Fukushima ocean radiation panel to be live-streamed

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Experts to discuss concerns about radioactive dispersion; viewers can ask questions via Twitter during May 9 session

FRISCO — More than two years have passed since a 9.0 earthquake and a 50-foot tsunami catastrophically damaged the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant on Japan’s northeast coast, but questions still linger about the long-term impacts of radioactive pollution in the ocean.

The quake and tsunami killed about 20,000 people, and some coastal Japanese fisheries are still closed due to concern about the radiation. Next week, an international panel of scientists will discuss the accident and potential impacts to the environment and human health in a web-streamed session at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.

The panel will be held on May 9, 2013, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. EDT and simulcast on the Web (http://www.whoi.edu/fukushima). Online viewers are encouraged to participate and send questions for the panel discussion via Twitter. The event hashtag is #WHOIfukushima. Questions during the discussion can also be sent via email to cmer@whoi.edu. (more…)

Filed under: Environment, ocean conservation | Tagged: , , , | 3 Comments »

New research may help pinpoint Asian monsoon

Posted on January 27, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

Regional pressure fluctuations the key to unraveling monsoon mysteries

The first week of August 2010 brought extreme flooding and landslides to many parts of Asia. By August 11, floods in the Indus River basin had become Pakistan’s worst natural disaster to date, leaving more than 1,600 people dead and disrupting the lives of about 14 million people, reported Reuters. Across the border in northeast India, flash floods killed 185 with 400 still missing, reported BBC News. Floods in North Korea and northeast China buried farmland and destroyed homes, factories, railroads, and bridges. And in northwest China, rain triggered a massive landslide that left 702 dead with 1,042 missing, reported China’s state news agency, Xinhua. All of these disasters occurred as a result of unusually heavy monsoon rains, depicted in this image.

The first week of August 2010 brought extreme flooding and landslides to many parts of Asia. By August 11, floods in the Indus River basin had become Pakistan’s worst natural disaster to date, leaving more than 1,600 people dead and disrupting the lives of about 14 million people, reported Reuters. Across the border in northeast India, flash floods killed 185 with 400 still missing, reported BBC News. Floods in North Korea and northeast China buried farmland and destroyed homes, factories, railroads, and bridges. Photo courtesy NASA Earth Observatory.

By Summit Voice

FRISCO — Hawaii-based scientists say that tracking hemispheric climate patterns can help develop more accurate forecasts for the critical Asian monsoon season, which is critical to  the agriculture, economy, and people in the region.

Better monsoon forecasts have been a sort of Holy Grail for meteorologists, but season  seasonal predictions of these two types of weather phenomena are still poor. But the research done at the International Pacific Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, shows the strength of the East Asian summer monsoon and  storm activity in the western North Pacific depend on fluctuations in the western Pacific Subtropical High, a major atmospheric circulation system in the global subtropics centered over the Philippine Sea.

When this system is strong in summer, then monsoon rainfall tends to be greater than normal over East Asia, and in the western North Pacific there tend to be fewer tropical storms that make landfall. (more…)

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New coral data traces 7,000 years of El Niño history

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Bob Berwyn

20th century oscillations show intensification that may be linked with global warming

El Nino graphic

A NOAA graphic showing early January 2012 ocean surface temperature anomalies.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Atmospheric scientists say they’ve used coral records to trace the history of El Niño cycles going back about 7.000 years, showing that 20th century oscillations  are much stronger than those captured in the fossil record.

But the study also showed large natural variations in past ENSO strength, making it difficult to attribute the 20th century intensification of ENSO to rising carbon dioxide levels. Such large natural fluctuations in ENSO activity are also apparent in multi-century climate model simulations, but the 20th century intensification stands out as statistically significant and could be linked with global warming.

The new information will help assess the accuracy of climate model projections for 21st century climate change in the tropical Pacific. (more…)

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New weather sites will take close look at atmospheric rivers

Posted on December 9, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Coastal observatories in California will measure low-level winds and moisture to generate better forecasts

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A NOAA weather graphic shows an atmospheric river streaming across the Pacific to the central California coast.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — To get a better handle on the impacts of incoming “atmospheric rivers,” scientists are installing specialized new coastal observatories at Bodega Bay, Eureka, Pt. Sur and Goleta, California.

The coastal weather stations will measure low altitude winds and the amount of moisture moving ashore — key data that will help forecasters pinpoint how much precipitation is likely to fall during an atmospheric river event.

“California needs to know how and where it might rain or snow, when and where to expect flooding,” said Michael Anderson, Ph.D., state climatologist with the California Department of Water Resources. “The observatories will also help state officials and scientists monitor changes in atmospheric rivers associated with climate change.” (more…)

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Colorado: Mostly dry into December

Posted on November 21, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Is Colorado facing more drought?

So far, the pattern of storms across the Pacific Northwest and northern Rockies shows little signs of changing, with most of the weather action far north of Colorado.

By Bob Berwyn

FRISCO — Ullr, why has thou forsaken us?

If you’re holding out for more snow before heading out to make turns on the hill, you may want to reconsider. The outlook for the next 10 days is mostly dry and warm, with perhaps a chance of snow brushing the northern mountains Sunday night into Monday morning. Beyond that, another ridge will build into the Southwest, bringing more dry weather and a return to above normal temps for much of next week. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Snow and weather, Summit County Colorado, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

‘Wavering’ El Niño vexes winter weather outlook

Posted on October 22, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Not much drought relief expected this winter.

NOAA calls for warmer-than-average conditions in the West

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY —This year’s wavering El Niño isn’t just vexing Colorado forecasters. Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say that getting a handle on the winter forecast has been tough.

“This is one of the most challenging outlooks we’ve produced in recent years because El Niño decided not to show up as expected,” said Mike Halpert, deputy director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “In fact, it stalled out last month, leaving neutral conditions in place in the tropical Pacific.” (more…)

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Climate: El Niño stalls, outlook uncertain

Posted on September 23, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Above-average temperatures to persist across much of the country

Sea surface temperature anomalies as of Sept. 20. Graphic courtesy NOAA.

By Bob Berwyn

SUMMIT COUNTY — This year’s El Niño is likely to be one of the weaker versions of the event in recent memory, according to experts with the National Climatic Data Center, who discussed the fall outlook and reviewed the long, hot summer at teleconference last week.

That could weaken potential impacts, particularly across the southern tier of states, where an “average” El Niño often brings above-average precipitation.This could be especially important for states like New Mexico, which just experienced its driest and warmest 24-month period on record, and farther east, where Oklahoma was also parched during a record-hot summer.

During an El Niño, sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific surge to above average, often shifting the storm track to the south. It’s part of a cyclical shift in sea surface temperatures and related wind patterns that can affect weather patterns worldwide.

Sea surface temps have hovered at slightly above average the past few months in the region where El Niño formation is measured, but haven’t reached the formal threshold yet. An area of cooler water in the north Pacific may be a factor.

The North Pacific is not cooperating … there’s a cold area near Alaska. It’s not quite a perfect setup for a warm event in the tropics,” said NOAA scientist Huug van den Dool.

“It’s probably too late to get a major El Nino … it’s going to be somewhat weaker than we expected a few months ago,” he said, explaining that there’s still a chance for enhanced precipitation across the South. An average El Niño footprint would normally also result in below-average precipitation in the northern tier of states.

A map from the National Climatic Data Center shows where the summer heat wave was centered. Click on the graphic to visit the NCDC online.

El Niño or not, the Climate Prediction Center says there’s a good chance the next three months will bring mostly above average temperatures to a big swath of the country, from the eastern edge of the Great Basin through the central and northern plains, up into the Great Lakes region and New England.

The three-month precipitation outlook is for near-normal total for much of the country, with a chance of above-normal rainfall in the southeast, and drier-than-normal conditions in the Pacific Northwest.

Looking back, Jake Crouch, of the NCDC, said it was the third-warmest summer on record for the U.S. and second-warmest summer for the northern hemisphere. A total of 33 states reported their warmest year to-date on record.

The year to-date is the ninth-warmest on record globally.

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, Drought, El Niño, Snow and weather, Summit County snow and weather | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Environment: Tracing caffeine pollution in coastal waters

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Caffeine pollution is becoming ubiquitous.

Traces of the popular beverage in waterways and oceans can be an indicator of other anthropogenic pollution

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — Scientists on the lookout for all sorts of water pollution have found elevated levels of caffeine in unexpected locations in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Oregon.

While caffeine may not be the biggest environmental problem, the researchers explained the presence of caffeine can signal additional anthropogenic pollution, such as pesticides and pharmaceuticals.

The presence of caffeine can also provide a pathway to understand the effectiveness of wastewater treatment systems. Previous studies have found caffeine in other bodies of water around the world, including the North Sea, the Mediterranean, Puget Sound, Boston Harbor, and Sarasota Bay, Fla. (more…)

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Hurricane remnants boost rain chances in Colorado

Posted on July 18, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

Hurricane Fabio is no more, but moisture from the system is streaming into Utah and western Colorado

The remnants of Hurricane Fabio are visible as a blue spot west of northern Baja, with a tongue of moisture from the system extending to the Four Corners. Click on the map to see the animated version at NOAA’s GOES West satellite imagery page.

Moisture from TD Fabio could help boost rain chances in western Colorado today.

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — West Coast surfers know to keep an eye on the hurricanes that form near southern Mexico and then generally move west and northwest into the Pacific until they dissipate over cooler waters.

Even though those storms may be hundreds of miles away, they often generate powerful swells that set up ideal surf conditions from Baja as far north as the Bay area at breaks favored by a southern swell.

And sometimes those storms make a turn to the north and affect the weather in the western U.S. That’s what happened to Fabio, a once-powerful hurricane that has weakened to a remnant tropical depression. The moisture from Fabio is streaming to the northeast over southern California and Nevada and has already reached the Four Corners area. (more…)

Filed under: climate and weather, Colorado, seasons, tropical storms and hurricanes | Tagged: , , , , | Leave a Comment »

Climate change triggered ancient reef shutdown

Posted on July 9, 2012 by Bob Berwyn

El Niño cycles seen as key factors in coral reef ecology. Photo courtesy NOAA.

Extreme El Niño cycles seen as cause of coral decline

By Summit Voice

SUMMIT COUNTY — A period of dramatic El Niño-La Niña cycles that started about 4,000 years ago resulted in the near-total collapse of some Pacific coral reef ecosystems, according to a new study that took a close look at long-dead reef skeletons along the Pacific Coast of Panama.

The cross-sections of reef covered the last 6,000 years and showed a “reef shutdown” that lasted about 2,500 years, according to the study, published last week in Science. Similar gaps in coral growth were found as far away as Australia and Japan. (more…)

Filed under: biodiversity, climate and weather, coral reefs, El Niño, Environment, La Niña | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a Comment »

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