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Partly sunny, breezy & hot Sat. with afternoon highs in the 90s all the way to the coast. The record high for Sat. (May 10) in Jax is 93 set in 2003. Looks like we'll be real close if not break the record by a degree or so. Winds will once again increase from the west at 10-20 mph with some higher gusts.
Sunday is looking stormy. It'll be a windy day with sustained winds of 15-25 mph but gusts of 30 to even 40 mph. A squall line of thunderstorms should already be occurring early in the day in Georgia, Alabama & the Florida Panhandle. The line of storms will move east through the day accompanied by strong, possibly damaging winds, hail & heavy rain reaching Waycross to Lake City by at least early afternoon then spreading east all the way to the coast through the afternoon.
It's possible that we'll also have isolated to widely scattered storms develop out ahead of this line. Any of these "individual" storms will have the potential to also become severe & could even produce an isolated tornado. Keep an eye to the sky Sunday!
In fact, this will be a messy weekend of weather. Flooding rains will occur from the midwest to New England with a late season Nor'Easter by Mon. Severe storms will break out Sat. from Texas & Oklahoma to Tennessee & Alabama....moving to the Mid Atlantic to the Southeast & Florida by Sun.
We'll catch a nice break from the heat & humidity early in the week -- Mon. through Wed. -- before southerly winds & moisture return along with more rain Thu. into Fri. Overall, it's a pretty active pattern for this time of yr. & for this far south with the potential for some much needed rain but also the potential for severe weather.
Have you seen the video from Leighton, AL of a tornado moving through a parking lot? Click here to see the surveillence video from CNN.
Our assistant news director sent this to the staff today:
The True Story of Mother’s Day
A Day of Peace
In 1870, Julia Ward Howe, distressed by her experience of the realities of war, determined that peace was one of the two most important causes of the world (the other being equality in its many forms) and seeing war arise again in the world in the Franco-Prussian War, she called in 1870 for women to rise up and oppose war in all its forms. She wanted women to come together across national lines, to recognize what we hold in common above what divides us, and commit to finding peaceful resolutions to conflicts. She issued a Declaration, hoping to gather together women in a congress of action.
Influenced by the work of Julia Ward How Anna Jarvis, started her own crusade to found a memorial day for women. The first such Mother's Day was celebrated in West Virginia in 1907. And from there the custom caught on — spreading eventually to 45 states. Finally in 1914 the President, Woodrow Wilson, declared the first national Mother's Day.
This will be the first Mother Day I've ever known to not have my mother to call (see April 9th post). The permanence is what mystifies & bothers me most. It was melancholy to order roses to be placed on her grave.
Earth Gauge: Reducing Yard Waste
Yard trimmings are the second largest component of America's waste stream (paper is the largest), and recent recycling efforts have resulted in 62 percent reduction in the amount of yard trimmings that make their way into landfills. One way to cut down on this number even more is to re-use your grass clippings. The annual clippings from a 5000 square foot lawn can add up to one ton!
Tip: Many people no longer think of grass clippings as garbage, and instead view them as a valuable resource! Instead of throwing your clippings away when you mow, consider three easy alternatives. One is to leave the clippings where they fall. By doing this, you recycle the nutrients in the grass as it breaks down, which reduces the need for lawn fertilizer. A second option is to use the clippings as mulch over tree roots, garden beds, and other areas in your yard to keep weeds at bay, reduce erosion and rain water run-off, and reduce moisture loss from evaporation on warm days. Lastly, grass clippings are a great addition to your compost pile.
(Sources: State of Connecticut: Department of Environmental Protection. "Don’t Trash Grass." Accessed Online 14 February 2008 and United States Environmental Protection Agency: Municipal Solid Waste. Accessed Online 14 February 2008)
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Climate Fact: Central Asia’s Glaciers
Central Asia, a general term for the landlocked region extending from the Caspian Sea eastward into China, has a growing and economically developing population that is largely dependent on glacial melt for its water supply. The Region’s glaciers, however, have been shrinking. In the Eastern Pamir Region of Tajikistan, for example, between 1978 and 1990, glaciers shrunk 7.8 percent and between 1990 and 2001, glaciers shrunk by 11.6 percent. In the Northern Tien Shan Mountain Range in Kyrgyzstan, glaciers have lost about 28 percent of their areal extent since the 1960’s. These glaciers provide water for parts of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, and China.
(Sources: Khromova, T. E. et al. “Changes in glacier extent in the eastern Pamir, Central Asia, determined from historical data and ASTER imagery.” Remote Sensing of the Environment 102 (2006): 24-32 and Niederer, P. et al. “Tracing glacier wastage in the Northern Tien Shan (Kyrgyzstan/Central Asia) over the last 40 years.” Climate Change 86 (2008): 227-234.)
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Climate in the News – “Scientists Head to Warming Alaska on Ice Core Expedition” – Science Daily, 1 May 2008 .........A team of scientists are travelling to Alaska to find the perfect "layer cake" ice core, which will hopefully provide insights on the last 2,000 years of Alaska's climate.
Have a great weekend...stay safe & treat Mom perfectly!
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The heat's arrived & will stay through the weekend. A disturbance passing north of the area could trigger an isolated t'storm Fri. -- especially over Southeast Ga. The highest potential for widespread showers & storms still looks to be Sun.-Sun. night.
So "The Players" is underway. Early morning players had the lowest scores which was no surprise given the increasingly difficult conditions through the day -- heat & wind. Same story for Fri. & Sat. which will probably send the stimp meter on the greens to 13+! Timing on the thunderstorms will be an issue for the final round Sun.
I'll be paying a special & long visit to "my hole" -- #13 (see March 17th post). Funny thing...I haven't played a round of golf since that big day.
So in the mail today I get a letter informing me Hanover Ins. is dropping my homeowners basically because "they can", & they don't want to have to insure potential catastrophic losses. Great....these big insurance companies are a joke, & I guarantee you will come crawling back once they again pad their coffers. The good news is that there are smaller companies working in Florida that are at least as good, if not better than the self-serving large insurance companies. The smaller companies can serve as an excellent, effective & affordable option. Click here for some good info. from First Coast New Home Expo.
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Hot! The longest stretch of consecutive 90+ degree days in nearly 7 months is on the way. Forecast high for Thu: 90...Fri: 92...Sat & Sun: 91. If we indeed hit 90 four days in a row, it'll be the first time since Oct. 12-15th (91, 92, 92 & 93 degrees respectively).
And it looks to be mostly dry & breezy with west/southwest winds of 10-20 mph but with higher gusts. So our fire danger will be high & even the beaches will approach 90 thanks to an offshore wind. We should see a few isolated thunderstorms with 2 most favored areas:
(1) near the sea breeze which should be "pinned" near the coast......
(2) Southeast Ga. which will be closest to a weak front which upper level disturbances will travel along.
For "The Players".....hot, partly sunny & breezy with an extreme UV index -- burn time will be near 15 min. An isolated thunderstorm will be possible each afternoon/early evening. A pretty strong cross wind -- from the west/southwest will blow each day & will be particularly gusty Thu., Fri., & again Sun. afternoon -- will be blowing on the infamous 17th...that's a left to right wind. The course will play just as the PGA has always wanted it to: fast & little room for error.
It looks like there will be a greater threat of storms late Sun. & Sun. night.
This from Al Gore on NPR Tue.:
"And as we’re talking today, Terry, the death count in Myanmar from the cyclone that hit there yesterday has been rising from 15,000 to way on up there to much higher numbers now being speculated. And last year a catastrophic storm from last fall hit Bangladesh. The year before, the strongest cyclone in more than 50 years hit China – and we’re seeing consequences that scientists have long predicted might be associated with continued global warming."
Ah, come on!! From the freedictionary.com:
o·ver·sim·pli·fy (vr-smpl-f)
v. o·ver·sim·pli·fied, o·ver·sim·pli·fy·ing, o·ver·sim·pli·fies
v.tr.
To simplify to the point of causing misrepresentation, misconception, or error.
v.intr.
To cause distortion or error by extreme simplification of a subject.
Fact is the majority of scientific evidence & the majority of people in the know --meteorologists! -- simply indicate there is no such cause & effect -- at least not to a degree that's at all significant. This is the consensus statement by the International Workshop on tropical cyclones-VI participants (courtesy NHC):
-- Though there is evidence both for and against the existence of a detectable anthropogenic signal in the tropical cyclone climate record to date, no firm conclusion can be made on this point.
-- No individual tropical cyclone can be directly attributed to climate change.
-- The recent increase in societal impact from tropical cyclones has largely been caused by rising concentrations of population and infrastructure in coastal regions.
-- Tropical cyclone wind-speed monitoring has changed dramatically over the last few decades, leading to difficulties in determining accurate trends.
-- There is an observed multi-decadal variability of tropical cyclones in some regions whose causes, whether natural, anthropogenic or a combination, are currently being debated. This variability makes detecting any long-term trends in tropical cyclone activity difficult.
-- It is likely that some increase in tropical cyclone peak wind-speed and rainfall will occur if the climate continues to warm. Model studies and theory project a 3-5% increase in wind-speed per degree Celsius increase of tropical sea surface temperatures.
-- There is an inconsistency between the small changes in wind-speed projected by theory and modeling versus large changes reported by some observational studies.
-- Although recent climate model simulations project a decrease or no change in global tropical cyclone numbers in a warmer climate, there is low confidence in this projection. In addition, it is unknown how tropical cyclone tracks or areas of impact will change in the future.
-- Large regional variations exist in methods used to monitor tropical cyclones. Also, most regions have no measurements by instrumented aircraft. These significant limitations will continue to make detection of trends difficult.
If the projected rise in sea level due to global warming occurs, then the vulnerability to tropical cyclone storm surge flooding would increase.
Inspection of sea surface temps. in the Bay of Bengal prior to the landfalling cyclone shows temps. only slightly -- less than 1 degree C -- above avg. sea surface temps. Check out the sea surface temp. map by clicking here (Bay of Bengal is about at 15 degrees N., 90 degrees E.).
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One more pleasantly warm day Wed. before a surge of summer-like heat for Thu. through the weekend with highs reaching 90 in some spots. Increasing humidity will accompany the surge of warmth, so the sea breeze should trigger a thunderstorm or two each afternoon Thu., Fri. & Sat. It doesn't look like much rain but thunderstorms could be a little more numerous Thu. night/early Fri. as an upper level disturbance moves by to the north of the First Coast. The best chance for rain from the disturbance will be across Southeast Georgia. It's looking like the best shot at widespread rain for the First Coast will be late Sun. through early Mon.
The Chaiten volcano in Chile began erupting last Fri. for the first time in thousands of years. Check out the satellite photo below from NASA showing the ash & steam being pushed into the Atlantic Ocean. When I saw this eruption on T.V. today, I thought to myself "what about effects on our climate"? Well, it turns out -- while the eruption seems impressive -- it's not anywhere close to enough sulfur dioxide to have much of an impact. Apparently "only" a few thousand tons of sulfer dioxide are being released...some 1 million tons are generally thought to be needed to affect the climate. Get the story from the Assoc. Press. 
A big announcement today (Tue.) from the Georgia Aquarium & Marineland:
GEORGIA AQUARIUM ANNOUNCES $110 MILLION EXPANSION
New Addition Will Be Home to Bottlenose Dolphins
ATLANTA (May 6, 2008) – When Bernie Marcus opened the Georgia Aquarium in November 2005, he promised that it would always play a role in animal conservation, that it would make an important economic impact on downtown Atlanta, and that it would constantly reinvent itself to continue to "WOW" and attract visitors from around the world. Today, Aquarium founder Marcus and Jim Jacoby, owner of Marineland of Florida and a member of the Georgia Aquarium board, disclosed a key relationship for the Georgia Aquarium with Marineland that ensures those promises continue to be met.
"The Georgia Aquarium will break ground this summer on a $110 million dolphin exhibit that will open by the end of 2010," Marcus announced. "For four years, my friend Jim Jacoby has encouraged me to partner with him to bring dolphins to Atlanta, because they are the aquatic animal that most people know and love, and still there is a dire need in this area of the country to help dolphins."
"Even before the Aquarium opened in 2005, Jim made the incredible offer to lend us up to four trained dolphins on a breeding loan from his world-famous Marineland. With the expansion we are announcing today, we will have an 84,000 square foot space, about the size of two football fields, with a 1.3 million gallon exhibit to accommodate them, and graciously accept Jim’s offer," Marcus added.
"We have a wonderful group of dolphins at our Dolphin Conservation Center, and breeding is active. A breeding loan, which is common among aquariums and zoos, made perfect sense," Jim Jacoby added. "Our guests have been educated and entertained by these charismatic animals, some for more than twenty years, and they will be an exciting addition to the family of fish and mammals that are already at the Georgia Aquarium."
Located on the west side of the present building near the Luckie Street parking deck entrance, the building will encompass areas that include dolphin encounters, viewing windows and dolphin shows. The bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) that will initially inhabit the Aquarium’s new building will come from Marineland’s Dolphin Conservation Center, founded in 2006 to educate and entertain guests through interactive dolphin encounters.
"This is the next ‘BIG WOW,’ the attraction that will continue to bring millions of people to downtown Atlanta and make it the most interesting and exciting facility in the world," Marcus said.
Construction on the dolphin exhibit is expected to begin in August 2008 and will open to the public winter 2010.
Marcus Announces Aquarium Support of Marine Animal Conservation Field Station
In a second announcement, Marcus said the Georgia Aquarium is making a $1.5 million contribution for a new marine animal rescue, care and research facility near Marineland outside St. Augustine, FL. The Georgia Aquarium will provide additional support for operational costs of the conservation field station once it has opened in 2009.
"In our discussions with Marineland and government officials, they informed us of an urgent need for a research facility in that area that can rescue and study the many marine animals that get stranded along the coastlines of Georgia and northeast Florida," Marcus explained.
Manatees, whales and dolphins are among the marine animals that have been stranded on those shores either from illness or as a result of injury or age.
The contribution will be used toward initial capital expenditures in the construction of the marine animal conservation station.
"As a member of the Board of Directors since its inception, I have well understood the Georgia Aquarium’s commitment to conservation and care of fish and mammals, wherever they might be located," Jim Jacoby said. "Once I shared our awareness of this great need with Aquarium leadership, they asked what needed to be done and how they could help."
The conservation field station will be dedicated to studying marine animals off the coast of Georgia and northeast Florida and rescuing and rehabilitating stranded animals. According to Jacoby, it will include veterinary facilities, quarantine pools for rehabilitating rescued animals and housing for researchers and volunteers. Animals deemed releasable by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) will be released in the ocean after rehabilitation. Animals deemed by NMFS to be unfit for release will be provided a home at Marineland or another facility selected by NMFS.
"One of the species we need to actively study is the dolphin, particularly those off the coast of Georgia and northeast Florida," said Billy Hurley, General Manager, Marineland. "More work needs to be done in this area of Florida to understand the effects of pollution on dolphins. It is vitally important to be proactive in our care and understanding of this population before it is too late. This conservation field station will make a positive difference to dolphins and many other marine animals in the wild."
Jeff Swanagan, President and Executive Director of the Georgia Aquarium, said that the dedication to research and conservation programs the Aquarium presently conducts with whale sharks, beluga whales, coral reefs and sea turtles will be applied to the dolphins that are coming to Atlanta.
"The Aquarium is excited about bringing this aquatic animal to Atlanta and educating millions of visitors on the challenges this animal faces in its native habitats," said Swanagan. "At the same time we have an amazing opportunity to couple the research conducted at the Georgia Aquarium with the research that will be done at the new marine mammal conservation field station."
In honor of one of America's toughest jobs ... Today is National Teacher Day. This from the National Education Assoc.:
WASHINGTON—In a monumental effort to say "thanks" to the nation's 3.2 million public school teachers and to celebrate National Teacher Day (May 6) and Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10), the National Education Association and the Parent Teacher Association are urging individuals nationwide to send thank-you notes to their favorite teachers.
The Nation's Largest Teacher Thank-You Card project was created by NEA and PTA in response to an NEA poll showing that the gift nearly half of all teachers would most like to receive is a simple "thank you.” Several thousands of thank-you notes have been collected from students, parents, celebrities, elected officials and individuals from across the nation. A sampling of those messages includes:
• "Ms. Brown was very special because she was my mentor. She was very helpful to my family and me. She and I became close friends and are good friends. After so many years, we still spend time talking on the phone." Patti LaBelle, singer • "Mr. Sellereit gave me my first acting job in my school production of 'The Jungle Book!'" Hilary Swank, actress • "Mr. Tucker has never forgotten what he has in common with his students...he was a kid once, therefore he will always be able to be heard by his students who feel 100 percent respected and validated by him." Wilmer Valderrama, actor • "Teachers are often the people who inspire us the most. I know I wouldn't be where I am today without my fourth grade teacher, Mrs. Duncan. She so believed in me, and for the first time, made me embrace the idea of learning. I learned to love learning because of Mrs. Duncan." Oprah Winfrey, entrepreneur
To contribute to the Nation's Largest Teacher Thank-You Card Project, individuals can visit this site and send a free e-card or post a video thank you. Thank-you cards can also be mailed to: The Nation's Largest Teacher Thank You Card Project, c/o NEA, P.O. Box 66458, Washington, D.C. 20035. The cards collected will become part of a larger-than-life mural measuring approximately 8 feet tall and more than 50 feet wide that will be unveiled for the first time during a high profile event in May 2009.
"This project is about taking the time to say 'thank you'—two simple words that are not said often enough," said NEA President Reg Weaver. "On behalf of NEA, I thank teachers for their care and unwavering devotion to America's students. Teachers spark imagination, cultivate creativity and make dreams become reality."
Warlene Gary, National PTA Chief Executive Officer, adds, "As a parent and a former teacher, I know firsthand how important teachers are to leading children to promise. PTA Teacher Appreciation Week is designed to remind parents and children across the country to thank teachers for the amazing work they do each and every day! Thank you, thank you, thank you teachers of America!”
The Nation's Largest Teacher Thank-You Card Project carries a simple message: Thank a Teacher. The goal is to create a public tribute that helps to demonstrate gratitude for the hard work and dedication that teachers carry into the classrooms and schools across the nation every day.
About National Teacher Day/Teacher Appreciation Week NEA celebrates National Teacher Day each year on Tuesday of the first full week of May. The day celebrates the outstanding work and lifelong dedication of teachers nationwide. National Teacher Day came into being through the leadership and persistence of Eleanor Roosevelt. In 1953, she persuaded the 81st Congress to proclaim May 7 that year as National Teacher Day. PTA took Roosevelt's idea and dedicated a whole week to celebrate the accomplishments of educators. PTA's annual Teacher Appreciation Week honors the dedicated men and women who lend their passion and skills to educating children. For more information visit here and here.
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Quiet weather the next few days before some subtle but potentially significant changes by the end of the week & weekend. A pretty cut-&-dry forecast through Wed. with a dry northeast wind & inland afternoon temps. in the 80s but only upper 70s before falling off some at the beaches. Winds will begin to become more southeast by late Wed. & Thu. then more southerly as a weak front approaches from the north. This is where the forecast becomes a bit more problematic. It looks like we'll have enough atmospheric moisture by Thu. & especially Fri. through the weekend for at least a few afternoon thunderstorms near the sea breeze.
Complicating this forecast will be the weak front to the north which looks like it'll stall just north of the First Coast. Little upper level disturbances will move along the front & trigger clusters of showers & thunderstorms. Depending on the exact location of the front, some of these thunderstorm complexes could affect parts of the First Coast. The most favored locations for rain will be northern parts of the viewing area as it looks right now but a major caveat could be:
(1) outflow boundaries from the storms to the north which could develop storms farther to the south
(2) sea breeze development...winds will generally be offshore (from the west/southwest) so sea breeze penetration should not be very far inland.
Otherwise it'll be hot & humid Thu. through the weekend with the potential for some of the hottest temps. we've experienced in months.
So here's how it shakes out for "The Players" (highly dependent on the location of the front):
Thursday: Partly sunny. Wind: SW - 10 mph becoming SE late in the day. 8am: 65....Noon: 83...5pm: 81
Friday: Partly sunny with a brief midday or afternoon t'storm possible. Wind: SW 10-15 mph. 8am: 67....Noon: 85...5pm: 83
Saturday: Partly sunny with an afternoon/evening t'storm. Wind: SW 10-15 mph. 8am: 68...Noon: 86...5pm: 84
Sunday: Partly sunny with an afternoon/evening t'storm. Wind: W/SW 10-15 mph. 8am: 68...Noon: 85...5pm: 82
Check back for updates on this forecast!
An intense tropical cyclone (hurricane in our neck of the woods) slammed Southeast Asia Sat. The high end Cat. 4 came out of the ever dangerous Bay of Bengal & was very well forecast, but the area hit -- Myanmar which is sandwiched between India, China & Thailand -- does not have the kind of warning system nor the infrastructure or housing that will stand up very well to such a powerful storm. Estimates are that 10,000 people could be dead, thousands are still missing. The Bay of Bengal is notorious for powerful tropical cyclones though May is just the beginning of the Bay of Bengal cyclone season which runs May-Nov. peaking in Oct., Nov.
My cousin sent me some photos from last Monday's (April 29th) EF-3 tornado damage in Suffolk, VA. The photos were taken by my cousin's father-in-law who lives near Suffolk. The last photo is a newly constructed stip mall that's demolished. The other 2 photos illustrate why meteorologists emphasize to never get in a car if a tornado is approaching or try to get out of your vehicle if a tornado is approaching.
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A very warm weekend on the way with afternoon highs in the 80s. An isolated afternoon shower or storm might pop in Southeast Ga. Sat. but a somewhat better chance for widely scattered showers & storms will move into Southeast Ga. Sat. night shifting from Southeast Ga. Sun. morning into Northeast Fl. through the day. Not everyone will get rain this weekend & long parts of the weekend will be dry & warm with a high to extreme burn time of 15 min. Sat. & 20-25 min. Sun.
The weak front moving into the area with a bit of rain this weekend is the same one wreaking havoc throughout much of the midwest & Tennessee Valley with numerous severe storm reports Thu.-Fri. An EF2-EF-3 tornado (still to be determined exactly) hit the suburbs of Kansas City, MO....tornadoes also occurred in Oklahoma, Arkanasas & Iowa. Tornadic storms in Mississippi, Alabama & Tennessee are ongoing as of late Fri. On the cold side of the storm, it's been a major spring blizzard. Click here to check out some of the snowfall (up to 48"!).
Speaking of severe weather, it will have been 1 yr. Sun. -- May 4th -- since a massive EF-5 tornado hit & destroyed virtually the entire town of Greensburg, KS. The rebuilding is underway & Greensburg is determined to become green -- literally. Click here for an excellent write-up on the tornado from the Dodge City N.W.S. & click here for a story from CNN.
"The Players" will get underway next week with activities Mon.-Wed. & the actual tourney beginning Thu. The weather looks warm & dry through Thu. but there could be a thunderstorm threat by Fri. I'll update Mon.
April numbers for Jax are in. Temps. averaged 0.4 degrees below avg. -- essentially average -- & rainfall was 0.80" below the avg. of 3.14". We're pretty dry going into what is the peak of our fire season.
Here are the May averages for Jax:
1st 31st
Low / High 58 / 81 66 / 87
Sunrise / Sunset 6:43am / 8:05pm 6:25am / 8:24pm .... increase of 37 min. of daylight
Rainfall: 3.48"
Earth Gauge: Water Well
From 1950 to 2000, population size in the U.S. nearly doubled, and during that same time period, demand for water tripled! The EPA estimates that typical surburban households use about 30 percent of their water for outdoor irrigation. Unfortunately, about half of the water used outdoors is wasted through evaporation on warm days or runoff from overwatering.
Tip: Save money and water by switching your irrigation system off when there is rain in the forecast. You can also add a rain sensor to your sprinkler system, which will automatically shut the system off when adequate rain has fallen. It's estimated that weather-based controls, such as rain sensors, can save up to 24 billion gallons of water per year in the U.S. - that's equivalent to 7,000 hoses running continuously for one year!
Thinking of installing a new irrigation system? Consider a drip watering system, which uses up to 50 percent less water than traditional sprinklers, and loses virtually no water through evaporation, wind, or runoff.
(Sources: US EPA. "WaterSense."; Consumer Reports. "Home and Garden: Water Wisely."
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Climate Fact: Strengthening Upwelling Patterns
Ocean currents transport heat from the Equator to the higher latitudes, as well as nutrient rich water from the depths of the ocean to the surface. The transport of cooler, nutrient rich water upward is a process known as upwelling. Upwelling feeds much of the life at the ocean’s surface, and 20 percent of the world’s fish catch occurs in areas where the upwelling is strong, although these areas account for only about one percent of the planet’s ocean surface area. The Canaries Current, a southward moving current that brings cold, nutrient rich water up to the Moroccan Coastline, feeds a valuable fishery there. In the past century, the Sahara Desert region has warmed faster than the adjacent ocean waters. This means that the low pressure zone over the Sahara desert has become lower and the high pressure zone that sits over the ocean has not changed that much, which has increased the pressure difference between these zones. Because the difference in pressure between the land and the ocean drives the winds that "pull" cold waters from the depths of the ocean to the surface, the winds have strengthened, and the upwelling has also strengthened. Over the Twentieth Century, the surface waters off the Moroccan coast have cooled by about 2.2 degrees Fahrenheit. Although other warm periods over the past 2,500 years have also corresponded to a strengthening of this current, the cooling that has happened over the past century is unprecedented.
(Source: McGregor, H.V. et at. "Rapid 20th-Century Increase in Coastal Upwelling off Northwest Africa." Science 315 (2007) 637-639)
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Climate in the News – “Scientists Reveal Presence Of Ocean Current 'Stripes'” – Science Daily, 26 April 2008
Several decades of data appear to confirm the existence of subtle crisscrossing patterns of ocean currents, or striations, that run perpendicular to major ocean currents.
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Despite an intensifying storm over the middle of the U.S. that will bring a wide range of inclement spring weather from the Rockies to the East Coast through the weekend, the First Coast will remain in a benign but downright beautiful weather pattern. Temps. will slowly warm but humidity will remain tolerable though you'll notice it being a bit more muggy by late Sat. & especially Sun. A few showers & storms will occur Sun. but widespread rainfall looks unlikely anytime soon.
The storm over the middle of the U.S. will be a prolific snow-producer in the high Plains...& major severe storm-"maker" to its east from Oklahoma to the Great Lakes. Tornadoes already have occurred from Oklahoma to Iowa. Check out this strongly worded statement from the Tulsa N.W.S. Thu. evening: SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
847 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008
OKC113-117-020230-
/O.CON.KTSA.TO.W.0059.000000T0000Z-080502T0230Z/
OSAGE OK-PAWNEE OK-
847 PM CDT THU MAY 1 2008
...A TORNADO WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 930 PM CDT FOR PAWNEE AND WESTERN OSAGE COUNTIES...
AT 843 PM CDT...WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR AND STORM SPOTTERS CONTINUED TO TRACK A LARGE AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS TORNADO. THIS TORNADIC STORM WAS LOCATED 6 MILES EAST OF RALSTON...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH. A LARGE TORNADO HAS BEEN CONFIRMED...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY!
SOME LOCATIONS NEAR THE PATH OF THIS STORM INCLUDE...SHIDLER AND PAWHUSKA.
IF YOU ARE IN THE PATH OF THIS TORNADO...TAKE COVER IMMEDIATELY! IF NO UNDERGROUND SHELTER IS AVAILABLE MOVE TO AN INTERIOR ROOM ON THE LOWEST FLOOR. MOBILE HOMES AND VEHICLES SHOULD BE ABANDONED FOR MORE SUBSTANTIAL SHELTER. AVOID WINDOWS!
And check out this storm spotter report:
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TULSA OK
839 PM CDT THU MAY 01 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0825 PM TORNADO 2 SE RALSTON 36.48N 96.71W
05/01/2008 OSAGE OK STORM CHASER
100 YARD WIDE MULTI VORTEX TORNADO. HAS BEEN 2 TORNADOES
ON THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME.
Take part in next week's Nat. Teacher Appreciation Week (one of the toughest jobs in America!). This from the Nat. Education Assoc.:
This year, to celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week (May 4-10, 2008) and National Teacher Day (Tuesday, May 6, 2008), the Parent Teacher Association and the National Education Association are honoring teachers with a very special public tribute: the Nation's Largest Teacher Thank-You Card Project.
To date, the project has collected thousands of thank-you cards from celebrities, notable public figures and individuals from across the country. Our goal is to continue collecting cards to create a monumental display of thanks to teachers.
Please show your support by encouraging your audiences to take part in this one-of-a-kind project. Participating is easy. Simply log on and send a free e-card or video message. You can also mail a thank-you card to:
Nation's Largest Teacher Thank-You Card
c/o NEA/PTA
P.O. Box 66458
Washington, DC 20035
From "Earth Gauge"......May is Asthma Awareness Month!
The Environmental Protection Agency has designated May as Asthma Awareness Month, with May 6th being World Asthma Day, an event sponsored by the Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA). Pollen and air pollution, particularly ground level ozone, are important outdoor triggers of asthma symptoms. In the United States, an estimated 22 million people, including 6.5 million children, have asthma. Each year, asthma attacks in the United States result in:
two million emergency room visits;
sixteen billion dollars worth of lost productivity and health care costs; and
thirteen million missed school days.
Because pollen counts are at or nearing their peak in most areas, and because we're entering peak ground level ozone season, this is a great time to give viewers simple tips to help them reduce their exposure to potential asthma triggers. Dry and windy days are usually the worst for pollen counts, and changes in weather conditions, especially abrupt changes, can trigger asthma symptoms. Because most pollens are released in the morning, susceptible individuals should avoid outdoor activities between 5:00 and 10:00 AM. Outdoor activities should also be avoided when ground level ozone concentrations and particulate pollution levels are high. Encourage your viewers to stay informed by watching pollen and air quality reports from local media. Before heading outside, they can also visit this site to check on local air quality, and here to view local pollen counts. Remaining in a clean, indoor, air-conditioned environment where filters remove most pollutants and pollens is recommended for asthmatics on days when conditions are conducive to asthma symptoms.
For more information on Asthma Awareness Month, including a list of events near you, click here.
Information on Asthma Awareness Day can be accessed here.
Additional information about allergies and asthma can be found at the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology.
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Jax hit 44 early Wed....just 2 degrees above the record low for the date. But Gainesville (42), Alma (43) & St. Simons Isl. (48) hit new record lows. Another cool start to the day Thu., not far from record lows in what otherwise will be some gorgeous weather! Low humidity will continue through Fri. with daytime highs inching up each day.
There's been some scuttlebutt about Dr. Gray's hurricane research funding being cut at Colorado St. This actually came up last year ('07) but has hit some media outlets the last week or so. Dr. Gray said the funding issue was resolved last year & things are now fine. There was initial concern that the possible cut in funding was linked to Gray's global warming opinion (claims it's a cycle & not permananent).
Speaking of hurricanes, a local man -- Bob Brookens -- was honored at the National Hurricane Conference in Orlando in early April (see photo below). Bob has a great website "Hurricane Hallow" which will be added to our "Hurricane Center" on our websites. Bob also has a regular "Barometer Bob" radio-style show that airs each Thu. night live. In the photo below, Bob's award is being handed to him by former NHC director Max Mayfield. The award was in honor of Bob's efforts to raise hurricane safety awareness & his tireless work to disseminate critical information before, during & after a landfalling hurricane. Congratulations Bob! 
The Wakefield, VA N.W.S. has posted an excellent summary of Monday's tornado outbreak that included an EF-3. You'll find video of one of the larger tornadoes, damage photos, radar imagery & maps.
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A chilly night on the way. Our First Alert Forecast is for 44 early Wed. which would be just 2 degrees from the record low for the date (April 30th) of 42 set way back in 1874. Beautiful weather will continue the next couple days with large diurnal (night to day) temp. swings thanks to a very dry air mass. Early morning temps. in the 40s & 50s will warm to the mid to upper 70s Wed....near 80 Thu. & into the 80s by Fri.
Nice & much needed rain for a good part of the area Mon. though there were some "misses". Here are reports from the Community, Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS) from Florida (Georgia is looking for observers & will begini their network soon):
BROOKER 6.6 SSE * : 0.45
GAINESVILLE 8.1 SW * : 0.02
GAINESVILLE 3.8 W * : 0.08
MACCLENNY 2.5 S * : 0.58
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 6.9 ENE * : 0.02
KEYSTONE HEIGHTS 7.6 ENE * : T
ORANGE PARK 4.7 SW * : 0.39
ORANGE PARK 3.0 WNW * : 0.61
MIDDLEBURG 6.5 NNE * : 0.30
ORANGE PARK 0.7 NNE * : 0.60
MIDDLEBURG 6.3 NNE * : 0.30
STARKE 6.4 ENE * : 0.58
JACKSONVILLE 6.2 ENE * : 0.55
JACKSONVILLE 5.9 SW * : 0.65
JACKSONVILLE 8.4 SSE * : 1.04
NEPTUNE BEACH 0.5 NNW * : 0.73
JACKSONVILLE 8.1 SSE * : 0.70
JACKSONVILLE BEACH 4.5 W * : 1.03
FRUIT COVE 6.1 N * : 0.65
TRENTON 8.0 ENE * : 0.25
JASPER 5.5 S * : 0.82
BELLEVIEW 6.0 SSE * : 0.07
MICANOPY 3.6 SSW * : 0.01
DUNNELLON 2.4 NE * : 0.00
FERNANDINA BEACH 5.4 SW * : 0.37
HILLIARD 5.4 NW * : 0.50
SATSUMA 0.2 WSW * : 0.07
ST. AUGUSTINE SOUTH 2.1 S* : 0.06
LIVE OAK 9.1 NW * : 1.01
Our wet weather Mon. was caused by the same front that produced the highly local but intense tornado outbreak in Eastern Virginia. N.W.S. storm surveys are still being conducted by the Blacksburg office. Click here for tornado info. from the University of Oklahoma. We're entering the month -- May -- with the most average tornadoes in the U.S. (165).
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...CORRECTED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
541 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2008
...PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT...
A SMALL BUT INTENSE CLUSTER OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS DEVELOPED IN A WARM...MOIST AIR MASS AHEAD OF AN APPROACHING COLD FRONT ON MONDAY APRIL 28...2008. THE STRONGEST STORMS OCCURRED OVER SOUTHEAST VIRGINIA AND PRODUCED SIX TORNADOES.
THE STRONGEST TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN NEAR SUFFOLK, VA AT APPROXIMATELY 405 PM. MONDAY AFTERNOON. THE TORNADO HAD A PATH LENGTH OF ABOUT 10 MILES LONG AND A QUARTER MILE WIDE. THE PRELIMINARY RATING OF THIS TORNADO IS AN EF-3...PENDING FURTHER ASSESSMENT. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES AND CAUSED WIDESPREAD DAMAGE TO HOMES AND A FEW BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT SUFFOLK, VA.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE IN WAKEFIELD VIRGINIA IDENTIFIED AND OUTLOOKED THE THREAT FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS AS EARLY AS SATURDAY...APRIL 26. THE NATIONAL
WEATHER SERVICE IN WAKEFIELD ISSUED A WARNING FOR THE SEVERE
THUNDERSTORM WHICH PRODUCED THE SUFFOLK, VA TORNADO AT 303
PM...WHILE THE STORM WAS STILL IN NORTHEASTERN NORTH CAROLINA. THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CONTINUED TO INTENSIFY AND THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A TORNADO WARNING AT 311 PM FOR PORTIONS OF SUFFOLK VA...ALMOST AN HOUR PRIOR TO THE STORM AFFECTING DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK. THE TORNADO WARNING WAS REISSUED AT 350 PM...AND STATED THAT THE TORNADO WOULD BE NEAR DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK BY 405 PM. AT 404 PM...THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED A SEVERE WEATHER STATEMENT...STATING THAT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A TORNADO NEAR DOWNTOWN SUFFOLK. THE PRELIMINARY LEAD TIME FOR THE TORNADO WAS 15 MINUTES.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
215 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2008
...STORM DAMAGE IN HALIFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA CAUSED BY EF1 TORNADO...
A NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE STORM SURVEY FOUND THAT STORM DAMAGE THAT OCCURRED IN HALIFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA IN THE TOWN OF VIRGILINA MONDAY AFTERNOON WAS CAUSED BY AN EF1 TORNADO.
WINDS IN THE STORM WERE ESTIMATED TO BE BETWEEN 86 AND 109 MPH.
THE STORM WAS ON THE GROUND FROM APPROXIMATELY 110 TO 115 PM. THE INITIAL DAMAGE STARTED JUST SOUTH AND WEST OF THE INTERSECTIONS OF HIGHWAYS 96 AND 49. THIS ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF THE TOWN OF VIRGILINA. THE TORNADO WAS ON THE GROUND FOR APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE TRAVELING TO THE NORTHEAST. SPORADIC DAMAGE OCCURRED FURTHER NORTHEAST ON GILLS MOUNTAIN ROAD FROM STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. AT THE WIDEST POINT...THE TORNADO WAS 240 YARDS WIDE.
6 HOMES WERE DAMAGED...AND NUMEROUS LARGE TREES WERE DOWNED AND SNAPPED.
THE NATIONAL WEATHER WANTS TO EXTEND IT THANKS TO THE VIRGINIA
DIVISION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT...AND HALIFAX COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR ASSISTANCE IN THE STORM SURVEY.
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE WAKEFIELD VA
405 PM EDT TUE APR 29 2008
... THE FOLLOWING IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF TORNADO SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE COLONIAL HEIGHTS, VA TORNADO ON APRIL 28, 2008...
SURVEY DAMAGE SCALE RESULT: EF1
ESTIMATED WINDSPEED: 86-110 MPH
TOTAL INJURIES: 21
TOTAL DEATHS: 0
PATH LENGTH: APPROX. 1/2 MILE
PATH WIDTH: APPROX. 75-80 YARDS
SUMMARY...
IN COLONIAL HEIGHTS...THE TORNADO APPEARED TO MOVE ALONG AN
APPROXIMATELY ONE-HALF MILE, 75-80 YARD WIDTH PATH FROM SOUTHWEST TO NORTHEAST. AS INDICATED FROM THE DAMAGE, THE TORNADO TOUCHED DOWN IN SPOTS BEGINNING NEAR THE END OF THE FOOTBALL FIELD NEAR COLONIAL HEIGHTS MIDDLE SCHOOL, ACROSS INTERSTATE 95, INTO THE DIMMOCK SQUARE SHOPPING CENTER. THE FIRST OF THE DAMAGE WAS TO A FOOTBALL FIELD CLUBHOUSE AS A PART OF THE ROOF WAS BLOWN OFF. THE STORM THEN LIFTED ACROSS AN AREA OF HOMES AND TOUCHED DOWN AGAIN JUST WEST OF THE INTERSTATE AND TEARING A PATH THROUGH THE ROOF OF THE MEDALLION POOLS BUILDING. TWISTED METAL WAS STREWN ACROSS THE PARKING LOT WITH
A FEW CARS DAMAGED FROM THE FLYING DEBRIS. THE TORNADO LIFTED AGAIN ACROSS I-95 SCATTERING DEBRIS ACROSS THE SOUTHGATE SQUARE PARKING LOT INCLUDING A HALF-TON AIR CONDITIONING UNIT BLOWN APPROXIMATELY 300 YARDS AND DEPOSITED IN FRONT OF THE HELZBERG DIAMONDS BUSINESS NEAR SOUTH PARK BOULEVARD.
THE MOST SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE OCCURRED WITH THE FINAL TOUCHDOWN IN THE DIMMOCK SQUARE STRIP MALL. A STRING OF 4 STORES AROUND 75-80 YARDS IN WIDTH HAD CEILING TILES BLOWN OUT, ROOF PEELED OFF AND WINDOWS BLOWN OUT. SEVERAL CARS WERE DAMAGED...AS SOME HAD WINDOWS SHATTERED FROM FLYING DEBRIS. OTHER VEHICLES WERE FLIPPED AND TOSSED ABOUT IN PILES. THE STORM APPEARED TO LIFT AGAIN BUT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO A BANK AND LIGHT POLES BLOWN DOWN IN A CAR LOT APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 100 YARDS EAST OF DIMMOCK SQUARE. CARS WERE ALSO DAMAGED HERE FROM THE
FLYING DEBRIS.
A couple of weeks ago I visited Stockton Elementary for their career day. Click the following links for a fun-to-read card sent to me from one of the classes. Page 1 - Page 2 - Page 3
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Our showers & storms will come to end Mon. night from west to east followed by another stretch of "chamber of commerce" weather for the First Coast Tue. through Thu. Nighttime temperatures will drop into the 40s & low 50s...afternoon highs will be in the 70s with nice & low humidity.
Humidity will creep up along with temps. Fri. into the weekend with possibly a few hit-&-miss storms by Sat./Sun. but widespread rain doesn't look to be in the cards anytime soon after Mon. night.
..... which is why I applied a "weed & feed" on my yard about noon. Soaked in nicely -- just what the Dr. ordered (put pressure on myself with my own forecast!).
We've had some strong storms Mon. A tornado warning was issued for parts of Baker County when a motorist reported a funnel cloud near I-10 not far from Sanderson. The image on radar was only marginal but did match up with other storms earlier in the day that produced damage. In this case, no damage was reported in Baker Co. The damage occurred in Suwannee County -- Live Oak -- west of Lake City with more serious damage in Taylor Co. (Big Bend) confirmed by the Tallahassee N.W.S. to be a waterspout that came ashore as a tornado. Here's the storm summary:
PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT...
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TALLAHASSEE FL
440 PM EDT MON APR 28 2008
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0106 PM TORNADO DEKLE BEACH 29.85N 83.62W
04/28/2008 TAYLOR FL EMERGENCY MNGR
SEVERAL HOMES DAMAGED BY AN APPARENT WATER SPOUT THAT
CAME ASHORE. MAJOR ROOF DAMAGE WAS REPORTED TO 3 HOMES.
OTHER HOMES HAD MINOR DAMAGE INCLUDING DAMAGE TO PORCHES AND SCREENS AND BROKEN GLASS. THE DAMAGE OCCURRED ON
DEKLE BEACH ROAD...MEXICO ROAD AND PALMETTO ROAD.
While the First Coast will enjoy beatiful weather much of this week, another powerful storm will evolve over the middle of the U.S. producing more spring snow on its cold side & flooding & severe storms on the other (warm) side.
A weekend of family fun. Seems like it's been weeks if not months -- for a variety of reasons -- since I've had a purely family Sat./Sun. It all began Sat. with a noon-hour soccer game followed by several hours at the beach. Despite water temps. only near 70 (just reached the 70 degree threshold the last few days), my 5-yr. old was in the water much of the afternoon. And we had a good lesson: my 5-yr. old was riding a "noodle" in the waves of the water -- probably about 20 feet from the shore. My wife & I were watching her -- as we always do when our kids are in the water -- when she became "trapped" between the incoming waves & the outgoing waves. She was floating on her noodle & safe -- not really going anywhere but couldn't make any headway toward shore either. After a minute or two, this really became disconserting for her & she began to yell out to us. Well, my wife went "Baywatch"! running to come to the aid of the 5-yr. old. This wasn't a rip current...just caught between waves not too long after high tide. She was fine, took about a 5 min. break with a few sniffles then was back on the "horse" (in the water!).
Sun. I took the kids to the golf range to break in the their news golf clubs (a Christmas gift so a long time coming). Wow...what an experience. They really liked their shiny new clubs &,
of course, had lots of questions about what the different numbers on the clubs meant, how to hold the club, etc. Now...they need a real(!) instructor, but I showed them some of the basics, & they really enjoyed it & got into it. Swing easy didn't mean a lot to my 5-yr. old, & I'm surprised she didn't hit herself in the back of the head a couple times! She had this habit of wanting to watch the head of the club as she took the club back -- tough to keep your eye on the ball that way! Anway...we had fun, & the girls can be decent I think....once that get some real instruction! I'd say it won't be long before my girls are beating me on the course, but that's not really saying all that much. Fore!!
After golf, it was off to the Jax Zoo & Gardens. I thought the zoo might be less crowded later in the afternoon but not so -- it was packed. We were talking all the way there about the delicious sno biz we were going to have -- which flavor, etc. (this is a glorified snow cone but much, much better -- a real fine ice with flavoring -- over priced [$3] but worth every bite & nice & cooling on a very warm afternoon). So when we finally got into line, I see the sign that says "credit card machine broken". Oh no -- this must be a snow job...a sno biz crisis! I didn't have much cash, none in the car. But after asking around, I found an ATM near the front entrance. This was well worth the 20 min. hike (10 min. there & 10 min. back). Thank goodness for the ATM...I envisioned scooping elephant dung just to try to come up with enough money for our favorite zoo treat. (If you're interested...the sno biz kiosks are along the sidewalk as you approach "Range of the Jaguar" & in "Play Park").
The girls & I also spotted an interesting plant in "Play Park"...something we'd like to try to grow in our own yard. A quick email to Bob Chabot, director of Horticulture, to find out what the plant is: "The plant we were talking about is Aristolochia littoralis or Dutchman’s Pipe. The flowers can get really large 8” – 10”. It is also a host plant for the pipevine swallowtail butterfly, so don’t be surprised to see it crawling with caterpillars. It will die down to the ground most winters but quickly grows back in spring."
What caught our eye is that the blooms -- when closed -- hang down like a ball but then open up widely with a bright yellow middle surrounded by deep purple which is surrounded by a white/purple mix to the edge. Pretty cool plant & apparently easy to grow on the First Coast. Get info. by clicking here.
The girls were asleep within 5 min. of getting in the car, & I enjoyed my best "family weekend" in a long time.
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A warm, more humid weekend for the First Coast. A few isolated thunderstorms should pop Sat. afternoon with a east coast/west coast sea breeze not too far from the I-75 corridor -- well inland, in other words -- with a few more storms Sun. afternoon with the genesis region a little farther to the east. A few of the storms could reach as far east as I-95. Much of the weekend, however, will be dry with lots of sun.
The best chance for widespread rain will be Mon./Mon. evening as a cold front rolls through the area. While some locally heavy rain might occur with the front, it doesn't look like a widespread soaker. Much drier air will quickly follow for Tue.-Wed.
While temps. will warm well into the 80s this weekend on the First Coast...it'll be a taste of winter for the last weekend of April in parts of the Northern U.S. with unseasonable cold & even some snow from parts of Kansas to Iowa, Wisconsin & Michigan. Chicago could even have some snow by Sun. night!
My 7-yr. old didn't have school today so when asked what she'd like to do...it was off to the zoo! And our beautiful Jax Zoo & Gardens continues to grow & look more beautiful by the day. Our zoo might very well be the most improved public attraction within the last 15 yrs. between Washington D.C. & Miami & just received this award:
Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Wins
Garden Club of America Award
Jacksonville, Florida – April 21, 2008 – Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens was honored with a Garden Club of America Zone VIII Horticulture Commendation Award at its Annual Awards Banquet held on April 9, 2008, in Birmingham, Alabama. Zone VIII is comprised of 15 garden clubs from Georgia, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina and Alabama. The award was given “….in recognition of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ bold and successful addition and integration of botany and horticulture with zoology.” Dennis Pate, executive director and Bob Chabot, director of horticulture with the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, accepted the award at the event. The Late Bloomers Garden Club in Jacksonville nominated the Zoo for the award, and several of its members attended the banquet.
“This award recognizes the work of all departments within the Zoo for presenting a holistic approach to the interpretation, care, and exhibition of both plants and animals,” Pate stated.
“It’s a special tribute to our horticulture team for the outstanding job they’ve done in landscaping and maintaining the gardens at the Zoo,” he continued.
With additions such as the Savanna Blooms African garden, enhancements to the Zoo’s linear River of Color gardens and the new Gardens of Trout River Plaza, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is now the largest public garden in Jacksonville and one of the largest in Northeast Florida. The Asian Gardens, opening in spring 2009, will be the first of the Zoo’s botanical gardens along the Trout River and will eventually serve as the entry to the Monsoon Asia animal exhibits. Terra Design Studios, LLC, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is the architect for the Zoo’s Botanical Gardens.
And go to the zoo this weekend to enjoy "Spring into Bloom":
Celebrate Spring at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ “Spring Into Bloom” Festival
April 26 and 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.
April 24, 2008 - Jacksonville, Fl - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens will be hosting its second annual Spring Into Bloom festival on Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the new Great Lawn and Gardens of Trout River Plaza. Gary Alan, host of Designers’ Landscape TV Show, will headline the list of well-known local experts with plant and gardening organizations that will explain how to design, grow, landscape, decorate, and cook with plants. Alan will make his one and only presentation on Saturday, April 26 at 2:30 p.m. Guests can enjoy live musical entertainment, “bubbly” flower people, children’s activity area, visits from Jazoo, prize drawing, and horticulture information stations staffed by the Zoo’s expert staff. Visit jacksonvillezoo.org for the complete event schedule.
“We moved the date of this year’s event to showcase our gardens” said Bob Chabot, the Zoo’s Director of Horticulture and Facilities. “The flowers are in bloom, and it’s a great time of the year to enjoy the Zoo, learn from gardening experts and have fun with the family.”
For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,500 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s north side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. The Zoo is open until 6:00 p.m. on weekends and holidays from March to Labor Day. For more information on the Zoo, log on.
I did our early evening weathercasts from Municipal Stadium Fri. & talked to an interesting Jax nonprofit group "Catty Shack" which is dedicated to the rescue & care of big cats (exotic) that have been discarded or abandoned. Click here for info.
Earth Gauge: UV-Wise
This is the time of year when Americans begin spending more time outside, increasing their exposure to the sun. The stratospheric ozone layer (a protective layer of "good" ozone about six to 30 miles above the earth's surface) absorbs many of the sun's harmful UV (ultraviolet) rays. However, depending on the time of year, weather, and exposure to ozone-depleting compounds, the thickness of the ozone layer can vary, letting more UV radiation through in some areas. There are three types of UV radiation: UVA, which is not absorbed by the ozone layer; UVB, which is partly absorbed by the ozone layer; and UVC, which is absorbed completely by the ozone layer and oxygen in the atmosphere. Becase UVA and UVB rays reach the earth, they can penetrate our skin and eyes, causing adverse health effects - sunburn, skin cancer and other skin conditions, cataracts, etc.
Tip: Just five or more sunburns can double your risk of developing skin cancer. In the Southern states, the UV Index is "very high" right now, meaning that the sun is strong, and it's especially important to take protective steps. Apply sunscreen to exposed skin, and use at least SPF 15, with broad-spectrum coverage that protects against both UVA and UVB rays. If you will be near water, snow, or sand, remember that these surfaces reflect light and can increase your chance of burning.
Before you head outside, check the UV Forecast for your area at the EPA SunWise website.
(Sources: US Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Air and Radiation. "The Sun, UV and You: A Guide to SunWise Behavior."
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Climate Fact: Japan Bloom Dates
Since 1953, the dates when Japan’s plants bloom in the spring have been arriving progressively earlier in the calendar year, and the dates when the trees change color and lose their leaves in the fall have been arriving progressively later. The average date when the country’s famous Cherry trees bloom is now arriving an average of 4.2 days earlier in the year, while Apricot trees are blooming an average of 5.4 days earlier, Camellias an average of 9.4 days earlier, and Dandelions an average of six days earlier. These trends correspond to increases in average spring temperatures. Additionally, the trends are most pronounced for plants growing in Japan’s big cities, which highlights how the Urban Heat Island Effect, or the tendency for cities to be warmer than surrounding rural areas, affects plant life. During the fall, the trends are essentially the opposite. Compared to the 1950’s, the leaves on Ginkgo and Japanese Maple trees are changing color an average of 10.7 and 15.4 days later in the year, respectively.
(Source: Japan Meteorological Agency (2007). “Long-term trends of phonological events in Japan: Summary of ‘Report on Climate Change 2005.’” Accessed Online 18 April 2008
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Climate in the News – “Global Land Temperature Warmest on Record In March 2008” – Science Daily, 19 April 2008
This March featured the Planet's warmest average land temperature on record and the 13th warmest average ocean surface temperature. U.S. temperatures were around average.
Have a great & safe weekend ... & use suncreen!
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Today marked the beginning of an extensive & expensive concrete power pole project in South Florida. In Oct., 2005 cat. 3 hurricane "Wilma" rolled through South Florida knocking down numerous wooden power poles. The downed poles meant extra time to restore power. Florida Light & Power estimates it will take at least 10 yrs. to complete the new poles which will first be placed near "essential" buildings -- hospitals, nursing homes, grocery stores & gas stations. The new poles are designed to withstand winds up to 150 mph (high end Cat. 4). Read the full story from the Miami Herald.
Press release from NOAA regarding climate change:
NOAA Employing New Tools to Accurately Measure Climate Change
NOAA today announced it will install the last nine of the 114 stations as part of its new, high-tech climate monitoring network.
The stations track national average changes in temperature and precipitation trends. The U.S. Climate Reference Network (CRN) is on schedule to activate these final stations by the end of the summer.
NOAA also is modernizing 1,000 stations in the Historical Climatology Network (HCN), a regional system of ground-based observing sites that collect climate, weather and water measurements. NOAA's goal is to have both networks work in tandem to feed consistently accurate, high-quality data to scientists studying climate trends.
Climate Reference Network - Making a Difference
The CRN is helping to pinpoint the shifts in America's changing, often unpredictable, climate. "We're entering a new age of understanding climate change, by adding more sound, reliable data about what's really happening in the atmosphere and on the ground,"
said Dr. Tom Karl, director of NOAA's National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Karl, one of the world's leading experts on climate change, helped spearhead the new climate network's development.
"Very high accuracy in the data collected is the key to getting a feel for the national trend. That's what the Climate Reference Network is doing."
Karl said the placement of each CRN station is crucial to obtaining accurate information on current - and likely future - conditions. "All the stations are strategically placed in rural environments away from the influences of nearby urban areas that would confound the interpretation of any changes observed," he said.
Each CRN station logs real-time measurements of surface temperature, precipitation, wind speed and solar radiation. NOAA's geostationary satellites relay the data from these ground-based stations to NCDC, which posts the observations online.
Historical Climatology Network - Modernization Underway The modernization of the HCN's aging equipment will enhance the extent of America's premiere data source for tracking regional climate variations and trends. The modernization, which began November 2006, will follow a "climate-region" approach, starting with a pilot project in the Southwest, where 140 sites will be revamped.
HCN sites will be equipped with a new temperature and precipitation sensor that will complement the CRN, with precise regional climate data.
Data gathered by those existing HCN stations that were located in less-than-ideal areas have been statistically corrected in the analysis of climate trends routinely reported by NOAA. Though some individual stations were placed in less-than-ideal areas, these data anomalies did not significantly alter overall climate measurements.
The modernization will relocate these stations in areas that are closer to ideal.
In one critical example, this dense, spatial coverage will provide more timely and accurate regional data to support the National Integrated Drought Information System, a collaboration among federal agencies and several state governments geared to provide a dynamic and accessible drought-risk information system.
"Monitoring and understanding climate is a long-term endeavor. We need to have updated systems, such as the Historical Climatology Network, in place for the long haul," said David Caldwell, director of the Office of Climate, Water and Weather Services at NOAA's National Weather Service in Silver Spring, Md.
Caldwell added that a modernized HCN will give NOAA scientists more information to "help explain what's happening with the climate at the regional and local level and serve as a baseline for evaluating other meteorological data."
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Our onshore gusty winds & cooler temps. will persist through Thu. Warmer temps. return by Fri. through the weekend.
From a loyal viewer....Something interesting to watch in the evening sky Thu. (April 24th)...an iridium flare will be briefly visible. These types of flares have been increasing as the number of satellites orbiting the Earth increase & are caused by a reflection of the sun off of 1 of 3 main mission antenna (MMA). The flare that'll be visible Thu. night will originate from the Iridium 18 satellite which was launched July 9th, 1997. Realize that your exact location even within Northeast Fl. & Southeast Ga. could quite drastically change your view (or not even see the flare at all). Click here for all kinds of info. on satellites, the space station, other celestial "points of interest", etc.
We're in the midst of National Wildlife Week...click here for more info. from the National Wildlife Federation.
A nice visit Wed. from a group of "T.V. students" (T.V. production) -- 5th graders from Chimney Lakes Elem. One of the student's mom's -- Allison (loves the weather!) -- brought her famous brownies -- delicious! The first photo is in studio B next to our news studio (yes...I'm a little dressed "down" & I know my legs are skinny!)....second photo is meteorologist Jamie Warriner showing the students our weather set & the "green screen".
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Our Western Atlantic ocean storm is winding up over the Gulf Stream east/northeast of Jacksonville & will turn winds more northeast & increase in speed Wed. through Thu. Boaters should beware of rough seas & gusty winds...those headed to the beach should beware of rip currents, higher seas & surf & much cooler temps. compared to inland areas. Temps. Wed. & Thu. afternoon will range widely -- from only near 70 at the beaches to near 80 well inland from Waycross to Lake City to Gainesville. There will be an isolated shower or sprinkle mainly along the I-95 corridor to the coast but no significant rainfall.
Speaking of rain....true to the avg. April/May -- not to mention the still healthy La Nina -- we're quickly drying out on the First Coast. Some areas did receive significant rain the first 5 or so days of April but not much since. So it's coming up on 3 weeks since we've had a soaker. Little rainfall + lots of sun + some wind + low humidity means we're quickly drying out thought not as tinder as this time last yr. when we had several massive wildfires in progress. We're approaching the peak of the wildfire season which usually lasts through May & sometimes into the first or 2nd week of June. The continuation of our La Nina would point to a later than normal start of our wet season.
Some good news in that we could see a decent shot of rain next week. Long range forecast models are consistent in showing a strong storm system developing over the Eastern U.S. but vary on when & exact location. For now...it would appear our next best chance for heavy rain will be approximately the early part of next week.
And today (Tue.) is Earth Day. Check these interesting recycling facts from Oberlin College:
Recycling Facts
Facts are organized by category: water, energy, paper, metal, aluminum cans, glass, plastic, styrofoam, steel, junk mail, garbage, tires, food, newspapers, lightbulbs, and miscellaneous. Our sources are at the bottom.
WATER
*Between 1950 and 2000, the U.S. population nearly doubled. However, in that same period, public demand for water more than tripled! Americans now use an average of 100 gallons of water each day—enough to fill 1,600 drinking glasses! (EPA, 2008)
*A recent government survey showed at least 36 states are anticipating local, regional, or statewide water shortages by 2013. (EPA, 2008)
* Most people realize that hot water uses up energy, but supplying and treating cold water requires a significant amount of energy too. American public water supply and treatment facilities consume about 56 billion kilowatt-hours per year—enough electricity to power more than 5 million homes for an entire year. (EPA, 2008)
* If just 1 percent of American homes replaced an older toilet with a new WaterSense labeled toilet, the country would save more than 38 million kilowatt-hours of electricity—enough electricity to supply more than 43,000 households for one month. (EPA, 2008)
* If one out of every 100 American homes retrofitted with water-efficient fixtures, we could save about 100 million kWh of electricity per year—avoiding 80,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions. That is equivalent to removing nearly 15,000 automobiles from the road for one year! (EPA, 2008)
* Letting your faucet run for five minutes uses about as much energy as letting a 60-watt light bulb run for 14 hours. (EPA, 2008)
* If all U.S. households installed water-efficient appliances, the country would save more than 3 trillion gallons of water and more than $18 billion dollars per year! (EPA, 2008)
* Leaky faucets that drip at the rate of one drip per second can waste more than 3,000 gallons of water each year; A leaky toilet can waste about 200 gallons of water every day. (EPA, 2008)
* A full bath tub requires about 70 gallons of water, while taking a five-minute shower uses 10 to 25 gallons. (EPA, 2008)
* The average bathroom faucet flows at a rate of two gallons per minute. Turning off the tap while brushing your teeth in the morning and at bedtime can save up to 8 gallons of water per day, which equals 240 gallons a month! (EPA, 2008)
* The typical single-family suburban household uses at least 30 percent of their water outdoors for irrigation. Some experts estimate that more than 50 percent of landscape water use goes to waste due to evaporation or runoff caused by overwatering! Drip irrigation systems use between 20 to 50 percent less water than conventional in-ground sprinkler systems. They are also much more efficient than conventional sprinklers because no water is lost to wind, runoff, and evaporation. (EPA, 2008)
* The average washing machine about 41 gallons of water per load. High-efficiency washing machines use less than 28 gallons of water per load. (EPA, 2008)
* If your toilet is from 1992 or earlier, you probably have an inefficient model that uses between 3.5 to 7 gallons per flush. New and improved high-efficiency models use less than 1.3 gallons per flush—that's at least 60 percent less than their older, less efficient counterparts. (EPA, 2008)
* About 75 percent of the water we use in our homes is used in the bathroom. (California Energy Commission, 2006)
ENERGY
*Every winter, the energy equivalent of all the oil that flows through the Alaskan pipeline in a year leaks through American windows.
*The average U.S. home uses the energy equivalent of 1,253 gallons of oil every year.
*Microwaves use around 50% less energy than conventional ovens; they're most efficient for small portions or defrosting.
*Every time you open your oven door during cooking, you lose 25 to 50 degrees- or more.
*Washers and dryers can account for as much as 25% of the energy you use at home (including the hot water for the wash).
*As much as 90% of the energy consumed by washing machines and 80% of the energy used by dishwashers goes to heating the water.
*During the winter, you can save as much as 3% of the energy your furnace uses simply by lowering your thermostat one degree F (if it's set between 65 F and 72 F).
*Dust on a light bulb or dirt on a glass fixture can reduce the light it gives off by 10 percent and make it seem that you need a brighter, higher wattage bulb.
*Even the paint color you choose can affect your energy use. A white wall reflects 80 percent of the light that hits it; a black one reflects just 10 percent. The more light the walls reflect, the greater the chance that the light can be 'recycled' by striking the wall, bouncing off, and still illuminating the room.
*A heated waterbed can use as much energy as a large refrigerator. Leaving it unmade in the fall or winter can double that by letting the heat dissipate into the air.
*You can save 10% or more of your heating or cooling costs by insulating and tightening up ducts.
*About 15% of the energy you use for heating your home goes to warming up air that leaks in through the cracks.
*Efficiency counts. The most effective new appliances typically use 50% less energy than the most wasteful ones.
*Choose a refrigerator with a freezer on top, instead of a side-by-side unit. On average, the savings amount to 20%.
*Between 15 and 30 percent of the energy your water heater uses goes to keeping a tank of water hot, just in case you need it.
*Even during a mild winter, you can lose as much energy through one single-pane window as a 75-watt light bulb uses running seven hours a day, 365 days a year.
*A double-pane window retains twice as much heat as a single-pane window.
*40% of the energy you use in your home is for heat.
PAPER
*1 ton of 100% virgin (non-recycled) newsprint uses 12 trees
*A "pallet" of copier paper (20-lb. sheet weight, or 20#) contains 40 cartons and weighs 1 ton.Therefore,
*1 carton (10 reams) of 100% virgin copier paper uses .6 trees
*1 tree makes 16.67 reams of copy paper or 8,333.3 sheets
*1 ream (500 sheets) uses 6% of a tree (and those add up quickly!)
*1 ton of coated, higher-end virgin magazine paper (used for magazines like National Geographic and many others) uses a little more than 15 trees (15.36)
*1 ton of coated, lower-end virgin magazine paper (used for newsmagazines and most catalogs) uses nearly 8 trees (7.68)
*At least 38.9% of the U.S. waste stream is paper.
*Americans throw away 44 million newspapers everyday. That’s the same as dumping 500,000 trees into landfills each week.
*If every household reused a paper grocery bag for one shopping trip, about 60,000 trees would be saved.
*We save 17 trees for each ton of recycled newspaper.
*Recycling a 36-newspaper stack saves the equivalent of about 14% of the average household electric bill.
*Making one ton of recycled paper uses only about 60% of the energy needed to make a tone of virgin paper.
*One person uses two pine trees worth of paper products every year.
*Americans discard 4 million tons of office paper every year--enough to build a 12 foot-high wall of paper from New York to California.
*American’s throw out about 85% of the office paper we use.
*Americans use 50 million tons of paper annually--which means we consume more than 850 million trees. That means the average American uses about 580 pounds of paper each year.
*Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil.
*Each year, 27 million acres of tropical rainforests are destroyed. That’s an area the size of Ohio, and translates to 74,000 acres per day...3,000 acres per hour...50 acres per minute.
METAL
*Every year we save enough energy recycling steel to supply L.A. with nearly a decade’s worth of electricity.
*We save enough energy by recycling one aluminum can to run a TV set for three hours.
*Recycling aluminum saves 95% of the energy used to make the material from scratch. That means you can make 20 cans out of recycled material with the same amount of energy it takes to make one can out of new material. Energy savings in 1993 alone were enough to light a city the size of Pittsburgh for six years. .
*Americans throw away enough aluminum every month to rebuild our entire commercial air fleet.
*Recycling steel and tin cans saves 74% of the energy used to produce them.
* Americans use 100 million tin and steel cans every day.
*Americans throw out enough iron and steel to supply all the nation’s automakers on a continuous basis.
*A steel mill using recycled scrap reduces related water pollution, air pollution and mining wastes by about 70%.
** When you toss out one aluminum can you waste as much energy as if you’d filled the same can half-full of gasoline and poured it into the ground.
ALUMINUM CANS
*More than 50% of a new aluminum can is made from recycled aluminum.
*The 36 billion aluminum cans landfilled last year had a scrap value of more than $600 million. (Some day we'll be mining our landfills for the resources we've buried.)
GLASS
*Americans throw away enough glass bottles and jars every two weeks to fill the 1.350-foot towers of the former World Trade Center.
*Most bottles and jars contain at least 25% recycled glass.
*Glass never wears out -- it can be recycled forever. We save over a ton of resources for every ton of glass recycled -- 1,330 pounds of sand, 433 pounds of soda ash, 433 pounds of limestone, and 151 pounds of feldspar.
*States with bottle deposit laws have 35-40% less litter by volume.
*If all the glass bottles and jars collected through recycling in the U.S. in 94 were laid end to end, they'd reach the moon and half way back to earth.
PLASTIC
*Every year we make enough plastic film to shrink-wrap Texas.
*Americans go through 2.5 million plastic bottles every year.
*26 recycled PET bottles equals a polyester suit. 5 recycled PET bottles make enough fiberfill to stuff a ski jacket.
*In 1988 we used 2 billion pounds of HDPE just to make bottles for household products. That’s about the weight of 90,000 Honda Civics.
*If every American household recycled just one out of every ten HDPE bottles they used, we’d keep 200 million pounds of the plastic out of landfills every year.
STYROFOAM/POLYSTYRENE (# 6)
*It is un-recyclable- you can't make it into new Styrofoam. The industry wants you to assume it is- don't BUY it!
*Each year American throw away 25,000,000,000 Styrofoam cups, enough every year to circle the earth 436 times.
STEEL
*The steel industry's annual recycling saves the equivalent energy to electrically power about 18 million households for a year. Every time a ton of steel is recycled, 2500 pounds of iron ore, 1000 pounds of coal and 40 pounds of limestone is preserved.
*Every day Americans use enough steel and tin cans to make a steel pipe running from Los Angeles to New York... and back. If we only recycle one-tenth of the cans we now throw away, we'd save about 3.2 billion of them every year.
*The average American throws out about 61 lbs. of tin cans every month.
*About 70% of all metal used just once and is discarded. The remaining 30% is recycled. After 5 cycles, one-fourth of 1% of the metal remains in circulation.
JUNK MAIL
*If only 100,000 people stopped their junk, mail, we could save up to 150,000 trees annually. If a million people did this, we could save up to a million and a half trees.
*The junk mail Americans receive in one day could produce enough energy to heat 250,000 homes.
*The average American still spends 8 full months of his/her life opening junk mail.
GENERAL GARBAGE
*In 1865, an estimated 10,000 hogs roamed New York City, eating garbage. Now, one of every six U.S. trucks is a garbage truck.
* In a lifetime, the average American will throw away 600 times his/her adult weight in garbage. If you add it up, this means that a 150-lb. adult will leave a legacy of 90,000 lbs of trash for his/her children.
*The average baby generates a ton of garbage every year.
*The landfill gas produced daily at Fresh Kills Landfill is enough fuel to heat 50,000 homes.
TIRES/RUBBER
*It takes half a barrel of crude oil to produce the rubber for just one truck tire.
*Every two weeks, Americans wear almost 50 million pounds of rubber off their tires. That’s enough to make 3 1/4 million new tires from scratch.
*Producting one pound of recycled rubber versus one pound of new rubber requires only 29% of the energy.
FOOD AND PACKAGING
*$1 out of every $11 Americans spend for food goes for packaging.
*Americans dump the equivalent of more than 21 million shopping bags full of food into landfills every year.
NEWSPAPERS
*Every day America cuts down two million trees-but throws away about 42 million newspapers. That means the equivalent of about 500,000 trees is dumped into landfills every week.
*If everyone who subscribes to the New York Times recycled, we’d keep over 6,000 tons of pollution out of the air.
*It takes an entire forest--over 500,000 trees to supply Americans with their Sunday newspapers every week.
LIGHTBULBS
*Every year Americans buy over a billion incandescent lightbulbs. That’s three acres of bulbs every day.
*A 60-watt incandescent bulb lasts about 750 hours; a fluorescent bulb with 1/3 the wattage will generate the same light and burn for 7,500 to 10,000 hours in five to ten years of normal use.
*Substituting a compact fluorescent light for a traditional bulb will keep a half-ton of CO2 out of the atmosphere over the life of the bulb.
OTHER
*One gallon of used motor oil can contaminate 1 million gallons of water.
* Most cars on U.S. roads carry only one person. We have so much extra room in our 140 million cars that everyone in Western Europe could ride with us.
*If today is a typical day on planet earth, humans will add fifteen million tons of carbon to the atmosphere, destroy 115 square mils of tropical rainforest, create seventy-two square miles of desert, eliminate between forty to one hundred species, erode seventy-one million tons of topsoil, add twenty-seven hundred tons of CFCs to the stratosphere, and increase their population by 263,000.
*Almost four million computer diskettes are thrown away every day, which equals over on and a half billion disks per year or a stack of disks as tall as the Sears Tower in Chicago every 21 seconds. It will take nearly 500 years for the disks to degrade.
SOURCES:
Portland General Electric.... Weyerhauser Conservatree....
American Forest and Paper Association.... Environmenal Defense Fund Reach For Unbleached..... America Recycles Day... National Polymers Inc.... The Container Recycling Institute.... Waste Management, Inc.... Pulp & Paper International Worldwatch Institute...
International Institute for Environment and Development School and College Magazine....
Can Manufacturing Institute..... The Green Consumer Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries... The Earth Works Group Recycler's Handbook.... California Dept. of Conservation.... American Flint Glass Workers Union Glass Molders/Pottery Plastics & Allied Workers..... The Consumer Research Institute's Stop Junk Mail Page... Environmental Protection Agency
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An interesting swirl -- mid level cyclone -- is over the Eastern Carolinas & will move east/southeast into the Western Atlantic off the coast of the Carolinas & well northeast of Jacksonville (see satellite photo below). This system should crank even a little more the next couple days as it moves slowly into the Gulf Stream. This system won't become tropical & it's not likely -- though not completely out of the question -- the low will become subtropical. But the storm will look pretty impressive the next few days over the West Atlantic. Were it a couple of months later, this would be a storm to watch for possible tropical development. In this instance, the low will continue to move out to sea. There will be some effect on the First Coast including a more northerly wind Tue. becoming northeast by Wed. into Thu....a little cooler temps. -- especially near the coast...building seas & surf & a higher rip current risk. Otherwise, impacts will be minor with mild temps. & little rain this week though an isolated coastal shower will be possible at midweek with the onshore wind. 
It's Earth Day Tue. Being good stewards of our Earth is something we should do. Click here for a history of Earth Day.
A friend -- Danny Berenberg -- well known around the First Coast for his tireless work with area nonprofits was injured in a hit-&-run a few weeks ago. Read his story & a reward for info. leading to the arrest of the individual by clicking here.
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