North of Alaska, researchers aboard the U.S. Coast Guard icebreaker Healy are gathering the data legally required to extend national territories across vast reaches of the mineral-rich seafloor usually blocked by Arctic ice.
Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 m
Temperature :: 63 F / 17 C
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity :: 59%
Dew Point :: 48 F / 9 C
Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h / 3.1 m/s from the SSW
Pressure :: 29.87 in / 1011 hPa (Rising)
Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1 kilometers
UV :: 4 out of 6
Clouds :: Clear
(Above the ground)
Arctic Ocean ice sheets smallest on record (click title to entry)
The Yomiuri Shimbun
This summer's ice sheets in the Arctic Ocean are the smallest on record since satellite observations started in 1978, the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency announced Thursday.
The Arctic ice observed Wednesday was 5,307,000 square kilometers, falling below the previous low of 5,315,000 square kilometers recorded in September 2005.
The situation is similar to what the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicted this year would happen 30 or 40 years from now, showing that global warming may be progressing much faster than anticipated.
This summer, temperatures on the surface of the sea were between 0.8 C to 0.6 C below freezing, the highest temperatures since 2000.
The decrease of the Arctic ice likely will continue until mid-September, causing the ice sheets at the North Pole to shrink even further.
JAMSTEC and JAXA have been observing Arctic ice since 1978 using satellites and vessels.
The agencies said the sea ice sheets were shrinking because the Arctic ice formed later than usual last winter and was relatively thin from the start. As a result, the ice started melting earlier than usual, causing the sea water to absorb more solar heat due to a lack of ice, which usually reflects sunlight.
Furthermore, a low pressure system off Siberia brought strong winds to the North Pole, resulting in much of the Arctic ice being driven to the Atlantic Ocean.
IPCC projected this summer's Arctic ice sheet at about 7.5 million square kilometers, dropping to about 5.5 million square kilometers in 2040 and about 4.5 million square kilometers in 2050. However, some research institutes, including one in the United States, have pointed out that the reality is 30 years ahead of the projections.
(Aug. 18, 2007)
September 3, 2007
2311 gmt
Pacific Ocean Satellite
This is a heat transfer event. The storm in the left lower corner of the satellite image is Typhoon-2 FITOW (click here).
Typhoon Fitow brings swells (click here)
A distant typhoon will bring long period swells to the region, according to a National Weather Service release. Typhoon Fitow, located well north of Guam, will impact north-facing reefs into the midweek. Two to four-foot northerly swells will push the rip current risk into the moderate category, the release stated. A moderate rip current risk means wave conditions support stronger or more frequent rip currents. For weather updates, visit the Pacific Daily News at www.guampdn.com or the National Weather Service at www.prh.noaa.gov/pr/guam.
Pacific Daily News
September 3, 2007
1430 AKDT
Adjustable speed loop of vortex event (click here.)
Gale warnings along the Alaska coast and southwest ...Strong wind this evening through tuesday morning along turnagain arm and higher elevations...
Flask flood warnings in southern California and along the Baha peninsula. Large pink area is regarding high wind events. There are also gale warnings off Georgia and South Carolina. There has been significant flooding in that area as well already.
September 3, 2007
Edisto Beach, South Carolina
Photographer states :: Storm flooding scenes after 4 days of rain.
South Carolina Lowcountry swamped by heavy rain (click here)
Monday, Sep 03, 2007 - 08:58 AM
By Associated Press
BEAUFORT, S.C. - The South Carolina Lowcountry has seen heavy rain that has led to flooding in some areas.
The National Weather Service says a record 1.75 inches of rain had fallen as of 5 p.m. yesterday at Charleston International Airport.
Flooding closed a section of U.S. Highway 278 on Hilton Head Island for more than six hours Saturday. The resort town got 6.39 inches of rain. That's more rain than normally falls in all of September.
The heavy rain put a damper on summer's last hurray.
Hunting Island State Park assistant manager Kenny Heater says the park is usually full during Labor Day weekend, but there only about a dozen cars in the picnic area Saturday.
Monday, Sep 03, 2007 - 08:58 AM
By Associated Press
BEAUFORT, S.C. - The South Carolina Lowcountry has seen heavy rain that has led to flooding in some areas.
The National Weather Service says a record 1.75 inches of rain had fallen as of 5 p.m. yesterday at Charleston International Airport.
Flooding closed a section of U.S. Highway 278 on Hilton Head Island for more than six hours Saturday. The resort town got 6.39 inches of rain. That's more rain than normally falls in all of September.
The heavy rain put a damper on summer's last hurray.
Hunting Island State Park assistant manager Kenny Heater says the park is usually full during Labor Day weekend, but there only about a dozen cars in the picnic area Saturday.
