In spite of a quiet Atlantic, hurricane season is here and this week, NOAA is maintaining its below-normal forecast but, as the director of the National Weather Service has already said this year, it only takes one. The Hurricane Safety page on Tornado Quest has everything you need to prepare before you need it. Heat safety information is on the Invisible Storm page, Citizen Science links are in the post, your NOAA Weather Radio deserves a battery check this week, and the US Drought Monitor update is there as well. Ten links this week ranging from tiny swirls on the sun that trigger solar flares, to something unexpected hidden inside fifty years of global temperature data that could change how you think about the summers where you live. Settle in for some good reads.
- Tiny swirls on the sun’s surface may hold the key to understanding solar flares and their potential to disrupt life on Earth.
- Though this article is from July 24, it’s explanation of the recent and unprecedented Canadian wildfires and the toxic smoke is worth your time.
- The USA’s Pacific Northwest is facing one of its worst wildfire seasons in decades. What does this mean for the future of that region and where you live?
- The fact that Aspen trees could provide a natural buffer from wildfires is a touch of welcome news in a year when wildfires have been out of control.
- You think the Arctic is cold, right? Think again.
- Whether you live in Asia, or North or South America, this read on El Nino has connections to your weather and climate.
- Speaking of El Nino, the influence it is having on the current European and North American heatwaves is much different than has been explained to date.
- Scientists have found something unexpected hidden within five decades of global temperature data that could change how you think about the summers where you live.
- Those free weather apps that propose to be “game changers” aren’t all they’re cracked up to be, especially when it comes to dangerous heat.
- NOAA still predicts a below normal Atlantic hurricane season, but with El Niño strengthening and the peak of season approaching, now is the time to prepare…because it only takes ONE storm.
HURRICANE AND TROPICAL CYCLONE SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS
THE INVISIBLE STORM
NOAA WEATHER RADIO
Here’s your weekly reminder to check your NOAA weather radio’s batteries, programming, settings, and reception. NOAA has a comprehensive page on NOAA weather radio…a feature of the National weather Service in the USA that has saved countless lives.
US DROUGHT MONITOR
This week’s weather brought much-needed rain to many drought stricken areas along the Eastern Seaboard, Great Lakes, and parts of the Midwest, improving conditions in some regions while leaving others unchanged or even worse due to entrenched dryness. However, heavy rains also caused flooding in several areas, and some regions, such as the Lower Mississippi Valley, southern Great Plains, and Texas, saw little relief, with high temperatures and dryness persisting. Looking ahead, light rainfall is forecast for most of the country, with temperatures expected to remain above normal, particularly in the Great Plains and West. Meanwhile, dryness and heat intensified in Puerto Rico, and new areas of abnormal dryness emerged in Hawaii and Alaska.In spite of rainfall potential, many areas are at the peak of their annual average high temperatures for the year. See The Invisible Storm for heat safety information.
- NOAA’s US Drought Monitor website has the full regional and state details.
- The latest daily fire weather outlooks can be found at the Storm Prediction Center’s website.
CITIZEN SCIENCE
Citizen science lets everyday people actively shape real research by sharing observations and data. Join now to make a tangible impact, discover new insights, and become part of a global community driving scientific breakthroughs!
- The CoCoRaHS project invites weather enthusiasts to become citizen scientists by submitting daily precipitation reports that support forecasting and climate research even on dry days.
- Another path into becoming a citizen scientist is using the free mPING app! Your weather reports go directly to the National Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma!
That’s a wrap for this week! Thanks for stopping by! See you next Saturday!
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