Weekly Ocean News

WEEK EIGHT: 27-31 October 2014

For Your Information

Options for climate change policy found to be well characterized -- A new study conducted by the American Meteorological Society (AMS) Policy Program indicates that policy options for climate change risk management are straightforward and have well understood strengths and weaknesses. The study identifies four categories of climate change risk management: 1) mitigation; 2) adaptation; 3) geoengineering or climate engineering; and 4) knowledge-base expansion. Recommendations are also advanced. [American Meteorological Society Policy Program]
Marine and tropical weather statements -- This week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth provides identifies those National Weather Service Forecast Centers that monitor the weather, prepare weather forecasts, and issue event-specific warnings or advisories for marine and coastal interests. The terminology used to identify the particular warnings, watches and advisories for marine interests and for tropical weather events is also discussed.

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the Tropics --Several named tropical cyclones were tracked across the ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere during the last week:
- In the North Atlantic basin, Hurricane Gonzalo remained a category 1 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) as it raced passed Newfoundland on a path to the northeast across cold waters of the North Atlantic at the start of last week. By late Sunday, Gonzalo lost its tropical characteristics and became a powerful extratropical cyclone (or midlatitude storm). Remnants of former Hurricane Gonzalo battered western Europe during the week. The British Isles, Germany and Belgium were some of the areas that were subjected to strong winds, high seas, and heavy rain. [BBC News] See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information on Hurricane Gonzalo.
  Tropical Depression 9 formed over the Bay of Campeche off the southeastern coast of Mexico at the mid-point of last week. This tropical depression was short-lived as it moved east and made landfall along the western coast of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Satellite images and additional information on Tropical Depression 9 can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
- In the central North Pacific basin (to the west of 140 degrees west longitude), Hurricane Ana passed within 200 miles of the main Hawaiian Islands at the start of last week. During the first part of the week Ana weakened to a tropical storm as it traveled to the west and then northwest, passing across the Northwest Hawaiian Islands. Over this past weekend, Ana curved to the northeast and intensified to become a hurricane for a second time as it traveled rapidly toward the western coast of British Columbia. Hurricane Ana should weaken to a tropical storm and then lose its tropical characteristics before reaching the coast before the midpoint of this week. The NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite images on Hurricane Ana.
- In the northern Indian basin, Tropical Storm Nilofar (also known as Tropical Cyclone 4A) formed this past weekend over the Arabian Sea. Travel was to the northwest on Monday (local time).
New online visualization tool designed to aid Great Lakes community planning -- NOAA's Ocean Service has recently unveiled a new online-visualization and mapping tool called "Lake-Level Viewer" that is designed to help community planners and decision makers along the 4900 miles of US shorelines of the Great Lakes plan for and adapt to changes in climate and lake-water levels. [NOAA News]
Two sunken vessels from a WWII convoy battle discovered off North Carolina -- A team of researchers led by NOAA's Office of National Marine Sanctuaries recently announced discovery of two vessels that were sunk off the coast of North Carolina during World War II's Battle of the Atlantic in July 1942. The remnants of the German U-boat 576 and the Nicaraguan freighter Bluefields were found within 240 yards of one another on the seafloor 30 miles off the coast in area called the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." [NOAA News]
Lionfish reaching North Carolina coast due to warming North Atlantic -- A recent study conducted by NOAA and University of North Carolina Wilmington scientists of 40 species of marine animals in the coastal waters off North Carolina has found signs that the damaging lionfish (Pterois volitans) is increasing in numbers as the waters of the North Atlantic warm in response to large scale climate change. [NOAA News]
September 2013 weather and climate for the nation and globe reviewed -- Scientists at the NOAA National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) recently reported on their analysis of preliminary weather data collected from around the world during the month of September 2014. They found that this recently concluded month was the warmest September since sufficiently detailed global climate records began in 1880 as the combined global land and ocean surface temperature for September 2014 was the highest on record, being 1.30 Fahrenheit degrees above the 20th century (1901-2000) September average of 59.0 degrees Fahrenheit. The scientists also noted that the combined global land and oceans surface temperature for the first nine months of 2014 has tied the corresponding January through September span for 1998. When considered separately, the temperature over the oceans last month was the highest for any September since 1880, while the average land temperature was the fourth highest for any September. Sea-surface temperatures across the equatorial and northeastern Pacific Ocean were at record levels in September although an El Niño event has not been officially declared. The researchers at the National Snow and Ice Data Center noted the areal extent of the Arctic sea ice for September 2014 was the sixth smallest since satellite surveillance began in 1979. On the other hand, the extent of the Antarctic sea ice was the largest in the 36-year satellite record. [NOAA/NCDC State of the Climate] A global map of Selected Significant Climate Anomalies and Events for September 2013 is available from NCDC.
The scientists at NCDC also noted that the September 2014 marked the fourth month this year that was ranked as the warmest since 1880 according to their time-series of global land and ocean surface temperature. A display of the spatial distribution of monthly average temperature anomalies for each of the first nine months of the year is also provided. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Deke Arndt, Chief of the Climate Monitoring Branch at NCDC, identifies "Five things to know about 2014 global temperatures." [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Monitoring the planetary albedo (reflectivity) -- Sensors known as Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System that have flown onboard a series of the nation's environmental satellites have been monitoring the planet Earth's albedo (or reflectivity) over the last 17 years. Analysis of these data indicates the planetary albedo has not experienced long-term changes, although short-term fluctuations have been observed. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Monitoring the planetary albedo (reflectivity) -- Sensors known as Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System that have flown onboard a series of the nation's environmental satellites have been monitoring the planet Earth's albedo (or reflectivity) over the last 17 years. Analysis of these data indicates the planetary albedo has not experienced long-term changes, although short-term fluctuations have been observed. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Assessing the role of the ocean on recent global temperature increases -- Professor Richard P. Allan of the United Kingdom's University of Reading and lead investigator of the Diagnosing Earth's Energy Pathways in the Climate system (DEEP-C) project recently wrote a guest post on the NOAA Climate.gov newsletter in which he describes the role of the oceans in affecting the rise in global temperature over the last four decades. He points to how La Niña events and the absence of substantial El Niño events within the last decade have contributed to a recent slowing this global surface temperature increase. NOAA Climate.gov News]
Past climate change attributed to both ocean and atmosphere -- Researchers at Rutgers University have found that the large-scale circulation of the ocean plays an equally important role in regulating Earth's climate as its atmosphere. Their findings were based on ocean sediment core samples between 2.5 million to 3.3 million years old. They note that the major cooling of Earth along with the increase in continental ice in the Northern Hemisphere 2.7 million years ago coincided with a shift in the circulation of the ocean, which sequesters heat and carbon dioxide in the Atlantic Ocean. This shift in the ocean conveyor system would transport the added heat and carbon dioxide through the deep ocean from north to south until it is released in the Pacific. [Rutgers University News]
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.

Concept of the Week: Loss of Louisiana's Coast

According to the Louisiana Coastal Wetlands Conservation and Restoration Task Force, Louisiana has been losing its coastal wetlands (bayous, marshes, and swamps) to the waters of the Gulf of Mexico at an alarming rate of about 65 to 100 square km (25 to 38 square mi) per year for the past several decades. This loss adversely affects fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and makes the coastal zone more vulnerable to storm surges such as that produced by Hurricane Katrina in August 2005. Since the early 1930s, the state's coastal wetlands have shrunk by an area equivalent to the state of Delaware. According to USGS estimates, an additional 1800 square km (700 square mi) could be lost by mid-century. The price tag for reversing this trend, restoring some marshes, and protecting the remaining 15,000 square km (5800 square mi) of wetlands could top $14 billion and take decades to complete. Many people argue that the value of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is well worth the expense.

As much as 75% of the fish and other marine life in the northern Gulf of Mexico depend on Louisiana's coastal wetlands. The wetlands are a nursery for commercially important catches of shrimp, crawfish, blue crab, and oysters. It is a food source for larger fish including yellow fin tuna, red snapper, and swordfish. In 2003, about three-quarters of the nation's fish and shellfish catch by weight came from Louisiana's waters. In addition, the wetlands are a stopover for millions of birds migrating between North and Central/South America. Furthermore, wetlands and associated barrier islands protect the ports, buildings, and other coastal zone structures from storm surges. Wetlands are particularly important in buffering the levees surrounding New Orleans, much of which is below sea level.

Many factors contribute to the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Thousands of kilometers of pipelines transporting oil and natural gas through the marshes plus the extensive network of navigation channels allow saltwater to intrude the wetlands. Increased salinity of the originally fresh or brackish waters kill wetland grasses, shrubs, and other vegetation that anchor soil in place. The canals also allow tidal currents to flow farther inland, accelerating erosion of wetland soils. The most important factor, however, is the consequence of flood control structures (levees) constructed along the banks of the Mississippi River. Levees constrict the flow of the river so that waters and suspended sediment discharge rapidly into the Gulf. Deprived of a continuous input of sediments and vegetation-supporting nutrients, existing sediments compact, wetlands subside and Gulf waters invade the wetlands. With the anticipated continued rise in sea level due to global climate change (discussed in Chapter 12 of your textbook), erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetland may accelerate in the future.

Plans to reverse the loss of Louisiana's coastal wetlands (the Coast 2005 plan and the Louisiana Coastal Area plan) seek to restore the structure and function of coastal wetlands. One proposal is to breach some levees along the lower Mississippi. This partial diversion of the Mississippi would increase the supply of sediments to the wetlands. Closing or installing locks on some navigation canals would reduce saltwater intrusion. In addition, dredged sediment would be used to re-build wetlands and restore barrier islands.

Concept of the Week: Questions

The most important factor contributing to erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetlands is [(saltwater intrusion)(levees along the banks of the Mississippi River)].
Global climate change that is accompanied by a rise in sea level is likely to [(accelerate)(have no effect on)] the rate of erosion of Louisiana's coastal wetlands.

Historical Events:

28 October 1991...Typhoon Thelma devastated the Philippines. Reports indicated that 6000 people died by catastrophic events related to the storm including dam failure, landslides, and extensive flash flooding. The greatest number of casualties occurred on Leyte Island where an 8-ft storm surge struck Ormoc, accounting for over 3000 fatalities. (The Weather Doctor)
29 October 1999...Tropical Cyclone 5B, with sustained winds of 155 mph, made landfall at Paradwip (Orissa, India). A storm surge of at least 20-ft height swept at least 12 mi inland. More than 10,000 people were killed. With 2 million homes either damaged or destroyed, 35 million people were left homeless. Damage from this tropical cyclone was $1.5 billion. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
30 October-1 November 1991...After absorbing Hurricane Grace on the 29^th, an intense ocean storm took an unusual course and moved westward along 40 degrees north latitude and battered eastern New England with high winds and tides. Winds had already been gusting over 50 mph along the coast 2 days before, so seas and tides were very high. Major coastal flooding and beach erosion occurred all along the New England, New York, and New Jersey coasts. Over 1000 homes were damaged or destroyed with tides 4 to 7 ft above normal. Wind gusts reached 78 mph at Chatham, MA and 74 mph at Gloucester, MA. A ship east of New England reported a 63-ft wave. Total damage from the storm was $200 million. On 1 November this ocean storm underwent a remarkable transformation. Convection developed and rapidly wound around the storm center and an eye became visible on satellite imagery. Air Force reconnaissance aircraft found a small but intense circulation with maximum winds of 75 mph. This evolution from a large extratropical low to a small hurricane is rare but not unprecedented. (Intellicast)
31 October 1874...A waterspout (a tornado-like vortex that travels over water) formed over Lake Erie and reached the lakeshore approximately 0.5 mi west of Buffalo, NY. Upon reaching the shore, it dissipated, scattering sand in all directions. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
31 October 1876...A 10 to 50 ft storm surge ahead of the Backergunge cyclone flooded the eastern Ganges Delta in India (now Bangladesh). Over 100,000 people drowned. (The Weather Doctor)
1 November 1521...Four ships in the fleet commanded by the explorer Ferdinand Magellan began sailing through the passage immediately south of mainland South America connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, now known as the Strait of Magellan. Because this passage began on All Saints Day, Magellan initially called the 373-mile long passage, the Estreito (Canal) de Todos los Santos , or "All Saints' Channel". (Wikipedia)
1 November 1755...Lisbon, Portugal was destroyed by a massive earthquake and tsunami, killing between 60,000 and 90,000 people. (Wikipedia)
1 November 1859...The current Cape Lookout, NC lighthouse was lit for the first time. Its first-order Fresnel lens can be seen for nineteen miles. (Wikipedia)
1 November 1861...A hurricane near Cape Hatteras, NC battered a Union fleet of ships attacking Carolina ports, and produced high tides and high winds in New York State and New England. (David Ludlum)
1 November 1884...Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) was nearly unanimously adopted at a meeting of 25 nations at the International Meridian Conference in Washington, DC. This time is also called Greenwich Meridian Time because it is measured from the Greenwich Meridian Line at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, England. At that time, the International Date Line was also drawn and 24 time zones created. (Today in Science History)
2 November 1493...Explorer Christopher Columbus first sighted the island of Dominica in the Caribbean Sea.