The Newsletter of the Buffalo Forecast Office

Page 4

NWS Buffalo Announces "Open House"

gineers, local university displays, Navy and Air Force re-

On Sunday June 8th, the National Weather Service in Buf-

cruiters with information on weather careers in the military,

falo will host its 3rd Open House since moving to our cur-

displays of weather information gathering equipment, the

rent location at 587 Aero Drive, Cheektowaga. Hours of

Red Cross--just to name a few.

the event will be from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Tours of the

freshly renovated facility will include many interesting tech-

Buffalo-native General Albert Myer, considered the foun-

nologies that have been incorporated into the operation to

der of today's National Weather Service, will be on hand to

better serve the public throughout western and northern

give a unique historical perspective to the development of

New York.

the Service from its humble beginnings as part of the Army

Signal Corps. Staff members will be available to answer

Several outdoor venues will also be featured. These in-

any questions visitors may have.

clude the Coast Guard Auxiliary, Buffalo Airport runway

snow removal and fire fighting equipment, Lancaster

Mark your calendar! We hope to see you June 8th.

Emergency Operations Center vehicle, Army Corps of En-

Warmer Ocean Could Reduce Number of Atlantic Hurricane Landfalls

wind shear is not the only factor

A warming global ocean ­ influ-

affecting Atlantic hurricane activ-

encing the winds that shear off

ity, although it is an important

the tops of developing storms ­

one." Other factors include at-

could mean fewer Atlantic hurri-

mospheric humidity, sea level

canes striking the United States

pressure, and sea surface tem-

according to new findings by

perature.

NOAA climate scientists. Further-

more, the relative warming role of

This study also suggests that

the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic

where the global ocean warming

oceans is important for determin-

occurs is important for determin-

ing Atlantic hurricane activity.

ing the vertical wind shear in the

Atlantic hurricane main develop-

An article published in January in

ment region - within the 10-20

the  journal  Geophysical  Re-

degree north latitude belt that

search Letters, uses observations to show that warming of

stretches from west Africa to Central America. Whether

global sea surface temperatures is associated with a secu-

future global warming increases Atlantic hurricane activity

lar, or sustained long-term increase, of vertical wind shear

will probably depend on the relative role induced by sus-

in the main development region for Atlantic hurricanes.

tained long-term warming over the tropical oceans.

The increased vertical wind shear coincides with a down-

ward trend in U.S. land falling hurricanes.

Observations from 1854 to 2006 show a warming of sea

surface temperature occurring almost everywhere over the

"We looked at U.S. land falling hurricanes because it is the

global ocean, with large warming in tropical regions of the

most reliable Atlantic hurricane measurement over the

Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. Warmer waters in the

long term," said Chunzai Wang, a physical oceanographer

tropical Pacific, Indian, and north Atlantic oceans produce

and climate scientist with NOAA's Atlantic Oceanographic

opposite effects upon vertical wind shear; that is, warming

and Meteorological Laboratory in Miami and lead author

in the tropical Pacific and Indian oceans increase vertical

on the article. "Using data extending back to the middle

wind shear in the Atlantic hurricane main development

nineteenth century, we found a gentle decrease in the

region, while warming in the tropical north Atlantic de-

trend of U.S. land falling hurricanes when the global ocean

creases vertical wind shear. Overall, warming in the Pa-

is warmed up. This trend coincides with an increase in

cific and Indian oceans is of greater impact and produces

vertical wind shear over the tropical North Atlantic and the

increased levels of vertical wind shear which suppresses

Gulf of Mexico, which could result in fewer U.S. land falling

Atlantic hurricane activity.

hurricanes." For the article, Wang worked with Sang-Ki

Lee of the Cooperative Institute for Marine and Atmos-

For more information on the Web go to NOAA's Atlantic

pheric Studies - University of Miami.

Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory: http://

www.aoml.noaa.gov

In terms of hurricane strength, Wang noted, "The vertical