How Much Rain in Central Maryland Over The Last 6 Days?

3 inches of Rainfall Sept.29-30

While South Carolina is suffering from extreme rainfall, here in central Maryland we received quite a bit as well over 5 days last week. Unfortunately for parts of South Carolina, some towns recorded up to 24" of rain. Here in the Washington, DC area we received over a fifth of that, and still, that's more than a month's worth of rainfall. 
   Rains deluged the Mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. when cold front stalled over the region and areas of low pressure developed and moved along the front. (Meanwhile another low is off the coast of the Carolina's and generating more rains there. Here in the Mid-Atlantic, high pressure moved into the region and the sun has finally returned.

2 1/2 inches of Rainfall Oct. 1-3

    So, from Tuesday Sept. 29 through Saturday  Oct. 3, the just east of Washington, DC, (like College Park and Bowie, Maryland) 5.5" of rain fell.  4. 3" of rain fell on Sept. 29-30 and 2 1/2" fell from Oct.1-3.
Here's a couple of photos from our rain gauges on Sept. 30 and then again on Oct. 4. 
  
To Learn about HOW South Carolina Got Record Rainfall, check out this great article written by Dr. Jeff Halverson, UMBC, whom I am proud to say I work with.

The meteorology behind South Carolina’s catastrophic, 1,000-year rainfall event 

The rains are tapering off in South Carolina after a disastrous weekend that brought over two feet of rain and catastrophic flooding. Dams have been breached, rivers are at record flood stage, homes and cars are filled with water and multiple people have been reported dead in the disaster. STORY: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2015/10/05/the-meteorology-behind-south-carolinas-catastrophic-1000-year-rainfall-event/?postshare=2981444064247701 

Water vapor satellite image on Sunday, showing the non-tropical low pressure vortex and Hurricane Joaquin well-offshore. (NASA, modified by CWG)

 

  

NOAA Issues Winter Outlook for U.S.!

Here it is: NOAA has issued the winter outlook! 


NOAA: Another warm winter likely for western U.S., South may see colder weather
Repeat of last year’s extremely cold, snowy winter east of Rockies unlikely

Below average temperatures are favored in parts of the south-central and southeastern United States, while above-average temperatures are most likely in the western U.S., Alaska, Hawaii and New England, according to the U.S. Winter Outlook, issued today by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center

 

While drought may improve in some portions of the U.S. this winter, California's record-setting drought will likely persist or intensify in large parts of the state. Nearly 60 percent of California is suffering from exceptional drought – the worst category – with 2013 being the driest year on record. Also, 2012 and 2013 rank in the top 10 of California’s warmest years on record, and 2014 is shaping up to be California’s warmest year on record. Winter is the wet season in California, so mountainous snowfall will prove crucial for drought recovery. Drought is expected to improve in California’s southern and northwestern regions, but improvement is not expected until December or January. 

“Complete drought recovery in California this winter is highly unlikely. While we’re predicting at least a 2 in 3 chance that winter precipitation will be near or above normal throughout the state, with such widespread, extreme deficits, recovery will be slow,” said Mike Halpert, acting director of NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “This outlook gives the public valuable information, allowing them to make informed decisions and plans for the season. It's an important tool as we build a Weather-Ready Nation.” 

 

Check out These Major Climate Events from November 2013

The National Climatic Data Center provides monthly global highlights of significant climate events. The month of November saw historically warm temperatures in Russia that hadn't been seen since 1871 and a LOT more unusual climate events. Take a look at the image and a read of them following.  - Rob

• According to Roshydromet, Russia observed its warmest November since national records began in 1891. Some areas of the Urals, Siberia, south of the Far East region, and on the Arctic islands in the Kara Sea had temperatures that were more than 8°C (14°F) higher than the monthly average.


• The average November temperature across the United Kingdom was 0.7°C (1.3°F) below the 1981–2010 average.


• Spain was 0.5°C (0.9°F) below the 1971–2000 average temperature for the month, although the first half was 2°–3°C (4°–5°F) above average while the second half was 3°–4°C (5°–7°F) below average, the coolest such period since 1985.


• The average November temperature across Norway was 1.5°C (2.7°F) higher than the 1981–2010 average, with some regions 2°–3°C (4°–5°F) above average.


• The average temperature was higher than the 1971–2000 average across all of Hungary for November, with departures up to +3°C (+5°F) in the western half and more than +4°C (+7°F) in the far east.
•  
• November temperatures were 3.9°–5.2°C (7.0°–9.4°F) above average across the Republic of Moldova. According to Serviciul Hidrometeorologic de Stat, this type of event in the north occurs every 20–30 years and every 10–15 years in the south.


• According to the Fiji Meteorological Service, most regions of the country were considerably warmer than the 1971–2000 average, with maximum and minimum temperature anomalies exceeding 1°C (1.8°F) at more than half of the 21 official monitoring stations. New November monthly warm minimum temperature records were set at four stations, with periods of records ranging from 35 to 71 years.


• Croatia was "very warm" (91^st– 98^th percentile) in part of the north and across the south and "warm" across much of the remainder of the country, according to Državni hidrometeorološki zavod. No regions were considered "cold".

---

Our dogs enjoy the first Winter Snowfall Dec. 10, 2013

Dolly, Franklin and Tyler were clothed and waiting to run outside in the snow. They couldn't wait to get out and rid the backyard of squirrels during our first snowfall on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2013 (we had an ice storm on Dec. 8). After they ran outside, they were all back inside in 3 minutes. 

Short Simple Video on Nat'l Weather Service's New "Dual-Pol Radar" - how it benefits YOU

All National Weather Service offices in the U.S. will upgrade their Doppler radar to dual-polarization radar. Here’s why that will provide better forecasts. 
1) With the dual-pol upgrade, meteorologists will be able to transmit and receive information in both horizontally and vertically in the atmosphere.
2) These upgrades will improve the accuracy and identification of precipitation types, precipitation estimates, and even be able to view tornadoes better.
3) These upgrades will continue across the United States and all offices should have the dual polarization technology installed by May 2013.

Credit: EARTH and SKY.com: http://earthsky.org/earth/nws-upgrades-to-dual-polarization-radar-for-better-look-at-precipitation-tornadoes

New from NASA: NASA Finds 2011 Ninth-Warmest Year on Record

Here's the latest news from NASA (this was issued from the center where I work, and YES, it is VERY MUCH true.). Anyone that tells you the Earth is not warming, and that mankind does not have a hand at making it warm at a much faster than normal rate is simply UNINFORMED. Here's a chance to get informed!
NASA Finds 2011 Ninth-Warmest Year on Record
The global average surface temperature in 2011 was the ninth warmest since 1880, according to NASA scientists. The finding continues a trend in which nine of the 10 warmest years in the modern meteorological record have occurred since the year 2000.

NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York, which monitors global surface temperatures on an ongoing basis, released an updated analysis that shows temperatures around the globe in 2011 compared to the average global temperature from the mid-20th century. The comparison shows how Earth continues to experience warmer temperatures than several decades ago. The average temperature around the globe in 2011 was 0.92 degrees F (0.51 C) warmer than the mid-20th century baseline.

"We know the planet is absorbing more energy than it is emitting," said GISS Director James E. Hansen. "So we are continuing to see a trend toward higher temperatures. Even with the cooling effects of a strong La Niña influence and low solar activity for the past several years, 2011 was one of the 10 warmest years on record."

The difference between 2011 and the warmest year in the GISS record (2010) is 0.22 degrees F (0.12 C). This underscores the emphasis scientists put on the long-term trend of global temperature rise. Because of the large natural variability of climate, scientists do not expect temperatures to rise consistently year after year. However, they do expect a continuing temperature rise over decades.

While average global temperature will still fluctuate from year to year, scientists focus on the decadal trend. Nine of the 10 warmest years since 1880 have occurred since the year 2000, as the Earth has experienced sustained higher temperatures than in any decade during the 20th century. As greenhouse gas emissions and atmospheric carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, scientists expect the long-term temperature increase to continue as well. (Data source: NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies. Image credit: NASA Earth Observatory, Robert Simmon)

The first 11 years of the 21st century experienced notably higher temperatures compared to the middle and late 20th century, Hansen said. The only year from the 20th century in the top 10 warmest years on record is 1998.

Higher temperatures today are largely sustained by increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. These gases absorb infrared radiation emitted by Earth and release that energy into the atmosphere rather than allowing it to escape to space. As their atmospheric concentration has increased, the amount of energy "trapped" by these gases has led to higher temperatures.

The carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere was about 285 parts per million in 1880, when the GISS global temperature record begins. By 1960, the average concentration had risen to about 315 parts per million. Today it exceeds 390 parts per million and continues to rise at an accelerating pace.

The temperature analysis produced at GISS is compiled from weather data from more than 1,000 meteorological stations around the world, satellite observations of sea surface temperature and Antarctic research station measurements. A publicly available computer program is used to calculate the difference between surface temperature in a given month and the average temperature for the same place during 1951 to 1980. This three-decade period functions as a baseline for the analysis.

The resulting temperature record is very close to analyses by the Met Office Hadley Centre in the United Kingdom and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.

Hansen said he expects record-breaking global average temperature in the next two to three years because solar activity is on the upswing and the next El Niño will increase tropical Pacific temperatures. The warmest years on record were 2005 and 2010, in a virtual tie.

"It's always dangerous to make predictions about El Niño, but it's safe to say we'll see one in the next three years," Hansen said. "It won't take a very strong El Niño to push temperatures above 2010." 

What Happened to all U.S. Snow?

This article explains perfectly what's been going on in the atmosphere this winter and why there has been very little snow in the lower continental U.S. states. It also features quotes and explanations by my friend and colleague, Dr. Bill Patzert.
What Happened to all the Snow? by Dauna Coulter for NASA Science News
SOURCE: http://www.terradaily.com/reports/What_Happened_to_all_the_Snow_999.html

Winter seems to be on hold this year in some parts of the United States. Snowfall has been scarce so far in places that were overwhelmed with the white stuff by the same time last year.

Here's a prime example. "The Mammoth Mountain ski resort in the Sierras of California got more than 200 inches of snow last December," says NASA climatologist Bill Patzert of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "This December they got less than 10 inches."

Snow in the Rockies (only) seen by NASA's Terra satellite 1/17/12. Cr: NASA

Temperatures have flip-flopped too. There were 583 new heat records broken in the first five days of January in the US.

"It's 86 degrees in Los Angeles today [Wednesday, January 4th]," says Patzert. "Everyone thinks it's July! In fact, it's warmer now in LA than it was on July 4th last year. And it's been in the 60s and 70 even in the Dakotas lately."

On January 5th in Bismark, North Dakota, it was 62 - a marked departure from their average 23 degrees for that day. It was 66 in Denver, Colorado, where it's usually in the low 40s on that date.

What's going on? Patzert identifies two culprits: La Nina and the Arctic Oscillation.

First of all," he explains, "we are experiencing a La Nina pattern of sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean. This pushes the jet stream and the cold arctic air northward."

"On top of that, this year's Arctic Oscillation has been stronger."

The Arctic Oscillation is the whirlpool motion of the air around the North Pole. When this motion is weaker, like last year, cold air escapes from that whirlpool and heads southward to the US.

"This year the whirlpool has been more forceful, corralling the cold air and keeping it nearer the pole. That has reinforced the La Nina impact."

While the corralling action of the Arctic Oscillation has kept snow away from parts of the contiguous United States, it has brought extra snow to places inside the whirlpool.

"The strong positive AO has kept the Jet Stream north," says Patzert. "Snow-delivering storm tracks are pounding Alaska."

Cordova, a small coastal town about 150 miles east of Anchorage, has been especially hard hit. More than 18 feet of snow has fallen so far this winter. Snow dumps are full, roads have turned into one-lane "snow canyons," and National Guardsmen have been sent in to help residents dig out.

Even heartbroken snow-lovers of the lower 48 don't want that much white stuff. But they'd like some.

"Be patient," advises Patzert. "We haven't gotten to the heart of winter. Hold off on selling the new dogsled. There's plenty of time for snow. It ain't over till the Siberian Huskies sing."

La Nina Means a Mild Winter Continues for southeastern U.S.

This Dec. 2011 NASA satellite image shows the cooler than normal sea surface temperatures (blue) that represent La Nina. Credit: NASA JPL

If you live in the southeastern and mid-Atlantic states, you've been enjoying a milder than normal winter, thanks to the La Nina phenomena in the eastern Pacific Ocean. La Nina is expected to continue through the winter, so the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the mild winter temperatures will continue.



  What is La Nina? It's below-average sea surface temperatures (SST) across the eastern and central equatorial Pacific Ocean that affect (and bend) the path of the jet stream. The Jet Stream is a fast moving ribbon or "street" of air in the upper troposphere that moves from west to east, and storms track along it. The Jet Stream is buldging north of the Mid-Atlantic, keeping that area and the states south of it, warmer than normal. 
    In a forecast issued on January 5, 2012, NOAA said "During January - March 2012, there is an increased chance of above-average temperatures across the south-central and southeastern U.S., and below-average temperatures over the western and the northwest-central U.S. Also, above-average precipitation is favored across most of the northern tier of states and in the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys, and drier-than-average conditions are more likely across the southern tier of the U.S. (see 3-month seasonal outlook released on 15 December 2011)."



FOR THE FULL REPORT FROM NOAA: http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/analysis_monitoring/enso_advisory/ensodisc.pdf

6 1/2 Months of Rain in One Month

4.5" more rain from 9/23 to 9/29.

From Friday Sept. 23 through the morning of Thursday, Sept. 29th (by 7am EDT) we received another MONTH'S WORTH of rain. We received 4 1/2 inches in 6 days.
Our massive rainfall started in late August with Hurricane Irene. Our backyard rain gauge recorded 5.5" of rain from the hurricane. Tropical Storm Lee merged with a low pressure area over the Ohio Valley, that stuck around - much like this week's system. Lee brought us 11.5" of rain. That's 17 inches in 2 weeks. In the 2 weeks following, heavy thunderstorms dropped 5 more inches of rain on us, totaling 22"! Now, since last Friday we add another 4.5" to get a total of 26.5" in ONE MONTH. The average rainfall per month is 4 inches.
 In one month, we've received 6 1/2 months of rainfall. No wonder there are mushrooms growing all over the place

Video of Hurricane Irene's Destruction of NC Outer Banks

This video was produced by a NASA-TV producer who was visiting the North Carolina Outer Banks when Hurricane Irene struck. It shows some of the damages done by the storm. 
 

Another Wet Day ... Soaked by Trop. Storm Lee's Remnants

Thursday was yet another rainy day that brought over 5 more inches of rain from midnight to 7:30 a.m. and it continued to rain, so I had to again empty the raingauge in the backyard. 

 There were also 4 tropical systems in the Atlantic Ocean basin, and I reported on them for NASA. Here's the image (RIGHT)  I used in the update, that includes the remnants from Tropical Storm Lee (raining over the eastern U.S.); Hurricane Katia off the U.S. east coast in the Atlantic Ocean; Tropical Storm Maria about 700 miles east of the Leeward Islands in the central Atlantic and headed toward the U.S. and newborn Tropical Storm Nate in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. This cool image was taken from NOAA's GOES-13 satellite, and created by NASA's GOES Project.

Another 5" of rain overnight

  

  During a 30 minute lunch-break while working at home, I took the dogs for a short ride to the vet to get tranquilizers for little Sprite, who can't deal with thunderstorms.
(PHOTO: Sprite in the front seat of the truck, Dolly and Franklin in the back- looking at the vet's office)
Early Thursday morning (12:30 a.m.) t-storms woke him and kept Sprite and me (Rob) up for over an hour. I made use of the time by learning of a tornado warning in Annapolis, Md. and texting our friend Ed (everyone else was out of the path) - and fortunately, there was no damage and he was safe.

Lee's Remnants Continue to Drench the Eastern U.S. / 5 Inches of rain so far @home!

GOES-13 satellite image: Lee over eastern US, Katia offshore

Here's today's hurricane update that I wrote for the NASA Hurricane page www.nasa.gov/hurricane on Tropical Storm Lee, still raining on us along the East coast!  As of 3:30pm EDT on Sept. 7, Bowie, Maryland has received just over 5" of rain (it topped our new rain gauge) and the rains continue!


Lee's Remnants Continue to Drench the Eastern U.S.
Landfalling tropical cyclones can bring a lot of rain, but after Lee made landfall and merged with a stalled frontal system over the eastern U.S. the rain keeps coming. Lee's clouds, however, continue to remain painfully out of reach of Texas, that needs the rain to battle several wildfires. One NASA satellite image showed how close but how far that needed rain was from the Lone Star State, while another showed the extent of Lee's cloud cover merged with a front.

As of today, Sept. 7, 2011, there has been one change with Lee's remnants. According to NOAA's Hydrometeorological Prediction Center (HPC), "the surface circulation of Lee has been absorbed by a large scale extratropical low to the north and that means heavy rains and flooding expected from the central Appalachians into parts of New England."

5" of rain from Lee in Bowie, Md. by 9/7@3:30pmET

When NASA's Aqua satellite flew over the central U.S. on Sept. 6, 2011 at 3:23 p.m. EDT it captured a visible image from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument onboard. The image showed several plumes of smoke from the fires raging in Texas and a rounded mass of clouds just out of reach to the east, from the remnants of Tropical Storm Lee, which delivered only gusty winds to Texas and fanned the flames. Lee's rainfall remained to the east of the Texas fires.

Tom's newly planted Ivy in a puddle

Soggy backyard....

 **Our friend Craig sent us pictures of Historic Downtown Ellicott City,Md. taken this afternoon, Wed. September 7th, 2011. The flooding from Lee's heavy rainfall has covered the main roadways. See photos.

Ellicott City, Md flooding from Lee 9/7/11

Ellicott City, Md. Flooding from Lee 9/7/11

High water even at the TOP of the hill, Ellicott City, MD

Looking up the hill from flooded Ellicott City, Md.

Today, NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite called GOES-13 captured a visible image of the clouds associated with tropical Storm Lee's remnants, and a warm front along the U.S. East coast. The image also shows Hurricane Katia threatening the eastern U.S. in the Atlantic. The two systems seem to be acting against each other. Lee's remnants are keeping Katia away from a mainland landfall, while Katia is preventing Lee's remnants from moving east and off-shore.

Finding Lee's surface circulation today, Sept. 7 is not possible because Lee's circulation was absorbed by a large scale extratropical low pressure area near the Tennessee/Virginia border. One other factor coming into play and keeping the U.S. east coast wet is a warm front draped across the Mid-Atlantic states bringing in warm, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. It's causing heavy rainfall from southern New England to the central Appalachian mountains, and it is expected to stick around for the next couple of days. The HPC expects it to dissipate slowly by the week's end. Additional rainfall can range between 4 to 8 inches with isolated totals up to 10 inches until then.

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.
MORE INFORMATION: www.nasa.gov/hurricane

NASA Sees Tropical Storm Lee's Slow Soggy Crawl Inland

 Here's a story I wrote this morning about Tropical Storm Lee for the NASA Hurricane page.

This visible image of Tropical Storm Lee was taken from the GOES-13 satellite on Saturday, Sept. 3 at 9:32 a.m. EDT. It shows the extent of Lee's cloud cover over Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle. The clearing on the southeastern side is a result of drier air moving in and preventing development of thunderstorms. Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

NASA Sees Tropical Storm Lee's Slow Soggy Crawl Inland

Tropical Storm Lee has continued his slow, soaking, painful crawl inland. Satellites from both NASA and NOAA satellites have been showing the extent of the storm, and where the strongest thunderstorms and rainfall are occurring, and the bulk of it remains over the Gulf of Mexico.

NASA's Aqua satellite and NOAA's GOES-13 satellite revealed that Lee finally made landfall in Louisiana after two painful days of heavy rain to Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. Lee has grown in size, which typical for a waning tropical storm. Tropical Storm-force winds now extend out 275 miles from the center.

NOAA's GOES-13 satellite provided a visible image of Tropical Storm Lee on Sunday, Sept. 4 at 9:32 a.m. EDT. It shows the extent of Lee's cloud cover over Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and the Florida Panhandle and spread into the Tennessee Valley. The thickest clouds and heaviest rainfall stretch from the northeast to southwest of the center. The image was created at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. at the NASA/NOAA GOES Project. Lee also appears on satellite imagery to be elongated. The GOES-13 satellite imagery shows that the storm appears to stretch from the northeast to the southwest, and a large part of Lee still remains over the Gulf of Mexico.

On Saturday, Sept. 3, 2011 NASA's Aqua Satellite took an infrared snapshot at the cold cloud temperatures within Tropical Storm Lee that told forecasters where the highest, coldest, strongest thunderstorms were in the storm. The Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument on Aqua took the image at 3:47 p.m. EDT when Lee's center had still not yet made landfall and was still sitting south of the Louisiana coast. The strongest thunderstorms and coldest clouds stretched from Mobile Bay, south into the Gulf of Mexico and covered about one-third of the Gulf of Mexico.

On Sunday, Sept. 4, a tropical storm warning is in effect for Destin, Florida westward to Sabine Pass Texas, including the city of New Orleans, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas.

At 8 a.m. EDT on Sept. 4, Tropical Storm Lee's winds had dropped from 60 mph exactly 24 hours before to 45 mph. Lee's center was over Vermillion Bay, Louisiana near 29.7 North and 92.0 West. It was crawling to the northeast near 3 mph (6 kmh) and expected to continue in that direction today, turning to the east-northeast tonight. Because Lee's center is over land, he is expected to continue weakening gradually in the next couple of days. Lee's outer bands still extend far over the Gulf of Mexico, bringing in more moisture and keeping the system going.

Rainfall has been a serious issue with Lee, and will continue to soak the Gulf coast states and now the Tennessee Valley. Tropical storm lee is expected to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 15 inches from the central Gulf Coast northward into the Tennessee valley. Isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches through Monday night. Meanwhile, storm surge continues to batter the Gulf coast, and tropical storm-force winds also continue. Isolated tornadoes are possible today and tonight over parts of southern Louisiana southern Mississippi, southern Alabama and the far western Florida panhandle.

Where is Lee Going?

Lee is going to be hitching a ride on an elongated area of low pressure (trough) in the next 24-36 hours. The National Hurricane Center noted that "A trough over the north-central U.S. is forecast to dig southeastward over the next day or so. The flow on the southern side of the trough is expected to turn the Tropical cyclone toward the northeast and east-northeast during the next 24 to 36 hours."

What about Katia?
Wind shear weakened Katia again today. At 5 a.m. EDT, Sept. 4, Katia was reduced back down to a tropical storm with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph. Katia was 370 miles northeast of the Leeward Islands, near 21.43 North and 58.5 West. It was moving to the northwest near 12 mph and had a minimum central pressure of 992 millibars. Although Katia is causing rough surf in the Northern Leeward Islands today, it is expected to subside later. Forecast models bring Katia close to the U.S. coastline by Friday of this week, so NASA satellites will be keeping an eye on her.

Text credit: Rob Gutro, NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md.

Photos of Damages from Hurricane Irene: It was NOT hyped.

This is part 2 for those who think that meteorologists "over-hyped" the damage capabilities of Hurricane Irene. These people don't think it was over-hyped at all.

Margaretville, NY Route 100 in Vermont Main St. In Margaretville, NY. Greenwich, Connecticut East Lake Road in Woodstown, New Jersey. Princeton, New Jersey PATH train station stop Governor Cuomo's car in Margaretville, NY. Route 12 is broken in 5 places on Hatteras Island, N.C. About 2,500 people are stuck on Hatteras Island because of this pumping out the traffic tunnels in Hampton, VA Ocean City Maryland's pier destroyed

NEED TO SEE MORE? 
Hurricane Irene was not over-hyped. If you think it was, you were just LUCKY.


 

Hurricane Irene -Well Worth the Warnings

NASA: Irene-caused extreme flooding in red.

Being a meteorologist, I take a lot of criticism when forecasts aren't "exact." Well, weather isn't an exact science as there are a lot of variables that come into play in the atmosphere. 

  I've heard from some people that the warnings on Hurricane Irene were "way over-hyped." I TOTALLY disagree. Meteorologists, like doctors, warn you when something MAY be harmful to your health. Because hurricanes are sometimes unpredictable with ever changing dynamics (as we saw dry air move into Hurricane Irene when it was making landfall in North Carolina which may have helped weaken it), it is better to err on the side of caution. 

  Meteorologists DID NOT ERR on Irene. Even though you may be one of the fortunate ones who kept their power, 3.1 Million people did not. Even if you didn't get flooded, hundreds of thousands did up and down the U.S. coast and there was RECORD FLOODING in Vermont. If you didn't have a tree down, there were millions taken down by Irene's hurricane-force winds.Houses is many states were destroyed or washed away.

  My point is that because your house is safe, not everyone else fared quite as well and benefited by evacuations.

  Here are some statistics to consider: 

* 5 Million homes and businesses are still without power 3 Days after Hurricane Irene passed.

* 41 People died nationally

* Estimate of Irene's Damages in the U.S. 2 Billion Dollars - according to CNBC

* In Connecticut alone; 450,000 people without power in CT, 8 inches of rain. Farmington River flooded.

* In New York - 8 people died all due to flooding

* In Vermont- Worst hit the state has had from a hurricane. 263 roads were washed out or damaged. About a foot of Vermont fell in the entire state. Brattleboro, VT. Four to six of the iconic covered bridges were destroyed. The Governor proclaimed this is the worst flooding in the history of the state.

* More than a foot of rain fell along coastal areas in the U.S. cutting off and washing out roadways, flooding houses, taking lives.  

On the lighter side, If you haven't heard about the reporter in Ocean city that was being deluged by "weird sea foam" which turned out to be raw sewage churned up by Irene... (he thought it was plankton) here's the

Video: http://globalgrind.com/news/sea-foam-covered-reporters-other-unforgettable-moments-hurricane-irene-photos
 
If you think the sea foam reporter had it rough check out this Weather Channel reporter's problem:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/27/hurricane-irene-2011-streaker-weather-channel_n_939095.html

Hurricane Irene- Doggone Wet Photos!

Rob with Sprite, Franklin and Dolly

Sprite, Franklin and Dolly STILL don't want to go out!

 Hurricane Irene's relentless rains made going outside for the dogs a miserable experience, so I went out with them. They were all geared up, but came in SUPERFAST. Here are some pictures!

Dolly's Pawprint before the heavy rains arrived Saturday at 11am EDT

GOES-13 satellite image of Hurricane Irene at 2pm EDT.

 

Credit: NASA/NOAA GOES Project

VIDEO: Space Station View: Hurricane Irene /my door

Hurricane Irene- read the sign!

Aboard the International Space Station, an Expedition 28 crew member captured views of intensifying Hurricane Irene from an altitude of 225 miles at 3:33 p.m. EDT on Aug. 22, 2011, as the tropical system passed to the north of Hispaniola. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting a track that would take Irene near to or east of the Florida peninsula as a major hurricane on Friday with a possible landfall along the southeastern United States on Saturday. For more info on Hurricane Irene, go to the NASA Hurricane page: www.nasa.gov/hurricane
RAINS- The outer bands of Hurricane Irene's bands brought rains in the Washington, DC area around 11am, when Irene's center was some 380 miles to the south-southeast. Irene is a huge storm, about 1/3rd the size of the U.S. East coast.
UPDATES ON IRENE - at www.nasa.gov/hurricane, or FACEBOOK or TWITTER/NASAHurricane




 

Drought Spreads Its Pain Across 14 States

Summer is here, and that means drought in the Mid-Atlantic. At least that's the way that the last 5 years have been with the season. At least this year, we're getting thunderstorms once every 1 or 2 weeks, and they dump about 1/2" to 1" when they pass through. BUT, not everyone sees them.   - The drought has become very serious in the southern U.S., and the New York Times just published a story and clear graphic about the situation.Both follow.   Rob

Drought Spreads Its Pain Across 14 States 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/12/us/12drought.html?_r=1&hp=&pagewanted=all

COLQUITT, Ga. — The heat and the drought are so bad in this southwest corner of Georgia that hogs can barely eat. Corn, a lucrative crop with a notorious thirst, is burning up in fields. Cotton plants are too weak to punch through soil so dry it might as well be pavement. 

   The pain has spread across 14 states, from Florida, where severe water restrictions are in place, to Arizona, where ranchers could be forced to sell off entire herds of cattle because they simply cannot feed them.

   In Texas, where the drought is the worst, virtually no part of the state has been untouched. City dwellers and ranchers have been tormented by excessive heat and high winds. In the Southwest, wildfires are chewing through millions of acres. 

Happy Independence Day- Nature's Fireworks

Sprite and Dolly

Happy July 4th! We hope you're enjoying the holiday weekend.

Our thanks to all who have fought for this country. 

-Nature has provided fireworks this weekend in the form of strong to severe thunderstorms.

Last night a couple of severe thunderstorms rolled through with lots of cloud to ground lightning 

striking close by. Lightning struck the roof of a house just 2 miles away from us. According to Patch.com for our town, "it took 35 firefighters 20 minutes to contain."

   We all hunkered down for a good hour as the strongest storms rolled through. 

Sprite, Dolly and Franklin take up our bed!

SOME SAFETY TIPS: *Unplug the computer and television. *Stay off the land line phones *Don't shower or use water from the tap *Stay away from windows (after closing them all).

  Here are some pictures of how the dogs hunkered down... and a video of the kids later with their "dinosaur chews" and a befuddled Sprite.

Thunderstorm moving in

2 Tornadoes Hit Central Massachusetts

Tornadoes may be rare in Massachusetts, but they do happen. In fact, when I was a kid growing up there, I remember one that hit the city of Worcester and another that touched down in Holyoke (when my family was vacationing there!). 

HOW A TORNADO FORMS:

- Western Massachusetts seems to be more flat than the eastern part of the state, which gives the opportunity for downdrafts from thunderstorms to roll without obstructions (i.e. no buildings, hills, etc.) like a wave on the ocean's surface. 

   When one end of that roll lifts up into a cloud a tornado is born. I noticed that the Springfield tornado formed over the large river that runs through the town, so that created the flat surface needed to create the twister. 

The damages on TV are frightening.   - I saw one home that appeared to be turned upside down. Here's a video of the storm from Reuters and a Reuters story. -Rob

 

At least four dead in Massachusetts storms


REUTERS Newswire:  At least four people were killed when tornadoes and severe storms tore through heavily populated western and central Massachusetts on Wednesday, causing widespread damage in 19 communities.
  Tornadoes are rare but not unheard of in the northeastern United States.  In Massachusetts, the first tornado touched down at about 4:30 p.m. local time in Springfield, the third largest city in the state, said Chris Vaccaro, a spokesman for the National Weather Service. Heavy winds churned the Connecticut River and the area was pounded by hail and driving rain.
  A second tornado hit Springfield, 90 miles west of Boston, at about 6:20 p.m., authorities said. State police said at least 33 people were injured in Springfield.
  Damage included "trees and numerous power lines down, roofs ripped off of homes, things like cars and SUVs that have been toppled over," said Scott MacLeod, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.