Atmospheric alert system launched

Atmospheric alert system launched

A prototype atmospheric alert system for severe weather events for the Maltese Islands and the Central Mediterranean area has been set up by the Physical Oceanography Unit (PO-Unit) of the International Ocean Institute-Malta Operational Centre (IOI-MOC) at the University of Malta.

The system makes extensive use of satellite observations, the optimization of high resolution meteorological forecasting models, the combined use of wave models for forecasting hazardous sea conditions, and also the use of meteo-marine observations targeting to provide useful information in key areas to the end-users.

The web interface developed for the alerting system is mainly dedicated to furnish early warnings at sea and allows remote users to view predicted alerts of extreme weather and sea conditions within nine sub-areas within the Central Mediterranean

The service is part of a project called Weather Risk Reduction in the Central and Eastern Mediterranean (RISKMED) and is partly financed by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Interreg III Community Initiative, which forms part of the Structural Funds Programme for Malta (2004-2006). The project is led by the Greek University of Ioannina, and brings together a consortium of eight partners from Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Malta with interests and expertise in the subject.

The work was coordinated by Dr Aldo Drago, Director of the research institute. Through a dedicated website, this system provides alerts to end users well in advance of any extreme weather event, giving responsible authorities the opportunity for timely response and mitigation.

WEATHER NOTE

Satellite Should Drastically Improve Forecasting

LITTLETON, Colo. (CBS4) ― Imagine being able to know not just what the weather will do tomorrow but next week, and with a great degree of certainty. Engineers at Lockheed Martin say they are building a new satellite that will make that possible.

The company landed a $1 billion NASA contract to build a new version of a satellite called Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite R-Series, known as GOES-R.

It is based on the same technology that generates satellite imagery used in forecasting by CBS4. The difference is pinpoint accuracy, and it could help save lives and crops.

Engineers at Lockheed Martin say the satellite will have the first lightning mapper -- an instrument that can help predict severe weather.

Warnings for tornados could come hours earlier and for hurricanes they could come days in advance. Meteorologists will be able to tell exactly where the severe weather will hit.

"So we'll be able to see when storm changing course and moving against the way we modeled - much more data six times quicker," Lockheed Martin project manager Amy Flanagan said.

Engineers will begin designing the satellite within the next few weeks. It is scheduled to launch in 2015, and will be used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Lockheed Martin plans to hire more than 100 people in Denver in upcoming years to work on the project.

More Information From Lockheed Martin

The company released the following details about the project on Tuesday:

Lockheed Martin's GOES-R solution builds upon the renowned A2100 geosynchronous spacecraft bus and proven precision imaging capabilities from previous remote sensing programs. The A2100 satellite fleet currently consists of 36 satellites and has achieved an accumulated 200 years of successful in-orbit operations.

"Our team is ready to move forward to design and field this important national system," said Jim Crocker, vice president of Sensing and Exploration Systems at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company. "We look forward to continuing our ongoing relationship with NOAA and NASA including two previously awarded GOES-R instruments - the Solar Ultra-Violet Imager and the Geostationary Lightning Mapper."

Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company has a long history of developing highly reliable civil and military weather and environmental satellite systems including Landsat, TIROS, Terra and DMSP.

The Lockheed Martin GOES-R program office will be located at its Space Systems Company facilities in Newtown, Pa.

While substantial engineering and production effort will be conducted in Newtown, the program will also leverage Space Systems Company capabilities across the country including Denver, Colo. and Sunnyvale, Calif.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 140,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2007 sales of $41.9 billion.

MARITIME NOTE

Search and Rescue S-92(R) Helicopter Marks Anniversary of Introduction to U.K. SAR Market

STRATFORD, Conn., Dec 01, 2008 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- In its first year of use by the United Kingdom Maritime and Coastguard Agency and under the operation of CHC Helicopter Corp., Sikorsky Aircraft's Search-and-Rescue (SAR)-configured S-92(R) helicopter logged 279 rescues and is operating at availability levels of more than 98 percent. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

United Technologies Corporation (UTX:

CHC operates the SAR S-92 helicopters from two bases covering territory in the North Atlantic and the North Sea. In Stornoway, Western Isles, Scotland, the fleet has conducted 174 rescue missions, while missions flown out of Sumburgh, Shetland Isles, Scotland, have totaled 102 to date. Aircraft technical availability at Stornoway has been 98.35 percent; availability at Sumburgh, 100 percent, said Ian McLuskie, UK SAR Business Unit Leader, CHC Search and Rescue.

"The Maritime and Coastguard Agency has seen a 20 percent increase in rescue missions at its bases, which is attributed to the increase in speed and capability that the S-92 helicopter offers," said McLuskie. "The aircraft's fully coupled automatic flight control system has been invaluable, and the large cabin and tail ramp also have been of great benefit, particularly when airlifting rescue teams."

Sikorsky initially developed the S-92 helicopter for over-water search and rescue in demanding and challenging environments such as the North Sea and North Atlantic, where the MCA is in service.

"Sikorsky has a successful history of search and rescue. The CHC-operated MCA missions are adding to that legacy," said Marc Poland, Sikorsky Vice President, Commercial Programs. "The S-92 helicopter fleet today has logged more than 120,000 flight hours and in doing so, has shown itself to be a safe, extremely reliable and cost-efficient platform."

The SAR aircraft have conducted rescues from mountains, cliffs, and vessels, rescued divers in difficulty, and extracted complete crews from stricken vessels. One such incident in February this year led to the rescue of 14 fishermen from the vessel Spinningdale, which had run aground at St. Kilda. That rescue, conducted amid gusting 70-knot winds as the vessel sat stranded on rocky, cliff-facing terrain, brought the crew recognition for its bravery and professionalism as it was awarded the Great Scot of the Year Award.

The S-92 is the first helicopter in the world certified to the latest U.S. Federal Aviation Administration and European airworthiness safety standards. The S-92 features a Rotor Ice Protection System (RIPS), which allows the aircraft to operate in known icing conditions. RIPS has been certified by both North American and European aviation authorities and is available on S-92 military variants as well as commercial aircraft. EASA certification was issued in April for an IAFS equipped aircraft, which is currently in commercial operation.

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., based in Stratford, Conn., USA, is a world leader in helicopter design, manufacture and service. The company's mission statement reflects its long commitment to safety and innovation: "We pioneer flight solutions that bring people home everywhere ... every time(TM)." United Technologies Corp., based in Hartford, Conn., USA, provides a broad range of high technology products and support services to the aerospace and building systems industries.

SOURCE Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.

 http://www.sikorsky.com

RS

Sea alarms set

Sea alarms set

The final two buoys for a tsunami alert network are deployed

By Gary T. Kubota

WAILUKU » The final two tsunami detection buoys for the Pacific warning network were deployed this week, completing a system of sensors begun after the 2004 Indian Ocean disaster that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

Scientists say the new system will show whether an earthquake has generated a deep-ocean wave, reducing the chances of an unnecessary evacuation in Hawaii and increasing detection coverage in places such as the western Pacific and South America.

"It means that basically our uncertainties about tsunamis from tricky places have pretty much been removed," said Gerard Fryer, a geophysicist for the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center in Ewa Beach. "Right now, as far as Hawaii is concerned, we no longer have any blind spots, and let me tell you it's a wonderful feeling."

The final two buoys were deployed off the Solomon Islands, about 111 miles northeast of Australia. The network has 39 stations in the Pacific, Atlantic, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico.

Fryer said that before 2004 there were six tsunami detection buoys, four of them in the Pacific and two not working.

He said scientists continue to monitor the magnitude of earthquakes and potential tsunamis through a network of seismometers.

---

Before the development of buoy technology, scientists measured wave changes through tidal gauges along coastlines.

Buoys that record wave pressure at the bottom of the ocean have enabled scientists to be more accurate in their predictions, Fryer said. Unlike surface waves generated by wind, tsunamis reach all the way to the bottom of the ocean.

The latest deep-ocean buoys, which are more reliable and cost about half as much as ones made several years ago, are able to receive wave information through low-energy sound from seabed sensors. Information is transmitted from the buoy to a constellation of earth-circling satellites.

While the northern Pacific Rim is known for frequent earthquakes, South America was the source of a tsunami in 1960 that killed 61 people in Hilo.

The magnitude of the earthquake in Chile was so large it went off the scientific measuring scale at the time and was thought initially to be magnitude 8.5, Fryer said.

Fryer said scientists took 10 years to determine that the earthquake in Chile was a 9.5.

"It was far bigger than anybody understood," he said.

Fryer said to make matters worse, an earthquake of 8.4 had generated waves of a few inches the day before the tragedy, so people "thought it was no big deal."

"We have much better instruments now," he said. "We understand the process much better."

The U.S. Tsunami Warning System is operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which also oversees the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The agency, part of the Department of Commerce, is also working with 70 countries and the European Commission to develop an integrated global monitoring network.

FROM HOLLAND AND KNIGHT

NOAA – US tsunami warning system completed The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a news release stating that, with the recent deployment of two tsunami detection buoys in the South Pacific, the US tsunami warning system has been completed. (3/10/08).

WEATHER NOTES

Ice "Bergs" on Lake Michigan

The relatively warmer temperatures and sunshine of the last several days have caused areas of ice that had been affixed to the western shore of Lake Michigan off the Racine and Kenosha areas to break away from the shore. The blustery west winds on Tuesday have carried these floating ice "bergs" several miles away from shore.

Here is a high resolution MODIS visible satellite image from 102 pm CDT from March 10th.

It shows the ice remaining along the shore from Milwaukee south to Racine, Kenosha and the Illinois State Line.

---

What a difference a day makes! Here is a high resolution satellite image from Tuesday taken at 144 pm CDT.

The warmer temperatures, sunshine and brisk west winds have caused the ice to break away from shore and float several miles away from shore. The above freezing temperatures expected the next several days should cause these floating ice "bergs" to shrink and disappear.

Marc Kavinsky - Senior Forecaster/Meteorologist

Being prepared

Published 3/12/2008

By EMILY BEHLMANN

ebehlmann@gctelegram.com

Coming off of what the National Weather Service calls a record-breaking year for tornadoes in Kansas -- a total of 137 occurred in 2007, killing 14 people and injuring 82 -- several agencies are working to educate Kansans this week about severe weather preparedness.

The National Weather Service, the Kansas Emergency Management Association and the Department of Emergency Management have declared this week as Kansas Severe Weather Awareness Week.

Locally, efforts have included awareness and storm-spotter training sessions on Monday and a tornado siren test and statewide drill on Tuesday, according to Cathy Hernandez, Finney County Emergency Management coordinator.

The National Weather Service states that severe weather can threaten Kansans all year long, and Jamie Bielinski, a weather service meteorologist based in Dodge City, said residents need to realize that severe weather like tornadoes can strike anytime.

However, she said, the season that statistically sees the most tornadoes is approaching, generally running from April through June.

Tornadoes aren't the only severe-weather threat. In 2007, several severe thunderstorms, with hail and high winds, caused millions of dollars in damage to property and crops.

One came to Finney County on Aug. 20, with gusts killing a woman at Meadow Lake Park and causing damage at places including Holcomb High School, Sunflower Electric Power Corp., Peterbilt and Labrador Apartments.

The National Weather Service also warns Kansans that they should be prepared for weather like flooding and what a weather service guide calls "the underrated killer" -- lightning.

Hernandez said Finney County Emergency Management takes steps to ensure severe-weather readiness, like training storm spotters and maintaining relationships with ham radio operators who assist personnel in emergencies.

During severe weather, county public works employees serve as storm spotters and traditional first responders -- firefighters, police officers, sheriff's deputies and Emergency Medical Services employees -- go out in force to handle problems, she said.

To help avoid problems in the first place, Hernandez said her department is pushing public education through means like a Citizen Emergency Preparedness Guide. The guide is available in the Emergency Management office at the Law Enforcement Center, and it soon will be distributed throughout the community.

Hernandez and Carolyn Henry, director of Garden City's chapter of the American Red Cross, stress awareness and preparedness on an individual basis, and by businesses and organizations, as the best ways to avoid harm during severe weather. The first step is to realize when there is a risk of severe weather by paying attention to watches and warnings. A "watch" means that conditions are favorable for severe weather, and it should prompt people to keep abreast of the weather for the day, Bielinski said. A "warning" means the threat is imminent.

"If they hear a warning, they need to immediately take shelter," she said.

Tornado warnings are sounded with outdoor sirens, but Bielinski said it's usually hard to hear them indoors. That's why she recommends keeping up with television or radio reports, and using an All Hazards NOAA weather radio.

"A weather radio is basically like having a tornado siren in your home," she said.

When severe weather does strike, Henry said, it's essential to already have a disaster plan in place.

"If they're aware of what you need to do, they're not going to panic," she said. "They will not go through the stress of 'What should we do? Where should we go?'"

For a family, that plan should include two places to meet following disaster: one location right outside the home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire, and one location outside the neighborhood in case the area is evacuated.

A plan also should include two out-of-town contacts reachable by each family member.

Henry also emphasized the need to keep a kit with a three-day supply of essential items, including important paperwork and some cash. Even if someone uses a Red Cross shelter, the agency won't be able to attend to all needs immediately, she said.

More information about severe weather preparedness is available at the Web sites for the National Weather Service in Dodge City at www.weather.gov/ddc and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Ready Campaign, www.ready.gov.

MARITIME NOTES

MAIB publishes report of FR8 VENTURE tragedy in Pentland Firth
Report into incident on tanker on 11th November 2006 which resulted in fatalities.

At about 1220 on 11 November 2006, while outbound from Scapa Flow and transiting the Pentland Firth, the 74,065 dwt Singaporean registered tanker, FR8 VENTURE, shipped two large waves over her bow. This resulted in the death of two able seamen (ABs) and serious injuries to an ordinary seaman (OS), all of whom were working on the forward mooring deck. The waves also caused minor damage to the ship.

From 10 to 11 November, FR8 VENTURE carried out a ship-to-ship transfer with another tanker, Perseverance, while at anchor in Scapa Flow, and loaded a full cargo of crude oil. The loading operations were completed at 0536, and Perseverance let go from FR8 VENTURE and left Scapa Flow. FR8 VENTURE weighed anchor at about 1054 and the two pilots disembarked near the entrance to Scapa Flow at about 1136. The wind was west to west-north-west and near gale force, with waves of about 4 to 5m high. The ship’s freeboard was about 6.6m and spray was being shipped on board. The tidal stream was flowing generally in the same direction as the wind. (report continued)


RS

TRAGEDY SPAWNS HEROES: THE MAKING OF THE COAST GUARD HELICOPTER RESCUE SWIMMER PROGRAM

TRAGEDY SPAWNS HEROES:
THE MAKING OF THE COAST GUARD HELICOPTER RESCUE SWIMMER PROGRAM

By Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Evanson Fifth District Public Affairs

5 years ago, a tragic event claimed the lives of 31 Merchant Marines, and the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Program was conceived to prevent such disasters from ever happening again. The program has been a guardian angel to many fates nearly taken by the sea.

On the morning of Feb. 12, 1983, gale force winds and 40-foot waves wreaked havoc off the coast of the small Eastern Shore community of Chincoteague, Va. Conditions were the perfect recipe for disaster, a recipe that eventually claimed the lives of 31 mariners by day's end. This tragic event proved to be more catastrophic because the Coast Guard was not prepared to respond. The sad conclusion of the S.S. Marine Electric served as a humbling blow to Coast Guard readiness, and the motto of Semper Paratus. The sacrifice of these mariners, however, indirectly saved the lives of thousands of men and women who would confront the mercy of the sea in the years to follow. The doom of the Marine Electric spawned the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Program, and a new generation of lifesavers at sea.

Tragedy at Sea

The S.S. Marine Electric, a 587-foot motor vessel transporting coal departed Norfolk, Va., for Brayton Point, Mass., on Feb. 10, 1983. Thirty-four merchant mariners were aboard as a winter storm pummeled the lower Chesapeake Bay.If four-foot seas within the bay were harsh, the seas awaiting the Marine Electric in the open ocean were in excess of 40 feet.

On Feb. 12, 1983, at approximately 2:51 a.m., a Coast Guard watch stander in Ocean City, Md., was notified by the master of the Marine Electric, reporting his vessel was taking on water near the front end of the ship. By 3 a.m., the entire crew was mustered on deck near the starboard lifeboats preparing to abandon ship. At a quarter after 4 a.m., as the merchant mariners were preparing the lifeboats, the ship was struck by a powerful jolt, possibly a rogue wave, capsizing the vessel to the starboard side. The Marine Electric crew was thrown into the frigid Mid-Atlantic waters recorded at 37 degrees Fahrenheit approximately 30-miles off the coast of Chincoteague. What was an initial distress call now became a massive search and rescue case, but the following events proved far more difficult than ever imagined.

At the time, Coast Guard flight crews did not have the ability or power to deploy rescue swimmers in the sea to recover victims. As strange as it may seem, a crewmember simply lowered a rescue basket from the helicopter in the vicinity of a distressed person in the water. The rescue relied almost entirely on the victim mustering the strength to get in the basket on his or her own. In cold temperatures where shock and hypothermia were prevalent, this practice proved futile.

When a Coast Guard helicopter crew based at Air Station Elizabeth City, N.C., arrived on-scene shortly after 5 a.m., the water was flush with strobe lights, yet little sign of life existed. Not until 6:05 a.m. was a Navy rescue swimmer able to assist with the recovery. The Navy dispatched a helicopter crew from Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Beach, Va., which had rescue swimmers trained for search and rescue. One-by-one with the help of the crew of the 82-foot Coast Guard Cutter Point Highland, the Navy rescue swimmer recovered the bodies of the Marine Electric crew from the surface; nearly three hours after the vessel capsized.

Of the 34-crewmembers aboard the Marine Electric, 27 people were recovered; only three survived. Seven Marine Electric crewmembers were never found, possibly still aboard the ship. The deceased were later pronounced dead by medical examiners who indicated the cause of death to be hypothermia and or drowning. Meanwhile, as the sun rose, the Marine Electric had already begun a slow descent into oblivion, beneath the sea where it lay in perpetuity.

Aftermath

Following this tragedy, the Coast Guard launched one of the biggest Marine Board of Investigations in its history. Making the case more overwhelming were congressional representatives seeking to know how such a disaster could happen, and more importantly how can a similar scenario be averted. After several congressional hearings, the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 1984 was passed to ensure the Coast Guard was properly equipped to respond to such cases. An excerpt of the act reads, "The Commandant of the Coast Guard shall use such sums as are necessary, from amounts appropriated for the operational maintenance of the Coast Guard, to establish a helicopter rescue swimmer program for the purpose of training selected Coast Guard personnel in rescue swimming skills."

Introduction of the Guardian

"The Aviation Survival Technician (AST) rating's job which was created in 1969 has always been to inspect and maintain life support equipment, perform ground handling and servicing of aircraft, and conduct aviation administration duties," said Master Chief Petty Officer Donald Murray, Coast Guard Aviation Survival Technician Rating Force Manager.

The Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer Program would become an extension of the AST mission objective, beginning very subtly in the fall of 1984, as a result of the Marine Electric tragedy. The Coast Guard joined forces withthe Navy, which permitted prospective Coast Guard helicopter rescue swimmers to train with fellow Navy swimmers at the U. S. Navy Rescue Swimmer School at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Fla. The rating initially known as Aviation Survivalman or ASM graduated five members in this first class.

After a few years of training with the Navy, it became apparent the Coast Guard needed to make modifications because some of the methods taught at the joint service school were not applicable to the Coast Guard search and rescue mission. These methods included scuba, deploying parachutes, tree extraction, and mountain rescue. The Coast Guard's main emphasis is peacetime rescues, not downed military recovery methods. In addition, the program was not without its challenges. The new feature to Coast Guard aviation generated hesitation and concern from pilots with deploying swimmers in hazardous conditions.

"When the program first became operational, there was considerable reluctance to deploy rescue swimmers except under generally favorable conditions, but it soon became apparent, however, that Coast Guard rescue swimmers would frequently be utilized in extreme weather conditions," said retired Lt. Cmdr. Richard M. Wright, in a 1996 article he authored titled "Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer Program".

Rescue swimmers assigned to Air Station Elizabeth City officially became the first operational unit with helicopter rescue swimmers March 5, 1985, with air stations throughout the country following suit throughout the following years. "The Coast Guard went fully operational with the rescue swimmer program in October of 1991 meaning all Aviation Survivalmen, [first class petty officer] and below stood rescue swimmer duty at every Coast Guard air station across the country," said Murray.

Since its inception, the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue Swimmer program has enhanced the Coast Guard search and rescue mission. "The addition of a Rescue Swimmer asset to Helicopter search and rescue teams has had significant impact on the mission. Hurricane Katrina is our most recent reminder of the value of this asset," said Senior Chief Petty Officer Lewis Hart, who supervises the Aviation Survival Technician "A" school in Elizabeth City.

In the two-plus decades of the programs existence, several innovations in training have allowed rescue swimmers to adapt to unpredictable situations that they often encounter.

"The Rescue Swimmer Program has evolved in a number of ways but mostly in more advanced gear and training. The development of the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School in Astoria, Ore., helps train AST's in advanced techniquessuch as vertical surface rescue, sea cave rescue, heavy surf rescue, and swift water rescue," said Hart. In addition, innovations in sport science became an objective in training rescue swimmers. "The AST 'A' School has also developed a Train the Trainer 'C' School that teaches advance fitness and exercise physiology for training AST airmen and for operational fitness," added Hart.

It has been 25 years since 31 souls from the Marine Electric perished. Since this tragedy, it can be said that many lives have been indirectly saved. It is sometimes though tragedy that good can be extracted, and the Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer has fostered this. Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue swimmers have saved or assisted countless lives in the most harrowing of circumstances. In Hurricane Katrina, more than three-thousand lives were saved as the search and rescue operation unfolded on live television. In addition to survival skills in extreme elements, rescue swimmers are trained emergency medical technicians employing basic skills to victims while transporting to medical facilities ashore.

Nevertheless, perhaps the most important thing to remember is that rescue swimmers do not operate alone. It takes an entire flight crew to make saving lives a reality. "Rescue swimmers are highly visible in search and rescue cases and subsequently receive a lot of media attention," said Hart. "It would be fair to say that the media reports deemphasize the team concept with regard to the rest of the crew in such cases," he added. With lessons learned, the Coast Guard stands by for the next search and rescue case, always ready.

MARITIME NOTES:

USA. Mad Mariner introduces video Docking Game

Thursday, 21 February 2008

Mad Mariner, a leading online resource for independent reviews and in depth articles on boating, has announced the official release of The Docking Game, an Internet-based video game that allows boaters to practice and test their skills in a variety of marinas and conditions.

Chicago Maritime Festival - February 23




Coast Guard releases report on Marine Safety program

(WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has released an independent study on its Marine Safety program. The report highlights the need to boost the status of Marine Safety within the Coast Guard organization. It also suggests that relations with the maritime community need to be improved. Click here to view the document.

Vessel pushed aground by ice, Azov sea - 2/15/2008 02:00
February 15, 03.15 LT – m/v Nikolay Sutyrin was pushed aground by ice twitch in Taganrog entrance buoy area, when proceeding in ice-convoy with i/b Kapitan Demidov, in southern direction, Azov sea. Vessel got a hole in cofferdam area, hole fixed by crew. Icebreaker Kapitan Demidov returned to m/v Nikolay Sutyrin, to assist refloating. After refloating, vessel will be towed to port for repairs. M/V Nikolay Sutyrin - IMO7119460, dwt 3355 t, built 1971, river-sea type, owner Samarskaya Shipping Co., enroute Azov-Gerasun (Turkey), cargo 3225 mt coal, crew 11, flag Russia.

Messing About In Ships Podcast Episode #11

February 22, 2008, 5:43 am
Filed under: podcast, shownotes

Have a great weekend!

RS

JANUARY 2008 INDIANA TORNADOES ? UPDATED

UPDATE 0833hrs, 30 Jan 08!

Midwest braces for 'vicious slap from Mother Nature'

CHICAGO -- Severe thunderstorms, tornadoes and fierce winds sliced through the Midwest, leaving behind bitterly cold air and blizzards in the northern Plains that sent temperatures in some areas plummeting by 50 degrees in a few hours.

Forecasters warned more bad weather was on the way Wednesday.

"This is going to be a hard, vicious slap in the face from Mother Nature," Gino Izzi, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Romeoville, Illinois, said Tuesday night. "The temperature drop we saw was really spectacular in a bad way."

High winds associated with thunderstorms may have killed two people in Indiana, authorities said Tuesday. Snow forced the closure of schools and highways in many areas, and avalanche warnings were issued for some Western regions.

"I wouldn't call it a common occurrence to see winds this strong with this kind of snow," Izzi said. "This isn't something we see every year."

The cold air and wind gusts as high as 70 mph slammed into the Midwest, where fog created problems for air travel Tuesday in Chicago. About 350 flights were canceled Tuesday at O'Hare International Airport, said Chicago Department of Aviation spokesman Karen Pride.

The system also dragged frigid air across the northern Plains. The Weather Service reported a midday temperature of 24 degrees below zero at Glasgow, Montana. North Dakota registered wind chill factors of 54 below zero at Garrison, while Williston hit a low of 24 below.

Most of Minnesota was under wind chill warnings until noon Wednesday due to indexes that fell into the minus 30 degree level. It was as low as 50 degrees below freezing in Hibbing.

Though only light snow fell in western, central and eastern Iowa on Tuesday, winds snapping as fast as 60 mph caused visibility problems, and temperatures dropped into single digits.

In north central and eastern Iowa, forecasters expected strong winds and blowing snow to continue overnight, and for temperatures to possibly dip to 10 below zero.

"It's a little worse than your average snowstorm," said Rod Donovan, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Des Moines, Iowa. "The biggest impact is that the driving conditions can change quickly with this type of storm. Once it begins, travel is quite hazardous."

Some 1,500 workers went home early from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, while critical medical staff were put up in hotels so they could stay close to serve patients. The blustery winds also put flight operations on ice at the Rochester airport.

Firefighters in southwestern Indiana pulled two bodies from a mobile home near Evansville that had been turned on its side by winds in a thunderstorm, WEHT-TV reported.

Residents near Danville, west of Indianapolis, reported funnel clouds, and damage was reported to a home and the Morgan County Courthouse in Martinsville.

The National Weather Service reported an unconfirmed tornado touchdown near Okawville, Illinois. A corner of the roof peeled off a high school in Nashville, Illinonis, but no injuries were reported.

Temperatures in Illinois dropped from Tuesday's highs in the 40s to about zero overnight. In anticipation, some central Illinois schools canceled Wednesday classes.

In Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, winds as strong as 70 mph and dime-size hail were reported Tuesday. Two unconfirmed funnel clouds were reported, said Dick Knaup, the county's emergency management director.

The week began with heavy snow pummeling mountain areas from Washington state to northern Arizona as two storms converged, one from hard-hit California and another from the Gulf of Alaska, meteorologists said. Watch residents struggle in Spokane, Washington »

The storms were followed Tuesday by a third that threatened to leave up to 20 inches of snow in Idaho's mountains, said Jay Breidenbach of the Weather Service office in Boise, Idaho.

A fourth storm was on the way to the interior West: "By Thursday, the next storm will be right on our doorstep. This is quite a storm system," Breidenbach said.

The Navajo reservation, which sprawls across parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, was under an emergency declaration because of the possibility that melting snow could create flooding.

In the snow farther west, avalanche danger forced officials to close Interstate 90 at Snoqualmie Pass, Washington state's main east-west artery across the Cascade Mountains. The pass was to remain closed until Wednesday morning, Meagan McFadden of the state Department of Transportation said.

More than 200 trucks were backed up at North Bend, waiting to move freight across the pass. On a typical weekday, as many as 7,000 trucks travel I-90 over Snoqualmie Pass, she added.

Snow also closed highways in Minnesota, Colorado and Wyoming.

Two of three snowmobilers lost in the mountains west of Denver were found late Tuesday, said Summit County sheriff's spokeswoman Paulette Horr. The third was still missing.

In Oregon, two snowmobilers were rescued Monday after spending two nights in the Wallowa Mountains, where they were trapped by storms. Authorities said the two were dressed warmly and equipped with survival gear, matches and an avalanche beacon.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.10:17

PM January 29, 2008

Tornadoes reported in metro area; 2 dead in S. Ind.

Star report

January 29, 2008

Several tornadoes were reported in the Indianapolis-metro area tonight as high winds, hail and thunderstorms moved across Central Indiana. Officials said that two deaths in southern Indiana may have been caused by high winds.

Firefighters pulled two bodies from a mobile home in northern Posey County after it was turned over on its side, apparently by storm winds, Evansville television station WEHT reported.

A sheriff’s dispatcher said he could not confirm the deaths but said the coroner had been called to the scene.

Duke Energy reported more than 28,000 customers without power as of 9:25 p.m., with the largest outages in Morgan and Vigo counties. More than 6,600 people were without power in Morgan County, while power to more than 5,000 was cut in the Terre Haute area.

WEHT reported that Pike County and South Gibson school districts canceled classes Wednesday due to power outages.

There were preliminary reports of storm damage on the Northwestside of Indianapolis as the leading edge of the storm reached the city. From Bloomington to the south and Frankfort to the north, the storm blew through with winds of more than 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

Reports of downed power lines, damaged roofs and toppled trees followed the storm as it moved through the area. There were preliminary reports of damaged homes in eastern Hendricks County.

At 7:18 p.m., northern Marion County came under a tornado warning with a preliminary report of a tornado touchdown in Clermont, along the Hendricks County line. Such reports are typically confirmed by the weather service the next day after a visual inspection.

A tornado warning was issued for Fillmore, Ind., 26 miles south of Crawfordsville, at 6:44 p.m. National Weather Service radar showed a possible tornado near Danville at 6:57 p.m. today.

IPL was still getting reports of power outages immediately after the storm, but the utility's first estimate was that 8,500 customers lost power, mostly on the Northwestside, said Crystal Livers-Powers, spokeswoman for IPL.

Firefighters were looking into reports that several homes were damaged on Swanson Drive on the Northwestside, not far from 44th Street and Kessler Boulevard North Drive.

Downed lines and debris led to the brief closing of the intersection of 30th Street and High School Road.

The wind and rain were only the beginning, weather experts said.

Tonight, a cold front is expected to settle in, pushing temperatures below freezing — possibly into the upper 20s — between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., said Jason Puma of the weather service.

The overnight low for Indianapolis was forecast to be 11 degrees, officials said.

“That’s a big change considering we’re about 50 degrees right now,” Puma said about 6 p.m. today.

Tomorrow is supposed to be cold and dry, with highs in the 20s, but things could get interesting later in the week, he said.

“We could see a significant winter storm … (one that is) building out of the southern plains,” Puma said. “Given what we’re seeing so far, it will be a measurable snowfall."

NWS Indianapolis Reports - Severe Thunderstorms batter Central Indiana

ILLINOIS CHASE REPORT
January 29, 2008 Southwest Illinois Chase
by John Farley

Yes, really! A chase in January! And a very interesting weather day indeed. I had no real plans to chase today, but did keep up with the weather situation and when, by shortly after noon, it became apparent that severe weather could occur in my immediate area, I decided to head out. With marginal instability (it IS January, after all) but very strong low-level shear and a very strong cold front approaching, SPC had placed much of eastern MO and southern IL under a tornado watch. Scattered storms were developing between the STL area and the front, which was located near Columbia, MO around noon. (Report)

WISCONSIN TORNADO UPDATE

Odyssey of family's checks shows human concern, tornado's power

Posted: Jan. 17, 2008

Jim Stingl E-MAIL

Christopher Bilda's first thought when he found a pad of checks on his property in Waterford was that maybe he had a trespasser.

"I was just walking my dogs. I've got a 7-acre place. There it was in the middle of the woods," he said.

It wasn't a whole checkbook, just a pad of checks about half used up. They were soggy but readable.

John Nichols is the name on the checks. Beaverton Road. Capron, Ill.

Christopher's wife, Cindy, told him there had been tornadoes in northern Illinois the same day last week that Kenosha County got hit. Maybe the checks blew up here.

But Capron to Waterford is more than 40 miles, a long way to ride on the wind.

Christopher contacted me to see if we could track down John Nichols and figure out what happened. I did a Google search for Nichols-Beaverton-tornado. Up popped the answer.

"Many working to help tornado victims," one site was headlined. "It's a total disaster," another said.

Reading further, I learned that the person most seriously hurt was Jeanette Nichols, 64, from the same Beaverton Road address on the checks. She had broken bones and a punctured lung. Her son, John, and two of his children had survived more or less unhurt.

The house was leveled. Same with a garage, pole barn and chicken coop.

Jeanette answered the phone when I called her room at St. Anthony Medical Center in Rockford. "They tell me I'm healing. They got me out of intensive care," she said.

She and her family never heard any warning siren, she said.

The tornado was suddenly on top of them. John had been helping his kids with their homework and managed to rush to the basement with them as the house was disappearing above them. Jeanette was in a different room.

"The glass broke and the wind blew me out the window and dropped me," she said.

Christopher Bilda knows something about surviving disaster. He's a machinist at Falk Corp., and he was there when the plant was rocked by a huge explosion in December of 2006. He remembers shattered glass, debris and smoke.

The checks he found on his property, and the powerful act of nature that carried them there, have left an impression on Christopher. "I hope it never happens to me. Imagine your stuff scattered all over," he said.

When I reached John Nichols, he said he was astounded that his property was discovered so far away. He said the checks had been sitting on his desk in a second-floor bedroom. The desk was never found.

"It was nice he called," he said of Christopher's quest to find the checks' owner. "That's the only thing I know of that came back to me like that."

The Nichols family lost most of its possessions in what John calls those "15 seconds of terror." But John's and Jeanette's wallets were both found in the rubble, at least some irreplaceable photos were recovered, and two plates once owned by Jeanette's grandmother survived the storm unbroken. Volunteers have come by the hundreds to help out.

Christopher planned to mail the checks back to John. They are a grim souvenir of this rare January tornado, but also a small reminder that we're looking out for one another.

Call Jim Stingl at (414) 224-2017 or e-mail at jstingl@journalsentinel.com

SUMMER FLOODS OF 2007 IN THE UK

The Association of British Insurers (ABI) has released its report into the Summer Floods of 2007 in the UK. It can be found at: SUMMER FLOODS OF 2007 IN THE UK

WORKSHOPS

NATIONAL SEVERE WEATHER WORKSHOP 2008

A national forum for academia, emergency management, media, and NOAA to exchange information and techniques for public safety during severe weather. March 6-8, 2008. National Center for Employee Development 2801 East State Highway 9 Norman, Oklahoma 73071

INDIANA SEVERE WEATHER SYMPOSIUM

CHICAGO WEATHER

50 degrees today... that came to an sudden end! Like in three hours...

RS

Air-drop in effort to free trawler from ice

New Zealand Herald - New Zealand Sunday January 06, 2008

The Antarctic ice is unforgiving to stranded ships.

United States Air Force loadmasters dropped an engine piston and casing from approximately 121m above the Ross Sea ice this morning to a British fishing boat which has been stranded in the ice for a week.

USAF Lieutenant Colonel Jim McGann, the New Zealand-based Deep Freeze commander, told Radio New Zealand that repairs using the parts should enable the trawler to sail back to Christchurch.

The C-17 Globemaster III flew out of Christchurch with the 68kg parts at the request of the New Zealand Rescue Coordination Centre, which had been told the Argos Georgia, lost all main engine power a week ago and became frozen in the ice floes off the Ross Ice Shelf, north of Scott Base.

The US Air Force said other options to rescue the ship were either no longer available or would have taken another 10 days, the Seattle Post Intelligencer newspaper reported.

The 36m vessel had been chartered for long-lining for toothfish and is registered in St Helena, an island in the South Atlantic, and owned by the Argos Group, based in the Falklands

The flight crew, from the USAF 446th Airlift Wing and 62nd Airlift Wing, dropped the parts while travelling at a speed of 220km/h just after midnight.

New Zealand is responsible for coordinating rescues and marine safety in the Ross Sea.

Argos Oceanic Ltd of Bermuda, which chartered the vessel for toothfish voyages, was last year fined $13,500 in the Christchurch District Court for spilling fuel oil in Lyttelton Harbour.

The Argos Georgia Ltd fishing company recently joined two New Zealand fishing companies, Sanford Ltd and New Zealand Long Line Ltd, in applying for assessment of the Antarctic toothfish longline fishery in the Ross Sea by the Marine Stewardship Council.

The fishery is made up of 21 vessels from nine countries.

MARITIME NOTES

Try handling these waves!


Ship In Rough Water - Watch more free videos

And then there is the....

Costa de la Luz
New Flame salvage operation reported to be underway off Gibraltar
By m.p.
Jan 6, 2008 - 7:38 PM

The Warrior, a specialised tow boat which flies under a United States flag, arrived on Saturday to assist in the salvage operation for the stricken cargo ship, the New Flame, which has been lying half sunken off Gibraltar since it was hit by a tanker last August. The vessel broke in two in heavy weather on 22nd December.

Titan Maritime, one of the largest companies in the field of marine salvage, is now in charge of the operation to recover the New Flame and its cargo of 42,000 tons of scrap metal.

The Mayor of Algeciras, Tomás Herrera, has meanwhile said that work to clean up La Concha Beach is proceeding well, and said there have been no new spills on the local beaches. The Environment Ministry said last Thursday that a team of 10 personnel from the Coastal Authority remains on standby in the area to take immediate action in the case of any further pollution. The Ministry said 239 tons of polluted material have been removed from the beaches in Algeciras, which authorities in Spain believe came from the New Flame.

Volunteer Efforts...

A volunteer cleanup effort will be held Saturday to help pick up after a tornado tore through northern Boone County on Monday. The cleanup will start at 8 a.m. at the Poplar Grove Fire Station on Illinois 173 in Poplar Grove. Lt. Phil Beu of the Boone County Sheriff’s office released totals for injuries and damage today. Four homes were determined to be uninhabitable, four others sustained major damage and nine homes received minor damage. There were 38 structures, including outbuildings and silos, and nine vehicles that were also harmed by the storm. Four people were injured, none fatally. The most seriously injured was Jeannette Nichols, who sustained broken ribs, broke her collarbone in two places and had a punctured lung, among other injuries. One horse, belonging to George Conley of Capron, was killed.

LASTLY

Thursday, 03 January 2008200801030500

Round-the-world skipper hails 'guardian angel'

Record-breaking British sailor Dee Caffari has been reunited with her "guardian angel" in Wellington.

She embraced Westpac rescue helicopter crewman Dave Greenberg for the first time yesterday after he plucked one of her crew from the Pacific Ocean in a dramatic rescue during the Global Challenge almost three years ago to the day.

Ms Caffari was delighted to finally meet her friend's saviour, who now holds a special place in her heart.

"He is my southern hemisphere guardian angel. I owe a lot to Dave and we will always be friends because of what happened," she said.

"Whenever I am in the water I think of guys like him that make everything okay."

The rescue helicopter flew overhead as the pair embraced, and Ms Caffari remarked that three years ago it was the best sight she could have seen.

The rescue was sparked after John Masters, a crew member on her yacht, was thrown into a cabin when a rogue wave hit the boat off the Chatham Islands. He was later found to have potentially fatal peritonitis.

Mr Masters, a 59-year-old Kiwi-born Essex teacher, who was also suffering from an abdominal infection, was lifted off the yacht by helicopter before being flown the 600 kilometres to Wellington by fixed-wing aircraft for treatment.

The mercy mission, involving four aircraft, was the third-longest-distance rescue in the history of Wellington's Life Flight service.

Mr Greenberg said he looked back proudly on the rescue. "But I hope we never meet again in those circumstances. She is a very remarkable woman, and I wish her all the best in her future endeavours."

Mr Greenberg was invited to launch Ms Caffari's new Kiwi-built 20-metre yacht, Aviva, at Chaffers Wharf. She will race the boat in the Vendee Globe non-stop solo round-the-world race in November. The Ocean 60 yacht was built by Hakes Marine in Seaview, Lower Hutt.

The 33-year-old from Hampshire, the first woman to sail around the world alone going west, is now aiming to become the first to complete the voyage both ways.

She decided to have the yacht built in New Zealand because of the technology and craftsmanship available.

She will spend the few weeks getting acquainted with Aviva, which took seven months to build, before it is shipped to Europe. She will then compete in a race from France to the United States to prepare for the Vendee Globe.

The Open 60s are some of the fastest boats in sailing, created for solo sailors who push their machines to the limit.

"This boat rocks, it is really fast. I will spend the next couple of weeks sailing it to see if there are any issues, but, fingers crossed, it is okay."

RS

Black Sea Storms

Back on Tuesday, November 13, 2007 we reported on a severe storm that sunk several Russian ships on the Black Sea ( See Mother and Her Fury!). We recently reported on severe weather grounding the vessel Vanessa, (See Dar be Storms Ablow'in! ) and severe weather effecting Bulgaria and Romania. These at-sea storms have a deadly impact on ships and their crews while most of the incidents go unreported by electronic media outlets both in the United States and worldwide. For example, Cargolaw reported on the Vanessa,

"Bulgarian cargo M/V Vanessa, with 10 crew and a pilot aboard and cargo of scrap metal, sank in the Kertch Strait in severe seas on Jan 3 at 0600LT. There were 11 people on board the ship -- 10 Bulgarian crewmen and a Ukrainian pilot. Two ships proceeded to M/V Vanessa after its SOS-call but were unable to help due to the storm. Rescuers found only one survivor and the bodies of three crew. The bodies were taken aboard a rescue speedboat. Before the sinking the bulwark was torn from the ship. From our Sr. Correspondent Tim Schwabedissen and our Moscow Correspondent Mike Voitenko (Thurs. Jan 3 2008)."

Anyone remember seeing this report on any of the US major news outs? At-Sea Storm reports are just as critical if not even more critical than shore-side reports, since severe weather happens at sea more often than on shore. I include subsea storms or weather pattens exclusive to the oceans. Of course chasing these weather systems is not that easy either.

Chasing maritime weather systems is very different from chasing shore-side storms. Normally a seaman is not chasing, he is normally being chased or caught in the storm with limited escape possibilities. Meaning he is forced to ride out the storm. I can assure you that riding out one of these storms is not pleasant and scary. Like the old saying, "there is no atheists in a fox hole", well there are no atheists at sea either... As its been said, "Ship Happens!"

Thanks to my good friend and shipmate Captain John Konrad of gCaptain.com, These dramatic pictures are from Novembers storm.

MARITIME NOTES

Cargolaw has a posting asking for assistance in solving this mystery. Dr. Beach Asks: What Vessel Lost This?

This little note from our British friends...

Gale-force winds of more than 75mph buffeted parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland today, causing flooding and danger on the roads. Ferry services between Northern Ireland and Scotland were suspended last night because of the weather conditions, which reached 78mph in the Isle of Islay off the west coast of Scotland. The Forth Road Bridge remained closed to all vehicles except cars, and Fife Constabulary said roads in the area suffered from minor flooding. The high winds would continue today, shifting further north as the day continues, leading to a bright day with blustery showers, forecaster said. The Met Office issued a severe weather warning of winds up to 80mph with the the prospect of structural damage. Tony Conlan, a forecaster with MeteoGroup, the Press Association's weather division, said the highest gust measured 78mph in the Isle of Islay. He said even stronger gusts were expected today across Northern Ireland and central Scotland. He said that by the evening most places will have seen the last of the bad weather, for now. Stena Line cancelled both fast ferry and conventional ferry services between Belfast and Stranraer because of the severe weather.

The firm warned of further possible disruptions today. Police warned of a road closure in Lisburn, County Antrim, Northern Ireland after power cables were brought down. The Foyle Bridge in Londonderry, Northern Ireland was closed to all traffic. A spokeswoman for Fife Police said: "Numerous trees have been blown down blocking the roads and we have had some minor flooding across the region. "But it has not been a disaster, it has just been a bad winter night due to high winds and sweeping rain." Rough sea conditions in the English Channel were causing delays this morning to some ferry services, the Port of Dover said. All sailings from the Eastern Docks with P&O Ferries were running about 90 minutes late. Norfolkline services to Dunkerque were also experiencing some disruption to their timetables, a port spokeswoman said.

RS

Winter in Romania!

Heavy snow blankets Romania and Bulgaria

Friday, January 4, 2008
By Veselin Toshkov, AP

SOFIA, Bulgaria -- A bitterly cold winter storm gripped parts of Europe on Thursday, leaving at least three sailors dead in the sinking of a ship and thousands stranded at airports, on snowy mountain roads and in remote villages.

In northeastern Bulgaria, authorities declared a state of emergency, with the army called in to help civil defense authorities clear roads and reach stranded motorists.

A cold spell also caused problems in neighboring Romania, where Bucharest's two main airports were closed. Parts of Turkey and Greece, as well as Western Europe, were also affected. Some 311 Bulgarian villages were left without electricity and dozens were cut off without food supplies or fresh water, authorities said. The northern Danube municipality of Ruse declared a state of emergency after snow blocked many roads, said Andrei Ivanov, chief of the Balkan country's civil defense service.

Temperatures fell to minus 15 degrees Celsius (5 Fahrenheit), while snow drifts reached two meters (more than six feet) in parts of the country. Hundreds of motorists were trapped on mountain roads.

At least three crewmen were killed when a Bulgarian ship carrying scrap metal sank early Thursday during a storm on the Azov Sea between Ukraine and Russia, officials said.

The Vanessa was carrying a crew of 10 and a Ukrainian pilot who was guiding the ship as it approached the Kerch Strait, which connects the Azov Sea to the Black Sea, said Sergei Petrov, a spokesman for the Emergency Situations Ministry for southern Russia.

Petrov said rescuers pulled one survivor and three bodies from the sea, where waves were as high as 10 feet. In Romania, thousands of passengers were stranded Thursday after Bucharest's two main airports were closed due to heavy snowfall. The snow also blocked many roads in the south of the country, forcing the closure of at least one border crossing with Bulgaria and prompting train delays.

In Turkey's capital, Ankara, snowfall caused traffic jams and accidents, but no injuries were reported. Temperatures in Greece fell to a low of minus 18 degrees Celsius (minus 1 Fahrenheit) in the north of the country, where snow blanketed roads.

In Western Europe, ice and snow disrupted traffic. The Mont-Blanc tunnel linking France and Italy was closed to trucks until Friday because sharp temperature differences between the two sides threatened to disrupt the tunnel's ventilation, traffic authorities announced.

A Boeing 737 from Marrakech, Morocco, flown by the Atlas Blue airline, slid off an icy runway while landing Thursday morning, said authorities at the airport in Deauville, northern France. The plane came to a halt in grass. The 169 passengers were evacuated unharmed.

Cold weather and heavy snow disrupted traffic in Sweden and caused half a dozen road accidents Thursday.

Fourteen people received minor injuries and one was wounded seriously after two buses collided in icy conditions in central Sweden.

In southern Sweden, two passenger ferries traveling from Rostock in Germany to Trelleborg were kept waiting at sea for several hours Thursday morning, as the bad weather made it impossible to dock. The situation was resolved in the early afternoon.

MARITIME NOTES

From Holland & Knight

USCG – Rescue 21 update

The US Coast Guard issued a press release stating that, on January 9, it will formally accept the new Rescue 21 facility at Sector New York on Staten Island. Rescue 21 is an advanced radiocommunications system that offers direction-finding capability, reduction in coverage gaps, enhanced playback capability, digital archiving of calls, and increased channel monitoring capability. (1/3/08).

NOAA – ensuring accuracy of Global Navigation Satellite System

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued a news release stating that it will lead an international effort to ensure the accuracy of the Global Navigation Satellite System by pinpointing the locations of more than 40 global positioning satellites in Earth orbit. (1/3/08).

UK – container ship refloated

The UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) issued a press notice stating that the container ship that grounded on Varne Bank in Dover Strait has, with the aid of three tugs, been refloated. The ship is undergoing inspection in a safe anchorage. (1/2/08).

RS

It ain't just snow!

Here are the totals for the New Years Eve/Day Snow Storm across the area from the NWS Chicago Office.

New Years Eve/Day Snowfall

Storm total snowfall from December 31st through January 1st…
Location				Total
St. Charles (7NW)				7.9"
Barrington				7.1"
St. Charles				7.0"
St. Anne				6.8"
Herscher				6.7"
Wauconda				6.5"
Elgin				6.4"
Batavia				6.3"
Dekalb				6.2"
Bourbonnais				6.2"
Chatsworth				6.0"
Elgin				5.7"
Streamwood				5.7"
Oak Brook				5.4"
Paw Paw				5.3"
Harvard				5.0"
Watseka				5.0"
LaGrange				4.8"
Beecher				4.8"
Chicago Botanic Gardens				4.7"
Northbrook				4.6"
Rockford (offical)				4.5"
Steward				4.5"
Chicago OHare (official)				4.4"
Mundelein				4.4"
Lisle				4.0"
Midway (3SW)				4.0"
Ottawa (3SW)				4.0"
Joliet East				3.9"
Yorkville				3.8"
Milford				3.8"
Woodstock (5NW)				3.7"
LaGrange				3.6"
Downers Grove				3.6"
Roscoe				3.5"
Joliet (2N)				3.3"
NWS Romeoville				3.0"
Dwight				3.0"
Coal City				3.0"
Beach Park				2.9"
Peru				2.6"
Rochelle				2.5"
Schaumburg				2.5"
Channahon				2.5"
Mendota				2.4"
Gibson City				2.3"
Joliet Lock and Dam				2.0"
Paxton				2.0"
South Beloit				1.7"
Dixon (East-Side)				1.3"
Willowbrook				1.3"
Indiana
Chesterton				11.3"
Valparaiso (5NNE)				10.2"
Lake Village				9.8"
Demotte				8.1"
Morroco				8.0"
Lowell				6.8"
Valparaiso (3SE)				5.6"
Schererville				5.1"
Wanatah				5.0"

So you think its just snow and flurries in Florida! Try the rest of the world!

CURRENT ACTIVE STORMS IN THE WORLD

South Indian Ocean
-----------------------

Area of Responsibility
=================================
BOM - Perth (90E-130E, South of 10S)
BOM - Northern Territory (130E-140E, South of 10S)
TCWC Jakarta, Indonesia (90E-130E, North of 10S)


Bureau of Meteorology - Perth

(1) Central South Indian Ocean

Tropical Cyclone Outlook (03Jan)
==================================
Ex-Tropical Cyclone Melanie was located near 22.8S 106.4E as of 10 am WDT. The low is not expected to redevelop into a tropical cyclone.

There are no other significant lows evident in the central southeastern Indian Ocean at this time.

(2) Southeast Indian Ocean

Tropical Cyclone Outlook (03Jan)
=================================
Tropical Cyclone Warning Center Darwin is currently issuing advices for a developing tropical low near 14S 128E. Although the low is expected to develop further it is not expected to move into the western australia region.

Another tropical low (weak) is currently near 17S 116E and is moving northeast. The low is expected to weaken further and not develop into a tropical cyclone.

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Tropical Disturbance Summary (1800z 02Jan)
============================================
The area of convection (92S) near 16.4S 114.2E or 350 NM north of Learmouth, Australia. Recent microwave and enhanced infrared imagery indicates a loosely organized low level circulation center with the main burst of convection to the west of the low level circulation center. Upper level support is limited due to moderate shear values and interaction of the remnant of Melanie.

Maximum sustained winds near the center is 15-20 knots with a minimum sea level pressure of 998 mb. Due to high vertical wind shear values, the potential of this disturbance to form into a significate tropical cyclone within the next 24 hours is POOR.

Bureau of Meteorology - Northern Territory

TROPICAL LOW
14.3S 127.9E - 30 knots 990 hPa

Tropical Cyclone Advice/Warning #2
=================================

At 6:00 AM UTC, Tropical Low [993 hPa] located near 14.1S 128.0E or 155 kms north of Wyndham and 365 west-southwest of Darwin had 10 minute sustained winds of 30 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. The low is reported moving west at 6 knots.

The low is expected to become slow moving, and possibly develop into a TROPICAL CYCLONE tonight or tomorrow morning, before moving eastward toward the Top End of the Northern Territory.

GALES could affect coastal and island communities between Mitchell Plateau in Western Australia and Daly River Mouth in the Northern Territory overnight or early tomorrow morning.

If the system were to take a more northeast track, there is the possibility that GALES could affect coastal and island communities between Daly River Mouth and Goulburn Island, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands late on Friday or on
Saturday.

Heavy rain is expected to cause flooding in the north Kimberley region from tomorrow.

Heavy rain is expected to cause flooding in the north Kimberley region from tomorrow.

Tropical Cyclone Watches/Warning
===============================

A Cyclone WARNING is current for coastal and island communities from Mitchell Plateau in Western Australia to Daly River Mouth in the Northern Territory.

A Cyclone WATCH is current for coastal and island communities from Daly River Mouth to Goulburn Island, including Darwin and the Tiwi Islands


Storm archives (Active Storms in Bold)

December/January
04U.Melanie - 966 hPa
05U.NONAME - 994 hPa

06U.NONAME - 990 hPa
-----------------------
South Pacific Ocean
------------------------

Area of Responsibility
=============================
RSMC Nadi - Fiji Meteorological Services (E of 160E)
Bureau of Meteorology - Brisbane (W of 160E/S of 10S)
TCWC - Port Moresby (W of 160/N of 10S)
TCWC Wellington - New Zealand (E of 160E/S of 25S)

RSMC Nadi

No Current Tropical Bulletins/Advisories

Brisbane Bureau of Meteorology - Queensland

Tropical Cyclone Outlook (02January)
===============================
The low pressure system located over the central Coral Sea is not expected to develop into a tropical cyclone. It is still producing strong to gale force winds over a broad area east of southern Queensland and over coastal waters south of about St. Lawrence.

----------------------
Southwestern Indian Ocean
-----------------------

Area of Responsibility
=================================
RSMC Metro France - La Reunion

DEPRESSION TROPICALE, EX-ELNUS
22.5ºS 40.8ºE - 30 knots 998 hPa

Tropical Cyclone Warning #15
=============================================
At 6:00 AM UTC, Tropical Depression, Ex-Elnus [998 hPa] located near 22.5S 40.8E or 1495 kms west of the coast of Reunion had 10 minute sustained winds of 30 knots with gusts up to 45 knots. The storm is reported moving south-southeast at 7 knots.

Dvorak Intensity: T2.0/2.5

Near Gale-Force Winds within 30 NM from the center extending up to 90 NM in the southwestern quadrant and up to 140 NM in the southeastern quadrant, and locally reaching 35kts in the southeastern semi-circle up to 30 nm from the center.

Strong gusts under squalls.

Forecast and Intensity
======================
24 HRS: 24.0S 41.0E 35 knots (Tempête Tropicale Moderée)
48 HRS: 24.9S 41.4E 30 knots (Depression Tropicale)

Additional Information
========================
The low level circulation center is partially exposed northwest of the deep convection due to a rather strong northwestly vertical wind shear. Elnus should track southward for the next 36 hours and take advantage of a decreasing wind shear to slightly re-intensify to moderate tropical storm stage. Beyond located between two upper level ridges, the first shifting eastward and the other rebuilding in the west, the system should track southeastwards.

Joint Typhoon Warning Center

Tropical Cyclone Warning #6
============================
At 0:00 AM UTC, Tropical Cyclone Nine (Elnus) had 1 minute sustained winds of 30 knots with gusts of 40 knots. The cyclone was located 390 NM west-southwest of Antananarivo, Madagascar moving south-southeast at 4 knots.

Significant wave height associated with 09S Elnus is 17 feet.

Storm archives (Active Storms in Bold)

December/January

06R.ELNUS - 994 hpa

MARTIME NOTES

The International Maritime Human Element Bulletin, Issue 1

The PDF version of issue 16 of the Alert! Bulletin is now available for download from: http://www.he-alert.org/documents/bulletin/Alert!_16.pdf

You can also view a Flash version at: http://publishing.yudu.com/A5lhu/AlertIssue16

Issue 16 of Alert! focuses on complacency and routinisation. It introduces the term Rogue Behaviour to describe some of the character traits that can bring about a culture of non-compliance, lapses of judgment and unprofessional behaviour.

Included are articles from accident investigators, academics and a ship master offering some thoughts on how to overcome some of these traits.

Some rogue behaviour inducing conditions are readily recognisable: boredom, complacency, drudgery, familiarity, ignorance, impulsiveness, risk taking and routinisation. Others may not be so easy to recognise: apathy, assumptions, compliance, contentment, contempt, dumbing-down, invulnerability, perceptions, predictability and seclusion – all of these are explored further in the centrespread feature of this bulletin.

Through the Alert! Project, we seek to represent the views of all sectors of the maritime industry – contributions for the Bulletin, letters to the editor and articles and papers for the website database are always welcome.

And we welcome your comments on this report!

RS