Headlines and News Items
Mature El Niņo Conditions In Place The climate phenomenon El Niņo has
reached its "mature stage" and will linger through the end of spring, according to forecasters
at the NOAA National Weather Service ...
Details...
Weather Service Supports Spaceflight Operations National Weather Service forecasters have provided weather support to NASA for the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Space Shuttle, and other programs. The National Weather Service's Spaceflight Meteorological Group (SMG) is an integral part of NASA's Flight Control Team in the Mission Control Center ... Details...
A white Christmas? It's an age-old question that occurs to almost everyone this time of year.
A white Christmas is defined as a snow depth of at least 1 inch observed on December 25th.
Since 1887, Columbia has never had a white Christmas and only once has it snowed on Christmas Day. What are the
probabilities for a white Christmas in other parts of the country?
Details...
Winter Weather Updates Last week’s early dose of snow and ice may be a glimpse of weather to come during Winter 2002-03, thanks to a
moderate-strength
El Niño digging in its heels. Top weather and climate experts from NOAA
today said El Niño will set the stage for increased storm activity across the South.
Details...
Winter Weather Updates While the calendar may still say it's Autumn (Winter doesn't "officially" begin until Dec. 21 at 8:14 PM EST), the recent ice storm
means it's time to review winter weather safety tips ... Details...
Want Long-Term Climate Data? Do you need details about long-term weather patterns in any part of the United States?
Six regional climate centers provide access to a variety of climate information to meet
local and regional needs for climate data, research-based information, and expertise. The
Centers are joint programs among university, state, and/or Federal Government agencies,
including the National Weather Service. Details...
The 2002 Atlantic hurricane season officially ends Nov. 30, produced only four
hurricanes due to a strengthening El Niņo, said NOAA hurricane specialists. However, twice the normal number
of storm systems (eight) affected the nation...Details...
Drought Status Downgraded The South Carolina Drought Response Committee downgraded the drought status in every county of the state.
Counties where the drought is over include Calhoun, Sumter, Clarendon, Williamsburg, Georgetown, Dorchester, Colleton, Beaufort, Charleston and Berkeley. All other counties, previously classified as either severe or extreme, were downgraded to incipient.
Details...
El Niņo Forecasted to Impact U.S. Winter Weather National Weather Service climate and weather experts forecast that
El Niņo remains on track to influence weather across the United States
during the upcoming winter season. In a newly released winter season outlook,
scientists classify El Niņo's intensity as moderate, but are watching closely
for any further strengthening.
Details...
What Are The Impacts of Severe Weather? The National Weather Service compiles natural hazard statistics on severe weather events. Weather-related hazards like winter storms,
tornadoes, heat, and lightning cause significant damage annually. Details...
Earthquake Awareness in South Carolina Did you know that South carolina has an average of 10 earthquakes each year? Did you know that the most damaging earthquake in the eastern United Sates was centered near Charleston - and felt felt as far north as New York, as far south as Cuba, as far west as Mississippi, and as far
east as Bermuda? Because of South Carolina's seismic history and current seismic activity, the South Carolina Emergency Management Division in conjunction with the South Carolina Earthquake Education Center will sponsor Earthquake Awareness Week
, November 3-9, 2002. Details...
Weather Resources For Educators Available Online!
The National Weather Service has tools available for educators to teach a number of subjects
including science, math, geometry, geography, and biology. From understanding how tornadoes
form to identifying cloud formations, these resources are easy to download for your convenience.
Details...
What Are The Impacts of Severe Weather? The National Weather Service compiles natural hazard statistics on severe weather events.
Weather-related hazards like winter storms, tornadoes, heat, and lightning cause significant
damage annually.
Details...
Buoys Gather Coastal Weather Information Used by Many What do a Florida sail boat owner, a librarian in the United Kingdom, a Kansas science teacher,
a Louisiana shrimp boat owner, a California surfer, and the captain of a New England fishing
trawler have in common? They all use coastal weather observation data gathered by the National
Weather Service's National Data Buoy Center (NDBC).
Commercial and recreational boaters and fishermen depend on accurate real-time marine
weather and sea-condition data for critical marine safety decisions.
Details...
NWS's Glossary of Weather Terms Makes Understanding Weather Jargon Easier! Have you ever heard a weather term and not know what it means? What is a dry
line? What is cumulus congestus? How about ground clutter or a long wave trough?
A comprehensive glossary of weather terms developed by the NWS's Norman, OK, Weather Forecast Office in now available to help you understand weather jargon.
Details...
Hurricane Andrew, One of America's Costliest Hurricanes, Upgraded to a
Category 5 Ten years ago, Hurricane Andrew made landfall in south Florida and resulted in 23 fatalities
and became one of America's costliest hurricanes on record. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) scientists just announced Hurricane Andrew was even stronger than originally
believed - - based on new research it has been upgraded from a Category 4 to a Category 5, the
highest on the Saffir-Simpson scale. The upgrade makes Andrew only the third Category 5 (wind
speeds greater than 155 mph) hurricane on record to strike the continental United States causing
about $25 billion in damages (1992 dollars).
Details...
NOAA makes 150 years of Hurricane Tracks available on-line The Historical Hurricane Tracks tool is an interactive mapping application that allows you to easily search and display 150 years of Atlantic Basin
tropical cyclone data. Details...
NOAA Weather Radio Saves Lives! Early, accurate warnings don't mean anything if they aren't received by those in
harms way. Be prepared and listen to NOAA Weather Radio. The newest models
of NOAA Weather Radio receivers can sound an alert for the
area where you
live and give you a warning even if you are asleep.
Details...
Why Do Forecasters Still Rely on Weather Balloons? Twice every day, from nearly 100 locations in the United States, the National Weather
Service launches weather balloons, carrying instrument packages called radiosondes.
Radiosonde sensors measure upper-air conditions such as atmospheric pressure,
temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction. The data is important for aviation
safety, and meteorologists use radiosonde information to prepare weather forecasts.
Details...
Going to the beach? Want to know the water temperature? It has never been easier to find out what the water temperature is on your favorite beach.
From the Pacific coast to the Atlantic coast, visit the
Coastal Water Temperature Guide online
and select a region to get up-to-date information on a specific beach.
Details...
World's Largest Archive of Climate Data At Your Fingertips All weather and climate data gathered by the National Weather Service, military services,
the Federal Aviation Administration, and the Coast Guard is archived at
NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).
The NCDC compiles the weather data (temperatures, precipitation totals, heating and cooling
degree days, and more) collected from thousands of sites in the U.S.
Details...
Heat Can Kill Heat-related deaths outpace fatalities in several other severe weather
categories. Based on a 10-year average from 1992-2001, excessive heat
claimed 219 lives each year. By contrast, floods killed 88; tornadoes,
57; lightning, 52; and hurricanes, 15. NWS's new Mean Heat Index can make you aware
of potentially dangerous heat conditions. Details...
Need Marine Forecasts Immediately? Call Dial-A-Buoy Mariners can now hear the latest coastal and offshore weather observations via cell phone
through a service called Dial-A-Buoy.
Dial-A-Buoy provides wind and wave measurements taken within the last hour at 65 buoy and 54
Coastal-Marine Automated Network (C-MAN) stations. The stations are located in the Atlantic,
Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, and the Great Lakes and are operated by the National Data Buoy Cent
er (NDBC). NDBC, is a part of the National Weather Service (NWS). To access Dial-A-Buoy, dial
(228) 688-1948 using any touch tone or cell phone and input station identifier information.
Details...
How Intense Will the Sun be Tomorrow? The NWS makes daily forecasts of Ultraviolet (UV) intensity for 52 metropolitan areas in a
product called the UV Index. The UV Index is a next-day forecast of the amount of skin
damaging UV radiation expected to reach the earth's surface at the time when the sun is highest
in the sky (solar noon). Details...
Seasonal Topics of Interest
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