You are browsing the archive for February 2011 - Page 2 of 2 - Dan's Wild Wild Science Journal.
14 February 2011
St. Valentine’s Day Massacre- The real weather that day.
Perhaps no single event in the era of gangsters and prohibition is the crime known as the Saint Valentine’s Day massacre. Many movies have been made, and dozens of books written, about the event. Almost all put the blame (where the experts say it belongs) on Al Capone. Most people have seen the movie about the crime and it shows a cold and quite snowy day leading up to the …
13 February 2011
Is BP Lying About Clean Gulf Beaches?
Here is a video produced by BP about the Gulf Coast Beaches. They claim in the video that the sand is clean, but this appears to be untrue. First, the very slickly-produced BP video: Now a video from a local resident. Tar balls as far as the eye can see. The difference is he can’t afford to put his view on TV. BP can. A much different story it seems. …
12 February 2011
Solar Dynamic Observatory Launch Leads to Atmospheric Optics Discovery!
One year ago today, the Solar Dynamics Observatory lifted off from Cape Canaveral. It was a beautiful day with some high cirrus clouds in the sky producing a commonly seen phenomenon called a sundog. They are caused by sunlight refracting off of hexagonal ice crystals that make up the cirrus clouds, and this one in particular was quite colorful. Hang on, here come the wild parts: First the shock waves …
9 February 2011
Two weeks at The Top of The World
I was asked by the great folks at Earth Gauge (the National Environmental Education Foundation) to write about my trip to Greenland last summer, and it was published in their newsletter this week. I thought I’d share it here along with the pics. You can also see it on Earth Gauge here: http://www.earthgauge.net/2011/two-weeks-at-the-top-of-the-world-a-trip-to-the-greenland-ice-cap (Part 1 of 2) Within just a few months last year, I found myself standing both at …
7 February 2011
Homer’s on Mars and Power Balance Admits Lying-Yes they’re related.
So maybe I’m crazy, but look at the picture on the left. These are shots of sand dunes on Mars, taken by the Mars Recon Orbiter. The images were taken about a year apart, and yes, they do change quite dramatically. But look at the image on the left. Remind you of anyone? It’s truly amazing how the human mind tries to make order out of nothing. We see this …
6 February 2011
5 Awesome Things About The James Webb Telescope by Hank Green
I think Hank Green is pretty awesome himself. He has a great on-camera presence, and people like him are sorely needed by science right now!
3 February 2011
Arctic Ice Update-Another Record Low in January
Here is the release from the National Snow and Ice Data Center: Arctic sea ice extent averaged over January 2011 was 13.55 million square kilometers (5.23 million square miles). This was the lowest January ice extent recorded since satellite records began in 1979. It was 50,000 square kilometers (19,300 square miles) below the record low of 13.60 million square kilometers (5.25 million square miles), set in 2006, and 1.27 million …
2 February 2011
Yasi Pounds Queensland, While Chicago Digs Out
Cyclone Yasi hit Queensland with winds gusting to 285 km/hr (177mph). There may have been brief sustained winds at 300km/hr, and this makes Yasi a strong cat 5 cyclone at landfall. The town of Tully has been hit very hard, with 90% of the buildings heavily damaged, according to ABC News Australia. Late reports indicate heavy damage all along the area near landfall. Meanwhile, the blizzard has left 21 inches …
1 February 2011
Historic Blizzard Pounds Plains/Midwest; Aussies Brace for Yasi
From Oklahoma to Illinois a blizzard is raging this evening. Tulsa broke it’s one day snow record with 13.2 inches and Chicago, at 4 PM CST, was reporting blinding snow and winds near gale force. Winds are likely near 50, in gusts along Michigan Avenue, near the lake front. Here is the official NWS Chicago forecast for tonight: Tonight: Snow and widespread blowing snow. The snow could be heavy at …
Australia Braces as Cyclone Yasi Hits 120kts.
After the floods last month in Queensland, Australia does NOT need this. Cyclone YASI is headed for North Queensland and it is one mean storm. Winds are extreme in YASI with Three second wind gusts estimated at 120 knots. Sustained 10 minute winds are at 85 kts. and climbing. Yasi is a huge storm and also a wet one. It looks very likely there will be a direct hit and the biggest threat is not the winds, but massive flooding.
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.