Extreme Weather Event Cards
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Safety Rules Are Intended to Assist in That Goal
NOAA’s Weather-Ready Nation is about building community resilience in the face of extreme weather and water events. Part of being weather-ready is being prepared for whatever mother nature happens to throw our way. The accompanying safety rules are intended to assist in that goal. You can find more information on NOAA’s Weather- Ready Nation webpage at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/com/weatherreadynation/. Blizzard Although less frequent in our part of the country, blizzard or near-blizzard conditions can catch motorists off-guard. If you become trapped in your automobile… (1) Avoid overexertion and exposure. Attempting to push your car, shovel heavy drifts, and other difficult chores during a blizzard may cause a heart attack even for someone in apparently good physical condition. (2) Stay in your vehicle. Do not attempt to walk out of a blizzard. Disorientation comes quickly in blowing and drifting snow. You are more likely to be found when sheltered in your car. (3) Keep fresh air in your car. Freezing wet snow and wind-driven snow can completely seal the passenger compartment. (4) Run the motor and heater sparingly, and only with the downwind window cracked for ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure the tailpipe is unobstructed. (5) Exercise by clapping hands and moving arms and legs vigorously from time to time, and do not stay in one position for long. (6) Turn on the dome light at night. It can make your vehicle visible to work crews. (7) Keep watch. Do not allow all occupants of the car to sleep at once. -
The 1993 Superstorm: 15-Year Retrospective
THE 1993 SUPERSTORM: 15-YEAR RETROSPECTIVE RMS Special Report INTRODUCTION From March 12–14, 1993, a powerful extra-tropical storm descended upon the eastern half of the United States, causing widespread damage from the Gulf Coast to Maine. Spawning tornadoes in Florida and causing record snowfalls across the Appalachian Mountains and Mid-Atlantic states, the storm produced hurricane-force winds and extremely low temperatures throughout the region. Due to the intensity and size of the storm, as well as its far-reaching impacts, it is widely acknowledged in the United States as the ―1993 Superstorm‖ or ―Storm of the Century.‖ During the storm’s formation, the National Weather Service (NWS) issued storm and blizzard warnings two days in advance, allowing the 100 million individuals who were potentially in the storm’s path to prepare. This was the first time the NWS had ever forecast a storm of this magnitude. Yet in spite of the forecasting efforts, about 100 deaths were directly attributed to the storm (NWS, 1994). The storm also caused considerable damage and disruption across the impacted region, leading to the closure of every major airport in the eastern U.S. at one time or another during its duration. Heavy snowfall caused roofs to collapse in Georgia, and the storm left many individuals in the Appalachian Mountains stranded without power. Many others in urban centers were subject to record low temperatures, including -11°F (-24°C) in Syracuse, New York. Overall, economic losses due to wind, ice, snow, freezing temperatures, and tornado damage totaled between $5-6 billion at the time of the event (Lott et al., 2007) with insured losses of close to $2 billion. -
Mapping of Climate Change Threats and Human Development Impacts in the Arab Region
Arab Human Development Report Research Paper Series Mapping of Climate Change Threats and Human Development Impacts in the Arab Region Balgis Osman Elasha United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Arab States United Nations Development Programme Regional Bureau for Arab States Arab Human Development Report Research Paper Series 2010 Mapping of Climate Change Threats and Human Development Impacts in the Arab Region Balgis Osman Elasha The Arab Human Development Report Research Paper Series is a medium for sharing recent research commissioned to inform the Arab Human Development Report, and fur- ther research in the field of human development. The AHDR Research Paper Series is a quick-disseminating, informal publication whose titles could subsequently be revised for publication as articles in professional journals or chapters in books. The authors include leading academics and practitioners from the Arab countries and around the world. The findings, interpretations and conclusions are strictly those of the authors and do not neces- sarily represent the views of UNDP or United Nations Member States. The present paper was authored by Balgis Osman Elasha. * * * Balgis Osman-Elasha is a Climate Change Adaptation Expert at the African Development Bank. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree (with Honours) and a Doctorate in Forestry Science, and a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science. She has extensive experience in climate change research, with a focus on the human dimensions of global environmental change (GEC) and sustainable development. She is a winner of the UNEP Champions of the Earth award, 2008, and a member of the IPCC Lead Authors Nobel Peace Prize winners in 2007. -
From Headquarters
from headquarters EDITOR'S NOTE: With this issue we begin a regular column intended to keep AMS members informed of activities and initiatives that are currently under way within the Society and that are being administered by the staff at AMS Headquarters. Revision of the Glossary of Meteorology required to track the terms through the writing and review processes and the preparation for publication. In 1952 Ralph E. Huschke and a team of principal Funding for the Glossary revision has been ob- and subject volunteer contributors began assembling tained through the National Science Foundation with meteorological, hydrological, oceanographic, math- support from the Environmental Protection Agency, ematical, and physics terms for publication. The col- the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra- lection of 7247 terms resulted in the Glossary of tion, the U.S. Air Force, the U.S. Navy, and the Meteorology published in 1959 by the AMS. At that Department of Energy. In addition, the AMS is contrib- time, the Glossary contained up-to-date terms found uting more than $90,000 annually to the project, in meteorology and sister disciplines. In the 35 years substantially from its special initiative fund, generated since its publication, more than 10 000 copies of the from interest on reserves, to support overhead and Glossary have been sold. publication costs. Over the decades, the field of meteorology has Publication of the revised Glossary is planned for expanded in the traditional sense and into the new late 1997, with simultaneous publication in an appro- areas of satellite meteorology and numerical weather priate electronic format. The electronic edition will be prediction, among others. -
6Th Grade Reading Comprehension Worksheets | Extreme Weather
Name: ___________________________________ Extreme Weather Severe storms happen in low-pressure weather systems. Warm, wet air begins rising into the air. The higher it rises, the cooler it becomes. Water vapor in the air forms drops, a process called condensation. The drops join together to form clouds, and then precipitation of some kind (rain, sleet, snow, or hail) will fall down to Earth’s surface. Although conditions must be very specific for a thunderstorm A tornado in Oklahoma to develop, thunderstorms remain the most common kind of extreme weather. Before a thunderstorm can develop, there have to be three conditions present: the air has to be full of moisture, there must be either an intensely heated portion of Earth’s surface sending warm air up quickly or an approaching cold front, and the warm air that is rising must be warm enough to stay warmer than the air it passes through as it rises. The moisture in the rising air condenses, clouds form and a storm begins. A cold front happens when cold air is moving near the surface of Earth, and it pushes warm air up very quickly. This is often the beginning of a thunderstorm. Clouds form, and heavy rains begin falling. Opposite electrical charges inside storm clouds separate, causing lightning to flash towards Earth. Lightning has enough energy to heat the air all around it. This sudden burst of heat is what causes the noise we know as thunder. Thunderstorms often bring disasters with them, including floods, fires caused by lightning, damage from hailstones or strong winds, and even tornadoes. -
NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
Improving Early Warnings for Extreme Weather Events NOAA’s Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory Lightning over the Great Plains. Texas. May 12, 2009. Image Credit: NOAA/NSSL, VORTEX II. Financial Impacts from Extreme Weather Events A recent nationwide survey indicated that weather loss of life and damage to critical infrastructure. This forecasts generate $31.5 billion in economic benefits to effort is crucial for informing emergency management and U.S. households.1 Since 1980, the U.S. has sustained 279 public preparedness. weather and climate disasters where overall damages reached or exceeded $1 billion (including Consumer Price Index adjustment in 2020 dollars); The total cost of these 279 events exceeds $1.825 trillion.2 AOML scientists are working to improve the forecasts of four main disaster types: tropical cyclones, tornado- related severe storms, heat waves, and extreme rainfall. Improved weather forecasts provide emergency managers, government officials, businesses, and the public with more accurate and timely warnings to minimize catastrophic 1 U.S. Department of Commerce/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. (2018, June). NOAA By The Numbers: Economic Statistics Relevant to NOAA’s Mission. Silver Spring, Maryland: United States. 2 NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) U.S. Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters (2020). Understanding Long-Term Ocean Dynamics Leads to Better Short-Term Prediction Extreme weather events are responsible for devastating atmospheric observations and model simulations. For mortality and economic impacts in the United States, example, researchers at AOML study how temperature but current extreme weather forecasts are only able to variations associated with El Niño and La Niña, as well as accurately predict events a few days in advance. -
ESSENTIALS of METEOROLOGY (7Th Ed.) GLOSSARY
ESSENTIALS OF METEOROLOGY (7th ed.) GLOSSARY Chapter 1 Aerosols Tiny suspended solid particles (dust, smoke, etc.) or liquid droplets that enter the atmosphere from either natural or human (anthropogenic) sources, such as the burning of fossil fuels. Sulfur-containing fossil fuels, such as coal, produce sulfate aerosols. Air density The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it. Air density is usually expressed as g/cm3 or kg/m3. Also See Density. Air pressure The pressure exerted by the mass of air above a given point, usually expressed in millibars (mb), inches of (atmospheric mercury (Hg) or in hectopascals (hPa). pressure) Atmosphere The envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it by the planet's gravitational attraction. The earth's atmosphere is mainly nitrogen and oxygen. Carbon dioxide (CO2) A colorless, odorless gas whose concentration is about 0.039 percent (390 ppm) in a volume of air near sea level. It is a selective absorber of infrared radiation and, consequently, it is important in the earth's atmospheric greenhouse effect. Solid CO2 is called dry ice. Climate The accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time. Front The transition zone between two distinct air masses. Hurricane A tropical cyclone having winds in excess of 64 knots (74 mi/hr). Ionosphere An electrified region of the upper atmosphere where fairly large concentrations of ions and free electrons exist. Lapse rate The rate at which an atmospheric variable (usually temperature) decreases with height. (See Environmental lapse rate.) Mesosphere The atmospheric layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere. -
Climate and Weather
Point Reyes National Seashore Protection for your Cultural and Natural Heritage Climate and Weather While Point Reyes’ climate is generally described as a Mediterranean climate with cool rainy winters and warm dry summers, the peninsula’s weather can vary considerably from the headlands of the Na- tional Seashore to the inland areas of the Olema Valley. Visiting Point Reyes, you can experience extremes in weather within a few short miles. The key to the contrasts in weather is the Inverness Ridge. It sepa- rates the Headlands, dominated by the oceanic influences of the Pacific Ocean, from the Olema Valley, which is dominated by the terrestrial influences of the continental mainland. Leaning into the Wind You’ll often need to lean into the wind to keep your balance on the windiest place on the West Coast! Near the ocean on the western side of the Inverness Ridge, constant winds of moderate to strong velocity sweep the exposed headlands and outer beaches. During most of the year, particularly in summer, prevailing winds blow from the Northwest. In November and December, the winds shift to the south bringing some of the fiercest winds during southerly gales. Over the course of the year the average maximum wind velocity is 43 miles per hour. These strong winds are a faint breeze compared to the highest wind speed recorded at the point of 133 miles per hour. However, east of the Inverness Ridge, extremes are much less com- mon. Sheltered from the open ocean, winds are much lighter in veloc- ity, but it is an unusual day that does not bring some breezes to the Olema Valley. -
Severe Weather
Juniata County Appendix C Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan Hazard Profiles Severe Weather General Severe weather affects the entire Commonwealth and can be expected any time of the year. Severe weather for Juniata County is considered to include: blizzards and/or heavy snowfall, heavy fog, hail, heavy precipitation (rain), high winds, ice storms, unseasonable temperature extremes, hurricanes, and severe thunderstorms. (Tornados will be discussed in a separate profile.) Snowstorms occur approximately five times per year. These storms are more prevalent in the northern and western regions of Pennsylvania and include ice and high wind. They are frequently seen in Juniata County. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and windstorms occur in Juniata County in the spring and summer. Most hurricanes that approach Juniata County are downgraded to tropical storms or tropical depressions by the time they reach central Pennsylvania. Heavy rain and flooding produced by a hurricane, tropical storm, or tropical depression will have the greatest impact on the County. Extreme temperatures can be devastating to any area. Extreme heat can cause sunburn, heat cramps, heat exhaustion, and heat/sun stroke. Likewise, extreme cold can cause hypothermia and frost bite. History Juniata County, as well as the entire Commonwealth, is vulnerable to a wide range of natural disasters. Typically, these disasters are caused by severe weather. A summary of disaster declarations from severe weather that affected Juniata County can be seen below. Disaster Declarations -
A Statistical Study of Extreme Nor'easter Snowstorms
inv lve a journal of mathematics A statistical study of extreme nor’easter snowstorms Christopher Karvetski, Robert B. Lund and Francis Parisi mathematical sciences publishers 2009 Vol. 2, No. 3 INVOLVE 2:3(2009) A statistical study of extreme nor’easter snowstorms Christopher Karvetski, Robert B. Lund and Francis Parisi (Communicated by Sat Gupta) This short paper studies the statistical characteristics of extreme snowstorms striking the eastern seaboard of the United States — the so-called nor’easters. Poisson regression techniques and extreme value methods are used to estimate return periods of storms of various snow volumes. Return periods of several memorable events are estimated, including the superstorm of 1993, the North American blizzard of 1996, and the blizzard of 1888. While nor’easters are found to occur more frequently in late winter than early winter, no evidence of increasing/decreasing storm frequencies in time or dependencies on the North Atlantic oscillation is found. 1. Introduction A nor’easter is a large-scale winter storm that impacts the east coast of the United States. A nor’easter can drop copious amounts of snow and may also cause flood and wind damage. Nor’easters occur from late fall through early spring. The super- storm of 1993 (March 12–15), for example, was the largest snowstorm affecting the United States in the last century. This storm deposited over 60 inches of snow in some places, is blamed for 300 fatalities, and caused an estimated six to ten billion dollars of damage. While nor’easters are sometimes referred to as winter hurricanes, literature studying their frequency properties is sparse when compared to that for summer hurricanes. -
Winter Storm Intensity, Hazards, and Property Losses in the New York Tristate Area
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci. ISSN 0077-8923 ANNALS OF THE NEW YORK ACADEMY OF SCIENCES Issue: Annals Reports ORIGINAL ARTICLE Winter storm intensity, hazards, and property losses in the New York tristate area Cari E. Shimkus,1 Mingfang Ting,1 James F. Booth,2 Susana B. Adamo,3 Malgosia Madajewicz,4 Yochanan Kushnir,1 and Harald E. Rieder1,5 1Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York. 2City University of New York, City College, New York, New York. 3Center for International Earth Science Information Network, Columbia University, Palisades, New York. 4Center for Climate Systems Research, Columbia University, New York, New York. 5Wegener Center for Climate and Global Change and IGAM/Institute of Physics, University of Graz, Graz, Austria Address for correspondence: Mingfang Ting, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, 61 Route 9W, Palisades, NY 10964. [email protected] Winter storms pose numerous hazards to the Northeast United States, including rain, snow, strong wind, and flooding. These hazards can cause millions of dollars in damages from one storm alone. This study investigates meteorological intensity and impacts of winter storms from 2001 to 2014 on coastal counties in Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York and underscores the consequences of winter storms. The study selected 70 winter storms on the basis of station observations of surface wind strength, heavy precipitation, high storm tide, and snow extremes. Storm rankings differed between measures, suggesting that intensity is not easily defined with a single metric. Several storms fell into two or more categories (multiple-category storms). Following storm selection, property damages were examined to determine which types lead to high losses. -
Geo2242 Extreme Weather
GEO2242, Fall 2020 Sections: 195C [14371], 19FE [14372], & 4297 [14373] Gen Ed ‘P’ – Physical Science EXTREME WEATHER [3 Credit Hours] Spring 2019 Instructor: Holli Capps Email: [email protected] Office Hours - TBD Course Website: Log in to CANVAS at http://lss.at.ufl.edu Course Communications: You can email me at email given above or via email in Canvas. If you email me via Canvas they keep a full record of it – so this is preferred. Required Texts [2]: ‘Exploring Physical Geography’, by Reynolds, Rohli, Johnson, Waylen and Francek, 3rd Edition, eText from McGraw Hill. Available access to sign up for this text can be found by logging into the course on Canvas, and accessing via the canvas page. Cost is around $80.00. This is a required eText and you must purchase it via Canvas. Weekly reading assignments, quiz assessments and homework assignments will be run through this webpage and ebook and so you MUST obtain this ASAP. See information in Canvas on How to Sign Up and Purchase this ebook – on ‘Home’ page of canvas course, via UF All-Access The second required textbook is ’Going to Extremes: Mud, Sweat and Frozen Tears’ by Nick Middleton, PAN Books. Price varies – Kindle edition is $8.00, paperback available used for less than $15.00. You will need this book in your possession before Module 3 of the course. It is available in electronic versions for less than $10 from numerous sites. Again information and links to this book can be found under the ‘Modules’ tab, and then ‘Accessing the textbook’ link.