Buresh

"Buresh Blog": A COOL cloud app + interactive weather web site - Sept. 16th

By Michael Buresh
By Michael Buresh

Sept. 16, 2016 — Daily updates on the tropics: "Talking the Tropics With Mike"......... as the tropics remain active following the enigma that was "Julia" - the first tropical cyclone to be named while over land in Florida (I would say it "did its thing" over the water right along or just off the coast earlier in the day Tue. then maintained its intensity while moving north/northeast just inland.  The official upgrade by the NHC was about 10pm Tue.).

Check out the "GLOBE Observer".... this app has been rolled over the past several weeks since Aug. 30th.  The deal:

Users send their cloud observations to NASA's world network -

1. Identify if sky is a. clear, b. cloudy

2. Estimate the percentage of cloud cover.

3. Identiy cloud types  (The app has sample photos to help your viewers become cloud experts.)

4. Take a picture of the sky

Download via the App Store OR Google Play ** here **.

In the web world.... a Czech Meteorological Company has come up with an interactive world map with real-time weather data.  Looks rather striking, I must say.  ** Here ** for more info.... ** here ** to start going interactive with global weather!  The pic below from Ventusky (site's name) was of "Hermine" east of D.C.:

EARTH GAUGE (NEEF):

With the tropics remaining active.... make sure you're "hurricane ready".....

By Sarah Blount:

It's that time of year again—hurricane season. More specifically, we're now in the midst of the peak stretches of hurricane activity within that larger season, which officially runs from June 1 to November 30 in the Atlantic Ocean, and from May 15 to November 30 in the eastern Pacfic Ocean. Within that time period, from mid-August through mid-October in the Atlantic and from July through September in the Pacific, hurricane activity is at its most frequent, accounting for the majority of the active days in the hurricane season (including 96% of the major hurricane days in the Atlantic). 

If you haven't yet prepared yourself and your family for the impacts of one of these natural hazards, there's no time like the present.

First things first: do your homework. How could a hurricane impact you and your family? Remember, hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Wind, rain, and water can reach hundreds of miles inland, so whether or not you can see the beach from your window, check: are you in an evacuation zone? If you are, where would you go in an emergency? Make an evacuation plan.

Whether you're heading to higher ground or hunkering down in place, you're going to need some basic supplies to keep you, your family, and pets safe for at least a week. Think about the food, water, medication, and any other necessities you would need. Assemble your disaster kit.

With the members of your family covered, its time to turn your attention to your home. Do you have flood insurance? Make sure you have homeowners insurance to repair or replace your home in case of damage during a storm—just a few inches of water can cause thousands of dollars in damage. Learn more about hurricanes and flood coverage.

Learn the lingo. If your local weathercaster is saying that your area is under a hurricane watch, what does that mean? What about a warning? Understanding the implications of these vital messages can save your life. Learn the terms.

Finally, where will you go for information? Who will you turn to for important announcements and warnings about storms in your area? A list of resources, including directly from the source at the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center, can be found here.

Sources

Storm Surge, Nick Bradford

DID YOU KNOW?

  • Approximately 22 million people along the US East and Gulf Coasts are vulnerable storm surge impacts.
  • Since 1880, global sea level has risen about eight inches. Scientists expect global sea level to rise another one to four feet by 2100.
  • The intensity, frequency, and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes have all increased since the 1980s. 

When it comes to hurricanes and tropical storms, a storm surge, which pushes large amounts of seawater toward the shore, is often the most threatening aspect to life and property along the coast. Defined as an abnormal rise of water generated by a storm over and above the usual tide level, a storm surge is primarily caused by the strong winds in a hurricane or tropical storm. Other factors that can impact a storm surge are storm intensity, forward speed, size, angle of approach to the coast, central pressure, the shape and characteristics of coastal features such as bays and estuaries, and the width and slope of the continental shelf.

The potential impacts of a storm surge include flooding low-laying areas, damaging property, disrupting transportation systems, destroying habitat, and threatening human health and safety. Flooding and wind damage from a hurricane produced storm surge disrupts virtually all transportation types in affected areas, including airports, ports and harbors, roads, rail lines, tunnels, and bridges. 

In a changing climate, the impacts of a storm surge can be magnified by rising sea levels, more intense huricanes, and heavier precipitation events. For example, sea levels rose a foot over the last century off the coast of New York City. As a result, the flooding and associated damages to infrastructure and communities from a storm surge were more severe when Hurricane Sandy hit than they would have been a few decades ago.

  • The figure below shows that 13 of the nation's 47 largest airports have at least one runway with an elevation within the reach of moderate to high storm surge. Sea level rise will pose a threat to low-lying infrastructure, such as the airports shown here.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Sources

Cox Media Group

”Draft Draft Night in Duval: Thursday at 7PM on FOX30

Most Read