WEEKLY OCEAN NEWS

1-5 June 2015

DataStreme Ocean will return for Fall 2015 with new Investigations files starting during Preview Week, Monday, 24 August 2015. All the current online website products will continue to be available throughout the summer break period.

Items of Interest:

Change in season -- Meteorological summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the three-month span from June through August, commenced this Monday (1 June 2015). In three weeks, the summer solstice will occur on Sunday, 21 June, which marks the beginning of astronomical summer.
Atlantic Hurricane Season begins -- The hurricane season in the North Atlantic basin, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico will begin this Monday, 1 June. In the Eastern North Pacific basin, the hurricane season began two weeks ago on 15 May. The season will run until 30 November 2015 in both basins.
Celebrating National Ocean Month -- A Presidential Proclamation has designated June as National Ocean Month. NOAA's National Ocean Service has a website entitled #30 Days of Ocean that provides links to a variety of websites containing facts, images and video designed to highlight both the beauty and importance of the nation's oceans and marine environment. Week 1 is titled "Our Amazing Ocean." [NOAA National Ocean Service]
Early Sunrise -- Within the next week, many locations in the continental United States will experienced the date of earliest sunrise. While the longest daylight at each locale in the Northern Hemisphere will occur in over two weeks on the summer solstice (on Sunday, 21 June 2015), the occurrence of earliest local sunrise occurs before this date because the apparent sun now "leads" the clock time. This time discrepancy, which now amounts to approximately 2 minutes, occurs because of a combination of factors that result from the earth moving more slowly in its elliptical orbit because the earth presently is near its farthest point from the sun (aphelion on the afternoon of 6 July 2015) and the effect of the tilt of the earth's spin axis (near the summer solstice). For reference, the latest sunsets of the year will occur later in June as the apparent sun slows and by the first week of July "lags" clock time by about 4 minutes.
World Environment Day -- This Friday, 5 June 2015, is World Environment Day (WED), a day that has been created by the United Nations in an effort to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and to enhance political attention and action. This observance was established initially by the UN General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Various activities are being planned. This year's theme for World Environment Day is "Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care." [World Environment Day]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics -- Tropical cyclone activity was limited to the eastern North Pacific basin last week with the formation of the first named tropical cyclone of the season. Hurricane Andres formed as a tropical depression early last Thursday approximately 700 miles to the southwest of Manzanillo, Mexico and intensified to a tropical storm and then to a hurricane by Saturday as it traveled toward the west-northwest. Andres strengthened to a category 2 hurricane (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) as maximum sustained surface winds were estimated to have reached 100 mph. Current forecasts indicate that Hurricane Amanda would weaken to a tropical storm early this week as it continues traveling toward the west-northwest away from Mexico. See the NASA Hurricane Page for additional information and satellite imagery on Hurricane Andres.
Surface water temperature differences in eastern Pacific and western Atlantic basins at start of hurricane season -- A graphic generated by NOAA View shows a map of the sea surface temperature anomalies or departures (the arithmetic differences between observed and long-term average sea surface temperatures) across the eastern North Pacific and western North Atlantic (including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico) during the third week of May as obtained by NOAA's fleet of environmental satellites. The image clearly shows above average temperatures across the eastern equatorial Pacific associated with El Niño conditions that could lead to above-average tropical cyclone activity in the eastern North Pacific basin, while near average or slightly above average water temperatures were found in the Caribbean basin and sections of the western North Atlantic that would suggest a less active tropical cyclone season in that basin. [NOAA Environmental Visualization Laboratory]
Updated Extreme Weather Information Sheets for 2015 hurricane season available for coastal residents -- NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information recently updated its NOAA Extreme Weather Information Sheets (NEWIS) for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season. In addition, a sheet was also prepared for the state of Hawaii as the Central Pacific hurricane season is also beginning. These sheets, which can be downloaded, serve as a "one-stop" ready reference that provides critical information to coastal residents such as phone numbers and Web site information for contacting government officials and monitoring information resources. [NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information]
Assessing impacts of El Niño event during boreal summer -- An ENSO (El Niño/Southern Oscillation) blog was posted that discusses the possible effects that the currently developing El Niño would have upon this upcoming summer's weather in the Northern Hemisphere. Focus is made upon the recent thee-month seasonal outlooks for the upcoming three-month summer season in the United States. Maps are provided describing the potential impact upon the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere. [NOAA Climate.gov News]
Hurricane outlooks issued -- In conjunction with National Hurricane Awareness Week, scientists with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center released their outlooks for the upcoming hurricane seasons in the Atlantic, the eastern Pacific and central Pacific Basins:

For the North Atlantic basin, which includes the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, the outlook indicates a 70-percent chance of a below-normal hurricane season in 2015 and a 20-percent chance of a near-normal season, with only a 10-percent chance of being above-average. Specifically, the outlook calls for a 70-percent chance that the basin could experience six to eleven named tropical cyclones (hurricanes and tropical storms with sustained surface winds of at least 39 mph). The forecasters also foresee that three to six tropical cyclones could become hurricanes (maximum sustained winds of 74 mph or higher). As many as two of these hurricanes could become major hurricanes (Category 3 hurricanes or greater on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Intensity Scale). These anticipated numbers would be below the long-term average of 12 named tropical cyclones per year in the North Atlantic and the six hurricanes that normally form during each year. Three of these hurricanes typically become major hurricanes. The forecasters claim that the reduced tropical cyclone activity across the Atlantic basin is due to the presence of an El Niño event that should continue through the hurricane season. In addition, near average sea surface temperatures found across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea should limit hurricane activity. NOAA will issue an updated outlook for the Atlantic hurricane season in early August, just before the historical peak of the season. [NOAA News]
For the Eastern North Pacific basin (east of 140 degrees West longitude), the outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center suggests a 70-percent chance of an above-normal season, a 25-percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 5-percent chance of a below normal season. This outlook would call for a 70-percent chance of the formation of between 15 and 22 named tropical cyclones, with seven to twelve hurricanes. Between five and eight major hurricanes (category 3 or higher) were also envisioned. These anticipated numbers compare with the 45-year average of 15 named tropical cyclones per year that include eight hurricanes and as many as four major hurricanes. The forecasters indicate that the current El Niño event would enhance tropical cyclone activity across the region. [NOAA Climate Prediction Center]
For the Central North Pacific basin (between 180 degrees and 140 degrees West longitude), forecasters at NOAA's Central Pacific Hurricane Center in collaboration with their colleagues at the Climate Prediction Center expect that the upcoming hurricane season would have a 70-percent chance of above average normal activity and a 25-percent change of a near normal season. They called for five to eight tropical cyclones to affect the central North Pacific in 2015, either forming with in the basin or entering it from the Eastern Pacific. On average, four to five tropical cyclones (including tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes) travel across the basin that stretches from 140 degrees west longitude to the International Dateline. The forecasters claim that the El Niño conditions should result in more and stronger tropical cyclones across the basin. [NOAA Central Hurricane Center]
For comparison, Phil Klotzbach and Bill Gray at Colorado State University released a forecast of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season in early April that called for a relatively inactive season. They envisioned seven named tropical cyclones, with three potentially becoming hurricanes. One of these hurricanes could become severe. [The Tropical Meteorology Project]
In addition, forecasters at the United Kingdom's Meteorological Office have recently produced a forecast of the 2015 Atlantic hurricane season with below normal activity. These forecasters foresee between six and ten named tropical cyclones forming, with a most likely value of eight. The forecasters feel that between three and seven hurricanes could form, with five being the most likely value, which is one below the long-term average number. They base their estimates on the Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index, which measures the number of storms and their combined strength.

NOAA's 2015 hurricane research mission focuses on improving hurricane track and intensity forecasts -- Scientists with NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research will use unmanned air and water craft during this upcoming hurricane season to collect weather data as they work with NOAA's National Weather Service to upgrade the operational Hurricane Weather Research and Forecast system (HWRF) with the goal of improving forecasts of hurricane track and intensity. This year's improvements to HWRF involves increasing the resolution of this advanced hurricane prediction from 3 to 2 kilometers, and the incorporation of tail Doppler radar data collected from the NOAA P-3 and G-IV hurricane hunter aircraft to improve the storm representation within the model. [NOAA Oceanic and Atmospheric Research News]
Current survey commences in Puget Sound -- At the end of last week, NOAA's Center for Operational Oceanographic Products and Services (CO-OPS) began a three-year current survey of the currents throughout western Washington's Puget Sound, the San Juan Islands, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca that is designed to improve the tidal current predictions for these inland waters. At present, tidal current predictions are based upon data collected in the mid 20th century. Improvements in measurement techniques employed in the current survey are described. [NOAA Ocean Service News]
National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan is approved -- The intergovernmental Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force recently released the National Invasive Lionfish Prevention and Management Plan, which is designed to prevent to prevent the spread of invasive lionfish in US marine waters and to help manage lionfish in an effort to prevent further harm to marine ecosystems. [NOAA Fisheries Newsroom]
Influx of icebergs into Atlantic raised tropical methane emissions during Pleistocene Ice Age -- Scientists at Oregon State University and the Desert Research Institute report that the large influx of freshwater into the North Atlantic Ocean from icebergs calving off North America during the last Ice Age appears to have increased the production of methane in the tropical wetlands. Apparently, the influx of cold freshwater altered rainfall patterns in tropical and subtropical latitudes, including the monsoon circulation regimes. The researchers based their findings on a nearly 60,000-year record of methane obtained from a highly detailed West Antarctic Ice Sheet Divide ice core. [Oregon State University News]
Renowned United Kingdom's climate research center celebrates 25th anniversary -- The United Kingdom's Met Office Hadley Centre recently celebrated its 25th year of operation. This organization provides world-class guidance on the science of climate change and is the primary focus in the United Kingdom for climate science. One of the accomplishments of the Hadley Centre has been the maintenance of the highly-recognized global temperature datasets extending back to the mid-19th century. Highly sophisticated climate models have been developed here. [UK Met Office 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] Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Historical Events:

1-17 June 2001...The deadliest and costliest tropical storm in US history, Tropical Storm Allison, wandered westward across the tropical Atlantic and crossed over into the Pacific before reversing direction and moving back into the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. On 1 June the tropical wave, which eventually evolved into TS Allison, moved into the Gulf of Tehuantepec on the Pacific coast of Mexico after moving westward across the tropical Atlantic and the Caribbean from off the west coast of Africa on 21 May. On the 2^nd, a cyclonic (counterclockwise) circulation developed to the south-southeast of Salma Cruz, Mexico, but the low-level circulation became ill defined as the system moved inland on the 3^rd over southeastern Mexico and western Guatemala. This system intensified again and eventually moved northward to the Texas Gulf Coast and then eastward to the Atlantic before turning into an extratropical storm in mid-June. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
2-4 June 1986...A tropical disturbance brought flooding rains to parts of the Greater Antilles. The flooding caused 59 deaths in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba. As many as 240,000 people lost their homes to this disturbance. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
3 June 1979...The world's worst oil spill occurred when an exploratory oil well, Ixtoc 1, blew out, spilling over 140 million gallons of crude oil into the Bay of Campeche off the coast of Mexico. Although it is the largest known oil spill, it had a relatively low environmental impact. The well was finally capped in March 1980. Booms were placed along the Texas coast to protect major inlets from the oil that was carried northward by prevailing surface currents in the Gulf of Mexico. (Information Please) (Wikipedia)
4 June 1825...A hurricane struck Long Island, NY leveling trees and causing damage to ships. The early season hurricane, which originated near Cuba, caused major damage along the Atlantic coast from Charleston, SC to New York City. Many were lost at sea. (David Ludlum)
4 June 1976...Forty-foot waves from a tropical cyclone smashed Gogha (port), India. Excellent warnings limited the death toll to approximately 70. Dredging of the harbor at Bhavnnagar ceased for several years as storm runoff from the Kansa River washed away accumulated sand and silt. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
6 June 1882...More than 100,000 inhabitants of Bombay, India were killed as a tropical cyclone that developed over the Arabian Sea pushed huge waves into the harbor. (Wikipedia)
7 June 1914...The first vessel, the Alliance, passed through the Panama Canal. The 51-mile long canal, which links the Pacific and the Atlantic Oceans across the isthmus of Panama, was officially opened on 15 August 1914. (Today in Science History) (Wikipedia)
7 June 1924...The Oil Pollution Act was passed. It was enforced by the Coast Guard.
Protection of halibut in the North Pacific Ocean was placed under Bureau of Fisheries (Coast Guard- enforced since 1926). (USCG Historian's Office)
7 June 1972...Richmond, VA experienced its worst flood of record as rains from Hurricane Agnes pushed the water level at the city locks to a height of 36.5 feet, easily topping the previous record of thirty feet set in 1771. (The Weather Channel)
7-10 June 2001...Tropical Storm Allison made landfall along the Texas Gulf Coast near Galveston early on the 6^th and drifted northward before becoming stationary as a depression later in the day near Lufkin. Later, it began to drift back southward, moving offshore over the Gulf late on the 9^th at nearly the same place as it had made landfall. Allison caused disastrous flooding across the Upper Texas Gulf Coast, especially in the Houston area where a storm total of 36.99 inches fell at Port Houston. Twenty-three people lost their lives in Texas. Damage in the region amounted to $5 billion, which included 45,000 homes, 70,000 vehicles and 2000 businesses. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)