There are numerous shows on TV, like on Discover Channel or the Weather Channel, that glorify storm chasing.  They make it look so fun and cool to be out racing down the highway trying to get right up next to a monster tornado.   Despite being pelted with hail stones, flying branches, torrential rain, and lighting, the vehicles press on with a sense of immortality.  As we all know, TV shows don’t always portray the whole story.  Certainly when it comes to tornado safety, these chasers often push the limits way beyond comprehension.

 Be that as it may, there is an ongoing debate and uncertainty about what is the best course of action if you are in a vehicle with an approaching tornado to deal with.  The conventional wisdom when I was growing up and even during the first decade of my weather forecasting career was that one should always leave the vehicle and go lie flat in a ditch or ravine and cover your head.  Over the past 15 years there have been some high profile cases where people were actually severely injured or killed by leaving their vehicles and going under overpasses or just going out in the open.  Now there is more of a recommendation to use your best judgement based on a number of factors whether to leave your car or not.  Below is a statement from Roger Edwards of the Storm Prediction Center that goes into more depth on this subject.

In a car or truck: Vehicles are extremely risky in a tornado. There is no safe option when caught in a tornado in a car, just slightly less-dangerous ones. If the tornado is visible, far away, and the traffic is light, you may be able to drive out of its path by moving at right angles to the tornado. Seek shelter in a sturdy building, or underground  if possible. If you are caught by extreme winds or flying debris, park the car as quickly and safely as possible — out of the traffic lanes. Stay in the car with the seat belt on. Put your head down below the windows; cover your head with your hands and a blanket, coat, or other cushion if possible. If you can safely get noticeably lower than the level of the roadway,leave your car and lie in that area, covering your head with your hands. Avoid seeking shelter under bridges, which can create deadly traffic hazards while offering little protection against flying debris.

We’ve all seen the horrific images of vehicles twisted around tree trunks 20 feet in the air, or turned upside down and crushed.  Or how about the photos of beams or lumber jabbed straight through a car window or door.  What a horrible thing if someone was in that vehicle in such cases.  I wish I had a hard and fast rule for you when it comes to automobiles and tornadoes.  I hope you never have to make such a tough decision but if you do, try not to panic.  Take care.

Posted under Education, Natural Disasters, Seasonal Items, Severe Weather, Tornadoes, Travel, Weather Safety

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change(IPCC) released its Special Report on Managing the Risks of Extreme Events and Disasters to Advance Climate Change Adaptation (SREX) on 28 March.  You can read the the full press release from the following link.  http://ipcc.ch/news_and_events/docs/srex/SREX_launch_media_advisory.pdf

The report was authored by 220 scientists from 62 counties around the world.  It was based off of hundreds of studies from across the globe that have been peer-reviewed at least 2 to 3 times.  Some of the major points in the press release regarding climate change over the coming decades include.

• Heat waves will likely increase in frequency, duration, and intensity.
• Sea levels will very likely continue rising, causing increased coastal flooding.
• Heavy precipitation events will likely to increase in frequency especially in higher latitudes and tropical regions during the summer and in northern mid latitudes during the winter.
• It is somewhat probable that droughts will increase in duration and intensity especially in central and southern Europe, the Mediterranean Area, North America, Central America, Mexico, northeast Brazil, and Southern Africa.
• It is extremely likely that the frequency of daily record high temperatures will increase and daily record low temperatures will decrease across the globe.
• It is likely that economic losses from climate-related disasters will increase.  (Part of this is due to greater population with time living in risky areas).

You can read the full 600 page IPCC report here.  Good luck!  http://ipcc.ch/news_and_events/docs/srex/SREX_launch_media_advisory.pdf

Posted under AGW, Climate Change, Drought, Education, Heat, International Weather, Natural Disasters, Science, Weather NEws, World Weather

Source: United States Geological Survey

With the source of the mysterious booming sounds and shakes from Clintonville being cited as a series of mini-quakes taking place you might be thinking about where you can learn more about earthquakes from a reliable source. 

The United States Geological Survey is the premiere organization for you to turn toward for information. 

This web link: http://www.earthquake.usgs.org provides a wealth of interesting information.  Perhaps most fascinating is that the page provides two maps that depict the locations of every detected earthquake in both the United States and around the world.  For specific data on individual earthquakes you can click on the map and zoom in toward each quakes’ epicenter. 

The largest of the series of mini-quakes in Clintonville measured 1.5 on the Richter scale.  Though that is very small compared to other earthquakes around the world, it’s the rock types found deep beneath the surface soils that play a large role here. 

Source: University of Wisconsin--Green Bay

Granite is a commonly found rock beneath Clintonville, and much of East Central Wisconsin.  It’s also one of the strongest rock types on the planet.  I asked a geologist at the Universityof Wisconsin—Marathon County yesterday about granite and he said on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being the strongest, granite is a solid 10.

That’s an important part in the story.  Strong rock types like granite have little give.  Any shaking below the earth doesn’t have much lee-way when the vibrations move through it.  Softer rock types though have more of an ebb and flow approach. 

So-called earthquake-ready buildings do not try to fight the force of earthquakes, but rather are designed to in a way ride it out.  Rigid structures (strong rocks too) don’t handle this well and shake (or collapse in the case of buildings.)  Relatively flexible structures (and rock types) cope with earthquakes because they allow for more give.        

For a complete report of the 1.5 magnitude quake from the USGS, click here: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsus/Quakes/usc0008n7t.php

Posted under Earthquake, Education, Geology, Weather History, Weather NEws

Did you know that March 12th – 16th is Flood Safety Awareness Week in the U.S.?  Flooding is one of the top weather killers every year in the country.  Of course it also produces huge amount of property damage.  I’ve seen some streams and small rivers out of their banks the past few days with the rapid snow melt and light to  moderate amounts of rain we’ve had.  Most of the flooding has been lowland and agricultural in nature so far.

 We are really lucky we didn’t have a 2 to 3″ rain storm or we could have been in a lot of trouble when it comes to flooding.  Even though the snow melt flood risk is diminishing now because we never really built up that huge snow base like other winters we still need to be on guard.  This is especially true because the developing pattern is one that could feature shower and storm chances for about a week in a row starting this weekend and going through next week.  Seeing that it will be unseasonably warm and humid, some of the showers certainly could produce heavy rain.  Therefore we can’t rule some flooding problems as the month goes on.

This is certainly a great time to refresh your memory on what flood terminology means, see what new technologies are helping us forecast floods better than ever, and consider buying flood insurance.  These topics and many more are covered in a great brochure put together by the National Weather Service.  It has many fascinating photos of flooding and its power within it as well.  Be sure to check it out at this link.   http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/brochures/Floodsbrochure_9_04_low.pdf

Posted under Education, Flooding, Natural Disasters, Seasonal Items, Severe Weather, Spring, Weather NEws, Weather Safety

With the first week of February upon us the annual tradition of Groundhog Day has once again come and gone.  You’ve likely heard of the famous Punxsutawney Phil, who based on seeing his shadow or not can “predict” how much longer the winter season will last. 

Given the rather bizarre weather we have seen this season, many people are asking where winter has been all year.  We’ve seen temperatures quite untypical for February.  Snow cover is low or in many places around Wisconsin, non existent.  Snowmobilers are frustrated while those who could do without the cold and snow are enjoying every minute. 

While we bask in the warmth of temps that are nearly twice as warm as the typically are this time of year, the National Weather Service has release an  interesting article about the history and accuracy of Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog Day as a whole. 

To have a look at this interesting article, follow this link to the National Weather Service: http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/groundhog-day.php 

Happy reading, and happy Groundhog Day!

Posted under Ecology, Education, Environment, forecast, Nature, Records, Recreation & Sports, Science, Seasonal Items, Spring, Weather History, Weather NEws, Winter Weather

Posted under Education, Environment, Natural Disasters, new media, Records, Seasonal Items, Severe Weather, Storms, Weather NEws, Weather Safety

Thursday is the day the Groundhog steals the show, at least for one day.  I’m always amazed at how much press time groundhog Phil in Pennsylvania and Jimmy in Sun Prairie, WI among others gather on Groundhog’s Day.  It is mentioned on almost every newscast, talk show, in the papers, on the radio, and of course the Internet.  It certainly is a fun little tradition.  I definitely don’t put any credence into the shadow, non-shadow issue predicting spring or not.

I thought it would be good to actually investigate what science says about groundhog behavior this time of the year.  I read an article based on the work of Dr. Stan Zervanos, a biology professor at Penn State Berks.  He has been researching groundhog hibernation for over a dozen years.  He found that groundhogs don’t just crawl in a hole and sleep the entire winter.  Rather, they go through a series of torpor (deep sleep) and arousal episodes throughout winter. 

During arousal they normally stay in their burrows, but in early spring they emerge briefly and move around above ground a bit.   This is important for males as they use the time to start scouting the area for potential mates and so on.  Then they return to the hole for more deep sleep episodes.  In the northern U.S., they usually come out of their holes for good sometime in early March for mating.  The timing of emergence is fairly predictable based on latitude.  Dr. Zervanos found that at the latitude of Maine, which is about the same as Wisconsin the hibernation period is around 175 days.  This is quite a bit different than say South Carolina or Arkansas, where it is only 67 days.  This timing is very important because if mating were to occur to early the offspring would be weaned at a time in the spring when food supplies are not adequate yet.  You can read much more about his findings at http://www.bk.psu.edu/31377.htm

Posted under Ecology, Education, Environment, Nature, Seasonal Items, Spring, Weather NEws, Winter Weather

Before I show some unusual weather related images, I want to talk about the current comeback of winter weather to the nation.  The storm that is bringing us snow, wind, and much colder conditions will be impacting most of the eastern half of the country.  The map below shows the various weather warnings and advisories in place.  Notice how areas that recently had highs in the 50s are under a Winter Weather Advisory from Wisconsin south to northern Oklahoma, Missouri, and Kentucky.  That entire strip will be getting several inches of snow, gusty winds and cold air.    New England is also expecting a pretty good ice and snowstorm.

Changing subjects, below you will see a series of images collected on the Storm Prediction Center website.  The first one shows “shiptrails” west of British Columbia.  They look like white strings in the satellite images.  They are similar in a sense to contrails formed by jets.  However in this case the exhaust from the ships is helping to form clouds composed of small water droplets rather than ice crystals that compose contrails of jets.

Now take a look at the image below which shows a winter sunset as seen by NEXRAD doppler radar.  The blue lines which run from southwest to northeast direction trace the direct rays of the sun as it was just above the horizon.  Of course if this were a summer sunset, the blue lines would run from northwest to southeast, as the sun sets in the northwest during the summer.

Posted under Education, Seasonal Items, Storms, Winter Weather

January can be a brutal month in our parts an poleward locations throughout the world.  How sweet it is for many when a few days thaw and milder sunshine rolls in.  How thankful we should be when the winds are light and not chilling us to the bone.  How sparkling and white the landscape can be.  How gray and dark the mood can be.  It’s a month that scares some while others love its potential fury.

Enjoy some of the WEATHER LORE saying below.  Maybe you can relate to them?

• A wet January, a wet spring.
• If grass do grow in January, it will grow for the rest of the year barely.
• (St. Paul’s Day – Jan. 25th).  If Saint Paul’s Day be fair and clear, it will bring a happy year; But if by chance it should rain, it will make there all kinds of grain.  And if the clouds make dark the sky, then animals and birds this year shall die; If blustery winds do blow aloft, then wars shall trouble the realm oft.

QUOTES INVOLVING JANUARY.

• Slow as molasses in January.

• “January is here, with eyes that keenly glow,
  A frost-mailed warrior
  striding a shadowy steed of snow.”
  -  Edgar Fawcett

• “The shortest day has passed, and whatever nastiness of weather we may look forward to in January and February, at least we notice that the days are getting longer.  Minute by minute they lengthen out.  It takes some weeks before we become aware of the change.  It is imperceptible even as the growth of a child, as you watch it day by day, until the moment comes when with a start of delighted surprise we realize that we can stay out of doors in a
  twilight lasting for another quarter of a precious hour.”
  -  Vita Sackville-West

• “January is the quietest month in the garden.  …  But just because it looks quiet doesn’t mean that nothing is happening.  The soil, open to the sky, absorbs the pure rainfall while microorganisms convert tilled-under fodder into usable nutrients for the next crop of plants.  The feasting earthworms tunnel along, aerating the soil and preparing it to welcome the seeds and bare roots to come.”
  -  Rosalie Muller Wright, Editor of Sunset Magazine, 1/99

• “There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter.  One is the January thaw.  The other is the seed catalogues.”
  -  Hal Borland

• “Bare branches of each tree
  on this chilly January morn
  look so cold so forlorn.
  Gray skies dip ever so low
  left from yesterday’s dusting of snow.
  Yet in the heart of each tree
  waiting for each who wait to see
  new life as warm sun and breeze will blow,
  like magic, unlock springs sap to flow,
  buds, new leaves, then blooms will grow.”
  -  Nelda Hartmann, January Morn  

• “January, month of empty pockets! … let us endure this evil month, anxious as a theatrical producer’s forehead.”
  -  Colette

• “Little January
  Tapped at my door today.
  And said, “Put on your winter wraps,
  And come outdoors to play.”
  Little January
  Is always full of fun;
  Until the set of sun.
  Little January
  Will stay a month with me
  And we will have such jolly times -
  Just come along and see.”
  -  Winifred C. Marshall, January

• “You’d be so lean, that blast of January
  Would blow you through and through.  Now, my fair’st friend,
  I would I had some flowers o’ the spring that might
  Become your time of day.”
  -  William Shakespeare, The Winter’s Tale, Act IV Scene 4 

• “It is deep January.  The sky is hard.  The stalks are firmly rooted in ice.”
  -  Wallace Stevens,  No Possum, No Sop, No Taters

• “Every man should be born again on the first day of January.  Start with a fresh page.  Take up one hole more in the buckle if necessary, or let down one, according to circumstances; but on the first day of January let every man gird himself once more, with his face to the front, and take no interest in the things that were and are past.”
  -  Henry Ward Beecher  

• “January brings the snow,
  Makes our feet and fingers glow.”
  -  Sara Coleridge, Pretty Lessons in Verse

• “In January
  it’s so nice
  while slipping
  on the sliding ice
  to sip hot chicken soup with rice.
  Sipping once
  Sipping twice.”
  -  Maurice Sendak, In January

• “Come, ye cold winds, at January’s call,
  On whistling wings, and with white flakes bestrew
  The earth.”
  -  John Ruskin

• “January opens
  The box of the year
  And brings out days
  That are bright and clear
  And brings out days
  That are cold and grey
  And shouts, “Come see
  What I brought today!”
  -  Leland B. Jacobs, January  

Posted under Education, Nature, Seasonal Items, Winter Weather

Before I delve into any science or weather related news of the day I wanted to mention that I will be at a fundraising event on Friday evening at Nicolet college in Rhinelander. The event proceeds will go toward the culinary arts program at Nicolet.

Hearing that the event will support the culinary arts program, you can probably guess that there will be some good food available. You can in fact bid on a 3 course meal prepared by the competitors in a “Iron Chef” competition – starring yours truly. I am pairing up with culinary arts instructor Kevin Brown. We have an hour to prepare 5 servings of a 3 course meal. We are competing against a couple other cookswhom I hear do mac-n-cheese and oatmeal pretty well, but I haven’t heard about more advanced preparations.

Instructors in the Iron Chef Challenge

The fundraising fun time will be held this Friday (the 9th) from 5:00pm to 6:30pm in the Nicolet college theatre. Besides being able to watch the iron chef competition, you can bid on 40 different silent auction items and sample foods prepared by students at the College. Admission is free if you bring a non-perishable food item. Come out, say hi, and enjoy a delicious time at Nicolet College this Friday in Rhinelander. I hope to see you there!

___________________________________________

When discussing the environment and weather you never know what parts of life one might touch upon. This week I was caught up in a dilemma revolving around sport – in particular, college football. As a fan of the Badgers and the sport in general, I have followed the topic of conference re-alignment. We are of course recently familiar with the movement of Nebraska to the Big Ten conference. This made some sense to me since Nebraska relatively close to the other teams in the conference and the University shares a cultural tradition with the Midwest of the U.S. What doesn’t make sense to me is the recent decision for some teams from the western mountain states to join the Big East. I know it has to do with money but it doesn’t make sense on many levels including pollution and the environment. Back in the day, when sporting conferences were created, they were based on geographic proximity. Today it seems they are based on finance and money. Two of the teams that will be joining the Big East conference are Boise State and San Diego State. You couldn’t pick two more culturally divergent or geographically distant Universities to join a conference “based” on the East Coast.

Besides just being against this move from a sports fan perspective, it is most certainly environmentally unsound. Teams travelling by airplane from Idaho and southern California many times a year to the east coast will produce many times more pollution than by just travelling around the inter-mountain west. In an age where we are supposed to be environmentally-conscious, and we are often admonished by UNIVERSITY professors to act more responsibly, this conference re-alignment does not make sense. It is the exact opposite of what should be happening if we want to keep the environment cleaner.

Let us not forget that college tuition continues to sky-rocket and travelling farther to “play games” will certainly cost a lot more.

Have a good Wednesday! Meteorologist Justin Loew.

Posted under Community, Education, Pollution