Tag Archives: NOAA

Look out for lionfish

Posted on December 2, 2018 by Charles Kuffner

Hey, it’s another destructive invasive species, aided and abetted by climate change. Scientists battling coral reef deaths caused by warming ocean waters 100 miles off the coast of Galveston might now have another climate change problem to fight in coming … Continue reading →

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The 100-year-storm isn’t what it used to be

Posted on November 29, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

They’re bigger. More than three months after Hurricane Harvey battered southeast Texas with unprecedented and costly flooding, an analysis of rainfall trends across Texas suggests the standards used to develop floodplain regulations, map flood zones and design flood control projects … Continue reading →

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Busy hurricane season predicted

Posted on May 28, 2017 by Charles Kuffner

Welcome to summer, y’all. The nation’s climate agency on Thursday predicted an above-normal 2017 hurricane season with 11 to 17 named storms, five to nine of them hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a 45 percent chance of … Continue reading →

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Welcome to hurricane season

Posted on June 1, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

Looks normal so far, but you know how that can go. Federal officials on Friday predicted between four and eight hurricanes will form in the Atlantic Ocean this year, and up to to four of those could become a major … Continue reading →

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Ghosts of Allison

Posted on April 19, 2016 by Charles Kuffner

I sure hope everyone made it through yesterday’s ferocious rain all right. The storm that flooded the greater Houston area on Monday – drenching the region with the most rain since Tropical Storm Allison dumped more than 24 inches in … Continue reading →

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It’s hurricane season prediction time

Posted on May 26, 2014 by Charles Kuffner

And this year’s forecast is for a fairly quiet summer. On Thursday, forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released their seasonal outlook for 2014, predicting eight to 13 named storms would form. This means, most likely, the Atlantic … Continue reading →

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What happened to the hurricanes?

Posted on December 2, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

This had been predicted to be one of the busier hurricane seasons of recent years. It turned out to be one of the quietest. What happened? “A combination of conditions acted to offset several climate patterns that historically have produced … Continue reading →

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Do you want more information about potential hurricanes?

Posted on June 7, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

The National Hurricane Center is giving you what you want. Sometime during this Atlantic hurricane season, which began Saturday, forecasters will start issuing five-day outlooks – that is predicting where storms may form five days in advance. The expanded outlook … Continue reading →

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Welcome to hurricane season

Posted on June 1, 2013 by Charles Kuffner

Today is the start of hurricane season for 2013, and we should expect a bumpy ride for the next few months. NOAA predicts an above normal, and possibly a hyper-active hurricane season: 13-20 named storms 7-11 hurricanes 3-6 major hurricanes … Continue reading →

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Have I mentioned the that drought is back?

Posted on December 3, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

I hate to say it, but it is. A dry winter that’s on track to making the record books has sent portions of Texas, including Houston and Fort Worth, back into severe drought, raising concerns about wildfires and the health … Continue reading →

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The drought is back

Posted on November 23, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Bad news, y’all. The latest report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, released this morning, shows that more than three-quarters of Texas is now in at least a “moderate” drought, and nearly half the state is in a “severe” or worse … Continue reading →

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Here comes El Niño

Posted on July 7, 2012 by Charles Kuffner

Our hurricane season could be short. The formation of Tropical Storm Debby last weekend in the Gulf of Mexico brought the tally of Atlantic storms to four this season, the earliest that’s ever happened. But despite the quick beginning, scientists … Continue reading →

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Still more drought may be coming

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just what you wanted to hear, right? There is at least the chance of some good news, however. The drought that has plagued Texas is virtually certain to continue at least until early summer, climate experts said on Tuesday at … Continue reading →

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Time for the annual “We’re in for a busy hurricane season” forecast

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

And indeed, forecasters say we are in for another active year, as was the case last year. Here’s SciGuy with some discussion. [S]easonal forecasters did a pretty good job of calling last year’s extraordinarily active season. So while there’s no … Continue reading →

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Active hurricane season predicted

Posted on June 1, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Hurricane season officially begins today, and it looks like it will be a busy one. As we have previously discussed, there’s ample reason to expect a very active hurricane season this year. And so it wasn’t too surprising this morning … Continue reading →

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More or stronger?

Posted on January 29, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

If we’re talking about hurricanes, neither sounds like an attractive choice. A new study with the most extensive computer modeling of storm activity to date suggests the overall number of Atlantic storms will fall 30 percent by century’s end, but … Continue reading →

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Fish farming approved for the Gulf

Posted on September 11, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Back in January, I noted that there was a proposal to allow a fish farm in the Gulf of Mexico. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) was asked for a ruling on it. On Thursday, the deadline for making … Continue reading →

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Time to replace that portable TV

Posted on June 23, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t have a portable TV, so I hadn’t given the matter of their obsolescence due to the digital transition any thought, but if you have one, you ought to be aware of it. Though Americans were given four extra … Continue reading →

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“Near normal” hurricane season

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Better than a highly active season, I guess. With the Atlantic hurricane season drawing near, the last of a growing number of storm prognosticators, Uncle Sam, chimed in Thursday with its predictions. Federal forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric … Continue reading →

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Measuring hurricanes

Posted on April 12, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

The venerable Saffir-Simpson scale for measuring hurricane strength is so simple to use, it’s not really adequate for the task of assessing risk and estimating damage. “If I could wave a wand and make it go away, I would,” said … Continue reading →

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Fish farming in the Gulf?

Posted on January 29, 2009 by Charles Kuffner

Not sure what I think about this. Regional fishery managers have a plan to open the Gulf to the first industrial-scale fish farms in federal waters. The proposal — intended to help reduce the nation’s reliance on imported seafood — … Continue reading →

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