Category Archives: National Weather

Colorado Weather, National Weather, World Weather

NCAR scientists determine planes can punch holes in clouds

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An example of a hole-punch cloud over Alabama. (Alan Sealls, WKRG-TV / NCAR)
An example of a hole-punch cloud over Alabama. (Alan Sealls, WKRG-TV / NCAR)

Mysterious, almost UFO-looking, clouds have fascinated viewers from the ground for decades. Now, scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder have determined that planes can ‘punch holes’ in clouds and perform the equivalent of cloud seeding.

Andrew Heymsfield, a scientist at NCAR, said that given the right conditions, planes climbing or descending can cause the atmospheric phenomena known as hole-punch, or canal clouds. When they do, they create unusual cloud formations and can cause rain and snow to develop.

Scientists have long speculated about the cause of the unusual ‘holes’ in the clouds and had attributed them to various aviation-related causes, none of which were conclusive.

The scientists at NCAR determined that water droplets at 5 degrees Fahrenheit (-15 degrees Celsius) are the key factor. When a plane flies through these droplets, the air behind it is cooled and the droplets freeze and fall toward the Earth.

There's more to this story on Examiner.com!Get the rest of this story including more photos and video explaining the phenomena at the Denver Weather Examiner!

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Latest NASA satellite image shows extensive oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico

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The growing environmental disaster in the Gulf of Mexico from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and leak will likely take years to recover from.  A new image released by NASA shows the extent of the oil slick as it continues to encroach on shoreline around the Gulf.

NASA satellite image of the oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico - June 7, 2010

From NASA:

Oil on water has many appearances. In this photo-image, acquired by the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite on June 7, 2010, at least part of the oil slick is pale gray. A large area of oil is southeast of the Mississippi Delta, at the site of the leaking British Petroleum well. Traces of thick oil are also visible farther north.

Not all of the oil that is in the Gulf is visible here. The image shows regions of heavy oil where the oil smoothes the surface and reflects more light than the surrounding water. Lighter concentrations and streamers are not visible. The Deepwater Horizon Unified Response reported oil washing ashore and immediately offshore in eastern Alabama and northwestern Florida on June 7, and this oil is not visible in the image.

Several other features may mask the oil in the image. Pale white haze (possibly smoke from fires in Central America) hangs over the Gulf, partially obscuring the view of the oil slick. The oil slick also blends with sediment washing into the Gulf from the Mississippi River. The sediment plume is tan and green. Because the sediment also reflects more light than clear water, it may be masking the presence of oil in the water. West of the mouth of the Mississippi River, sunlight reflecting off the surface of the water (sunglint) turns the water silvery white. In this region, it is difficult to see sediment and oil, but NOAA maps of the extent of the oil spill on June 7 report oil throughout sunglint region.

The large image provided above is the highest-resolution version of the image available. The MODIS Rapid Response System provides twice-daily images of the Gulf of Mexico.

National Weather

Waterworld hero Kevin Costner to try invention to clean up Gulf oil spill

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Waterworld hero? A device funded by Academy Award winning director and actor Kevin Costner will be deployed to help with the Gulf oil spill. (Universal Pictures)
Waterworld hero? A device funded by Academy Award winning director and actor Kevin Costner will be deployed to help with the Gulf oil spill. (Universal Pictures)

As the Deepwater Horizons oil spill continues to grow virtually unabated, officials have turned to an unlikely source for help. Actor Kevin Costner offered the use of his “Oceans Therapy” device to help with the cleanup of the expanding environmental disaster and BP willingly accepted.

In the wake of the Exxon Valdez accident in Alaska, Costner believed there had to be a way to speed the cleanup and recovery. Since then, he has invested $24 million of own money to fund the Oceans Therapy Solutions, the firm that has worked to develop the machine. Costner’s brother is a lead researcher on the project.

Using centrifugal force, the manufacturer claims the machines can remove 97 percent of the oil from the water. A single machine is reportedly capable of cleaning up to 210,000 gallons of water per day and the company is prepared to donate their use to help with the Gulf of Mexico cleanup.

In a demonstration in Louisiana (video at the link blow), the devices appeared to work as claimed, sucking in dirty water and dispensing virtually clear water.

Learn more about how the device will be deployed and watch video of Kevin Costner discusisng it on the Natural Disasters Examiner.

National Weather, Natural Disasters

Tornadoes kill 5 in Oklahoma – Video from storm chasers

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A screenshot of video taken of a multiple=
A screenshot of video taken of a multiple vortex tornado that struck in Oklahoma on Monday, May 10, 2010. Watch the video below. (Scott Weberpal / Ryan Wichman)

It is a little known but amazing phenomenon that sometimes accompanies tornadoes – multiple vortices coming from one larger twister. Storm chasers descended on the area of yesterday’s deadly tornado outbreak and two were able to capture amazing video of what looks like small tornadoes circling a larger twister.

When witnessed from the ground, multiple vortex tornadoes are an amazing sight. The larger twister will appear no different than what one might expect, but smaller vortices will be seen rapidly circling around and through the main funnel.

These suction vortexes are usually short-lived and will die out as the main funnel moves and then new satellites will reappear. These satellite vortices are oftentimes present but not visible due to debris and clouds.

Storm chaser team Scott Weberpal and Ryan Wichman captured amazing video of a multiple vortex tornado as it tore through the Oklahoma countryside. Watch the video below.

National Weather

Opryland Hotel in Nashville flooded by 10 feet of water

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The inside of the Opryland Hotel is flooded on Monday, May 3, 2010. See video of the flooding inside the hotel below. (The Tennessean)
The inside of the Opryland Hotel is flooded on Monday, May 3, 2010. See video of the flooding inside the hotel below. (The Tennessean)

With its 1,500 guests evacuated, managers and employees of the Opryland Hotel in Nashville spent Monday watching the water inside the historic hotel rise to 10 feet above floor level. Images taken in the hotel and of the surrounding area show a facility likely to face major repairs once the floodwaters recede.

As the Cumberland River rose hotel officials initially evacuated guests to a ballroom on Sunday. Once the seriousness of the situation became apparent, all 1,500 were sent to other area hotels and many to a local high school.

Video shot by the Tennessean Monday morning shows the hotel’s courtyard under water. Chairs and other debris are floating in the water while tables in water not quite as deep still have their table clothes and silverware on them.

Other famous Music City attractions have been impacted including the Country Music Hall of Fame which has water in a mechanical room and Schermerhorn Symphony Center whose basement is flooded with several feet of water.

Sports facilities in the city have been impacted by the flooding as well. LP Field, home of the NFL’s Tennessee Titans now has its entire field surface under water. Users on Twitter are reported that Bridgestone Arena where the NHL’s Nashville Predator’s play has flooding.

The city of Nashville received a record-setting two day rainfall Saturday and Sunday. 13.53 inches of rain was recorded between the two days, more than double the previous record.

Emergency officials expected the Cumberland crest Monday.

National Weather

Severe weather outbreak turns deadly, 10 killed in Mississippi

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Storm Prediction Center reports for Saturday, April 24, 2010
Storm Prediction Center reports for Saturday, April 24, 2010. Click on the image for a slideshow of the damage.

Severe weather across the South on Saturday turned deadly as tornadoes ripped through the region. Mississippi was hardest hit as one twister in Yazoo County killed 10 people and officials fear more could lie buried under the rubble.

Yazoo County was ground zero for the worst of the devastation where officials estimate 100 homes were destroyed. Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour described the scene as “utter obliteration.”

Images of the scene were heart wrenching and show homes reduced to nothing but scattered lumber. A church was destroyed, cars tossed about like toys and trees snapped like twigs and left without foliage.

Widespread power outages were reported as power lines were downed by the intense fury of the storms.  Officials said thousands remained without power as of Sunday morning.

The human toll was staggering and covered three Mississippi counties. Five people were killed in Choctaw County, four in Yazoo County and one in Holmes County. The Mississippi Emergency Management Agency reported that two children were among the dead including a three month old baby.

Get the rest of this story including photos of the destruction from the Natural Disasters Examiner.

National Weather

CSU teams forecasts above average hurricane season

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CSU 2010 hurricane forecast
Hurricane forecasters at CSU predict unusually high levels of hurricane activity in 2010.

The hurricane forecasting team at Colorado State University released an updated forecast for the 2010 season and they continue to predict an above normal level of activity. The numbers would seem to put residents along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts on notice that they should be prepared.

The CSU team’s forecast, generated by Dr. Phil Klotzbach and Dr. Bill Gray, portend what may be an active season in the Atlantic basin.

The team is calling for 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). By contrast, an average season has only 10 named storms, 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.

Residents in coastal regions will want to take note that the forecasters said there is a 69% probability of a major hurricane striking the United States coastline. That is 17% above the average for the past century.

Breaking their analysis down further, Klotzbach and Gray forecast a 45% chance of a major hurricane striking the U.S. East Coast and a 44% chance of one striking the Gulf Coast. For the Caribbean, a 58% chance of a major hurricane tracking through the area is given. Each of those reflects significant increases above average.

This year the team says weakening El Nino conditions coupled with warmer water in the Atlantic will account for considerably above normal activity. The 2009 hurricane season fell flat and finished with the fewest number of storms since 1997 and was one of the least active on record.

AccuWeather.com’s hurricane forecasting team led by Joe Bastardi issued their forecast last month and predicted an ‘extreme season.’ Their forecast called for 16 to 18 named storms with two to three with five hurricanes making landfall, two to three of those being major hurricanes.

Hurricane season officially starts on June 1st and runs through November 30th. However, hurricanes can and have formed anytime between March and December.

For more on hurricanes, check out these other stories from the Natural Disasters Examiner:

National Weather

Record setting rain in New England causes widespread flooding

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Many rivers were experiencing major (purple) or moderate (red) flooding according to the National Weather Service. (NWS / AHPS)
Many rivers were experiencing major (purple) or moderate (red) flooding according to the National Weather Service. (NWS / AHPS) Click the image for a slideshow of the flooding.

Record breaking rains across the Northeast turned into flooding the likes of which haven’t been seen in the region for more than 100 years. As hundreds of residents were forced to evacuate yesterday, authorities have warned that the worst is yet to come.

Earlier this month many of the same areas were struck by flooding but that event pales in comparison. Rainfall amounts have been staggering in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. From New York to Maine, widespread flooding is expected.

The nation’s smallest state, Rhode Island, has suffered the most with rainfall in some areas approaching 10 inches. 120 homes in Cranston were evacuated and in Warwick 300 apartments and 100 businesses fled the rising floodwaters.

Interstate 95, the main route between Boston and New York was closed and may remain so for days. Amtrak was forced to cancel some train service through the region due to water on its tracks.

Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri said, “None of us alive have seen the flooding that we are experiencing now or going to experience. This is unprecedented in our state’s history.”
The governor gave all non-essential state personnel the day off and officials asked schools and businesses to consider closing as well.

The Pawtuxet River crested early Wednesday in Cranston at 20.79 feet – more than 10 feet above flood level and almost six feet above the record level.

Other rivers in the region were already above flood stage and some may not crest for days leading officials to warn that the worst is yet to come. The Charles River in Dover, Massachusetts and Merrimack Basin tributaries in New Hampshire and Massachusetts were at ‘major flood stage’ according to NOAA’s Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service.

State of emergencies were declared in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts and governors in those states called out the National Guard to help with relief and recovery efforts.

President Barack Obama had already declared Major Disasters for Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts from the flooding earlier this month.

National Weather

NASA satellite time lapse video shows February blizzards striking the northeast

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As seen from space, snow covers the Mid-Atlantic from Washington D.C. through Baltimore and Philadelphia to New York City. (NASA) Watch the amazing time lapse video below.
As seen from space, snow covers the Mid-Atlantic from Washington D.C. through Baltimore and Philadelphia to New York City. (NASA) Watch the amazing time lapse video below.

The northeastern United States has seen a winter of historical proportions as a seemingly endless stream of storms brought record setting levels of snowfall. NASA’s Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) captured a series of these storms as they struck in February.

The amazing time lapse video released by NASA covers the period from February 1st to February 16th. During that time, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington D.C. all saw major winter snowstorms that ranked in each city’s ‘top 10’ and gave way to terms like ‘Snowmageddon’ and ‘Snowpocalypse.’

Baltimore recorded an astounding 24.8 inches from February 5th to the 6th and 19.5 inches from February 10th to the 11th. The nation’s capital received 17.8 inches of snow during the February 5th / 6th snowstorm. The City of Brotherly Love was similarly buried under 28.5 inches from February 5th to the 6th and 15.8 inches from February 10th to the 11th.

The February storms added to already hefty seasonal snowfall totals across the northeastern United States that actually got a start in December. Baltimore, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Wilmington, and Atlantic City have all seen seasonal snowfall records.

In a statement accompanying the video which compressed 16 days into two minutes, NASA explains these “Nor’easters”. “The counter-clockwise circulation around a low pressure system on the Atlantic coast pushes moist sea air from the north-east into arctic air over the land. This windy mixture creates a very efficient snow-making machine from Boston to Washington,” the agency said.

National Weather, Natural Disasters, Severe Weather

85 years ago today – The nation’s deadliest tornado

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A Chicago Herald Examiner headline covering the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925. (Wikipedia) Follow the link below for images of the destruction.
A Chicago Herald Examiner headline covering the Great Tri-State Tornado of 1925. (Wikipedia) Follow the link below for images of the destruction.

News reports portray a dreary start to March 18, 1925 with heavy rain in the morning but nothing that would foretell the disaster that was to come. Before the day was over, parts of Missouri, Illinois and Indiana would be torn asunder and nearly 700 people would be dead.

Today marks the 85th anniversary of what we now call the Tri-State Tornado. The deadly twister was of the likes that had never been seen before – and hasn’t been seen since. That morning, the U.S. Weather Bureau’s forecast called for “rains and strong shifting winds.” Nothing that would indicate the horror that was to come.

The first reports of the tornado happened at 1:01pm near Ellington, Missouri. As it moved to the northeast the twister tore through the towns of Annapolis, Redford, Cornwall, Biehle, and Frohna. By the time it exited Missouri, 11 people were dead.

Illinois bore the brunt of the tornado as it continued on its deadly path. It crossed the Mississippi River and tore through Gorham, Johnston City, Murphysboro, De Soto, Hurst-Bush and a half dozen other Illinois towns. Entire towns were reduced to rubble, over a thousand people were injured and 613 people in the state were dead.

Far from over, the twister crossed into Indiana where the towns of Griffin, Owensville, and Princeton were hit. 71 people are thought to have died in the state.

The horror finally came to an end at 4:30pm, three and a half hours after it started. The tornado dissipated southwest of Petersburg, Indiana but not until after it had covered a path of at least 219 miles and left death and destruction the entire way. From southeastern Missouri, completely across southern Illinois and into southwestern Indiana, the tornado was the longest tracking twister ever recorded.

For more about the deadly tornado, maps of the path and images of the aftermath, read the complete story on the Natural Disasters Examiner.