Weekly Ocean News

4-8 November 2019

For Your Information

World Tsunami Awareness Day -- The United Nations General Assembly has designated Tuesday, 5 November 2019, as World Tsunami Awareness Day in recognition of the hazards that tsunamis pose around the globe. This year, World Tsunami Awareness Day will focus on Target "d" of the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, which focuses on "reducing disaster damage to critical infrastructure and disruption of basic services." The Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 was adopted at the Third UN World Conference in Sendai, Japan, in March 2015 as a global agreement to reduce and prevent disaster risks across the globe. [United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction]
Winners of the 2019 "Get into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest" announced -- NOAA's National Marine Sanctuaries recently released the names of the photographers and their photographs they made in the marine sanctuaries to the 2018 "Get into Your Sanctuary Photo Contest." The best three photographs were selected for the categories of Sanctuary Views, Sanctuary Life and Sanctuary Portraits. [NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries News]
The National Weather Service is building a "Weather-Ready Nation" -- The Chief of the National Weather Service (NWS), Dr. Louis Uccellini and John Ten Hoeve, Deputy Director of NWS Office of Organizational Excellence, recently published an article in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society describing how the agency is evolving to meet the nation's needs for weather information and forecasts. The term "Weather-Ready Nation" is a term that describes the NWS goal of helping ready the nation’s communities for the hazards associated with all extreme weather, water, and climate events. NWS mission is to provide accurate and timely forecasts and warnings to decisions that save lives and protect property. [NOAA National Weather Service]
Asteroids, climate change and mass extinctions -- You are invited to read this week's Supplemental Information...In Greater Depth that describes how geoscientists have gathered evidence of five major mass extinctions over the last 550 million years from fossil records. These records also help in reconstructing past climates and help in the understanding of climate change.

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics -- Tropical cyclone activity was reported last week across:
- In the North Atlantic basin (that includes the open North Atlantic, along with the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico) --
  - Hurricane Pablo, the sixth Atlantic hurricane of 2019, had weakened to a tropical storm at the start of last week as it was traveling toward the north-northeast across the colder waters of the eastern North Atlantic to the northeast of the Azores. Pablo would continue weakening on Monday while heading toward the north. By last Monday afternoon Pablo lost most of the deep convection and was declared a post tropical cyclone (remnant low) as it was located approximately 730 miles to the northeast of Terceira Island in the Azores. The NASA Hurricane Blog has additional information for Hurricane Pablo.
  - A subtropical storm, identified as Rebekah, developed last Wednesday evening (local time) from an extratropical cyclone that gained some subtropical characteristics approximately 745 miles to the west of the Azores. Over the next 36 hours, Subtropical Storm Rebekah traveled eastward and then made a loop in a counterclockwise direction over the open waters of the North Atlantic. On Thursday, Rebekah maintained its peak intensity, with maximum sustained surface winds remaining at an estimated 45 mph. However, passing over colder waters by late Thursday and early Friday, this subtropical storm began to weaken. On Friday morning Rebekah became a post-tropical cyclone approximately 140 miles to the north of Faial Island in the central Azores. Additional information on Subtropical Storm Rebekah can be found on the NASA Hurricane Blog.
- In the western North Pacific basin (extending from the International Dateline westward to the Asian continent) --
- In the Northern Indian Ocean basin --
  - Tropical Cyclone Kyarr, a category 4 tropical cyclone (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), was heading to the west-northwest across the waters of the Arabian Sea at the beginning of last week. At the time, Kyarr was several hundred miles to the east-southeast of Masirah Island, an island in the Arabian Sea off the east coast of mainland Oman. Maximum sustained surface winds surrounding Cyclone Kyarr had peaked at an estimated 155 mph on the previous Sunday, as the minimum barometric pressure fell to 915 mb (27.02 inches of mercury), making Kyarr one of the most intense tropical cyclones ever observed over the Arabian Sea. Over the next several days, Cyclone Kyarr took a track that was generally toward the southwest, passing to within several hundred miles of the coast of Oman along the Arabian Peninsula. Eventually, Kyarr approached Somalia on the Horn of Africa. As it was moving toward the southwest, it weakened to a tropical storm by late Wednesday and then to a remnant low by late Thursday. Consult the NASA Hurricane Blog for additional information on Cyclone Kyarr.
  - The fifth tropical cyclone of 2019 developed to the southwest of India over the Arabian Sea late last Wednesday and strengthened to become known as Tropical Storm Maha. Over the next several days, Maha traveled toward the northwest as it continued to strengthen. By late Saturday, Maha had intensified to a category 1 tropical cyclone. As of Monday morning, Maha was a category 3 tropical cyclone that was heading toward the northwest, approximately 435 miles to the east-southeast of Masirah Island. Maha was forecast to strengthen slightly on Monday as it begins to curve toward the north. On Tuesday, Maha should begin weakening as it takes a turn toward the east and head back toward the coast of India. Additional information on Cyclone Maha can be found on the NASA Hurricane Blog.
Investigating high-activity eras for tropical cyclones in the Atlantic basin -- NOAA scientists and their colleagues have been investigating a high-activity era for Atlantic hurricane seasons that has been occurring since 1995. While some years may have above or below average numbers of tropical cyclones due to a variety of atmospheric and oceanic conditions (such as ENSO), the scientists have found a natural, cyclical phenomenon that results in a higher frequency of tropical cyclones extending over several decades. The Atlantic Multi-decadal Oscillation (AMO) appears to provide the most prominent link to the current active era. The AMO is an ongoing series of long-duration changes in the sea surface temperature of the North Atlantic Ocean. Cool and warm phases in the AMO may last for 20-40 years at a time, with the difference between temperature extremes being on the order of approximately one Fahrenheit degree. These changes are natural and have been occurring for at least the last 1000 years. Currently, the AMO is in a warm phase that began in the mid-1990s, which is associated with higher sea surface temperatures and increased thunderstorm activity. The scientists have found three episodes in the AMO that have corresponded to Atlantic high-activity eras with increased hurricane frequency and intensity: 1880 to 1900, 1945 to 1970 and 1995 to present. On the other hand, the low-activity intervals have occurred between 1901-1930 and 1971 to 1994. [NOAA News]
Investigation made of variations in tropical cyclone rainfall intensity and coverage -- A team of scientists conducted research on the differences in rainfall intensity and physical extent of rainfall along the tracks of tropical cyclones of different intensities. They analyzed the tracks of all the tropical cyclones that made landfall in the southern and eastern US during the 20th century. Their research found that those major hurricanes that weakened to tropical storms contributed to heavier rainfall over land during the most recent six decades compared to the first six decades of the 20th century. In addition, after landfall occurs, widespread rainfall was also associated with major hurricanes that have weakened to tropical storms. [NOAA Climate Program Office News]
Research into mesophotic coral ecosystem in American Samoa is funded -- NOAA recently announced that $2.4 million was being made available to fund a four-year research project that will study mesophotic coral ecosystems in American Samoa, including reefs within the National Marine Sanctuary of American Samoa and the National Park of American Samoa. Mesophotic coral ecosystems, or "twilight reefs," are reefs that extend from 100 feet to depths greater than 500 feet below the ocean surface. Their name "meso" means middle and "photic" meaning light. Therefore, these reefs are characterized by the presence of both light dependent coral and algae and organisms that can be found in water with low light penetration. [NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries News]
Kelp farming in Alaskan waters seen as a new sustainable seafood opportunity -- A 3:47-minute (sound) video produced by NOAA Fisheries describes how Alaskan kelp farmers are growing seaweed along the 49t'h States coastline to help address the growing demand for seafood and seafood products. The kelp, or large brown algae seaweed, that they grow is used to make salsa, pickles, and seasoning. [NOAA Fisheries 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

Concept of the Week: Controlling Nutrient Input into Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay is the nation's largest estuary; it is more than 300 km (185 mi) long, 65 km (40 mi) at its broadest, and averages about 20 m (66 ft) deep. The estuary was formed by the post-glacial rise in sea level that flooded the valley of the ancient Susquehanna River. The Bay receives about half its water from the Atlantic Ocean and the other half from the more than 150 rivers and streams draining a 166,000-square kilometer land area encompassing parts of New York, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Major rivers that empty into Chesapeake Bay include the Potomac, Susquehanna, York, and James.

As described in more detail in your AMS Ocean Studies textbook, an estuary is a complex and highly productive ecosystem where seawater and freshwater runoff meet and mix to some degree. In Chesapeake Bay, more-dense seawater creeps northward along the bottom of the estuary, moving under the less-dense fresh water flowing in the opposite direction. This circulation combined with wind-driven and tidal water motions causes salinity to decrease upstream in the Bay, from values typical of the open ocean at its mouth to freshwater values at its northern margin.

As in all ecosystems, organisms living in estuaries depend on one another and their physical environment for food energy and habitat. Phytoplankton and submerged aquatic vegetation (e.g., marsh grass) are the primary producers (autotrophs) in estuarine food chains. Chesapeake Bay consumers (heterotrophs) include zooplankton, finfish, shellfish, birds, and humans.

Human activity has greatly modified Chesapeake Bay with consequences for the functioning of the ecosystem. Much of the original forests that covered its drainage basin were cleared and converted to farmland, roads, cities, and suburban developments. These modifications accelerated the influx of nutrients (i.e., compounds of phosphorus and nitrogen), sediment, pesticides, and other pollutants into the Bay. More nutrients spur growth of algal populations and when these organisms die (in mid-summer), their remains sink to the bottom. Decomposition of their remains reduces dissolved oxygen levels in the Chesapeake's bottom water. More sediment increases the turbidity of the water, reducing sunlight penetration for photosynthesis. Presently Chesapeake Bay is on the Federal list of "impaired waters" and in need of pollution abatement and remediation. States in the drainage basin have agreed to work together to clean up the Bay but there are significant obstacles including cost.

One casualty of human modification of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem was marsh grass-reduced by 90% from historical levels. Marsh grass anchors sediment and dampens wave action thereby controlling shoreline erosion and turbidity. Marsh grass is a food source for many organisms including waterfowl and small mammals and serves as a primary nursery for crabs and many species of fish. Reduction of this habitat along with over-fishing has been implicated in the decline of populations of blue crabs, a mainstay of the Bay fishery for more than a century. Over the past decade, the number of adult female blue crabs plunged by 80%. Without adequate protection by marsh grass, blue crabs are more vulnerable to predation by striped bass (i.e., rockfish). Striped bass turned to blue crabs as a food source when fishing reduced the numbers of menhaden, their preferred food. Menhaden is a marine fish in the herring family and the Bay's top fishery by weight.

Human modification of the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin converted it from an essentially closed system to an open system. In the original climax forests, nutrients primarily cycled within the system with relatively little input to the Bay. Modification of the land for agriculture increased the area of the soil exposed to the elements and runoff from rain and snowmelt accelerated nutrient input into the Bay. In addition to such non-point (area) sources of nutrients are point sources including the effluent of wastewater treatment plants that discharge treated water into rivers and streams that drain into the Bay.

For decades, agriculture has successfully employed various cultivation practices that limit the runoff from cropland (e.g., contour plowing, strip cropping, and retention ponds.) However, less than one-third of the 300-wastewater treatment facilities located in the Chesapeake Bay drainage basin have the technology to remove high levels of nutrients from their effluent. Under current environmental regulations, states are not required to regulate the nutrient content of this discharge. But in late October 2003, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, a private, not-for-profit environmental advocacy organization called on Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia to specify nutrient limits on permits they grant to all wastewater treatment facilities. In support of their recommendations, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation cited the many water quality problems stemming from excessive nutrient load in the Bay waters (e.g., algal blooms, spread of "dead zones.") According to the U. S. EPA, under the federal Clean Water Act, a state can control nitrogen pollution if it determines that environmental harm is taking place. However, the EPA estimates that as much as $4.4 billion would be required to install state-of-the-art nutrient removal technologies at all major plants (those treating more than 500,000 gallons of wastewater per day).

Historical Events:

4 November 1935...Called the "Yankee Hurricane", a Category 2 hurricane that affected the Bahamas and South Florida remains the only tropical cyclone to hit Miami from the northeast in November. (National Weather Service files)
4 November 2001...Hurricane Michelle became the strongest hurricane to strike Cuba since 1952 when it made landfall with top winds of 140 mph. (National Weather Service files)
5 November 1991...Typhoon Thelma was one of the most devastating tropical systems to affect the Philippines in the 20th Century. Reports indicated that 6000 people died by catastrophic events including dam failure, landslides, and extensive flash flooding. The highest casualties occurred on Leyte Island where widespread logging in recent years had stripped the hills above the port city bare of vegetation. (National Weather Service files)
6 November 1528...Shipwrecked Spanish conquistador Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca became the first known European to set foot on Texas soil, near present-day Galveston Island. (Wikipedia)
7 November 1837...One of the most intense hurricanes ever to strike Hawaii brought winds of 115 mph to Hilo, killing 730 people. (National Weather Service files)
8 November 1870...The first storm warning was issued by Professor Increase A. Lapham of the U.S. Signal Corps Weather Service as a cautionary forecast for the Great Lakes. Lapham believed that warnings of deadly storms on the Great Lakes could be derived from telegraphed weather observations. A bill was introduced and signed into law to establish a national telegraphic weather service. The Signal Corps began taking observations one week early on 1 November 1870. (National Weather Service files)
8 November 1994...The twelfth and final tropical cyclone of the Atlantic hurricane season formed on this day in the southwestern Caribbean. While Hurricane Gordon was only a Category 1, it still killed 1,149 individuals, including 1,122 in Haiti. (National Weather Service files)
8 November 2013...Super Typhoon Haiyan struck the central Philippines with 16-foot waves, a foot of rain, and winds on land of 147 mph gusting to 170 mph (winds of 195 mph with gusts to 235 mph were estimated when the system had been over open water). Five to six thousand people were estimated to have perished. (National Weather Service files)
9 November 1913...The "Freshwater Fury," a rapidly deepening extratropical cyclone, caused unpredicted gales on the Great Lakes. Seventeen ships, including eight large ore carriers on Lake Erie sank drowning 270 sailors. Cleveland, OH reported 17.4 in. of snow in 24 hrs, and a storm total of 22.2 in., both all-time records for that location. During the storm, winds at Cleveland averaged 50 mph, with gusts to 79 mph. The storm produced sustained winds of 62 mph at Port Huron, MI, wind gusts to 80 mph at Buffalo, NY. (9^th-11^th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
9 November 1932...An unnamed hurricane struck Cuba, with winds reaching approximately 210 mph at Nuvitas. However, a storm surge was the main killer of 2500 of the 4000 residents of Santa Cruiz del Sur. Essentially no storm records exist, as the observer drowned, with records and instruments washed away. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
9-12 November 1970...One of the worst cyclones in recent history hit the coast of Bangladesh. Storm surges of 13 to 16 feet combined with high tides and more than 10 inches of rain caused incredible flooding and killed more than 300,000 people. (National Weather Service files)
10 November 1835...A severe storm crossed the Great Lakes and "swept the lakes clear of sail" as 19 ships were lost and 254 sailors killed on Lakes Erie, Ontario and Michigan. (Intellicast)
10 November 1975...Another "freshwater fury" hit the Great Lakes. A large ore carrier on Lake Superior, the Edmund Fitzgerald, sank near Crisp Point with the loss of its crew of 29 men. Eastern Upper Michigan and coastal Lower Michigan were hardest hit by the storm, which produced wind gusts to 71 mph at Sault Ste Marie, MI and gusts to 78 mph at Grand Rapids, MI. Severe land and road erosion occurred along the Lake Michigan shoreline. A popular song by Gordon Lightfoot was inspired by the storm. (David Ludlum) (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
Editor's note: In 2015, the NOAA National Weather Service Forecast Office at Marquette, MI created a web page commemorating the 40^th anniversary of the sinking and describing the advances in marine weather forecasting over the last four decades. EJH
10 November 1993...Violent storm over the Black Sea closed the Russian oil terminal port of Novorossisk for 20 days. "Bora" winds reported as high as 112 mph sank at least seven ships. (The Weather Doctor)
11 November 1099...Violent storm in the North Sea killed 100,000 people in England and The Netherlands. (The Weather Doctor)