April 12, 2017 — Despite a good soaking for many areas of NE Fll/SE Ga. the first week of April, overall conditions remain dry as we near the peak of the local wildfire season. Given even drier conditions for most of the rest of Fl., concerns about significant wildfires are building.
Before the wet season begins, a reminder about watering schedules - only twice a week! JEA has a informative site about irrigation & water conservation including inside your home - click here.
Good news for the marine world & the First Alert Weather Center as a wave monitoring buoy is now reporting offshore of St. Augustine. The buoy will be particularly useful if a tropical cyclone is threatening the local area. Data can be found -- here.
As part of an ongoing joint project between UAH, NOAA and NASA, Christy and Dr. Roy Spencer, an ESSC principal scientist, use data gathered by advanced microwave sounding units on NOAA and NASA satellites to get accurate temperature readings for almost all regions of the Earth. This includes remote desert, ocean and rain forest areas where reliable climate data are not otherwise available.
The satellite-based instruments measure the temperature of the atmosphere from the surface up to an altitude of about eight kilometers above sea level.
Global Temperature Report: March 2017
Global climate trend since Nov. 16, 1978: +0.12 C per decade
March temperatures (preliminary)
Global composite temp.: +0.19 C (about 0.34 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for March.
Northern Hemisphere: +0.30 C (about 0.54 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for March.
Southern Hemisphere: +0.07 C (about 0.13 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for March.
Tropics: +0.03 C (about 0.05 degrees Fahrenheit) above 30-year average for March.
February temperatures (revised):
Global Composite: +0.35 C above 30-year average
Northern Hemisphere: +0.54 C above 30-year average
Southern Hemisphere: +0.15 C above 30-year average
Tropics: +0.05 C above 30-year average
(All temperature anomalies are based on a 30-year average (1981-2010) for the month reported.)
Notes on data released April 3, 2017:
In March the globe saw its coolest average composite temperature (compared to seasonal norms) since July 2015, and its coolest temperatures in the tropics since February 2015, according to Dr. John Christy, director of the Earth System Science Center at The University of Alabama in Huntsville. Temperatures in the tropics are essentially “normal” relative to the 30-year average.
Compared to seasonal norms, the warmest spot on the globe in March was over eastern Russia, near the city of Yakutsk, with an average temperature that was 5.58 C (about 10.04 degrees Fahrenheit) warmer than seasonal norms.
Compared to seasonal norms, the coolest average temperature on Earth in March was over eastern Alaska near Dot Lake Village. March temperatures there averaged 4.08 C (about 7.34 degrees F) cooler than seasonal norms.
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Earth Gauge (NEEF).....
Stormwater's Impact on America's Rivers, Rhea Thompson
Next time it rains, observe how water flows once it hits the ground. If you are one of the 80.7% of Americans living in urban areas, chances are water has trouble penetrating the ground when it rains where you live. Due to increasing impervious cover (like paved streets, driveways, and rooftops), large volumes of water end up flowing across the land as stormwater runoff as opposed to penetrating the ground. Runoff is one of the main threats to the over 3.5 million miles of rivers and streams in the US that supply water for our crops, power our cities, support aquatic ecosystems, and provide numerous recreational and commercial opportunities. This is because as stormwater runs off, it accumulates pollutants like sediments, nutrients, and oils, before entering nearby water bodies, including streams and rivers. Large volumes of fast-moving runoff can impact streams and rivers by increasing flooding, eroding streambanks, and removing habitat features aquatic species rely on.
To make matters worse, in many older cities stormwater is diverted to storm drains, where it is normally transported along with raw sewage to wastewater facilities for treatment prior to being discharged to water bodies. However, as development increases impervious cover, and as heavy storms have increased in frequency and intensity worldwide in the last 50 years, the capacity of sewer systems is often exceeded. As a result, untreated sewage and stormwater are discharged into nearby streams and rivers, where they can be toxic to fish, plants, and other aquatic species. More than 750 US cities have sewage systems that overflow into nearby waterways during large storms, translating to an estimated 10 trillion gallons of untreated water polluting waterways each year.
There are efforts at the city and community scales to combat stormwater runoff by using best management practices (BMPs). These BMPs treat, prevent, or reduce water pollution. However, you are part of the solution as well—to celebrate June being National Rivers Month, here are some ways you can make an impact.
REDUCE STORMWATER POLLUTANTS:
- Don’t litter, and never dump anything down storm drains or into streams and rivers. Consider recycling, composting, and removing trash from driveways, sidewalks, and gutters.
- Clean up pet waste and keep animals out of streams and rivers to reduce bacterial and nutrient pollution.
- Follow labels when applying lawn chemicals, and use fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides sparingly. Consider using less toxic pesticides or organic fertilizers—see EPA’s Safer Choice Program to find products that are safer you and your family.
- Watch the weather. Don't apply chemicals to dormant lawns or frozen ground, and don't apply fertilizers before a rainstorm.
- When maintaining your car, check for leaks and recycle motor oil. Clean up oil spills and leaks on the driveway. When it's time for a wash, consider taking your car to a commercial car wash, where the water will be recycled. If you wash your car at home, wash it on your lawn.
- Have your septic tank pumped and your septic system inspected regularly.
REDUCE STORMWATER VOLUME:
- Consider reducing the amount of polluted water that runs off your property by directing downspouts onto gravel, vegetated areas (like grass, plant beds, and rain gardens), or into rain barrels rather than driveways or sidewalks.
- Use porous surfaces like mulch, bricks, gravel, or permeable pavement in place of asphalt or concrete for walkways, patios, and driveways. These materials improve water infiltration.
- Plant trees or preserve existing ones—trees hold rainfall and help manage stormwater.
Sources:
- Chesapeake Bay Program. 2016. “Nutrients.” Accessed May 10.
- Chesapeake Bay Program. 2016. “Stormwater Runoff.” Accessed May 10.
- King County. 2015. “What is Stormwater Runoff?” Accessed May 10, 2016.
- Natural Resources Defense Council. 2016. “Encourage Green Infrastructure.” Accessed May 10.
- Reuters. 2012. “More Americans move to cities in past decade-Census.” Accessed May 10, 2016.
- State of Michigan. 2016. “Stormwater Management: Best Management Practices (BMPs).” Accessed May 10.
- Southwest Florida Water Management District. 2016. “Reduce Stormwater Runoff.” Accessed May 10.
- US EPA. 2013. “Rivers & Streams.” Accessed May 10, 2016.
- US EPA. 2016. “Clean Water: Everybody’s Business.” Accessed May 10.
- US EPA. 2015. “Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs).” Accessed May 10, 2016.
- US EPA. 2016. “Learn About the Safer Choice.” Accessed May 10, 2016.
- US EPA. 2016. “National Menu of Best Management Practices (BMPs) for Stormwater.” Accessed May 10.
- US EPA. 2016. “NPDES Stormwater Program.” Accessed May 10. .
- US EPA. 2016. “Manage Flood Risk.” Accessed May 10.
- Ruiz, Eduardo. 2016. “Threats to Rivers.” World Wildlife Fund.” Accessed June 1.
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