Earth Gauge

Watches vs. Warnings

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:22:34 +0000

A hurricane watch indicates a hurricane could strike within 36 hours. A hurricane warning is issued, sustained winds exceeding 74 miles per hour are expected to hit within 24 hours.

Viewer Tip: Listen to a weather radio or your local TV weathercaster for frequent updates if a hurricane is expected. If a hurricane watch is issued for your area, measures such as tying down your boat and leaving a barrier island should be initiated. Your disaster supply kit should be checked and stocked as necessary. If a hurricane warning is issued, heed warnings of local officials. If you are ordered to evacuate, do so immediately and bring your supply kit with you.

For more information, visit the National Hurricane Center at www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml.

Seasons: Summer, Fall

Source: National Hurricane Center. www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml.

Storm Surge

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:16:55 +0000

One of the greatest possible causes of death during a hurricane is storm surge, when ocean winds create a force that pushes water toward the shore. This causes a tide that can increase the water level at least 15 feet, and waves on top of this increased water level can increase flooding. Storm surge is a major threat along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasst, which are densely populated with many communities that are only about ten feet above sea level.

Viewer tip: Make sure you have an evacuation plan, route, and destination ready in case of a hurricane and remember to leave early. Discuss a plan with a relative or friend that lives closest to the area outside of the evacuation zone and stay with them. Remember to plan for pets, too.

Seasons: Summer, Fall

Source: National Hurricane Center: Storm Surge. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/storm_surge.shtml.

Planning Ahead

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:07:53 +0000

The National Disaster Education Coalition estimates that 80 to 90 percent of people living in an area affected by hurricanes have never experienced the core of a major hurricane. While many have been through weaker storms, they may have a false idea of how much damage a hurricane can cause.

Viewer Tip: The best thing you can do to prepare for a hurricane is to have a plan! Learn about your communty’s hurricane preparedness plan from your local emergency manager, and develop your own plan. Make sure that all of your household members know what to do if a hurricane occurs, have a list of items to bring inside, and have a plan for pets (most evacuation shelters do not allow them).

Visit http://www.floridadisaster.org/family/ to create your own family disaster plan, including amounts of food and water needed, information about local authorities and evacuation routes, and more.

Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall

Source: National Disaster Education Coalition. 2004. “Talking About Disaster: A Guide for Standard Messages.”

Hurricane Prep

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 22:00:58 +0000

A May 2006 survey of Atlantic and Gulf Coast residents indicated that many Americans in hurricane-prone areas are not ready for the next storm:
–56 percent do not feel that they are vulnerable to a hurricane or related impacts, such as a tornado or flood;
–60 percent do not have a family disaster plan and 68 percent do not have a hurricane survival kit; and
–83 percent have not taken steps to strengthen ther homes.

Viewer Tip: A professional engineer can check your home and recommend ways to increase its hurricane resistance. Professionals can also help you understand engineering requirements, building permits, and local planning and zoning regulations that could help you protect your home.

Seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall

Sources: The National Hurricane Survival Initiative (National Hurricane Center, National Emergency Management Association, Salvation Army, Florida Division of Emergency Management, Progress, Energy, and other partners). News Release, May 12, 2006. New Survey: Coastal Residents Still Unprepared as New Hurricane Season Approaches. www.hurricanesafety.org; National Disaster Education Coaltion, Talking About Disaster: Guide For Standard Messages.

Hurricane Prep

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 21:54:11 +0000

“Hurricane Season” along the Gulf and Atlantic Coastlines is from June 1st through November 30th. Over a three-year timeframe, an average of five hurricanes land along the U.S. coastline from Texas to Maine. Hurricane intensity is categorized based on the wind strength and potential damage of the storm. If winds are less than 74 mph, it is referred to as a tropical storm, which is still unsafe.

Viewer tip: Before hurricane season arrives, make sure to “hurricane proof” your home. One way to do this is to make sure your home meets building code requirements to withstand high winds. You can protect your windows by having commercial window shutters installed or constructing 5/8-inch plywood panels. You may also want to reinforce your garage door, which is often the first home structure to fail during a storm.

Seasons: Spring

Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association: Hurricanes. Available at http://hurricanes.noaa.gov; National Hurricane Center: High winds. Available at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/high_winds.shtml.

Hurricane Basics

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 20:34:17 +0000

An average of 11 tropical storms develop each year over the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, and Atlantic Ocean. While many of those storms stay over the ocean without impacting the U.S., about five hurricanes will strike the U.S. Coastline from Texas to Maine in a given three-year period, with two being Category 3 (winds 111-130 miles per hour (mph)) or higher storms. As hurricane season approaches (June 1st – November 30th), it is important to understand and prepare for hurricane hazards, including: storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, and inland flooding.

Viewer Tip: Be prepared before hurricane season arrives.

An emergency evacuation plan should be made prior to hurricane season.
Find out if your home meets current building code requirements for high winds. If not, consider making some improvements to your home. Visit the National Hurricane Center’s “Retrofitting Your Home” site for more information: www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/retrofit/secure_home.shtml.
Determine if you live in a flood zone. Visit www.floodsmart.gov for more information.

Seasons: Summer, Fall

Source: National Weather Service: National Hurricane Preparedness Week. Available at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml.

Have a Plan

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:50:53 +0000

Coastal counties are home to 53 percent of the U.S. population, but make up only 17 percent of land area (excluding Alaska). Our coastal population is expected to increase by seven million people by 2008, and more than 12 million by 2015!

Viewer Tip: Make sure you have a family disaster plan to deal with hurricanes and other natural disasters. Know what to do if family members are separated, injured, or ill; know community evacuation routes; create a disaster supply kit; and have a plan for pets.

Find detailed information on creating a family disaster play in Preparing for Disaster, developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the American Red Cross: www.redcross.org/images/pdfs/preparedness/A4600.pdf.

Seasons: Summer, Fall

Sources: Crosett, K.M., T.J. Culliton, P.C. Wiley and T.R. Goodspeed. Population Trends Along the Coastal United States: 1980-2008, 2004. NOAA National Ocean Service Special Projects: Silver Spring, MD; National Disaster Education Coaltion, Talking About Disaster: Guide For Standard Messages.

Coastal Populations

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:44:25 +0000

Did you know that United States coastline totals around 12,000 miles? Fifty (50) percent of the total US population lives within 50 miles of the sea coast, making half of US residents extremely vulnerable to severe weather events such as hurricanes and floods.

Viewer Tip: If you live in a coastal area, don’t forget that the weather can pose deadly risks to you and your family. Develop disaster and emergency plans in case of flooding and hurricanes. And in the case of severe weather, remember to always head the warnings of weather service and disaster management professionals.

Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Source: COMET Program and NEEF. ” Weather and the Built Environment” Online Course: Narration, 2008. Available at: www.meted.ucar.edu/bmet_training.php.

Know Your Flood Risk (San Antonio)

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:37:27 +0000

Flooding can occur at any place and any time throughout Texas, and San Antonio is in one of the most flood-prone areas of the U.S. In urban areas, where pavement has replaced forests and fields, there can be two- to six-times as much water runoff than would occur in a natural area, which can overwhelm local streams and rivers.

Viewer Tip: Know your flood risk! Over the course of a 30-year mortgage, a home has a 26 percent chance of being damaged by a flood, compared to only a 9 percent chance of being damaged by a fire. Find out if you live in a flood-prone area, and make sure that you have an evacuation plan in place. You can learn your flood risk by visiting the flood risk tool at www.floodsmart.gov and enter in your address.

Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Source: San Antonio River Authority, Flood Safety Web site: http://www.floodsafety.com/texas/regional_info/regional_info/sanantonio_zone.htm; Flood Smart, www.floodsmart.gov; NOAA National Weather Service, www.nws.noaa.gov.

Know Your Flood Risk (Houston)

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:27:26 +0000

Flooding can occur at any place and any time throughout Texas, and a major flood occurs in Harris County approximately every two years. In urban areas, where pavement has replaced forests and fields, there can be two- to six-times as much water runoff than would occur in a natural area, which can overwhelm local streams and rivers.

Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Source: Harris County Flood Control District, www.hcfcd.org; Flood Smart, www.floodsmart.gov; NOAA National Weather Service, www.nws.noaa.gov.

Floods - In a Flash!

administrator — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 17:14:30 +0000

Houston has over 6,000 miles of streets, and about half of those streets drain to underground pipes which carry rain water to local streams and bayous; in other areas, street drainage travels through roadside ditches. In a localized area in Houston, a one-hour downpour can easily overload the capacity of the street drainage systems, causing flooding.

Viewer Tip: Flash floods can take a little as a few minutes to develop, and up to half of all flash flood-related deaths happen in cars. Please remember that it is difficult to judge the depth of flood waters along streets and walkways, and it always best to find another route if you encounter flooding.

Seasons: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall

Source: WET in the City. “Houston: H2Know Your City’s Water Facts.” A project of the Council for Environmental Education; NWS Turn Around, Don’t Drown Campaign: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/tadd/.

World’s Largest Fish

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:51:40 +0000

The largest fish in the world is the whale shark, a huge fish that can reach over 50 feet in lengh and can weigh several tons.

(Source: Woods Hole Science Aquarium: Frequently Asked Questions. http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/faq/fishfaq1.html#q4.)

Waves from Wind

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:51:04 +0000

A crest is the highest part or peak of an ocean wave, whereas a trough is the lowest point. Wind strength and duration directly influence how big waves become. A fast wind that blows for a long period of time will cause wave height to increase and form whitecaps, and the wave eventually breaks. Waves traveling over deep water are also generally stronger than those traveling over shallow water.

(Source: National Weather Service. JetStream - Online Course for Weather: Waves. http://www.srh.noaa.gov/srh/jetstream/ocean/waves.htm.)

Water: Universal Solvent

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:50:13 +0000

One of the most important properties of water is that it is the most universal solvent. It is able to dissolve more substances than any other liquid. Unfortunately, this property means that water can carry many pollutans into ocean waters - oil, pesticides, fertilizers, pet wastes, and others. These pollutants can harm ocean ecosystems, close favorite beaches and recreation areas, and make wildlife sick.

(Source: Pidwirny, Michael. Physical Properties of Water accessed February 20, 2008 from Fundamentals of Physical Geography at http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8a.html)

Water: Unique Freeze

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:49:38 +0000

Here is an interesting water phenomenon: when it freezes, it becomes less dense. That’s why ice floats on water! As water freezes, it contracts and gets denser to a certain temperature - four degrees Celsius. However, between four degrees and zero degrees Celsius, it expands until it is a solid, becoming less dense than water. This allows ice to float to the top of water as it freezes. Without this critical property, ice in your glass would sink to the bottom and the whole ocean would freeze bottom up!

(Source: Pidwirny, Michael. Physical Properties of Water accessed February 20, 2008 from Fundamentals of Physical Geography at http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8a.html)

Water: Stable Temperatures

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:48:57 +0000

Water has high thermal conductivity, meaning that it is able to take in lots of energy before it gets hotter or lose energy and maintain a stable temperature. This is important in oceans because it enables the temperatures to be relatively stable for long periods of time. This quality of water is also important because as humans, we are made up mostly of water, and this allows our body temperature to stay stable although we are constantly around different temperatures.

(Source: Chaplin, Martin. Water Anomalies. Accessed February 20, 2008 from Water Structure and Science at http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/water/anmlies.html)

Water: Makes Life Possible!

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:48:13 +0000

The unique chemical properties of water make life possible. One hydrogen and two oxygen atoms make up a water molecule. The positive hydrogen end from one water molecule is attracted to the negative oxygen end from another water molecule and a bond is formed. The result is weak adjacent bonds that make water easy to break apart and reform. This is why at the surface of water there is tension that allows some insects to walk on water. In fact, of all common liquids, water has the highest surface tension!

(Source: Buchheim, Jason. Oceanography: Water, Seawater and Ocean Circulation and Dynamics accessed February 20, 2008 from Odyssey Expeditions at http://www.marinebiology.org/science.htm)

Water: Form Shifter

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:47:23 +0000

Did you know that water is the only substance that can exist in solid, liquid, and gas forms within the Earth’s natural temperature range? Through this capability, water molecules aid in heat transport around the world. In fact, three-quarters of all of the heat that is transferred to the atmosphere is done so through the condensation and evaporation of water.

(Source: Pidwirny, Michael. Physical Properties of Water accessed February 20, 2008 from Fundamentals of Physical Geography at http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8a.html)

Vast Oceans

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:46:43 +0000

The volume of the world’s oceans is estimated to be 328 million cubic miles, comprising 85% of the total water on the Earth’s surface.

(Source: World Wildlife Fund. Windows on the Wild: Oceans of Life, An Educators Guide to Exploring Marine Biodiversity. www.worldwildlife.org.)

Unprotected Oceans

administrator — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:46:00 +0000

Less than one-half of the Earth’s seas lie within a marine protected area.

(Source: World Wildlife Fund. Windows on the Wild: Oceans of Life, An Educators Guide to Exploring Marine Biodiversity. www.worldwildlife.org.)