Yesterday I mentioned we had 20 straight 90+ degree days...today makes 21. I didn't get to our local T-U paper until late last night & saw that they made a big deal of all the 90 degree days & compared it to the last 5 yrs. or so & how much hotter the last few August's have been. I'm not sure if there was a point to the article & graphs but keep in mind(!):
The August avg. for 90-degree days is 21 so, yes, we'll be a little above avg. for the month but nothing remarkable, & we've established no record highs. In fact, we're nowhere close to the record # of consecutive 90-degree days in Jax which is 44 set in 1992 June 30th - Aug. 12th. The story (if there is one) is that the first few August's of this decade weren't as hot as usual (quite wet)...we've been much closer to avg. the last few years. This is Mother Nature averaging things out -- more than likely not a trend. Remember that good science does not use a small data base. The more important "story" is just how dry it's been this month. Orlando had measurable rain Fri. for the first time since Aug. 2nd -- the longest dry stretch ever during Aug. in Orlando.
And so we're slowly seeing showers & a few thunderstorms increase across the area but still pretty widely scattered today. A weak surface low will move to near Daytona tonight, so we'll probably see a few showers & maybe storms "pinwheel" into our coast overnight, move inland some then dissipate. The trend this weekend will be for morning showers at & near the coast then showers & storms generally inland during the afternoon.
A day of anniversaries:
(1) 15 yrs. ago today "Andrew" tore ashore at Homestead, FL as a Cat. 5. I was a t.v. m'gist at the time in Cincinnati, but our chief was sent to cover the storm, so I had to come back from vacation a day early. Despite being landlocked, we learned a lot that week about covering hurricanes -- take more clothes & supplies than you think you'll need...plan on poor communication ability...realize you won't be able to freely travel around after the storm...don't simply stand out in the elements while talking about the hurricane yelling at the top of your lungs...don't put yourself in harm's way...plan on being uncomfortable for a long time...let the video & people tell the story. CBS-TV in Miami has dedicated a section of their website to "Andrew 15 years later". Interestingly, the Homestead City Hall broke ground just today for a new city hall. And this from MiamiHerald.com regarding new building codes (which have proven to be very effective):
"So, what actually changed? Here are some of the requirements instituted for homes built after 1994, courtesy of Miami-Dade's Building Code Compliance Office:
• Homes must have impact-resistant glass or hurricane shutters that pass the county's large- and/or small-missile tests.
• Thicker plywood is required ( 5/8-inch), and concrete and masonry reinforcements undergo more stringent requirements.
• All trusses (not just some) require strap tie-downs with a higher minimum uplift force standard.
• Oriented Strand Boards (OSB) are no longer allowed on second stories or roof decking. (OSB was used in the Country Walk subdivision, which was decimated by the storm.)
• All parts of the building envelope (windows, doors, roof tiles, etc.) must have BCCO Product Approval and withstand windloads of 146 mph."
(2) On a much lighter note...today is the 40th anniversary of the Big Mac. I know it's not healthy, but it's just fine to break down every now & then & enjoy a Big Mac. Like most things, do so in moderation.
Earth Gauge: Share a Ride
A study of transportation patterns across the U.S. found that road congestion in urban areas cost drivers 3.7 billion hours of travel delay and 2.3 billion gallons of wasted gas in 2005. In Jacksonville, the average driver wastes 34 hours per year in traffic congestion - almost an entire work week! Not only does sitting in traffic waste your time, but idling cars release small particles and key ground-level ozone pollution ingredients which can trigger health problems for the more than 41,000 adults and 19,000 kids in Duval County with asthma.
Tip: Try sharing a ride with a coworker or friend, and you'll cut your emissions almost in half. Using mass transit to get around is equally as beneficial for air quality. You may also consider going vehicle-free by riding your bike or walking to your destination.
(Source: Texas Transportation Institute. 2005. "The 2005 Urban Mobility Report;" American Lung Association, State of the Air 2007; It All Adds Up to Cleaner Air, www.italladdsup.org)
Climate Fact; Allergy Acceleration
More Americans are allergic to Ragweed than any other allergen, and mid-August is the beginning of Ragweed Season in most parts of the U.S. Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide (CO2) levels have doubled since pre-industrial times, and the average temperature in the United States increased over the last century by one approximately one degree Fahrenheit. Also, in the World’s northern temperate regions, the average date when animals begin breeding and plants begin blooming is advancing by an average of five days per decade. Studies have shown that that elevated CO2 conditions and warmer temperatures help ragweed to grow faster and produce more pollen. This may help to explain why the number of allergy and asthma related deaths doubled in the 1980's and 1990's.
(Sources: Rogers, Christine et al. "Interraction of the Onset of Spring and Elevated CO2 Conditions on Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia L.) Pollen Production." Environmental Health Perspectives 114 (2006) and Easterling, David. "Observed Climate Variability and Change." NOAA/National Climatic Data Center. Ashville, NC: 31 January 2007 <http://www.ametsoc.org/atmospolicy/documents/Easterling-Observed-Change-Jan-07.pdf> and Ziska, LH et al. Common ragween, urbanization and public health. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 11, 290-295 (2003) and Epstein, Paul. "Choking on Climate Change." The Boston Globe 4 April 2002. Accessed Online 27 April 2007<http://chge.med.harvard.edu/media/documents/choking.pdf> and CBS Chicago. “Ragweed Season May Be Worst in 50 Years.” 18 August 2006. Accessed Online 15 August 2007 <http://cbs2chicago.com/health/local_story_230174252.html>)
Climate in the News: "25 years of Arctic ice left" - Randy Boswell, Vancouver Sun - 18 August 2007 - http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=3780ea4a-4505-4498-add0-adf08627f728&k=8948
The Arctic Sea Ice Cover is at its smallest extent ever recorded, and the melting is expected to continue to accelerate.
Have a great, safe weekend!!
