Wednesday, August 12, 2009

TROPICS HEATING UP ~ WILDFIRES IN CAL



Well....I knew the "quiet time" in the tropics wouldn't last....

We are monitoring TD #2 which looks to become Tropical Storm Ana very soon. However the models seem much more interested in the Large, more vigorous tropical wave that just emerged off the coast of Africa. If you live along the coast, please be watching and be prepared. Everyone else.....Please keep checking our sites for more information....YOU may be needed to volunteer.

We are also closely monitoring the wildfires in California. We'll update on both of these situations as more info becomes available.

Below is an article from accuweather.com.....interesting.

According to AccuWeather.com Hurricane Expert Joe Bastardi, this summer's unusually wet conditions in the Northeast could lead to excess hurricane damage.Bastardi predicted earlier this summer that the hurricane season would kick in to high gear during mid-August. There are now two areas worth watching along the Atlantic Seaboard over the next couple of weeks and there may be more.

The cooler than average temperatures and precipitation this summer in the Northeast mimic the patterns of 1954, 1960, 1976 and 1985, Bastardi said.In relation to Bastardi's precipitation predictions for the upcoming snowy winter, his forecast for this year's hurricane season will also include an increased chance for more hurricanes to reach landfall.While this has been a great season for green lawns with an above-average level of moisture in the ground, trees have become waterlogged and top heavy. Soft, soggy soil has also made many trees unstable and more prone to tipping over in the right conditions.

Bastardi said the trees, which have adapted to the Northeasterly wind flow, are predisposed to leaning. This adds to the potential for strong wind gusts to cause the trees to uproot.What has this unusual weather meant for the Northeast, and New England in particular? According to AccuWeather.com meteorologist Jesse Ferrell, this July's ranked monthly soil moisture is higher than 95% of the recorded values in the last 30 years for most of New England. The soil in much of New England is wetter than average by at least 2 to 4 inches and is comparable to that of July 2000 and July 2006. In addition to the risk of trees crashing into homes and blocking highways, the saturated soil has already shone tendencies for mudslides, a phenomena more common along the Pacific Coast during the winter storm season. Mudslides have already disrupted travel along some of the major arteries in the Philadelphia area in recent weeks, including the Schuykill Expressway. Additional rain with or without tropical systems can lead to more problems in the Philadelphia area and other locations.













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