Weekly Ocean News

WEEKLY OCEAN NEWS

8-12 October 2018

For Your Information

High tides expected along the East Coasts early this week -- The "High Tide Bulletin for the Fall of 2018" from NOAA's National Ocean Service has an outlook for higher than normal ocean tides between 7 and 10 October along the US Atlantic Coast extending from Maine southward to the eastern coast of Florida. Some people may refer to this relatively high tide as a "king tide," a non-scientific term. This higher than normal tide is due to a combination of factors. A high astronomical tide called a perigean spring tide will occur at the start of this week because of a new moon on Monday (8 October) following lunar perigee on late Friday (5 October), when the moon is close to Earth in its ellipitical orbit. In addition, expanded warm ocean water, changes in weather patterns associated with the anticipated development and strengthening of El Niño conditions during this autumn in the Northern Hemisphere. Midlatitude storm systems would be caried driven closer to the East Coast. However, higher than normal tides are not expected during this month along the West Coast (from California northward to Alaska) and along the Gulf Coast (Florida to Texas). The West Coast could experience higher than normal tides in late November. [NOAA National Ocean Service News]
Worldwide GLOBE at Night 2018 Campaign for October is underway -- The tenth in the series of GLOBE at Night citizen-science campaigns for 2018 will continue through Wednesday, 10 October. 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 Pegasus 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 eleventh series in the 2018 campaign is scheduled for 30 October-8 November 2018. [GLOBE at Night]
Fire Prevention Week -- This week (8-14 October 2017) is Fire Prevention Week across the nation, held in commemoration of the great Chicago (IL) and Peshtigo (WI) fires that occurred simultaneously on 8 October 1871. This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign is “Every Second Counts: Plan 2 Ways Out!”
Biomixing in ocean motion -- If you would like information on recent findings that indicate marine organisms contribute to motion in the ocean, please read this week's Supplemental Information ... In Greater Depth.

Ocean in the News

Eye on the tropics -- During the last week, tropical cyclone activity was found in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean basins of the Northern Hemisphere:

In the North Atlantic Basin (that also includes the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico):
- Tropical Storm Leslie strengthened last Monday morning (local time) as it meandered to thw west-southwest across the waters of the central Atlantic approximately 635 miles to the east of Bermuda. Leslie became the sixth Atlantic hurricane of 2018 early Tuesday morning. Leslie, which remained a category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale, strengthened slightly on Wednesday before weakening to a tropical storm by Thursday afternoon. Although Tropical Storm Leslie was traveling toward the northwest some 400 miles to the northeast of Bermuda on Friday, ocean swells generated by this system were beginning to affect sections of the eastern coast of the U.S., Bermuda, the Bahamas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. Leslie turned and was heading toward the east over the central North Atlantic on Saturday and Sunday. By late Sunday, Leslie began curving toward the east-southeast. As of early Monday morning, Leslie was located approximately 930 miles to the east-southeast of Bermuda or 1230 miles to the west of the Azores. Leslie was forecast to continue moving toward the east-southeast over the first several days of this week, with some re-intensification possible starting on Tuesday. Additional information on Tropical Storm Leslie is available from the NASA Hurricane Blog Page.
- A tropical depression developed during the predawn hours of Suinday morning approximately 90 miles to the east of Chetumal, Mexico over the waters of the northeastern Caribbean. Moving northward, this tropical depression strengthened, becoming Tropical Storm Michael by midday on Sunday. At that time, Michael was located approximately 90 miles to the south of Cozumel, Mexico. By Monday night, Tropical Storm Michael was located approximately 100 miles to the east-southeast of Cozumel. Michael was forecast to continue moving slowly to the north toward the Yucatan Channel on Monday, with gradual strengthening to become a hurricane by Monday night or early Tuesday. Torrential rains accompanying Michael were expected to spread across western Cuba on Monday. Current forecasts suggest that Michael could pose a threat to the northeastern Gulf Coast of the U.S. by Wednesday.
In the eastern North Pacific basin (east of the 140-degree West meridian of longitude):
- Tropical Storm Rosa was traveling toward the northeast approaching the coast of the Mexican state of Baja California Sur during the early morning hours of last Monday. By Monday evening, Rosa had reached the Baja California Peninsula approximately 70 miles to the north of Punta Eugenia, Mexico. After reaching the coast of the Baja, Rosa weakened quickly to a tropical depression as it moved inland. By Tuesday morning Rosa had dissipated along the eastern coast of the Baja California Peninsula approximately 100 miles to the south-southeast of San Felipe, Mexico. Flooding rains accompanying Rosa spread across northwestern Mexico and across the Southwestern U.S. The NASA Hurricane Blog Page has additional information and satellite images on Hurricane Rosa.
- Tropical Storm Sergio was strengthening as it was traveling westward last Monday morning. At that time, it center was located approximately 625 miles to the southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico. By Monday evening, Sergio became a hurricane. By late Tuesday morning, Sergio became a major category 3 hurricane as maximum sustained surface winds reached an estimated 115 mph and by Wednesday evening, Sergio had become the eighth category 4 hurricane in the eastern Pacific in 2018. Six hours later, maximum sustained surface winds surrounding Sergio's eye had reached 140 mph. At that time, Hurricane Sergio was approximately 840 miles to the southwest of Cabo San Lucas at the southern tip of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula. Traveling toward the northwest on Thursday Sergio began to slowly weaken before curving toward the west and southwest on Friday, along with a slight increase in strength. Over last weekend, Serigo continued toward the southwest as a category 3 hurricane on Saturday before weakening to a category 2 hurricane on Sunday. As of Sunday evening, Hurricane Serigo had weakened to a high-end category 1 hurricane as it was located approximately 1300 miles to the west-southwest of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Movement was toward the northwest. Sergio was expected to recurve toward the northeast on Monday night and Tuesday, with some weakening. Additional information and satellite information on Hurricane Sergio appears in the NASA Hurricane Blog Page.
In the central North Pacific basin (between the 140-degree West meridian of longitude and the International Dateline), Hurricane Walaka was rapidly intensifying to become a category 3 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) early last Monday morning as it headed to the west-northwest approximately 925 miles to the southwest of Honolulu, HI. By Monday afternoon, Walaka became a category 5 hurricane as maximum sustained surface winds had reached an estimated 160 mph. By then, Hurricane Walaka had curved to take a track toward the northwest and was only 265 miles to the south of Johnston Atoll. Walaka remained a category 5 hurricane through the sunrise on the next mrning, before weakening slightly to a category 4 system. Traveling toward the north, the central eye of Walaka passed approximately 45 miles to the west of Johnston Island on Tuesday afternoon. Walaka traveled northward across the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument on Wednesday as a category 3 hurricane. By Thursday night, Walaka had weakened to a tropical storm as it continued on a path toward the north. Walaka began losing its tropical characteristics by late Friday night, becoming an extratropical gale low by early Saturday morning. At that time, this low had maximum sustained winds of 50 mph as its center was approxmately 1085 miles to the north-northwest of Honolulu. Consult the NASA Hurricane Blog Page for satellite images and more information on Hurricane Walaka.
In the western North Pacific basin (to the west of the International Dateline):
- Typhoon Trami, formerly a category 5 super typhoon (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale), had made landfall on Japan's Honshu Island at the beginning of last week. Traveling toward the northeast across the island of Honshu, Trami weakened and lost its tropical characteristics by late Monday when it passed Hokkaido. The NASA Hurricane Blog Page has satellite images and additional information on Typhoon Trami.
- Typhoon Kong-rey began heading for the northwest across the East China Sea at the beginning of last week, as the center of this category 2 typhoon was located approximately 900 miles to the southeast of Okinawa. By early Tuesday, Kong-rey had intensified to become a category 5 super typhoon, but weakened to a category 3 typhoon the following day. By Thursday, Typhoon Kong-rey was downgraded to a tropical storm as it was passing 100 miles to the southwest of Okinawa, Japan. By then, Kong-rey was beginning to curve toward the north and then northeast as it headed for South Korea. After making landfall along the Korean Penisula, Kong-rey traveled to the east-northeast across the Sea of Japan over this past weekend. As of Sunday (local time) Kong-rey was located approximately 225 miles to the west of Misawa, a city located along the northeastern coast of Japan's Honshu Island. Satellite imagery and additional information on Super Typhoon Kong-rey are available on the NASA Hurricane Blog Page.
In North Indian Ocean: A tropical depression formed over this past weekend over the waters of the Arabian Sea. By late Monday morning (local time), this tropical depression had intensified to become a tropical storm that was given the identification of Tropical Cyclone 5A. At that time, Tropical Cyclone 5A was traveling toward the west-northwest approximately 630 miles to the east-southeast of Salalah, Oman. Cyclone 5A was forecast to continue traveling toward the west-northwest and approach the coast of Yemen by Saturday. This system could intensify to become a category 1 tropical cyclone on the Saffir Simpson Scale late this week.

Hurricane season in Atlantic is far from over -- Even though the climatological peak in the Atlantic hurricane season was reached nearly one month ago (on approximately 10 September), the branch chief of the of the Technology & Science Branch of NOAA's National Hurricane Center cautions that the chance for a hurricane to develop is possible in October and November, because the three basic ingredients for hurricane formation still can exist into these months, namely, elevated sea surface temperature, low vertical wind shear and a pre-existing atmospheric disturbance. [NOAA NESDIS News]
A California estuary has been designated as a "Wetland of International Importance" -- The Secretariat of the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, an intergovernmental treaty within the United Nations that provides the framework for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources, recently designated California's Elkhorn Slough as a "Wetland of International Importance." The Elkhorn Slough is a tidal slough and estuary on Monterey Bay and the Salinas River near Moss Landing, CA. The Elkhorn Slough National Estuarine Research Reserve, which is administered by NOAA and managed by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, is one of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserves established nationwide as field laboratories for scientific research and estuarine education. [NOAA News]
High tide flood days along U.S. coasts could be boosted by an upcoming El Niño-- The NOAA National Ocean Service's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services together with the National Centers of Environmental Information recently issued its 2018 "State of High Tide Flooding and Annual Outlook" that predicts an above-average number of high-tide flooding days from May 2018-April 2019 for various locations on the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts of the U.S. This flooding is also known as "nuisance flooding." Overall, high tide flood frequencies are predicted to be 60% higher this year across U.S. coastlines compared to the year 2000, especially because of a weak El Niño event that is anticipated to develop this winter. In order to generate their outlook, the scientists project the recent historical trend in high-tide flood days a short time into the future and take into account the state of ENSO (El Niño-Southern Oscillation), which can increase the frequency of high water levels on both coasts. Nuisance flooding takes its toll on U.S. coastal communities, by disrupting storm- and wastewater systems, damaging roads and infrastructure and straining city budgets. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Two new PORTS® bring added safety and economic benefit to marine navigation community -- Over this past summer, NOAA established two new Physical Oceanographic Real-Time Systems (PORTS®) that service seaports in Corpus Christi, TX and Toledo, OH. These new systems, which bring the current number of PORTS® around the nation to 33, contain current meters and water level sensors that provide real-time data to pilots navigating large ships through narrow waterways. Both new PORTS® also collect other pertinent water level and meteorological information. [NOAA Tide & Currents News]
Do other planets or moons have oceans? -- Planetary scientists have been searching for the possibility of oceans on other planets or moons in our solar system. This search is stimulated by the search for those extraterrestrial planetary bodies that would have the three ingredients necessary to support life, namely, water, energy, organic compounds. To date, the Earth is the only planet to have a permanent body of liquid water on its surface. NASA scientists have found that Mars appears to have had intermittent liquid water flows in its recent past. NASA's Cassini mission indicates that a large ocean lies beneath the icy crust of Saturn's moon Enceladus. Europa, one of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter, is thought to have subsurface liquid water. Scientists theorize that Europa's subsurface ocean is salty, tidal and causes its ice surface to move, creating large surface fractures that are visible on spacecraft images. [NOAA National Ocean Service Facts]
”Turbidity currents” may involve movement of seafloor in addition to underwater currents -- A large 18-month-long, multi-institutional study of the submarine Monterey Canyon off the California coast called the “Coordinated Canyon Experiment” has revealed that sediment-laden seawater flowing across the seafloor that have often been identified as “turbidity currents” also involve large-scale movements of the seafloor itself. Historically, turbidity currents have been described as fast-moving currents sweeping down submarine canyons, carrying sand and mud into the deep sea. This discovery could help ocean engineers avoid damage to underwater pipelines, communications cables and other seafloor structures. [Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute]
New satellite makes first measurements of Antarctic ice sheet -- On this past Wednesday, the laser instrument onboard NASA's new ICESat-2 satellite sent light photons toward the Earth's surface in its first measurement of the Antarctic ice sheet. This instrument, called the Advanced Topographic Laser Altimeter System, or ATLAS, sent 300 trillion green photons of light toward Earth and then detected the few photons that returned to detect small changes in the planet's ice sheets, glaciers and sea ice. [NASA Goddard Space Flight Center]
Storms are stronger because of changing climate -- A 7:27-minute video uses a group of science experts and media personalities to discuss how changing climate has been instrumental for the generation of stronger atmospheric storms. Examples of these stronger storms are cited. [Yale Climate Connections ]
A warmer climate could create more wet and dry weather extremes -- A team of scientists from Rutgers University, Duke University and Georgia Institute of Technology examined the role of stationary waves in the subtropical atmospheric flow pattern in creating more extreme wet and dry weather during Northern Hemisphere summer. These stationary waves create stationary high pressure systems with dry weather over the North Pacific and North Atlantic basins, along with persistent low pressure systems that result in wet weather over Eurasia and North America. The researchers found that subtropical stationary waves during northern summers increased from 1979 to 2013 because of increasing global temperatures. More frequent dry spells were cited in the northwestern, central and southern United States and in Mexico, while more frequent excessive rainfall events were found in south Asia, the Indochina Peninsula and southern China. The team foresees additional strengthening of the intensity of the subtropical waves as temperatures continue to increase. [Rutgers University News]
Some of nation's major airports are battling rising sea levels -- In a National Climate Assessment Report made by the U.S. Global Change Research Program, 13 major U.S. airports have at least one runway within 12 feet of current sea levels. These airports would be susceptible to flooding as sea levels rise, storm surges could worsen and intense rain events could become more frequent. In addition, some airports may be on land that is slowly sinking. Flooding of the runways at these airports could result in flight disruptions or closure from storms and floods. [Minnesota Public Radio News]
Opportunities for future scientists from high-poverty neighborhoods are available from new science education lab -- The Ocean Discovery Institute is a non-profit educational organization that uses ocean science to deliver high quality STEM education to communities in the City Heights area of San Diego, CA. The Institute is currently working closely with NOAA to open a science education lab that will brings new opportunities for underserved youth in a San Diego community. [NOAA Fisheries Feature Story]
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: Abyssal Storms

Until recently, ocean scientists thought of the deep ocean abyss as a dark and cold, but serene place where small particles rained gently onto the ocean floor. However, instruments lowered to the sea floor to measure ocean motion or currents and resulting mobilization of bottom sediments detected a much more active environment. Scientists found that bottom currents and abyssal storms occasionally scour the ocean bottom, generating moving clouds of suspended sediment. A surface current of 5 knots (250 cm/sec) is considered relatively strong. A bottom current of 1 knot (50 cm/sec) is ripping. Although this may be called an abyssal storm, the water motion pales by comparison to wind speeds in atmospheric storms.

Abyssal currents and storms apparently derive their energy from surface ocean currents. Wind-driven surface ocean currents flow about the margins of the ocean basins as gyres centered near 30 degrees latitude. (Refer to Figure 6.6 in your textbook.) Viewed from above, these subtropical gyres rotate clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. For reasons given in Chapter 6 of your textbook and this week's Supplemental Information, surface currents flow faster, are narrower, and extend to greater depths on the western arm of the gyres. These are known as western boundary currents and include, for example, the Gulf Stream of the North Atlantic basin. Abyssal currents are also most vigorous on the western side of the ocean basins, moving along the base of the continental rise, which is on the order of several kilometers deep.

Abyssal storms may be linked to or may actually be eddies (rings) that occasionally break off from the main current of the Gulf Stream (and other western boundary currents). During an abyssal storm, the eddy or ring may actually reach to the bottom of the ocean where the velocity of a bottom current increases ten-fold to about 1.5 km (1 mi) per hr. While that is an unimpressive wind speed, water is much denser than air so that its erosive and sediment-transport capacity is significant even at 1.5 km per hr. At this higher speed, the suspended sediment load in the bottom current increases by a factor of ten. Abyssal storms scour the sea floor leaving behind long furrows in the sediment. After a few days to a few weeks, the current weakens or the eddy (ring) is reabsorbed into the main surface circulation and the suspended load settles to the ocean floor. In this way, abyssal storms can transport tons of sediment long distances, disrupting the orderly sequence of layers of deep-sea sediments. Scientists must take this disruption into account when interpreting the environmental significance of deep-sea sediment cores.

Historical Events

9 October 1804...The famous "Snow Hurricane" moved ashore along the New Jersey coast near Atlantic City on this day. After briefly passing through Connecticut and into Massachusetts, cool air was entrained in the circulation with heavy snow falling between New York to southern Canada. The Berkshires in Massachusetts and Concord, NH recorded two feet of snow with this hurricane. (National Weather Service files)
9 October 1873...LT Charles Belknap called a meeting at the Naval Academy to establish the U.S. Naval Institute for the purpose of disseminating scientific and professional knowledge throughout the U.S. Navy. (Navy Historical Center)
9 October 1967...A cyclone of relatively small dimension with a surface width of only 31 miles, hit India's coast at Orissa and moved to the northeast along the coast for 75 miles. As many as 1000 people and 50,000 head of cattle died. A surge in the storm's wake penetrated 16 miles inland. (Accord Weather Guide Calendar)
10-16 October 1780...The most deadly Western Hemisphere hurricane on record raged across the Caribbean Sea. This "Great Hurricane of 1780" killed 22,000 people on the islands of Martinique, St. Eustatius, and Barbados. Thousands more died at sea. (The Weather Doctor)
10 October 1780...The Great Hurricane of 1780 made landfall on the island of Barbados on this day with estimated wind gusts of 200 mph. This hurricane went on to affect the islands of St. Vincent where only 14 of 600 homes stood at Kings Town. St. Lucia, Martinique, Dominica, and Puerto Rico were all impacted from this hurricane. This is the deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record with between 20,000 and 22,000 deaths. (National Weather Service files)
10 October 1845...Naval School, renamed the U.S. Naval Academy, opened in Annapolis, MD with 50 midshipmen students and seven faculty. (Navy Historical Center)
10 October 1861...Fridtjof Nansen, the Norwegian explorer, oceanographer, statesman, and humanitarian was born. Nansen led a number of expeditions to the Arctic (1888, 1893, 1895-96) and oceanographic expeditions in the North Atlantic (1900, 1910-14). He wrote The Oceanography of the North Polar Basin (1902). For his relief work after World War I, he was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1922. (Today in Science History)
10 October 1913...President Woodrow Wilson with the aid of a telegraph signal sent from Washington, DC triggered the demolition of the Gamboa Dike, allowing water to fill the Culebra Cut and create Lake Gatun, at 85 ft above sea level, the largest man-made lake at that time. This act signaled the completion of construction of the Panama Canal, which would eventually open to ship traffic between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans on 14 August 1914. (Wikipedia, Today in Science History)
11 October 1737...A deadly cyclone and storm surge of 42 ft raced up the Hooghly River in India and through the city of Calcutta destroying an estimated 40,000 boats and drowning as many as 300,000 people. (The Weather Doctor)
11 October 1846...One of the most intense Atlantic hurricanes of the 19th century ravaged Havana, Cuba and Key West, FL. At Havana the entire city was demolished and at Key West 594 of the town's 600 buildings were destroyed, with 5 feet of water reported in the city. The old Key West lighthouse and Fort Taylor were reduced to ruins. The storm eventually traveled up the entire U.S. East Coast and into the Canadian Maritimes. (Intellicast) (National Weather Service files)
11 October 1897...Property saved at Cape Hatteras, NC. During a severe storm, the surf threatened to wash away a fish house, with valuable nets and other gear. Surfmen saved the property and took it to a place of safety. They also assisted a lighthouse keeper by removing lenses from the beacon to a secure place. The lighthouse was in danger of being washed away by the sea. (US Coast Guard Historian's Office)
12 October 1492...Italian explorer Christopher Columbus sighted and landed on an island (possibly Watling Island) in the Bahamas during his travels westward across the Atlantic Ocean in search of an ocean route to eastern Asia. Apparently, he underestimated the size of the world and assumed that he had reached East Asia after setting sail with three ships from Palos, Spain on 3 August 1492. During this expedition, which was the first known European expedition to the Americas since the 10^th century Viking colonies in Newfoundland, he sighted Cuba and landed on Hispaniola. (The History Channel)
12 October 1886...A hurricane made landfall between Sabine Pass, TX and Johnson's Bayou, LA. Waves were said to be as high as 2-story buildings. The surge extended 20 mi inland, with 150 people killed. Survivors clung to trees or floated on mattresses. Only two of 100 homes in Sabine Pass were reparable. (Accord Weather Calendar)
12 October 1954...Hurricane Hazel pounded Haiti and the island of Hispaniola with winds of 125 mph. Many villages were reported totally destroyed and more than 1000 Haitians died. (The Weather Doctor)
12 October 1965...End of Project Sealab II where teams of naval divers and scientists spent 15 days in Sealab moored 205 feet below surface near La Jolla, CA. (Navy Historical Center)
12 October 1979...The lowest observed sea-level barometric pressure (870 millibars or 25.69 inches of mercury) was recorded approximately 300 miles west of Guam in the western Pacific Ocean at the center of Typhoon Tip. This super typhoon had 190-mph winds. Gale force winds extended 1,350 miles out from the eye making it the largest tropical cyclone on record. (The Weather Doctor)
13 October 1775...Birthday of U.S. Navy. The Continental Congress established the Continental Navy, later the U.S. Navy. (Naval Historical Center)
13 October 1884...The longitude that passes through the principal Transit Instrument at the Observatory in Greenwich, England was selected as the single universal meridian at the International Meridian Conference held in Washington, DC. A universal day was also selected. (Today in Science History)