Monday, June 30, 2008
Long Beach at sea over breakwater removal plan...
FROM: Los Angeles Times
By Deborah Schoch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 30, 2008
Long Beach has been preening its oceanfront image for more than a decade by pouring money and support into a wealth of new projects on its shores: a $117-million aquarium, gleaming Miami Beach-style condominium towers, a waterfront shopping center with sea-themed eateries, such as Gladstone's and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.What's missing amid all this sea fever, some say, is a Southern California style seashore.
One of the world's largest breakwaters stands between Long Beach and the Pacific Ocean, reducing mighty waves to mere lake-like lapping along the city's beaches. Without surf to cleanse them, those beaches were recently graded among the dirtiest in the state.
Surfers, environmentalists and some residents believe that restoring the surf would improve coastal water quality and draw visitors to the shoreline. They want officials to consider altering or removing the 2.2-mile eastern portion of the 8.4-mile San Pedro Bay breakwater -- the portion that sits offshore from the city's downtown, Bluff Park, Belmont Shore and Naples.
MORE-->>
By Deborah Schoch, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 30, 2008
Long Beach has been preening its oceanfront image for more than a decade by pouring money and support into a wealth of new projects on its shores: a $117-million aquarium, gleaming Miami Beach-style condominium towers, a waterfront shopping center with sea-themed eateries, such as Gladstone's and Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.What's missing amid all this sea fever, some say, is a Southern California style seashore.
One of the world's largest breakwaters stands between Long Beach and the Pacific Ocean, reducing mighty waves to mere lake-like lapping along the city's beaches. Without surf to cleanse them, those beaches were recently graded among the dirtiest in the state.
Surfers, environmentalists and some residents believe that restoring the surf would improve coastal water quality and draw visitors to the shoreline. They want officials to consider altering or removing the 2.2-mile eastern portion of the 8.4-mile San Pedro Bay breakwater -- the portion that sits offshore from the city's downtown, Bluff Park, Belmont Shore and Naples.
MORE-->>
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Where have Echo Park's lotuses gone?
FROM: LOS ANGELES TIMES
The Day of the Lotus might as well be called the Day of the Dead. Echo Park's famous lotus beds are nothing more than a scattering of a few sickly, brownish pads floating in foul-smelling water, a scene that in two weeks will greet about 150,000 visitors who are expected to attend the 2008 Lotus Festival.
Gone are the hundreds of pink- and cream-colored flowers atop a lush green expanse of umbrella-like leaves that were once described as the largest lotus beds in the nation.
The count as of Saturday: 12 tattered leaves.
Residents and some park managers who had hoped the plants would rebound from two weak years conceded that the lotuses -- with their perfectly sculpted blooms that have long been an icon of summer in urban Los Angeles -- are probably dead. MORE-->>
The Day of the Lotus might as well be called the Day of the Dead. Echo Park's famous lotus beds are nothing more than a scattering of a few sickly, brownish pads floating in foul-smelling water, a scene that in two weeks will greet about 150,000 visitors who are expected to attend the 2008 Lotus Festival.
Gone are the hundreds of pink- and cream-colored flowers atop a lush green expanse of umbrella-like leaves that were once described as the largest lotus beds in the nation.
The count as of Saturday: 12 tattered leaves.
Residents and some park managers who had hoped the plants would rebound from two weak years conceded that the lotuses -- with their perfectly sculpted blooms that have long been an icon of summer in urban Los Angeles -- are probably dead. MORE-->>
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Twin systems in the east pac.
Tropical Storms Boris and Cristina are tracking westward across the eastern Pacific Saturday.
These system will have no impact on land and will begin weaken during the next 24 to 36 hours as they move into cooler waters.
Friday, June 27, 2008
Weekly Drought Monitor: June 24th, 2008
Current Status:
Moderately dry conditions except abnormally dry over Santa Barbara
Moderately dry conditions except abnormally dry over Santa Barbara
and Ventura counties.
Outlook through next week:
No precipitation expected
No precipitation expected
Thursday, June 26, 2008
California acts to fight global warming...
FROM: CALIFORNIA ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
SACRAMENTO-The California Air Resources Board charted a course today to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next 12 years.
The measures and policies in the Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan set California on a trajectory toward a clean-energy future. The recommended reduction measures will continue to drive innovation, improve the environment and enhance public health, support the growth of the cleantech sector and create thousands of new jobs.
"With the release of this draft scoping plan, California is once again blazing a trail to lead other states and the nation to address climate change," said Mary Nichols, Chairman of the Air Resources Board. "Our economy and our society face no greater threat than global warming.
This draft plan is the roadmap to move us quickly to a cleaner, more sustainable future, energy independence and a healthier environment. This plan fulfills the Governor's determination to act now, and it is based on the conviction that Californians will rise to the challenge and develop creative solutions to improve our environment and grow our economy."
Development of the Scoping Plan is a central requirement of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Nuñez, Pavley), that calls on California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in September 2006. Release of the draft plan will be followed by further evaluation and economic modeling, and workshops are planned throughout the state to present the details to the general public allow ARB to hear public comments.
The comprehensive approach includes both new and existing measures in every sector of California's economy. It is designed with strong elements of enforcement and developed to ensure that emissions - and all reductions --are accurately tracked.
Central to the draft plan is a cap and trade program covering 85 percent of the state's emissions. This program will be developed in conjunction with the Western Climate Initiative, comprised of seven states and three Canadian provinces, to create a regional carbon market.
The draft plan also proposes that utilities produce a third of their energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal, and proposes to expand and strengthen existing energy efficiency programs and building and appliance standards that have already saved Californians more than $50 billion over the past 30 years in reduced costs for energy.
The draft plan calls for full implementation of the California Clean Car law (the Pavley standards) to provide a wide range of less polluting and more efficient cars and trucks to consumers who will save on operating costs through reduced fuel use. It also calls for development and implementation of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard which will require oil companies to make cleaner domestically produced fuels.
The draft plan encourages improvements to the ways we grow and build our communities to make more livable, walkable cities, and shorten commutes.
Several additional initiatives and measures play important roles in reaching the required reductions under AB 32. These include:
full deployment of the Governor's Million Solar Roofs initiative;
a high-speed rail;
water-related energy efficiency measures; and
a range of regulations to reduce emissions from trucks and from ships docked in California ports.
Under the plan the State of California is committing to reducing its own carbon footprint by 30 percent. It also calls on Californians to make changes to their personal behavior to reduce their carbon footprint through carpooling and simple actions such as adjusting thermostats to use less energy for heating and cooling. ARB invites public comment on the draft plan. Once the final draft is prepared, it will go to the Board for consideration in November. After adoption of the plan, all measures in the plan will be thoroughly vetted and analyzed, with full public input, over the next two years as they move through the regulatory process.Preliminary economic modeling of the plan indicates that the overall savings from improved efficiency and the development of alternatives to petroleum will on the whole outweigh the costs. The draft plan recommends targeted fees to fund the state's long-term commitment to AB 32 administration.The draft plan can be viewed at: www.arb.ca.gov
SACRAMENTO-The California Air Resources Board charted a course today to reduce California's greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent over the next 12 years.
The measures and policies in the Climate Change Draft Scoping Plan set California on a trajectory toward a clean-energy future. The recommended reduction measures will continue to drive innovation, improve the environment and enhance public health, support the growth of the cleantech sector and create thousands of new jobs.
"With the release of this draft scoping plan, California is once again blazing a trail to lead other states and the nation to address climate change," said Mary Nichols, Chairman of the Air Resources Board. "Our economy and our society face no greater threat than global warming.
This draft plan is the roadmap to move us quickly to a cleaner, more sustainable future, energy independence and a healthier environment. This plan fulfills the Governor's determination to act now, and it is based on the conviction that Californians will rise to the challenge and develop creative solutions to improve our environment and grow our economy."
Development of the Scoping Plan is a central requirement of AB 32, the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Nuñez, Pavley), that calls on California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Governor Schwarzenegger signed the bill into law in September 2006. Release of the draft plan will be followed by further evaluation and economic modeling, and workshops are planned throughout the state to present the details to the general public allow ARB to hear public comments.
The comprehensive approach includes both new and existing measures in every sector of California's economy. It is designed with strong elements of enforcement and developed to ensure that emissions - and all reductions --are accurately tracked.
Central to the draft plan is a cap and trade program covering 85 percent of the state's emissions. This program will be developed in conjunction with the Western Climate Initiative, comprised of seven states and three Canadian provinces, to create a regional carbon market.
The draft plan also proposes that utilities produce a third of their energy from renewable sources such as wind, solar and geothermal, and proposes to expand and strengthen existing energy efficiency programs and building and appliance standards that have already saved Californians more than $50 billion over the past 30 years in reduced costs for energy.
The draft plan calls for full implementation of the California Clean Car law (the Pavley standards) to provide a wide range of less polluting and more efficient cars and trucks to consumers who will save on operating costs through reduced fuel use. It also calls for development and implementation of the Low Carbon Fuel Standard which will require oil companies to make cleaner domestically produced fuels.
The draft plan encourages improvements to the ways we grow and build our communities to make more livable, walkable cities, and shorten commutes.
Several additional initiatives and measures play important roles in reaching the required reductions under AB 32. These include:
full deployment of the Governor's Million Solar Roofs initiative;
a high-speed rail;
water-related energy efficiency measures; and
a range of regulations to reduce emissions from trucks and from ships docked in California ports.
Under the plan the State of California is committing to reducing its own carbon footprint by 30 percent. It also calls on Californians to make changes to their personal behavior to reduce their carbon footprint through carpooling and simple actions such as adjusting thermostats to use less energy for heating and cooling. ARB invites public comment on the draft plan. Once the final draft is prepared, it will go to the Board for consideration in November. After adoption of the plan, all measures in the plan will be thoroughly vetted and analyzed, with full public input, over the next two years as they move through the regulatory process.Preliminary economic modeling of the plan indicates that the overall savings from improved efficiency and the development of alternatives to petroleum will on the whole outweigh the costs. The draft plan recommends targeted fees to fund the state's long-term commitment to AB 32 administration.The draft plan can be viewed at: www.arb.ca.gov
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Lightning Safety Awareness Week: June 22-28, 2008 (Part III)
FROM: NOAA/NWS
Lightning Science...
Science investigates the known, the unknown, and unknowable. Detailed technical examinations may never provide all the answers about lightning, but modern investigation techniques are busy providing new information. Lightning research is divided into various disciplines, some of which are:
* Atmospheric Physics and Electrostatics
* Electrical Engineering
* Climatology, including thunderstorm morphology and dynamics
* Meteorology and other sub-sectors
How Powerful is Lightning?
Each spark of lightning can reach over five miles in length, soar to temperatures of approximately 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain 100 million electrical volts.
Lightning Is A Random, Chaotic And Dangerous Fact Of Nature:
At any given moment, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress somewhere on the earth. This amounts to 16 million storms each year! Scientists that study lightning have a better understanding today of the process that produces lightning, but there is still more to learn about the role of solar flares on the upper atmosphere, the earth's electromagnetic field, and ice in storms. We know the cloud conditions needed to produce lightning, but cannot forecast the location or time of the next stroke of lightning. There are lightning detection systems in the United States and they monitor an average of 25 million flashes of lightning from the cloud to ground every year!
Lightning has been seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, heavy snowstorms, and in large hurricanes, however, it is most often seen in thunderstorms. A thunderstorm forms in air that has three components: moisture, instability and something such as a cold front to cause the air to rise. Continued rising motions within the storm may build the cloud to a height of 35,000 to 60,000 feet (6 to 10 miles) above sea level. Temperatures higher in the atmosphere are colder; ice forms in the higher parts of the cloud.
Ice In The Cloud Is Critical To The Lightning Process:
Ice in a cloud seems to be a key element in the development of lightning. Storms that fail to produce quantities of ice may also fail to produce lightning. In a storm, the ice particles vary in size from small ice crystals to larger hailstones, but in the rising and sinking motions within the storm there are a lot of collisions between the particles. This causes a separation of electrical charges. Positively charged ice crystals rise to the top of the thunderstorm, and negatively charged ice particles and hailstones drop to the middle and lower parts of the storm. Enormous charge differences (electrical differential) develops.
How Lightning Develops Between The Cloud And The Ground:
A moving thunderstorm gathers another pool of positively charged particles along the ground that travel with the storm. As the differences in charges continue to increase, positively charged particles rise up taller objects such as trees, houses, and telephone poles. Have you ever been under a storm and had your hair stand up? Yes, the particles also can move up you! This is one of nature's warning signs that says you are in the wrong place, and you may be a lightning target!
The negatively charged area in the storm will send out a charge toward the ground called a stepped leader. It is invisible to the human eye, and moves in steps in less than a second toward the ground. When it gets close to the ground, it is attracted by all these positively charged objects, and a channel develops. You see the electrical transfer in this channel as lightning. There may be several return strokes of electricity within the established channel that you will see as flickering lightning.
Thunder:
The lightning channel heats rapidly to 50,000 degrees. The rapid expansion of heated air causes the thunder. Since light travels faster than sound in the atmosphere, the sound will be heard after the lightning. If you see lightning and hear thunder at the same time, that lightning is in your neighborhood!
Negative Lightning And Positive Lightning:
Not all lightning forms in the negatively charged area low in the thunderstorm cloud. Some lightning originates in the cirrus anvil at the top of the thunderstorm. This area carries a large positive charge. Lightning from this area is called positive lightning. This type is particularly dangerous for several reasons. It frequently strikes away from the rain core, either ahead or behind the thunderstorm. It can strike as far as 5 or 10 miles from the storm, in areas that most people do not consider to be a lightning risk area. The other problem with positive lightning is it typically has a longer duration, so fires are more easily ignited. Positive lightning usually carries a high peak electrical current, which increases the lightning risk to an individual.
Lightning Science...
Science investigates the known, the unknown, and unknowable. Detailed technical examinations may never provide all the answers about lightning, but modern investigation techniques are busy providing new information. Lightning research is divided into various disciplines, some of which are:
* Atmospheric Physics and Electrostatics
* Electrical Engineering
* Climatology, including thunderstorm morphology and dynamics
* Meteorology and other sub-sectors
How Powerful is Lightning?
Each spark of lightning can reach over five miles in length, soar to temperatures of approximately 50,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and contain 100 million electrical volts.
Lightning Is A Random, Chaotic And Dangerous Fact Of Nature:
At any given moment, there are 1,800 thunderstorms in progress somewhere on the earth. This amounts to 16 million storms each year! Scientists that study lightning have a better understanding today of the process that produces lightning, but there is still more to learn about the role of solar flares on the upper atmosphere, the earth's electromagnetic field, and ice in storms. We know the cloud conditions needed to produce lightning, but cannot forecast the location or time of the next stroke of lightning. There are lightning detection systems in the United States and they monitor an average of 25 million flashes of lightning from the cloud to ground every year!
Lightning has been seen in volcanic eruptions, extremely intense forest fires, surface nuclear detonations, heavy snowstorms, and in large hurricanes, however, it is most often seen in thunderstorms. A thunderstorm forms in air that has three components: moisture, instability and something such as a cold front to cause the air to rise. Continued rising motions within the storm may build the cloud to a height of 35,000 to 60,000 feet (6 to 10 miles) above sea level. Temperatures higher in the atmosphere are colder; ice forms in the higher parts of the cloud.
Ice In The Cloud Is Critical To The Lightning Process:
Ice in a cloud seems to be a key element in the development of lightning. Storms that fail to produce quantities of ice may also fail to produce lightning. In a storm, the ice particles vary in size from small ice crystals to larger hailstones, but in the rising and sinking motions within the storm there are a lot of collisions between the particles. This causes a separation of electrical charges. Positively charged ice crystals rise to the top of the thunderstorm, and negatively charged ice particles and hailstones drop to the middle and lower parts of the storm. Enormous charge differences (electrical differential) develops.
How Lightning Develops Between The Cloud And The Ground:
A moving thunderstorm gathers another pool of positively charged particles along the ground that travel with the storm. As the differences in charges continue to increase, positively charged particles rise up taller objects such as trees, houses, and telephone poles. Have you ever been under a storm and had your hair stand up? Yes, the particles also can move up you! This is one of nature's warning signs that says you are in the wrong place, and you may be a lightning target!
The negatively charged area in the storm will send out a charge toward the ground called a stepped leader. It is invisible to the human eye, and moves in steps in less than a second toward the ground. When it gets close to the ground, it is attracted by all these positively charged objects, and a channel develops. You see the electrical transfer in this channel as lightning. There may be several return strokes of electricity within the established channel that you will see as flickering lightning.
Thunder:
The lightning channel heats rapidly to 50,000 degrees. The rapid expansion of heated air causes the thunder. Since light travels faster than sound in the atmosphere, the sound will be heard after the lightning. If you see lightning and hear thunder at the same time, that lightning is in your neighborhood!
Negative Lightning And Positive Lightning:
Not all lightning forms in the negatively charged area low in the thunderstorm cloud. Some lightning originates in the cirrus anvil at the top of the thunderstorm. This area carries a large positive charge. Lightning from this area is called positive lightning. This type is particularly dangerous for several reasons. It frequently strikes away from the rain core, either ahead or behind the thunderstorm. It can strike as far as 5 or 10 miles from the storm, in areas that most people do not consider to be a lightning risk area. The other problem with positive lightning is it typically has a longer duration, so fires are more easily ignited. Positive lightning usually carries a high peak electrical current, which increases the lightning risk to an individual.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Lightning Safety Awareness Week: June 22-28, 2008 (Part II)
FROM: WEATHER CHANNEL
Lightning Facts:
* The temperature of the lightning channel can reach five times the temperature of the surface of the sun for a split second!
* The United States gets hit by about 30 million lighting strokes per year!
* There is about a 10% chance that lightning will strike within 100 yards of you during a year!
Lightning Myths:
* Rubber tires on cars and bicycles. It's not the rubber, it's the metal of the car that protects you. Bicycles and motorcycles are totally unsafe.
* Tennis shoes. Offer virtually no protection as insulation for lightning coming at you from above or passing toward you through the ground.
* Rain. Lightning can strike you even if it isn't raining.
* Trees. Being under a tree is one of the worst places to be. Lightning may strike the tree and carry down its trunk -- shocking you by "flashing over" from the trunk or going down into the roots and soil and into your feet.
Lightning Facts:
* The temperature of the lightning channel can reach five times the temperature of the surface of the sun for a split second!
* The United States gets hit by about 30 million lighting strokes per year!
* There is about a 10% chance that lightning will strike within 100 yards of you during a year!
Lightning Myths:
* Rubber tires on cars and bicycles. It's not the rubber, it's the metal of the car that protects you. Bicycles and motorcycles are totally unsafe.
* Tennis shoes. Offer virtually no protection as insulation for lightning coming at you from above or passing toward you through the ground.
* Rain. Lightning can strike you even if it isn't raining.
* Trees. Being under a tree is one of the worst places to be. Lightning may strike the tree and carry down its trunk -- shocking you by "flashing over" from the trunk or going down into the roots and soil and into your feet.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Lightning Safety Awareness Week: June 22-28, 2008
FROM: NOAA/NWS
This week marks national Lightning Safety Awareness Week, and NOAA wants you to know how to keep yourself safe during thunderstorms. If you hear thunder, you are within striking distance of the storm. NOAA’s safety motto, “when thunder roars go indoors,” should be heeded at all times.
“One of the most common mistakes people and animals make is they huddle under trees and other structures to stay dry during thunderstorms. This can be a deadly mistake,” said NOAA lightning safety expert John Jensenius. “Lightning can strike from a storm that is as far away as 10 miles, so if you hear thunder, you need to get inside a building or car immediately.”
Lightning Safety Tips
The only way to be safe during lightning is to be inside a substantial building or car. A building is safe if it is fully enclosed with a roof, walls, and floor, and contains wiring and plumbing throughout. Picnic shelters, dugouts, sheds and other partially open or small structures are not safe. Substantial buildings are safe because the electrical current from the lightning strike will typically travel through the wiring and/or plumbing into the ground.
While Indoors
Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.
Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.
Avoid contact with corded phones
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Wait 30 minutes after you hear the last rumble of thunder before going out again.
If you cannot get into a house, substantial building, or car, the following tips could help you lower your risk of getting struck by lightning. However, there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm. NOAA encourages people to get a NOAA Weather Radio (available at local electronics stores) so you can monitor the weather. Do not plan outdoor activities that are far away from a building or car on days when thunderstorms are forecast.
While Outdoors
Do not seek shelter under tall or isolated trees. Lightning typically strikes the tallest object in an area.
Avoid open areas. You don’t want to be the tallest object.
Do not seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
If you are camping, be ready to seek safe shelter in a vehicle or substantial building if a thunderstorm threatens. A tent offers no protection from lighting.
Stay away from metal fences and poles that could conduct lightning to you.
If you are on a boat, return to shore immediately and seek safe shelter.
This week marks national Lightning Safety Awareness Week, and NOAA wants you to know how to keep yourself safe during thunderstorms. If you hear thunder, you are within striking distance of the storm. NOAA’s safety motto, “when thunder roars go indoors,” should be heeded at all times.
“One of the most common mistakes people and animals make is they huddle under trees and other structures to stay dry during thunderstorms. This can be a deadly mistake,” said NOAA lightning safety expert John Jensenius. “Lightning can strike from a storm that is as far away as 10 miles, so if you hear thunder, you need to get inside a building or car immediately.”
Lightning Safety Tips
The only way to be safe during lightning is to be inside a substantial building or car. A building is safe if it is fully enclosed with a roof, walls, and floor, and contains wiring and plumbing throughout. Picnic shelters, dugouts, sheds and other partially open or small structures are not safe. Substantial buildings are safe because the electrical current from the lightning strike will typically travel through the wiring and/or plumbing into the ground.
While Indoors
Avoid contact with electrical equipment or cords. If you plan to unplug any electronic equipment, do so well before the storm arrives.
Avoid contact with plumbing. Do not wash your hands, do not take a shower, do not wash dishes, and do not do laundry.
Avoid contact with corded phones
Stay away from windows and doors, and stay off porches.
Wait 30 minutes after you hear the last rumble of thunder before going out again.
If you cannot get into a house, substantial building, or car, the following tips could help you lower your risk of getting struck by lightning. However, there is no safe place outdoors during a thunderstorm. NOAA encourages people to get a NOAA Weather Radio (available at local electronics stores) so you can monitor the weather. Do not plan outdoor activities that are far away from a building or car on days when thunderstorms are forecast.
While Outdoors
Do not seek shelter under tall or isolated trees. Lightning typically strikes the tallest object in an area.
Avoid open areas. You don’t want to be the tallest object.
Do not seek shelter under partially enclosed buildings
If you are camping, be ready to seek safe shelter in a vehicle or substantial building if a thunderstorm threatens. A tent offers no protection from lighting.
Stay away from metal fences and poles that could conduct lightning to you.
If you are on a boat, return to shore immediately and seek safe shelter.
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Latest Drought Monitor (June 17th, 2008)
Current drought status:
Moderate to abnormally dry conditions continue over southern California.
Moderate to abnormally dry conditions continue over southern California.
Short term outlook:
Dry conditions to continue.
Dry conditions to continue.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Some relief from the heat on the way!
High pressure that has been responsible for the hot temperatures in southern California the past several days will give way to a developing trough of low pressure by Monday.
A swallow marine layer will produce areas of night and morning low clouds and fog early in the week along the coastal plain...extending further inland as the week progresses.
Temperatures will likely return to June normals early in the week!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Extreme weather to become more common...
FROM: NOAA/NWS
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research today released a scientific assessment that provides the first comprehensive analysis of observed and projected changes in weather and climate extremes in North America and U.S. territories. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously evaluated extreme weather and climate events on a global basis in this same context. However, there has not been a specific assessment across North America prior to this report.
Among the major findings reported in this assessment are that droughts, heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become more commonplace as humans continue to increase the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extent of weather and climate extremes.
"This report addresses one of the most frequently asked questions about global warming: what will happen to weather and climate extremes? This synthesis and assessment product examines this question across North America and concludes that we are now witnessing and will increasingly experience more extreme weather and climate events," said report co-chair Tom Karl, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
"We will continue to see some of the biggest impacts of global warming coming from changes in weather and climate extremes,” said report co-chair Gerry Meehl, Ph.D., of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "This report focuses for the first time on changes of extremes specifically over North America."
The full CCSP 3.3 report, Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate, and a summary FAQ brochure are available online.
Global warming of the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced increases in heat-trapping gases, according to the report. Many types of extreme weather and climate event changes have been observed during this time period and continued changes are projected for this century. Specific future projections include:
* Abnormally hot days and nights, along with heat waves, are very likely to become more common. Cold nights are very likely to become less common.
* Sea ice extent is expected to continue to decrease and may even disappear in the Arctic Ocean in summer in coming decades.
* Precipitation, on average, is likely to be less frequent but more intense.
* Droughts are likely to become more frequent and severe in some regions.
* Hurricanes will likely have increased precipitation and wind.
*The strongest cold-season storms in the Atlantic and Pacific are likely to produce stronger winds and higher extreme wave heights.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources.
NOAA plays a key role in the Climate Change Science Program, which is responsible for coordinating and integrating climate research, observations, decision support, and communications of 13 federal departments and agencies.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research investigates climate, weather, and other topics related to the atmosphere. It is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and managed by a nonprofit consortium of universities, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
The U.S. Climate Change Science Program and the Subcommittee on Global Change Research today released a scientific assessment that provides the first comprehensive analysis of observed and projected changes in weather and climate extremes in North America and U.S. territories. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change previously evaluated extreme weather and climate events on a global basis in this same context. However, there has not been a specific assessment across North America prior to this report.
Among the major findings reported in this assessment are that droughts, heavy downpours, excessive heat, and intense hurricanes are likely to become more commonplace as humans continue to increase the atmospheric concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases.
The report is based on scientific evidence that a warming world will be accompanied by changes in the intensity, duration, frequency, and geographic extent of weather and climate extremes.
"This report addresses one of the most frequently asked questions about global warming: what will happen to weather and climate extremes? This synthesis and assessment product examines this question across North America and concludes that we are now witnessing and will increasingly experience more extreme weather and climate events," said report co-chair Tom Karl, Ph.D., director of NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
"We will continue to see some of the biggest impacts of global warming coming from changes in weather and climate extremes,” said report co-chair Gerry Meehl, Ph.D., of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colo. "This report focuses for the first time on changes of extremes specifically over North America."
The full CCSP 3.3 report, Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate, and a summary FAQ brochure are available online.
Global warming of the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced increases in heat-trapping gases, according to the report. Many types of extreme weather and climate event changes have been observed during this time period and continued changes are projected for this century. Specific future projections include:
* Abnormally hot days and nights, along with heat waves, are very likely to become more common. Cold nights are very likely to become less common.
* Sea ice extent is expected to continue to decrease and may even disappear in the Arctic Ocean in summer in coming decades.
* Precipitation, on average, is likely to be less frequent but more intense.
* Droughts are likely to become more frequent and severe in some regions.
* Hurricanes will likely have increased precipitation and wind.
*The strongest cold-season storms in the Atlantic and Pacific are likely to produce stronger winds and higher extreme wave heights.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, an agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources.
NOAA plays a key role in the Climate Change Science Program, which is responsible for coordinating and integrating climate research, observations, decision support, and communications of 13 federal departments and agencies.
The National Center for Atmospheric Research investigates climate, weather, and other topics related to the atmosphere. It is sponsored by the National Science Foundation and managed by a nonprofit consortium of universities, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Launch of weather-satellite at Vandenberg AFB
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AP) -- A rocket carrying a U.S-French ocean-monitoring satellite lifted off Friday morning from Vandenberg Air Force Base on the California coast.
The Delta 2 rocket blasted off at the planned time of 12:46 a.m. PDT after what officials called a "remarkably smooth" countdown.
Video showed the satellite separating from the rocket moments after the launch.
"We can see the spacecraft gently drifting away," the project's telemetry manager Mark Lavigne said as the craft split from the rocket's second stage.
The satellite, called Ocean Surface Topography Mission-Jason 2, will use a radar altimeter to precisely measure the height of the ocean surface, which changes depending on temperature.
The data will be used to monitor effects of climate change on sea level and to improve global weather, climate and ocean forecasts, NASA said.
Such observations began in 1992 with a spacecraft dubbed Topex-Poseidon and have continued with the current Jason 1 satellite. The two Jasons will fly in tandem.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expects to use the new satellite to improve hurricane forecasting.
Photo:
Sky after a previous missile launch from Vandenberg A.F.B.
O.C. Tsunami Ready
Orange County received a tsunami readiness designation from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Tuesday, becoming the most populous county in the nation with all its coastal communities prepared for such an event.
“TsunamiReady,” a recognition by the NOAA's National Weather Service for communities that prepare for tsunamis and storms, means the county and its coastal cities have fulfilled a rigorous set of warning and evacuation criteria, including the development of a formal hazardous weather plan, according to a news release.
The “entire beach area of Orange County is now designated as TsunamiReady,” said Ed Clark, warning coordination meteorologist in San Diego.
The designation shows “unprecedented coordination in tsunami issues between the county and the coastal communities,” said Jim Purpura, meteorologist-in-charge.
“Orange County is vulnerable to tsunamis and severe weather due to its location on the coast,” said Purpura. “As the second most populous county in the state of California, and the fifth most populous in the United States, the likelihood of the public encountering a tsunami or severe weather is greatly increased. Public awareness and preparedness are essential.”
Dana Point, Huntington Beach, San Clemente, Newport Beach, Seal Beach and Laguna Beach have completed the program. The NWS on Tuesday presented the county with a recognition letter and two road signs – to be placed along the coastline at locations to be determined.
PHOTO:
Newport Beach Pier
Newport Beach Pier
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Inland heat to continue...
High pressure aloft will move very little the rest of the week... resulting in hot temperatures in the inland portions of the coastal plain and the valleys through at least Friday.
Some valleys will reach the century mark or slightly above.
PHOTO:
San Diego/Coronado Island
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
LA County to play rainmaker via cloud seeding
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The county is relaunching a controversial cloud seeding program aimed at increasing precipitation and raising water levels at local reservoirs.The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors approved $800,000 for cloud seeding on June 4 - the same day Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought. The project is scheduled to begin this winter in the San Gabriel Mountains north of Los Angeles.
"There are no assurances or guarantees that it will produce anything," said Richard Hansen, general manager of Three Valleys Municipal Water District. "But it doesn't hurt to try."
The practice is not uncommon even though the National Academy of Sciences released a report in 2003 that called cloud seeding unproven. Santa Barbara County water officials use it, as does a water agency in Monterey County. Electric utilities regularly do cloud seeding in the Sierra Nevada mountains.
Its supporters project a 15-percent increase in precipitation based on the seeding.
"We are helping Mother Nature along a bit," said Don Griffith, president of North American Weather Consultants, which has held cloud seeding contracts with Los Angeles County on and off since 1957.
The current project will use flares or propane burners set up at the base of the San Gabriels to spray silver iodide "into naturally occurring clouds that will create additional ice crystals," Griffith said.
The county first halted cloud seeding over the San Gabriels after a storm in February 1978 caused major flooding in Big Tujunga Canyon. The storm and the landslides that followed killed 11 people.
Dozens of lawsuits were filed against the county, alleging that cloud seeding the day before the storm increased the precipitation. The county prevailed in all the suits, but worried about future liability risks.
Nevertheless, the county resumed cloud seeding in 1991. The program was halted in 2002, when officials worried that wildfires in parts of the San Gabriel watershed left the area vulnerable to landslides.
The county now believes the program can be safely resumed.
Peter Gleick, a water expert for the Oakland-based nonprofit Pacific Institute, believes public money would be better spent on promoting water conservation measures rather than playing rainmaker.
"It's a bit of a sign of desperation," Gleick said.
Monday, June 16, 2008
L.A. River gets a cleaning
More than 2,500 volunteers, mostly teenagers, remove litter from the Glendale Narrows.
By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 15, 2008
Seen from its banks, the Los Angeles River is familiar -- gripped on both sides by gray concrete.
But in this stretch, just southeast of Griffith Park, the river's bottom isn't paved over.
It's covered with dirt and smooth stones. Water trickles around islands of green trees, giving refuge to mallards and their ducklings.
Still, they live in spots littered with plastic bags, foam cups, beer bottles, spray paint cans and smashed shopping carts.
So on Saturday morning, more than 2,500 volunteers, most of them teenagers, showed up at the Glendale Narrows as part of a massive cleanup of the L.A. River.
Most of the helpers were members of the Pacific American Volunteer Assn., which brought in students from as far away as Camarillo and La Habra and has chapter clubs at dozens of middle and high schools in Southern California. About 500 were members of the Anahuak Youth Soccer Assn. in northeast Los Angeles.
Some of the teens squealed in disgust at the sight of the river. Others took on their mission with gusto.
Sergio Hernandez, 15, and his soccer teammates from Eagle Rock High School gingerly stepped on slippery stones to get to a dirt island in the middle of the shallow, slow-moving river.There, sheltered by trees, lay a tiny stream flanked by thickets.
Sergio's friend, Andre Cousineau, 15, used a wooden stick to keep a foam cup from floating down the stream. "I got it," Sergio said, using his own tree branch to scoop the cup into a bulging plastic bag. It was already filled with a dirty blanket, soda and aerosol cans, and a potato chip bag."This bag is heavy," he said, before leaving for the riverbank.
Some of Sergio's friends stumbled at times, but they said the experience was fun."We have to help out the community," said Juan Llano, 16, whose white T-shirt was grimy with remnants of leaves and dirt.
Just north, 10-year-old Jidam Lee of Placentia leaned over a concrete wall and used a metal claw to fish out white foam packing peanuts, one by one, from a wet drainage ditch."It's messy," said Jidam, poking the claw into the green muck below.
"Eww! Monster yuck!" he said, after finding a slimy cloth. Farther upstream, 16-year-old Tai Hyuknahn carried a bag of trash, while Ruby Choi, 16, and her 11-year-old brother, Ken, plucked litter out of the river."It stinks bad," Tai said of the scent of moss wafting in the air.
"It's disgusting. The smell will get to you. I doubt fish could swim here. " "This is better than the zoo," Ruby replied.Catherine Mims Yamaguchi, 47, of La Mirada was fascinated by the force of nature along the river. "I didn't know there was so much life here," Yamaguchi said. "I thought it was a stagnant pool." For Dwight Taeza, 56, of Torrance, coming out Saturday was important, he said, because "I don't like seeing rivers die.""I grew up in the Philippines, and as kids we would go to the river to play.
But by the time I was a teenager, the river was almost dead," Taeza said. "People don't see the effects when rivers die until it's too late."Sisters Becky and Liz Landeros said they wished there had been an even greater turnout.
The river is much worse south of the Glendale Narrows, where the sisters bicycle frequently, they said. Heavy rains during the winter caused the river's water level to rise, trapping litter in the trees "10 feet in the air," said Becky Landeros, 19. Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay, an environmental group involved in coastal and groundwater quality advocacy, said the massive turnout was important for the environmental movement.Now the Glendale Narrows demonstrates "what the river could be," Gold said. "We want more of the river to look like this."
By Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer June 15, 2008
Seen from its banks, the Los Angeles River is familiar -- gripped on both sides by gray concrete.
But in this stretch, just southeast of Griffith Park, the river's bottom isn't paved over.
It's covered with dirt and smooth stones. Water trickles around islands of green trees, giving refuge to mallards and their ducklings.
Still, they live in spots littered with plastic bags, foam cups, beer bottles, spray paint cans and smashed shopping carts.
So on Saturday morning, more than 2,500 volunteers, most of them teenagers, showed up at the Glendale Narrows as part of a massive cleanup of the L.A. River.
Most of the helpers were members of the Pacific American Volunteer Assn., which brought in students from as far away as Camarillo and La Habra and has chapter clubs at dozens of middle and high schools in Southern California. About 500 were members of the Anahuak Youth Soccer Assn. in northeast Los Angeles.
Some of the teens squealed in disgust at the sight of the river. Others took on their mission with gusto.
Sergio Hernandez, 15, and his soccer teammates from Eagle Rock High School gingerly stepped on slippery stones to get to a dirt island in the middle of the shallow, slow-moving river.There, sheltered by trees, lay a tiny stream flanked by thickets.
Sergio's friend, Andre Cousineau, 15, used a wooden stick to keep a foam cup from floating down the stream. "I got it," Sergio said, using his own tree branch to scoop the cup into a bulging plastic bag. It was already filled with a dirty blanket, soda and aerosol cans, and a potato chip bag."This bag is heavy," he said, before leaving for the riverbank.
Some of Sergio's friends stumbled at times, but they said the experience was fun."We have to help out the community," said Juan Llano, 16, whose white T-shirt was grimy with remnants of leaves and dirt.
Just north, 10-year-old Jidam Lee of Placentia leaned over a concrete wall and used a metal claw to fish out white foam packing peanuts, one by one, from a wet drainage ditch."It's messy," said Jidam, poking the claw into the green muck below.
"Eww! Monster yuck!" he said, after finding a slimy cloth. Farther upstream, 16-year-old Tai Hyuknahn carried a bag of trash, while Ruby Choi, 16, and her 11-year-old brother, Ken, plucked litter out of the river."It stinks bad," Tai said of the scent of moss wafting in the air.
"It's disgusting. The smell will get to you. I doubt fish could swim here. " "This is better than the zoo," Ruby replied.Catherine Mims Yamaguchi, 47, of La Mirada was fascinated by the force of nature along the river. "I didn't know there was so much life here," Yamaguchi said. "I thought it was a stagnant pool." For Dwight Taeza, 56, of Torrance, coming out Saturday was important, he said, because "I don't like seeing rivers die.""I grew up in the Philippines, and as kids we would go to the river to play.
But by the time I was a teenager, the river was almost dead," Taeza said. "People don't see the effects when rivers die until it's too late."Sisters Becky and Liz Landeros said they wished there had been an even greater turnout.
The river is much worse south of the Glendale Narrows, where the sisters bicycle frequently, they said. Heavy rains during the winter caused the river's water level to rise, trapping litter in the trees "10 feet in the air," said Becky Landeros, 19. Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay, an environmental group involved in coastal and groundwater quality advocacy, said the massive turnout was important for the environmental movement.Now the Glendale Narrows demonstrates "what the river could be," Gold said. "We want more of the river to look like this."
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Seventh warmest spring on record globally
FROM: AP
WASHINGTON (AP) — Planet Earth continues to simmer, with this year's spring the seventh warmest on record.
The world average land and sea temperature for spring was 56.7 degrees , 0.94 degree F above the mean for the period since record keeping began in 1880.
For weather and climate purpose the official spring is the months of March, April and May.
The National Climatic Data Center said the global land surface temperature for spring was 1.87 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 46.4 degrees F and tied with 2000 as third warmest.
The global ocean surface temperature for spring was 0.59 degrees Fabove the 20th century mean of 61.0 degrees F and ranked 10th warmest.
The data center is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Planet Earth continues to simmer, with this year's spring the seventh warmest on record.
The world average land and sea temperature for spring was 56.7 degrees , 0.94 degree F above the mean for the period since record keeping began in 1880.
For weather and climate purpose the official spring is the months of March, April and May.
The National Climatic Data Center said the global land surface temperature for spring was 1.87 degrees F above the 20th century mean of 46.4 degrees F and tied with 2000 as third warmest.
The global ocean surface temperature for spring was 0.59 degrees Fabove the 20th century mean of 61.0 degrees F and ranked 10th warmest.
The data center is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Weekend weather for SoCal
High pressure aloft will result in night and morning low clouds and fog...otherwise mostly sunny skies through Father's Day.It will be warmer over the weekend with temperatures reaching into the lower to middle 90s in far inland valleys.
PHOTO: Chula Vista, May 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
Latest on the drought - - June 10th, 2008
Current drought status:
Abnormally dry conditions
Abnormally dry conditions
across southern California
Short term outlook:
No measurable precipitation
No measurable precipitation
next 6 to 10 days
Thursday, June 12, 2008
MWD declares water supply alert
FROM: Metropolitan Water District of Southern California
Less than a week after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a drought statewide, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors today ramped up the water conservation call throughout its six-county service area by declaring a Water Supply Alert in Southern California.
To help preserve the region’s water storage reserves, Metropolitan’s board urged cities, counties, local public water agencies and retailers to achieve extraordinary conservation by adopting and enforcing drought ordinances, accelerating public outreach and messaging, and developing additional local supplies.
"In declaring this Water Supply Alert, we are confident that consumers and businesses throughout the Southland will take additional steps to reduce water use and eliminate waste," said Metropolitan board Chairman Timothy F. Brick.
"In the past, residents have responded to a call for action. We are depending on their help again to stave off the need to allocate supplies in the future," Brick said.
Metropolitan General Manager Jeff Kightlinger said the board’s acceleration of the regional water-saving call is aimed at increasing awareness of the Southland’s critical supply conditions and the immediate need for conservation. Metropolitan’s main sources of imported supplies are facing unprecedented challenges because of record dry conditions for eight of the last nine years along the Colorado River and deteriorating environmental conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, he noted.
Since 2003, Metropolitan’s Colorado River supplies have been diminished by as much as half after California reduced its use of river water because of drought. The district’s State Water Project supplies from Northern California have been cut by nearly 30 percent this year because of dry conditions and court-ordered pumping restrictions in the Delta to protect endangered fish.
To meet current water demands, Metropolitan and its member agencies are withdrawing supplies from surface and groundwater storage, leaving the region’s reserves vulnerable to continued low-levels of imported water and emergencies, such as a major earthquake. Over the past two years, Metropolitan has drawn down its stored dry-year reserves by nearly half.
"This is a serious situation," Kightlinger said. "The need for conservation is very real, particularly with the governor’s drought announcement last Wednesday. Now that the drought is official, consumers need to realize that water rationing looms should voluntary water-saving efforts not prove enough, particularly if we faced shortages that compelled our board to implement the district’s recently adopted supply allocation plan.
"But just as real as the drought is, so too are the possibilities we can avoid rationing. We have all the tools for reducing water use. Now we have more incentive," Kightlinger said.
While several cities and water agencies in Southern California are already implementing local drought ordinances, Metropolitan’s Water Supply Alert resolution encourages the remaining entities to institute or develop as soon as possible their own ordinances and restrictions.
Measures that could be incorporated into local drought ordinances include restrictions on the hours of watering outdoors, where up to 70 percent of water is used; prohibitions on landscape irrigation runoff; tiered rate structures that promote conservation; provisions for water-efficient landscapes in new construction and landscape retrofits; and hotlines and other mechanisms for the public to report wasteful water practices.
If the call for immediate conservation successfully motivates residents and businesses to save water, Metropolitan estimates the demand for imported supplies could reduce by about 200,000 acre-feet of water over the next 12 months. (An acre-foot is nearly 326,000 gallons, about the amount used by two typical Southland families in and around their homes in a year.)
"There are so many small things we can all do that collectively could save the region the needed water that can help us withstand this round of shortages," Brick said. "A good place to look for water-saving tips and rebates is our Web site, bewaterwise.com, which has become a leading destination for conservation information."
Less than a week after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a drought statewide, Metropolitan Water District’s Board of Directors today ramped up the water conservation call throughout its six-county service area by declaring a Water Supply Alert in Southern California.
To help preserve the region’s water storage reserves, Metropolitan’s board urged cities, counties, local public water agencies and retailers to achieve extraordinary conservation by adopting and enforcing drought ordinances, accelerating public outreach and messaging, and developing additional local supplies.
"In declaring this Water Supply Alert, we are confident that consumers and businesses throughout the Southland will take additional steps to reduce water use and eliminate waste," said Metropolitan board Chairman Timothy F. Brick.
"In the past, residents have responded to a call for action. We are depending on their help again to stave off the need to allocate supplies in the future," Brick said.
Metropolitan General Manager Jeff Kightlinger said the board’s acceleration of the regional water-saving call is aimed at increasing awareness of the Southland’s critical supply conditions and the immediate need for conservation. Metropolitan’s main sources of imported supplies are facing unprecedented challenges because of record dry conditions for eight of the last nine years along the Colorado River and deteriorating environmental conditions in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta, he noted.
Since 2003, Metropolitan’s Colorado River supplies have been diminished by as much as half after California reduced its use of river water because of drought. The district’s State Water Project supplies from Northern California have been cut by nearly 30 percent this year because of dry conditions and court-ordered pumping restrictions in the Delta to protect endangered fish.
To meet current water demands, Metropolitan and its member agencies are withdrawing supplies from surface and groundwater storage, leaving the region’s reserves vulnerable to continued low-levels of imported water and emergencies, such as a major earthquake. Over the past two years, Metropolitan has drawn down its stored dry-year reserves by nearly half.
"This is a serious situation," Kightlinger said. "The need for conservation is very real, particularly with the governor’s drought announcement last Wednesday. Now that the drought is official, consumers need to realize that water rationing looms should voluntary water-saving efforts not prove enough, particularly if we faced shortages that compelled our board to implement the district’s recently adopted supply allocation plan.
"But just as real as the drought is, so too are the possibilities we can avoid rationing. We have all the tools for reducing water use. Now we have more incentive," Kightlinger said.
While several cities and water agencies in Southern California are already implementing local drought ordinances, Metropolitan’s Water Supply Alert resolution encourages the remaining entities to institute or develop as soon as possible their own ordinances and restrictions.
Measures that could be incorporated into local drought ordinances include restrictions on the hours of watering outdoors, where up to 70 percent of water is used; prohibitions on landscape irrigation runoff; tiered rate structures that promote conservation; provisions for water-efficient landscapes in new construction and landscape retrofits; and hotlines and other mechanisms for the public to report wasteful water practices.
If the call for immediate conservation successfully motivates residents and businesses to save water, Metropolitan estimates the demand for imported supplies could reduce by about 200,000 acre-feet of water over the next 12 months. (An acre-foot is nearly 326,000 gallons, about the amount used by two typical Southland families in and around their homes in a year.)
"There are so many small things we can all do that collectively could save the region the needed water that can help us withstand this round of shortages," Brick said. "A good place to look for water-saving tips and rebates is our Web site, bewaterwise.com, which has become a leading destination for conservation information."
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Mid week weather
Low pressure over the Great Basin region will continue to increase the onshore flow Wednesday.This will bring cooler temperatures to the inland portions of SoCal along with gusty winds to the mountains and deserts.
Photo: Mission Beach/San Diego
May 2008
May 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Warm temperatures by this weekend
Very warm to hot temperatures are expected across the inland areas by the end of this week and weekend as strong high pressure aloft spreads over the region.
Meanwhile... a shallow marine layer will maintain mild temperatures at the beaches.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Spring of 2008 in California... a look back
This was 74 coolest spring on record for the state of California.
Meanwhile...
This was the driest spring on record in California.
This was the driest spring on record in California.
Looking ahead to Summer 2008
(June, July & August)
(June, July & August)
Temperatures: near normal
Precipitation: near normal
Precipitation: near normal
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Latest Drought Monitor (June 3rd, 2008)
Abnormally dry conditions continue across southern California.
Outlook:
No measurable rainfall for the next 7 days
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Rebates Offered For Installing Water Saving Devices
FROM: KTLA TV
LOS ANGELES -- With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaiming a statewide drought, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a $300,000 program offering rebates for customers in county waterworks districts using water-saving products.
Customers will be eligible for rebates of up to $150 for the use of devices including weather-based sprinkler controllers, high-efficiency clothes washers, low-flush toilets, or for installing synthetic turf on their lawns, county officials said.
"Waterworks customers can save money, save water and help save the environment with these cutting-edge products," said county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Waterworks District No. 29, which serves Malibu and the unincorporated Topanga Canyon area.Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district includes Waterworks District No. 40, serving Lancaster, also supported the measure.
"Taking some simple measures can make a tremendous difference in helping reach the county's conservation goals," Antonovich said.
Information about the rebate program can be found online at: lacwaterworks.org.
LOS ANGELES -- With Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaiming a statewide drought, the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today approved a $300,000 program offering rebates for customers in county waterworks districts using water-saving products.
Customers will be eligible for rebates of up to $150 for the use of devices including weather-based sprinkler controllers, high-efficiency clothes washers, low-flush toilets, or for installing synthetic turf on their lawns, county officials said.
"Waterworks customers can save money, save water and help save the environment with these cutting-edge products," said county Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky, whose district includes Waterworks District No. 29, which serves Malibu and the unincorporated Topanga Canyon area.Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district includes Waterworks District No. 40, serving Lancaster, also supported the measure.
"Taking some simple measures can make a tremendous difference in helping reach the county's conservation goals," Antonovich said.
Information about the rebate program can be found online at: lacwaterworks.org.
Friday, June 06, 2008
The Great Southern California ShakeOut
November 12–16, 2008
The Great Southern California ShakeOut is a week of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.
The Great Southern California ShakeOut is a week of special events featuring the largest earthquake drill in U.S. history, organized to inspire Southern Californians to get ready for big earthquakes, and to prevent disasters from becoming catastrophes.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Governor Declares Statewide Drought
FROM AP:
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proclaimed a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and the largest court-ordered restrictions on water transfers in state history.
The governor issued an executive order Wednesday that directs the state Department of Water Resources to speed water transfers to areas with the most severe shortages.
Schwarzenegger has ordered state officials to help local water districts with water conservation efforts and directed them to help farmers suffering losses from the drought.
Dry conditions are damaging crops, harming water quality and causing extreme fire danger across the state. Many communities already are requiring water conservation or rationing.
SACRAMENTO -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proclaimed a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and the largest court-ordered restrictions on water transfers in state history.
The governor issued an executive order Wednesday that directs the state Department of Water Resources to speed water transfers to areas with the most severe shortages.
Schwarzenegger has ordered state officials to help local water districts with water conservation efforts and directed them to help farmers suffering losses from the drought.
Dry conditions are damaging crops, harming water quality and causing extreme fire danger across the state. Many communities already are requiring water conservation or rationing.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Strong onshore flow Wednesday
Strong onshore flow will continue over the southland on Wednesday as trough of low pressure deepens over the western U.S.
Persistant night and morning low clouds west of the mountains with partial clearing near the coast during the afternoon hours...otherwise mostly clear skies along the coastal plain/valleys.
Gusty winds will continue to blow over the mountains/deserts with local gusts over 45 mph likely.
Persistant night and morning low clouds west of the mountains with partial clearing near the coast during the afternoon hours...otherwise mostly clear skies along the coastal plain/valleys.
Gusty winds will continue to blow over the mountains/deserts with local gusts over 45 mph likely.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
WX outlook through mid-week
(Mission Beach - Memorial Day Weekend 2008)An increasing onshore flow will bring a deepening in the marine layer along with cooler temperatures for the inland valleys the next couple of days.
For the coastal plain and valleys... extensive low clouds and patchy fog with only partial afternoon clearing near the beaches. JUNE GLOOM!
Monday, June 02, 2008
Rip Current Awareness Week June 1-7, 2008
(Rip Currents - La Jolla Shores)From: NOAA
Rip currents are powerful, channeled currents of water flowing away from shore. They typically extend from the shoreline, through the surf zone, and past the line of breaking waves. Rip currents can occur at any beach with breaking waves, including the Great Lakes.
Rip currents can be killers. The United States Lifesaving Association estimates that the annual number of deaths due to rip currents on our nation's beaches exceeds 100. Rip currents account for over 80% of rescues performed by surf beach lifeguards.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Sunday's outlook
(Last 1/4 Moon: Saturday, May 31st, 2008)Morning low clouds & patchy fog along the coastal plain and most coastal valleys...otherwise mostly sunny and slightly warmer temperatures expected on Sunday.
Daytime temperatures will range from the middle 60s to around 70 at the beaches to the 80s to lower 90s inland areas.
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