WEEKLY OCEAN NEWS

29 June- 3 July 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 seasons -- The beginning of July marks the beginning of the new heating season. Traditionally, meteorologists and climatologists define the heating season to run from 1 July to 30 June of the following year. Heating degree day units are accumulated commencing on 1 July. Likewise, the snow season runs from 1 July through 30 June. Seasonal snowfall totals for next season will be summed from Monday.
The half-way point --Midpoint of calendar year 2015 will occur at noon local standard time on Thursday, 2 July 2015.
Way out there!...The earth reaches aphelion, the point in its annual orbit when it is farthest from the sun this afternoon (officially at 20Z on Monday, 6 July 2015, which is equivalent to 4 PM EDT or 3 PM CDT). At aphelion, the earth-sun distance is 152,089,000 km, or 3.4% greater than the distance at perihelion, the smallest earth-sun distance, which occurred earlier this year during the early morning of 4 January 2015. [US Naval Observatory]
"Warmest day of the year" approaches -- NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (formerly National Climatic Data Center) has created a "Warmest Day of the Year" map for the contiguous United States based upon the highest daily maximum temperatures of the year as calculated from the 1981-2010 climate normals. Additional maps are available for Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. Many places across the nation will experience their highest daily temperatures within the next two to three weeks. However, some locations in Arizona and New Mexico affected by the Southwest Monsoon reach their maximum temperatures during the last two weeks of June. On the other hand, coastal locations along the Pacific Ocean and in Hawaii would have the highest temperatures in September because of the thermal lag due to proximity of the ocean. [NOAA National Climatic Data Center News]

Ocean in the News:

Eye on the tropics --- Tropical cyclone activity was limited to the western North Pacific basin at the start of last week. Over the previous weekend, Tropical Storm Kujira intensified from a tropical depression that had been moving northward across the waters of the South China Sea well to the east of the coast of Vietnam. Kujira turned west and crossed China's Hainan Island during the first half of last week before crossing the Gulf of Tonkin and making a second landfall on the northeastern coast of Vietnam near the capital city of Hanoi. The NASA Hurricane Page has satellite images and additional information on Tropical Storm Kujira.
Track historical hurricanes using a map viewer -- An interactive website is available to emergency managers and the public especially along the nation's costs that permits tracking the development and movement of more than 6000 tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, over the last 150 years using a Geographic Information System (GIS) map viewer. [NOAA Climate.gov Maps]
Status of invasive species in Alaska explored in association with changing climate -- Scientists with NOAA Fisheries have been exploring how increasing temperatures due to changing climate conditions are causing changing regime shifts in Alaska's ocean ecosystems, especially involving the potential increases in invasive species and other types of infectious diseases and parasites that could impact the state's fisheries. An example is provided that focuses on the Bitter Crab Syndrome, a parasitic disease affecting snow crabs and Tanner crabs in Alaska that appears to be becoming more prevalent in the North Pacific Ocean due to the changing climate. [NOAA Fisheries News]
Southern Resident killer whales are featured -- NOAA Fisheries is featuring the endangered Southern Resident killer whales in its "Species in the Spotlight" series. These whales are found in the inland waters in western Washington State along with the coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean northward to the Gulf of Alaska and southward to California. [NOAA Fisheries Features]
Saltonstall-Kennedy Grant Program grant recommendations made -- During the last week NOAA Fisheries recommended that 88 projects receive a total of $25 million under its 2014-2015 Saltonstall-Kennedy (SK) Grant Program in an effort to address the needs of the nation's fishing communities, to optimize economic benefits by building and maintaining sustainable fisheries, and to increase other opportunities designed to keep working waterfronts viable. This year's recommended projects fall into four broad themes: 1.) maximizing fishing opportunities and jobs; 2.) improving key fisheries observations; 3.) increasing the quality and quantity of domestic seafood; and 4.) improving fishery information from U.S. territories.[NOAA Fisheries News]
Slightly below average Chesapeake Bay "dead zone" expected for this summer -- Scientists with NOAA Fisheries, the US Geological Survey, the University of Maryland and the University of Michigan recently announced that they are expecting this summer's hypoxic low-oxygen zone, or "dead zone" in Chesapeake Bay to be will be approximately ten percent lower than the long-term average as measured since 1950. The smaller areal extent may be due to this spring's Low river flow and low nutrient loading from the Susquehanna River. [NOAA NCCOS News]
Recreational fishing in California's national marine sanctuaries found to provide significant economic benefits -- In a NOAA report that was recently released, significant economic benefits of saltwater recreational fishing in California's four national marine sanctuaries, with more than $200 million in annual economic output generated that also supported nearly 1400 jobs between 2010 and 2012. [NOAA National Marine Sanctuaries News]
El Niño cannot be blamed for all this summer's unusual weather events-- A blog has been posted on the NOAA Climate.gov website that attempts to explain that the current El Niño event that is unfolding cannot be blamed for all the unusual weather events and anomalous short-term climate patterns that are occurring this summer across the nation and elsewhere around the world. Attention is also directed to how forecasters with NOAA's Climate Prediction Center are interpreting the presence of this El Niño event as they produced their three-month Seasonal Outlooks that were issued in mid-June. [NOAA Climate.gov News Feature]
Possible forthcoming "solar minimum" may not change Earth's long-term warming trend -- Scientists in the United Kingdom's Met (Meteorology) Office and their colleagues report that the anticipated upcoming reduction in the solar energy reaching Earth (a "solar minimum" in the quasi-periodic cycle in solar activity) may not be sufficient to cancel the observed long-term trend in increasing global temperatures. However, occurrence of this future solar minimum that could be one of the lowest in several centuries could result in relatively colder winters across sections of northern and western Europe and eastern North America. The scientists used a climate model to simulate climate conditions for the second half of the 21st century using reduced solar output scenarios rivaling those of the historic Maunder Minimum (ca. 1645-1715). [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:

29 June 1860...The replacement to the first iron-pile lighthouse in the U.S. was completed at Minot's Ledge, near Scituate, Massachusetts, replacing the one at the same site that was built between 1847 and 1850, lighted 1 Jan 1850 but destroyed in a storm in April 1851. In 1860, the last stone was laid for the new Minot's Ledge lighthouse, five years minus one day after workmen first landed at the ledge. The final cost of about $300,000 made it one of the most expensive lighthouses in U.S. history. It stood off Boston's south shore, just outside Boston Harbor to warn ships of rocks that had claimed many vessels. The first granite block was laid for the new lighthouse on 9 July 1857. The lantern room and second order Fresnel lens were put into place and illuminated on 22 August 1860. This structure has withstood all storms since, and stands to this day. (Today in Science History)
29 June 1982...The Soviet Union launched COSPAS I, the first search and rescue satellite ever launched. In combination with later SARSAT satellites, a new multi-agency, international, search and rescue service was made operational. On 11 September 1982, it was credited with helping to save the crew of Cessna 172, a Canadian airplane. (USCG Historian's Office)
30 June 1886...The second destructive hurricane in nine days hit the Apalachicola-Tallahassee area of Florida. (David Ludlum)
30 June 1972...The entire state of Pennsylvania was declared a disaster area because of the catastrophic flooding caused by Hurricane Agnes, which claimed 48 lives, and caused 2.1 billion dollars damage. (The Weather Channel)
30 June 1989...The remains of tropical storm Allison dropped copious amounts of rain on Louisiana. Winnfield, LA reported 22.52 inches of rain in three days, and more than thirty inches for the month, a record for June. Shreveport received a record 17.11 inches in June, with a total for the first six months of the year of 45.55 inches. Thunderstorms also helped produce record rainfall totals for the month of June of 13.12 inches at Birmingham, AL, 14.66 inches at Oklahoma City, OK, 17.41 inches at Tallahassee, FL, 9.97 inches at Lynchburg, VA, and more than 10.25 inches at Pittsburgh, PA. Pittsburgh had also experienced a record wet month of May. (The National Weather Summary) (Intellicast)
1 July 1792...A tremendous storm (a tornado or hurricane) hit Philadelphia and New York City. Many young people were drowned while out boating on that Sunday. (David Ludlum)
1 July 1885...The United States terminated reciprocity and a fishery agreement with Canada. (Wikipedia)
2 July 1578...The British seaman and explorer, Martin Frobisher sighted Baffin Island, one of Canada's Arctic islands. (Wikipedia)
2-6 July 1994... Heavy rains from the remains of Tropical Storm Alberto produced major flooding across northern and central Georgia. Three-day rains exceeded 15 inches at Atlanta. An impressive 21.10 inches of rain fell at Americus, GA on the 6^th to establish a 24-hour maximum precipitation record for the Peach State. Numerous road closures and bridge washouts. Thirty people were killed and 50,000 were forced from their homes, as 800,000 acres were flooded. Total damage exceeded $750 million.. (NCDC) (Intellicast)
3 July 1903...The first telegraph cable across the Pacific Ocean was spliced and completed between San Francisco on the US West Coast, Honolulu, Midway, Guam and Manila in the Philippines. After testing, the first official message was sent the next day. A cable between San Francisco and Hawaii had been established at the beginning of the same year, with its first official message sent on 1 Jan 1903. This technological event ended Hawaii's isolation by connecting it to the mainland U.S. and the rest of the world. The cable was a mainstay of communications into the early 1950s when newer technology rendered it obsolete. (The 1902 all-British telegraph line from Canada to Australia and New Zealand was the first line to cross the Pacific Ocean.) (Today in Science History)
3 July 1992...At 11 PM EDT, several waves to heights of 18 feet crashed ashore at Daytona Beach, FL. Sailboats were tossed onto cars, 200 vehicles damaged and 75 minor injuries reported. While the exact cause was unknown, morning storms were moving parallel to the coast approximately 430 miles to the east. (Accord's Weather Guide Calendar)
4 July 1687...An early experience of a tropical revolving storm was made by Captain William Dampier, whose ship survived what he called a "tuffoon" off the coast of China. In New Voyage Round the World, (published in 1697) Dampier wrote that this violent whirlwind storm had a calm central eye, and its winds moved from opposite directions as the storm moved passed. This was one of the earliest known European descriptions of a typhoon, which also presented a new understanding that storms somehow move, rather than remain stationary. During his ocean travels, he kept a detailed journal, noting native cultures, and made careful descriptions of natural history which in effect made him an early contributor to scientific exploration. (Today in Science History)
4 July 1840...The Cunard Line's 700-ton wooden paddlewheel steamer, RMS Britannia, departed from Liverpool, England bound for Halifax, NS on its first transatlantic passenger cruise. (Wikipedia)
4 July 1903...President Theodore Roosevelt sent the first official message over the new cable across the Pacific Ocean between Honolulu, Midway, Guam and Manila. (Today in Science History)
5 July 1805...Robert FitzRoy, British naval officer, hydrographer and meteorologist, was born. He was also commanded the voyage of HMS Beagle aboard which Charles Darwin sailed around the world as the ship's naturalist. That voyage provided Darwin with much of the material on which he based his theory of evolution. FitzRoy retired from active duty in 1850 and from 1854 devoted himself to meteorology. He devised a storm warning system that was the prototype of the daily weather forecast, invented a barometer, and published The Weather Book (1863). His death on 30 April 1865 was by suicide, during a bout of depression. (Today in Science History)
5 July 1916...An early season hurricane produced 82-mph winds, an 11.6-foot tide, and a barometric pressure of 28.92 inches at Mobile, AL. (David Ludlum)
5 July 1989...Moisture from what once was Tropical Storm Allison triggered thunderstorms over the Middle Atlantic Coast Region, which deluged Wilmington, DE with a record 6.83 inches of rain in 24 hours, including 6.37 inches in just six hours. Up to ten inches of rain was reported at Claymont, northeast of Wilmington. July 1989 was thus the wettest month in seventy years for Wilmington, with a total of 12.63 inches of rain. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data) (Intellicast)