stormdigest

Katrina Update: Walmart Reopens In Waveland, MS

Here’s our shout out to the first major retailer to re-open in the hardest hit area of the Gulf during hurricane Katrina - WalMart. As you may have seen in our Katrina coverage last year, WalMart (unlike some retailers in Katrina-stricken communities) started relief support immediately after the disaster. In New Orleans, WalMart managers opened the doors and told a refugee crowd "take what you need" thereby displaying more common sense than Ray Nagin, Kathleen Blanco and FEMA combined.

We are proud, and gratified, to hear exclusively from WalMart that the store in Waveland, Mississippi will be formally re-opening this coming Friday - much deserved fanfare and congratulations should ensue. Waveland is a small town of about 10,000 people - the town and surrounding county of Hancock was utterly left without a local infrastructure; the population count also left it at the bottom of the search-and-rescue barrel after the disaster. City Hall, the Fire and Police Departments as well as the almost every other building in town were completely destroyed. The Washington Post featured this town in one of their September 2005 articles; it’s a must read to see just how important WalMart’s opening is to this area which suffered such almost unbelievable damage. The predicament of Waveland’s police force and Hancock’s Emergency Management team (who elected to stay in the area during Katrina) were also mirrored the compelling book, The Great Deluge: Hurricane Katrina, New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast by Douglas Brinkley.

Hat tip to Chris Abraham for both pictures and the great news! :)

Technorati Tags: Tropical Storms, Hurricane, Katrina, Waveland, Mississippi, WalMart, Kathleen Blanco, Ray Nagin, FEMA

California: We Need One More Day Of Conservation

Via AP:

We’re asking people for one more day of conservation," said Gregg Fishman, the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state’s power grid. "We’re not out of the woods yet."

The stretch of 100-plus degree scorchers that descended on the state last week marks the first time in 57 years that both Northern and Southern California have experienced extended heat waves simultaneously, California Undersecretary for Energy Affairs Joe Desmond said.

What I didn’t know was that thousands of livestock have perished as well - hadn’t really seen that called out until today, since the carcasses so prevalent they are rotting in the sun. (ewwwwww)

Technorati Tags: Site News, California, Power Outage, Backouts

Drought Conditions - Gonna Get Tougher

When you look at this, all you can say is...wow. D3 and D4 in southwest Texas, Arizona, North Dakota and South Dakota are concerns. Marry this map with the current one for forecasted seasonal drought until October:

It’s not pretty.

Technorati Tags: Site News, Drought, Heat Wave, Texas, California

Power Down or Power Out

California is this <--> close to a Stage 3 rolling blackout - at the moment, a Stage 2 Emergency is in effect:

The state’s power reserves are at critically low levels and 1-hour (approximate) rotating outages may be called. Below is a list of rotating outage groups which may be affected in SCE’s service area. Please read these safety tips to prepare for potential power outages. You may also look at the CAL ISO system status report.

The unsung heroes keeping the power up for the rest of California are the businesses and individuals who signed up to voluntarily to reduce their power consumption during high peak times as warranted by the Cal-ISO. Excessive heat warnings due to high temps and high humidity are about to expire at 7PM Pacific time for some parts of California, but the threat of thunderstorms remains. A new record demand of 50,259 megawatts was set at about 1pm this afternoon, and that broke the previous record set Friday. Officials are hoping that with lower temps (not by much though - every bit counts, I suppose) forecasted for the remainder of the week they should be ok. Let’s keep our fingers crossed for them, as we do those in St Louis and in Queens.

Update 10:28 PM: New Heat Advisory for some portions of California extended to 9pm Tuesday evening:

CAZ089>094-250515-
/O.EXT.KHNX.HT.Y.0003.000000T0000Z-060726T0400Z/
WEST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-EAST CENTRAL SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
SOUTHWESTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-SOUTHEASTERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-
MARIPOSA MADERA AND FRESNO COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
TULARE COUNTY FOOTHILLS-
203 PM PDT MON JUL 24 2006

...HEAT ADVISORY NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT TUESDAY..

THE HEAT ADVISORY IS NOW IN EFFECT FOR THE CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN SAN
JOAQUIN VALLEY...AND THE ADJACENT SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS...UNTIL
9 PM PDT TUESDAY.

HEAT INDEXES FROM 105 TO 115 DEGREES WILL OCCUR TODAY AND TUESDAY.

THE COMBINATION OF HOT TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY WILL CREATE
A SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE POSSIBLE. DRINK PLENTY OF
FLUIDS...STAY IN AN AIR-CONDITIONED ROOM...STAY OUT OF THE SUN AS
MUCH AS POSSIBLE. MAKE SURE PETS AND FARM ANIMALS HAVE PLENTY OF
WATER AND ACCESS TO SHADE. AND NEVER LEAVE CHILDREN OR PETS ALONE
IN VEHICLES. TEMPERATURES CAN QUICKLY RISE TO DANGEROUS LEVELS..
EVEN IF WINDOWS ARE PARTIALLY OPEN.

THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY AIR POLLUTION CONTROL DISTRICT HAS ALSO
ISSUED A SPARE THE AIR DAY FOR THE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY TODAY.

$$

Technorati Tags: Site News, Heat, California, Queens, New York, St Louis, Power, Blackout

European Heat Wave: Unusual Situations Do Present Themselves

The heat wave overseas continues with 20 or so reported dead from the heat in France and Spain. Prague has had 3 days of sweltering temperatures, and broke records set as far back as 1865. However, Danish authorities are having, errrhhmm...a different kind of problem. Apparently, there are people who are taking the opportunity to have open air sex on beaches outside Copenhagen, and Sweden has reported the same thing. (What!?!?!?!)

Technorati Tags: Site News, Heat Wave, Europe, Global Warming, Britain, France, Spain, Denmark, Sweden

Tropical Storm Beryl: Increase In Intensity?

The 5pm NOAA Tropical Weather discussion points out that Beryl has increased wind velocity to 50 KT. What must be stated though is that some forecast models have Beryl weakening and moving to the east and hitting the Northeast coast somewhere from New Jersey or the New England coast. A tropical storm watch is being issued for the coast of Massachusetts as a result, and the potential exists that high winds and flooding could be of concern in the Northeast this weekend. It’s also thought another increase in intensity could occur since the storm will be over favorable waters at least south of Delaware but again, this is like predicting the nor’easters in the winter - it *could* happen.

TROPICAL STORM BERYL LOCAL STATEMENT
ANZ231>233-254-255-MAZ019-022>024-200130-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
TROPICAL STORM BERYL LOCAL STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
608 PM EDT WED JUL 19 2006

...A TROPICAL STORM WATCH HAS BEEN ISSUED FROM WOODS HOLE
MASSACHUSETTS TO PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS...

...AREAS AFFECTED...
THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR CAPE COD...MARTHAS VINEYARD...NANTUCKET
...AND SOUTHEAST PLYMOUTH COUNTY TO BE IMPACTED BY TROPICAL STORM
BERYL LATE THURSDAY INTO EARLY FRIDAY. THE TROPICAL STORM WATCH
EXTENDS FROM PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS TO WOODS HOLE MASSACHUSETTS.

THIS STATEMENT RECOMMENDS ACTIONS TO BE TAKEN BY PERSONS IN...
SOUTHEAST COASTAL MASSACHUSETTS. THIS STATEMENT ALSO RECOMMENDS
ACTIONS FOR BOATERS IN THE ADJACENT COASTAL WATERS.

...WATCHES/WARNINGS...
A TROPICAL STORM WATCH IS IN EFFECT FROM WOODS HOLE MASSACHUSETTS TO
PLYMOUTH MASSACHUSETTS.

TROPICAL STORM BERYL IS PROJECTED TO PASS APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES
SOUTH OF NANTUCKET AROUND DAYBREAK FRIDAY MORNING. ON THIS TRACK...
TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS IN EXCESS OF 39 MPH COULD SPREAD ACROSS
THE WATCH AREA. THE MOST LIKELY AREA TO RECEIVE TROPICAL STORM
FORCE WINDS WOULD BE OVER NANTUCKET...CLOSEST TO BERYL.

...STORM INFORMATION...
AT 5 PM EDT...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BERYL WAS LOCATED NEAR
LATITUDE 36.3 NORTH LONGITUDE 73.5 WEST...OR ABOUT 390 MILES
SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET. MOVEMENT WAS TO THE NORTH AT 8 MPH.
THE MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS HAD INCREASED TO 60 MPH. LOWEST
BAROMETRIC PRESSURE WAS 1002 MB...OR 29.59 INCHES.

THE NORTHWARD MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE OVERNIGHT WITH A
GRADUAL TURN TO THE NORTH-NORTHEAST EXPECTED ON THURSDAY.

..PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THREATS A TROPICAL STORM CAN POSE TO NEW ENGLAND
IS TO THE BOATING COMMUNITY. MARINERS ARE ADVISED TO REMAIN IN PORT
UNTIL THE TROPICAL STORM THREAT HAS PASSED. BOAT OWNERS AND MARINA
OPERATORS SHOULD BEGIN PREPARING FOR TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS. THE
PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS INCLUDE PREPARING GEAR TO BE ABLE TO TIE DOWN
VESSELS.

FOR A MORE COMPLETE LISTING OF TROPICAL STORM WATCH PREPAREDNESS
INFORMATION...PLEASE REFER TO THE PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
ISSUED BY THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON.

...WIND IMPACTS...
AT THE POINT OF CLOSEST APPROACH...WHICH WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 6 AM
FRIDAY MORNING...BERYL IS EXPECTED TO BE PACKING SUSTAINED WINDS OF
60 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 70 MPH...MAINLY EAST OF THE CENTER. TROPICAL
STORM FORCE WINDS OF APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH WITH GUSTS TO 50 MPH WOULD
BEGIN ON NANTUCKET AT APPROXIMATELY 3 AM FRIDAY.

...STORM SURGE FLOOD AND STORM TIDE IMPACTS...
AN ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDE OF 3.9 FEET OCCURS AT NANTUCKET AT 918 PM
THURSDAY NIGHT AND 2.7 FEET AT 1013 AM FRIDAY MORNING. AT THIS
TIME...STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED TO BE LIMITED TO 1 TO 2 FEET WHICH
WOULD CAUSE SOME MINOR SPLASHOVER TO OCCUR.

AN ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDE OF 10.0 FEET OCCURS AT PROVINCETOWN AT
826 PM THURSDAY NIGHT AND 8.4 FEET AT 912 AM FRIDAY MORNING.
AT THIS TIME...STORM SURGE IS EXPECTED TO BE LIMITED TO 1 TO 2 FEET
WHICH WOULD CAUSE SOME MINOR SPLASHOVER TO OCCUR.

THE SURGES THAT ACTUALLY OCCUR WILL DEPEND ON THE EVENTUAL SPEED OF
THE STORM. THE ARRIVAL TIME OF THE STORM...WHETHER IT ARRIVES AT
HIGH TIDE OR AT LOW TIDE...WILL ALSO AFFECT THESE VALUES.

...RIVER AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD IMPACTS...
TROPICAL STORM BERYL MAY PRODUCE RAINFALL OF 3 TO 6 INCHES OVER
CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS DURING THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING.
IN PLYMOUTH AND BRISTOL COUNTIES OF MASSACHUSETTS AS WELL AS RHODE
ISLAND...THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR 2 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN. AS A
RESULT...THERE IS A CHANCE FOR FLOODING.

ON CAPE COD AND THE ISLANDS...MINOR FLOODING WOULD BE INITIATED IF
3 INCHES OF RAIN WERE TO OCCUR IN ONE HOUR OR 4.5 INCHES IN 3 HOURS.
ELSEWHERE IN SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND IN RHODE ISLAND...2 TO 3
INCHES OF RAINFALL IN ONE HOUR OR 3 TO 4 INCHES OF RAIN IN 3 HOURS
WOULD INITIATE FLOODING.

AT THIS TIME...THE BEST CHANCE FOR HEAVY RAINFALL IS OVER CAPE
COD...MARTHAS VINEYARD...AND NANTUCKET.

...NEXT UPDATE...
THE NEXT TROPICAL STORM LOCAL STATEMENT WILL BE ISSUED BY THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN TAUNTON BY 9 PM.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON PREPAREDNESS MEASURES FOR BOTH COASTAL AND
INLAND RESIDENTS WILL BE CONTAINED IN PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENTS
/KBOXPNSBOX/ THAT WILL BE ISSUED THROUGHOUT THE STORM THREAT.
ADDITIONAL STORM INFORMATION CAN ALSO BE FOUND IN SHORT TERM
FORECASTS /KBOXNOWBOX/...AND IN THE TROPICAL PREDICTION CENTER
PRODUCTS.

Technorati Tags: Site News, Tropical Storms, Beryl, Massachusetts, Flooding

Tropical Storm Beryl Forms

According to NOAA’s NHC Tropical Forecast Discussion, recon and satellite imagery seem to indicate that newly named tropical storm Beryl is getting her act together. With a barometric pressure of 1007 MB, she’s now packing to wind gusts of 46 KT (about 52 MPH). This is actually slightly surprising, since some of the forecast models didn’t really predict the formation of the low which spawned the storm very well. The feeling one gets from reading the forecast discussion from 4PM today is that predicting this storm’s path is rather like the East coast winter nor’easters - everybody waits in anticipation to see how much snow they’ll get *if* they get any at all. At the moment, the storm looks to hug the NC/VA coast then shoot northeastward, taking it out of harm’s way to the rest of the coast. Tropical storm watches are posted by NOAA for the Outer Banks.

The fact that this tropical storm formed in the Atlantic might bode badly for the remainder of the hurricane season, and perhaps may make some forecasters’ predictions about a hurricane hitting the Eastern seaboard more of a reality.

11PM Update:

WTNT32 KNHC 190233
TCPAT2
BULLETIN
TROPICAL STORM BERYL ADVISORY NUMBER 3
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL AL022006
1100 PM EDT TUE JUL 18 2006

...BERYL DRIFTING NORTHWARD WITH LITTLE CHANGE IN STRENGTH....

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR THE EASTERN COAST OF
NORTH CAROLINA FROM NORTH OF CAPE LOOKOUT NORTHWARD TO SOUTH OF
CURRITUCK BEACH LIGHT.

FOR STORM INFORMATION SPECIFIC TO YOUR AREA...INCLUDING POSSIBLE
INLAND WATCHES AND WARNINGS...PLEASE MONITOR PRODUCTS ISSUED
BY YOUR LOCAL WEATHER OFFICE.

AT 1100 PM EDT...0300Z...THE CENTER OF TROPICAL STORM BERYL WAS
LOCATED NEAR LATITUDE 34.1 NORTH...LONGITUDE 73.6 WEST OR ABOUT 130
MILES...215 KM...SOUTHEAST OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA.

BERYL IS MOVING TOWARD THE NORTH NEAR 7 MPH...11 KM/HR...AND THIS
MOTION IS EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH WEDNESDAY.

MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS ARE NEAR 40 MPH...65 KM/HR...WITH HIGHER
GUSTS. SOME SLIGHT STRENGTHENING IS STILL POSSIBLE DURING THE NEXT
24 HOURS.

Technorati Tags: Site News, Tropical Storms, Beryl, Outer Banks, North Carolina, NOAA

Heat Wave This Weekend

If you live in the Northeast, no doubt you have been feeling the heat and humidity. Stepped outside this morning at 5:30, and thought that ti was much, much later in the day because it was so HOT. And raining, too. The upper Midwest should see 100 degrees this weekend and that’s without adding the humidity.

In the Pacific, Hurricane Bud and Hurricane Carlotta have formed, the latter south of Cabo San Lucas, and the former more west of the same. The most we should see from any of these could be some much needed moisture in California. BTW, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in San Bernadino County where 2 wildfires are expected to merge. July 7, NOAA issued an unscheduled seasonal drought update, particularly for the expansion of drought conditions in the Dakotas.

Technorati Tags: Site News, Hurricane, Pacific, Heat Wave, California, Wildfires, Drought

Shuttle Launch Scrubbed for Today

Fox News reporting that the launch of Discovery is scrubbed for today due to weather. Shuttle rescheduled to tomorrow afternoon at 3:26pm Eastern.

Fox News: Unofficial Delay To Weather

Fox News is reporting in their live coverage of the shuttle launch that concerns about lightening likely to delay shuttle launch, as unofficially confirmed by NASA sources....developing...