Weekly Ocean News

3-7 September 2018

Items of Interest:

Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2018 Campaign for September is underway -- The ninth in the series of GLOBE at Night citizen-science campaigns for 2018 will continue through Monday, 10 September. GLOBE at Night is a worldwide, hands-on science and education program designed to encourage citizen-scientists worldwide to record the brightness of their night sky by matching the appearance of a constellation with the seven magnitude/star charts of progressively fainter stars. These constellations are Cygnus in the Northern Hemisphere and Sagittarius for the Southern Hemisphere. Activity guides are also available. The GLOBE at night program is intended to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution. The ninth series in the 2018 campaign is scheduled for 1-10 October 2018. [GLOBE at Night]
September is National Preparedness Month -- The upcoming month of September has been declared National Preparedness Month (NPM), which is aims to educate and empower Americans to prepare for and respond to all types of emergencies, including natural disasters. NPM is managed and sponsored by the Federal Emergency Management Administration's (FEMA) Ready Campaign in conjunction with the Ad Council, A toolkit of marketing materials is provided to help promote the month and represents the lead on this campaign that was originally launched in 2004. The overarching theme for 2018 NPM is "Disasters Happen. Prepare Now. Learn How" with an emphasis on planning. Week 1 of the 2018 NPM ends this Saturday (8 September) with the theme of "Make and Practice Your Plan."
Week 2 of the 2018 NPM (9-15 September) has the theme "Learn Life Saving Skills."
[FEMA's Ready.gov]
Teachers: Get real-time atmospheric and ocean sciences data for your classroom -- NOAA's Data in the Classroom Program is providing K-12 educators with great real-time data for students to better understand atmospheric and ocean sciences. The real-time ocean data can be used to explore current environmental issues, as well as to help students develop problem-solving skills employed by scientists. Accompanying curricula materials are available on El Nino, Coral Bleaching and Sea Level variations, while additional materials will be coming soon on Ocean Acidification and Water Quality. [NOAA Satellite and Information Service]
Looking back one year to Hurricane Irma -- During the first two weeks of September 2017, a major hurricane traveled westward across the tropical waters of the North Atlantic and the Caribbean before curving toward the north to hit the Florida Peninsula. Starting as a tropical storm near the Cabo Verde Islands on 30 August 2017, this hurricane was identified as Irma and strengthened to become a category 5 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale on 4 September. At that time maximum sustained surface winds surrounding the center reached 185 mph, just before striking the Leeward Islands. Being the strongest hurricane in terms of maximum sustained winds since Wilma traveled across the Caribbean Sea in 2005, Irma has the distinction of being the strongest hurricane ever observed in the open waters of the Atlantic basin outside the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico. After passing close to Cuba, Irma weakened slightly as it curved north and crossed the Florida Keys as a category 4 hurricane on 10 September. Later that day, Irma made a final landfall at Marco Island on the southwest coast of the Florida Peninsula as a category 3 hurricane. Traveling to the north, Irma weakened to a tropical storm over Florida, then to a tropical depression over Georgia and to a remnant low over Alabama before dissipating over Missouri on the 13th. Widespread damage was left in the wake of Irma, across some of the Caribbean islands (Barbuda, Saint Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Anguilla, and Cuba) and the Florida Keys. Irma has been tabulated to be the fifth-costliest Atlantic hurricane ($64.8 billion in damage). As many as 47 direct deaths were attributed to Irma across the Caribbean islands and the U.S. [National Weather Service Tallahassee (FL) Forecast Office] NOAA's National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) prepared a feature on the improvements made to 5-day track forecasts of Irma due to improvements in weather prediction models and to data made available from NOAA satellites. [ NOAA NESDIS News]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics -- The weather across the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere was active last week with several named tropical cyclones (low pressure systems that form over tropical ocean waters, with near surface maximum sustained winds that intensify to tropical storm or hurricane force status):

In the North Atlantic Basin (that also includes the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico), a low pressure system, which was identified as Potential Tropical Cyclone 6, formed last Friday afternoon (local time) approximately 425 miles to the east-southeast of the southernmost Cabo Verde (formerly Cape Verde) Islands. Traveling toward the west and then to the west-northwest, this low organized to become a tropical depression on late Friday night, which then intensified to become Tropical Storm Florence, the North Atlantic's sixth named tropical cyclone of 2018, on Saturday morning. At this time, the center of Florence was approximately 150 miles to the west of the southern Cabo Verde Islands, as maximum sustained surface winds reached 40 mph. Florence continued to travel toward the west-northwest on Saturday and Sunday, with some intensification. By early Monday, Florence was located approximately 790 miles to the west-southwest of the southern Cabo Verde Islands. Florence was forecast to continue toward the west or west-northwest through the first several days of this week, with little change in intensity. Since its projected path will carry Florence across the open waters of the North Atlantic, this tropical storm currently was not expected to affect populated landmasses. Satellite images and additional information for Florence are available from the NASA Hurricane blog Page
In the eastern North Pacific basin (east of the 140-degree West meridian of longitude):
- Tropical Storm Miriam was traveling toward the west away from the western coast of Mexico at the start of last week. At that time, Miriam was located nearly 1400 miles to the west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. Miriam crossed into the central Pacific basin on Wednesday afternoon as a minimal hurricane when it crossed the 140-degree West meridian of longitude, slightly more than 1000 miles to the east-southeast of Hawaii's Big Island. Over the next two days, Miriam turned to take a track toward the north as it strengthened to a category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale with maximum sustained surface winds estimated to have reached 100 mph on Friday. By Saturday morning, Miriam had weakened to a tropical storm approximately 900 miles to the east-northeast of Hilo. Further weakening occurred as Miriam traveled toward the northwest over the weekend. During the predawn hours of Sunday morning, Miriam had weakened to a tropical depression on Sunday morning, with maximum sustained surface winds of 35 mph. By late morning, Miriam had weakened further to become a post-tropical remnant low that was located 810 miles to the northeast of Hilo, HI. This remnant low was expected to dissipate on Monday. Additional information and satellite images on Hurricane Miriam can be found on the NASA Hurricane Page.
- Tropical Depression 16-E formed on Tuesday morning approximately 420 miles to the south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Traveling to the west-northwest, this tropical depression strengthened to become Tropical Storm Norman by late Tuesday evening. Over the next day, Norman rapidly intensified to become a hurricane by Wednesday afternoon and then to a major category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) after sunrise on Thursday morning, as maximum sustained surface winds were estimated to have reached 150 mph. At that time, Norman was approximately 630 miles to the west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. On Friday, Hurricane Norman began weakening as it traveled toward the west-southwest well away from the North American continent. After weakening to a category 2 hurricane on Saturday, Norman made a remarkable come-back, strengthening to a category 4 hurricane with 130-mph sustained surface winds on Sunday morning as it was located nearly 1400 miles to the west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. By Sunday evening, this category 4 hurricane was traveling toward the west-northwest as it was located approximately 1460 miles to the east of Hilo, HI. Hurricane Norman was forecast to slowly weaken as it continues to the west-northwest during the first several days of this new week. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information on Hurricane Norman (formerly, Tropical Depression 16-E).
- Tropical Depression 17-E (TD-17E) formed late last Friday evening over the waters of the eastern North Pacific approximately 425 miles to the southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. Traveling toward the west-northwest on Saturday, TD-17E strengthened to become Tropical Storm Olivia early Sunday morning as it was approximately 500 miles to the south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. As of late Sunday evening, Tropical Storm Olivia was slowly moving toward the west-northwest as it was located approximately 465 miles to the south-southwest of Cabo San Lucas. Olivia should continue its travels toward the west-northwest before curving toward the west on Monday. This tropical storm could possibly become a hurricane on Tuesday.
In the central North Pacific basin (between the 140-degree West meridian of longitude and the International Dateline), Tropical Depression Lane was continuing to move away from the main Hawaiian Islands, as it was located approximately 500 miles to the west-southwest of Hawaii's capital city of Honolulu early Monday morning (local time). During the previous week, Lane had been a major category 5 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) before reaching the Hawaiian Islands, when maximum sustained surface winds were observed to have reached 160 mph. The torrential rain accompanying Lane and the topography of the Hawaiian Islands caused Lane to become the wettest tropical cyclone of record for the Hawaiian Islands, as a weather station at Mountain View on the windward side of Hawaii's Big Island received 51.53 inches of rain [NPR News]. By Tuesday, Tropical Depression Lane intensified to become a tropical storm again for a short time before reverting back to a tropical depression as it turned toward the north and became a remnant low. The Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu issued its last public advisory for Post-Tropical Cyclone Lane late Tuesday afternoon as the center of this remnant low was located approximately 330 miles to the south-southwest of French Frigate Shoals. Over the next day, the remnant low eventually dissipated. The NASA Hurricane Page has additional information and satellite images for Hurricane Lane.
In the western North Pacific basin (to the west of the International Dateline), a tropical depression formed early last week approximately 350 miles to the northwest of Enewetak Atoll near the Marshall Islands. This tropical depression strengthened to become a tropical storm within a day of formation as it traveled toward the northwest and north-northwest, passing the Northern Marianas. The tropical storm became Typhoon Jebi by early Thursday morning as it was moving toward the west, approximately 380 miles to the east-northeast of Saipan. By late Friday, Jebi had strengthened to become a super typhoon by early Saturday as maximum sustained surface winds had reached nearly 172 mph, equivalent to a category 5 typhoon on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. Sea waves of 40 to 50 feet were being generated. Therefore, Super Typhoon Jebi became the most severe typhoon of 2018. On Sunday, Jebi had weakened as it passed west of Iwo To, Japan. By early Monday, Jebi was located approximately 320 miles to the east of Okinawa, Japan. Super Typhoon Jebi is forecast to head toward the main Japanese Islands where it is expected to bring heavy rainfall starting early this week. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information on Typhoon Jebi.

NOAA-funded scientists discover sunken stern of a World War II destroyer off remote Aleutian island -- Late this past July, a NOAA-funded team of Project Recover scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of Delaware discovered the missing 75-foot stern section of the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Abner Read in 290 feet of water off of Alaska's Kiska Island in the Aleutian Chain. The USS Abner Read lost its stern after apparently hitting a Japanese mine off Kiska Island during the predawn hours of 18 August 1943. Seventy-one sailors were lost in the explosion. However, the main section of the ship was returned to service for another year before being destroyed in action. During this past summer, the stern section was discovered using a multibeam sonar that was mounted to the side of the research ship Norseman II. [NOAA News]
All Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) regional networks are now NOAA-certified -- NOAA officials recently announced that the last of last of eleven Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS) regional associations has been certified as "Regional Information Coordination Entities", meaning that data coming from all IOOS partners now adhere to common federal collection, storage and management standards. These IOOS coastal and marine data, such as water temperature, water level, currents, winds and waves, are collected by many different tools including satellites, buoys, tide gauges, radar stations, animal tags and underwater vehicles. IOOS now represents a coordinated network of eleven regional associations cover most of the U.S. coastal zone in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and the Great Lakes. [NOAA News]
New marine debris projects around the nation receive $2.5 million in grants -- Several weeks ago, NOAA officials announced that 23 new marine debris projects from around the U.S. have received approximately $2.5 million in federal funds during Fiscal Year 2018 through the NOAA Marine Debris Program to support marine debris removal and research. [NOAA Marine Debris Program]
Biologists about to return from field research in Northwest Hawaiian Islands -- The NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette recently left Honolulu bound for the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands to return a group of scientists who have been living on the remote islands of Laysan, Lisianski, Pearl and Hermes, Kure Atoll, and French Frigate Shoals since this past April. The biologists have been studying threats to seal and turtle survival, They are also seeking ways to help save individual seals and turtles and eventually recover the species. [NOAA Fisheries News]
Unmanned vehicle is tested to detect harmful algae blooms in Lake Erie -- A team of scientists from NOAA's Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute will launch and test a torpedo-shaped unmanned underwater vehicle equipped with technology capable of collecting and processing water samples that can be used to track harmful algal blooms in Lake Erie. This unmanned system has also been tested in the saltwater of Monterey Bay in California. [NOAA Research News]
Collaboration needed to solve coral disease mystery in Florida Keys sanctuary -- Researchers from universities, nonprofit organizations and government agencies are partnering with colleagues at NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary and the Florida Department of Environmental Protection in an attempt to understand a disease that has been fatal to coral in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The disease was first identified in 2014 and has spread over 150 square miles of the Florida Reef Tract during the last three years. [NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries News]
Sea level rise over last 25 years assessed in new study -- The World Climate Research Programme, which is sponsored by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the International Science Council (ISC) and the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO, recently published an extensive study assessing the various datasets used to estimate components of sea-level rise since the start of the altimetry era in 1993. Altimetry datasets on the world's ocean levels have been collected by satellites, and traditional in-situ measurements. According to the study, The altimetry-based global mean sea level rise averages approximately 3.1 millimeters (mm) per year, with an acceleration of 0.1 mm per year over the recent 25-year period. [WMO 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: Touring the DataStreme Ocean Website

NOTE: This Concept for the Week is a repeat of that which appeared in last week's Weekly Ocean News.

You are embarking on a study of the world ocean and the role of the ocean in the Earth system. This unique teacher enhancement course focuses on the flow and transformations of energy and water into and out of the ocean, the internal properties and circulation of the ocean, interactions between the ocean and the other components of the Earth system, and the human/societal impacts on and responses to those interactions. Throughout this learning experience, you will be using the RealTime Ocean Portal to access and interpret a variety of environmental information, including recent observational data. The objective of this initial Concept of the Week is to explore features of the RealTime Ocean Portal website.

On Monday of each week of the course, we will post the current Weekly Ocean News that includes Ocean in the News (a summary listing of recent events related to the ocean), Concept of the Week (an in-depth analysis of some topic related to the ocean in the Earth system), and Historical Events (a list of past events such as tsunamis or specific advances in the understanding of oceanography). When appropriate, a feature called Supplemental Information-In Greater Depth will be provided on some topic related to the principal theme of the week.

You will use the RealTime Ocean Portal to access and download the weekly "Current Ocean Studies" that complement Investigations found in your Ocean Studies Investigations Manual. These materials should be available Monday morning. Click the appropriate links to download and print these electronic Current Ocean Studies and answer forms as well as your Chapter Progress and Investigations Response forms.

The body of the RealTime Ocean Portal provides links to the Earth System, information on Physical & Chemical, Geological, and Biological aspects of the ocean, Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, the Great Lakes, and extras-a glossary of terms, maps and educational links. Following each section is a link to other sites that examine the various subsystems of the Earth system. Let's take a quick tour to become more familiar with the RealTime Ocean Portal.

Under Physical & Chemical, click on Sea Surface Temperatures. This image uses a color scale to depict the global pattern of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) (in degrees Celsius) averaged over a recent 7-day period and based on measurements by infrared sensors onboard Earth-orbiting satellites. (Depending on your browser, you may have to place your mouse cursor on the slide bar to the right and scroll down to view the entire image.) Compare SSTs in the Northern Hemisphere with those in the Southern Hemisphere. Return to the RealTime Ocean Portal.

Under Geological, click on Current Earthquake Activity. The USGS Current World Seismicity page provides a global map of the locations of seismic (earthquake) events color-coded for the past seven days. The size of the squares represents the magnitude of recent earthquakes. Note how earthquakes are concentrated along the margin of the Pacific Ocean. Details of recent earthquakes can be found by clicking on their map squares. Return to the RealTime Ocean Portal.

The ocean is home to a wide variety of habitats and organisms. Under Biological, click on Ocean "Color" (Productivity). This is a satellite-derived (SeaWiFS) color-coded map of biological productivity in the surface waters of the world ocean is averaged from October 1978 to date. Orange and red indicates the highest productivity, while dark blue and violet indicate the lowest productivity. Note the vast areas of relatively low productivity over the central regions of the subtropical ocean basins. Individual months within this period may be chosen for viewing. Now return to the RealTime Ocean Portal.

Under Atmosphere/Ocean Interaction, click on TRMM/GPM Tropical Rainfall. The TRMM/GPM (Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission) page includes color-coded maps of the Monthly Mean Rainrate (in mm per day) across the tropics for the last 30 days ending on the present date. Changes in rainfall are linked to large-scale shifts in the atmosphere/ocean circulation in the tropics. Now return to the RealTime Ocean Portal.

Take a few minutes when you have time to browse the other data and information sources available via the RealTime Ocean Portal. Return frequently to learn more about the many resources on the ocean in the Earth system. Bon voyage!

Historical Events

3 September 1821...A hurricane made landfall at Long Island, near the current J.F. Kennedy Airport and then moved through western Connecticut. The hurricane produced a record high tide at New York City. (David Ludlum)
3 September 1930...A Category 4 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) devastated Dominican Republic on this day. This hurricane killed more than 8,000 individuals, which is it the fifth deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. (National Weather Service files)
4 September 1954...Icebreakers, USS Burton Island (AGB-1) and USCG Northwind, completed first transit of the Northwest Passage through McClure Strait. (Naval Historical Center)
4-6 September 1970...Moisture from Pacific Tropical Storm Norma led to heavy rain and severe flooding over a three-day span. Unprecedented rains caused rivers in central Arizona to rise five to ten feet per hour, sweeping cars and buildings as far as 30 to 40 mi downstream, leading to the greatest natural disaster of record for Arizona. Flooding claimed the lives of 23 persons, mainly campers, and caused millions of dollars in property damage. Water crested 36 feet above normal near Sunflower. Workman's Creek was deluged with 11.40 inches of rain in 24 hours to establish a 24-hour precipitation record for the Grand Canyon State. An estimated six inches of rain fell at Bug Point, UT, setting a 24-hour precipitation record for the Beehive State. (The Weather Channel) (NCDC)
4 September 2004...Former Category 4 Hurricane Frances made landfall in Florida as a Category 2. Over a foot of rain soaked parts of the Sunshine State. (National Weather Service files)
4 September 2007...Hurricane Felix came ashore in the pre-dawn hours as a Category 5 storm on the Miskito Coast in Nicaragua. At the time of its landfall, the maximum sustained surface winds were approximately 160 mph. Felix killed at least 130 people along the Miskito Coast, with damage in Nicaragua totaling $46.7 million dollars. (National Weather Service files)
5 September 1987...A tropical storm, which formed off the South Atlantic coast, was responsible for torrential rains over coastal regions of South Carolina. Between 30 August and 8 September, Charleston, SC received 18.44 in. of rain. The heavy rains caused extensive flooding around the city of Charleston, seriously damaged cotton crops in the eastern part of the state, and resulted in an unusually high number of mosquitoes. (Storm Data)
5 September 1946...The U.S. Air-Rescue Agency, an inter-departmental group headed by the Commandant of the Coast Guard and engaged on the study of improved and standardized rescue and search methods, was renamed the Search and Rescue Agency. "Search and Rescue Units" of the Coast Guard were at the same time integrated into the peace time organization and the whole developed into a system of constantly alerted communications, coastal lookout, and patrols of institute instant and systematic search and rescue procedure in case of disasters." (USCG Historian's Office)
5 September 1950...Hurricane Easy produced the greatest 24-hour rainfall in U.S. weather records up to that time. The hurricane deluged Yankeetown, on the upper west coast of Florida, with 38.70 in. of rain. This record has since been replaced by 43 in. of rain at Alvin, TX on 25-26 July 1979. (David Ludlum)
6 September 1522...The Magellan expedition completed its historical circumnavigation of the globe as one of Ferdinand Magellan's five ships, the Vittoria, arrived at Sanlýcar de Barrameda in Spain with 17 other crew members and four Indians. Magellan, who lost his life in April 1521 in the Philippines, set sail from Spain with 270 seamen on 20 September 1519 in an effort to find a western sea route to the rich Spice Islands of Indonesia. (The History Channel)
6 September 1667...The "dreadful hurricane of 1667" is considered one of the most severe hurricanes to ever strike Virginia. On the first, this same storm was reported in the Lesser Antilles. The hurricane devastated St. Christopher as no other storm had done before. The "great storm" went on to strike the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia. Approximately 10,000 houses were blown over. Area crops (including corn and tobacco) were beaten into the ground. (National Weather Service files)
6 September 1972...The first tropical cyclone landfall in California since 1939 was Tropical Depression Hyacinth on this date, just north of San Diego. (National Weather Service files)
6 September 1996...Hurricane Fran, a Category 3 hurricane, made a direct hit on North Carolina with 115-mph winds. Six people died and up to 16 inches of rain fell. The storm caused $2.4 billion damage in North Carolina just two months after the state had been hit by Category 3 Hurricane Bertha. (National Weather Service files)
7 September 1934...US Coast Guard (USCG) vessels responded to a fire aboard the liner Morro Castle six miles off the New Jersey coast. This disaster, which resulted in the loss of 133 of the 455 passengers and crew, led to a Senate investigation and subsequent changes in maritime safety regulations. (USCG Historian's Office)
8 September 1900...The greatest weather disaster in U.S. records occurred when a hurricane, estimated to have been a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, struck Galveston, TX. Waves fifteen feet high washed over the island demolishing or carrying away buildings, and drowning more than 6000 persons. The hurricane destroyed more than 3600 houses, and total damage was more than $30 million. Winds to 120 mph, and a twenty-foot storm surge accompanied the hurricane. Following the storm, the surf was three hundred feet inland from the former water line. The hurricane claimed another 1200 lives outside of the Galveston area. (8^th-9^th) (David Ludlum) (The Weather Channel)
Editor's note: The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) posted a webpage commemorating the Galveston, TX hurricane of 1900. This page contains links to historic photos and excerpts of an eyewitness description of storm by Isaac Cline, the chief forecaster of the Galveston U.S. Weather Bureau Office at the time. EJH
9 September 1945... A "computer bug" was first identified and named by LT Grace Murray Hopper while she was on Navy active duty in 1945. It was found in the Mark II Aiken Relay Calculator at Harvard University. The operators affixed the moth to the computer log, where it still resides, with the entry: "First actual case of bug being found." They "debugged" the computer, first introducing the term. (Naval History Center)
9 September 1960... The storm surge from Hurricane Donna submerged the Overseas Highway. The hurricane broke the pipeline that supplied fresh water to the Florida Keys. (National Weather Service files)