Wunderground launches new Local Climate Change section
In honor of Earth Day on Sunday, wunderground has launched a new Climate Change Center, which gives people resources to understand how the climate is changing both globally and in their local neighborhoods. I am particularly pleased with our Local Climate Change feature, which allows one to see how temperature and precipitation have changed over the past 100+ years at the nearest station with a long period of measurements. Predictions from climate models on what the next 100 years may bring are overlaid for each station. Data for most U.S. stations goes back to 1895; we have data for a few stations in Europe that extend back to the 1700s. Berlin has the longest period of record in this database, with data back to 1702.
Figure 1. Screenshot of the Local Climate Change page for Washington, DC. Measured temperatures since 1820 are shown in grey. By clicking on the "Show post-1900 trend:" box, we see that the trend since 1900 has been for an increase in temperature of 1.5°C (2.7°F) per century. Moving the thin vertical red line over the image using the mouse shows that the warmest year on record in Washington D.C. was 1991. Predictions for a future with low emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide are shown in yellow; the high emissions prediction is shown in red. Separate tabs are available to examine precipitation and snow.
Skeptical?
Also included in the new Climate Change Center is a section addressing the common skeptical arguments made against climate change. We offer three levels of explanation. The "Basic" level is the default, but one can also see more technical in-depth discussions by clicking on the "See All Explanation Levels" link. The material was developed by physicist John Cook for his excellent skepticalscience.com web site, which is widely referenced in the climate science communication community.
Video 1. I'm featured in this video on extreme weather and climate change done by veteran videographer Peter Sinclair for the Yale forum on Climate Change and the Media this month. I'm also featured in Part 1 of this series. Our new Climate Change Center has a section for climate change videos, which includes a twice-monthly feature from GreenTV detailing the world's notable wild weather events of the past two weeks.
Earth: the Operator's Manual airs Sunday night
Penn State climate scientist Dr. Richard Alley hosts parts II and III of Earth: the Operator's Manual on PBS beginning at 7pm Sunday, April 22--Earth Day. Part I of this excellent series aired in April 2011. The series gives an overview of climate change, but primarily focuses on what we can do to help slow down climate change though smart energy choices. Dr. Alley, a registered Republican, geologist, and former oil company employee, is the Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences at the Pennsylvania State University, and one of the most respected and widely published world experts on climate change. Dr. Alley has testified before Congress on climate change issues, served as lead author of "Chapter 4: Observations: Changes in Snow, Ice and Frozen Ground" for the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and is author of more than 170 peer-reviewed scientific articles on Earth's climate. He is also the author of a book I highly recommend--The Two Mile Time Machine, a superb account of Earth's climate history as deduced from the 2-mile long Greenland ice cores. Dr. Alley is an excellent and engaging speaker, and I highly recommend listening to his 45-minute keynote speech, "The Biggest Control Knob: CO2 in Earth's Climate History", given at the 2010 American Geophysical Union meeting, via this very watchable recording showing his slides as he speaks in one corner of the video. If you want to understand why scientists are so certain of the link between CO2 and Earth's climate, this is a must-see lecture.
Have a great weekend, everyone, and I'll be back Monday with a new post. I'd like to thank Wunderground meteorologist, Angela Fritz for spearheading the creating the new Climate Change Center; it's a product I'll be referring to frequently in the future, and one we'll be updating in the coming months with data on local sea level rise, fire risk, and drought.
Jeff Masters
Reader Comments
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Would be cool...
LOL, I remember that.
We did too, but we were too polite to tell you. You've come a long way TA!!!
You would laugh a million times harder if you looked at some of the comments made shortly after Don became a TS... People were calling for it to become a major hurricane, no joke!
It is.
How much rain did you get?
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MELBOURNE FL
637 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
AMZ550-552-555-570-572-575-FLZ041-044>047-053-054 -058-059-064-141-
144-147-220100-
COASTAL VOLUSIA-FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA-
BREVARD COUNTY LINE 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-FLAGLER BEACH TO VOLUSIA-
BREVARD COUNTY LINE OUT TO 20 NM-INDIAN RIVER-INLAND VOLUSIA-MARTIN-
NORTHERN BREVARD-NORTHERN LAKE-OKEECHOBEE-ORANGE-OSCEOLA-
SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
SEBASTIAN INLET TO JUPITER INLET OUT TO 20 NM-SEMINOLE-
SOUTHERN BREVARD-SOUTHERN LAKE-ST. LUCIE-VOLUSIA-
BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET 20 NM TO 60 NM OFFSHORE-
VOLUSIA-BREVARD COUNTY LINE TO SEBASTIAN INLET OUT TO 20 NM-
637 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
.NOW...
SHOWERS AND A FEW STORMS MOVING ACROSS EAST CENTRAL FLORIDA WILL PUSH
OFFSHORE BY AROUND SUNSET. WHILE AN ISOLATED STRONGER STORM CANNOT BE
RULED OUT...THE HIGHER CHANCE FOR STRONG TO SEVERE STORMS WILL BE
DURING THE OVERNIGHT HOURS.
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A WAY TO RECEIVE OVERNIGHT SEVERE WEATHER
WARNINGS BEFORE YOU GO TO BED TONIGHT...IN CASE ANY WARNINGS ARE
ISSUED FOR YOUR AREA WHILE YOU SLEEP.
&&
ADDITIONAL DETAILS...INCLUDING GRAPHICS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT:
HTTP://WWW.SRH.NOAA.GOV/MLB/BLOG.PHP
$$
52
Link
You have a weather radio, right? If not shame on you.
About 3 inches, but my rain gauge is in the pool so it isn't reliable.
Maybe I get some snow with this!!! What a strong and cold low for this time of year!
Good to hear that you were rationed some rain. It was about time.
Vertical Wind Shear
Here is the estimated snow event:
Looks like low instability and average to above average shear
For solely the tropical Atlantic. Vertical instability and Wind shear in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean is well above average.
Yeah, the shear was much higher a couple weeks ago, but the shear is now basically at average
Wouldn't be surprised if the Slight risk was dropped later.
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE JACKSONVILLE FL
638 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
FLC019-031-109-220000-
/O.NEW.KJAX.FA.Y.0005.120421T2238Z-120422T0000Z/
/00000.N.ER.000000T0000Z.000000T0000Z.000000T0000 Z.OO/
CLAY FL-ST. JOHNS FL-DUVAL FL-
638 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN JACKSONVILLE HAS ISSUED AN
* URBAN AND SMALL STREAM FLOOD ADVISORY FOR MINOR FLOODING OF POOR
DRAINAGE AREAS IN...
NORTHEASTERN CLAY COUNTY IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...ORANGE PARK...LAKESIDE...
WESTERN DUVAL COUNTY IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITIES OF...MANDARIN...DOWNTOWN JACKSONVILLE...
ARLINGTON...
NORTHWESTERN ST. JOHNS COUNTY IN NORTHEAST FLORIDA...
THIS INCLUDES THE CITY OF FRUIT COVE...
* UNTIL 800 PM EDT
* AT 636 PM EDT WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED HEAVY RAIN
OF 1 TO 2 INCHES PER HOUR OVER WESTERN PORTIONS OF DUVAL COUNTY AND
NORTHERN CLAY COUNTY. ADDITIONAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS OF 1 TO 2 INCHES
ARE POSSIBLE ARE POSSIBLE IN THE ADVISORY AREA.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE INTO AREAS WHERE THE WATER COVERS THE
ROADWAY. THE WATER DEPTH MAY BE TOO GREAT TO ALLOW YOUR CAR TO CROSS
SAFELY. MOVE TO HIGHER GROUND. REMEMBER...TURN AROUND DONT DROWN.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...COMMERCIAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR CABLE TELEVISION FOR ANY UPDATES OR FLOOD WARNINGS. FOR
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
JACKSONVILLE WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET AT WEATHER.GOV/JAX.
&&
LAT...LON 3032 8198 3038 8192 3045 8162 3027 8158
2994 8152 2996 8184
$$
SHASHY
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
715 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH BEEN REPLACE WITH A COASTAL FLOOD STATEMENT...
...HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS FOR THE GULF BEACHES THROUGH MONDAY MORNING...
FLZ069-221200-
/O.CAN.KMFL.CF.A.0001.000000T0000Z-120422T2100Z/
/O.NEW.KMFL.CF.S.0001.120421T2315Z-120422T2100Z/
/O.CON.KMFL.RP.S.0015.000000T0000Z-120423T1500Z/
COASTAL COLLIER-
715 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH MONDAY
MORNING...
...COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS CANCELLED...
* COASTAL FLOODING...LOW PRESSURE DEVELOPING ACROSS THE NORTH
CENTRAL GULF IS EXPECTED TO MOVE ACROSS CENTRAL FLORIDA TONIGHT.
AHEAD OF THE LOW PRESSURE...WATER LEVELS MAY REACH 1 TO 2 FEET
ABOVE REGULAR HIGH TIDE ALONG THE COLLIER COUNTY COASTLINE.
* TIMING...THE GREATEST THREAT OF COASTAL FLOODING WILL BE AT
TIMES OF HIGH TIDE WHICH IS BETWEEN 2 AND 4 AM SUNDAY MORNING.
IN ADDITION... WEST TO SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 20 TO 25
MPH THROUGH SUNDAY NIGHT...WHICH WILL LEAD TO DANGEROUS RIP
CURRENTS ALONG THE GULF COAST BEACHES.
* IMPACTS...BEACH EROSION AND MINOR COASTAL FLOODING OF STRUCTURES
ALONG THE BEACH FRONT ARE POSSIBLE...ESPECIALLY AT TIME OF HIGH
TIDE. IN ADDITION...STRONG RIP CURRENTS CAN BE LIFE THREATENING
TO ANYONE ENTERING THE WATER. SWIMMING IS NOT ADVISED THROUGH
THIS PERIOD.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS.
RIP CURRENTS ARE POWERFUL CHANNELS OF WATER FLOWING QUICKLY AWAY
FROM SHORE...WHICH OCCUR MOST OFTEN AT LOW SPOTS OR BREAKS IN THE
SANDBAR AND IN THE VICINITY OF STRUCTURES SUCH AS JETTIES AND
PIERS. HEED THE ADVICE OF LIFEGUARDS AND THE BEACH PATROL. PAY
ATTENTION TO FLAGS AND POSTED SIGNS.
IF YOU BECOME CAUGHT IN A RIP CURRENT...DO NOT PANIC. REMAIN
CALM AND BEGIN TO SWIM PARALLEL TO SHORE. ONCE YOU ARE AWAY FROM
THE FORCE OF THE RIP CURRENT...BEGIN TO SWIM BACK TO THE BEACH.
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO SWIM DIRECTLY AGAINST A RIP CURRENT. EVEN A
STRONG SWIMMER CAN BECOME EXHAUSTED QUICKLY.
&&
$$
BAXTER
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL
725 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
AMZ610-630-FLZ063-066>075-168-172>174-221030-
LAKE OKEECHOBEE-BISCAYNE BAY-GLADES-HENDRY-INLAND PALM BEACH-
METRO PALM BEACH-COASTAL COLLIER-INLAND COLLIER-INLAND BROWARD-
METRO BROWARD-INLAND MIAMI DADE-METRO MIAMI DADE-MAINLAND MONROE-
COASTAL PALM BEACH-COASTAL BROWARD-COASTAL MIAMI DADE-
FAR SOUTH MIAMI DADE-
725 PM EDT SAT APR 21 2012
...SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THROUGH EARLY SUNDAY MORNING..
...SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT ALL LOCAL WATERS...
THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTH FLORIDA.
.DAY ONE...TONIGHT
THUNDERSTORMS: THERE IS STILL A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
ACROSS SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. SHOULD THUNDERSTORMS
DEVELOP, THE MAIN IMPACTS WOULD BE FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING
STRIKES AND DAMAGING WIND GUSTS. AN ISOLATED TORNADO AND SMALL HAIL
CANNOT BE RULED OUT AS WELL.
TORNADOES: THERE IS AN OUTSIDE RISK OF AN ISOLATED TORNADO DEVELOPING.
WATERSPOUTS: THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK OF WATERSPOUTS ACROSS THE WATERS
THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.
WIND: DAMAGING WIND GUSTS OF 60 TO 70 MPH WILL BE POSSIBLE SHOULD
THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOP. SUSTAINED SOUTHWEST WINDS WILL INCREASE TO
NEAR 25 KNOTS ACROSS THE LOCAL WATERS OVERNIGHT. A SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY
IS IN EFFECT FOR ALL LOCAL WATERS.
HAIL: SMALL HAIL IS POSSIBLE IN ANY THUNDERSTORMS TONIGHT.
RIP CURRENTS: STRONG ONSHORE FLOW WILL RESULT IN A HIGH RISK OF
RIP CURRENTS AT THE GULF BEACHES. SOUTH SOUTHEASTERLY FLOW WILL
ALSO RESULT IN A MODERATE RISK OF RIP CURRENTS AT THE ATLANTIC
BEACHES THROUGH THIS EVENING.
FLOODING: THERE IS A LOW RISK FOR MINOR URBAN TYPE FLOODING TONIGHT
AS ANY SHOWERS OR THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE FAST MOVING.
WAVES: SEAS WILL BUILD TO 7 TO 8 FEET IN THE GULF STREAM AND OFFSHORE
GULF WATERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY
STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS ARE POSSIBLE EARLY SUNDAY MORNING
BEFORE CONDITIONS RAPIDLY IMPROVE.
HAZARDOUS MARINE CONDITIONS WILL CONTINUE SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY
MORNING, ESPECIALLY ACROSS THE OFFSHORE GULF WATERS AND IN THE
GULF STREAM.
WATER LEVELS MAY REACH BETWEEN 1 AND 2 FEET ABOVE REGULAR HIGH TIDE
ALONG THE GULF COAST. HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT FLOODING IS NOT EXPECTED.
A HIGH RISK OF RIP CURRENTS WILL CONTINUE THROUGH MONDAY MORNING
FOR THE GULF COAST BEACHES BEHIND A STRONG COLD FRONT.
.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...
SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS MIDNIGHT AND
THEREAFTER. PLEASE REPORT ANY SEVERE WEATHER OR FLOODING TO THE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORECAST OFFICE IN MIAMI.
FOR MORE INFORMATION...VISIT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN
MIAMI WEBSITE AT WWW.WEATHER.GOV/MIAMI.
$$
GREGORIA
Random numbers, please stay on topic, with all the inclement weather happening.
Looks like the line of convection is finally materializing, although I doubt it will get too severe mainly because the environment is in is still pretty stable and air aloft is quite dry even though low level moisture is high. If that line of convection can get a low level jet to start pumping into it, watch out because then it would moisten the atmosphere from the lower atmosphere up.
I
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