment plants -- A study conducted by researchers at the Université de Montréal report that the Montreal, Quebec water treatment plant dumps approximately 90 times the amount of estrogen products in the St. Lawrence River than considered the critical amount thought to disrupt the endocrinal system of fish and decrease their fertility. [EurekAlert!]
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, drought, floods, marine weather, tsunamis, rip currents, Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) and coral bleaching. [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]
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.

THE AUTUMNAL EQUINOX -- The Autumnal Equinox will occur this Monday morning (officially at 1544Z, 22 September 2008 or 11:44 AM EDT or 10:44 AM CDT, etc.). At that time the noontime sun will appear directly above the equator, representing one of the two times during the year for such an occurrence, with the other being at the vernal equinox in March. The term "equinox" arises from the fact that this time of year represents "equal night" and equal day essentially everywhere. Within the subsequent several days, the length of daylight will become noticeably shorter. This decrease in daylight will continue for another three months to the winter solstice early Sunday, 21 December 2008.
Editor's note: John White, a meteorologist from North Carolina involved with the AMS Education program, reported that the geosynchronous (or geostationary) satellites make an "satellite eclipse" of the sun near the spring and autumnal equinoxes because of their equatorial orbit, such that these satellites pass through the earth's shadow and the satellite is powered down when the solar array does not receive sufficient sunlight. [For more information, consult NWS Southern Region GOES Satellite FAQ] EJH.

Concept of the Week: Controlling Indoor Humidity

In public buildings as well as individual homes, it is sometimes desirable to alter extremes of relative humidity so that living spaces are more comfortable. For human comfort, optimum relative humidity is between about 30% and 50%. When indoor air is exceptionally dry, a humidifier may be used to add water vapor to the air, but when indoor air is excessively muggy, a dehumidifier may be used to remove water vapor from the air.

As cold, dry winter air is drawn indoors and heated by a furnace, its relative humidity declines--sometimes to uncomfortably low levels. Suppose, for example, that outdoor air has a temperature of –20ºC (–5ºF) and relative humidity of 50%. If that air were brought indoors and heated to 21ºC (70ºF), its relative humidity drops to about 2% — well below the optimal winter indoor relative humidity of 30% to 50%. At such very low relative humidity values, people often feel discomfort caused by dry skin and irritation of the mucus membranes in their nose and throat. Also, wood furniture dries out and may crack and become unjointed. Discharge of static electricity (e.g., after walking across a carpet and touching a metal doorknob) can be a nuisance in dry rooms.

One remedy for excessively low indoor relative humidity is a device known as a humidifier. A humidifier elevates the relative humidity of indoor air to more comfortable levels by evaporating water into the air (increasing the vapor pressure). A common humidifier design consists of a wheel that continually rotates a porous belt (or pads) into and out of a reservoir of water. A fan blows air through the wetted belt, water evaporates into the air stream, and the more humid air circulates through the dwelling.

On the other hand, a dehumidifier may be desirable during warm muggy summer days. In addition to discomfort caused by reduced evaporative cooling, high values of indoor humidity can increase the incidence of mold and mites. A dehumidifier lowers the relative humidity of indoor air to more comfortable levels by inducing condensation of water vapor (decreasing the vapor pressure). In a standard dehumidifier, a fan draws humid air past a cold refrigerated coil. Air in contact with the coil is chilled to saturation, water vapor condenses on the coils and liquid water drips from the coils into a collection reservoir or through a hose into a drain. Most dehumidifiers function best when the air temperature is at or above 18ºC (65ºF).

Click on forecast map for locations across the country where today's indoor relative humidity is expected to be too high or too low in the absence of any controls on indoor humidity. For an interactive applet (from the University of Wisconsin-Madison) that explores the relationships among temperature, dewpoint, and relative humidity, go to http://profhorn.meteor.wisc.edu/wxwise/museum/a7/a7exercise1.html. Follow instructions and note how the indoor relative humidity changes with changes in outdoor conditions.

Concept of the Week: Questions

A humidifier elevates the relative humidity by causing [(evaporation)(condensation)].
A dehumidifier reduces the relative humidity by causing [(evaporation)(condensation)].

Historical Events

22-23 September 1998... Hurricane Georges raked Hispaniola leaving over 580 dead in Haiti and the Dominican Republic, due mainly to flash flooding and subsequent mud slides in high terrain regions. Damage estimates from the storm exceeded $1 billion (US). (The Weather Doctor)
23 September 1551...The Grand Harbour at Valetta, Malta was hit by a waterspout that then moved inland and caused extensive damage. A shipping armada in the harbor about to go into battle was destroyed by the waterspout killing at least 600 people. (The Weather Doctor)
23 September 1815...One of the most powerful hurricanes to strike New England made landfall initially on Long Island, NY and then again at Old Saybrook, CT before crossing into Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Extensive structural damage resulted. Providence, RI was flooded and six people were killed. This "Great September Gale" was the worst tempest in nearly two hundred years, equal in strength to the Great 1938 Hurricane, and one of a series of severe summer and autumn storms to affect shipping lanes that year. (David Ludlum)
25 September 1939...A West Coast hurricane moved onshore south of Los Angeles bringing unprecedented rains along the southern coast of California. Nearly five and a half inches of rain drenched Los Angeles during a 24-hr period. The hurricane caused $2 million in damage, mostly to structures along the coast and to crops, and claimed 45 lives at sea. "El Cordonazo" produced 5.66 in. of rain at Los Angeles and 11.6 in. of rain at Mount Wilson, both records for the month of September. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
25 September 1997...While much of San Bernardino and Inyo Counties in California are desert, between 1 to 2 inches of rain from former Pacific Hurricane Nora fell across a large portion of these counties. State highway 190 was washed out between Panamint Springs and Stove Pipe in Death Valley National Park. Flooding also shut down many other park roads. (Accord Weather Calendar)
25-26 September 1962...Torrential rains from severe thunderstorms over the hilly regions to the west and north of Barcelona, Spain resulted in flooding and considerable property damage. Many buildings collapsed. Tarassa was particularly hard hit with approximately 500 deaths reported. (Accord Weather Calendar)
28 September 1986...Flash flooding swept a car into a swollen creek from off the Kamehameha Highway on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. The driver held onto some branches until help arrived, but the strong current stripped him of his clothes and watch. (Accord Weather Calendar)
28 September 1986...Torrential rains and floods were responsible for South Africa's worst natural disaster in Natal. As much as 35 in. of rain fell between the 25^th and 29^th to the northeast of Empangen, resulting in 317 deaths and 163 people missing. Topsoil from some farms was completely washed away leaving only bedrock. (Accord Weather Calendar)