You are browsing the archive for September 2012 - Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal.
30 September 2012
Must See Video on Arctic Sea Ice
Peter Sinclair who writes the excellent Climate Denial Crock of the Week Blog has posted a fascinating video. You will see Dr. Jennifer Francis in this as well. I have mentioned her research frequently here because how the weather I forecast reacts to the loss of ice is a big deal to me. The loss of the ice is a big deal tot he planet as well. Peter has more with an …
26 September 2012
Suomi Satellite Sees Storms and Street Lights
The new Suomi satellite, with its night-time visible sensor and 1km resolution IR imagery, continues to send back some amazing views. This mesoscale convective system (MCS) developed late Monday night. Once we get something like this in geostationary orbit it will revolutionize satellite meteorology. Actually it already is. A real problem with night-time IR images is that many times you cannot tell the difference between cold ground and cloud. Fog is especially difficult …
25 September 2012
Sound Waves Stronger Than Gravity
I first spotted this on Scientific American mags. web site. Why this important and how it is being used to make improved medicines is here.
24 September 2012
Can You Tell The Date From Space? Yes!
Notice the Shadow in this image taken Saturday. It is due North/South,and this happens only on the equinoxes. In other words it must be either late September or late March. You can actually tell it is late September instead of March, by looking at the incredible amount of sea ice around Antarctica. It is late winter there, and Antarctica nearly doubles in size (if you count the ice) during the winter. The …
19 September 2012
An Astounding Image
The loss of Arctic summer ice from the 1980’s is equal to the combined area of Canada and Texas. NCDC Reported this week that June-August was the 3rd warmest on record globally.
18 September 2012
Perfect Autumn Weather in Eastern USA Ending Abruptly
A very strong pressure gradient will develop ahead of a cool front Tuesday and Gale warnings arre already being posted for much of the Mid Atlantic and Northeast U.S. for TUesday afternoon and evening. Heavy rains and a threat f severe weather will also accompany the cold front. Look how amplified the mid atmospheric wind flow is going to be this week. I cannot help but think of the papers published by Dr. Jennifer Francis at Rutgers relating the …
13 September 2012
WMO Throws Out World Heat Record- Death Valley Wins Gold
The World Meteorological Organization has thrown out the long-standing World temperature record, and now the number two reading at Death valley is on top. El Azzizia, Lybia was the record holder at 58 C (136 degrees F,) but as suspected by many meteorologists (including this one) the record was suspect. After some detailed research, the WMO has decided that this record is not likely accurate, and this leaves the 56.4C …
12 September 2012
Still Melting North of 60
NPR did a very good piece today on the Arctic Sea ice today and included is an interview with Dr. Jennifer Francis at Rutgers who I mentioned in the previous post (and several others). You can listen to the piece here. There is also an eye-opening video (top of this page) showing the drop in the VOLUME (different from aerial coverage) of the ice as estimated by the PIOMAS Model. …
10 September 2012
Arctic Ice Is Disappearing and Our Weather Will Never Be The Same
With every passing year it becomes more apparent that the Arctic Ocean sea ice seems to be in a death spiral. The ice area this September is 45% below the levels during September in the 1980’s, and almost certainly it is at levels that haven’t been seen for a thousand years (and likely much more). The melt back this year smashed the record set back in 2007, and we have now reached …
Dan Satterfield has worked as an on air meteorologist for 32 years in Oklahoma, Florida and Alabama. Forecasting weather is Dan's job, but all of Earth Science is his passion. This journal is where Dan writes about things he has too little time for on air. Dan blogs about peer-reviewed Earth science for Junior High level audiences and up.