KOLD Climate Community Blog

Our Water Year Not Looking So Good

Check out the image to the right.  It shows you the average precipitation versus the percent of that average the western United States has received since October 1, 2008.  This is important because a water year is measured from October 1st through September 30th of the following year.  The pinks in Arizona and New Mexico show that many basins in this area have had less than 25% of their total average rain and snowfall for the past year.  Not good news.  In fact some basins are so dry that restrictions may be placed on water use this winter (likely lawn watering and car washing).  So who are the luckily ones that had plenty of water?  That would be the northern portion of the western United States.  The purple boxes show above 200% average rain and snowfall for the year.  Idaho is especially lucky.  You can bet water managers in the southwest are keeping a very close eye on rain and snowfall this El Nino winter. Generally, El Nino means the southwest will be cooler and wetter through the winter months.  However, the key is sustaining El Nino.  At present the models have a moderate El Nino persisting through the first half of the winter with it weakening as we head into spring.  We need the water so badly that a hopeful continuation of El Nino may be welcome. As long as we don't get the rain all in one shot! That's just too much of a good thing and flooding would be an issue in Arizona. - First Alert Meteorologist Erin Jordan

Shuttle Endeavour Launch Scrubbed For Saturday...Now Set For Sunday.

Just in...lightning strikes equipment around Shuttle Endeavour. NASA delays launch until Sunday at 7:13 PM FL time, 4:13 PM AZ time. 

Shuttle Endeavour had two scrubbed launches in June.  The astronauts are itchin' to get to the International Space Station!  So third time is a charm right?  Well...maybe not.  Right now, the crew is set to blast off at 7:39 PM Florida time (4:30 PM in Arizona) on Saturday.  As with Arizona in the summer, Florida usually sees quite a few of afternoon storms.  Saturday will be exception.  There is a 70% chance of afternoon storms.  Although the storms do lose some of their punch as the sun sets, there may be too many near or over Kennedy Space Center.  Any lightning even close to the shuttle will keep it on the ground.  If Endeavour does launch, you can watch it live on NASA TV.  Plus follow along with all the preparations for launch at NASA's Launch Blog. Postings begin about three or four hours before launch. 

New Weather Satellite Set To Launch Today!

A new weather satellite is set to blast into orbit today.  Launch of the GOES-O is set for 6:14 PM (3:14 PM Arizona time) from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral Florida. 

This Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite has the latest technology aboard to help forecasters become more accurate in predicting the weather.  Nearly continuous monitoring will measure things like temperature and humidity. Even subtle changes from minute to minute can affect a forecast. 

Check out the GOES-O NASA Mission Page to learn more about this satellite and how it will help you prepare for changes in our weather.  Follow NASA as it prepares for launch on the GOES-O Launch Blog that will open at 1 PM Arizona Time.  And watch the launch live this afternoon on NASA TV. 

Here is the kicker though.  Afternoon thunderstorms in Florida could ground the mission temporarily. There is a 70% chance that storms will spoil the launch this afternoon.  If that happens, check back on our blog next week and I'll let you know when the next scheduled launch will be.- First Alert Meteorologist Erin Jordan

Shuttle Launch Scrubbed...But New Moon Mission Launches Thursday.

Another scrubbed launch of Shuttle Endeavour.  The crew was set to blast off at 5:40 AM Florida time (2:40 AM in Arizona) on Wednesday but another hydrogen leak grounded the shuttle until at least July 11th.  

However NASA isn't taking a moment to rest after the scrubbed shuttle launch.  An unmanned rocket launch is good to go on Thursday.  Between 5 PM and 6 PM Florida time (2 PM and 3 PM Arizona time) NASA will launch the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Spacecraft (LCROSS).  The orbiter will study the moon from above while the LCROSS will slam into the moon in an attempt to uncover evidence of water at the moon's poles.  Check out the mission details at NASA.gov.

Shuttle Endeavour Launching at 2:40 AM (AZ Time) Wednesday

Set your alarms for the launch of Shuttle Endeavour! The crew is set to blast off at 5:40 AM Florida time (2:40 AM in Arizona).  I know it's the middle of the night but you can watch the launch live on NASA TV.  Plus follow along with all the preparations for launch at NASA's Launch Blog. Posting begins at 9:30 AM Arizona time. 

Wind Knocks Down McDonalds Sign...Right on Car!

From the Navajo Times:

Two people in the car were hospitalized, however, with serious injuries. Online reports that the two were killed in the accident are incorrect.

Russell and Caroline Janke of Naperville, Illinois were parked outside the Window Rock McDonald's when wind blew over the iconic roadside sign at around 12 o'clock p.m Wednesday. The sign, which was bigger than the SUV, landed arches first on the couple's Chevy Trailblazer, crushing the front half of the vehicle, almost directly on top of the front seats, where the Jankes were seated.

According to the police report Mr. Janke was responsive and able to get out of the car, but Mrs. Janke had to be extracted using the "Jaws of Life" removal tools by firefighters.

The Jankes were taken to Fort Defiance Indian Health Service Hospital in an ambulance after the accident. Mrs. Janke was then flown to St. Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix.

Mrs. Janke sustained a fractured spine, sternum and broken ribs, said Ann Janke, her daughter-in-law. Doctors are currently determining whether to operate on her spine.

"It crushed her basically," said Ann Janke.

Mr. Janke underwent surgery for a head wound. He received 70 stitches for the injury.

The couple were stopping to get a bite to eat, on their way back to their home in Illinois after visiting Canyon de Chelly.

According to the National Climactic Data Center, in Window Rock at 12 p.m. winds were at 24 miles per hour, gusting up to 39 miles per hour.

Gilbert Phillip was on his lunch break with coworkers, eating at the nearby Church's Chicken restaurant, in full view of the sign when he heard the crash.

"(The sign) came straight down," Phillip said. "A lot of people were already running over there right after it happened."

Richardson Laughing, who works at the Recycle America recycling center trailer in the parking lot next to the sign, did not see the sign fall but heard it.

"It sounded like a car crash," said Laughing. "After that it was like the July fair, people were walking around, taking pictures."

Laughing said he has kept his eye on the sign for a while now.

"I've been working here two years and I've seen in blow back and forth in the wind," Laughing said. "I've been saying to my wife that it's going to blow over sometime."

"It would move like this," Laughing said while waving his upright forearm back and forth while making a "whoo" sound.

Laughing also pointed out that weld that showed at the end of the pole where the sign used to be does not look very substantial.

"It's only 7 or 8 inches up there, it should have been more than that to hold up the sign it seems like," he said. "(The weld) is not down that deep - and that's a big sign. It's like flying a kite."

Ann Jenke said she was distraught and angry over the accident.

"I know they said there were high winds, but there are high winds everywhere," she said. "They don't allow the golden arches out here in Chicago or in the suburbs, not a big one like that. It's shocking how huge that thing is. What if they had been in a compact car?"

Roy Talker, owner of McDonald's franchises on the Navajo reservation McDonald's issued a statement through McDonald's regional press office stating "the safety and well-being of my customers is a top priority. We are genuinely concerned about the recovery of those involved."

Talker declined to comment further on what happened pending an internal investigation into the accident.

Arizona Dust Storm Seen From Space!

Check out the photo to the right. This is a dust storm in northeast Arizona on April 3rd of this year.  The winds that day gusted to 90 MPH!  This storm closed I-40 because of reduced visibility. 

Most dust storms are uniform in color, usually a gray-brown. But notice the different colors of this dust storm.  That's because the sand is being blown out of the Painted Desert.  Click on the photo to enlarge it. 

Today the winds are gusting once again.  In fact I-40 was closed at 8:51 AM east of Flagstaff, near Winslow because of blowing dust. There is a danger that same could happen to I-10 from Tucson to Phoenix and east of Willcox.  The wind direction is perfect for picking up dust from the west deserts of Pima County and farm fields lining I-10 plus dust from the Willcox Playa. 

For more on this image and other images taken from space check out the NASA Earth Observatory.

This Tornado Chase Costs $10.5 Million!

VORTEX 2 will launch on May 10th and continue until mid-June. This is the largest tornado chasing project ever undertaken in the tornado capitol of the world, the United States.  50 scientists from 19 different research institutions will be on the road in over 40 vehicles.  10 of those will be mobile radars.  Most of the research will take place in the plains states of our country.  This follow-up study from the original VORTEX will use more advanced technology to sample the wind, moisture, and temperature profiles of supercell storms.  These type of storms generally produce the most powerful tornadoes. 

ALASKA VOLCANO ERUPTS

Mount Reboubt 100 miles southwest of Anchorage erupted overnight, sending a 9 mile plume of smoke and ash into the air.  Fine ash is expected to fall over the area.  Many flights are cancelled into the Anchorage airport.  Check out the Alaska Volcano Observatory for the latest Mount Redoubt updates.  Unfortunately the webcam focused on the volcano is no longer functioning. 

Check Out NASA In Your Life

NASA inventions, originally meant for astronauts or for spacecraft, have been adapted for use in our lives.  Check it out at NASA City.