Sun over the NEEM research station in Northern Greenland.
Credit: Raimund Muscheler
Showing posts with label Jovan Barnes. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jovan Barnes. Show all posts
Tuesday, December 8, 2015
Traces of enormous solar storms in the ice of Greenland and Antarctica
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/10/151026112106.htm
Houston-Galveston region could be better protected from impact of hurricanes and severe storms
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/11/151113105628.htm
FULL STORY
New structural and nonstructural solutions could better protect the Houston-Galveston region from the impact of hurricanes and severe storms, according to a research paper by energy, engineering and environmental law experts at Rice University's Baker Institute for Public Policy.
The paper, "Legal Issues in Hurricane Damage Risk Abatement," examines various alternatives for mitigating floods and storm damage and analyzes the federal regulations that could apply in seeking funding for the proposals. It was co-authored by Jim Blackburn, a professor in the practice of environmental law at Rice and Baker Institute Rice Faculty Scholar; Regina Buono, the Baker Botts Fellow in Energy and Environmental Regulatory Affairs at the institute's Center for Energy Studies; and Larry Dunbar, project manager for Rice's Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disasters Center (SSPEED).
Past discussions of hurricane-protection options for the Houston-Galveston region have focused on constructing a floodgate at the mouth of either Galveston Bay or the Houston Ship Channel. In the latest analysis of options that federal, state and local officials might consider, SSPEED experts this summer issued a report offering a third alternative: a mid-bay gate halfway between the previously discussed sites.
"It is impossible to discuss mitigating these hurricane-surge damage issues without taking federal environmental law and policy into account, particularly if federal money is being relied upon, a point that seems to be missed by many local advocates," said Blackburn, who is co-director of SSPEED. "At least two alternatives exist that offer substantial protection of industry and residences in the bay's high-risk zone, but the law and policies relate to each in different ways. The mid-bay alternative might be able to be funded with local and/or state monies, whereas the lower-bay alternative almost certainly will require federal money, thereby more directly invoking federal environmental laws and funding policies."
Past discussions of hurricane-protection options for the Houston-Galveston region have focused on constructing a floodgate at the mouth of either Galveston Bay or the Houston Ship Channel. In the latest analysis of options that federal, state and local officials might consider, SSPEED experts this summer issued a report offering a third alternative: a mid-bay gate halfway between the previously discussed sites.
"It is impossible to discuss mitigating these hurricane-surge damage issues without taking federal environmental law and policy into account, particularly if federal money is being relied upon, a point that seems to be missed by many local advocates," said Blackburn, who is co-director of SSPEED. "At least two alternatives exist that offer substantial protection of industry and residences in the bay's high-risk zone, but the law and policies relate to each in different ways. The mid-bay alternative might be able to be funded with local and/or state monies, whereas the lower-bay alternative almost certainly will require federal money, thereby more directly invoking federal environmental laws and funding policies."
Top U.S. Scientist: World Must Act Now to Reverse Climate Change
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/12/151207-climate-change-holdren-white-house-science-paris/
Photograph by George Steinmetz, National Geographic Creative
Populations in an area outside of Manila have extended onto coastal mudflats and waterways that are susceptible to flooding and rising sea levels. Top U.S. science advisor John Holdren says this global problem has been amplified by climate change.
Photograph by George Steinmetz, National Geographic Creative
You are in Paris for the final week of the United Nations' climate talks, where more than 195 countries are scrambling to draw up a pact to lower global greenhouse gas emissions. What is your role this week? Why are you here?
One of my own fields for many decades now has been the causes, consequences, and remedies of climate change. So I am here, in part, so that if questions arise in negotiations that depend on details of science, I can provide those details.
But I am also here amplifying the Obama Administration’s messages about why climate change requires an international solution in which everybody participates, both with respect to reducing the emissions that are driving climate change and with respect to increasing preparedness and resilience for the changes in climate that are already ongoing and that we will not be able to stop overnight.
Mexico Braces For Impact From Most Powerful Hurricane On Record
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/hurricane-patricia-mexico-strongest-storm-ever_562a7336e4b0443bb563e0df?utm_hp_ref=extreme-weather
ASSOCIATED PRESS
ASSOCIATED PRESS
PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) — Hurricane Patricia barreled toward southwestern Mexico Friday as a monster Category 5 storm, the strongest ever in the Western Hemisphere. Residents and tourists were hunkering down or trying to make last-minute escapes ahead of what forecasters called a "potentially catastrophic landfall" later in the day.
The storm was homing in on a Pacific coastline dotted with sleepy fishing villages and gleaming resorts, including the popular beach city of Puerto Vallarta and the port of Manzanillo. After hitting land, Patricia's projected path would quickly take it over mountainous terrain that is prone to dangerous flash floods and landslides.
In Puerto Vallarta, residents reinforced homes with sandbags and shop windows with boards and tape, and hotels rolled up beachfront restaurants. The airport was closed to all flights and all but deserted, but lines formed at a bus station by people anxious to buy tickets to Guadalajara and other inland destinations.
Southern California Finds Itself Waist-Deep In Mud After Thunderstorms
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/southern-california-thunderstorms-flooding-mud_5621d30ae4b02f6a900c8fde?utm_hp_ref=extreme-weather
ASSOCIATED PRESS
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A section of Southern California found itself waist-deep in mud as the weekend arrived, and a highway overtaken with by flowing debris looked like a buried junkyard of hundreds of cars that would likely take days to dig up.
The worst of the thunderstorms had passed, but the continued chance of rain could dampen cleanup and relief efforts in northern Los Angeles County's Antelope Valley, where the most serious slides occurred.
On Friday, rescuers and those stranded in the highway debris flow described a chaotic scene that somehow left no reported injuries or deaths.
"It was terrifying," 51-year-old Rhonda Flores of Bakersfield told The Associated Press. "It was a raging river of mud. I've never experienced anything like it, ever."
Rescuers threw ladders and tarps across mud up to 6 feet deep to help the hundreds of trapped people from cars that got caught in the roiling river of mud along State Route 58 about 30 miles east of Bakersfield, a major trucking route, California Highway Patrol officials said.
They were rescued in darkness about 10 hours after the storm hit and taken to three shelters.
Flores said she, her mother and her stepfather were driving back to Bakersfield from her sister's funeral in Utah when the storm hit out of nowhere.
The worst of the thunderstorms had passed, but the continued chance of rain could dampen cleanup and relief efforts in northern Los Angeles County's Antelope Valley, where the most serious slides occurred.
On Friday, rescuers and those stranded in the highway debris flow described a chaotic scene that somehow left no reported injuries or deaths.
"It was terrifying," 51-year-old Rhonda Flores of Bakersfield told The Associated Press. "It was a raging river of mud. I've never experienced anything like it, ever."
Rescuers threw ladders and tarps across mud up to 6 feet deep to help the hundreds of trapped people from cars that got caught in the roiling river of mud along State Route 58 about 30 miles east of Bakersfield, a major trucking route, California Highway Patrol officials said.
They were rescued in darkness about 10 hours after the storm hit and taken to three shelters.
Flores said she, her mother and her stepfather were driving back to Bakersfield from her sister's funeral in Utah when the storm hit out of nowhere.
Heaviest Rainfall In Southern India In More Than A Century Causes Major Flooding
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/southern-india-major-flooding_565f3d5ce4b08e945fedb130?utm_hp_ref=extreme-weather
Massive flooding following record levels of rainfall in Tamil Nadu, a state in Southern India, is forcing thousands of people in the state capital of Chennai out of their homes.
In Chennai, which has a population of about 4.5 million people, factories have been closed, power has been turned off and the airport has been shut down as inhabitants scramble for cover. In some parts of the state, people have been forced to walk through neck-deep water.
"The police want to help but there are no boats. We are trying not to panic," Ramana Goda, one of the many people who took shelter in a local police station, told Reuters.
Torrential showers are expected to continue for the next week.
“There will be no respite,” Laxman Singh Rathore, director general of the India Meteorological Department, told reporters Wednesday.
The rains, which have been the heaviest in over a century, began Nov. 12 and have already led to 150 deaths, The Guardian reports. In the past 24 hours, over 200 people have been injured by floods in Chennai, the outlet says.
Rescue teams have been deployed to some of the hardest hit regions of the state, and resources such as food and medicine are being airdropped. In the past day, over 20,000 Indians have been rescued by government forces, says Indian news outlet NDTV.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cited climate change as the cause of the flooding in Southern India, adding urgency to the current climate talks in Paris, reports Reuters. He has noted that tropical countries, such as India, are especially prone to extreme weather.
See photos of the flooding below:
In Chennai, which has a population of about 4.5 million people, factories have been closed, power has been turned off and the airport has been shut down as inhabitants scramble for cover. In some parts of the state, people have been forced to walk through neck-deep water.
"The police want to help but there are no boats. We are trying not to panic," Ramana Goda, one of the many people who took shelter in a local police station, told Reuters.
Torrential showers are expected to continue for the next week.
“There will be no respite,” Laxman Singh Rathore, director general of the India Meteorological Department, told reporters Wednesday.
The rains, which have been the heaviest in over a century, began Nov. 12 and have already led to 150 deaths, The Guardian reports. In the past 24 hours, over 200 people have been injured by floods in Chennai, the outlet says.
Rescue teams have been deployed to some of the hardest hit regions of the state, and resources such as food and medicine are being airdropped. In the past day, over 20,000 Indians have been rescued by government forces, says Indian news outlet NDTV.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has cited climate change as the cause of the flooding in Southern India, adding urgency to the current climate talks in Paris, reports Reuters. He has noted that tropical countries, such as India, are especially prone to extreme weather.
See photos of the flooding below:
Antarctica's Ice Is Melting So Fast a Widespread Collapse Could Happen by 2100, Study Says
http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/antarctica-ice-loss-study
The continued burning of fossil fuels could have a catastrophic effect on ice melt in Antarctica, leading to major consequences before the end of the century, a new study says.
Antarctica's ice loss could lead to widespread ice shelf collapses across the continent as early as 2100, according to the findings published in Nature Geoscience. Using computer models, the study also discovered there could be a doubling of ice shelf surface melting by 2050, which could quickly drive up sea levels.
"Our results illustrate just how rapidly melting in Antarctica can intensify in a warming climate," Luke Trusel, lead author and postdoctoral scholar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said in a press release. "This has already occurred in places like the Antarctic Peninsula, where we've observed warming and abrupt ice shelf collapses in the last few decades. Our model projections show that similar levels of melt may occur across coastal Antarctica near the end of this century, raising concerns about future ice shelf stability."
New Study Predicts Ice Shelf Collapse By 2100
A new study by nature geoscience predicts the rate of ice shelf melting could double by 2050 causing it to collapse by the end of this century.
The continued burning of fossil fuels could have a catastrophic effect on ice melt in Antarctica, leading to major consequences before the end of the century, a new study says.
Antarctica's ice loss could lead to widespread ice shelf collapses across the continent as early as 2100, according to the findings published in Nature Geoscience. Using computer models, the study also discovered there could be a doubling of ice shelf surface melting by 2050, which could quickly drive up sea levels.
"Our results illustrate just how rapidly melting in Antarctica can intensify in a warming climate," Luke Trusel, lead author and postdoctoral scholar at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, said in a press release. "This has already occurred in places like the Antarctic Peninsula, where we've observed warming and abrupt ice shelf collapses in the last few decades. Our model projections show that similar levels of melt may occur across coastal Antarctica near the end of this century, raising concerns about future ice shelf stability."
Climate Central Report: 10 States Most at Risk from Climate Change
http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/states-most-at-risk-from-climate-change
Most U.S. states are prepared to fight the climatic events they currently face — whether drought, wildfires, inland flooding, heat or coastal flooding. But few have taken the appropriate steps to combat future threat levels from climate change, a new analysis from Climate Central and ICF international said Wednesday (PDF).
“Today, we have $8 billion in [climatic] damages a year. In the '80s, adjusted for inflation, we had $3 billion,” Richard Wiles, the Senior Vice President for Program Strategy and Integration at Climate Central, told weather.com. “We're seeing more impacts, and we're very confident those impacts are going to increase — both in terms of the cost of human lives and the cost of recovery.”
Creating comprehensive plans at the state level to address future threats would “save lives both now and in the future,” he added.
(MORE: The weather.com Climate Disruption Index: The U.S. Cities Most Affected by Climate Change)
Coastal flooding in Maryland. The state earned a B+ rating in a new Climate Central and ICF International report for its capacity to combat future climatic threats, including flooding. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)
Most U.S. states are prepared to fight the climatic events they currently face — whether drought, wildfires, inland flooding, heat or coastal flooding. But few have taken the appropriate steps to combat future threat levels from climate change, a new analysis from Climate Central and ICF international said Wednesday (PDF).
“Today, we have $8 billion in [climatic] damages a year. In the '80s, adjusted for inflation, we had $3 billion,” Richard Wiles, the Senior Vice President for Program Strategy and Integration at Climate Central, told weather.com. “We're seeing more impacts, and we're very confident those impacts are going to increase — both in terms of the cost of human lives and the cost of recovery.”
Creating comprehensive plans at the state level to address future threats would “save lives both now and in the future,” he added.
(MORE: The weather.com Climate Disruption Index: The U.S. Cities Most Affected by Climate Change)
Global Warming Could Deplete Earth's Oxygen, Study Says
http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/climate-change-global-warming-oxygen-depletion-deoxygenation
The photo above shows a bloom of phytoplankton that formed east of New Zealand between Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, 2009. (NASA)
The photo above shows a bloom of phytoplankton that formed east of New Zealand between Oct. 11 and Oct. 25, 2009. (NASA)
Global warming has caused a slew of ominous weather-related disasters, scientists say, from intensifying droughts to epic flooding and likely contribute to powerful storms. A new study has revealed another possible consequence: a lack of oxygen on Earth.
Conducted by scientists from Britain’s University of Leicester, the study found that an increase of about 10.8˚ F (6˚ C) in the temperature of the world’s oceans could prevent phytoplankton’s oxygen production by disrupting photosynthesis, reports NDTV.
“It would mean oxygen depletion not only in the water, but also in the air,” said the research team. “Should it happen, it would obviously kill most of life on Earth.”
NASA Images Show Large Greenland Glacier Rapidly Melting
http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/greenland-glacier-zachariae-isstrom-melting
NASA has released more visual proof that Greenland's large Zachariæ Isstrøm glacier is the latest to experience rapid change due to the warming world. Not only are the changes to the glacier visible from space, but the results of this break will be felt for decades to come.
According to NASA, Zachariæ Isstrøm broke out of its stable position in the fall of 2012 and has begun an accelerated retreat. Images from space show the differences between the glacier in August of 1999 and 2015. The more recent photo shows how the ice shelf and glacier have retreated substantially after melting.
The glacier drains ice from an area 35,440 square miles northeast of Greenland, which is about five percent of the Greenland Ice Sheet. If it were to melt completely, it holds enough water to make the global sea level rise by more than 18 inches. Already it has begun shedding billions of tons of ice into the far Northern Atlantic every year.
“North Greenland glaciers are changing rapidly,” said lead author Jeremie Mouginot of the University of California Irvine (UCI). “The glacier is now breaking up and calving high volumes of icebergs into the ocean, which will result in rising sea levels for decades to come.”
The image above shows the Zachariæ Isstrøm glacier in August 1999. (NASA Earth Observatory )
Study Sees Possible Decline in Global CO2 Emissions
http://www.weather.com/science/environment/news/co2-emissions-decline
The rapid spread of renewable energy and improvements in energy efficiency across the globe may have paid off in a big way this year. Researchers are projecting that for the first time in history, the rate of growth in global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels will decline even as the global economy continues to grow.
That decline could eventually lead to a peak in carbon emissions in the next decade or two, according to research led by Stanford University and published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
"In 2014, global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels grew by just 0.6 percent," lead author Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford, said. "This year we expect total emissions to flatten or drop slightly, despite strong growth in gross domestic product worldwide."
That has never happened before, he said.
The rapid spread of renewable energy and improvements in energy efficiency across the globe may have paid off in a big way this year. Researchers are projecting that for the first time in history, the rate of growth in global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels will decline even as the global economy continues to grow.
That decline could eventually lead to a peak in carbon emissions in the next decade or two, according to research led by Stanford University and published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change.
"In 2014, global carbon dioxide emissions from burning fossil fuels grew by just 0.6 percent," lead author Rob Jackson, a professor of Earth system science at Stanford, said. "This year we expect total emissions to flatten or drop slightly, despite strong growth in gross domestic product worldwide."
That has never happened before, he said.
Emissions from a power plant in China. (Mingjia Zhou/flickr)
Storm to Lash Central US With Flooding, Snow and Severe Weather
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/storm-system-to-target-central-states-plains-great-lakes/54072919
Northwest Flank of Storm to Bring Snow
As the storm traverses the Rockies, locally heavy snow will fall on portions of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico spanning Friday night to Saturday night.
Denver could receive a few inches of snow and travel disruptions from the storm on Saturday into Saturday night.
During Sunday into Sunday, a stripe of snow and slippery travel are likely to blanket areas from western Kansas to eastern Nebraska, parts of Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, western and northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The most likely time for accumulating snow and slippery conditions around Minneapolis is Sunday night.
The area of accumulating snow could shift farther to the east in the region, depending on the track of the storm as it emerges from the southern Rockies.
Northwest Flank of Storm to Bring Snow
As the storm traverses the Rockies, locally heavy snow will fall on portions of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico spanning Friday night to Saturday night.
Denver could receive a few inches of snow and travel disruptions from the storm on Saturday into Saturday night.
During Sunday into Sunday, a stripe of snow and slippery travel are likely to blanket areas from western Kansas to eastern Nebraska, parts of Iowa, southeastern Minnesota, western and northern Wisconsin and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
The most likely time for accumulating snow and slippery conditions around Minneapolis is Sunday night.
The area of accumulating snow could shift farther to the east in the region, depending on the track of the storm as it emerges from the southern Rockies.
Sunday, December 6, 2015
Hurricane Patricia Recap: Strongest Landfalling Pacific Hurricane on Record
http://www.weather.com/storms/hurricane/news/hurricane-patricia-mexico-coast
Hurricane Patricia was a tropical cyclone that formed in the eastern Pacific and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. Even more quickly than the storm strengthened, it rapidly weakened over the rugged terrain of Mexico.
Patricia initially formed on Oct. 20, 2015 and dissipated on Oct. 24, 2015.
On Oct. 23, Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere as its maximum sustained winds reached an unprecedented 200 mph (320 kph) and its central pressure fell to 879 millibars (25.96 inches of mercury).
(MORE: Mexico Cleans Up After Passage of Patricia)
Patricia's Track History Oct. 20-24, 2015.
Hurricane Patricia was a tropical cyclone that formed in the eastern Pacific and rapidly intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. Even more quickly than the storm strengthened, it rapidly weakened over the rugged terrain of Mexico.
Patricia initially formed on Oct. 20, 2015 and dissipated on Oct. 24, 2015.
Looking Back at Patricia
Just 30 hours after peaking in intensity as the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere, former Hurricane Patricia degenerated into a weak remnant low over northeast Mexico.On Oct. 23, Patricia became the most powerful tropical cyclone ever measured in the Western Hemisphere as its maximum sustained winds reached an unprecedented 200 mph (320 kph) and its central pressure fell to 879 millibars (25.96 inches of mercury).
(MORE: Mexico Cleans Up After Passage of Patricia)
Patricia's Track History Oct. 20-24, 2015. Fires followed by floods: California faces dramatic climate year with El Nino, drought
http://www.latimes.com/local/california/la-me-el-nino-preview-20150721-story.html
A swath of eastern California offered a dramatic view in recent days of the powerful climate forces buffeting the state.
On Friday, an out-of-control brush fire — fueled by four years of drought — destroyed 20 vehicles on Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. Hours later, the area was pounded by historic rainstorms that eventually washed out Interstate 10 here.
The heavy rain is the most concrete evidence yet of powerful El Niño conditions that scientists are becoming increasingly convinced will lead to a wet winter for Southern California.
This weekend's rains came from a former hurricane, Dolores. Experts say warm ocean water, influenced by El Niño, allowed the remnants of the unusually wet hurricane to go much farther north than such storms typically go.
On Friday, an out-of-control brush fire — fueled by four years of drought — destroyed 20 vehicles on Interstate 15 in the Cajon Pass. Hours later, the area was pounded by historic rainstorms that eventually washed out Interstate 10 here.
The heavy rain is the most concrete evidence yet of powerful El Niño conditions that scientists are becoming increasingly convinced will lead to a wet winter for Southern California.
This weekend's rains came from a former hurricane, Dolores. Experts say warm ocean water, influenced by El Niño, allowed the remnants of the unusually wet hurricane to go much farther north than such storms typically go.
Dry weather boosts Fraser Coast blue-green algae blooms says scientist
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-11-26/dry-weather-boosts-fraser-coast-blue-green-algae-blooms/6977938
Around Hervey Bay, the Fraser Coast Council is warning people to avoid the algae washed up on beaches because of the potential health risks.
Signs have been erected along Dundowran Beach alerting residents to the algae, and the council was tracking wind and water conditions as they attempted to remove the mass.
Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at Central Queensland University Lorelle Fabbro, said Queensland's various outbreaks were made up of different species of algae, depending on the nutrients in the local water supply.
Various species were also prevalent at different times of the year, and while most forms of blue-green algae cause some degree of irritation, Professor Fabbro said some types — which flourished in dry conditions — caused more severe reactions.
"From my childhood around the Fraser Coast, I can remember that in the very dry years you would often get the filaments of algae on your skin, and they would leave a weal," Professor Fabbro said.
She said Lyngbya algae could trigger irritation of the skin, eyes and ears.
According to Professor Fabbro, when the algae dried out on the beach or riverbank, the powdery dry matter could cause breathing problems like asthma.
 |
| Photo: Some forms of blue-green algae which can cause skin, eye and ear irritations thrive during the driest times of the year. |
An environmental scientist says Queensland's ongoing dry weather is contributing to blue-green algae blooms, like the ones Fraser Coast residents are dodging on local beaches.
The state's waterways, dams and beaches have seen multiple outbreaks of blue-green algae, which can cause allergic reactions such as skin and eye irritation.Around Hervey Bay, the Fraser Coast Council is warning people to avoid the algae washed up on beaches because of the potential health risks.
Signs have been erected along Dundowran Beach alerting residents to the algae, and the council was tracking wind and water conditions as they attempted to remove the mass.
Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences at Central Queensland University Lorelle Fabbro, said Queensland's various outbreaks were made up of different species of algae, depending on the nutrients in the local water supply.
Various species were also prevalent at different times of the year, and while most forms of blue-green algae cause some degree of irritation, Professor Fabbro said some types — which flourished in dry conditions — caused more severe reactions.
"From my childhood around the Fraser Coast, I can remember that in the very dry years you would often get the filaments of algae on your skin, and they would leave a weal," Professor Fabbro said.
She said Lyngbya algae could trigger irritation of the skin, eyes and ears.
According to Professor Fabbro, when the algae dried out on the beach or riverbank, the powdery dry matter could cause breathing problems like asthma.
The 5 Deadliest Weather Events
http://www.weather.com/health/news/deadliest-types-weather-20140730#/1
Cold Weather Kills:
Between 2006 and 2010, weather killed 10,649 people, a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published Wednesday, found (PDF).
Nearly two-thirds - 6,600 - of these deaths were attributed to the cold, researchers announced, contrary to statistics from the National Weather Service that point to heat as the deadliest weather pattern.
Heat:
Heat is the next-deadliest weather pattern, the CDC found. Between 2006 and 2010, it killed 3,332 people, researchers wrote after an examination of death certificate records.
Storms:
Isolated areas of the country experience the most storm deaths — a category that includes hurricanes, tornados, blizzards and torrential rains. In total from 2006 to 2010, 371 individuals died during these events, the CDC found.
Lightning:
During the dates studied, lightning killed 182 individuals. Lightning strikes are far more likely to kill men than women, numerous reports have found, as two-thirds of lightning strikes occur during recreational activities, such as fishing.
Floods:
From 2006 to 2010, 93 individuals died in floods. As with other forms of severe weather, men were more likely to die than woman, and people living in rural areas were more likely to be affected than those in cities.
Cold Weather Kills:
Between 2006 and 2010, weather killed 10,649 people, a report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, published Wednesday, found (PDF).
Nearly two-thirds - 6,600 - of these deaths were attributed to the cold, researchers announced, contrary to statistics from the National Weather Service that point to heat as the deadliest weather pattern.
Heat:
Heat is the next-deadliest weather pattern, the CDC found. Between 2006 and 2010, it killed 3,332 people, researchers wrote after an examination of death certificate records.
Storms:
Isolated areas of the country experience the most storm deaths — a category that includes hurricanes, tornados, blizzards and torrential rains. In total from 2006 to 2010, 371 individuals died during these events, the CDC found.
Lightning:
During the dates studied, lightning killed 182 individuals. Lightning strikes are far more likely to kill men than women, numerous reports have found, as two-thirds of lightning strikes occur during recreational activities, such as fishing.
Floods:
From 2006 to 2010, 93 individuals died in floods. As with other forms of severe weather, men were more likely to die than woman, and people living in rural areas were more likely to be affected than those in cities.
El Niño Transforms World's Driest Non-Polar Desert Into A Lush Wildflower Wonderland
http://www.dogonews.com/2015/11/16/el-nino-transforms-worlds-driest-non-polar-desert-into-a-lush-wildflower-wonderland
However, though they are extremely effective in blocking moisture during normal years, 2015 is not a typical year, thanks to El Niño. The climate pattern is encountered every five to seven years when the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator becomes warmer than normal. The higher temperature impacts atmospheric conditions and weather around the world resulting in unusual and extreme weather that ranges from droughts to severe storms.
Deserts are by definition barren areas of land with little precipitation. But few compare to Chile's Atacama Desert. Often called the world's driest non-polar desert, the 600-mile stretch of land gets an average of just 0.13 inches of rain annually, despite its location next to our planet's largest body of water, the Pacific Ocean.
The dry weather is caused by a combination of factors, the most important of which is the desert's location in the rain shadow of two mountain ranges - The Andes and the Chilean Coast Range. Also a factor is the Pacific Anticyclone winds that blow cold, dry air into the Atacama.
However, though they are extremely effective in blocking moisture during normal years, 2015 is not a typical year, thanks to El Niño. The climate pattern is encountered every five to seven years when the water in the Pacific Ocean near the equator becomes warmer than normal. The higher temperature impacts atmospheric conditions and weather around the world resulting in unusual and extreme weather that ranges from droughts to severe storms.Possible Connection Betweeen El Nino and Climate Change
http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/12/01/possible-connection-between-el-nino-and-climate-change
As climate change becomes more and more front and center right now in Paris, the weather pattern called El Nino is also in full swing. Now researchers are investigating a possible link between El Nino and climate change.
CCTV’s Jim Spellman reports. El Nino systems hit every few years when weaker than normal trade winds in the western Pacific allow ocean temperatures to rise. This impacts climate around the world.Severe drought and famine in Africa, raging wildfires and suffocating smoke in Indonesia, and possible floods and heavy snowstorms in the U.S, they are all caused or strengthened by the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, and made more intense, say researchers, by global climate change.Researchers are working to understand how global climate change and El Nino systems may be connected, but research suggests that rising greenhouse gases may be making El Ninos more intense.
Read more: http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/12/01/possible-connection-between-el-nino-and-climate-change#ixzz3ta4oNJiI
Watch us live anywhere at http://www.cctvamericalive.com
Follow us: @cctv_america on Twitter | CCTVAmerica on Facebook
As climate change becomes more and more front and center right now in Paris, the weather pattern called El Nino is also in full swing. Now researchers are investigating a possible link between El Nino and climate change.
CCTV’s Jim Spellman reports. El Nino systems hit every few years when weaker than normal trade winds in the western Pacific allow ocean temperatures to rise. This impacts climate around the world.Severe drought and famine in Africa, raging wildfires and suffocating smoke in Indonesia, and possible floods and heavy snowstorms in the U.S, they are all caused or strengthened by the weather phenomenon known as El Nino, and made more intense, say researchers, by global climate change.Researchers are working to understand how global climate change and El Nino systems may be connected, but research suggests that rising greenhouse gases may be making El Ninos more intense.
Read more: http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/12/01/possible-connection-between-el-nino-and-climate-change#ixzz3ta4oNJiI
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Severe Weather Threat Increasing for Parts of Iowa
http://whotv.com/2015/11/10/severe-weather-threat-increasing-for-parts-of-iowa/
The weather has been fairly quiet for Central Iowa through the fall so far but will change on Wednesday. A strong storm system looks to move out of the Plains and into the Central US bringing stormy weather from Iowa to Texas.
The area of Enhanced Risk for severe weather has pushed further north into southeast Iowa on Wednesday. An enhanced risk area means numerous severe storms are possible. The storms will be more persistent and widespread. A few may be intense.
A vigorous upper level low pressure system will drop across the Plains into Kansas and Missouri during the day on Wednesday. After some morning drizzle, the center of low pressure will close off and intensify as it crosses Iowa Wednesday afternoon. A strong mid-level jet in the upper layers of the atmosphere will allow strong thunderstorms to develop early on in southeast Nebraska, northeast Kansas, and southwest Iowa by noon. There is also decent directional shear in the atmosphere that could lead to a few of the storms rotating. This may produce a few tornadoes by mid-afternoon. The highest threat of tornadoes is in the southeast quadrant of Iowa as the storms push east. A strong tornado or two is not out of the question.
The weather has been fairly quiet for Central Iowa through the fall so far but will change on Wednesday. A strong storm system looks to move out of the Plains and into the Central US bringing stormy weather from Iowa to Texas.
The area of Enhanced Risk for severe weather has pushed further north into southeast Iowa on Wednesday. An enhanced risk area means numerous severe storms are possible. The storms will be more persistent and widespread. A few may be intense.
A vigorous upper level low pressure system will drop across the Plains into Kansas and Missouri during the day on Wednesday. After some morning drizzle, the center of low pressure will close off and intensify as it crosses Iowa Wednesday afternoon. A strong mid-level jet in the upper layers of the atmosphere will allow strong thunderstorms to develop early on in southeast Nebraska, northeast Kansas, and southwest Iowa by noon. There is also decent directional shear in the atmosphere that could lead to a few of the storms rotating. This may produce a few tornadoes by mid-afternoon. The highest threat of tornadoes is in the southeast quadrant of Iowa as the storms push east. A strong tornado or two is not out of the question.
How El Niño Affects the Weather Hurricane season is over, but El Niño isn’t. Watch to learn what else is in store.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2015/11/151125-el-nino-hurricanes-drought-climate-science/
What’s Going On?
El Niño is the periodic warming of water in the Pacific Ocean every few years. When it occurs, it means more energy is available for storms to form there. El Niño also affects wind shear, which is when air currents at a lower altitude blow in a different direction from winds higher in the atmosphere. Strong wind shear makes it harder for hurricanes to form.
El Niño weakens shear in the Pacific and strengthens it in the Atlantic, which explains this year’s hurricane season. The Pacific saw a record season, with 24 tropical storms and 15 hurricanes. This year saw the strongest hurricane ever measured (in terms of sustained windspeed), Patricia, with winds of 200 mph (325 km/h). That October storm killed 12 and caused damage as far as Mexico to Texas.
But in the Atlantic, there have been 11 tropical storms and 4 hurricanes so far, with only two major hurricanes. That’s below the 30-year average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
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