WEEKLY CLIMATE NEWS

15-19 July 2013

DataStreme Earth Climate Systems will return for Fall 2013 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 2 September 2013. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Zenithal Sun --Residents of Honolulu will experience a noontime sun that would be directly overhead late this week (15-17 Jul). This occurrence of a zenithal sun is one of the two times during the year when the noontime sun is directly overhead to residents of Honolulu and the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. The other time when Oahu experienced a zenithal sun was in late May. [US Naval Observatory, Data Services]

Report from the Field:

Steve LaDochy, a DataStreme Leader and a professor of Geosciences & Environment at California State University, Los Angeles, reported on the record rainfall last Thursday that shattered the old record at the Downtown Los Angeles weather station. Rainfall is rare across southern California during the typical summer dry season, with the 0.04 inches that fell on Thursday marking only the third time since 1877 that measurable precipitation fell on the date.

CURRENT CLIMATE STATUS

Summer melt is underway on Greenland's ice -- After a slow start, the spring and summer melt season has begun on the Greenland Ice Cap as evident by the number of melt ponds that have formed on the edge of ice. These ponds were visible in images obtained from the Operational Land Imager onboard NASA's Landsat 8 satellite,beginning in early June. Although slow to begin, the melt has been rapid, exceeding the pace determined from the 1981-2010 averages. However, this season's melt does not match the extreme melting of the 2012 season, to this point in the season. [NASA Earth Observatory]
Large iceberg calves from an Antarctic glacier -- During the last week images obtained from the European Earth-observing satellite confirmed that a large iceberg with a size that was nearly one-quarter that of Rhode Island broke off Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier. The 280-square-mile ice island broke along a rift in this glacier that was discovered in October 2011 during NASA's Operation IceBridge flights over Antarctica. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]
Large subglacial water system found under West Antarctic glacier -- Scientists from The University of Texas at Austin's Institute for Geophysics have used ice-penetrating radar to accurately image the vast subglacial water system under West Antarctica's Thwaites Glacier. They found that a large "swamp-like" canal system under the ice is several times larger than the canal system in Florida's Everglades. [University of Texas at Austin News]

CURRENT CLIMATE MONITORING

Egyptian dust plume seen from space -- A digital photograph taken during last June 2013 by an astronaut on the International Space Station shows a dust plume from Egypt being carried out over the aqua-colored waters of the Red Sea. The dust was being carried aloft from the desert pavement and then eastward by winds. [NASA Earth Observatory]
New polar rover passes first test on Greenland ice -- During the month of May 2013 NASA's new polar rover called GROVER, which stands for both Greenland Rover and Goddard Remotely Operated Vehicle for Exploration and Research, successfully operated autonomously on the Greenland Ice Sheet, with air temperatures as low as 22 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit) and winds gusting to 30 mph. During the test, the robot conducted its mission by executing commands sent remotely over an Iridium satellite connection. GROVER has a ground-penetrating radar designed by students to analyze snow and ice layers. [NASA's Earth Science News Team]
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, fire weather, marine weather, severe weather, drought and floods. [NOAAWatch]

PALEOCLIMATE RECONSTRUCTION

A cave used to understand drought -- Scientists associated with the Jackson School of Geosciences at the University of Texas at Austin are studying how droughts are triggered and how some droughts become mega-droughts. These scientists are studying a cave at the Westcave Preserve approximately 30 miles west of Austin that serves as a natural thermometer recording temperature changes back in time. [University of Texas at Austin News]

CLIMATE FORCING

Length of day affected by processes in Earth's core -- Researchers at the United Kingdom's University of Liverpool have found that one to 10-year periodic variations in the length of day between 1962 and 2012 appear to be caused by dynamic processes in the Earth's fluid core, in addition to the small fluctuations due to those factors such as wind pressure upon mountain ranges. They suggest that the Earth's rotation has been slowing over time, with the length of the day being 21 hours approximately 300 million years ago. At that time, the year contained approximately 450 days. [University of Liverpool News]
Nature "paints" glaciers -- A NASA glaciologist who had considered becoming an artist describes her research on the deposition of aerosols on glacial surfaces using an art metaphor. She describes how various airborne particles from volcanoes, smoke and other sources "paint" the glacier surface that she calls a white canvas. She has assembled satellite images from the NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and Norway's University of Oslo to produce satellite-derived maps of debris at key glaciers around the world. [NASA Earth Observatory]

CLIMATE IMPACTS ON THE BIOSPHERE

Discovery of ancient insects reveals effects of climate change -- Biologists at Canada's Simon Fraser University and Brandon University recently discovered a previously unknown family of insects that may help increase understanding as to how some animals responded to global climate change and how communities have evolved. The new insect family, which the scientists named Eorpidae, lived during the Eocene Epoch (approximately 50 million years ago) in what is now British Columbia and Washington state. Apparently, this newly found family was part of a cluster of six related families in the Eocene that were hit by global climate change during a time when global climates were much warmer than today because of increased atmospheric carbon. [Simon Frazer University Media-Releases]

CLIMATE IMPACTS ON HUMANS

Air pollution estimated to claim over two million lives annually -- An international team of scientists from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Norway, Germany, Italy, Japan and New Zealand estimate that over two million deaths occur around the world each year as a direct result of outdoor air pollution produced by human activity. A large number of deaths appear to be caused by fine particulate material, followed by increases in low-altitude ozone. The researchers also note that while changing climate conditions could exacerbate air pollution effects, increased number of deaths would be small. [Institute of Physics News]

CLIMATE AND SOCIETY

US stream health reduced by streamflow modifications and contaminants -- A report, entitled "The quality of our Nation's waters--Ecological health in the Nation's streams, 1993-2005" was recently released by the US Geological Survey (USGS) and describes how the health of the nation's streams is being degraded by streamflow modifications and the increased levels of nutrients and pesticides that are associated with human activity. This comprehensive report included assessments of multiple biological communities as well as streamflow modifications and measurements of over 100 chemical constituents in water and streambed sediments. [USGS Newsroom]
New website tool to keep energy users informed during hurricane season -- The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently unveiled a new website tool designed to keep the public and other energy users informed of the status of the nation's energy infrastructure and the impact of a tropical cyclone during the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season. Interactive maps are available from this website that combine real-time data from the National Hurricane Center with more than 20 map layers showing the nation's energy infrastructure and resources [US Energy Information Administration]
Earthweek -- Diary of the Planet [earthweek.com] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Historical Events:

15-16 July 1916...A dying South Atlantic Coast storm produced torrential rains in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Altapass, NC was drenched with 22.22 inches of rain, a 24-hour rainfall record for the Tarheel State, and at the time, a 24-hour record for the U.S. (The current 24-hour rainfall record for the US is 43 inches set 25-25 July 1979 at Alvin, TX). Flooding resulted in considerable damage, particularly to railroads. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast) (NCDC)
15 July 1983...The Big Thompson Creek in Colorado flooded for the second time in seven years, claiming three lives, and filling the town of Estes Park with eight to ten feet of water. (The Weather Channel)
15 July 1989...Thunderstorms drenched Kansas City, MO with 4.16 inches of rain, a record for the date. Two and a half inches of rain deluged the city between noon and 1 PM. Afternoon thunderstorms in South Carolina deluged Williamstown with six inches of rain in ninety minutes, including four inches in little more than half an hour. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
15 July 1993...Four-inch diameter hail fell at Hot Springs, SD. In North Dakota, Jamestown recorded 6.40 inches of rain, Fargo 5.09 inches and Bismarck 4.08 inches. (Intellicast)
15 July 2001...Rain fell at 3.91 inches per hour in Seoul, South Korea, the heaviest amount since 1964. In total, 12.2 inches of rain fell in Seoul and Kyonggi. The rain was responsible for 40 reported fatalities. (The Weather Doctor)
17 July 1987...Slow-moving thunderstorms caused flooding on the Guadalupe River in Texas resulting in tragic loss of life. A bus and van leaving a summer youth camp stalled near the rapidly rising river, just west of the town of Comfort, and a powerful surge of water swept away 43 persons, mostly teenagers. Ten drowned in the floodwaters. Most of the others were rescued from treetops by helicopter. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
17-18 July 1996...Heavy rains were responsible for unprecedented flooding across north central and northeast Illinois, resulting in hundreds of millions of dollars in damage. Aurora, IL received 16.91 inches of rain, which established a new 24-hour precipitation record for the Prairie State. Approximately 60 percent of the city's homes were affected by flooding. At Romeoville, 10.36 inches of rain fell. Interstates were closed and some towns were isolated. Rampaging floodwaters scoured out roads near Dayton, leaving gravel and sand deposits to twenty feet high. (NCDC) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
18 July 1889...A cloudburst in West Virginia along the small creeks in Wirt County, Jackson County and Wood County claimed twenty lives. Rockport, WV reported 19.00 inches of rain in two hours and ten minutes that Thursday evening, setting a 24-hour precipitation record for the Mountain State. Tygart Creek rose 22 feet in one hour, and villages were swept away on Tygart, Slate, Tucker, and Sandy Creeks. (The Weather Channel) (NCDC)
18 July 1942...A record deluge occurred at Smethport in northern Pennsylvania, with 30.70 inches in just six hours. The 24-hour rainfall total for the day was 34.50 inches, which set a maximum 24-hour precipitation for the Keystone State. The downpours and resultant flooding in Pennsylvania were devastating. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast) (NCDC)
18 July 1955...In Martinstown, England, eleven inches of rain fell in a 15-hour period on this day believed to be the 24-hour greatest rainfall for the United Kingdom. (The Weather Doctor)
18-19 July 1979...A 30-foot high tsunami wave leveled four Indonesian villages on the Sunda Islands during the night. The wave swept 1500 feet inland, causing 589 deaths among the sleeping villagers. A landslide from Mount Werung (Lomblen Island) caused the tsunami. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
18-21 July 1996...Between six and twelve inches of rain fell on an already saturated Saguenay River Valley of Quebec, producing Canada's first billion-dollar disaster ($1.5 billion). Flooding destroyed or damaged 1718 houses and 900 cottages. Ten people were killed and 16,000 were evacuated. Roads and bridges disappeared. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar) (The Weather Doctor) (Wikipedia)
18 July 1996...Aurora, IL received 16.91 inches of rain, which established a new 24-hour precipitation record for the Prairie State. (NCDC)
18-22 July 1997...Hurricane Danny, the only hurricane that made landfall in the continental US in 1997, moved inland into coastal Alabama at a snails pace. Radar storm total estimates of 43 inches over Mobile Bay. A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell on 19-20 July at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC) (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
19 July 1886...A hurricane from the Gulf of Mexico crossed Florida causing great damage from Cedar Keys to Jacksonville. This was the third hurricane in one month to cross the Florida peninsula. (David Ludlum) (Intellicast)
19 July 1955...The Yarkon Water Project was opened to supply water to Negev desert in Israel. The Yarkon "flows" through the most densely populated areas of the country to the Mediterranean. The river has deteriorated rapidly since the 1950's due to excessive draining for irrigation by the National Water Carrier, with marked decline in water quality, animal habitats, flora and fauna. The National Water Carrier (1964), which crosses Israel from north to south, is the 81-mile main artery connecting all regional water projects in the State. (Today in Science History)
19 July 1974...A severe thunderstorm with winds to 80 mph and up to two inches of rain washed out four to five foot deep sections of roadway in Lake Havasu City, AZ. Three persons in a station wagon died as it was carried 3000 feet down a wash by a ten foot wall of water. (The Weather Channel)
19 July 1977...Thunderstorms produced torrential rains over parts of southwestern Pennsylvania. Some places in the Johnstown area received more than twelve inches in a seven-hour period. The heavy rains cause flash flooding along streams resulting in widespread severe damage, representing the "second Johnstown flood", second to the more disastrous flood in May 1889. The cloudburst flooded Johnstown with up to ten feet of water resulting in 76 deaths, countless injuries, and 424 million dollars damage. (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
19 July 1994...Hurricane Emilia was the first of three Category-5 hurricanes to develop in the Central Pacific in 1994 as unusually warm sea temperatures prevailed south of Hawaii. Sustained winds reached 160 mph. (Intellicast)
19 July 2006...Charlwood, England melted under the highest temperature ever recorded in Britain in July at 97.3 degrees. (The Weather Doctor)
20 July 1965...The 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Show-Me State was set at Edgarton, MO as 18.18 inches of rain fell. (NCDC)
20 July 1989...Showers and thunderstorms in the Middle Atlantic Coast Region soaked Wilmington, DE with 2.28 inches of rain, pushing their total for the period May through July past the previous record of 22.43 inches. Heavy rain over that three-month period virtually wiped out a 16.82-inch deficit that had been building since drought conditions began in 1985. Thunderstorms in central Indiana deluged Lebanon with 6.50 inches of rain in twelve hours. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)
20 July 1930...The temperature at Washington, DC soared to an all-time record of 106 degrees. The next day Millsboro reached 110 degrees to set a record for the state of Delaware. July 1930 was one of the hottest and driest summers in the U.S., particularly in the Missouri Valley where severe drought conditions developed. Toward the end of the month, state records were set for Kentucky with 114 degrees and Mississippi with 115 degrees. (David Ludlum)
20 July 1934...The temperature at Keokuk, IA soared to 118 degrees to establish an all-time record high temperature for the Hawkeye State. (The Weather Channel)
20 July 1965...The 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Show-Me State was set at Edgarton, MO as 18.18 inches of rain fell. (NCDC)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)
20 July 1986...The temperature at Charleston, SC hit 104 degrees for the second day in a row to tie their all-time record high. (The Weather Channel)
20 July 1988...The temperature at Redding, CA soared to an all-time record high of 118 degrees. (The National Weather Summary)
20 July 1994...Seattle-Tacoma, WA sizzled at 100 degrees, the highest ever temperature recorded there. (Intellicast)
20 July 1997...A torrential 32.52 inches of rain fell at Dauphin Island Sea Lab, establishing a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for Alabama. (NCDC)
21 July 1911...The temperature at Painter, WY dipped to 10 degrees to equal the record low for July for the continental U.S. (The Weather Channel)
21 July 1930...The record high temperature for Delaware was set with 110 degrees at Millsboro. (Intellicast)
21 July 1934...The temperature reached 109 degrees at Cincinnati, OH to cap their hottest summer of record. The state record for Ohio was established that day with a reading of 113 degrees near the town of Gallipolis. (David Ludlum)
21 July 1983...The temperature at Vostok, Antarctic (elevation 11,220 ft) fell to 129 degrees below zero, establishing the all time lowest temperature ever recorded at a surface station on earth, as well as for the Antarctic continent. (NCDC)
21 July 1991...Windsor Locks, CT hit 101 degrees, the third day in a row with temperatures over 100 degrees. Providence RI reached 102 degrees, their second day of 100-degree readings, very rare for this location. (Intellicast)

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